About Clive Alexander-Clarke
17,891 km
781:09 h
Recent Activity
Clive Alexander-Clarke and maggiesavill planned a road ride.
October 9, 2025
02:15
56.3km
25.0km/h
220m
220m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 19, 2025
ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: I love it when a plan comes together [👺 Wow!straight out of the blocks!] After 3 solid days at the home office, writing reports, long Teams meetings and sooo many emails 📧 ! I needed a good day with reasonable English 🏴 ᗯᕮᗩTᕼᕮᏒ for a long Ꮢ¡ᗪᕮ. After completing Gears of War Reloaded & Gears of War Ultimate Edition both “Hans” on Insane difficulty 🤪😱 The Universe provided - Call of Duty Black Ops 6! Oh ᗩᑎᗪ the Sun ☀️ came out. I planned to leave at midday but got antsy, at 10:00h I dropped the Xbox controller, then realised I had not unpacked my case & bike box 📦 from ᗰOᑎᗪᗩY’s trip home, and there are items in both needed. Plus there was a stack of washing 🍽️ 🥄 🍴 and a stack of washing 👖👘🩳 [👺not sure where the kimono came from?] I need to sort this stuff now cause later I won’t have the NRG. I’m out the door a little 🤏🏾 after 11:00h pick up the coffee cups from the workman’s break yesterday and I’m out of here. I’ll stop 🛑 at Deanshanger for a sandwich 🥪 of some sort and away. Even the DPD driver waved me across the road. The Universe provides ᗩᏀᗩ¡ᑎ! 🙌🏾 At Deanshanger [👺he forgets the name of the café - The Coffee Stop] I order a sausage roll for now and a sausage and bacon 🥓 bap for “Ron.” While I wait I go against the Universe and l👀k at a work email 📧…🫣 [👺 WTF! Never Ever read work emails while riding!] Now the 50 minute head start is diminishing… Thanks @jwill for talking me down. Hey @mark & @stev who passed in matching outfits on their way to Salcey Good talk @jamie Finally I’m on the ᏒOᗩᗪ and in my head space making plans ᏒᕮᗪᗩᑕTᕮᗪ and decisions ᏒᕮᗪᗩᑕTᕮᗪ Before I know it I’m at Molly’s but they ain’t serving hot food after 13:45h 👎🏾 Onwards to the George 🏴 & Dragon 🐉. They have limited everything 👎🏾Sausage roll ᗩᏀᗩ¡ᑎ [👺he’s forgotten the sausage & bacon 🥓 bap in his jersey pocket]🫣 Swing back up to Whitchurch and back to Cublington back to Ashton Abbots then Wing and back up to MK through Stewkley and Mursley.. A little triggering as the roads are bumpy, there are road works and ᖴᏒ¡ᗪᗩY afternoon traffic is impatient! As I pull in front of base some guy says “You need a better bike…” ᕼOᗯ Ꮢᑌᗪᕮ! I have music playing and only catch part of his sentence. My “pardon“ must have come across as aggressive cause he apologised and praised ᑎᕮᐯᗩᗪᗩ. I think he was being ironic. I said she’s good enough still AI ing his ᖴ¡ᏒᏚT sentence. Only working it out once I was in the lift 🛗 Oh that’s what he said…🤷🏾♂️ 💯 km as planned by the Universe. Apple 🍏 have summoned me to pick up my AirPod 3 Pro with translation software. Can’t wait until my boss speaks Polish 🇵🇱 again to the other Polish 🇵🇱 Station Commander…👂🏾🙌🏾 Yeah they’re right. I still have the sausage & bacon 🥓 bap from Deanshanger…🫠 [👺I pity the FOOL!] The A Team…
04:08
104km
25.3km/h
840m
850m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 10, 2025
ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: We are heading into the wind, south, south-east. The landscape is mainly flat and steph smith. is doing excellent work on the front. As we tack round I try to protect Steph from the crosswind as I know this coastal section is protracted. And my heavier build is an excellent screen. There are many “torre” or towers along the coastline. Presumably l👀k-out towers for invaders, the Turks, The Greeks, WWI and II. It’s cloudy today and humid. Occasionally the clouds ⛅️ break to allow the Sun sponsored by Steph Smith it’s in the low 20’s at the moment. We scramble around the port l👀king for a way to the Fort/Castle I spied when landing at Brindisi. We continue inland to the Bell of the ship Benedetto Brin. The monument is in the shape of a large rudder, approximately 53 meters high, it was built to commemorate the approximately 