Clarendon Way

Last weekend of February I did my first self supported multi day walk. Ok it was just 2 days, but that is still multi day, although a short multi day.

The Clarendon Way is a long distance route between Winchester and Salisbury. It is about 42km long so you can actually do it in 1 day, and some people do: Clarendon Marathon

Our plan was to do it in 2 days, with a bit of tweaking of the route so it would work better for us:

It was a weird weekend to do it, storm Jorge was about and forecast had changed from sunny to strong winds, showers and hail. But the decision was made, there was no turning back. Catch a train to Winchester and out we were making our way to Broughton.

The route took us through Hampshire with the highlights of the day being Farley Mount and Kings Somborne, all the rest was "just" the lovely undulating, and currently quite muddy, countryside. We did get hailed on, but only once, otherwise, windy and sunny, just right!

There are not many places to re-supply, so either do it in Winchester or at one of the 2 shops in  Kings Somborne. Pubs in Kings Somborne, Oughton (a little off the route) and Broughton (where we finished for the day).

The second day was from Broughton to Salisbury. We had the breakfast we had brought at our accommodation (a lovely studio apartment found on Airbnb) and started straight up.

That seemed to be the motto for the day, it felt lumpier than day 1, or was I just more tired?
Today's highlight for me was Clarendon Palace ruins and the view of the Salisbury cathedral pinnacle at the end of the walk. 

Supply options, we went by pubs in Winterslow and Pitton, but the shop at Pitton seems to be closed on a Sunday, did not see any other on route, but I think we deviated from the official route around Winterslow... Plenty of options in Salisbury!

Final thoughts:
- we've been having a very wet winter. The fields and paths are muddy. We opted to take our wellies and they were great as we kept our feet dry and were not afraid to walk straight through many of the puddles and muddy sections. They are not great for long hours on your feet and walking on hard surfaces (read roads).
- carrying a big bag is taxing on your body. We had a break about mid way both days, our backs and hips appreciated it. At the end of the day when going for dinner on Saturday (with no bag) I felt you could fly!
- the route signage is mostly ok, but we did loose our way in a few places, taking a map or gps route is a good idea
- it's great to be outside, so more to come!

Here we go
Jorge

Update

New endeavours!

This year I've gone into walking. I do love the outdoors and it's no longer all about the bike. It's all about the outside! And no, it won't be about going for trail running or ultra marathons. It about getting out, seeing the countryside and go back to work on Monday.

So I did have a good CX season at the Wessex CX League on my first year Vet40 racing with VCVenta, I do miss the friends I have made at WDMBC and Central CX League but moved on and must say moving to Hampshire has opened the door the look out the window attitude (also aided by some changes in work in the meantime).

So 2020 will bring lots more walking, quite a bit of cycling (nothing new there) and eventually a lot of mud (it is the UK!)

Here we go!
Jorge

Is anyone out there?

Just had a moment of inspiration, or desparation, and came to see if this was still here. But the bigger question is, is there anyone out there?

Quite a few year have past since I last posted here so some things have changed, other not really. I still ride bikes, a lot for some, still not as much as I'd like.

But I am getting older now, mid life crisis setting in, no I am not going to buy a sports car, I just want to set myself new challenges. Since the 2009 TransAlps I have not done any mtb stage events, even though I did love it and promised myself I would do them again. I do have to admit I have had many great ride and tours in the UK, Japan, Portugal. But none of them is a the same of a stage race.

Plan for 2020 - MTB stage race. Looking at http://www.mtbchallenge.com/en. Quite established race, reasonable cost, new country to discover. Anyone out there keen to join?

Ortlieb Vario QL3 review

Com vista a umas férias ciclisticas comprei recentemente um par de alforges Ortlieb Vario.

Já antes tinha feito um fim de semana de passeio usando a bicla como transporte, mas transpareceu nessa altura que os alforges normais não estão pensados para estar fora da bicicleta por muito tempo. Têm de ser carregados à mão ou ao ombro e as fixações dos suportes prendem-se na roupa com facilidade. Tornam-se cansativos.

