There goes 2005 ...

OK, it's not quite the end of the year but I feel it's time to give it a comprehensive review:
There was some good stuff and some bad stuff all round.

So that's that all dealt with. Next up is 2006 apparently. Let's see what that one brings.

A very happy New Year to all readers and I really do hope to see you soon.

Richard Pryor, John Spencer RIP

Ever seen Richard Pryor's stand up DVD where he does the "Pryor on Fire" thing? Relating the story of an aborted suicide attempt high on crack cocaine when he first set himself alight and then jumped out of his hotel window and ran along the road before being put out. Incredible. Incredible to have done this in the first place (30% body burns he gained for his troubles) and then to be able to relate it to an audience in such a fashion that I was crying with laughter just watching the film of it. This man LIVED (raised in his grandmother's brothel, abused as a kid, etc) and he became a peerless, groundbreaking, breathtaking comedy genius as well as a huge Hollywood star. And he endured 20 years of MS to top it all off. Read his autobiography and be humbled.

John Spencer died last Friday of a heart attack. He played Leo in The West Wing, and was one of the best things in this fabulous TV programme. I have only ever seen him in TWW but I believe he was also in LA Law and several other US TV shows. Apparently he was a great man in person and had, like his West Wing character, lived through alcoholism. He stated that he used acting as his therapy - his 'other drug'.

(Hmmm - two post about deaths, and one about a marriage split - maybe I should lighten things up a bit soon eh :-).

It was 25 years ago today

Today is the 25th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. I remember the morning he was shot being woken up to the news on Liverpool’s Radio City. It was very sad that he was murdered so tragically but as for the outpouring of grief after he had gone... it seemed to me that the Americans idolised him to a far greater extent than we did, and to be honest I can’t say I ever liked the bloke's music or his attitude. With the Beatles, although they were a fabulous band, I’ve always thought McCartney’s songs were better and even George Harrison outshone him musically after their split. As for Lennon being a “Working Class Hero” ? Loud mouthed, aggressive drug addicted yob more like it. The fact that the Gallagher brothers pratically worship the guy says it all.

What it takes...

The anatomy of the end of a relationship... Nothing to it really - you have trouble, you stop communicating and you, somewhere along the way, reach the point of no return. And there you have it. Blame may well be apportioned somewhere along the way. Anger? I guess so. Guilt? Not really. Sadness? Much.
The result - the split. Her as a single mum with the kids and the nice new house and me with my rented little house to move into very soon, a car of my own and the kids every so often, and a life to put back together again.
See you on the other side once again folks.

Liverpool

Got to go out in Liverpool for the first time in AGES on Saturday. It used to be a great city to go drinking in during my yoof in the 80's but now it's miles better! There's an incredible amount of bars and clubs open and the area we were in around Hardman Street and Wood Street 'up' town is just jumping. Even though the weather was appalling (it hailstoned at one point) there were masses of people out and about. The Concert Square area looks fantastic, but it was not really the weather to be outside with your beer.
Oddly enough though the pubs I used frequent back then are still exactly the same. The Swan in Wood Street pleasingly refuses to change from being a dingy bikers rock pub even though all around it is now plush offices, bars and a there's even a cinema next door but one. The Philharmonic will I hope never change and it's still a stunning place (we saw CraigCharles in there and boy were he and his mates pissed!). The same high nostagia value goes for Ye Cracke and the Pilgrim, when I managed to remember where they were. Shame to see that Kirklands has changed hands, but being the trendiest place on town cannot last for 20 years I guess...
Excellent stuff, and the mad thing was that as we were heading back over the water at 11-ish there were people getting of the trains just gong to start their night out, so I guess that's down to the new extended drinking hours.
'Tis a great city. Hopefully I'll be back out there in January if the planned trip to the Spurs game at Anfield comes off.

In the Buff

Many pieces of 'technical' kit in my view deserve 5 out of 5 for being simply perfect at doing what they are designed for such as Rab down jackets; Gore cycling wear; Ron Hill Tracksters, Merrel approach shoes etc etc. However, my current favourite bit of kit is the marvellous Buff. A simple tube of elasticated cotton which is fabulously useful for all manner of situations: as a head warmer (esp. under a bike helmet); as a sweat band; as an ear warmer; as a neck warmer. It then can be put round your wrist when not needed (where it of course becomes an excellent nose wiper!). Available from all reputable outdoor shops...

