Sunday in the Pub

For the vast majority of my drinking life Sunday lunchtime has been somewhat sacrosanct. Debriefs of Saturday excesses, discussions of yesterdays game, discourse on the day's sport. Today was no different. Except, that the people I used to spend Sunday with are dispersed. Dispersed nationally, globally and personally.

Tired, the cat woke me late. Very nearly 8:30, but having been to bed by 10:30 I was almost rested. There were plenty of adult things to do; put the dhobi away, do some washing up, you know the things. I fed the fleabag, checked the electronic incomings, had tea and breakfast before returning to the affection of the duvet. A cold January day with an unaccustomed blue sky, a plan evolved . Walk to the pub, picking up money and papers on the way. Beer and newsprint, what's not to like?

Bathed, dressed and out the door, I am late. Only in the terms of Mr A H Wright am I late but it is burned in my psyche. You wouldn't turn up at a gig after the start, why would you do it to a pub? An old friend is in the pub and buys me a beer. Sunday chat and banter puts the paper beneath the chair only picked up as a prop for an embarrassing football result.

The pub shuts at 2pm in a throwback to my youth. Drinkers disperse, home to Sunday lunches or other, less wondrous, establishments. I start the walk home but divert to another pub. Might as well peruse the paper on a big table, sat on a sofa with beer close by, undisturbed, as on my lap at home with the delicate soundtrack of the cat washing its' arse. A good and well executed plan.

Buying the papers hasn't happened much of late as they weren't getting read and £40 a month is an expensive recycling habit. Also, of late, my dislike of the Dirty Digger has outgrown my want to spend money on his publications. Since a Damascene revelation in the '90s that The Wail, both Daily and Sunday, was a fascist misery rag that I disagreed with from the heart of my bottom I have pretty much been a Times reader. Since my withdrawal from print I've taken my media from a variety of online sources from all sides of political input. I bought the Sunday Times today for the first time in, possibly, six months.

One of two things has happened. Either, in an effort to pay the lawyers to keep the family out of jail the Digger has stopped employing journalists, or the news office has disappeared up its' own fundement. It appears to be a whine on the failings of right wing politics that still realises that, this side of North Korea, socialism has been buried by Maggies love child, Blair. If it had the grace to make a stance I might have not been so disappointed but it's just whiny north London dinner party chat from people who couldn't spell conscience without spellcheck much less understand the idea.

Happily the photo journalism in the magazine appears to be holding its' own as does the shrunken arts section. Part of today's whine has been my total agreement with Clarkson on the reasons to pay for exploration. For rice cakes, I'm agreeing with Clarkson! AA Gill was his normal self (sanity returns) Now off to read the food and drink bit before dinner.

Translate

In poor English (Actually US office BLX)

Following the confusion generated by yesterday's announcement by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) on the case of Alberto Contador – particularly concerning the "interim decision" of which the rider was notified – widely covered by the media, the UCI is obliged to clarify that this information cannot in any way be considered as an anticipation of the definitive decision in the case.

To date, Alberto Contador has not received a sanction and the UCI still awaits – in accordance with the provisions of its own regulations and those of the World Anti-Doping Code – to be informed of the decision of the RFEC Disciplinary Commission that should be provided as soon as possible.

The document that was forwarded to the UCI this afternoon by the RFEC only represents one element of the disciplinary proceedings undertaken by the Spanish Federation – and upon which the rider may express an opinion before being subject to the ruling – and cannot be used for the purpose of a potential appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

Only the definitive decision, that must be issued by the RFEC, can fulfil this purpose – within the time period established by the regulations – for the UCI, for WADA and for the rider himself.

Considering the major media interest in the case, the UCI regrets the inappropriate speculation that has characterised the proceedings and expresses its desire that this affair be drawn to a conclusion in an orderly fashion.

IN GOOGLE FRENCH

À la suite de la confusion générée par l'annonce faite hier par la Fédération espagnole de cyclisme (RFEC) sur le cas d'Alberto Contador - en particulier concernant la «décision provisoire» dont le coureur a été notifié - largement couverte par les médias, l'UCI est obligé de préciser que cette information ne peut en aucune manière être considéré comme une anticipation de la décision définitive dans le cas.

À ce jour, Alberto Contador n'a pas reçu de sanction et de l'UCI attend toujours - en conformité avec les dispositions de ses propres règlements et celles du Code mondial antidopage - d'être informé de la décision de la Commission de discipline RFEC qui devraient être fournis dès que possible.

Le document qui a été transmis à l'UCI cet après-midi par la RFEC ne représente qu'un élément de la procédure disciplinaire menée par la Fédération espagnole - et sur lequel le coureur peut exprimer une opinion avant d'être soumis à la décision - et ne peuvent pas être utilisés à des fins d'un potentiel de s'adresser à la Cour d'Arbitrage du Sport (TAS) à Lausanne.

