Sicily

I plan to put some photos together of a trip to Sicily


This is a short video of wild swimming in the Alcantara Gorge

Building a new bicycle Getting a custom frame built

There is quite a revival of interest in handmade frames - built individually by hand, usually in steel by an individual or small firm in the UK or some other country with comparable wages. The relatively expensive hand made item is not for everyone. A reasonable question might be "Why pay a lot more money for a hand made item, when bicycle frames can be mass produced much more cheaply  using machinery, production lines, cheaper labour or all three."
I think the answer is somewhat similar to those involved in other transactions where final cost is not the only consideration. People like the sense of connection, the adventure, journey, call it what you will of meeting the creator, getting a personal product and perhaps not feeling that the person making your machine lives half way across the world and is somehow exploited in the process of bringing you your goodies cheaply.
Now the desire to do business with the small scale crafts person just like the small shop keeper is not guaranteed to go well. Someone who is business oriented may see interaction with you as an interruption to more productive activities like building frames. Someone who is not may go out of business before they can build for you or fail to balance demand and supply so that their deadlines are always heading to a new horizon. Phones may go unanswered, likewise emails, websites may forever be under development or drifting in virtual reality long after their owner has moved on.
Indeed the frustrations of contacting small craftsman have i am sure driven many a potential customer back into the arms of a major manufacturer, who will answer their inane questions, massage their egos and compliment them on the wisdom of their buying decisions at least until the purchase is made.

So what I am proposing is a bit of a Blog on buying a frame for a bicycle I am building for my wife. If I can sustain the interest - I will report on the process of finding a builder and commissioning and so on.

Memories of riding from lands End to John O Groats

Prelude
The reasons we give for doing things are not always what motivated or caused them. I think in my case the statement of intent became a plan and then a commitment. The history of the statement is less clear but I think it lies in a chance conversation I had on a Brittany Ferry. A man was remarking that on retirement his older brother had done all the "usual" things like cycling from Lands End to John O Groats. Being recently retired and having undertaken some long rides the thought occurred of doing the same.
I read around, and it became apparent that riding for charity reduced the number of awkward questions.
I signed up with Just Giving and Amnesty and read books on routes.
Not being in a great hurry I decided on the Western Route through Scotland.

Equipment



The Route



Wild Swimming

Few and far between on this journey through the UK. I managed a couple of swims in the lake District and a few miles south of Oban.

Snow in the field behind Shady Cottage

Setting off in a couple of days so I will share my advert - hope to update on the road

Jeremy's Land's End to John O'Groats Cycle Ride 2017 for Amnesty

Thanks for taking the time to read this

We are living through a period where traditional political views are being challenged from all directions. Whatever the rights and wrongs and whatever changes come about human rights including the rights of people to express themselves and not to be persecuted for their views as well as the right to life and not to be tortured will continue to be vital. I have decided to support Amnesty as an expression of of thanks for the relative freedom from persecution I have enjoyed through my life.

I have chosen to raise money and awareness through cycling from one end of great Britain to the other because it seems an attainable albeit challenging goal. 

I will be cycling solo, which means carrying the things I need, mixing camping with hostels and b&bs but would hope for and appreciate meeting/riding with others on the way.

How to donate:

Online (best) Go to the Just Giving Website and search for me or type in:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jeremy-Halstead

“press” the DONATE button and follow instructions. If possible go for the Gift Aid option. The money including gift aid goes directly to Amnesty. JustGiving retains 5%.

Directly give cash – this will be forwarded to Amnesty.

Thanks

Bicycle museum Brouage

Brouage is an interesting place

Brouage was founded in 1555 by Jacques de Pons on the Bay of Biscay facing the Atlantic Ocean. Its economy was based on salt and access to the sea. The town was fortified between 1630 and 1640 by Cardinal Richelieu as a Catholic bastion in order to fight against the neighbouring Protestant town of La Rochelle. Gradually the harbour silted up in the last part of the 17th century, leaving the town stranded and useless as a port. It fell into ruin.

The town's most celebrated son is the French navigator Samuel de Champlain, who lived there when young, before being the co-founder of French settlement in Acadia (1604–1607) and Quebec (1608–1635).

In 1825 Brouage was joined to the village of Hiers, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away, forming the commune of Hiers-Brouage.

From the point of view of the cyclist Hiers-Brouage has the negative feature of being cobbled and thus slow. it is a haven of gift shops and tourism that i went through rather quickly the first year.

The second year I stopped by to see the Musée de Vélo. Museum

I took a few photos

see below

 The era of big wheels was really quite short

 With modern looking bicycles around by the 1890s

Musee de l'auto vendee visit

Hello this is meant to be a photo reportage of a visit to the Musee de l'Auto, which I happened to cycle past a few years ago.
Well here is the bike in the campsite

 with basic facilities

 but Ok actuellement

 And here are the cars

 look at the ravishing Panhard Dynamique (with sleeve valves)

A few motorcycles

And even the odd bicycle

 And back on the road

you can just look or buy one!