New books

Waterstones had a 20% off everything sale on this weekend so the 3 for 2 offer was impossible to resist. I got 3 which I have been eyeing up for a while:
"We need to talk about Kevin" which is an award (Orange book prize - whatever that is!) winning novel and looks interesting, if a bit intense.

Buy number two is the story of the Indpendent film industry, Sundance etc, in Hollywood in the 80s (I forget the title just now) and I must get it's predecessor which is the tales of the young gun film makers in the 70's (Scorcese etc). I love good books on the film industry.

And the final one (free one!) I got is the new Dawkins (The Ancestor's Tale) which looks like it takes in the whole of evolution in one go. Maybe going to be a tough one to get through in one sitting ...

Am at present lumbering through the Mr Strange and Mr... (have even forgotten the title) magicians in the 19th century thing. It's dragging and I may have to skip and speed read to finish it, which is a shame as it started really well.

I have got two climbing books to read as well which were given to me as gifts, including the one by the guy who hacked his own arm with a penknife off to escape after being trapped by a falling boulder for 3 days in a Utah canyon. He even took pictures of it as well. Nutter. The other book is the one about the two Jamies trapped in a storm at the notch at the top of Les Droites for 3 nights. Only one escaped with his life and he lost his hands and feet to frostbite. How come all big selling climbing books are about disasters? Doesn't paint the sport in a very, hmmm, sane light does it? I guess 'normal' climbing days out never warrant a book eh?

And finally ... I'm going to have to find to good sci fi to get back into one of these days.

Abbey-dashery

Did the "Abbey Dash" 10k road run yesterday which was interesting. I've never been in a timed road 'race' before and so with 4000 runners involved it was quite an experience. It ran on a 'there and back' course out to Kirkstall Abbey down the A65 from Leeds centre, finishing on the Headrow in front of the town hall. All pretty flat which was quite a novelty for me.
I decided to keep a steady lunch time run stylee pace and see how it went, so setting myself a benchmark 10k time for future reference. I finished maybe in 44 minutes (edit: actually 44:41) but it was difficult to be exact as we were electronically timed and it took me a while to get to the actual starting line in the crowds. I'll find out today when the results go up on the web site.
The weather had been threatening rain/snow and it was very cold so I'd brought hats, gloves and a waterproof just in case. Fortunately the precipitation held off and I was able to shed all me wollies for the run.
I guess I'd been expecting it to be really hard work but in hindsight I don't know why as 10k or 45 minutes running is something we'll regularly do 3 times a week of a lunchtime. Getting to the halfway mark turn in 20 minutes or thereabouts and feeling like I'd only just warmed up was a suprise.
I am thinking of doing an organised 10k/half marathon each month next year building up for the Salford, and I've just sent in my entry for the Baildon Boundary Way which is a local cross country half marathon taking place at the beginning of April. I did it this year for the first time and it proved to be a painful experience, me not being used to the rough terrain. Pretty fun though - a great route on familiar ground. Just over 2 hours wasn't too bad a time in the end. It wil be interesting to see what time I could do on a road half marathon.
Such things will keep me occupied in 2006 :-)

Bradford shooting

Christ - a lady copper killed and another seriously injured by armed robbers in town this afternoon. What's the world coming to? Luckily such events are extremely rare in England, but this fact makes them all the more shocking when they do happen. Especially when they are about half a mile from where you work, and right outside your favourite curry restaurant...

Me laddo.

Best even things up with a pic of Jamie! Posing with his own camera in a fine pair of yellow wellies. This was taken the other week in the excellent tropical house at Roundhay Park in Leeds.

