tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84274585622027977252024-03-19T03:29:28.101-04:00Oh! That British Bloke ...Stuff about bicycles, music, hifi and just about anything else which interests a British Bloke living in New Jersey, USA.Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comBlogger355125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-30025846844822233412015-02-09T06:14:00.000-05:002015-02-09T06:16:19.860-05:00Movin' On ...Oh! That British Bloke's blog is moving on to his own server.
See you there ...Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-44597804792276998802013-06-09T15:58:00.000-04:002013-06-09T15:58:13.222-04:00Sunday ad hoc Ride 20130609Just the jaunt for a nice warm Sunday morning, from the outskirts of Princeton to Peacocks General Store.
Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-69856300640181458452013-06-05T06:47:00.002-04:002013-06-05T06:47:22.890-04:00Griggstown Grinder 20130604Most riders had their weekend tales, but it didn't stop Diane leading us on an undulating route from the outskirts of Princeton to the foothills of the Sourlands.
My legs still aren't up to it ... too big a break through the winter. I'll have to think of spinning through the dark days.Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-20912240909725369052013-05-22T07:26:00.002-04:002013-05-22T07:27:57.278-04:00Griggstown Grinder 20130521Good. An evening when we didn't need full gloves and arm-warmers ...
In fact, a very pleasant evening indeed.
As usual, we entered the gateway to the Sourlands via Hollow and Longhill, onto Ridge before the long descent to Hopewell.
The surface on Hollow just gets worse and it's hard to believe this route is used as a descent for the family friendly Sourlands Spectacular. Just keep your Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-77983182627385756972013-05-15T06:36:00.002-04:002013-05-15T06:37:36.863-04:00Griggstown Grinder 20130514Hmm ... Lindberg last week ... Dutchtown-Zion this week ... Diane is determined to get those climbing legs back ...
As usual the usual elite selection of grimpeurs met up in Belle Meade for the Tuesday evening Grind. Fifteen miles of flatland before we hit The Hill of the Day. I'm sure it was the tree cover, but at one point my GPS auto-paused, not because I was soooo slow ... oh no.Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-87945220875198299772013-05-08T06:36:00.000-04:002013-05-08T10:11:49.706-04:00Griggstown Grinder 20130507There was a hint of rain in the air as we started out on the first Griggstown Grinder of 2013. Of course, we all laughed when Diane said we'd be going up Lindberg Hill ... yeah ... right ...
For sure, I have very few miles in my legs so far this year, so I felt it quite badly. And we did climb Lindberg as you can see.
Thanks to all who shared my suffering. And special thanks to Diane Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-36337003488173184502012-10-08T07:33:00.002-04:002012-10-08T07:33:51.910-04:00Rule of Seven
So here it is. In a nutshell. My project for this winter.
The foundation, a handmade Seven frame, built to my exact measurements and specifications like a bespoke suit. There is no bike in the world exactly like this one.
And here it is, resplendent in Amber Ale, an appropriate choice of colour I think. Based on a Seven Mudhoney cyclo-cross frame adapted for disc brakes andAlan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-56395495322712395122012-09-17T05:53:00.000-04:002012-09-19T06:19:53.179-04:00Marginal ThinkingWell, it's been a few weeks. Not really a huge break from cycling, because Number One Son actually quite likes cycling. Okay, not in a Tour de France/Brad Wiggins sort of way, but able to handle 50mile/80km plus rides on the Schuylkill Trail, around Manhattan and more ...
I only managed one out and out roadie type ride; Chris's farewell from the bike shop. Seventy or so riders headed out into Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-21867275269498129432012-09-17T05:48:00.002-04:002012-09-17T05:48:48.337-04:00The Bloke Rides againIt seems a long time since my last blog posting. Not that a lot hasn't happened, or a lot of rides been done. But just one damn ride after another doesn't make for an inspiring blog, especially when all this British Bloke wants to do is pontificate about stuff in general.
