Pirate at speed

click on picture to see properly

pictures from the visit to the fibre retreat

head down busy

Backing The Pirate, getting him back fit to ride and confident that he can do a decent performance in October.
The combination of moving , working too hard and a month with minimal bike riding put him physically and mentally back.  We might be short of time to get him back to medal contention, but at least we've been working on his skills on the track to make the most of what he has.
Even over such a short distance as 750 metres, where the last 200 are timed...a la Sir Chris Hoy....getting the right line for the build-up and last 300 metres took a second off his time with no extra effort.    
In fact he said it felt better and easier.    So at whatever level you are, whatever discipline on the track, technique to make yourself efficient is important.

Meanwhile there has been much tidying of allotment-just about finished, and some sorting of house-just about started!!   Also some sorting of car-this has taken time due to one injured person, one reluctant person and another working more than usual!
Booking it in to the local garage has prompted one of those to have a look at the problem this morning...with any luck it wont need to go to the garage on Monday!
Said garage was rather reluctant as the problem is possibly with the cv joint boots that were replaced two weeks ago-yes, we should go back to the garage that fitted them- but we wont be there for over two weeks and nearly 1000 miles......

Also I'm filling in my jobhunting forms for officialdom to reassure them that I am looking for work, however temporary.....there isn't much about of any sort. As usual any jobs I'll get will be by word of mouth, so keep looking and talking.

The weather has turned  mainly cold and wet since the Equinox, but at least we are better off than York in  England where the river is 5 metres higher than usual and rising....and the flood defences will cope with 0.2 metres more....

day out

After much hard work and training, today is a day off and a day out in the sun....and a chance to downsize the book collection....there may be pictures......later!!

we've been a bit busy...

A Blue Moon to say goodbye to a home

and farewell to friends

The first fire in the new home

fresh firewood?!

The Shed is up!!

First visitors

going for a walk in Birmingham

A view from the Lickey Hills

The Oily One at work with a shaft driven bike

waiting for the Tour of Britain on Caerffili Mountain  ....and how is this for a bike rack?!!

The MD and Family...

The uplift at Cwmcarn for the downhill run

we're in the queue too....

lets go ride!!  Balance bikes are fun!!

The Pirate is busy training and gardening-we're making my allotment fit to hand over to the next tenant and choosing plants to keep.
We've had a day off ride together too.

I've signed on as unemployed..the pottery in St.Fagans closes at the end of the month, gardening and cleaning work has disappeared and my sales are well down as is my energy.  
The best thing to do when banging one's head against a wall....is to stop!!

travelling

Back in South Wales now...and tired after the house move and the drive.

We stopped over with friends who live by the Lickey Hills..and had a beautiful morning walk over the hill- countryside in Birmingham, thanks to the generosity of the Cadbury family in the early 1900s.

the locals

These, and a few "brown jobs".  They get everywhere and are too  friendly!!

These are the neighbours we've left behind....so many midges, this is possibly the third brood.