The Full Heaton

Just done this today - the longest lunchtime run we do. Across Bradford; down Canal Road; through Lister Park; around Heaton Woods (hilly bit) and all the way back. Did it in a pleasing 60 mins today and it's estimated at about 7.5 miles. The other approved lunchtime runs are Bowling Park (4.5 miles) and Peel Park (5.5-ish). We have been lazing round Bowling a lot of late but the Full Heaton is now back on the menu once a week! I try to run three lunch times a week (more often than not it's twice, giving me a rest day) and I swim at the Uni pool the other two. This is on top of the nearly 20 miles a day bike commute. This lot should get me through that Salford Tri I reckon. I hope.

Being Holly

This is our girl Holly. She is beautiful and intelligent, and she is physically disabled. Which of these qualities will mark her out the most through her life I wonder? People who don't know her see only her disablility, and then they look again and see her smile, and then they look again and see her properly. Holly's Cerebral Palsy means she cannot use her body very well at all, but this does not mean she cannot see, feel or think. She cannot speak either, but this does not mean she cannot communicate or laugh or cry. I'd love to be able to write wise words about what it means for her, and us, for Holly to have CP and for us all to deal with it, but it's very hard to describe. To us she's just Holly and we all love her. Perhaps she deals with it best of all as as she just gets on with the business of being herself - same as we all do.

Salford Tri

Doing anything next July 31st?
I'm doing this : www.trisalford.info
It was the big event I was aiming for this year, and I had a place but had to drop out due to the house move. So, I geta credit to enter the 2006 event. I am nervous already. 9 months to get fit!

The enemies of the commuter cyclist.

Cycling is great. That’s a well known fact.
I took a long weekend in Scotland not so long ago with my mate Rich Eatough and, amongst many other excellent adventures, we rode a couple of the excellent “7 Stanes” mountain bike routes up there: Glentress and the Forest of Ae (pronounced as in "Eh?", or "Aieee!" - we were never quite sure) . Riding round Ae amongst the outstanding Dumfiries scenery in fabulous warm sunny weather really was one of those “it doesn’t get any better than this” experiences. There was a long, steady climb to the top and I remember being stuck in on Rich’s back wheel as we tanked it round the singletrack through the trees – fast. Weaving, jumping, braking, gear changes for sudden switchback climbs; out of the saddle pushing hard; back down cruising; twisting, turning and moving ever on up; heart pounding; pushing hard, breathing hard, sweating hard and knowing everythings right: body and machine working perfectly, plus there’s a huge downhill coming up very very soon. It was (and always is) just an absolutely exhilarating experience - being out there, fit and able to do this so easily. Magical.

Objective dangers on a mountain bike: not much (in dry conditions): tree roots; going too fast over one of the (now ever so trendy on these courses) ‘table tops’; going too fast in general. Nothing really if you ride within your limits.

Commuter cycling is great. Also a well known fact.
I now cycle about 10 miles each way to work and back (we moved another 5 miles away from
Bradford in July).
The smug joy of whizzing past queued traffic never quite wears off. It keeps me fit and, other than when it’s really peeing down or very windy, I enjoy it a lot.
However there are a lot more objective dangers and nearly all of them are your fellow road users. The Leeds/Bradford traffic situation is pretty is grim and on the odd I drive my commute I get there a good deal slower than I do when I bike it. Commuter cycling in heavy traffic is dangerous, regardless of how careful you are.

My main enemies on the road are (in no particular order)…

Asians: There, I said it. I am sure they are very nice people but put them behind the wheel of a car and many of them are just lethal. OK, along Leeds Road into Bradford there are a lot of Asians so most of the drivers and therefore the idiots, will be them, but some if the tricks they pull are just unbelievable. If I am to be run off the road, squeezed past, cut up, or completely ignored I almost 100% guarantee it will be an Asian driver. Their absolute favourite idiot territory is side roads – whether it’s pulling out of them last minute in front of you or careering round past and in front of you to cut you up and turn left. Asians will see you on a bike, take note and then run you off the road. I’ve driven in the far East and there is a “Might is Right” attitude wherein the bigger the vehicle the more respect it gets and the more aggressive it’s driver can be. Obviously bicycles don’t fare well in such a system. Maybe this is where they get their ‘skills’ from?
Asian women, IMHO, should not be allowed to drive cars. Nuff said.

