Sunday, 24 July 2011
Mark Cavendish, Amy Winehouse, and Norway
Mark and his team were brilliant today but other news pretty bad.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Fashion Show before the ride.
Before the RNLI cycle ride I spent a few days in Cornwall but returned in time to get my kit ready for the ride. I also got back in time to take part in the Reading Fashion show as a male model. Over the past two years there have been many people taking part in dress making classes. Some have been beginners like me and others have been undertaking dressmaking qualifications. Everybody's work is used for the biannual fashion show.
It was a great night out and the first time I have been on a fashion runway. My favorite dress was based on a Mondrian work in grey and black.
It was a great night out and the first time I have been on a fashion runway. My favorite dress was based on a Mondrian work in grey and black.
Monday, 18 July 2011
New RNLI designed cycle shirts displayed after long ride to Poole
I have just updated my blog profile picture to show the four riders displaying their RNLI cycle shirts under the RNLI Lifeboats statue. The riders having completed the Reading to Poole cycle ride.
Press Lease to Local Papers
This is a shorter version of yesterday's write up of the cycle ride on the 16th July. It was written and sent to local reporters.
The Great RNLI Ride-16th July.
They battled wind across theNew Forest . Norman
He also said “Our RNLI Cycle shirts, which we were all wearing, caught the eyes of people we passed and we even gained extra sponsorship as a result”.
After cycling up the final hill they arrived inPoole and were greeted by many photo calls in front of the RNLI statue. 
The Great RNLI Ride-16th July.
They did it! Malcolm, Mark, Craig and Norman cycled in one day from Reading to the RNLI College in Poole to raise more than £1000.00 for the RNLI. The highlights of the ride were rain all morning, strong winds all afternoon, and stinging sand along the seafront from Southbourne to Poole . This was topped by three punctures and the need for two new tyres. As Rodney Britton, the RNLI Reading Branch Chairman, said many times to them "but you made it" and they did.
They started well, arriving at the first two stops on time. They set off for the third in the rain. Then the going got tough. They got frozen while they mended their first puncture and were late arriving at the next stop but The Mill Arms, Dunbridge had all they needed.
They started well, arriving at the first two stops on time. They set off for the third in the rain. Then the going got tough. They got frozen while they mended their first puncture and were late arriving at the next stop but The Mill Arms, Dunbridge had all they needed.
They battled wind across the
He also said “Our RNLI Cycle shirts, which we were all wearing, caught the eyes of people we passed and we even gained extra sponsorship as a result”.
After cycling up the final hill they arrived in
Anyone interested in riding next year please email norman.pitcher@hotmail.co.uk
Sunday, 17 July 2011
The Great RNLI Ride-16th July.
We did it! Malcolm ( Mr Mechanic and all round engineer), Mark (with his strong family support groupies) and Craig (with Rachel and Louise at every feed station) and me (with roadie - vehicle support driver- and emotional support, Hilary). The highlights were rain all morning, strong winds all afternoon, and stinging sand along the seafront from Southbourne to Poole. This was topped by three punctures ( two to my tyres within 10 minutes of each other). As Rodney our RNLI Reading Branch Chairman said many times, "but you made it" and we did.
At 6.45 am we arrived at the start, along with our support team and video film maker, Bill. We were waved off and started well, arriving at our first two feed stations on time. We set off for the third in the rain. Then the going got tough. Our first puncture happened. We were sopping wet and got frozen in the time it took Malcolm to mend it. This and a hazardous cross country short cut added time to the journey. Our arrival time was so late that Hilary came out to find us . We had tried to use our mobiles to let our support team know all was OK but they had no reception. We arrived while Hilary was looking for us and then I got worried about Hilary. She had all the food and drink! Still we need not have worried. Our stop, The Mill Arms Dunbridge had all we needed. No! I mean, I was worried about Hilary and her safety. Rodney, Bridget and Pat were at the Mill Arms to give us encouragement..
We then battled the wind across the New Forest to arrive at The Red Shoot Inn, Linwood. It was like riding in the Tour de France. Even more so, as part way along the route Rodney, Bridget, Pat, Hilary, Rachel, and Louise stopped to cheer us from the side of the road. Luckily they did not run out and up the road with us but I had my Mark Cavendish moment as I raced for the imaginary line beside them and won with photos being taken.
At The Red Shoot Inn, I was chatted up by an older woman who offered us sponsorship without any prompting. Our RNLI Cycle shirts, which we were all wearing, caught her and her family's eye.
