The Cycling Photographer

Friday 28.10.2011

Decided it was time to purchase some winter cycling gear as it is getting colder and colder, especially on the days when I can only get out at 6pm after work (normally Monday & Wednesday). Had a good look on the internet but the sizing of these sort of stuff can be very variable, as it turned out I needed to buy Large in the trousers and Ex Large in the top which is definitely Not what I would have ordered on the net !

The trousers (or tights as they like to call them in cycling speak) have a warm lining and are designed to be partly waterproof – at £50 a pair they need to be ! The top has a special windproof front but a breathable back with ‘zips in the pits’ to allow the release of heat – all very technical and again for £75 it had better work. I won’t get to find out until probably next Friday a I am otherwise engaged on Monday & Wednesday this week (and Tuesday too with the football). In the afternoon I did a 15 mile ride based on my original circuit to Little Eaton and back via the Chevin. I changed it slightly to avoid the middle section into Little Eaton to avoid the worst of the tree debris. On the way back up from the A6 I decided to try another alternative route by turning left at the top of Field Lane and going up Mill Street. By the time I got to the junction with Cemetery Lane my pulse was up at 170 !! The stats for the ride: 15.63 miles in 1 h 03 m 51 s (total cycling so far: 414.32 miles)

Friday night we went out with Jan & Steve to the Bulls Head in Denby for a meal. A great night (as it always is with our old friends), when we got back in the car the temperature was 0.5 – good job I got that winter cycling gear (not that I’m planning much cycling at 10:30pm at this time of year – or any other time of year come to think of it).

Saturday 29.10.11

I said it had to end sometime and we thought that was Tuesday night with the late equaliser from Loughborough, well that was just the start. A 1-5 thrashing at the hands of Hucknall Town brought back memories of similar poor performances and results from Andy Carneys time in charge when we were trounced by the likes of Quorn and Glapwell at home. At least Hucknall looked a good side who will probably be in the play off places come April – scant consolation for the fans who were looking forward to only the 2^nd home game in 11 matches.

My mate Matt came over for the game, the last time he came we won 5-1. After about 7 minutes he predicted another 5-1 but not in Belpers favour. At that point in time Corey Gregory had put Hucknall ahead. Corey had played one game for us in Duffields first game at Carlton and looked completely out of his depth, he looked anything but yesterday. Matt had to leave with the score at 1-1 as his wife Vicky was unwell so he missed seeing his prediction come true !

The substitute substituted

The referee was very fussy – spending a lot of time talking to players and holding the game up. When he wasn’t talking to them he was booking them, I think we ended up with 4 bookings, 2 for things that were said out of frustration. We can’t blame the ref for the result though, that was down to the players alone. We were treated the unusual sight of a substitute being substituted. New signing Michael Simpkins replaced injured Dan White and was then substituted himself by Luke Chambers, presumably because of an injury. Photos can be seen here: Belper v Hucknall

Next up – another away trip, this time to Quorn on Tuesday night.