Traveling

Hi everyone, I am writing a new blog entry so that must mean that yet another week has passed and Monday is due to rear it's ugly head tomorrow morning, the uniform has been pressed and lunch box prepared in readiness for the day ahead, on the upside it is another day closer to our holiday and I can tell you we are both looking forward to it.
Exercise wise I will admit I have done very little in fact only one that being our now regular Wednesday circuit training session, we are certainly enjoying the sessions and have included sit up's and press up's into our daily routine, slowly our bodies are adapting to the new exercise although I did have some issues with my calf muscle pulling and becoming very uncomfortable, I think the sheer amount of running might have been the issue, that or the fact my legs were cold, either way the sessions are good and I can see us carrying them on when we return from Norway.

Recently I made a tough decision regarding my cameras and decided to sell my pro lenses, I still have some regrets but I feel I have made the right choice, although I loved my 17-55 f2.8 it was large and quite heavy as was the 70-200 f2.8, I think the fact we are traveling away more really helped sway my decision as my gear will need to fit into carry on luggage plus it wont stand out so much as we walk around and most of all the while kit will be lighter and more compact.
I spent ages reading reviews and I eventually decided on the Nikon 16-85 f3.5-5.6 ED VR and the Nikon 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR giving me a good range and wide angle.

Nikon 16-85 f3.5-5.6 ED VR

Nikon 70-300 f4.5-5.6G VR

I have only had one outing with them both and so far I am very impressed, the VR does a wonderful job making up for the slow aperture, the only thing I am struggling with is the reversal of the focus and zoom rings compared to my 17-55 and lastly with the hood reversed on the 16-85 I cannot use the zoom ring at all, a bit of an inconvenience but in time I will adapt.
In about three maybe four years once my bills are paid I want to change formats and leave DX behind and possibly Nikon too moving to Canon full frame and their lovely range of f4 L series lenses, we will see, technology evolves and in four years things might be different but I shall decide then.

Saturday we headed down to Looe for a wander around with the cameras, the weather was a bit grey but I thoroughly enjoyed the day and spotted a few ideas that I want to revisit when conditions are "just right"

Err I will have the fish please.

Looe is a lovely place and for a seaside village it was not as cheesy as I expected it to be, some how it has retained it's dignity and not succumbed to the flood of arcades and cheap souvenir stores that often litter other seaside locations, there were little alleyways that I like wandering down and exploring.

MINE!

Gonna need a bigger boat!

Sam

I rounded the weekend off by ordering some more gear further refining my kit bag for the next few years, a new bag to carry my camera, lenses and laptop plus I have had to invest in some newer filters and a nice new camera strap too, I still feel a little uncertain but I know I have done the right thing.
Well that is all for the time being, weatherman is saying that we have a dry but cold week ahead so lets hope I can get some bike and photo time in.

Simon

Solar Power

We humans are amazing machines, take cyclists for example a brilliant mix of mechanical and biological engineering we can travel for miles fuelled by tea and cake, we move with unparalleled  efficiency and grace. But come the right conditions we surge forward with more vigour than normal, those conditions? Sun, regardless of our solid and liquid fuel (tea & cake) sources we run at our best when the sun is out, we are solar powered.

As you might have guessed the weather this weekend has been wonderful and sunny, we kicked off the weekend with a valentines meal at an american burger grill here in Plymouth JD's Grill and the food was simply amazing, I cannot recommend them enough, it was more food than I could or should have eaten but a feast now and then is good for the soul.

Saturday we awoke to a lovely sunrise and after getting a load of chores done early we packed a lunch and grabbed our walking boots and headed off to Wembury for a walk along the coastal path, when we got there the car park was busy, it seemed everyone else wanted to visit the beach today.

The conditions under boot were very muddy and it made progress a little slow to start so for a while we dropped onto the beach and walked on the sand and rocks it was so warm we found ourselves removing fleeces and stowing them away to enjoy the sun, as we walked we could see lots of different birds about including a couple of birds of prey, I am not sure what they were but they looked so majestic riding up high on the thermals, now and then as the path rose and fell they would be almost at head heigh flying by us.

We eventually made it round to Heybrook bay and stopped for a while to have some food and enjoy the view before heading back to Wembury across and increasingly muddier path, all along the path you could see quite a few sections fenced off due to erosion on the cliffs, the effects of climate change were all to alarmingly apparent, a reminder just how precious our land is, we must do more to protect and preserve and not keep consuming our resources.

