Guardian bike podcast

Today the Guardian launches its new monthly bike podcast. Old Pedalfeet here is in issue one on a rad trip to Skye. It also includes an interview with some bloke called Chris Hoy but you can fast forward through that bit. Get all bikey and check it out here

And to give you some visual stimualtion here's a snap by the boy wonder Tom Humpage, of Euan from Highlands and Islands taken on the isle.
You can see more of Tom's photo's in this Skye gallery.

Ice climbing and knock knees

So yesterday I went ice climbing in Covent Garden at the Ellis Brigham store. Can't recommend it enough! I was rather sceptical at first - how hard can it be in a shop in London? Turns out quite hard actually and that's coming from me who is blessed with arms like a Utah truck driver. Owing to years of rock climbing, obviously.

Whereas rock climbing is quite delicate and flowing, I found ice climbing to be more a brutal process and the movements quite repetitive so you need to be quite aerobically strong. But a really adventurous way to spend a couple of hours while everyone else in the area sips lattes.


BUT. One rather scary thing became apparent when I checked out the photos. I climb with my knees together as per picture on the left.

Not in itself an issue. Until we compare with this image taken from a ride I did on the Isle of Skye with Highlands and Islands Adventures. Sweet lord, I ride with my knees together as well.

And I'm not even a proper girl. What the hell is going on? I mean, I do find if I'm railing it round a corner I sometimes grip the crossbar with my knees but I find that just makes me more stable as I throw my weight back. Does it? Or does it mean I should be wearing a pink dress and sewing? I remember an article by Guardian writer Zoe Williams when she said it dawned on her one day that she was actually an average human being in that she ticked all the boxes in a questionnaire that most other people ihn Britain did.

I think it's beginning to dawn on me that I actually am a girl. Plus I did whimper on the ice wall at one point. Oh god. It's time for an Archers and lemonade.

Tour of Britain, stage one route map

Here is stage one of the 2009 Tour of Britain. Starts in Scunthorpe (great name) through Goole (great name) and ends 172km later in York (er, great name?)

Really quite excited about this. After a two year hiatus of road riding when I turned my attentions to mountain biking, I'm now balancing the two quite well. Going all Lance Armstrong.

Seems to be working so far. STOP BEING SO WEAK!

Digression.

So it kicks off on September 12, 2009 and runs, or rather rides for seven days. Is it the Tour de France? No. Is it getting better every year? Yes. Does it warrant wearing lycra for? Jury's out on that one but hell, it's a reason to visit Yorkshire in September that doesn't involve battered sausages. Oh hang on ...