6,000 sailors who fell during the First World War (1915–1918) at the behest of Benito Mussolini then President of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy. The structure was the choice of Brindisi and due to the central role that the city had during the Great War. It was built in October 1933. It’s an impressive monument, unfortunately the wind took ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC down while I was taking pictures… no. discernible damage [👺 that’s pretty much what you said in May 2024…🤷🏾♂️] We stop at the Café with another ineffective door lock. TiP: don’t use sliding or folding doors on toilets - they are almost impossible to secure 🗝️🚾. A quick coffee and delicious chocolate croissant 🥐 and we’re out of there! Except my shadow 👤 [👺 surely you mean us?] Is missing something. I’d left my helmet on the chair 🪑 [not dissimilar] Steph has worked out where we went wrong earlier in our search for the Fort/Castle. “In 8 minutes we will arrive…” announced very confidently. It was more like 5. We glided through every traffic light 🚦 We ride along Via Torpedinena Climene to Castello Svevo di Brindisi, a majestic fortress that stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of Brindisi’s history and architectural grandeur. Constructed in 1227 during the Hohenstaufen era, this iconic monument, also known as the Swabian Castle, was initially built by Emperor Frederick II. Over the centuries, it has served various roles, from a fortified residence to a significant royal palace, reflecting the evolving needs and historical layers of the region. Today, it continues to captivate visitors with its medieval charm and strategic importance, drawing history enthusiasts, architecture buffs, and curious travelers alike. We are really lucky that our bikes can wake the dead when coasting. The curator comes out and talks with Steph. I don’t have my Apple AirPod 3 Pro’s yet, with Built in Live Translation, so I’m no help. But this place does two tours a day and is only open in August & September. We tie up the steeds and join a Brazilian Couple for the morning tour. Antonio Merre is our archeologist tour guide. His English isn’t great but better than my Italian 🇮🇹 and Steph is on hand to fill in the gaps. He shows us areas that are normally off limits. It’s an enjoyable 50+ minutes. Then we ride out the 1.5 miles along the port retaining wall. If this was in the UK 🇬🇧 there would be a segment along it. I’d do it but there are some sketchy patches that are more suitable towards a CX/Gravel. [👺Update: there is a segment 22 mph is the KOM] The view of Brindisi from the wall is exclusive. Now the clouds are in the minority and the temperature is 33.3°c / 91.94°f. As we edge back around the airport we stop 🛑 at Oktagona for a Coke [👺 what else] however the fly”s 🪰 won, they’re getting on my last wick. The ride back to base is a mixture of head, cross, and tail winds, but never enough tail winds…💨
03:20
81.3km
24.4km/h
380m
380m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 7, 2025
[ꮞ] ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT ᑕᏞᑌᗷ...🥓🍳☕️ ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: We’re on the Italian 🇮🇹 ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT ᑕᏞᑌᗷ..🥐🥐☕️. run down to Villanova di Ostuni. We are joined today by Jules & Pietro. After clearing town Pietro pulled the group into the wind 💨 all the way to Villanova. Pretty impressive stuff…👍🏾 I thought about taking a turn but I don’t know the route. [👺 best ever excuse] It has worked thus far. [👺The service road is dead straight… I pity the FOOL!] Villanova di Ostuni is the main fraction of the so-called "Marina di Ostuni" This stretch of coast includes the well-known tourist resorts of Rosa Marina, Monticelli, Diana Marina, Gorgognolo, Costa Merlata and Cala dei Ginepri. Villanova has a marina at the foot of the low fortress castle of the fourteenth century, a nineteenth-century church and numerous beaches. The port area is the central nucleus of the country that also includes the areas of Camerini and Fontanelle. And Bar De Porto where we are having Italian 🇮🇹 ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT, Croissants 🥐 and Coffee + Pasticiotti of various types. ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC has been admired over the past few days. Pietro is very impressed 🤌🏾 As are several MTB riders that stop to say hello. TBH she has been silently ᗩᗯᕮSOᗰᕮ so far. Nothing has fallen off, and no creaking noises. Just the satisfying dull thud of everything in harmony. Stops 🛑 are short in Italy 🇮🇹 we’re back on it circling the town and back along the service road [opposite side] for a while then tack into the wind up hill 1-2% A climb is announced but I miss the details, even in hindsight I can’t find any notable climb data. Closer to base Pietro and I give it full gas down “Sprint reintro a Santa Vito-BiciClubSanVito” The road is dead straight with rolling hills. I lead and invariably flag on the up-hill where Pietro takes over. Unfortunately as a climb was announced some time ago - my Kato’s are wedged in my helmet as I try not to climb with them on as sweat pours over them. Now they’re loose and in danger of falling to the ground…😱 I adjust them quickly several times. I’m not saying they’re costing me time, but it’s certainly a distraction. After swapping lead a couple of three times the road and segment ends. Pietro has vanished too!…🤷🏾♂️ I hang about waiting for Steph & Jules. Later down the road Pietro appears. He’s been towing us for best part of 25 miles so that was a very impressive sprint. It appears that I have a 4th overall 🏆 Perhaps I can KOᗰ👑 it with a little research of where it starts / ends and a little help from the wind 💨
02:01
53.7km
26.5km/h
300m
300m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 6, 2025
ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: Today has been announced as shorter but with more climbing. My legs are a little frazzled from yesterday’s race so I’m apprehensive. We climb steadily on rolling hills towards Ostuni. It’s market day so the roads are busy. After dodging through the city came the climbing. Still rolling hills, each increasing in intensity. After the penultimate hill we met Steph’s mate Pietro not carrying rocks today… After a little 🤏🏾 chat, Steph made a skool girl error and started climbing in the big ring ⚙️. This was my opening.. The best chance to win is to not let whoever you’re racing know they’re in a race! [👺 a tactic learnt by many 2nd placings after the fact] As Steph dropped back to change gears ⚙️ I attacked! [👺 it would not have l👀ked dissimilar to his usual head down breathing hard position] I forged ahead. Realising defeat was imminent Steph tried head games 🤯 by shouting “that’s not the top…” but I’m too seasoned a rider to fall for that old trick! As I crested the hill, I realised [👺she wasn’t lying 🤥] Alright, alright this is my story! But they’re right there was more and Steph was gaining. [👺imagine the slowest race ever!] Hey I won 🙌🏾 Steph stopped at the Fire 🔥 Car 🚗 [not red although you’d think it would be…🤷🏾♂️] As it’s ‘stagione degli incendi boschivi’ they sit atop the ridge l👀king for fire 🔥 Not dissimilar to the age old practice of getting the Probie to climb the tower then ring control to report all clear…😂 Bullying maybe 🤔 funny ᗩᗷSOᏞᑌTᕮᏞY!...👍🏾 One year is the standing record…😱 Strangely they never tried that on me… [👺 I pity the Fool!] After my silent victory ✌🏾 We headed to Cisternino. On the way was the only significant climb of the day. Salita Vecchia Cristernino 1.5 miles 340ft 4.3% avg. It wasn’t the most difficult climb and Steph paced me to the top, confirming how much her cycling has improved. Then we snaked upwards through the town to the summit Bar History and its ᗩᗰᗩZ¡ᑎᏀ view of the Itria Valley for a coffee & croissants ☕️ 🥐’s. All too quickly we are descending, but now the wind 💨 is at our backs. We make good time to Ceglie Messapica a town visited by the Giro earlier in May. We stop 🛑 at Coimbra Brothers for Minty Milk 🥛 [but green] sounds strange but it was very nice…😋 They also sold sausage roll [👺which is a hot dog 🌭 with pastry surround. It worked well…😋 Although the Italian 🇮🇹 police are l👀king for a guy who likes a “hot” sausage roll and Parmesan cheese 🧀 on his ᕈ¡ZZᗩ🍕 One more food infringement and I’m deported…🛂 Mainly downhill from there back to base. Nicely within my comfort zone… ᗩᑎᗪ pretty much as advertised…👍🏾 The A Team…