I has been a few days since my last ride, my recent cold and having post circuit training soreness has left me barely able to move up and down the stairs let alone head out for an hour or two on the bike, we now have our second session under our belts and are already feeling the benefits physically and mentally, I am and feel stronger already.

With this in mind we headed out on the bikes Sunday morning, after discussing routes over breakfast we decided to head out and try a new route, the route was fairly hilly but we managed really well, Sam only really struggled on one area, I am really proud of her, looking back a year when she first got her bike and seeing her now is a transformation, neither of us shrink away from hills anymore, I even enjoy them once again.

Well that is all for now, the weatherman is saying it will be dry but getting cold again, fingers crossed for a solid week of riding as I dearly need to get some miles under my belt. Take care out there and happy riding.

Si.

If it ain't raining you ain't training?

Hi everyone and welcome to the latest update from my little corner of the world. First of all I want to begin with a slight confession, I am suffering this winter, there we have it I am struggling with the temperature, I am actually feeling cold out on the bike and for me that is almost unheard of, I am not sure why, the only thing I can think it might be is all the damp and lets face it we have had one hell of a wet summer/autumn so far, will be happier when I am slimmer and able to fit into warmer cycling kit, I do have some new socks that help a little for now but I still do not quite fit into the cut of many clothing producers.

The start of this week saw some pretty horrible weather with heavy rain and strong winds dominating the forecast, I should not try to get so down about the forecast but I do, the grey and damp conditions are not helping motivation right now and as a result I failed to meet the Strava Base mile challenge event by a good 60 miles.

I had hoped to put in some good miles in January both on the turbo and out on the road but using the turbo has it's own problems right now with the noise it generates, I am hoping some rubber matting will help reduce the noise issue and allow me to ride regardless of the conditions.

Wednesday did finally offer the chance to get out on the bike and I heading out on a hilly ride around the coast, the wind was terrible though and at one point I was blown into the rock face I was climbing past, the ride itself was pleasant enough and as soon as I was out of the wind I settled into a nice tempo and climbed quite happily.

This was sadly my last ride for a few days, I think riding at odd angles into the wind must have aggravated my back as I have had a very sore lower back on the left hand side, not enough to make things difficult although it has disturbed my sleep a little, but it is more than noticeable if I try and do anything serious.

Friday arrived at last and we were both pretty tired, Sam had reached her next weight goal (I am only 3lb off mine) so a celebratory chinese takeaway was in order and man it was immense we both thoroughly enjoyed it, I know it lifted my spirits no end, probably high from all the MSG lol.

Saturday was a complete change in the weather, the wind was still around but the skies were a clear blue and when sheltered it was so warm, we both arose early motivated by the alien orange ball in the sky and headed out on the bikes  for a ride up to Yelverton. We stopped up there and broke out the sandwiches and much needed coffee and sat in the sun enjoying the day before we rode home with a fun tailwind.

Sam riding over the crest of the hill.

It is amazing how my mood has improved and we are both energised once more to take on Febuary and all it's challenges.

Last of all it has been ordered, yes my new bike has ben ordered and man am I excited about it, I have ordered a Trek Crossrip 50cm, it will be april until the bike is available and I will pick it up late May early June at the latest but for now it is on back order with Trek, my local bike shop are awesome as ever and said they will keep it until I am ready to pick it up as the budget is tight until the holiday, huge thanks to the Bike Cellar who will also be giving me a bike fit to help me set it up correctly as I am new to drops.

Well that is all for now, just a quick photo form last weekends trip over to Paignton, hope you all have a great week.

Baby it's cold outside

Around here the weather has taken a turn for the worse with every weather imaginable this past few days, this morning alone I drove to work through a hail storm that lay as thick as snow and really bad thunder and lighting, global warming is starting to really kick in now thats for sure.
But despite the cold and the inclement weather I have managed to get out on the bike albeit shorter distances that I really want to be riding for some reason I am really feeling the cold and it is starting to get to me a little, I think the biggest issue I am having is finding cycle clothing to fit my more rounded profile especially warm cycling kit, the simple task of finding cycling 3/4 length tights and overshoes has become a real challenge as the cut of the gear even at the larger sizes is not adequate for my larger size, I think that most cycle clothing manufactures think that we are no larger than a 44" waist and have no leg muscles at all. Grrrr rant over but it is a concern that I feel needs to be addressed if we are to open our sport to everybody regardless of shape and size.


Last Wednesdays road ride took me to the Tamar Bridge.