Quando estão incluídas visitas a jardins, edificios, museus,... o mais confortável é uma mochila. Por outro lado, transportar uma mochila quando se pedala não é ideal.

Em busca da solução deparei-me com o alforge/mochila Vario da Ortlieb.

Têm o tamanho dos alforges traseiros tradicionais - segundo a marca têm 20l de capacidade, mas um sistema que permite que rapidamente se transformem em mochila. Promissor!!!

Na sua actual versão (Março 2013) usam o sistema de fixação QL3 da Ortlieb, onde a fixação ao suporte de alforge fica permanentemente fixa e o alforge em si encaixa nela. Assim a parte traseira fica mais limpa e livre. O único problema é que o alforge trepida contra a fixação quando a bicicleta está em movimento, o que se torna irritante. A solução encontrada for atar o alforge à fixação com uns esticadores o que não elimina o problema mas o diminui.

 

O outro problema que me surgiu foi o facto de eu usar alforges diferentes. Como o sistema de fixação fica montado permanentemente ou se usa outro sistema Ortlieb ou se anda a tirar a por o dito. Como o plano e para férias funciona para mim. Não gosto para o dia a dia.

Transfomar o alforge em mochila (ou o inverso) é fácil embora exija alguma habituação. As alças da mochila guardam-se num bolso na frente do saco dobrados ao meio. Basta abrir o fecho eclair, retirá-las (estão presas ao saco com 2 correias mas podem soltar-se) e prendê-las nos 4 pontos de fixação na parte de trás do saco (são teimosos para fixar e é preciso alguma assertividade).

As alças são pouco acolchoadas mas têm boa largura e uma cinta na zona do esterno. As costas da mochila não têm alcolchoado mas têm um design que dá conforto. São perfeitamente confortáveis para caminhar por 2 ou mais horas com elas.

O alforge é simples, funcional e impermeável. O espaço principal tem um bolso interno pequeno de rede com fecho e um bolso longo e fino (bom para levar revistas) com o tamanho de uma folha A4. Lateralmente tem dois pequenos bolsos, não impermeáveis, úteis para levar pequenos objectos (esticadores, luvas).

Traz também um elástico que se pode montar por fora, no meu caso foi o ideal para por o capacete enquanto caminhava. Deixei-o sempre montado e apesar de tornar a arrumação das alças da mochila mais complicada nunca se prendeu em nada enquanto pedalava e nunca deixou o capacete cair enquanto andava (mesmo com um bidon cheio dentro do capacete).

A impermeabilidade não foi ainda testada (felizmente), mas a Ortlieb é famosa pela estanquecidade e o sistema roll-top é o mesmo que já usei em viagens de kayak, por isso não tenho dúvidas que passe a prova.

Ao que parece há 3 cores à escolha (verde, vermelho, preto), mas fui para a que vêm nas fotos.

In preparation for a cycling holiday I recently bought a pair o Ortlieb Vario panniers.

I had done a cycling weekend before and realized that panniers are great on a bike, but were not thought for non-bike carrying. You either take them in your hand or with a strap on your shoulder, but the fixings always get stuck on your clothing. It becomes annoying...

When your visiting gardens, buildings, museums,... a backpack is ideal. But not so when riding.

So the solution presented itself with the Ortlieb Vario panniers/backpacks.

They are the size of a traditional rear pannier - according to the official website 20l, but they can quickly be transformed in a backpack. Promising!!!

Their current version (March 2013) uses their QL3 fixing system. On this system there is a fixing mount permanently attached to the rack and the pannier has special fittings to attach to that. This leave a much clearer back to of the bag. The problem is that it also leads to slack in that fitting and the panniers rattle with any irregularity. To solve that I used an elastic bungee to hold it tighter to the rack. It didn't solve the problem, but with a tighter fit there was less movement.

The other problem I have is the fact that the part of the fixing system the stays on the rack gets in the way of any panniers that use a different system (like I do for my commute). If I keep using them only for holidays it should be fine, but not ideal if you plan on swapping panniers frequently.

