random.silly.phrases

I am having silly ideas for this years blog!  Worrying thought isn’t it.  I am considering using two ideas together....stay with me as I try to explain. We enjoy doing a ‘Where Was I’ competition in the Sunday Times Travel section.  The writer describes some places and facts about them and the reader has to guess where they are.  This sounds good in principle but seeing as you already know where we are going, it might be easy but you underestimate my ability to be ‘random’ in my descriptions.

The second idea that I may use is from a new app I have discovered called ‘What3words’.  This is a mapping app that has subdivided the globe into 3 metre squares, each square is given a unique 3 word name....it’s a kind of an easy to remember grid reference without the long list of numbers.  It does generate some unusual word combinations.  Maybe I should stop using place names and use What3words instead of place names......that sounds cruel doesn’t it.  Joking aside, it does sound rather more useful than long grid reference numbers as a method of pin pointing a place.  The app does link into googlemaps so it is pretty cool.  I must let you know I am not on commission for the app, and it is free.  To find somewhere you just type the three words separated by a full stop and bingo there you go.

Back in the real world....  

 One more change for this trip is that I have decided to grow a beard!  It’s a bit of a surprise to me as, at the ripe old age of 58, I have never grown one before.  I was never sure that I could grow one or at least a decent one.  More recently I was concerned that there was too much grey in the bristles which would make me look old but now I am old I don’t care any more.  On a more positive note, Janice has decided not to join me in the beard growing.  We are rather competitive but she has decided that I may have an advantage in the beard department!!   We have been out on our bikes after a short break.  We went up the Kentmere Valley near Staveley, Cumbria.  Its a regular ride for us and it was a great morning for it.  Just for practice with What3words, our location at the top of the valley was saving.icebergs.blogging.  I hadn’t realised that blogging was so good for the environment.  

  It was the morning of the Kentmere Sheep Show and the field was ready for the exciting action.

There was a chap wearing long wellies who was putting the back legs of a sheep into his wellies.  I asked him, politely if he was shearing?  He said “No, get yer own”!  

This is Janice’s bike for the trip.  Its had a bit of work done on it, new cables, chain and new front wheel.  She has had a few problems with broken spokes and seized nipples (this is a technical cycling term for the bit that connects the spoke to the wheel).  I think the previous wheel was only good for flat tarmac.  On the contrary, I have not had any problems with my nipples, they just need an  occasional light greasing!

 Anyway, we had another good ride today and tried to adjust our speed to Rhine touring speed.  That actually means we go slower rather than faster, so we can a) stay in the saddle for longer and b) enjoy the trip rather than just get knackered!