02:46
66.5km
24.1km/h
710m
710m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 5, 2025
[ᗷꮞ] ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT ᑕᏞᑌᗷ...🥓🍳☕️ Italy ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY:. @steph is taking me north today on a “flat” ride. This will be my ᖴ¡ᏒᏚT substantial Italian 🇮🇹 ride. I’m quite excited…🤗. I have purposely avoided @steph routes on ᏚTᏒᗩᐯᗩ as I want it to ALL be fresh and new! It’s always difficult learning a new road system. Yes I’m now on the right, I’m used to that, nearly everywhere I go drives opposite to the British Empire 🇬🇧 [👺 you know that’s not a thang anymore?] The roads are much more narrow, low walls meet olive 🫒 trees 🌳 so you are faced with a mirage of green and stones. Add to that the countryside roads are not too dissimilar to ᗷᗩᏒᗷᗩᗪOᏚ🇧🇧 some good some bad some ugly [👺 Sergio Leone classic, he was Italian 🇮🇹] Add a dusting of red dirt some gravel on the centreline of every corner and 5-miles seems forever. It’s just going to take some getting used to. Drivers are from BMW world 🌎 indication is a five letter word - NEVER! Road markings are the future. Now that the rules are clear…Simples😳 At a junction we l👀k up at “Ostuni, a city in Italy’s Apulia region that's known for its whitewashed old town. Ostuni Cathedral combines Gothic, Romanesque and Byzantine elements, while the arched Porta San Demetrio is one of 2 remaining medieval gates. The Civic Museum and Archaeological Park houses Ostuni 1, the skeleton of a woman from Paleolithic times. Northwest of town is the Santuario di Sant’Oronzo complex, with a triumphal arch.” Steph bumps into a mate. Vinchezo. He’s a cyclist - I’m sure we will be seeing him in Lycra soon. At around 25 miles of this 70 km ride we are at the coast/beech. If you were unsure the Thong thong thong thong, give it away…👙 A quintet of older riders arrive at Gelateria as Steph furnishes me with an Italian 🇮🇹 ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT: Pasticiotto, which is pastry with jam and custard Croissant 🥐 filled with custard A true Americano ☕️ [👺the cup was about that big] I protest but I’m overruled. I’m in the process of appealing Apparently the “When in Rome…” law applies…🤷🏾♂️ Then several of Steph’s riding buddies arrive. It all laughs and smiles. Greets and hugs also all in Italian 🇮🇹 but what Steph doesn’t know is that what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, I can’t even guarantee a hello or a thank you in Italian 🇮🇹 but I know when someone blames me for not being able to ride with them for the next few days cause I’m a lightweight [👺 YOᑌ’Ꮢᕮ ᗯᕮᏞᑕOᗰᕮ! Steph…🤌🏾] If ᕈᏒOᑎOᑌᑎ👺 said it, it must be true…🫣 The wind is now in our favour and we’re at cruising speed. Then Steph target 🎯 locked on the quintet of riders we had seen earlier at the café stop 🛑 After we pass, one try’s to hang with us. “I pity the FOOL!” Overdrive was engaged. I don’t think I’ve ever been that fast seated without going downhill for soooo long. Left for dust I knew there would be consequences… Cramp followed as soon as we tacked across the wind. Sharp as a tack 📌 Steph suggested a beer 🍻 stop 🛑 i substituted beer 🍻 with full fat Coca Cola. It was a smart pit stop 🛑. So why the “Maglia Nera”, or black jersey photo? [👺 a day late and a dollar short] The pictured guy was a professional racer during the first seven postwar years and won more than 60 races, but his greatest claim to fame in the saddle was that he won the coveted (by some) maglia nera, or black jersey, in the Giro d'Italia of 1951 for