robster82

Not for me unfortunately, someone gonna stop this Mctavish domination please!

Not for me unfortunately, someone gonna stop this Mctavish domination please!

Hurray ............. I'm back home now in Glasgow! 
I had the most wonderful time on/off the bike in this mini tour of Flanders of mine for the last 11 days & thank you to all the well wishes & interest in my rambling :-)
To finish off, I thought I would share some numbers & thoughts on this trip!
11 Days
6 different hotels
6 different cities
3 countries
710km
2 Cyclo/Sportive
No Punctures - how lucky is that!
No mechanical ............ not lucky, just due to my meticulous maintenance & planning obviously :-)
I am so glad I did this as I have been thinking /talking about it for the last few years, it was as good, if not better than everything I had imagine before, Belgium (Flanders specifically) is a country I really like, not only just for cycling, but I love the landscape, architecture, culture & most importantly the people. I would most definitely go back again & explore other parts!
At first, I was a bit apprehensive doing this trip solo, but in the end I really enjoyed the solitude of being on my own at times. But then, I suppose I was lucky that I had great company also with the Mulholland family in the beginning & joining in with the Pave-ers at the end, which meant I had lots of familiar face through out. Not to mention, Phil Malcolm in the middle :-) of the trip, so I thank all of them for that!
Before I left Lille, Paul was talking about doing the "Amstel Gold" Sportive (the day before the Pro race) it sounds great & it's usually on the weekend after Roubaix, so that's got me thinking ............
Until next time, thanks for reading & I'll see youse all out on the road very soon!
Cheers
Chung

That was epic. Almost as epic as DA. Weather was brilliant, company was brilliant, smooth roads were brilliant, cobbles were horrific. Mud on cobbles in the trench meant at one bit I was pedalling but back wheel was just slithering to and fro, I don’t think I was moving forward  .  Let there be no cobbles on Arran, ever

Another great night. Heggies once more but made it to finish this time. Blame Robbie for losing chance of points at intermediate as he in front of me when punctured. Very inconsiderate.

Jan,
How you commute by bike can be greatly influenced by the work environment and what you do for a living. Rolling up to a building site a tad sweaty is a million miles away from loitering in a pool of sweat in a plush office in nasal range of your colleagues. Shower facilities - brill; if not I'd recommend Life Adventure dry wash - liquid soap the evaporates with use. It works, end of.  
For the commute 
A small a back pack as you can get away with is my preference. I'm lucky enough to be able to leave work attire (suit and shoes) in the office (office move means I now have a locker and a shower!!). So shirt/top, socks and smalls folded neatly and in seal-able plastic bags (keeps clothes dry) and into back pack with usual gubbins. A 6 mile commute won't see them crumpled. Panniers scare me. I've seen riders with what would appear to be half their wardrobe in a huge pannier on the right side of the frame. just waiting to get clipped on a close pass. No thanks. 
additional comments should be read in the style of Baz Luhrmann, 
Ride just left of centre and don't give an inch unless completely necessary. Don't ride in the gutter, that's where drain covers live. The next place after that is the kerb. 
Assume you'll not been seen by  drivers,  even if you're lit up like a Christmas tree!!
Don't filter thru traffic unless you're on a red light. It's easier just to sit behind the car in front, the driver behind you will squeezing your space if you let him. 
Ride your bike like you'd drive your car in town but don't wear headphones, your ears are like a second pair of eyes. 
Assume pedestrians are car drivers who have lost their vehicles, the rules of the road don't apply here either.
Use the bus lane to the full.
Wear lycra, everyone will hate you, but you will arrive in comfort and not overheat. Eat breakfast at work, a ride in on empty will do you good
Choose good tyres.
 

Brilliant Chung keep up the good work, all the best for the weekend mate.

Flanders Tour Day 7
Brugge to Ieper
Today I travelled to my last stop - Ieper, before heading over to France on Friday. Rather than just going South West directly from Brugge, I thought I would make a detour up to the coast & back down to add some extra km & variety onto this part of my journey.
I rode through farming communities, small town, canals, coastal single carriage ways, inland dual carriage ways, coast town promenades, along side trams, dock ports etc, but one thing was constant - the friggen WIND, mostly head or cross wind too, only managed a wee tail in the beginning  However, I never felt I was in any danger - cyclist (or all kind) is respected here, I lost count of the amount of times motor vehicles stopped to let me cross roads/junctions, even on busy roads. It got to a point where I actually felt embarrassed for holding them back :-/
Sorry for going on about this, but I just think personally it’s a very important factor of my reason wanting to come ride here!
Why can us Brit’s be like that
Anyway, my detour up to the coast took me to a very nice wee town call Da Haan, it reminds me a bit of Largs, with mostly kids, families & elderlies :-)
Eventually got  to Ieper a bit wet & muddy after getting caught in a wee rain storm. Luckily the owners of the guesthouse I’m staying in are cyclist too, Edouard & Stephanie got the buckets & sponge out to help me clean my bike, how good is that!
Edouard also informed me that the room I’m staying in had been stayed in last year by none other than ANDREA TAFI ....... did you miss that, I’ll say it again ....... ANDREA (Lombardia, Tour of Flanders & Paris Roubaix winner) TAFI :-)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Tafi_(cyclist)
(Un)fortunately the bed’s not made of Pave & the bed sheets are not the garish Mapei colours, but hopefully the magic would rub off on me, as I need all the help I can get on Saturday :-)
A few images of the coastal beach & Ieper at night :-)
Cheers
 

