Monthly Archives: December 2016

An early Merry Christmas from MMT

Dear Rouleurs,

I’ve been blessed with a few quiet minutes to knock another blog for December.  Given that’s its nearly Christmas and I’m about to receive an early and very special delivery from Santa, it seemed like a good idea to put together a bicycle related montage.  So here’s a bunch of random photos and graphics pilfered from the plagiarist’s greatest resource… the Internet.

Noooo...this will not happen while I'm not holiday.

Noooo…this will not happen while I’m not holiday.

Its so ugly and wrong, that I'm surprised my wife hasn't given me one of these jerseys.

Its so ugly and wrong, that I’m surprised my wife hasn’t given me one of these jerseys.

Creative use of presumably unwanted...not stolen bicycles.

Creative use of presumably unwanted…not stolen bicycles.

It seems to me both weird and wonderful that a nation like Japan would embrace Santa and bicycling, let alone put them together.

It seems to me both weird and wonderful that a nation like Japan would embrace Santa and bicycling, let alone put them together.

This one reminds me of the new Campag chain ring I put on my bike back in February.

This one reminds me of the new Campag chain ring I put on my bike back in February.

I wish I could find out who created this infographic so I could give them credit.

I wish I could find out who created this infographic so I could give them credit.

I will be posting photos of my special delivery from Santa later this week.  Until then ride safe.

Marv

Off yer bike, Boris

Dear Rouleurs,

Team MMT has been having split brain conversations about that scion of UK Politics…Boris Johnson.  Whilst Boris has perfected the art of looking scruffy and speaking like someone who might be barking mad, he’s clearly not.  In his time as Lord Mayor of London Boris did big things for cyclists.  The “Boris” Hire Bike scheme and establishment dedicated bike lane ways has moved London from being one of the most dangerous places to ride a bike to one of the best. Chapeau Mr Johnson.  By the way, I think this dilemma about how to regard Boris is captured perfectly in this photo.

No... Boris Brexit is dumb idea.

No… Boris Brexit is dumb idea.

However, his entry into national politics has resulted many WTF moments, for example BREXIT. Educated Britons are wondering exactly how it was that Boris decided that siding with looney far right of Nigel Farrage’s UKIP was a good idea.  That coup etat resulted in both the Prime Minister David Cameron and some non-descript guy that was leading Labour, no longer leading their respective political parties.  Now Boris has the job of Foreign Secretary, presumably to salvage some kind of relationship with Europe and now has the added bonus of dealing with Trump foreign policy.  Also it seems that he’s now too important to be allowed to ride one of his own Boris bikes.

Today the Age syndicated an article called “Boris Johnson gives up his Boris Bike but London pedals on”,  where Boris bemoans the fact that he’s had to give up cycling –

“I used to cycle everywhere and I do miss it.” He said he had given up cycling more than 570 kilometres per year.  Mr Johnson said he had been banned from pedalling because “it involves a sort of convoy of police cyclists, plus cars, plus God knows what.”

Poor Boris, all those luxury armoured limousines, that must be really tough.  Oh and by the way, 570 km means he was doing about 12km a week.  MMT thinks this is pretty feeble effort anyway.

Dear God, who in their right mind would allow Boris to steer.

Dear God, who in their right mind would allow Boris to steer.

Do you really need your mother to dress you properly???

Do you really need your mother to dress you properly???

A simple post-Brexit message to Boris..perhaps.

A simple post-Brexit message to Boris..perhaps.

Opps...sorry about that send the complaint to my office. I'm sure that no one will look at it.

Opps…sorry about that. Send the complaint to my office. I’m sure that no one will look at it.

Any how to celebrate that MMT can ride his bike as much as he likes and Boris can’t, here’s a picture montage of Boris, cycling hero and dud politician on bike.  A sight that sadly we will no longer see, given its enormous entertainment value.

Until next blog, ride better than Boris

Marv

Marv’s November Bike Log

Dear Rouleurs,

Considering that I lost a week in the middle of November due to illness, knocking out 548km wasn’t too bad. Here’s my log and stats.  Here’s the log and stats for November.

Probably the most significant observation I could make is that it looks very likely that I’ll break 7000km mark this year.  I’m already about 1125 km ahead of annual target. That’s pretty amazing given all of the life “stuff” I’ve had on this year.

2016-nov-log-graph

I’ve signed up for three events early next year, the Cadel Evans People’s Ride 111km version in January, the Ballarat Classic 100Km version in February and the MS Cycle 50Km in March.

Until next blog, ride safe.

Marv