Cycling UK Forum

Sourdough making is just brilliant! Started doing it about six years ago and must have made more than 500 loaves since then.

There's a lovely rhythm to the process, which can take up to a couple of days, as this is 'slow food', but the wait is well worth it, as you end up with proper bread, free from the chemicals which go into the spongey supermarket stuff, and you know exactly what has gone into your loaf.

Even after this time, I'm still fascinated by the natural process without adding any extra yeast, it's magical! I'm on about my fourth starter, but this is the best one yet, probably getting on for four years old now and so vigorous I've cut back on how much goes into a loaf as they were rising too quickly and giving big air pockets.

It's all very therapeutic, and I can understand the physio suggesting it for helping a shoulder injury, as it's good exercise doing the kneading for 10-15 minutes.

And at the end of it all, you get a wonderful-tasting loaf, as good as anything you might buy in a posh deli/artisan bakery, but for about a quarter of the price.

I took up cycling again only last summer and was encouraged by friends to fit SPDs and cleats. Got on pretty well with them but had two or three incidents, mostly when stationary and poised on one leg, but forgetting the other was still clipped in, and toppling over.

Also had to perform a crash landing when I was riding up a steep-ish hill and ran out of steam, picked a soft bank to cushion the fall. Quiet road, quiet Sunday afternoon. so no harm done.

However, must admit I do have concerns about something like this happening again -- any advice, please, on what to do if you suffer a drastic loss of momentum on a hill and can't unclip in time?

Another awful tragedy. The following is from the Sussex Police official news release. Thoughts and prayers with the family concerned and with the cyclists riding with him at the time.


"The cyclist who sustained serious injuries when he was in collision with another cyclist in Catsfield on Sunday evening (March 1), has now died.

Martin Leonard, 52, of Skinners Lane, Catsfield, was cycling with three other men in Skinners Lane shortly before 8pm on Sunday when he collided with one of the others and they both fell from their bikes.

Mr Leonard was airlifted to St George's Hospital in London with head injuries, a fractured pelvis and spine and internal injuries, and sadly died on Tuesday afternoon (3 March).

The other cyclist, a 43-year-old man from Catsfield, suffered a minor head injury.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about it is asked to email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting Operation Burgundy."

More than 5,000 CTC members/supporters have now emailed/written to their MP. Still time to add to that!

I've just written to my MP using the pro-forma on the link from CTC president Jon Snow's email I received yesterday, seeking support for the vote on an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill in the House of Commons next week.

Some fascinating information came with the email on the huge benefits from encouraging more cycling and walking through a properly planned cycling strategy, and well worth all CTC members showing their support by taking this up with their MP and forwarding the message on to other friends and family to do likewise.

It's a simple and straightforward process to write to your MP and I added some local points to the letter early on to highlight the situation in my village and surrounding area.