Seule la décision définitive, qui doit être délivré par la RFEC, peut atteindre ce but - dans le délai établi par les règlements - pour l'UCI, l'AMA et pour le coureur lui-même.

Considérant l'intérêt majeur des médias dans le cas, l'UCI regrette la spéculation inappropriée qui a caractérisé la procédure et exprime son désir que cette affaire soit tirée une conclusion de façon ordonnée.

In Google Italian

A seguito della confusione generata dall'annuncio di ieri del Ciclismo Federazione spagnola (RFEC) sul caso di Alberto Contador - relative in particolare alla "decisione provvisoria" di cui è stato notificato il pilota - ampiamente coperta dai media, l'UCI è tenuto a chiarire che questo informazioni non possono in alcun modo essere considerato come un anticipo della decisione definitiva sul caso.

Ad oggi, Alberto Contador non ha ricevuto una sanzione e l'UCI attende ancora - in conformità con le disposizioni del proprio regolamento e quelle del mondiale anti-doping Code - di essere informato della decisione della commissione di disciplina RFEC Commissione che dovrebbero essere previsti il più presto possibile.

Il documento che è stato trasmesso al UCI questo pomeriggio dalla RFEC rappresenta solo un elemento del procedimento disciplinare intrapreso dalla Federazione spagnola - e sulla quale il pilota può esprimere un parere, prima di essere soggetto alla sentenza - e non possono essere utilizzati ai fini di un potenziale ricorso al Tribunale Arbitrale dello Sport (CAS) di Losanna.

Solo la decisione definitiva, che deve essere rilasciato dalla RFEC, può adempiere a questo scopo - entro il termine stabilito dai regolamenti - per l'UCI, per la WADA e per lo stesso pilota.

Considerando il grande interesse dei media, nel caso, l'UCI si rammarica della speculazione inadeguato che ha caratterizzato il procedimento ed esprime il suo desiderio che questa vicenda da trarre ad una conclusione in modo ordinato.

IN Google Swahili

Kufuatia machafuko yanayotokana na kutangazwa jana na Kihispania Cycling Shirikisho (RFEC) katika kesi ya Alberto Contador - hasa juu ya "mpito uamuzi" ambayo mpanda farasi ilijulishwa - sana kufunikwa na vyombo vya habari, UCI ni wajibu na kufafanua kuwa hii habari haiwezi kwa njia yoyote kuchukuliwa kama kutarajia uamuzi wa slutgiltig katika kesi hiyo.

Hadi sasa, Alberto Contador haijawahi kupokea adhabu na bado UCI watapata - kwa mujibu wa masharti ya kanuni zake mwenyewe na wale wa Dunia wa Kupambana na dopning Code - kwa kuwa taarifa ya uamuzi wa Tume ya RFEC nidhamu ambazo zinapaswa kutolewa haraka iwezekanavyo.

Hati ya kwamba alikuwa kupelekwa kwa UCI mchana huu na RFEC tu inawakilisha moja kipengele cha kesi nidhamu uliofanywa na Shirikisho la Kihispania - na juu ambayo mpanda farasi inaweza kutoa maoni kabla ya kuwa chini ya chama tawala - na haiwezi kutumika kwa madhumuni ya uwezekano wa kukata rufaa kwa Mahakama ya Usuluhishi ya Michezo (CAS) katika Lausanne.

Tu uamuzi slutgiltig, ambayo ni lazima iliyotolewa na RFEC, unaweza kutimiza lengo - ndani ya kipindi cha muda uliowekwa na kanuni - kwa ajili ya UCI, kwa Wada na kwa ajili ya mpanda farasi mwenyewe.

Kuzingatia maslahi makubwa ya vyombo vya habari katika kesi hiyo, majuto UCI uvumi muafaka ambayo ina sifa ya kesi na huonyesha hamu yake kwamba jambo hili kuwa inayotolewa na hitimisho katika mtindo wa utaratibu mzuri.

In all languages. Utter spineless tosh

The Tour of Britain was completed today. Does anyone know who won? The homepage tells you badly, the BEEB tells you nowt. The Grauniad in its inimitable way actually sums up Team Skys week in its own blx comentary. The headlines from the worlds worst speller say,

Henderson wins Tour of Britain

When revealed in a sentence (remember those, Grauniad subbies?) What the world gets is,

Henderson wins Tour of Britain points jersey in near miss for Team Sky. A whole world of difference.

It's cheering to know that the grauniad managed to publish a reasonable amount of BLX with little effort. Henderson didn't come close to winning owt but the points jersey and Sky came close to sod all.

It has been a great race. Even if at 0025 onSunday morning the results are still not published! Get a grip............

