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A short trip to Paris enabled my son and I to do our own test of two new features of life in Paris – the linear car free routes along the Seine that have been created by the simple act … Continue reading
Sun is setting gently over the valley. A quiet evening in, TV off, listening to Aretha Franklin playlists in respect of the Queen of Soul who died yesterday. One of my absolute favourite singers.
I have been singing R.E,S.P.E.C.T all day, not least on my bike ride to work this morning. 1 song, nearly 90 minutes. Seems right.
Great playlist in the Guardian this morning too – here.
I guess you could click on any link and hear something great. But for fun and entertainment from someone who could do everything – her turn in the Blues Brothers movie near steals the whole show.
Enjoy.
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Celebrating World Bicycle Day Destination: the Butte de Lion, memorial on the site of the Battle of Waterloo – 1815 Connection? Invention of the bicycle – just 2 years later – 1817 Ensemble: Shorts of the Cyclists’ Touring Club – … Continue reading
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It is easy to be skeptical about promotional days and wonder how anyone choses them. But if ever there was a day that has my name on it Sunday 3rd June is the one. Due to a lobbying campaign by … Continue reading
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Venice. The city on the lagoon. “La Serenissima”, the serene one. One of the world’s most iconic tourist sights. Or a city swamped in tourists creating an ecological nightmare? Let me put my personal cards on the table. I have … Continue reading
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We have only been in Venice few hours to start our short break. Blue skies, canals, winding alleys and delicious food have worked their magic already. It is almost a visual overload. Looking forward to the next two days!
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Many elements came together last week for a memorable bike tour around Ljubljana, capital city of Slovenia. I had already rather fallen for Ljubljana’s charms on previous trips, (post here) but this time I had a glorious spring afternoon and great … Continue reading
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I am going through a very strange time in the calendar at the moment. The year has a sort of “spring phase’ when a range events and activities begin to pick up momentum. And in a normal year this is … Continue reading
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On all the mainstream media and on social media there are tributes to the theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking who died today. By NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons His book “A Brief History of Time” is estimated to … Continue reading
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After two very cold days in Utrecht this was going to be a blog post about the resilience of the bare-headed Dutch cyclists riding around in a wind chill of minus 10 Celsius. Or maybe a quick update on the … Continue reading
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Wow. We needed this, A proper glow in the sky for a bike ride this morning, above cold frosty ground. It seemed so unlikely I had to keep a diary to prove that it was really happening. 7.45 am – … Continue reading
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The New Year’s Day ride is a tradition. A tradition of mine, and the founding basis of I Do Not Despair, as I first posted on New Year’s Day 2012. Special rides Cold rides Failed rides But 2017 didn’t really … Continue reading
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I have just returned from four days in the Basque Country, the land of steep sided valleys and green hillsides on Spain’s northern coast. I could start with a blog post about the interesting and attractive cities of Bilbao and … Continue reading
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Morning coffee and a croissant at the market in La Grand Combe. A seemingly timeless scene. We love local markets when we are on holiday because the produce just seems brighter and more interesting than at home, and because of … Continue reading
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If you want to find the way to the heart of most cycling enthusiasts it can be mapped out in three simple steps: Cycling Cycling and food Cycling and free food I can live by that code, which is why … Continue reading
I Do Not Despair 