finishing last. At the opposite end of the spectrum to the Giro leader's pink jersey, the black jersey became so desirable to lesser riders that they went to extremes – stopping in bars, hiding in barns or behind hedgerows, even puncturing their own bikes – for the sake of the publicity, the sponsorship, a not insignificant cash prize and an invitation to join the winners in a lap of honour After gaining fame with that black jersey in 1951, he was dropped from his team but given 100,000 Italian lire in compensation, around $160 at the time, enough to let him start up his own business, in the town of Treviso in 1953. Nani Pinarello started building bicycles by hand, growing slowly as his reputation as a craftsman spread. In the Pinarello factory in Treviso to this day is a note written by Gino Bartali, a multiple Tour and Giro winner, in tribute to his friend Nani. "The Black Jersey of Cycling but the Pink Jersey of life." Giovanni Pinarello, racing bicycle builder: born San Sisto di Lancenigo, Italy 10 July 1922; married 1959 Ida Gobbo (one daughter, one son, and one son deceased); died Treviso, Italy 4 September 2014. After a ᏒᕮᗪᗩᑕTᕮᗪ chat we climbed up @1-2% back to base. 70 km - flat… ᗪᗩY - 1😱 Curtsy The Good the Bad and the Ugly Taken The A Team Google Wiki
03:21
88.5km
26.5km/h
450m
460m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
September 4, 2025
ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: I’m waiting for ᖴᏒᗩᑎᑕO, he’s not late, yet- I fell asleep 💤 early last night so I’m awake early. Work clung to me until the very end of the day and beyond. I watched the thunder and lightning ⚡️ recede to the Sunshine 🌞 and humidity before adding the last bits of data to the report. It’s has enough information, it’s not complete but a reasonable inspector would drag it across the finish line if they had to. An “incomplete non-masterpiece.” Beethoven… “What do we think ᑕL¡Vᕮ meant when he said “some escape signage is required in Outpatients” do we think it was metaphorical, was he eluding to the escape of the soul or was he being more literal…blah blah blah…” my thoughts digress to a lecture hall where scholars are deciphering the great fire safety reports of ᑕL¡Vᕮ ᗩLᕮXᗩᑎᗪᕮᏒ–ᑕLᗩRKᕮ in some twisted boring future. [ᕈᏒOᑎOᑌᑎ👺 “he is bat shit crazy 🤪 you know!”] I’m surprised they’re awake! ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC was packed on TᑌᕮᏚᗪᗩY. The video of the all but snapped off handlebars 😱 proving that it is better to be lucky 🍀 than any other status you care to substitute… [👺 Vero che! 😳] I still need to pack the obligatory toothbrush 🪥 You’d think I’d be better at this by now… I’m not. ᖴᏒᗩᑎᑕO scoops me up and without hitch drops me at Stansted’s “extra tax” Meet & Greet. Unfortunately I’m twearly to check-in. This is not something that happens when travelling with bigger airlines. So 90 minutes of People Judging… The lady with the sunflowers…🌻 The recycling ♻️ bin that’s full yet people are still pushing card into it then having to pick it up when it springs out onto the floor. The lady sitting on the table opposite rucksack 🎒 [close, it was peach 🍑 ] has snagged on the chair 🪑 I rescued her before the seat topples over. The guy pacing the same 10 feet 🦶🏾 🦶🏾wearing all ᗷᏞᗩᑕᏦ, menacingly ¡ᗰᕼO² waiting for international arrivals. ¡ᏒOᑎY ᏒᕮᕈOᏒT: the guy pretending to clutch his chest of a heart attack. It’s all fun & games now [👺 but you aren’t far off the real thing dude…🫀 There’s a reason Burger 🍔. King 👑 is empty at 7am, apart from you. Stats are not on your side…🤷🏾♂️] Nice trainers !👟 I hope he isn’t sitting next to me…🤯 Ouch! The lady smacked that guy in the head with her rucksack 🎒 [black] when swinging it over her shoulder. Recycling ♻️ is still being rejected. The hippies have arrived. Why does someone always smell of weed?. It’s time to open the valve 🚾 and go check my bags 💼 Check/customs was painless. Then Esteban sold me a Smokey 16-years old single malt Lagavulin. TBF he could’ve sold me anything with that Colombian 🇨🇴 accent. I imagined him getting out a. a fully automatic-converted Colt AR-15 rifle with an attached M203 grenade launcher - “SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!