Rainbow Hill Road Bridge, Montgomery, NJ, USA - 17.9.2012
So in future I'll be logging regular rides via Twitter.&Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-58322268976846058472012-07-04T06:40:00.000-04:002012-07-04T06:42:08.981-04:00Griggstown Grinder : 20120703It was going to be a hot one. The temperature was 93F/34C as we gathered in the parking lot next to Montgomery park under a hazy sky.
The route took by the canal, up Mt Lucas Road and Cherry Hill Road toward the main ascent of the evening, Hollow Rd.
My route map varies from the direction the group took as we waited for a rider then rode directly for Route 518. The group, meanwhile, Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-5532087576542396882012-07-01T16:40:00.000-04:002012-07-01T16:41:29.591-04:00Early morning Zipp ...
The Bridge at
Neshanic Station
This morning saw me off bright and early on a solo ride through Neshanic along the South Branch Raritan River to Three Bridges, returning over the Sourlands, interrupted by another pleasant interlude at Peacock's Country Store.
Certainly everyone was out and about as several familiar faces made Peacock's their stop too.
This week was a little Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-7413074696648605532012-06-25T06:59:00.000-04:002012-06-25T06:59:25.907-04:00Peacock's Country Store -20120624If you didn't know, last weekend's Montauk 100 was a disaster for me. I went down with severe cramps and had to SAG out. The ignominy ...
So after a week's break off the bike, I set off with SteveR for a leisurely saunter through the Sourlands to Peacock's Country Store.
Of course, a ride through the Sourlands can never be a saunter as a whole bunch of riders on the local Tour de CureAlan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-76478209385423110662012-06-11T07:56:00.000-04:002012-06-11T07:56:47.338-04:00Etra Lake to New Egypt : 20120610A long fast ride with few hills, but I was wilting in the 30C/90F heat by the end.
So I'm a little apprehensive about the Ride to Montauk 100 this weekend, but hopefully I'll be fully recovered by then from a nasty virus I was in the depths of about 10 days ago.
*Thanks to Dave for providing this week's GPS map
Currently the weekend's weather forecast for Montauk doesn't look too bad; Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-60408413577682668002012-06-06T07:54:00.001-04:002012-06-06T07:55:44.048-04:00Griggstown Grinder : 20120605Tuesday evenings haven't a good weather record this year, and this evening threatened no better as rain spattered the windscreen on the drive up to the rendezvous.
It wasn't just me who was pessimistic as just a handful of riders showed up and with Diane away, it fell to Andy to lead.
We threaded a figure-eight path so we didn't stray too far from the cars in case of more rain, and indeed the Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-69326762271316446212012-05-30T07:15:00.001-04:002012-05-30T07:15:37.510-04:00Griggstown Grinder : 20120529My car thermometer was reading 33C/92F while we met up at Montgomery Park. While the sky was still blue, most of us had seen the forecast for thunderstorms, so we just sought out what shade was available as we waited to start and made bets on whether we'd run into them.
Fortunately, Diane took us on a route which made the most of tree cover, so the Coppermine climb, although brutallyAlan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-86311302159422926192012-05-29T06:42:00.000-04:002012-05-29T06:42:46.758-04:00PFW Memorial Day All Paces Ride: 20120528I missed my regular Sunday ride under the threat of rain, so it was a relief that Monday - a public holiday in the USA - dawned sunny and bright.
I arrived at the Princeton FreeWheelers's rendezvous a bit late due to ... well, what does it matter ... and after frantically pumping up tyres and getting into shoes I latched onto one of the last groups to leave. Turned out they were heading for New Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-53300625110759144562012-05-21T06:37:00.000-04:002012-05-21T06:37:13.389-04:00Etra Lake | Battlefield Orchards : 20120520Sunday dawned to a great day for cycling. Maybe a breeze which was a bit more than perceptible, but great nevertheless.