Changing from pannier to backpack (or the other way around)is easily done but requires some practice. The straps are kept folded in a pocket on the front of the bag. To use them you open the zipper and pull them out (they attached by removable straps to the bag and hooked them into their 4 mounts on the back of the bag (can be a bit stubborn so you need to be determined).

The shoulder straps don't have much padding, but have a good width and there is a sternum strap also. There is no padding on the back but it is designed in a way that is quite comfortable. I've used for more than 2 hours with no issues.

The bag itself is simple, practical and, as usual for Ortlieb, waterproof. There are 2 separate pockets in the big compartment, one a small mesh pocket with zipper and the other long and thin one (good size for a magazine - about an A4 size). There are 2 elasticated, non waterproof, side pockets, useful for small objects (bungee cords, gloves).

They bring an elastic strap that you can fit to the external side of the bag, in my case ideal to carry the helmet while walking. It stayed on all the time and near was a nuisance while riding and it never let the helmet drop, even with a water bottle under it. It does get a bit in the way when putting the shoulder straps away. 

The watertightness has not beed tested yet (luckily for me), but Ortlieb has a good reputation and the roll-top system is widely used in waterproof bags (as I have previously tested in kayak trips).

There 3 colors to choose from (red, green, black) but I have the one you can see by the pictures.

Abus Kranium helmet review

Capacetes. São todos diferentes, mas todos iguais. Uma capa de plástico rigido e um interior de poliestireno com buracos para passar o ar. Ou não?

Antigamente haviam os de tiras de couro, mas esses pouco protegem para os standards actuais. E recentemente têm aparecido mais umas ideias originais. Capacetes dobráveis (Carrera Foldable Helmet), capacetes de cartão (Abus Kranium), que mais irão inventar...

Relativamente a este último tenho mais para dizer, pois conseguir por as minhas mãos nele e tem sido o meu companheiro diário nas minhas deslocações ciclisticas. Aqui ficam as minhas impressões

Abus Kranium

Um principio inovador e um look fora do comum. Para potenciar o lado inovador do capacete a camada externa é num material transparente, ficando o cartão à vista. Pelo lado de dentro já a coisa parece mais normal, com uma camada de poliestireno a ocupar o espaço entre a cabeça do ciclista e o lado inovador do capacete. O obrigatório sistema de retenção occipital funciona com uma rodinha e as correias vêm do espaço entre o material absorvente e da camada externa do capacete. Em termos de arejamento, há 2 aberturas na cobertura, uma a frente e outra atrás.

Esteticamente, ou se ama, ou se odeia. Um capacete transparente é algo que nunca antes vi e este mostra que é feito de cartão, uma jogada de marketing. Mas não sei até que ponto alguém repara, ainda ninguém me perguntou nada no comute diário...

O sistema de retenção ajuda a manter o capacete no sitio, mas ainda permite muita oscilação do capacete, talvez ajudado pelo facto de as correias ficarem bastante afastadas da cara. Não tocam na pele, mas têm espaço a mais para oscilarem.

As aberturas são poucas o que torna o capacete quente. Ideal no inverno mas agora em Maio já me vejo a ter de usar o capacete que usava antes (Bell Metro) que é francamente mais arejado. Em caso de chuva também sabe bem ter o cabelo seco, não sei bem porquê.

Em resumo, um conceito inovador, mas que precisa de mais amadurecimento. Mais arejamento (para todos os paises com excepção da Gronelândia e Finlândia) e um sistema de retenção mais firme espero que sejam os próximos passos.

Ah, e fico com o look cabeça de cogumelo quando o uso...

Helmets. All different but all the same. Hard plastic outer shell and polystyrene impact absorbent inner layer with some holes for ventilation- Or are they???

On the olden days they were actually leather straps, but compared with the current ones they can barely be called crash helmets. Recently there are some new ideas. Foldable helmets (Carrera Foldable Helmet), cardboard helmets (Abus Kranium), and what will come next?