…” [👺ᗩᑎᗪ he’s off! ᖴ¡ᏒᏚT movie quote of the holiday! Scar Face - not to be mistaken for “Scarf Face” the lesser known movie, the protagonist is Tony Montana and he was Cuban 🇨🇺 So close…🫣] Standard fried ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT at The Camden w/o beans…🤮 ᗩᑎᗪ then it went the shape of the pear…🍐 [👺 short version:. 34 popped up as the departure gate on the handy Ryanair app. It’s a tram 🚈 [not dissimilar] Ꮢ¡ᗪᕮ to the other side of the airport. Enquiring at the gate how long the flight ✈️ [exactly enough] to Brindisi is? BTW that’s the destination. Information was updated that the flight to Brindisi was departing from gate 49! The other side of the airport and no tram 🚈 [like that or otherwise] goes that way. Pretty much the last person on the plane ✈️ ] Thanks ᕈᏒOᑎOᑌᑎ👺 a very gender/person neutral account. I’d have said “Motherfucking idiots fucked me up with their bullshit motherfucking app! Had me walking all over the fucking airport in goddam pain! “I pity the FOOL!…👊🏾” [👺🫣 + a movie quote] I sat 💺 down in time to watch ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC, the last piece of luggage 🧳 being loaded. ᗩᑎᗪ relax…🧘🏾 As we bank approach for landing my window is filled with a large oil refinery on the coast surrounded by an industrial area including a port with a massive cruise ship, bound for the Mediterranean. On finals the port gives way to an old fort. Brindisi airport isn’t much bigger than Cranfield. The land stretches off flat in every direction. As we disembark I am fourth through customs 🛂 and almost last collecting ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC considering she must’ve been first off the airplane...🤔 @steph scoops me up as I leave arrivals. It’s lovely to see her and we’re laughing almost immediately on our way to “The Happy House” not the name of the Smith Estate.[👺yet] ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC fitted together perfectly [👺 you should be able to that blindfolded 🙈] “This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine…” Unfortunately when I opened the bike box 📦 she was a bit loose and not as secured as I had left her. Closer inspection revealed oily marks on the frame I had recently polished a few nights earlier. The TSA must’ve inspected the box and taken the frame out to inspect under the bottom foam at Brindisi and explained the delay at the airport… Grrrr!😤 The shakedown ride was brief, part gravel part tarmac. The saddle was a little high, aside from that - perfecto…🤌🏾 I need to buy a toothbrush …🪥 [👺🫣] Curtesy of: Scar Face The A Team Full Metal Jacket
00:18
7.15km
23.9km/h
40m
40m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
August 17, 2025
[ᗷꮞ] ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT ᑕᏞᑌᗷ...🥓🍳☕️ ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: In the absence of ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC, ᑎᕮᐯᗩᗪᗩ has become the go to steed and has taken the role very seriously. Capably weaving in and out of the Londons traffic and stopping on a dime 🪙 [not a dime] when required [she is fitted with Hope RX4+ four pot brakes after all] the perfect choice to go pick up some new Most Talon Ultra Handlebars…£ if you have to ask, you can’t afford…🤣😢 It’s a chilly 🥶 6 am in Camden, much later than my usual Ꮢ¡ᗪᕮ time but we still have the ᏒOᗩᗪᏚ to ourselves. Maggie Savill is barely awake and a little anxious about riding in London. We head up Camden High Street, as we hit Kentish Town I hear 👂🏾 her ᏀᗩᏒᗰ¡ᑎ acknowledgment that it has found the route.. It’s all been 1-2% thus far and will continue like this for another couple of miles. The ᏀᗩᏒᗰ¡ᑎ takes an eclectic route, but I’ll allow it as unless we do laps around Hampstead Heath we are going to be climbing inside of 10 miles…😳 ᗩᏀᗩ¡ᑎ! But a twist of faith has us turn wrongly up a Private Gated Road called Hillway. Maggie Savill protests “Are we going to climb this too?