Phantom Ride II

A few weeks ago I posed a question about bike rides undertaken without starting ones monitor app, and whether they existed or not. Thankfully the responses I got were "of course they do".

Well I've finally migrated over onto my new iPhone, after a bit of faffing about with 3, and yesterday went out for my first iPhone 6 ride. I started my app, and stopped it when I got back, so the ride is recorded. However, it didn't ask whether or not I wanted to show off share the stats on FaceBook, so it's a semi-Phantom ride.

The ride itself was ok, in that I didn't feel weak or tired, but the wind was strong all the way into Knutsford and across to Ollerton. This meant that I was cycling into a headwind for the first 2/3rds of the ride.

The upside, of course, is that on the stretch down the A34 Alderly by-pass I flew. That's a great piece of tarmac to do it on too.

I've added a short bit to the end of my ride to take it to just over 20 miles, and this means my times are a bit longer. The route takes me through downtown Wilmslow where I am usually stopped at the traffic lights, so the time is extended even more.

This is only really a pain if I'm in a hurry (which isn't usually the case) but what it does do is extend my"thinking time". When I'm out on my bike I find it a great opportunity to let my mind wander. I'm concentrating on the route, the prevailing weather, the traffic, and so there's plenty of space to let my subconscious get to work. I don't think about things in a structured way, but I can feel it just trundling away in the background.

I often compile lists of things I need to do, or should write about in the blog, but find that I don't always retain the lists in full. A few months ago when it was National Poetry Day, I decided that I'd try to compile a blog in verse. Realising that I had this tendency to have great sparks of genius (ahem) and then forget them, every time I came up with a theme or thought of (what I though was) a clever rhyme I stopped and recorded the thoughts on the voice memo app on the phone.

Perhaps I need to ride with headphones on (not listening because that's dangerous) and ask Siri to record my thoughts as I whizz along.

---

Why is is that the moment I've finished cleaning the cat litter, one of them pops in to use it straight away? #boothistime

--

During the summer, for the last twenty years or so I've played softball in the Manchester Softball League. One of the many people I've played with over the last few years is Meha who, it turns out, is a very talented artist.

Last night we visited the Manchester Creative Studio in the Northern Quarter for a preview of a wonderful piece of public art from Meha. She was asked to create one her Manchester skyscapes for the foyer area. She also had a number of her other works on display too.

Considering you can't normally stop me whipping my camera out, I am at a loss to explain why I didn't take any pics last night.

I love creativity, and when you see it so well done by someone you know, it means that little bit more. I don't like this work simply because it's by someone I know. I like this because it's great.

Visit Meha's Etsy store and see if there's something you might like --> Meha's Etsy Store.

It was nice to see Zoe, Kara, Keeley and Becci (who is a blog reader - thank you) too.