Lost again in Cheshire!!

It is always a challenge to plan the route for the club ride. You need to consider things like right turns across major roads, busy main roads, built up areas, hills etc etc etc. You also have to have some idea of where you are and where you need to be. As a southerner, my local knowledge of the back roads and lanes around Wirral and Cheshire is getting better. but not in any way is it great. I decided to use the Garmin as a route aid today, as I had planned a visit to the Ice Cream Farm in Newton-by-Tattenhal. Our last excursion to these parts ended up with a detour, so I thought it was best to be prepared and plotted a route for mine and Paul's Garmins. As usual, things didn't quite go to plan!!

It was typical that the weekend brought overcast colder weather. All week has been great, and today it was back on with the base layers, long sleeves, Gilet and Knee Warmers. Nothing could suppress my enthusiasm though, as I pulled on my new Giro Factor shoes. I went out for a spin last night to set the Cleats up and get the right insole riser sorted, and whilst I was out, I PB'd three climbs, including my West Kirby nemesis. Now I realise that it was all psychological but I'm sure the carbon soles make a difference (at least 2mph extra!!)

Paul mentioned in the week that he needs a nickname, like Palefish, as I mention him in each ride, and today presented us with the perfect name for him, more later!
So Dave and I headed up to Bilbo's and then met up with Ian and the four of us rode up to the shop. There was already a crowd waiting for us, and Barry to open the shop!
9 o'clock was the set off time, and we didn't do too bad, leaving at about 10 past. There were 20 of us in the beginning, including Zel (the Coach) who joined us for a bit, as he is racing tomorrow. We headed out through the lanes, down the missing link, and on to Capenhurst where we joined the main road in to Chester. We negotiated the City Centre without incident, and then turned off towards Saighton. I'm sure that someone somewhere doesn't like me being in this area. As soon as we missed the first turning towards Saighton, I knew we were in for a mystery tour. Not only do I not know the area my Garmin, and Bilbo's, decided to do their own thing! my screen went blank, then decided to tell me I was on course, then promptly tell me we were off course even though I hadn't turned anywhere!! Eventually with a bit of Zigging, no Zagging allowed, we arrived at the Ice Cream Farm.
There were a group of cyclists leaving, which was lucky, as the 18 of us left filled the bike racks.

It didn't take long to settle in to a nice cup of Coffee, no cake for me today. Ian (Nipper) gave Bilbo a master class in the Garmin 800 so we could maybe do a ride one weekend without getting lost! Dave L did comment that he hadn't been aware that we were not where we should have been and congratulated me on being calm in the knowledge that I had led 17 friends into the middle of who knows where!!

The Ice Cream Farm is definitely worth a visit, either on your bike or with the family, and best of all cyclists are made very welcome.

http://www.cheshirefarmicecream.co.uk/

We thought that we had been helped along by a tail wind all the way out, as the pace had been quite high at times, but we were happy to discover that there was no headwind on the way back, a first I think for our Club rides. Following Nippers route back we were in Chester in no time and then back on familiar ground along the Dee Path. With no headwind the group held a good pace of just over 22mph all the way. It was at one of the sections where you have to negotiate some barriers that Paul's nickname was formed. He is the only rider who can duck down through one set of particularly narrow barriers, that I have trouble getting through. I commented that he looked like a Hobbit, and that was it, Bilbo was named!! I'm not sure how happy he is with it, but I am sure he will let me know!

From the Dee Path it was the usual climb up to the Chester High Road and then back to the shop. Again it was nice not to have to battle with a head wind all the way. 

As I sit here writing this, my feet don't have the usual aches that I got from my old shoes, and I can honestly say that if you can afford it, get some carbon soled shoes, even my legs don't feel as though they have done a pacey 70 miles (ignore the ride average of 15.5mph, I left the Garmin on in the shop and it appears that the shop moves at 5mph, which in turn dragged down my average!)

We were discussing plans for this years Sportives that we could all enter and ride as a group. 

These are the ones we decided we could all do: 

The Broken Spoke 27/05

Let them eat cake, Jubilee Ride 05/06

Liverpool Chester Liverpool 08/07 (A couple of us are doing the 50 mile route on Mountain bikes!)

And also the Vita Sportive if it goes ahead in August. If you fancy doing any of them, why not sign up and ride with us. 

Next weekend is Easter, so I have suggested that we do a short, inclusive, ride out to Eureka and back, as we did on Christmas eve last year. Everyone is welcome, whatever your ability, we will leave the shop at 9.30, hopefully see you there.