We then cycled south to Southbourne and it is at this point I gained my two punctures within 10 minutes of each other. Malcolm came into his own again with his mechanical skill. From Southborne we dropped down to the promenade and cycle against the wind and sand.
We left the prom and climbed our final hill before arriving at the RNLI College where we were greeted by our groupies, those mentioned in the blog and Mark's whole family - wife, children, mum and dad and a friend of one of the children. There were many photo calls in front of the RNLI statue and then we all had to go our separate ways. A bit of an anti climax.
A few of us stayed at the College which is a wonderful place with hotel facilities and views across the water. The final highlight of the day was at the end of Dinner. There was a Stag party on the next table. They had done a lot of wine tasting and Pat boldly asked if they wanted to sponsor us riders and they did to the tune of £45.
Anyone interested in Riding next year please let me know as I am trying to build this up into an even bigger event. I hope to place photos on to the bog over the next few days.
At 6.45 am we arrived at the start, along with our support team and video film maker, Bill. We were waved off and started well, arriving at our first two feed stations on time. We set off for the third in the rain. Then the going got tough. Our first puncture happened. We were sopping wet and got frozen in the time it took Malcolm to mend it. This and a hazardous cross country short cut added time to the journey. Our arrival time was so late that Hilary came out to find us . We had tried to use our mobiles to let our support team know all was OK but they had no reception. We arrived while Hilary was looking for us and then I got worried about Hilary. She had all the food and drink! Still we need not have worried. Our stop, The Mill Arms Dunbridge had all we needed. No! I mean, I was worried about Hilary and her safety. Rodney, Bridget and Pat were at the Mill Arms to give us encouragement..
We then battled the wind across the New Forest to arrive at The Red Shoot Inn, Linwood. It was like riding in the Tour de France. Even more so, as part way along the route Rodney, Bridget, Pat, Hilary, Rachel, and Louise stopped to cheer us from the side of the road. Luckily they did not run out and up the road with us but I had my Mark Cavendish moment as I raced for the imaginary line beside them and won with photos being taken.
At The Red Shoot Inn, I was chatted up by an older woman who offered us sponsorship without any prompting. Our RNLI Cycle shirts, which we were all wearing, caught her and her family's eye.
We then cycled south to Southbourne and it is at this point I gained my two punctures within 10 minutes of each other. Malcolm came into his own again with his mechanical skill. From Southborne we dropped down to the promenade and cycle against the wind and sand.
We left the prom and climbed our final hill before arriving at the RNLI College where we were greeted by our groupies, those mentioned in the blog and Mark's whole family - wife, children, mum and dad and a friend of one of the children. There were many photo calls in front of the RNLI statue and then we all had to go our separate ways. A bit of an anti climax.
A few of us stayed at the College which is a wonderful place with hotel facilities and views across the water. The final highlight of the day was at the end of Dinner. There was a Stag party on the next table. They had done a lot of wine tasting and Pat boldly asked if they wanted to sponsor us riders and they did to the tune of £45.
Anyone interested in Riding next year please let me know as I am trying to build this up into an even bigger event. I hope to place photos on to the bog over the next few days.
Friday, 15 July 2011
The Great Ride
Tomorrow is the great ride from RNLI Reading to Poole and the weather forecast is diabolical. Looks like hours of rain and wind.
Monday, 11 July 2011
ride4Haiti
Its been a busy weekend what with helping at the BBQ in our Community Garden, helping with All Saints Summer Fair, meeting up with Craig and Rachel to sort out final arrangements for the RNLI cycle ride and attending a 60th Birthday celebration and an engagement party. Thus, I am only just getting round to writing up my blog about last Friday's ride4haiti which was from Prospect Park, Reading to the Muslim Hands Charity's office in the Whitechapel Rd, East London.
I arrived at 9am on Friday and was greeted by Mark, from the Cyclist Touring Club, and members of a local Women's Institute who were wanting to encourage more Muslim women to join their organisation. The ride4haiti was organised by Muslim Hands which was established in 1993 and is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty.
I cycled with Javed who is cycling from Lands end to John O'Groats to raise money for Haiti children, Calib and Irfam. We made our way to Windsor Castle and had cake and coffee, then past Heathrow Airport with planes coming in just above our heads to land, then across the Thames at Kew Bridge to Richmond, across to Chiswick, then stopping outside Harrods before cycling through Hyde Park and down to the Embankment to go along the side of the River Thames to East London. We then cycled back to Paddington Station passing St Paul's, and the High Courts of Justice. On to the train and home. It was a great day out for me.
