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rojobe
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Name: Bob
Country: United Kingdom
Metro: London
Gender: Male
Interests: Mostly Mountain Biking with a little bit of track and roady stuff including bike commute when I can. Good food, red wine, real beer. Macs over PCs every time. The big outdoors. Flight sims. Photography. Painting and drawing. Music - all sorts.
Expertise: Life, people, parenting, drawing, riding.
Occupation: Computer related
Industry: Graphic Design
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
3/3/2005
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| Yup, I've only gone and added another to my stable...
The astute among you will notice I've been short-changed as it has no gears and no brakes. This is normal for a track bike. The gear is 'fixed', so when the back wheel turns, the pedals turn – no freewheeling. Brakes? Well, when you're all riding at a similar speed in the same direction on track, in theory, there's no need for them.
If you want a taster of what it's like riding track at the country's smallest velodrome, I found some Youtube footage – not me I hasten to add.
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| Hannah went up to Aberdeen, Scotland last weekend to meet up with some Uni friends. Her check-in was about 6am so I had some time on my hands before starting work back at 'the Stream'.
In Fleet town, a MacDonalds breakfast and newspaper helped pass the time. Newspapers are something I rarely bother with, I can't remember the last time I bought one. I think whenever it was, it cost me about 30p, so I was gobsmacked to be charged a pound for my paper!
Anyway, arriving for work, I still had some time and as it was such a lovely morning. I just happened to have my camera so wandered the track that runs behind the farm where the Stream are based in some converted stables.
Beside the track to the farm from the road there's a paddock where several horses spend their time. Most were still in a group but one had wandered out to nibble some breakfast.
Two more, one wrapped against the cold.
The Army training area to the North of the farm which hosted the 12 hour bike race I took part in a couple of months back.
The track behind the farm and skirts the edge of the training area.
Early morning sun and dew drenched cobwebs.
On a completely different take, I spotted this while on holiday...
It's exactly the same as one I had back in 1981/82. I only owned it from new for 6 months before it was stolen, but it was probably a good thing for even though I rode defensively and with sense, I had several near misses "sorry mate, didn't see you" – it would only have been a matter of time before I ended up in hospital or worse. Still, it was good while it lasted.
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| Our late summer holiday was spent in the French village of 'Tremolat', a stone's throw from the river Dordogne.
From the UK it's a bit of a long haul, so I found a place to stop overnight on the way down. So, our first night was spent in 'Le Fleuray' hotel, about half-way between Blios and Tours, in the Loire valley. We'd left an overcast sky behind in the UK, but when I took an early morning stroll I was greeted with a blue, cloudless sky. With the odd exception the weather stayed this way for the next week and a half.
The tower of Tremolat church is just visible, left of the river. The village sits within a huge meander of the Dordogne, surrounded by farmland broken by woods, steep hills and the river.
The Multipla sits outside our home for two weeks, a converted barn behind the cars, divided into two holiday homes with bedrooms on three levels and a large lounge opening into a small secluded garden with a shared pool.
A few doors down there was a little bakery, so we had fresh bread and croisants most mornings.
A sketch of the back of the 'barn' from the pool.
Opposite the church sits a little restaurant and bar. We ate there a few times and often enjoyed an evening drink, sitting outside and enjoying the slow pace of life passing by.
Wandering the village I found this place with a perfect spot opposite to perch on and draw. It took a few sessions to complete all the detail here, though it may not look that complex.
Early in our stay the three of us who were able, took a canoe trip – one of the most popular pastimes in the area. We decided to explore the river Vézère which joins the Dordogne near Tremolat.
Not long after setting off we stopped in Le Bugue for lunch in a little restaurant overlooking the river. We dragged the canoes up onto the bank and crossed the bridge. You can just make out the canoes in the shade of the trees on the right bank as one looks back upstream.
The whole area is characterised by these huge limestone cliffs which the rivers have carved down through over eons of time.
All five of us managed to get to Domme, a little village that sits high above the river on top of one of those cliffs. Holland and I pushing Hannah and Edith (Karon's Mum) in their wheelchairs. The village is very pretty and largely unspoiled. And of course the views from the top area stunning.
Next came a trip to Sarlat. A medievil town. Much of its centre untouched by time. Actually, we made two trips as Karon, Holland and I went back to paint/sketch another day.
I sat in this same spot, some ten years ago and drew the same scene, and I doubt there are any differences 'twix the two!
On the way back to Tremolat I followed the meanders of the river.
We took Edith to see the gardens of Eyrignac, near where we stayed last time around.
Our first misty morning and a real autumnal feel. Karon and I walked on the 'Cinq' de Tremolat – the high ground overlooking the huge sweep of the river and the twin bridges of Tremolat.
Within 20 miles or so there are numerous old towns and villages, all with their unique selling points and places of interest.
Joan of Arc adores the Madonna in a side chapel.
Cerano de Bergerac – in Bergerac.
On our way back we stopped overnight at Chinon and Karon and I toured the overlooking castle, climbing all the way to the roof of the tower at right.
Clouds gather. Time to go home.
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