As for this last one I can say something, as I got my hands on it and now own one. I've had for the winter months and am leaving here my thoughts.

Abus Kranium

An innovating concept and unusual look. To make the best of it the outer shell is transparent and leave the cardboard inner. The inner side, the nearest to my head, is still the traditional polystyrene. Also included is the mandatory occipital retention system. The chin strap is an interesting magnetic system. As for the straps the come from between the outer shell and the protecting layer (cardboard/polystyrene). In terms of ventilation, there are 2 openings, 1 at the front and 1 at the rear.

Visually you either love it or hate it. A transparent helmet is not a common thing and it's used to show what makes this helmet different from any other. Not sure how good marketing move it is, as so far no one has approached me about it... And it does go out every day on the commute.

The retention system does help keeping the helmet in place, as the straps stay quite far from the face and it still swings a bit. They do stay away from the skin (if that bothers you), but the are allowed too much free space to move about.

Those 2 openings don't do much in terms of ventilation. Does feel good in the cold winter or when it's raining, but in April it was already feeling too warm. My previous helmet (Bell Metro) is quite cooler.

Overall, it is an innovating concept, but needs maturing. More vents (you can get away with the current ones in the middle of winter or if you live on Greenland) and the retention system needs to be firmer (or the straps more effective) to make a great helmet.

Oh and it does give you the mushroom head look...

Tour of Wight - part 2

Dia 2 - Totland a Ventnor

Arrancamos em mais uma fria manhã, mas depressa aquecemos. A rota para as Baterias das Needles depressa começou a subir e bem... Mas valeu a pena. A famosa imagem do farol das Needles na extremidade da ilha, as vistas através do Solent, a história e a apresentação do monumento ao bom nivel que o National Trust já nos habituou.

 

 

Mudavamos agora da costa norte da ilha para a costa sul, vimos falésias e surfistas a gozar as frias águas do Canal da Mancha, mas acabamos por perder o programa do Jardim de Mottistone. Está fechado às sextas e sábados, nada a fazer. Acabamos por parar para aquecer num pub em Hulverstone e aproveitamos para a o almoço.

Tivemos a maior subida perto de Blackgang, com uma bela vista das falésias do seu topo. A descida seguinte levou-nos quase até Ventnor e que bem que soube. Ao 2º dia conseguimos chegar ao local de pernoita ainda de dia!!!

Ficamos nas Ventnor Towers, num quarto com janela na torre... a Diana adorou!

Desta vez saimos para jantar, enfrentando o frio subimos e descemos ruas. Ventnor é numa encosta bem inclinada, todas a casas têm vista de mar. Mas para jantar a escolha foi pouca. Fui comer uma lasanha num restaurante de "seafood"...

Dia 3 - Ventnor a Sandown

A distância entre as 2 localidades é só 11km, mas fomos fazer os tipicos percursos tortuosos dos turistas. O sol marcou presença e mesmo com o frio sabia bem estar ao ar livre. Mais uma vez achei um bridleway para atalhar, mas desta vez já foi muita areia para as nossas camionetas (mas não demais ok! BTT nunca é demais se for feito com sol). Ligamos a Godshill para ver as famosas casas de telhado de colmo e tirar umas fotos e depois seguimos para o Shanklin Chine pela estrada. Sim, teve muito mais trânsito, mas foi muito mais pedalável.

O chine é uma formação geológica decorrente da erosão e neste caso a garganta já está bastante humanizada e foi mesmo usado durante a 2ª Grande Guerra para o programa PLUTO.

Daqui para Sandown fomos aproveitando o paredão mas, com a maré bem alta, uma das ondas ainda me molhou os pés!!! Passamos por Sandown para ver a vila romana de Brading e fomos os últimos a sair. Com o vento a gelar os ossos depressa retomamos a Sandown, já era tempo de aquecer os dedos.