Friday saw our first real snowfall of the winter and hopefully not our last, when I left the house it was raining but by the time I had traveled a mile up the road it had progressed to sleet, on arrival at work it was full blown snow and the driveway into the office was impassable for a few hours.



By the time I left work and had got changed into my cycling gear most of the snow at low level had melted but at least I managed to get out for a ride and I am always thankful for that in this weather as I am at anytime and I enjoyed 90 mins of frozen toes and a large belt of whiskey from my hip flask, a must for the winter rider.



Anyone who has ready my blog or has known me for anytime will have noticed the complete lack of mountain biking, and well it is true, I think I have been off road only 3-4 times in the past 12 months and to be honest I am not really missing it. My riding these days is more road orientated with little sections of light trail between roads now and then.
I think that what I want from cycling has changed, I have changed. When I first started cycling again a few years ago I had the idea of returning to fitness and racing off road, but something changed along the way and I find myself enjoying riding my bike more on the road and well, I am really enjoying it.
It is not just a change of riding surface and style it is a thinking, to use the bike not just for training but for day to day as well just as I used to before I learnt to drive.

With that in mind I have decided to make a few radical changes kicking off with me selling my car once the insurance has elapsed and using my bike to get too and from work and every day chores and just yeah riding for pure pleasure, this brings me to my next change, I am getting a new bike to suit my needs better and possibly selling my mountain bike too although I will decide on what I do there later this year. I have thought about getting a road bike but after a lot of thinking and research I have settled on something more versatile and gone down the path of a cyclocross styled bike the Trek Crossrip.
I stumbled across the bike purely by chance on a visit to my local shop and immediately liked it, it has everything need from a bike now, nice and comfortable on the road, off road capable, disc's for solid stopping power, and it has all the mounts and fitting for mudguards and racks so it is great for commuting and touring duties, I have even thought about doing a race or two next winter for fun will decide on which one I get either the base or elite version when I have a better idea of budgets.



So as you can see, there has been a lot going on these past few weeks, I have been working out the logistics of commuting by bike and getting my head around how I as a cyclist have changed.
Going to finish up here as this is getting pretty long now and I am pretty tired, riding in the cold sure does drain all your energy that is for sure.

Simon.

Recovery Time.

Hi all, finally had a few days off to recharge my batteries and I am feeling really good, I think a lot of stress and a nasty virus before christmas really took it out of me, but a nice 4 day break and a couple of nice day trips and all is right as rain again and I am feeling ready to get back on the bike once more.

Following on from my last blog were I outlined my 2 goals for this year I also made a couple of resolutions so to speak for the next 12 months, the first one was to complete every day a 2 sets of sit ups and press ups with increasing reps each week in an effort to work the rest of my body and try and improve all round fitness, I do have a further plan to either do weekly circuit training or or Yoga classes, but that I will decide on after the Norway trip.

My second resolution was inspired by the fact that this year is the 10th anniversary of my starting the Photo a Day project, way back in October 2003 I joined a photo community called Pbase and came across a few people doing the PaD project, I thought this was a cool idea and I started my own project shooting with my camera of the time an Olympus 350z (I still have it). After a few days my gallery was spotted and I was asked if I would join a few others to form a community of like minded souls who were on the same path, from there the community grew with our own meta gallery and forums to share themes and new projects within the galleries at Pbase.
That time like my galleries has come and gone and I left the project after 3 years, now and then I would attempt to start again with little success, but this year I decided to give it a go, I have missed the first couple of days but I was shooting film and I will add them when I get the film developed.
So if you want to see the work in progress and cheer me on then check out the gallery here at Pbase http://www.pbase.com/simonkirk/threesixtyfive

This past few days my partner and I went out for a couple of day trips, Friday saw us taking a trip down to the Eden Project, at this time of year they are busy maintaining the site until everything starts to  bloom again come spring, despite this there was so much see there and I wondered around like a small child for most of the trip.









I could have taken much more and I will in future visits plus photographing in the Jungle bio dome was almost impossible with 90% humidity. Hoping to head back in a couple of months, make use of our 2 year annual passes.

We finished our break with a lovely walk on Dartmoor around Princetown, it was a beautiful day, very chilly with the temperature around freezing, a good way of testing our new gear for the Norway holiday, first test......extremely toasty.













As you can see, cold but beautiful, we love it up there and hope to buy a property up in the area, would be amazing to have all that on our back door.
Well that is all for now, hope you have enjoyed the post as much as i enjoyed writing it, got something different planned for next time but rest assured there will be more photo's for you all to enjoy so thanks for reading and see you soon

Si.