White van drivers: I have a choice of several routes coming down in Bradford. One is Leeds Road which is Asian territory and really can be very scary, and the alternative is along a back road which is full of white vans and therefore white van drivers (WVDs). WVDs are the possibly the most aggressive kind of driver. They do tricks like overtake late, on corners, on chevrons, when there is NO room; on your left turning right round a roundabout (absolutely deadly).In general they will do anything to overtake you, even if it means they gain nothing as they are in slow moving traffic. The desperate need to overtake seems to be ingrained deeply into the tiny mind of all WVDs.

BMWs: Do people just have all sense removed when they step into a BMW or is it that this make of car is sinister? Really, I know it’s a cliché but all normal rules of the road do not seemingly apply to BMW drivers. Particularly when it comes to indicators. One positive thing is that they are dangerous in a predictable kind of fashion: I see a BMW and I know it's driver will do something stupid very soon.

The school run: Women driving Range Rovers and Shoguns. Why for God’s sake can they not drop their kids off in a more practical vehicle? My guess is they need such a monster car to feel in some way safe on the roads to make up for their complete lack of driving skills. I think they should all be made to cycle the school run for a couple of weeks abd see how it feels.

Kids in customised ‘sports’ cars: The Vauxhall Nova: why was this particular model chosen to be the recipient of useless spoilers, tasteless alloys, garish paint jobs and pointless large exhausts? Not to mention sound systems with enough bass wattage to crack buried water pipes. No wonder Yorkshire water are having to do so much work around the Bradford area at the moment. And the music they play is always crap.

And then there’s buses and large lorries who to be fair just run you into the gutter/wall/other vehicles with their back end by accident, as they are apparently not taught that if they take that corner sharply they will squash anything they are overtaking at the time.

Non – driver issues:
Twilight: You can be ready for winter and lit up like a Christmas tree with all manner of fancy and expensive halogen lamps, fluorescent stripes and reflecty stuff, but in that dusky time between when it’s light and when it’s dark you are in fact invisible.

Diesel spills: Absolutely lethal and frighteningly common. What’s this all about? I drive a diesel car and I’ve never pissed fuel all over the road from the tank.

Wet leaves. It’s nice to nip down some side roads to avoid the traffic but this time of year nature provides it’s own ice-rink equivalent, usually on sharp bends. Cheers.

So, as you can see, it’s a jungle out there. But then again I’ve bike commuted for more than 10 years on and off and (touch wood) never had a serious accident. A few near misses and some excellent shouting matches occur most weeks over my 100 miles I’d say, but these only serve to keep things interesting... :-)

EDIT: 5th Nov. Last night on the way home I pulled up at some lights on Leeds Road, trunding up the inside of the standing traffic, as I am entitled to do. At the front of the queue was a sporty Subaru filled with four young Asian lads. The window came down and the guy in the passenger seat said that they were going left and was making sure I didn't nip ahead and get in their way. This was unexpected so full marks for politeness, chaps. This made up for the other car full of Asian lads who had been leaning out of the windows and giving me abuse as we passed each other in the traffic all the way up the same road.

The joy of library

Channel 4's new More4 channel is currently showing new West Wing - the greatest TV programme ever. However, the new stuff is season 6 and they managed to miss a whole series out before this. At the end of season 4 we were left on a knife edge with Bartlett's daughter having been kidnapped and John Goodman installed as president. Not wanting to spend 40 quid on a DVD box set which, lets face it, will be watched once and then stuck on a shelf I approached Bradford lending library. For £1 they went off in search of Season 5 and said it could be 'a while'. 10 days later I am in possesion of a brand new 6 DVD box set which I have on loan for a week for ... £2. OK, I'll have to tape most of it as 26 episodes in a week is a bit of a stretch, but how's that for service eh?

Forthcoming rants

I remember someone telling me that everyone has a book in them, and to "Write what you know". So, I guess everyone's life is interesting in some way.
I certainly haven't got a book's worth of material but, reader, you will no doubt come across ramblings here on such topics as cycling (and various other sports), books, music, film, office life, family, disabled children and trying to hold a marriage together under pressure. You know - the usual stuff.