Author Topic: Utilitarian Adventures  (Read 152542 times)

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #150 on: 16 April, 2016, 09:18:02 pm »
Trundled down to the chippy to collect dinner. Nothing remarkable in either speed or distance but the maiden sortie for my trike since I finally got the last of the dodgy bits fixed or replaced. I'm quite happy to have avoided inspecting the hedges, as my last trike ride over a decade ago was a bit of a white-knuckle affair.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #151 on: 18 April, 2016, 12:35:18 am »

IMG_6495_02 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #152 on: 20 April, 2016, 09:21:57 pm »
Trip to the doctor's, then up to the pharmacy - coughing all the way there, and all the way back. Skimmed by a Hungarian artic on the A47.
Still, any bike ride is better than no bike ride.

Sent from my Paris using Tapatalk

Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #153 on: 20 April, 2016, 09:26:53 pm »

IMG_6495_02 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Oh, oh!
I recognise that !

It's the bridge over the Gadie burn at Oyne, isn't it?

RibbleRouser

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #154 on: 26 April, 2016, 11:51:57 am »
Local supermarket, panniers with carrier bags hung from the rack, nice and sunny morning, but it's not on Strava so it probably didn't happen.



Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #155 on: 26 April, 2016, 05:23:12 pm »
Bakfiets with the girls to twins club, then running various errands around town. My lack of fitness was showing after yesterday's excursion - I didn't have the legs, and walked the climb up to beacon ridge. Still, probably did thirty or so miles all in. Thankfully avoided the worst of the weather, though I did get snowed on climbing back through Sutton Park, and there were some bitter winds - was very impressed with my nice new Rapha wind jacket (courtesy of the recent sample sale), which kept it all out without boiling in the bag, even on climbs.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #156 on: 27 April, 2016, 02:38:08 pm »
For a pie and a pint at lunchtime. Does this count ?

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #157 on: 27 April, 2016, 03:06:10 pm »
Certainly does!

I've clocked 2 miles today ; garden centre and back. Just browsing but I may go back tomorrow with my trailer if I can work out a loading scheme for pots, trays, etc. I want to avoid resorting to motor transport ; it's almost 6 months since I last drove and I don't want to break the run.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #158 on: 27 April, 2016, 03:15:09 pm »
I had a utilitarian bike adventure going to... BHS! No, not Benson & Hedges... More utilitarian than adventurous, really. But I've also decided I'll ride my utility bike on tonight's Wednesday Night Pub Ride, which will be about 30 miles. I don't think that can count as utility, cos it's a club ride rather than just going to the pub.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

RibbleRouser

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #159 on: 27 April, 2016, 05:40:40 pm »
16 mile round (bike) trip to a garage to book the camper-van in for a service, never dealt with them before so thought I'd see them in the flesh rather than giving them a bell.
Will have to actually drive the van there next week but at least I won't need a courtesy vehicle, hopefully I won' need waterproofs either.





Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #160 on: 27 April, 2016, 07:59:49 pm »
Does popping home at lunchtime to get some weed out of the pond count as commuting or utilitarian?
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #161 on: 27 April, 2016, 08:10:03 pm »
I'm not sure that
popping home at lunchtime to get some weed

can ever be seen as strictly utilitarian.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #162 on: 27 April, 2016, 08:23:27 pm »
I did wonder about my wording as soon as I hit 'post'.  :facepalm:

You are welcome to try smoking the finest "Canadian pond" if you want. There's loads on the edge of the pond as I type
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #163 on: 27 April, 2016, 08:26:48 pm »
Does popping home at lunchtime to get some weed out of the pond count as commuting or utilitarian?

IIRC, Richard's Bicycle Book recommended that you keep your "stash" in the handlebar - not a pond.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #164 on: 28 April, 2016, 02:53:25 pm »
I'm assuming it still counts as a utility trip even if I unnecessarily take the long route.

Purpose of trip: to buy Mrs P a birthday pressie - inc ingredients for home made chocolate truffles. Also bank[1]
Destination:       local town
Distance:           25.1 miles total (alternatives: yukky hilly A road route = 8 miles; "normal" quiet route = 16 miles)
Weather:            fine to start, threatening to finish, windy throughout
Other bikies:     crossed paths with 20 or so on the road but all bike racks full in town (I locked my bike to some "civic art" installation instead)
Interesting:        nothing much.

Wind on my back most of the outward trip. Sea and harbour to my right pretty much all the way in. Smell of spring in the rural bits. Smell of low tide in the urban/harbour leg.