Six Degrees of Separation

I'm new to this blogging malarkey. For years I have been an opinionated individual in bars, work and elsewhere. Free speech is one of the joys of modern life. I would have said of the western world but I don't possess an iBan and Tal will get p***ed off. Back to the thread. Through the eater of time that is Google Reader I follow some work/cycling orientated blogs so I have a hope of keeping the company blog and facebook page reasonably current and interesting. Lockring Not Included has been a heart warming discovery. Simple pictures that say so much, with an understated heading. This entry is already one paragraph and a sentence too long.

On Wednesday this appeared. Nice picture, thought I, understated content. I commented online.

Friday night, Tom Waits territory, a three quarter moon slung in an obsidian sky. Meeting and old friend in an English ale house. There is a chalk board with tonight's ales, near the bottom, with no price swim some Dogfish Ales on draught. Customers ask the price. If you have to ask you can't afford it, £9 a pint. At 14% it's three times the strength of a session ale so three times the price to calm the nutters is fine. But there on the shelf, away from everything else on the shelf, in parenthesis, quotated, read the following words; Dogfish Head World Wide Stout. ABV 21%! We all avoided it. Well there is only the one bottle, as opposed to the kegs of other Dogfish in the cellar.

Fxdwhl. Did they fib? Or, did 21% just rumple your memory. However, please find attached a picture of three pumps in a twilight alehouse sporting all American fine ales. Thank ye kindly. (Poor piccie from a mobile phone)

Neil

Navigating Friday

Quiet day today so far. I've been riding in on the Tifosi this week in a vain attempt to return some strength to the legs after my struggles with gravity last weekend did the hilly route one morning but on the whole I have a serious appointment with my duvet pending. TGIF

Cruising the blogs and forums this morning my mind has turned to electronic navigation. Anyone who knows me will tell you of my antithesis to unnecessary electronic gadgetry. My last three phones have been tinterweb capable and I've never felt the need. I now own a smart phone thanks to a free upgrade and all the other options offering worse spec's on the items I use(Phone, text, camera). If I ever use 20% of it's functions I'll be amazed. However I was a little surprised by the tone of discussion on the usually sedate CTC message boards

You cannot use a smart phone on a bike you need two hands. It's electronic, not waterproof and unwanted handlebar clutter. To roll out a favourite old saw "Electronics: Inherently unreliable and prone to failure." Let's face it as useful as they are, smartphones are not designed for the outdoors. The screen is always unviewable through glare and in use they have the battery life of a hamster.

Garmin type nav systems have their uses if you are doing a fixed route for training and the like. For touring? In my mind, no. They show you so little of your surroundings so you rely on the programming skills of somebody in a darkened room in Silicone Valley. There is no flexibility for the, "What's down here?" turn. Without stopping, fagging about with a pointer by which time you've lost the urge and go back to being told where to go. You also need to keep charging the damn thing. Use it constantly in navigation mode and it will be flat before your days ride is finished.

You can charge on the go from a hub dynamo with a Busch and Muller e-werk or the Tout Terrain Plug. Apple products appear to need a very smooth power supply so a buffer battery has been supplied for the e-werk so you charge the battery and it supplies a smooth charge for your i-phone.

Smart phones are not ruggadised in any way, so rain or a sweaty shirt pocket isn't going to do them any good and in the unfortunate situation of dropping the bike they're toast. The navigator/heart rate monitor types are waterproof and I presume ruggadised to some extent.

My core reason for disliking them is their sheer ruination of social interaction. Instead of engaging their brains people are poking around their electronic comfort blanket. A generation of people who can't navigate are on the way. You see them now, people on the school run/work commute clattering down tiny lanes because the journey is 0.75km shorter and will save them 30 seconds if they average 50mph. The fact that they will be stuck behind the tractor/combine/cyclist or squeezing past their fellows coming the other way and take longer and use more fuel than going on the main drag is beyond them.

GPS is a very useful tool, if I seriously walked or climbed I would not leave home without one. Lost in poor visibility with no navigation points they are a Godsend. Bolted to my handlebars I cant see the point. Off road, probably, but will they survive the toil? A map asks questions of you, tempts you down the road less travelled and most of all gives you an overview. Sans battery, sans pointer, sans app. People talk to you if you have a map. "Are you OK?" "Lost?" "Come far?" No one speaks to you when you're prodding about a hand held electronic device. Sat in the cafe/pub/bus shelter your journey and so much more is spread out in front of you on a map.

Now the burning question is, tomorrow morning? Duvet morning? Gentle ride out to breakfast or up early and go out with Farcycles? Ah decisions. Have a good weekend

A Saturday day ride with Wantage CTC organised by Jan. Advertised at 95km I was gungho in the week planning to ride to the start at the Benson Waterside Cafe (19miles) with the ride home this would give me a 95 mile (ish) ride. Luckily at 6:30 when my alarm rang it was raining so I chose to drive to the start.