Javed cycled to Milton Keynes on Saturday and I hope all goes well with the rest of his jouney
I arrived at 9am on Friday and was greeted by Mark, from the Cyclist Touring Club, and members of a local Women's Institute who were wanting to encourage more Muslim women to join their organisation. The ride4haiti was organised by Muslim Hands which was established in 1993 and is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty.
I cycled with Javed who is cycling from Lands end to John O'Groats to raise money for Haiti children, Calib and Irfam. We made our way to Windsor Castle and had cake and coffee, then past Heathrow Airport with planes coming in just above our heads to land, then across the Thames at Kew Bridge to Richmond, across to Chiswick, then stopping outside Harrods before cycling through Hyde Park and down to the Embankment to go along the side of the River Thames to East London. We then cycled back to Paddington Station passing St Paul's, and the High Courts of Justice. On to the train and home. It was a great day out for me.
Javed cycled to Milton Keynes on Saturday and I hope all goes well with the rest of his jouney
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Getting Fit by taking part in Ride for Haiti
I'm going on this ride to make sure I am fit enough to get from Reading to Poole on the Annual RNLI cycle ride on the 16th July.
Reading Ride4Haiti
Tomorrow, 8th July 2011 at 9:30am
Location: Reading (Libenrood Road)
Get fit and raise funds for the children of Haiti this summer by participating in ‘Ride4Haiti’. In partnership with the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC- the UK’s biggest cycling charity was founded in 1878 Patron HM The Queen, President Jon Snow) and Muslim Hands, an NGO working to alleviate suffering in over 40 countries since 1993.
Below is an image of the Day Ride from Reading to London:
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Different Thoughts
Great news. Mark Cavendish won stage 5 of the Tour De France and I have booked on to learning French at evening class.
We need a novel where Jack Reacher cycles across the USA
Booked on to local dressmaking class and intend, when I am more skilled, to design clothes to look good on a bike in town
Went to a Christening on Sunday and during the service one of the congregation cycled in
on his bike. He told us about his fund raising ride from Lands End to John O'Groats.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Final push-Fund Raising for the RNLI
Please sponsor me on my RNLI 100 mile cycle ride on the 16th July from Reading to Poole. Just click on to this site. http://uk.virginmoneygiving.co
Monday, 4 July 2011
Reading to Newbury ride 25th June 2011
This went really well and it raised about £1000 when gift aid is added. The weather was good and the cakes were great.
Paul's Blog on the Reading to Newbury Fun Ride
Beautiful Disaster
Hi Guys,
A bit of an epic post this one, but it was an epic ride. Enjoy!
Anyone following me on twitter, or anyone who sees my facebook updates would have seen me mention my mate Norman's cycle ride along the Kennet and Avon Canal between Reading and Newbury.
Well this took place on Saturday 25th June and it was my intention to take some, if not all of my cycling team as a training/bonding exercise.
Things, however, didn't quite go to plan!
Carlos had to work in the morning, and then abseil off a 500ft building in the afternoon . . . . . . . . . . . .
We set off with the intention of following the route of day 1 of the ride to Cornwall. This follows National Cycle Route 4 out of London and all the way to Reading. I had printed out a route map and although it didn't cover much else apart from the route line, I didn't think we would have any problems. A few weeks earlier, I was reading a blog by some people who had cycled to Cornwall following the route that we were taking. They had described the terrain and the signage as good, so I was pretty confident that this was going to be a simple exercise in navigation by following a little number 4.
We encountered our first problem after exiting Richmond Park at the wrong gate. This was completely my fault and I take full responsibility, although there are 2 hospitals at 2 different gates, and it was early in the morning. Anyway, after doubling back after a few miles along the wrong road we were back on track.
Our next problem was rather more major.
After hitting the River Thames at Hampton Court, the cycle path quickly became a gravelly track. This would have been no problem at all on a mountain bike with huge fat tyres. We were of course on our road bikes. It didn't look good, so we decided to try and make our way using roads running alongside the cycle path. This sounds like a great idea, only the roads don't quite work like that! My map had now become useless, as anything 500 metres either side of the cycle path didn't exist on it.
I then got a puncture, my 5th of the year, but the 3rd in the same amount of weeks. No worries in changing it, I am becoming quite the expert, but it cost us even more time. Time was something we were running out of.