…” I reassure her that this is the perfect warm up ¡ᗰᕼO² Hillway is a little over 600 meters long, 9% or as near as makes no difference. It’s stingy but no way you’re not warm by the top. As we turn to descend the view is worth the price of admission. Swains Lane runs parallel to Hillway and is longer, 900 meters, 8% with a long sustained 12-20% ramp. The road also happens to be CLOSED or so the sign says. “Meh! We’re still going…” I say in true Road Cyclist Denial [RCD] "Of course they don’t mean closed to ᗷ¡ᏦᕮᏚ!" As we summit Swains Lane I triumphantly announce “Told you so…” Maggie Savill is now wide awake and warm. It’s sad to see Archway protected by anti-suicide fencing [I am heart-broken at the stats] The ᏒOᗩᗪᏚ are still empty as we follow the ᏀᗩᏒᗰ¡ᑎ route across Turnpike Lane, Tottenham and Edmonton. I have to admit I don’t know where we are…🤷🏾♂️ Until we’re deposited a block away from the foot 🦶🏾 of Mott Street. Impressive! The second, third significant climb of the day is an easy 1400 meters in length average 5% max 12%. It over just as you start to hurt. Now we’re firmly ensconced in Essex, Epping Forest 🌳 that was the shore of a beach many moons ago, like millions! We drop down under the M11 and up into Abridge and spy Boardeli’s Bistro stopping 🛑 for ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT...🥓🍳☕️. The Victoria Cycling Club are amassing, informing us that they have been meeting here for eons and the bistro is never open! We are honoured. Our ᗷ¡ᏦᕮᏚ are attracting a little attention too! Another couple of riders are having ᑕOᖴᖴᕮᕮ. One has a grazed knee. He lost his balance while zipping up his cycle jersey, D’oh! 😱🫣 After ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT...🥓🍳☕️ we drop down to Woolwich, keeping my head down through Ilford. I think the WANTED posters have been taken down [ᕈᏒOᑎOᑌᑎ👺 joke, no joke] Thankfully the millennials have woken up or not gone to sleep cause both Ferry’s ⛴️⛴️ are working. Another ᖴ¡ᏒᏚT for Maggie. I prefer them to the tunnels. We hug the shores of the river way on the Thames Trail. It’s sketchy in places where runners and riders are full gas in the opposite direction around blind corners [👺no pain no gain] No helmets on most of them! Up to GMT at Greenwich. Then across Tower Bridge and back over London Bridge. At this point my map broke as I couldn’t find the coffee shop by the Thames so we stopped 🛑 at Sea Containers Restaurant for brunch. Nice place, very spendy 🤑 Westminster Bridge had a lot of tourists, doing tourist stuff, like stepping off the curb l👀king the wrong way and my favourite, riding Lime bikes on the wrong side of the ᏒOᗩᗪ. Maggie had clearly had enough “We drive on the left!…” she announced to 3 Swedish 🇸🇪 boys. TBF the sign 🪧 did clearly state NO ENTRY ⛔️ Parliament Square and Birdcage Walk have become cluster fucks. I didn’t even have time to see if Charlie was in. Riding in London is over when everyone and everything is an annoyance. We hit that point at Hyde Park. Just the inner and outer circles at Regent Park and our day was over. A very enjoyable 💯 km Picked up the stashed Ultras and back to Euston Station for a reasonably painless train ride back to MK.
07:09
109km
15.3km/h
750m
760m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
July 13, 2025
[ᗷꮞ] ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT ᑕᏞᑌᗷ...🥓🍳☕️ Tᕼᕮ ᗯᗩᖴᖴᏞᕮ ᑕᏒᕮᗯ…🧇 ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: The penultimate ride. I have enough data so as not to get stranded. I have a back-up route ᗩᑎᗪ I have the address in my smartphone 📲 with a screenshot of the map 🗺️. What could possibly go wrong? [👺 you mean apart from your phone 📱 battery 🪫 dying, losing your phone 📱, breaking your phone📱, your pedal arm falling off, your pedal snapping, you getting a puncture… I can do this all day…] Straight up Winchester Blvd, past Netflix a left and a right and I’m about there. I meet @Jim 🖖🏾 ᗩᑎᗪ negotiate a lift 🛗 [not that kind] to SFO Airport TOᗰOᏒᏒOᗯ morning. Thanks buddy…🙏🏽 I completely miss @Jaqueline + @Rob place because @Dom van isn’t parked out front. @Frank is at Lake Tahoe with @Gorm and this ride won’t be tough enough for @Rama unless he rides TDR ᖴ¡ᏒᏚT!