Author Topic: Utilitarian Adventures  (Read 152551 times)

Basil

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Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #300 on: 14 July, 2016, 07:25:10 pm »
First utilitarian ride from the New house.  To the (not very) supermarket and back.  1.2 miles.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #301 on: 15 July, 2016, 10:01:26 am »
The posts from my Farewell thread should've been in here. I'll post my utilitarian rides here.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #302 on: 15 July, 2016, 04:35:40 pm »
The posts from my Farewell thread should've been in here. I'll post my utilitarian rides here.

Welcome. We're not the hardened, grime streaked, warriors of the road that inhabit the commute thread. We're in recovery.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
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Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #303 on: 15 July, 2016, 05:22:03 pm »
I brought home 1.75L of paint on Wednesday and another 2 x 2.5L tins on Thursday. The shopkeeper was unconvinced I would get that all home but they fitted in 1 pannier no bother.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #304 on: 16 July, 2016, 06:53:10 pm »
Cycled Kingston to Ealing today. Main roads from Kingston Bridge, Twickenham, Syon, Hanwell.

Not a nice route - cars all over, stuck in jams. Esp fast from Syon Corner to Hanwell but cars well behaved. Bloody hot. Made me wonder, again, why peeps spend there day off, on a sunny Saturday, sitting in a car jam. Most cars were sole occupancy. Saw a few other cyclists, but not many. Much work still needs to be done to Green the place.

24 miles round journey.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #305 on: 16 July, 2016, 10:26:41 pm »
A trip out to our most utilitarian LBS to search for an end cap for a touring pedal. No joy, so an internet purchase unfortunately.

Onwards to Preston to look at nail polish. I'm 'renovating' a 1982 Raleigh Record Ace for the Semaine Federale, and the easiest way to get touch-up paint is to scour the beauty sections of the stores.

Boots was relatively pain-free, but no joy with a match. Debenhams was much too intimidating, with lots of those women in lab coats, made up like air hostesses. I settled for two nail varnishes from a Superdrug type outlet, which I'll have a go at mixing.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #306 on: 17 July, 2016, 09:47:49 pm »
A short run into town this afternoon for some groceries; managed to buy all the heavy things, so came back cautiously with about 20kg on the back. Panniers had been living in the understairs cupboard since autumn, and it must have been a bit damp - they smelled rather mildewy. Will have to try washing them and airing them on the line as it's due to be nice tomorrow.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #307 on: 18 July, 2016, 06:05:46 pm »
Heavy legs today, for some reason, probably due to too many pints on the Sunday evening. Anyway, managed to cycle out to bring back a four-pack of cheap cider. Did involve 45 miles, mind, of which 14 were around Richmond Park and the rest tootling along the Thames. Offies are so damned hard to find.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #308 on: 18 July, 2016, 06:09:19 pm »
Offies are so damned hard to find.

And, it can be extremely difficult to find a way out of that Park!

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #309 on: 18 July, 2016, 06:41:54 pm »
Ha! :-)

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #310 on: 19 July, 2016, 10:36:14 am »
Loaded up with barbecue supplies:



And headed round to a pal's for a feast. Most of the ride is traffic free on gravel (is this what "gravel bikes" are for?) like this:



Where the roads are like this, the surface is fine. But where they've decayed a bit, there are deep pot holes; either sudden drop offs or filled with unstable stones or speed trap sand.

But, what a great utility ride in summer sun (at last). Just think; most people would have gone by car. And then they'd have also missed the return at sunrise over a blue sea.

Nine miles ish.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #311 on: 19 July, 2016, 03:26:41 pm »
And later, it was once more unto the beach, dear friends, once more.

Mrs P and I. Six miles? 50-50 tarmac and gravel roads. I carried victuals, towels, suntan lotion, drinks, books, sunhats, swimming gear, and all the paraphernalia of the beach. And Mrs P carried herself.

Must do something about Mrs P's bike. It's worked faultlessly for 20 years with this much maintenance -><-. And she's had a lot of use out of it - by civilian, if not YACF, standards. I'd estimate 6000 miles of fair-weather utility riding. But it's rather rusty and rather noisy

A great trip. Weather superb. Beach lovely.

I get far more enjoyment out of using a bike to get places and do things than I do just going for a ride.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #312 on: 19 July, 2016, 05:17:14 pm »
Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot. Not enough liquids and drank three pints of water and a cup of tea when I got home. Went north-side of Thames Towpath from Twickenham to Richmond en route to Richmond Park for the first time today and it was very pleasurable.

