Fun drive around the Scottish Highlands

I had a great day with my Mum and Dad, oh and the family dog Ghilie driving around some of the Scottish Highlands. Looking at the map below it may not look like that many miles. But going by my Dad we did 130 miles.

It was also a good drive to get the dog use to going out in the car. It’s the longest car journey he’s ever been on.

03-06-2013 Scotland drive

Below are some photos from the drive. Sorry they are not more. No idea why, but don’t take many photos while out with Mum and dad.

Rest and Be Thankful
Rest and Be Thankful

West Highland Line (River Orchy)
West Highland Line (River Orchy)

May 2013 cycling statistics

Here are my cycling statistics for May 2013. I ended up doing 761.55 this month. Making it the third most miles, I have ever done in a single month. Best ever month was August 2009 (1,009.2 miles) when I did the End to End cycle. Second most ever was August 2012 (803.6 miles).

Here is the data from May 2013:-

  • Total cycles: 27.
  • Total Distance: 761.55 miles.
  • Total Time: 58:48:00 (h:m:s).
  • Avg Speed: 13 mph.
  • Max Time: 5:55:14 (h:m:s).
  • Max Speed: 35.7 mph.
  • Avg Distance: 28.21 miles.
  • Max Distance: 81.44 miles | 06-May-2013 : theBythams to Godmanchester

Data from: Garmin Connect.

Here are my favourite cycling photos from the month:-

Stevens racing suitUCI World Cup Team skinsuitUCI World Cup Team skinsuitWetsuit cyclingWetsuit cycling

Website statistics for May 2013

Below are the main website statistics for May 2013.

  • Unique visitors: 4,970.
  • Bandwidth: 8.88 GB.
  • Browsers: IE (19.5%), Firefox (37.4%), Chrome (18.2%), Safari (11.2%), Opera (5.1%).
  • Operating Systems: Windows (72.3%), Macintosh (17.7%), Others (5.3%), Linux (5.5%).
  • Most viewed blog entry: UCI World Cup Team skinsuit photos (262 views | Posted: 07/05/2013).
  • Most viewed photo: Stevens racing suit (185 views | Taken 05/05/2013).

Data from AWStats.

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 01/06/2013

Australia with Simon Reeve (BBC2/HD | 9pm to 10pm | Sunday 2nd June 2013)

Simon travels down the east coast of Australia to the magnificent cities of Sydney and Melbourne. The final part of his journey begins in Surfer’s Paradise, near the city of Gold Coast. Known as the Las Vegas of Australia, the area has also become the organised crime capital of the country. Then, in the East Coast suburbs, Simon joins a vet and his team who rescue and treat injured koalas. In Sydney, Simon investigates attitudes to immigration among Australians. Finally, Simon takes to the air and witnesses the devastating bush fires ripping through the countryside as he travels to Melbourne – arriving just in time for Australia Day.

The People’s Coronation with David Dimbleby (BBC1/HD | 9pm to 10pm | Monday 3rd June 2013)

To mark the sixtieth anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, David Dimbleby tells the story of a ceremony which for centuries had been the preserve of the privileged. But in 1953, after initial resistance, the coronation would, for the first time, be televised and witnessed by millions. Dimbleby, then a teenager, was at the heart of the London festivities; he recalls how a Britain still in the grip of post-war rationing celebrated that momentous day.

Town with Nicholas Crane: Huddersfield (BBC2/HD | 9pm to 10pm | Tuesday 4th June 2013)

Nicholas Crane visits towns across the United Kingdom, revisiting the history of urban life in the British Isles. A Yorkshire mill town with a history of rugby, rebellion, and high-quality cloth, Huddersfield is a hidden gem.

Waterloo Road (BBC1/HD | 8pm to 9pm | Thursday 6th June 2013)

School-based drama. Steve-O turns up the terror, with terrible consequences for Dynasty. Furious, Kevin and Connor enlist Barry’s help in a dramatic plan to get rid of Steve-O once and for all. While Sonya cannot help getting involved with Audrey’s wedding, Michael clashes with Lorraine and makes a decision that will change Waterloo Road forever.

Life Savers (BBC1/HD | 9pm to 10pm | Thursday 6th June 2013)

Documentary series following every step of a ground-breaking ‘chain of survival’ for life-threatening injuries, designed to save hundreds of extra lives every year. The first regional ‘major trauma network’ to become fully operational opens its doors to Life Savers, to capture the complete story of patients’ journeys from the roadside, through life-saving surgery, to recovery. Early on a Saturday evening, a high-speed, head-on collision on a country road triggers the new system. The wreckage traps a family of three in one car and a single driver in another. Forty firefighters and six ambulances are already on scene, but they need the advanced medical skills of Dr Auden Langhelle and Neil Flowers to help release them. As the four patients travel along the chain of survival – from the emergency department, through the scanner, intensive care, surgery and beyond – it becomes clear the most critical is the mother from the family. She puts the new life-saving system to the ultimate test.

Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers (Channel 5 | 8pm to 9pm | Friday 7th June 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Craig has some foggy issues, Matt swaps the classroom for the cab, dieting Dave pulls a sweet load and a scenic drive through the Lake District becomes a grind for Ashley.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

May 2013 most popular photos

Below are the top three most looked at photos on this website during May 2013.

Number 1 (185 views) : Stevens racing suit
Stevens racing suit

Number 2 (165 views) : UCI World Cup Team skinsuit
UCI World Cup Team skinsuit

Number 3 (152 views) : Wetsuit cycling
Wetsuit cycling

UK TV programmes to watch this week : 25/05/2013

Australia with Simon Reeve (BBC2/HD | 9:30pm to 10:30pm | Sunday 26th May 2013)

Simon travels from Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory or ‘Top End’, across to the remote Cape York Peninsula, and on to the Great Barrier Reef. Simon sets off from Kakadu, the largest national park in the world, where the wildlife is under threat from the march of millions of poisonous cane toads. He joins a team of toad-busters catching the amphibian invaders – originally introduced to the country to kill pests. In Robertson barracks Simon meets Australia’s best – and only – tank regiment. They will soon host 6,000 American Marines – evidence of Australia’s strategic importance in the Asia Pacific region. Simon also heads out on patrol with Norforce, a unique military unit who use ancient aboriginal knowledge to help them survive in the bush. On the Cape York peninsula Simon joins scientists catching deadly box jellyfish, whose venom could prove to have great medicinal value. And on the Great Barrier Reef he dives in search of the starfish destroying coral.

Hebrides: Islands on the Edge (BBC1 Scotland/HD | 9pm to 10pm | Monday 27th May 2013)

Ewan McGregor narrates a landmark nature series focusing on the wildlife struggling to survive on the Hebridean Islands. In the final programme, a look at how the residents of the Hebrides learned to live side-by-side with their wild neighbours. Skye Ferryman Donnie MacDonald reveals that business can prosper when passengers can be treated to some on board entertainment in the form of white-tailed eagles hunting alongside the boat. Plus, how Andrew Abrahams is attempting to turn the Island of Colonsay into a nature reserve for bees, how the peatlands of Lewis and Innes Henderson inspire artist Alice Starmore, and the Coll fisherman who regularly has to steer his boat through a 100-strong group of basking sharks.

Town with Nicholas Crane: Saffron Walden (BBC2/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Tuesday 28th May 2013)

Nicholas Crane visits towns across the United Kingdom, revisiting the history of urban life in the British Isles. An attractive market town within easy commuting distance of London, Saffron Walden has some of the best preserved medieval architecture in the country. However its heritage is now under threat. Nicholas Crane discovers what gave this town its unique name and how the UK’s housing crisis is affecting its future.

Waterloo Road (BBC1/HD | 8pm to 9pm | Wednesday 29th May 2013)

School-based drama. Steve-O continues to terrorise the students at Waterloo Road. Connor faces Steve-O’s wrath as he defaults on a loan payment and Dynasty pays the ultimate price with a shock decision. Elsewhere, Christine contemplates moving on from the school and Lula makes an unlikely ally.

Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers (Channel 5 | 8pm to 9pm | Friday 31st May 2013)

Observational documentary series following one of the world’s biggest haulage firms. Transporting a huge replica plane causes a few headaches, while elsewhere heartstrings are tugged when a depot closes to relocate.

All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.

Another wetsuited cycle : 24-May-2013

It was very cold and wet during today’s cycle! Well cold for late May anyway. Was around 7C, with a feels like temp of -1C. But at least the crap weather give me a good reason to get wetsuited and take these photos…

blueseventy axium wetsuit

blueseventy axium wetsuit

blueseventy axium wetsuit

Check out many more photos like this at www.gordon-valentine.com/zenphoto/page/search/tags/wetsuit+cycling

Podcast : Episode 110

That’s episode 110 of my podcast on-line. I am speaking about what I have been doing since I did my last podcast way back in December 2011.

BTW if you did listen to this podcast, please comment below and let me know!!

Check out all my past podcast’s at www.gordon-valentine.com/podcast/

23-May-2013 : I really hate, hail while cycling

What is going on with the weather right now in the UK? It’s mid-May and it’s still very cold! It was only around 6C the whole cycle and it even hailed more than once! Which is ever nice for cycling in! Thank god I found a BT phone box to hind in, for a while!

I will now leave you with the route map, elevation graph and route statistics.

Route map:-

23-05-2013 bike ride

Elevation graph:

23-05-2013 bike ride elevation graph

Route statistics:-

  • Distance: 27.52 miles.
  • Time: 2:12:22 (h:m:s).
  • Avg Speed: 12.5 mph.
  • Max Speed: 29.4 mph.
  • Elevation Gain: 432 meters.
  • Min Elevation: 43 meters.
  • Max Elevation: 128 meters.

Data from: Garmin Connect.