Will also try and tag along.

After countless phone calls and emails to the Irish Passport Office & Consulate in Edinburgh I revived a call today that my passport has been printed and ready for collection tomorrow! Yes"  But in Dublin  it's going to be a close one as most airlines wont let you travel without Passport. Wish me luck,  if not Roubiax I will have a weekend of carb loading in Dublin  

9am club rooms

Flander Tours Day 4 & 5
Day 4
No cycling I’m afraid, not even watching the real Ronde! 
Just a day of being a tourist & nothing bike related!
Day 5
Hooked up with Phil Malcolm & co again, for a morning coffee in Ghent, then he kept me company along the way to Brugge, my next stop for the next 2 nights. A very pleasant ride indeed, with good chat & local knowledge/custom supplied by my companion for the day, thanks Phil!
 
Its my second time in Brugge but a lot busier than I remembered it, it’s jam pack with tourist (myself included of course), and with the scenery, no wonder Phil calls it the “Disneyland” of Belgium  Still, it’s a pretty town/city & it was good to be back!
I think I’ll go for another wee bike ride tomorrow :-)
Cheers

Had first glance at weatehr for PR on Saturday - unbelievable , I thought I typed in the wrong town,  white clouds and temperatures up to 20c at Roubaix 
 
 

Aw the best Chung! Hope you have a blast matey
 

It’s never the coach it’s always the athlete that makes things better 
Though sometimes there are challenges that are just too big in all senses of the word Charlie 

First time out on the chaingang.  Great fun, I think? 
Spent the last few years training  to cycle at a steady pace, saving somethIng for the marathon.  This all out pace is just mental.  
And I love it !!!!!
Best decision ever to tag along (and get dropped....(common theme)) on a Sunday bunch ride.  Thanks to JWCC for being so welcoming and patient with us newbies.

Great to see so many out, it can only grow from here.  I lodge a claim that competitors should be made aware of where the points can be gotten. Or maybe competitors should read the obscure and random rules from the motor paced spreadsheetmeister
 
 

Just wanted to reminisce before tonights championship gets underway.
Remember the famous Mctavish/Hughes breakaway, light was 'Amber', seized the opportunity to steal a small gap, we were like a classic Rolls Royce purring down the Georgetown being chased by angry 30+ bunch, sealed a classic 1 2 victory....

Robie
You must have Australian blood in you , what you did was way north of ball tampering, you should be ashamed of yourself, I think you should have to act as Charlie’s domestique for the entire WC 
at least Jan kept his head down 

UCI Cyling Regulations 2.3.034
2.3.034 It shall be strictly forbidden to cross level crossings or red lights when the barrier is down or the lights are red. Apart from risking the penalty for such an offence as provided by law, offending riders shall be eliminated from the competition by the commissaires(Billy).
 

Legends were made that night as the 2 unassuming and modest heroes rode their way into the Georgetown hall of fame. Such a display of daring and panache will echo down through the generations.

Just wanted to reminisce before tonights championship gets underway.
Remember the famous Mctavish/Hughes breakaway, light was 'Amber', seized the opportunity to steal a small gap, we were like a classic Rolls Royce purring down the Georgetown being chased by angry 30+ bunch, sealed a classic 1 2 victory....

Just wanted to reminisce before tonights championship gets underway.
Remember the famous Mctavish/Hughes breakaway, light was 'Amber', seized the opportunity to steal a small gap, we were like a classic Rolls Royce purring down the Georgetown being chased by angry 30+ bunch, sealed a classic 1 2 victory....

Just wanted to reminisce before tonights championship gets underway.
Remember the famous Mctavish/Hughes breakaway, light was 'Amber', seized the opportunity to steal a small gap, we were like a classic Rolls Royce purring down the Georgetown being chased by angry 30+ bunch, sealed a classic 1 2 victory....

What happened to “no no no” & “I’m not riding confined events”
naughty schoolboy skulks back into the fold with tail between his legs.
you are an utter sausage!