Shadowfax-ST Blog

Shopping Trauma It's tradition, albeit a new one for me to leave the shopping for a Goose until the absolute last minute when there may be only one left in the cooler at Marks and Spencer's in order not to have to worry about trying to stick such a large bird in the freezer. It followed our first goose ordered 2-years ago, which went to the dogs at a local butchers that folded on us with only 1-day to go. In the past we've left any big Christmas bird in the garden shed in the cold and protected from foxes but this warmer spell of late, well... The tradition was meant to be repeated today, if a little more last minute than normal - but I forgot until reminded by text as I was distracted trying to shop for the Christmas presents I should have bought a month ago but I've been too busy. It was already 3pm. I had to visit a number of stores to find the bird and paid a hefty price, too: far more than we did in last years. I ended up near Southampton, too. Anyway, I'd ta...

Husband and Wife Team Ka borrowed Nikki's helmet and suit and I dragged her down to Paragon Rider Training to review the cheaper end Buffalo "starter" bike gear in there and the HJC helmet like mine, but in pink. Purchased, this was one part of my Christmas shopping wrapped up! I'm not sure who was more nervous!? Back we returned and closed a loop of about 14-miles. I got told off for overtaking in a built up area (fair cop) and questioned about some aggressive-feeling-to-a novice-pinion filtering out of town but otherwise the wind noise jammed out most other commentary. An intercom was mentioned. It wasn't a bad ride and if I'm honest it was a pleasure to share this other side of my life with Ka; otherwise it will get a little more lonely, I expect. That night Ka went on about my planning a trip to Spain in the Spring. This started off with me asking to go alone to Bilbao and then touring as far as Gibraltar and back up via Madrid to the Pyrenees before eithe...

Conspicuality Test I've tested the Hi-Viz jerkin on and off on my commute before. I now always wear the jerkin. The jacket Mat's donated is a full-sleeve fluorescent one with a zip to the front and hoops of reflective tape. I've also go the mirror stickies, which really work well. I saw them really spark up under a 60W external light this evening from an impossible angle. Cool. Today was my first test in the new scheme. Having filled with fuel I returned to the Fareham link and re-commenced my steady filter between the dual carriageway. I found drivers were far more "understanding" of my need to pass today and most made special room for me. It's not unusual for some drivers to pay the courtesy, whether because Shadowfax is a big old white Pan or because they respect the ability to filter but the noteworthiness is the number; loads. The jacket and mirror details seem to have had an effect? On slowing for a wide mini-bus in the RH lane and checking my near-side...

Ooooooooops! Mat responded to my suggestion of sticking vast swathes of fluorescent material across Shadowfax's nose (under the blog title "Conspicuality" earlier this month) with some horror; " Nooooooooooo... "(this goes on for some lines)" ...ooooooooo ", all across my Facebook. Matt visited today and witnessed the dexterity and efficiency of my mechanical abilities installing the new rear cowl, which arrived mid-week - along with 1m x 30cm of fluorescent snot-green sticky backed reflective tape. Ooops. Sorry, Mat. Too late, I've started and so I'll finish. Shadowfax's new bling The cowl wasn't too difficult to fit once I'd consulted the ST1300 bible and doesn't look too "Policey" at all. Cutting brown-paper templates for the conspicuality sticky was harder though, especially in a stiff breeze. (No tracing paper in the house - the kids have eaten it and we don't do Izal). The templates and cutting for the mirror...

Shadowfax's Shadowy Secret? I clean Shadowfax most every week. Each ride I also wipe down his lights, mirrors, and reflective baboon's bottom. Each ride through the weeks he gets more and more grotty. Sure, this is to be expected; it's difficult to stay out of other vehicles' spray when you need to overtake everything and I know there's a shit load of badger pooh, salty residue, and brake dust in the wet surface mix of late but I'm beginning to suspect it's not all others' fault. The splash patterns don't lend to their being blamed on splashing or splattering by Nissan Micras driven at 20mph by the Blue-Rinse mob or by trucks over-laden with illegal immigrants and dead prostitutes slaloming cyclists in the outer suburbs. In fact, I'm beginning to suspect the bastard is soiling himself! Dirty bugger THEORY Muck collects on the front wheel and heavy deposit collects on his belly-pan's centre seam and in his lower cowl, lighter liquefied crap bo...

CAMPAIGN - Tax the horses! Along the country lanes today I slowed for a sharp corner (still recoiling from near colliding with a 4x4 on Tuesday) and came head to head at 30m with a set of horses; is that a gaggle, flock, or herd? Um, troop? Stable? I can't remember but there were 4 of them with fearsome faces in their saddles. They looked a little twitchy for comfort so I slowed to a halt just short of them. The last mare had no riding hat on. Stupid. I was thanked, and waved off on my way. Less than two corners later another hose in a stand off at 50m. There was no way the nag should have been on the road - it had poor road holding and was totally out of control hooving the soft verges and kicking more mud across the macadam to splat up on Shadowfax's belly for me to scrape off this weekend when I should be sticking a Christmas tree up in the front room. I had to draw the rider's attention (only by waving) and "ask" if it was safe to pass. LINK: About horse accid...

A339; Alton to Basingstoke My wife drove me down the A339 as part of an alternative route home from Oxford some time late Summer. I'm familiar with Lasham for the paintball and airfield but the road North of here now also held memories of of wide fields with well-spaced oaks and elms off country estates and my yearning to walk among them for some chill time following entrapment by the kids on school holidays. This morning I resisted the urge to turn right down the A272 from West Meon and with great discipline stayed on track all the way to Alton. My ride today was relaxed and near sedate, at times. A trip up the A339 seemed in order and as I needed to go directly to Camberley it seemed the ideal way to approach via the M3. (There's an excuse there somewhere?) The A339 is a short stretch but seems longer for its lack of overtaking; extraordinary double white-lining makes a Scalextric chicane event of the route and the by-pass effect around Lasham airfield adds at least another c...