Weon

This weekend saw these two people

paying a visit to this city

to attend this event

Yes, it was time to celebrate the passing of another Weon Year and so we headed to Hyde Park for two days of music. The line up was pretty impressive and so we were assured a good time. Saturday was headlined by Clapton but in all honesty I was there to see Jason Mraz and John Mayer. Both were quality and I even really enjoyed Sheryl Crow’s set. I’ve never been a big fan of Clapton so we left about half-way through his set to miss the crowds and get an early night!

Sunday saw us take a ‘flight’ on the London Eye (thanks to the in-laws for the tickets for my birthday) which is well worth doing, especially if it’s a nice day! After that we went round the London Aquarium (I am a sucker for all aquariums) and then headed over to the Park to guarantee ourselves good seats for the second day. When the lineup includes Starsailor, KT Tunstall, The Bangles (!) and The Police (playing their last ever UK gig) then the early bird certainly does catch the, er, prime viewing position.

Tunstall was cheeky (I think I have a crush on her now), Starsailor rocked, The Bangles were the funniest (”In case you didn’t know, we have released a record this century”) and The Police were, as expected, awesome.

Add to that the fact that Germany lost to Spain in Euro 2008 and it was all in all an absolutely cracking birthday!

One feel swoop? I’m pretty sure you can get put away for that.

Last night I went for a quick blitz with Alex and Cookey. I seem to have a habit of riding with these guys when I haven’t ridden off-road for a while. This is always a bad idea because (a) I am more out of shape than usual and (b) they are more in shape than most mortals (with the exception of this nutbar).

“But how could you ride with your bikes all being broken/stolen/set up for commuting?” I hear you ask.

Alex very kindly lent me his Trek Fuel Something-or-other (seen here being ridden by the man himself for an MBUK photoshoot) which I was pretty impressed with. ProPedal is a boon and now I plan to buy a Fox shock for the Orange (if I ever get it back). The saddle was a bit far back, making the bike a bit long for me, and the middle chainring was chain-sucking for all it was worth.

Still, up Sandy Lane, round the back of Leckhampton Hill, down, up and across to Birdlip, across for a couple of loops in Cranham, back to Birdlip, up Crippetts Hill (which was 100% new to me) and back down into Town was what we covered (most of it in the big ring for me). A blast but totally knackering.

Thanks guys - same time next week?

Well, the insurance company have again come up trumps. So far everything has gone smoothly and a new Specialized Rockhopper Disc should be winging it’s way to us soon. I spent a bit of money upgrading the lock that they knackered this time around and later today I shall be purchasing a Shed Shackle and associated heavy-duty chainage!

Then I get to install a new roof on the shed (this time made of plywood rather that criminal-friendly chipboard). Hopefully it will all be done by the time the Orange is back from the shop and the new bike arrives from the insurance company.

Well, I’ve just been to the Cop Shop and got back Sin:Dee! Yay! All my efforts to make it unappealing to thieves have paid off - apparently they just left it lying in the car park and rode off on Anne’s Cinder Cone.

Mudguards are the ultimate theft deterrent!

Now I need to call the insurance company and talk nice to them…

Anne and I got back from a week in France last night. Eight days, seven barbecues and eight-hundred and eighty-five miles of driving later and we both felt pretty chilled, slightly tanned and ready of the rest of the summer. Time away with friends (shout out to Paul, Laura, Vanessa, Vicki, Sarah and Caz) is always welcome and this was no different. Plus we only had one day of rain.

The Orange has had to go back to, er, Orange who have apparently removed the offending bolt. Hopefully I’ll have it back for early next week.

However, in other bike news…

Pikeys have broken into our shed again.

Sin:Dee and Anne’s Cinder Cone were both half-inched. The thieving scum bags pulled the roof off the shed and lifted the bikes out, locked together, then broke the lock and rode off on them. Now that means I have to sort it out with the Police, claim on the insurance and put a new (and improved) roof on the shed.

Bugger.

Fire & Flight, taken this morning at about 6:30am.

Genius.