Oh hello

A girl who rides bikes - like rides bikes you know? None of this white-lycra-with-pink-on-it-and-techy-info-about-brakes-bores-me rubbish.
Lea Weill I salute you.

It can't be Britney, surely?

In a spate of Great News, the physio has requested I ride for at least 15 miles in one go this weekend in order to see whether my knee is getting better or will blow out again. I have been informed very strongly that five hours of continuous dirt jumping is not the same thing. Damn. It.

Did y'all hear the podcast yet we did a couple of weeks ago with courier Emily Chappell and Phil 'the horse' Moore? It went up yesterdat afternoon. It's here if you want to listen. I bray like a donkey in it but I'm hoping that can be endearing ... It was nice to hang out in the city on a bike and not be riding to work. I spend pretty much every weekend getting out of London to the hills so it was good to make the most of what was on my doorstep rather than whinge about how horrible all the concrete and rude people are. And I would like to point out that I recorded that podcast four hours after I got hit by the blubbing driver. Above and beyond people, above and freakin beyond.

In other news Glyncorrwg ponds have confirmed that Skyline Cycles will be taking over the running of the Drop Off. Whether that results in a name change and/or smaller portions is yet to be discerned as the press release explaining it all is languishing somwehere that isn't my inbox.

But the most cataclysmic thing which has occurred in the last few days is the realisation that of all the seven million songs on my iPod, the one that gets me the most psyched when riding is Britney Spears' 'Gimme More.' Now I know this skater chick Lucy Adams who used to ride for Rogue and she admitted on BBC radio that her favourite tune to skate to was one from Steps. Don't deny it Lucy! She also kicks ass on a skateboard so I figure if she can admit to riding to Steps, Britney is ok right? But it's not really is it? Can anyone help me out by admitting to a more embarrassing one?

I love him, but he loves Tom more

So the new addition has been named Scotty Boy. Welcome dear lad, welcome. Took him out for his first ride on Sunday to Brockwell Park BMX track. A six-year-old looked at me after one race around the course and very calmly said: 'Control.' He followed it 10 minutes later with a very precocious: 'Pumping makes you go faster.' Oh if only you knew.

But the Slacker is a pretty darn cool ride, pumping or no. Heavy yes, but whippy and really solid on landing. it has QR on the front but the option of bolt-thru so I may change that later. Not digging the brakes but I knew that. Pair of Hope minis maybe?

Then yesterday I swapped a life on suspension for road riding and attempted stage 6 of the Tour of Britain from Frome to Bideford across Exmoor. I think it's fair to say that road riding can kiss my ass for the near future. It was for a video for the Guardian travel site - should be up September time and I'll pop the link. Exmoor in the pissing rain. Need I say more?

Welcome to the family!

No name yet, we're still getting to know each other. But it's a boy.


I think he'll settle into Chicksands very nicely. I know, the brakes need changing but shhhh don't hurt his feelings yet.