Loved it. But 25 miles seems to be the max I can ride in comfort at the moment. I'm sure I could double that without too much actual agony - but it'd be increasingly unfun as the mileage goes up.

[1] I'm old fashioned. I get "paid" in cheques and I spend cash. So once a month I ride to the bank to put cheques in and take out a month's T&S in Ye Olde Notes.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #165 on: 28 April, 2016, 02:58:50 pm »
I don't think there's any connection between utility and distance. If the purpose of the trip is to go on a bear hunt and that means you have to ride to the Pyrenees (the bears of Surrey being a protected population), then that's a ride with a purpose and that makes it utility IMB.

As for comfort, what's the matter? Is it something that might be solved relatively easily by eg new saddle or playing around with bars?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #166 on: 28 April, 2016, 03:17:54 pm »
As for comfort, what's the matter? Is it something that might be solved relatively easily by eg new saddle or playing around with bars?

Oh, I don't think there's much wrong with the bike. It's the rider. I need better legs, a more resilient bum, and stronger wrists. The cure is simple: more miles.

Tigerrr

  • That England that was wont to conquer others Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.
  • Not really a Tiger.
    • Humanist Celebrant.
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #167 on: 28 April, 2016, 04:51:11 pm »
In a minute I will fire up my home-brew bike and cycle the dog, suitably restrained, down to the beach. It is a k of downhill steeps, to arrive at a near perfect cove with a small beach, and best of all - a lovely beach bar.
After some dog training work with whistle and commands we will adjourn for a well earned sharpener at one of the tables on the terrace. After 3 months I no longer need to make my order as Pancho brings my pint of chilled beer immediately with a bowl of crisps and some olives.
Thence back up the vertiginous climb by way of 500watts of e power and K9 assist unit to see about some bass on the BBQ and his bowl of grub.
Back in blight this time next week. That is going to be a shock if the weather doesn't buck up a bit.
Humanists UK Funeral and Wedding Celebrant. Trying for godless goodness.
http://humanist.org.uk/michaellaird

RibbleRouser

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #168 on: 28 April, 2016, 05:00:28 pm »
Thanks Tigerr for telling us that, made me happy and sad at the same time
Colin

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #169 on: 28 April, 2016, 05:15:50 pm »
After 3 months I no longer need to make my order as Pancho brings my pint of chilled beer immediately with a bowl of crisps and some olives.

De nada, mi amigo.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #170 on: 30 April, 2016, 11:42:56 am »
A mile or so in Spring sun into a very motor traffic heavy village. Just buying currency and some lettuce. Accompanied by my daughter who's bike I helped fettle out of winter hibernation yesterday. Or rather, I told her what to do and she did the actual fettling (pumping tyres, oiling chain, and tweaking brakes).

Lots of lycra types on bikes, no fellow Utes. Bike racks empty.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #171 on: 30 April, 2016, 12:19:55 pm »
A few tens of yards.  What was meant to be only a refitting of the saddle turned into a brake fettling fiddling exercise.
Moment of my day so far:  A cyclist stopped to ask me if I was OK.  I thanked him and told him I was fine.
"Have you come far?" He asked.
"About 12 feet.  Would you like a cup of tea?"
He didn't.

 ;D
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #172 on: 30 April, 2016, 02:44:42 pm »
To the Post Office to collect some rainlegs, immediately deployed as haillegs, then Evans for a tubeless repair kit, fortunately not deployed. 22km

Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #173 on: 03 May, 2016, 04:00:00 pm »
Went down to Aldi to get a pair of their 'casual cycling shorts' (look v good) then to the vets to get a new supply of placebo to put on the cat's neck to scare fleas & worms away.
I often cycle down to Aldi, and occasionally towards the vet, but I don't think ive ever bolted the two together, so it was a bit of a different trip. About 10k in total on a mixture of paths and quiet suburban roads.


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Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: Utilitarian Adventures
« Reply #174 on: 03 May, 2016, 06:56:21 pm »
Regular trip to twins club in the bakfiets. Legs a bit better than last week, at least on the way in; stopped at the top of Sutton Park on the way back to try flying a kite (sadly not really enough wind) and, as the ice cream van is now there for the summer, for an ice cream. Stopped at the supermarket for groceries. Short sleeves both ways.

Was amused to see someone on a road bike coming up behind me as I got to the top of the hill in Sutton Coldfield; as I went into an aero tuck over the top, gravity (and the bakfiets's aero rain canopy) took over, and I dropped him like a stone.