12-Feb-2013 : Cottesmore – Rutland Water – Ryhall cycle

I am happy with days cycle. I ended up doing 30.73 miles. So making it the longest cycle of February 2013 so far. I did get covered head to toe in mud during the Rutland Water section. So had to give my bike and myself a good wash when I got back home!

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

Route map:-

12-02-2013 bike ride

Elevation graph:

12-02-2013 bike ride elevation graph

Route statistics:-

  • Distance: 30.73 miles.
  • Time: 2:28:32 (h:m:s).
  • Avg Speed: 12.4 mph.
  • Max Speed: 28.8 mph.
  • Elevation Gain: 332 meters.
  • Min Elevation: 10 meters.
  • Max Elevation: 143 meters.

Data from: Garmin Connect.

Photos from the cycle:-

Myself at Rutland Water

Myself at Rutland Water

Myself at Rutland Water

Myself at Rutland Water

Just renewed gordon-valentine.com

That’s me just renewed the domain name for this website for another 3 years. At a cost of £46.96 and that’s with a 10% off. Can’t believe that when I need to renew it again, I will be 35!!! And to think that this website has been on the go since I was 16!!

The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track : 12-Feb-2013

I am really loving how many railway related TV shows the BBC has been showing over the last month or so. This week sees a new series start on BBC2/BBC HD on Tuesday 12th February 2013 at 9:0pm GMT.

The first episode, is called “King’s Cross”. Can’t wait to see it!

Here is the program information taken from DigiGuide.

“Documentary series which goes behind the scenes of the rail network, revealing the inner workings of one of Britain’s biggest and oldest institutions. The 1970s concourse at London’s King’s Cross station is cramped and dark, doing nothing to help the spirits of passengers – something that Alexis Bailey, who works on the passenger information point, knows all too well from her experience of dealing with frustrated travellers. There is hope that a brand new concourse will lift everyone’s spirits. East Coast manager Steve Newland wants the opening to coincide with customer service levels worthy of a five-star hotel, a vision that is frustrated when broken-down trains and fatalities on the line bring everything to a standstill. Laxman Keshwara has worked at the station for 35 years, during which time he has witnessed both an IRA bombing and the King’s Cross fire. He is a much-loved staff member but retirement beckons and is last day at work is a very sad one for everyone at the station.”

10-Feb-2013 : Very wet cycle! Glad I was wetsuited

Well that turned out to be a very, very wet and cold cycle. I am so glad I was wearing my wetsuit, under my cycling gear. Only bit of me that got cold was my feet, even in my winter cycling boots. Did not help they filled up with freezing cold rain water. So I was really glad when the cycle was over and I got my shoes off!

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

Route map:-

10-02-2013 bike ride

Elevation graph:

10-02-2013 bike ride rlevation-graph

Route statistics:-

  • Distance: 28.44 miles.
  • Time: 2:23:04 (h:m:s).
  • Avg Speed: 11.9 mph.
  • Max Speed: 28.7 mph.
  • Elevation Gain: 272 meters.
  • Min Elevation: 44 meters.
  • Max Elevation: 136 meters.

Data from: Garmin Connect.

Photos from the cycle:-

Wetsuit cyclingWetsuit cyclingWetsuit cyclingWetsuit cycling

Vlog: Another one goes in the sink

Yet another lads last night at work. So of course he goes in the kitchen sink, full of ice cold water and other stuff.

Now if you feel sorry for this lad. Just want till you see what happens to next lad. Video of that, will be on-line soon…

Everyone in the UK please watch “Milk” Saturday evening

Milk DVD coverIf you are looking for something to watch Saturday night (Saturday 9th February 2012). Then watch “Milk” on BBC2 England at 11:35pm or BBC2 Scotland at 12:30am.

It’s a dramatic biopic about the rise and tragic fall of Harvey Milk, who fought for gay rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official. In a turbulent, 1970s San Francisco, Harvey struggles as an American gay activist against fellow San Francisco supervisor Dan White and the rest of conservative America.

I will warm you all now, it’s a very moving film. The end will leave you very upset and warm inside all at the same time.

Watch the Official Trailer below

MPs who voted against equal marriage

Here is a list of MPs that voted against #equalmarriage. Glad to see my local MP is not in the list. Then I would hope not, since he’s openly gay.

If you voted for any of these MPs in the last general election. Make sure you don’t next time around!!

Libdem MPs who voted against – 4
Sir Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)
Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley)
John Pugh (Southport)
Sarah Teather (Brent Central).