Today's Ride details: http://app.strava.com/rides/5977177

Introducing the Palefish Logo

You may have noticed the introduction to the Blog of a new Theme and Logo.

Since coming up with the name, about 13 years ago, I have had an idea of what the Logo could look like, and how the Brand could feel!
When I started writing the Blog, and called it Palefish, I didn't think that I would be commissioning a designer, copy writing logo's and buying domain names.

In the last few months the readership of the Blog has increased, and I have had a chance to take part in some exciting events and activities, that I may not have been able to do if I hadn't been writing my ramblings here.

I have been encouraged by family and friends to look at ways to develop the Palefish Blog/ brand.
I started playing around with images, but I am no Rob Janoff
After many failed attempts, that my 5 year old could have done better, I decided to call in the professionals.

My day job has meant that I have worked with some great creative people, and over a Coffee earlier in the year I asked Laura from Lime Twentysix to have a go at designing me a logo.
I met Laura when she was a student at Hugh Baird College studying Visual Merchandising and Promotional Design. She was part of a team I put together to create a logo and brand for the Bootle Town Centre Partnership. When Laura graduated she set up her own Business, Lime Twentysix

I hope you agree with me, the concept she came up with is fantastic. It is exactly what I wanted and feedback so far has been great.

Things have snowballed a bit since revealing the "Palefish"! Friends have been asking when the T Shirts and cycling jerseys are being made, do I have any stickers, even my eldest Son wants some merchandise!!
I have had another brainstorm with Laura, and we have a few ideas of things that may work.

To make things simple on the web front, I have secured the Palefish.co.uk domain. If things develop I may move to a full website, with the Blog as part of it, but for now palefish.co.uk is easier to type than palefishbikes.blogspot.com!!

So, there you have it, seven and a half months from writing the first tentative lines of the Palefish Blog, I have a Logo, a copy write, a domain name, and even a published report in a paper! I wonder what the next few months will bring?

Enjoying the Spring sunshine

It wasn't particularly warm as I left the house this morning, but I had decided that today was going to be a Shorts and Short sleeve jersey day, and it looked like the mist would burn off. When I got to Paul's he had just changed into a short sleeved jersey, and was taking the mud guards off his bike. It was getting warmer even as we rode up to the shop, but just to remind us it was only March, there was quite a cold breeze.
As it approached 9.30 the shop filled up with cyclists, all wearing shorts,  some with leg or knee warmers, but all needing a little bit of sun, except Dave who went to Lanzarote in Feb with a few of the other lads.
There were 17 of us in the group today.

I had planned a route that zig zagged through the lanes, and as I didn't want to get lost for the third ride in a row, I set the route as a course on the Garmin, and asked Paul to do the same.
I bet you can guess what comes next? Yep, I got lost!! and only about 5 miles into the ride! It was a simple mistake, left instead of right! But it wasn't too much of a problem, all we had to do was negotiate a large busy roundabout over the M53, and we were back on course.

We headed down to the Dee Path, and were greeted with a strong headwind. We worked as a team and kept the pace up, until we reached the bridge half way along. We crossed the Dee and were in our third county of the day! As we got to the end of the runway at Hawarden Airport we were treated to the spectacle of the Airbus Beluga taking off. I wasn't quick enough to get my camera out, but here is a video from You Tube.




It certainly is a bizarre sight, and doesn't look like it should really fly!

The reason for heading over the Dee was to introduce a new hill into our Saturday rides. The climb up into the village of  Hawarden isn't particularly long, just under half a mile, but after 30 miles it certainly tests the legs a little.

With the wind behind us now, the miles disappeared quickly, we even rode past Eureka without stopping!!
We decided to ride straight  up the Chester high Road, as a couple of the group needed to get back, and for once, with the wind at our backs, it was quite enjoyable.

Not all 17 made it all the way round, a couple split early on in the ride, Anthony went off up into Wales to play on the proper hills, and a couple headed home instead of going back to the shop. I hope all our weekend rides will be as warm as this now for the rest of Spring and summer!!!!

I have finally purchased some new shoes. They were dispatched today so should be with me next week. After much deliberation, and cogitation I went for a pair of Giro Factor's. They are in the colours of the Rapha Condor Sharp racing team. Now everyone is used to me wearing lycra, they have to prepare for the introduction of accents of pink!! (Condor bike next time?!?!?!?!?)

Paul had mentioned during the ride that it was Star Wars weekend at Spaceport, and seeing as my kids and his are hooked on the films and Lego kits we decided to take a trip over to Seacombe. While we were there I think I spotted the person who was throwing things at us along the prom a few weeks ago.
He fits the description, black hoodie etc!

Today's ride details