The weather was clearing as I drove in and I felt a bit guilty, but hey ho, parked up and ordered the full English. Yes a fine healthy nutritionally balanced pre ride meal. Bit on the steep side but balanced with the river front decking with large covering umbrellas well worth it. A mate from my previous employ popped across the road from his new home of two days for a chat and fell for breakfast within five minutes. Skills Dino! Leaving the father in law sorting the kitchen while the wife takes the kids swimming for a coffee and full is priceless. The rest of the ride soon arrived had some brekkie and then we mounted up and left. A beautiful route past the Tudor manor at Ewelme and on through the Chiltern lanes to Princes Risborough.

It has to be admitted that I thought I was toast at one point this morning. We had just started descending a lovely tree covered sun dappled road. As speed built I thought I'll slip past the rider ahead and enjoy this. Allowing the bike its head I was in the act of passing when a Jag came up the hill in front of us. I will point out now that at no point was he in any way out of order or careless. The road is a car and a quarter wide we are approaching at speed. The rider I was about to overtake calls, "Car down" and legitimately brakes, as do I, however the closing speed is a little worrying. My back end takes a worrying shimmy as the back wheel locks, brake off, instant acceleration, we are now going for the gap between tree lined verge and Jag. My gap is now genuinely closed and I'm mentally choosing how to commune with Jag. I am half wheeled with the bike in front and very aware that when I hit the car she will get cannoned treewards, "Dont brake!" I scream and to my enduring relief Jan lets go of the brakes. I miss her by inches, the Jag by less. Scared myself fartless. I know it could have happened to anyone but I am genuinely rattled that I could have injured a friend. Descended badly all day.

Princes Risborough is a place that until tonight I thought the furthest place from the sea in the UK. Me, a victim of the advertising plots of 1980s public houses? Never! I forget the name of the pub but back then when we thought Maggie was sane and life went on forever it seemed logical. Very little research reveals it is actually in Derbyshire.

From Risborough we took the Phoenix Trail to Thame. This is an old haunt as my current employ was originally up the road in Long Crendon. Had a very pleasant lunch in a coffee shop in Thame and then on into Long Crendon and a wonderful rolling run to Brill. We went up Brill Hill the easier side but it's still a bitch to mortals like me. I was running well post lunch and knowing it to be fairly flat from Oakley onward relaxed a bit. We rolled across the eastern edge of Otmoor along the old A40 and once we crossed the M40 at Milton Common I was in demob mood. The headwind wasn't pleasant and not for the first time thanked the weather gods that I'd driven to the start. We bowled along through the Haseleys and Chalgrove then over the last drag of the day and through Berrick Salome past an old boss's old house and back to Benson and the cafe. Happy to see the car hadn't been clamped and necked coke and cake in trad recovery mode.

Sat in the sun with some fellow riders with a beautiful ride behind us is one of the things that makes touring worthwhile for me. No stat comparisons, no "ha ha dropped you" I bimbled home with the Italian air conditioning* on. Could have rushed back through to the cider shop at Upton but couldn't be fagged and would be incapable of typing by now. Back home I listened to the end of todays play in the test match had a bath then out to the Co-op for some supper. Some slimming club had left a knackered sit up an beg with some badly attached posters outside the Co-op, couldn't resist sliding one of our workshop flyers under the cables on the top tube. Poor old bike needs some TLC.

*Italian Air Conditioning: Wind drivers window down, don sunglasses, drape arm in short sleeved shirt down the door drive in this position allowing airflow to cool blood in exposed arm and rest of body by exchange method.

Route: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=158887

So Jon Snow has been pinged by the Daily Wail for a collection of alleged offences. While no supporter of RLJs (red light jumpers) the photos of him "turning left into a line of traffic" show him turning into a road closed for roadworks. Riding on the pavement, show him mounting and dismounting. One red light jumped shows him the right side of the lights turning on to a cycle path. The thing that bothers me is he appears to have no lights while riding at night! I have been guilty of using the phone on the bike but the receipt of a smart phone has ended that as you just cant use them one handed. It now resides in the saddle bag.

Nice of the no doubt squeaky clean Mr Simpson to do his civic duty, re this man he purports to have seen break the law, and inform the authorities. To be fair he was probably corroborating his facts such as "cyclists can be fined £1000 in court". Ah, the death of the subby.

To nicer things. The overnight drizzle had released the lovely smell of wet countryside on the ride in today, though the oil foam in most of the puddles was less endearing. A weekend away has finally allowed an ever shy female flower to appear on the pumpkin plants. Hopefully the little winged beasties have done their thing but I feel some frottage with a cotton bud coming off just to be sure.