Dia 4 - Sandwon a Ryde

Dia mais curto, tanto em distância como em tempo. Dia de apanhar ferry e comboio para Londres, mas antes do ferry e almoço em Porstmouth tivemos tempo de visitar o moinho de Bembridge e ver a baia de St. Helen.

O moinho está bem restaurado e a visita guiada por um entusiástico voluntário foi bem elucidativa de como toda a mecânica funciona e como era a vida de moleiro.

Quanto ao ferry, desta vez o Solent estava mais agitado e a viagem foi mais instável, mas não por isso mais lenta. Em 18 minutos puseram-nos de novo em terra seca...

Conclusões

A Ilha de Wight tem muito para ver, mas não é tão plana como me fizeram crer. Esteve bastante ventosa nestes 4 dias e as temperaturas não eram convidativas a pedalar. Aprendemos que algumas coisas são muito úteis, como a roupa corta-vento e luvas de ski. Faltou-nos um gorro (ocupa pouco espaço nos alforges e dar-nos-ia mais conforto à noite) e roupa mais quente para a noite (o espaço em 2 alforges é bastante, mas não chega para casacos de inverno). E em Wight ninguém usa cadeados...

Day 2 - Totland to Ventnor

It was cold outside but we quickly got toasty. The road to the Needles battery quickly started climbing and steeply, but was well worth it. The famous image of the Needles lighthouse from the western end of the isle, the views across the Solent and the visit to the Old Needles Battery National Trust property were a well spent morning.

We now moved from the north side of the island to the south coast, plenty of cliffs and surfers enjoying the cold water of the English Channel, but we missed out on the Mottistone Gardens. It closes on fridays and saturdays... So we ended up warming up at a pub in Hulverstone and having also our lunch break. It was quite cozy with a log fire going, so it was hard to leave. Winding through country lanes we ended up on the coast again and on the biggest climb of the weekend, near Blackgang. The view from the top was great and the following downhill took us nearly all the way to Ventnor. This day we managed to arrive at the accommodation in the daytime!!!

We stayed at the Ventnor Towers. The room had a quirky tower window, Diana loved it!

This time we braved the cold for dinner, up and down the Ventnor streets. The town is on an incline so wherever you live you will always have a sea view. But the options for dinner were quite limited. Ended up eating a lasagna in a seafood restaurant...

Day 3 - Ventnor to Sandown

If you take the closest route between the 2 towns, it would only take 11km to link them. But as typical tourists we went the long way. The sun had made an appearance and even with the wintery cold it felt great to be out and about. I found another shortcut to our first stop, Godshill. But this time I was biting more than we could chew (not that I am complaining about doing some off road riding, you can never get too much of that when it's sunny outside).

We did a quick stop at Godshill and admired the thatched roofed houses and then chose to go on the road to visit the Shanklin Chine. Yes, it was busier, but got us there with more pedaling and less pushing.

A Chine is a geological formation caused by erosion but this one is quite humanized, being used during World War II for the PLUTO program.

From here to Sandown we just followed the coast line through the Esplanade. The tide was high so we still got our feet wet form the waves. Left the current coast line to head to the roman villa of Brading and were the last ones out... The wind was now quite cold and we rushed to Sandown to warm our toes with a warm shower.

Day 4 - Sandwon to Ryde

This was to be the shortest day, both in time and distance. We had to get a ferry before lunch, but still managed some time to visit the Bembridge Mill and St Helen's bay.

The windmill is very well restored and our guide for the visit was a very enthusiastic volunteer. We came out with a good idea of a miller's life and the workings of all those wheels.

The ferry ride was a bit bumpier, but not the least slower. We were in Portsmouth in 18 minutes...

Conclusion

The Isle of wight has a lot to see, but isn't as flat as I thought. It was quite windy during these 4 days and the temperatures were not the best for cycletouring... We've learned that wind blocking clothing a ski gloves are quite useful. We missed a woolie hat (would take little space in the panniers and give us more comfort in the evenings) and some warmer coats (the space in 2 panniers is plenty, but not unlimited). And in Wight no one uses bike locks...