Gary's ride took us west, through Turkey Swamp to Battlefield State Park, where there had been a battle at some point, apparently, but now hosts a store that sells fruit and fruit products, most notably for me, fruit strudels.
Unfortunately, they no longer make Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-48601157789133869892012-05-14T07:33:00.000-04:002012-05-14T07:33:26.662-04:00Rocky Hill | Nashanic Station : 20120513Time for another ride, up through the Sourlands to Nashanic Station.
This time I rode solo. Sometimes it's good just to proceed at your own pace; pause to listen to the birds, study the flowers and so on ...
Not many cars either. Other than on the main roads there were very few. Maybe everyone was off visiting their mum?
Not many riders at Peacock's Country Store either. But a chocolate Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-9801236281510136522012-05-08T06:37:00.001-04:002012-05-14T07:34:20.849-04:00Etra Lake to Clarksburg : 20120506This was the first ride of the year for me from Etra Lake.
Gary, the ride leader, has upped the rate to B and consequently set off at a cracking pace under a gloomy sky. The weather held off and once or twice the sun struggled through the clouds.
It wasn't just the sun which was struggling. I just don't have enough miles in my legs at this stage in the year, which meant I completed the ride at Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-30570696670942634912012-03-19T07:16:00.002-04:002012-03-19T09:51:43.074-04:00Lambertville : 20120318Well, originally, the weather forecast promised much. Once again, unseasonably warm and sunny. But Sunday morning started cool and foggy. Even by our start time of 11.00 the skies looked very grey through my cycling glasses.
We headed out for Lambertville; basically up a big hill and down again. It was my first ascent of Hollow Rd/Long Hill Rd this year. But really, I was quite pleased that my Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-87982839449501992132012-03-08T18:26:00.005-05:002012-03-09T08:08:45.948-05:00Canal Cruise : 20120308Hey! C'mon!! The sun is shining and it's 72F/21C!!! Even an icicle like me can ride a bike in March in New Jersey. Okay, there was a bit of a stiff breeze, but the trees by the canal broke it up. And flats? Pah! I laugh at flats!! Oh yes!!! There were flats ... but not mine ...
It was day when riding your bike was hard to resist. So I drifted down the hill from where I live to the start of a Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-63499607171904288272012-01-29T12:05:00.001-05:002012-01-29T12:06:29.702-05:00HeadFiI've spouted on about hifi a number of times. But what about hifi for the head? That is, listening to music on the move, or even just privately at home.
Cowon S9
The source for my listening pleasure is a Cowon S9 media player. It has an OLED excellent screen which reproduces video like a jewel, but my main demand was that it should be able to play .flac audio files.
I store most of my music Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-44595286752522648882012-01-23T17:23:00.000-05:002012-01-23T17:23:57.744-05:00Stuff Cyclists Say ...I found this the other day on FaceBook:
Of course, I have never been known to say any of these things ...Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-83783008947171267522011-11-12T09:22:00.001-05:002011-11-12T09:24:25.428-05:00Sound AdviceOkay, so reports of the death of the CD format may have been greatly exaggerated, but it doesn't fail to amaze me that people's tolerance of poor quality audio seems to be infinite.
I still love to tinker with my audio equipment at home. You know, the stuff which used to be called hifi. Turntables, CD players, amplifiers and speakers dedicated to converting media which had been lovingly crafted Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8427458562202797725.post-75212307648715874752011-11-06T16:38:00.001-05:002011-11-06T16:38:48.673-05:00You can't have too many bikes? Right?But where are you going to put them?
The past couple of places I have lived have had the best bicycle accessory there is - as well as a car, that is - a cellar.
But now my storage options are very limited, and somehow I still have to store four bikes and all I have is a single garage in which we still have to park a car.
And here's where the Saris CycleGlide comes in. Imagine a filing system Alan E Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08814067373751548470noreply@blogger.com