Four hours in the Sun and happy now to be inside watching How I met Your Mother with the kid. Whiskey ad coke later after further parently duties completed.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #313 on: 19 July, 2016, 07:26:57 pm »
Now, now, Jock - you've neglected to mention the objective of the trip. To qualify as a Utilitarian Adventure rather than a Frivolous Jolly, you need to have ridden on some humble errand or to have done something of great import along the way. We're fairly forgiving, however - a pint in the pub en route would probably do. Provided, of course, that any enjoyment whilst cycling was merely incidental and not sole purpose of outing!

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #314 on: 19 July, 2016, 07:42:38 pm »
File this under 'I would have utilitarian adventured today but' ...it was too hot; the trip in to twins club would have been ok, but I didn't fancy heading back as the sun was at its highest, as much because of the risk of sunburn for my passengers as of heatstroke for myself! The bakfiets has a rain cover, but the weather's never quite warranted the molishing of a sun canopy. I may have to have a think and a play around.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #315 on: 19 July, 2016, 09:29:49 pm »
Now, now, Jock - you've neglected to mention the objective of the trip. To qualify as a Utilitarian Adventure rather than a Frivolous Jolly, you need to have ridden on some humble errand or to have done something of great import along the way. We're fairly forgiving, however - a pint in the pub en route would probably do. Provided, of course, that any enjoyment whilst cycling was merely incidental and not sole purpose of outing!

Ok. I went Northside as I cycled to Twickenham to meet a potential partner for a self-employed biz  prospect. We met in the Cabbage Patch but only had a coffee as I needed a clear head until, um, just now.


Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #316 on: 19 July, 2016, 11:07:18 pm »
One run to Evans in Wimbledon to pick up some goodies and then to Northcote Road in Clapham for the Tuesday evening quiz. We were the only team that turned up so we split into two.

Pootling on the way home I fell into a bit of SURR (Silly Utilitarian Rider Racing) with a chap on a road bike. Great fun. But I'm sitting at home now and the sweat us running off me.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #317 on: 22 July, 2016, 10:27:51 am »
Weds I cycled back to Twickenham for another chat and beer. Yesterday I cycled to the local shop for milk. Each trip did involve a 40 mile detour! Rest day today as legs knackered.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #318 on: 22 July, 2016, 12:26:15 pm »
Yesterday, into Wimbledon to collect a birthday present for (not so)mini-hatler, then to Mitcham to drop some ancient porters trolley wheels off for powder coating and then home. In the absence of the commute you have to grasp every possible opportunity to get out on the bike. Mrs hatler has just discovered the joys of recreational cycling on a road bike and is now regularly amassing more miles per week then me. That would have been unthinkable even two months ago.
Rust never sleeps

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #319 on: 23 July, 2016, 12:13:33 pm »
To a cafe on the beach for brunch with Mrs P and Miss P. Seven miles total. All tarmac. All fantastic. Weather glorious.

Loads of bikes. Unfortunately, mainly of the lycra and plastic hat variety. But there was a fair smattering of hybrids dusted off for the summer ridden by people probably on similar errands to our own. And there was one bloke who looked he was riding for transport - probably back from the pub to judge by his (lack of) speed and (lots of) wobble and weave.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #320 on: 23 July, 2016, 03:42:35 pm »
Went into New Malden to buy a cheap toilet seat from the DIY place there. Awkard fun carrying it back. New Malden is not very cycling friendly, and weather so humid. Four mile round journey.

Kim

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Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #321 on: 23 July, 2016, 08:59:17 pm »
Went into New Malden to buy a cheap toilet seat from the DIY place there. Awkard fun carrying it back.

I'm going to check the "I carried this on my bicycle" thread, and if there isn't a photo of you riding a bike with a toilet seat round your neck I'm going to be bitterly disappointed...

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #322 on: 23 July, 2016, 09:15:51 pm »
Went into New Malden to buy a cheap toilet seat from the DIY place there. Awkard fun carrying it back.

I'm going to check the "I carried this on my bicycle" thread, and if there isn't a photo of you riding a bike with a toilet seat round your neck I'm going to be bitterly disappointed...

Ah, but if it is round his neck then it isn't really being carried on his bicycle. It needs to be ingeniously attached to the bicycle itself in such a way that he sits on it as he rides along.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #323 on: 23 July, 2016, 11:49:05 pm »
It was alright. I just carried it under my arm. Quicker than going by car. It was light, cheap and temporary as we're rebuilding bath next month.

Basil

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Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #324 on: 24 July, 2016, 04:27:30 pm »
It was alright. I just carried it under my arm. Quicker than going by car. It was light, cheap and temporary as we're rebuilding bath next month.

Wot?  The whole city?
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.