We followed the road signs as best we could. Richard asked another cyclist if we were on the right road to get to Windsor as we were overtaking her. She replied "sort of" which was good enough for us.
We were destined to get lost, and we did. Having to keep doubling back on ourselves, costing us more time and racking up more miles in the process.
Norman phoned me as we were going through Egham to see where we were. He was going to delay the start of the ride for us, but quickly changed his mind when he found out where we were!
We continued to snake our way across towards Windsor and entered the Great Park. I really enjoyed cycling through the park, as we used to go for walks with my Aunty Lyn up to the polo field when I was a kid. Richard on the other hand was getting hungry. We left the park at 11:15. 4 hours after we set off from Putney, and 45 minutes later than Norman's ride had started. It was decision time.
We didn't have a good enough map, we were late, we had no idea of how long it would take us to get to Reading, let alone Newbury and then there was the whole journey in reverse to think about. The decision was a tough one, because we didn't want to let Norman down, but at the same time we were still a long way from getting to him. I phoned to tell him we weren't going to make it, and eventually I spoke to him. He was at the first rest point on the ride eating cake and muffins. I was gutted not to have been able to make it to see him and his lovely wife Hilary, who was very keen for me to know that she was on her bike, but I promise I will next year. I will also make sure I eat lots of cakes and muffins along the way too, as by the sounds of it they were delicious. I was also gutted that we didn't get to arrive in a blaze of glory after cycling all the way from London to get to the start point, but that can wait until next year too.
Our journey home was relatively simple. We stopped for some food at a little cafe on the River, where Richard ordered pretty much everything on the menu, and proceeded to devour it all. I haven't been around Richard for this amount of time for a while, and it amazes me the amount of food he packs away. He is going to need a support car all to himself, filled to the top with food to keep him going, on the ride to Cornwall! It made a huge difference though, and the pace we then kept up the rest of the way back was pretty quick. I got another puncture going through Kingston, just to give me even more practice after hitting a pot hole.
Richmond Park was gorgeous in the sunshine that had now decided to join us, and the deer had come out to see us too. It was like the scene in Jurassic Park where they see all the dinosaurs for the first time.
If only there had been a Stegosaurus on the horizon, I would have been in heaven!
After going our separate ways through Clapham, I got home and decided to try and work out how far we had been. It was obviously quite hard because of all the times we had to track back, but it worked out at just over 100 miles. It was a massive number for us, and made it all worth it. We didn't achieve what we wanted to in terms of getting to Reading and then Newbury. We found out that our proposed route isn't going to work, leaving us having to do alot more prep work to find the right roads to cycle on. I need to buy yet more inner tubes, and also need to start carrying latex gloves to stop my hands looking like those of a chimney sweep every time I get a puncture. Richard needs to stay the right side of the law, and carry even more food than he already does. But we did hit the magic distance of 100 miles, in a decent time too. We had a brilliant time cycling with each other, and learned so much from the mistakes we made.
It might have been a disaster, but there were so many things about it that will help us on our ride to Cornwall . . . . . . it was a beautiful disaster.
Thanks for all the support, keep the sponsorship coming.
www.justgiving.com/justgottarideit or text RIDE76 to 70070 to donate £5
A bit of an epic post this one, but it was an epic ride. Enjoy!
Anyone following me on twitter, or anyone who sees my facebook updates would have seen me mention my mate Norman's cycle ride along the Kennet and Avon Canal between Reading and Newbury.
Well this took place on Saturday 25th June and it was my intention to take some, if not all of my cycling team as a training/bonding exercise.
Things, however, didn't quite go to plan!
Carlos had to work in the morning, and then abseil off a 500ft building in the afternoon . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ade, who had just done some "drunk ebaying" and bought himself a carbon time trial bike, was selling his original awesome road bike, and so didn't have anything to ride.
Chris was entertaining for the weekend, meaning he had people over, not that he is boring the rest of the time! (sorry Chris I couldn't help that one!)
Richard on the other hand, was totally up for it. He also had the brilliant idea that we should meet up early in the morning and cycle all the way to Norman's start point in Reading. We decided to meet outside Putney Station at 6:30am on Saturday, that would give us 4 hours to cycle the 50 miles (near enough) to get there before the end of the registration time.
I arrived in the light drizzle of a dank morning at 6:30 and waited for Rich. Now I've know Richard for a long time and it didn't surprise me when 6:45 came along and he still wasn't there. I did however start to get a little concerned at 7 o'clock when he still wasn't there so I decided to cycle the 30 second journey down to the tube station, just in case we had our wires crossed and were in 2 different places waiting for each other . . . . we weren't, but by the time I cycled back, there he was.