Conservative MPs who voted against – 139
Nigel Adams (Selby & Ainsty)
Adam Afriyie (Windsor),
Peter Aldous (Waveney),
David Amess (Southend West),
James Arbuthnot (Hampshire North East),
Richard Bacon (Norfolk South),
Steven Baker (Wycombe),
Tony Baldry (Banbury),
Guto Bebb (Aberconwy),
Henry Bellingham (Norfolk North West),
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley),
Andrew Bingham (High Peak),
Bob Blackman (Harrow East),
Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West),
Julian Brazier (Canterbury),
Andrew Bridgen (Leicestershire North West),
Steve Brine (Winchester),
Fiona Bruce (Congleton),
Robert Buckland (Swindon South),
Simon Burns (Chelmsford),
David Burrowes (Enfield Southgate),
Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan),
Douglas Carswell (Clacton),
Bill Cash (Stone),
Rehman Chishti (Gillingham & Rainham),
Christopher Chope (Christchurch),
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswolds, The),
Geoffrey Cox (Devon West & Torridge),
Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire),
David Davies (Monmouth),
Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire),
Philip Davies (Shipley),
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden),
Nick de Bois (Enfield North),
Caroline Dinenage (Gosport),
Richard Drax (Dorset South),
Charlie Elphicke (Dover),
Jonathan Evans (Cardiff North),
David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford),
Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks),
Dr Liam Fox (Somerset North),
Mark Francois (Rayleigh & Wickford),
George Freeman (Norfolk Mid),
Roger Gale (Thanet North),
Sir Edward Garnier (Harborough),
Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest),
Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham),
John Glen (Salisbury),
Robert Goodwill (Scarborough & Whitby),
James Gray (Wiltshire North),
Andrew Griffiths (Burton),
Robert Halfon (Harlow),
Simon Hart (Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South),
Sir Alan Haselhurst (Saffron Walden),
John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings),
Oliver Heald (Hertfordshire North East),
Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne & Sheppey),
Philip Hollobone (Kettering),
Adam Holloway (Gravesham),
Sir Gerald Howarth (Aldershot),
Stewart Jackson (Peterborough),
Gareth Johnson (Dartford),
David Jones (Clwyd West),
Marcus Jones (Nuneaton),
Greg Knight (Yorkshire East),
Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne),
Mark Lancaster (Milton Keynes North),
Pauline Latham (Derbyshire Mid),
Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford),
Edward Leigh (Gainsborough),
Julian Lewis (New Forest East),
David Lidington (Aylesbury),
Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden),
Jack Lopresti (Filton & Bradley Stoke),
Jonathan Lord (Woking),
Tim Loughton (Worthing East & Shoreham),
Karen Lumley (Redditch),
Karl McCartney (Lincoln),
Anne McIntosh (Thirsk & Malton),
Stephen McPartland (Stevenage),
Esther McVey (Wirral West),
Anne Main (St Albans),
Paul Maynard (Blackpool North & Cleveleys),
Stephen Metcalfe (Basildon South & Thurrock East),
Nicky Morgan (Loughborough),
Anne-Marie Morris (Newton Abbot),
David Morris (Morecambe & Lunesdale),
James Morris (Halesowen & Rowley Regis),
Bob Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst),
Caroline Nokes (Romsey & Southampton North),
David Nuttall (Bury North),
Stephen O’Brien (Eddisbury),
Matthew Offord (Hendon),
Jim Paice (Cambridgeshire South East),
Neil Parish (Tiverton & Honiton),
Priti Patel (Witham),
Owen Paterson (Shropshire North),
Mark Pawsey (Rugby),
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead),
Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The),
John Randall (Uxbridge & Ruislip South),
John Redwood (Wokingham),
Jacob Rees-Mogg (Somerset North East),
Simon Reevell (Dewsbury),
Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington),
Andrew Robathan (Leicestershire South),
Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury),
Andrew Rosindell (Romford),
David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds),
David Rutley (Macclesfield),
Andrew Selous (Bedfordshire South West),
Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet & Rothwell),
Sir Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills),
Henry Smith (Crawley),
Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling),
John Stevenson (Carlisle),
Bob Stewart (Beckenham),
Mel Stride (Devon Central),
Julian Sturdy (York Outer),
Robert Syms (Poole),
Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth & Horncastle),
David Tredinnick (Bosworth),
Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight),
Shailesh Vara (Cambridgeshire North West),
Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes),
Ben Wallace (Wyre & Preston North),
Robert Walter (Dorset North),
James Wharton (Stockton South),
Heather Wheeler (Derbyshire South),
Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley),
John Whittingdale (Maldon),
Bill Wiggin (Herefordshire North),
Gavin Williamson (Staffordshire South),
Jeremy Wright (Kenilworth & Southam)

Labour MPs who voted against – 23
Joe Benton (Bootle)
Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley)
Tom Clarke (Coatbridge Chryston & Bellshill)
Rosie Cooper (Lancashire West)
David Crausby (Bolton North East)
Tony Cunningham (Workington)
Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton)
Brian Donohoe (Ayrshire Central)
Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South)
Mary Glindon (Tyneside North)
Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe & Sale East)
Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney)
Michael McCann (East Kilbride
Strathaven & Lesmahagow)
Jim McGovern (Dundee West)
Iain McKenzie (Inverclyde)
George Mudie (Leeds East)
Paul Murphy (Torfaen)
Stephen Pound (Ealing North)
Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw)
Jim Sheridan (Paisley & Renfrewshire North)
Derek Twigg (Halton)
Mike Wood (Batley & Spen)

DUP MPs who voted against:
Gregory Campbell (Londonderry East),
Nigel Dodds (Belfast North),
Jeffrey Donaldson (Lagan Valley),
Rev William McCrea (Antrim South),
Ian Paisley Junior (Antrim North),
Jim Shannon (Strangford),
David Simpson (Upper Bann),
Sammy Wilson (Antrim East)

Plus: independents Nadine Dorries (Bedfordshire Mid) and Lady Sylvia Hermon (Down North).

Source : liberalconspiracy.org/2013/02/05/the-list-of-shame-all-the-mps-who-voted-against-equalmarriage/

the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill

Stonewall Say I DoI do really hope this bill passes tonight. Don’t think I ever watched the BBC Parliament channel so much in my whole life. Been watching it just about all day!

If you live in the UK and are not near a TV, but have Internet access. You can watch BBC Parliament live at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcparliament.

You can read the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2012-13 at services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/marriagesamesexcouplesbill.html.

Also make sure you follow Stonewall on Twitter at twitter.com/stonewalluk.