I’ve made myself a promise that while ever it’s in my gift I’m never going to work on a Leap day again. So a day off work today and what better way to spend it than a trip on two wheels to Hassop Station. Out on my touring bike today after doing some work on it yesterday. The bike is a Ridgeback. Once in an Evans cycle store in Manchester I mentioned I rode a Ridgeback and an employee hipster/ cycle snob let out a loud snort from behind the counter. His derisory ‘comment’ as you can see has stayed with me as an example of exemplary customer service. However in spite of his verbal review it’s a bike that does for me what it needs to – and does it well – today being no exception. I recall that Anna Hughes of ‘Eat, Sleep, Cycle’ rode a similar bike around the coast of England, Scotland, and Wales. So what better endorsement?

This week ‘Ibiza Rocks’ seems to have fallen foul of the country road music critics. Why they end up face up on the verge remains a mystery. I hope whoever is organising the local effort for ‘Clean for the Queen’ is bearing Peak District roadside verges in mind. Supposedly the biggest litterers are young, urban, and white which may explain the music selections I spy. But it may require more research on my part.

I’ve cycled parts of today’s route a lot but I realised today that the majority of these trips have been at the weekend or on summers evenings. I have not ridden these routes on a Monday with a variety of heavy goods vehicle and delivery vans barrelling against the clock up and down the tarmac. When the rumbling behind you becomes a roar as a 12 wheeler passes by I found myself tensing up each time the air around me came under unrelenting pressure. I guess you would call it a leap of faith that you’ll still be upright and cycling after it’s passed and you’ve anticipated the slight passing vacuum well enough. If the driver was to stretch to the left to grab that just out of reach Yorkie on the passenger seat and unconsciously slightly turn the steering wheel it’d be game over – no question – no debate. Two wheeled warriors are no match for twelve wheel wagons. To be fair the majority of drivers are very considerate and give you a good and wide berth. Some don’t though with their speed and trajectory altering little as they overtake.Overall not a winning experience and something for me to bear in mind in four years time!

Out tonight after dark on my urban circuit. I’m still trying to get out more in preparation for this years cycling adventures. Plus if I can shed a few pounds along the way all to the good – innit. 

Out today trying to shake the lead out as I am planning some cycling adventures this year and so I need to keep up my reasonable level of fitness. So up and out to the edge of the Peak District through Old Brampton dodging light snow showers and a bit of hailstoning to boot. Speaking of boots in today’s litany of roadside discarded items were a pair or workmans rigger boots. Maybe the new local ‘Screwfix’ is having an environmental impact already in less obvious ways. I also encountered a Robbie Williams ‘Swings both ways’ CD disc and case on route both landing conveniently title side up. Flung with gusto seemingly by a passing motorist and music critic, or critical passenger. Sometimes I wonder whether I should be doing my bit for the environment and the local aesthetics by picking up the litter that I spy as I go. There’s so much crap loitering along the way though that I’d never be on the bike and where would I dispose of the bin bags? The amount of litter is a sad indictment however of today’s thoughtless road user. I say road user as I suppose I can’t single out ‘the motorist’ as the only culprit. Though it’s unlikely Robbie hit the dirt from horseback.