Worlds 1

I first saw the World Cycling Road Race championships with Mark at Goodwood in 1982. This was the last time they came to the UK. The atmosphere and excitement of the event, with fans from around the world, got me hooked. The next year I saw the race in Switzerland at Rorscharch when Greg Lemond won. In 1988 I was at Ronse in Belgium to see Fondriest win. 1991 it was Stuttgart and Giani Bugno won. 1993 I was in the rain in Oslo as Lance Armstrong won. In 2001 I was in Lisbon with Danielle and Rowan to see Oscar Freire win. So when it was announced the the Worlds would be in Yorkshire for 2019 I was very excited.
Last week was the week. Monday I cycled over to Harrogate to see the Junior Time Trials. This is a shot of a Thai rider setting off at the start of the Junior Men's time trial.

Kings Cross

Behind Kings Cross at Granary Square is another great place to go, especially in the sunshine when the fountains become a play area like they did on Saturday.

Euston

There is a new back route between Euston and Kings Cross now that the Crick Institute building is complete.

St Pancras

Kings Cross was a rough old place when I moved to London in 1980. To say it has been transformed does it no justice. It has gone from must-avoid to must-see. This is within one of the old gas-holders behind St Pancras. It has changed. Rowan and I are in this shot a few times.

Guitar Show

Saturday I went down to London to the Guitar Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington. Rowan met me there and we really enjoyed it. I managed to come away with just a strap, some stings and some plectrums so was pleased with that. We then walked back to Rowan's flat then had a good walk on a lovely day in London.

Beer Fest

So after the demo, where else than the Beer Festival. It is one of our favourite events of the year and is just great to go to. We try a third of a pint of various beers from all over the place.

Climate Emergency

Friday we went to join in the Climate Emergency march which was school children organised. Impressive. Some of Danielle's staff were there too.

Return of the native

It was the first time Rowan had been home since mid-July so it was good to see her up here.

Potteric Carr in colour

Potteric Carr was not all monochrome post-industrialism. This autumn colour splash brightened the day.

Potteric Carr

I revisited Potteric Carr near Doncaster. A great mix of post industrial decay and wetland regeneration.

Wolds

Sorry to be a bit sentimental about the old boy, but this is where we scattered his ashes. Feels like a natural cathedral to us.

One Week On

A week since Milo died we scattered his ashes in the Wolds - he was my Wolds muse (and made 12 appearances in the book). Farewell.

York Station

Sitting with Paul in York Tap on the station I looked up and admired once more the station roof, a great Victorian edifice; good pub too.

Gig

Friend Paul made me go to Leeds to see Asleep At The Wheel. I last heard of them when I was doing O levels I think. Anyway they were brilliant: a really great gig, two old boys from the original line up, and a load of really talented young players. Loved it.

Technology Update

I have started using my phone for some photos. This shot of Askham village is one, and it impressive quality from the phone. Maybe the camera is the next thing to bite the dust. Unlikely but you never know.

The Loss

I have been writing and working on this track for a while now, and it is still a work in progress, but here is The Loss. It features John and Debbie singing (thanks to them) and the rest is me.

Relative Football

Nephew Will came over from Manchester to watch York v Southport in the football. It was a terrible York performance in what felt like a lucky 1-1 draw. Great to see Will though.

Tour of Britain

I hopped on the train to Newcastle to see the uphill sprint finish at the end of the third stage of the Tour of Britain cycle race. Powerful stuff, with Dylan Groenewegen winning. I was stood on the same hill in Grey Street 30 years ago watching another Dutch rider, Frans Massen, winning a one day race.

RIP Milo

Friday morning Milo the dog, who had outlived best-case predictions by a full 3 months, started to shut-down. He stayed on his bed, did not eat, seemed very peaceful. Danielle suggested I play him some guitar (he loved electric guitar!) so I wrote this tune for him. As I played he raised his head to listen and say goodbye. Fifteen minutes later he somehow got the strength to go outside, lay down in the sun and die. So here is one video of Milo in full flight in Wales in the summer, one of him stirring to listen to the tune, and one photo from last year.

The Valley of Moss

I was cycling in the forest, the sun came out and lit up this moss valley.

The Way to the Village

We walked with some of the seminar group along the beach to the village of Findhorn. Getting this bloke to walk just behind the group was crucial to getting the shot right. The beach huts added to the shot too.

Findhorn 4

On the walk east I saw seals, gannets (the white plumage when it catches the sun has to be the brightest colour in nature), red squirrels, terns, some unidentified diver-type ducks on the sea, etc. It is such a great place.

Findhorn 3

On the last day I walked east along the coast. The dunes at Findhorn are magical: amazing colours, thickets of gorse, scale is hard to judge in the strange landscape.

Culbin 2

Day two in Culbin and I discovered where the forest meets the sea a bit more. This is looking across Finhorn Bay, which is the River Findhorn estuary. As the crow flies it is half a kilometre to the village, on the bike it is 20km or so.

Culbin 1

While Danielle was working at the Foundation I hired and bike and discovered the magnificent Culbin Forest which was planted on the reclaimed dunes after the first world war. New to me, it has gone straight into the top ten. Just a great place to explore with the heather, moss and lichen adding their colours to the magnificent trees, and shore line where the forest meets the sand. I got some food at Nairn then headed back into the special place.