Yes he had left late, but he had then been caught up in major roadworks and been on a massive diversion, and really only made it to Putney by pure luck. He had also been pulled over by the police after running a red light at a completely empty junction. He knows he was in the wrong, but was then annoyed to see the police car do exactly the same thing at the next set of lights, after they had finished with him.
We encountered our first problem after exiting Richmond Park at the wrong gate. This was completely my fault and I take full responsibility, although there are 2 hospitals at 2 different gates, and it was early in the morning. Anyway, after doubling back after a few miles along the wrong road we were back on track.
Our next problem was rather more major.
After hitting the River Thames at Hampton Court, the cycle path quickly became a gravelly track. This would have been no problem at all on a mountain bike with huge fat tyres. We were of course on our road bikes. It didn't look good, so we decided to try and make our way using roads running alongside the cycle path. This sounds like a great idea, only the roads don't quite work like that! My map had now become useless, as anything 500 metres either side of the cycle path didn't exist on it.
I then got a puncture, my 5th of the year, but the 3rd in the same amount of weeks. No worries in changing it, I am becoming quite the expert, but it cost us even more time. Time was something we were running out of.
We followed the road signs as best we could. Richard asked another cyclist if we were on the right road to get to Windsor as we were overtaking her. She replied "sort of" which was good enough for us.
We were destined to get lost, and we did. Having to keep doubling back on ourselves, costing us more time and racking up more miles in the process.
Norman phoned me as we were going through Egham to see where we were. He was going to delay the start of the ride for us, but quickly changed his mind when he found out where we were!
We continued to snake our way across towards Windsor and entered the Great Park. I really enjoyed cycling through the park, as we used to go for walks with my Aunty Lyn up to the polo field when I was a kid. Richard on the other hand was getting hungry. We left the park at 11:15. 4 hours after we set off from Putney, and 45 minutes later than Norman's ride had started. It was decision time.
We didn't have a good enough map, we were late, we had no idea of how long it would take us to get to Reading, let alone Newbury and then there was the whole journey in reverse to think about. The decision was a tough one, because we didn't want to let Norman down, but at the same time we were still a long way from getting to him. I phoned to tell him we weren't going to make it, and eventually I spoke to him. He was at the first rest point on the ride eating cake and muffins. I was gutted not to have been able to make it to see him and his lovely wife Hilary, who was very keen for me to know that she was on her bike, but I promise I will next year. I will also make sure I eat lots of cakes and muffins along the way too, as by the sounds of it they were delicious. I was also gutted that we didn't get to arrive in a blaze of glory after cycling all the way from London to get to the start point, but that can wait until next year too.
Our journey home was relatively simple. We stopped for some food at a little cafe on the River, where Richard ordered pretty much everything on the menu, and proceeded to devour it all. I haven't been around Richard for this amount of time for a while, and it amazes me the amount of food he packs away. He is going to need a support car all to himself, filled to the top with food to keep him going, on the ride to Cornwall! It made a huge difference though, and the pace we then kept up the rest of the way back was pretty quick. I got another puncture going through Kingston, just to give me even more practice after hitting a pot hole.
Richmond Park was gorgeous in the sunshine that had now decided to join us, and the deer had come out to see us too. It was like the scene in Jurassic Park where they see all the dinosaurs for the first time.
If only there had been a Stegosaurus on the horizon, I would have been in heaven!
After going our separate ways through Clapham, I got home and decided to try and work out how far we had been. It was obviously quite hard because of all the times we had to track back, but it worked out at just over 100 miles. It was a massive number for us, and made it all worth it. We didn't achieve what we wanted to in terms of getting to Reading and then Newbury. We found out that our proposed route isn't going to work, leaving us having to do alot more prep work to find the right roads to cycle on. I need to buy yet more inner tubes, and also need to start carrying latex gloves to stop my hands looking like those of a chimney sweep every time I get a puncture. Richard needs to stay the right side of the law, and carry even more food than he already does. But we did hit the magic distance of 100 miles, in a decent time too. We had a brilliant time cycling with each other, and learned so much from the mistakes we made.
It might have been a disaster, but there were so many things about it that will help us on our ride to Cornwall . . . . . . it was a beautiful disaster.
Thanks for all the support, keep the sponsorship coming.
www.justgiving.com/justgottarideit or text RIDE76 to 70070 to donate £5
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