It was a bank holiday. The sun shone, hail fell, winds blew and it tipped it down with rain. But days like that allow moody shots like this.
Grimwith
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Category Archives: travel
I Stop at Red
Thanks for visiting stopatred.org.
Listening to Nicky Campbells phonein this morning I heard too many cyclists defending themselves for not stopping at traffic lights and too many motorists citing their behaviour as evidence that cyclists are a menace.
There is no excuse. Cyclists should stop at red lights just like any other road user. The campaign Stop at Red is inviting cyclists to sign up on it’s website. On the site they offer a number of simple reasons why it makes sense.
It has two general aims:
- To encourage cyclists to show courtesy towards other road users and pedestrians.
- To encourage greater compliance with the laws of the road.
The most convincing argument for me is the one that reminds cyclists that they don’t need to jump the lights because they are already on the fastest mode of transport in town.
After ride feel good
Wigginton Village Store
I’d forgotten how much I enjoy cycling through those villages on the edge of York Haxby, Wigginton, Shipton and Skelton. This morning they were bathed in sunshine in a gentler world – just a few miles out of the city centre.
I was on new pedals – the ones that my also new cycling shoes clip into. By all accounts, falling off is not unusual on the first few rides because you forget to disengage your feet before stopping. I didn’t fall off – this time – and so I’m bathing in a little bit of after ride glory.
SPD cycling shoes and pedals
It was a short ride today – just 12 miles – but I must keep it up as the better weather approaches. There will be a fund a raising ride again this summer. My thoughts are towards the Coast to Coast, probably over three days. I just hope it doesn’t rain as it did last year in the Yorkshire Dales.
Steaming Away
Tornado leaves York Station. I was with my son, Warwick, who uses a wheelchair so I only had time to snatch a few hand held shots over the heads of the crowd. But it has atmosphere and captures the excitement of seeing this loco under steam and hauling at train.
Many thanks to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust for making this day possible. If it makes money and pays off it’s debts it’ll be a miracle – but the joy of this first trip will be remembered fondly by many. We Brits are still able to match the engineering skills of a generation or two ago.
The chimney belching smoke and steam also reminded me that the golden age of steam never existed. It was without a doubt a coal black age.
Tornado to hit East Coast Mainline
BBC NEWS | England | First passenger trip for new loco
Tornado – A1 Steam Loco
January 31st is the day that passengers will be hauled by the brand new steam loco, Tornado. Built at a cost of £3m it will take members of the society that backed the project between York and Newcastle. I’ll watch it leave York but sadly I won’t be on board – not being a member.
Good luck to her and all who are hauled by her.