…😳 Talking of The Death Race - congratulations to Sir @Steve ᏒᕮᗪᗩᑕTᕮᗪ who completed the 103 miles 13,445 ft in sneakers 👟 [🇬🇧 trainers] and flat pedals…😱 You are my HᕮᏒO! 🙌🏾💪🏾👍🏾. More of the ᑕᏒᕮᗯ gather @Kev, @Jean, @Thomas + Ginger “who did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in heels”… 👠 wait! I didn’t know Fred was in the Towering Inferno? “ᗩᑎᗪ like that, he’s gone…” Rob + Jaqueline set a blistering pace. I managed to get a truly unremarkable photo of Apple 🍏 HQ for Shirin as promised. Just to prove how unremarkable it really is…🤷🏾♂️ I speak with just about everyone and before you know it, we’re at the Olympus Café & Bakery…nom nom nom…🍰 @Greg has turned up fresh from wandering. Good to see you buddy…🤜🏾🤛🏻 I only have the Pistachio Cake, cause it’s my favourite + The Black Forest Gateau in honour of Trump. I’m not coming back to America 🇺🇸 until he’s gone. Simples. Everyone assures me that will be sooner rather than later which is okay either way - I have lots of Ꮪ¡ᑕ4ᑎ bucket list places to visit in the meantime. Back on the ᏒOᗩᗪ Garth explains that he shall be using the restroom 🚾 in the park then heading out to the stadium 🏟️ I pull over to wave 👋🏾 everyone Goodbye, but they all stop 🛑 at the park for a farewell photo. I’m humbled that you all stopped so I could officially “DUMP YOUR ARSES‼️” @Rob words not mine…🤣 Of course “I’ll be back…” [👺 OMG❗️could you be any more OBVIOUS⁉️] “You’re all aces in my book…” Garth + I take a path 3.5 miles in some direction + there it is. Levi Stadium 🏟️ all $1 billion worth. It was impressive, but more or less as it was on the TV. [👺which bit is mine? Visitors Tax counts] I then strong armed Garth into “joining me at Tacho Bell”…🔔 [👺 here we go ᗩᏀᗩ¡ᑎ❗️Lies🤥 so he can crowbar in another movie quote❗️It’s shameful…] Okay it was Denny’s for my last ᗷᏒᕮᗩᏦFᗩᏚT...🥓🍳☕️ kinda a ritual. Garth found one thing on the menu he didn’t mind eating and I regaled him of tales of hospitals, banks, and debts wipe clean a misfortune - fortune ᗩᑎᗪ that the house doesn’t always win! Now I’m really poor with directions, but when you use your left hand 🫲 to direct me right and your right hand 🫱 to direct me left things get really confusing. “Right straight after the bridge, left on Dana, right on Shasta that turns into Leigh then you’ll find the Los Gatos Creek Trail, that’ll take you straight to Los Gatos…” I heard “Left on Dana…” which I missed…🫣😂 [👺 no seriously he did. Direction rely on you paying attention not sending WhatsApp messages❗️] I made it back. Mistakes were made, “Some of you will die…” but I was doing nothing else today and the extra miles always l👀ks good… Thanks Garth, if you hadn’t caught me in ᕼᗩᗯᗩ¡¡🌺 none of this would’ve been possible. Admittedly I could’ve done without the Sea Shore Hotel, but what doesn’t kill you only makes you…Stranger 🫡 [👺Not bad] Curtesy of: Towering Inferno The Usual Suspects Ocean’s Eleven Any movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger Demolition Man Shrek The Dark Night
03:34
83.1km
23.3km/h
310m
330m
Clive Alexander-Clarke went cycling.
July 12, 2025
ᗪᕮᗩᏒ ᗪ¡ᗩᏒY: I’m riding with @Garth along a route that we did last year on the coast along Highway 1 and inland a bit…🤏🏾 @Garth has fallen on his knee for the 3rd time 🕰️ and is running late. Fingers crossed 🤞🏾 he’ll be able to ride. In the spare time I’m afforded, I try to work out which contraband I haven’t used yet there are six flavours. Blueberry 🫐 Apple 🍏 Apricot Blackberry Strawberry 🍓 Cherry 🍒 It seems I wasn’t even aware of Blackberry & Strawberry 🍓! I’m almost out of water 💦 too, which is no surprise I’ve been drinking a gallon a day…😳 ✊🏻✊🏻 Knock, I’ve fallen asleep 💤 waiting, D’oh! We drive along Highway 1 next to the Pacific. Karl is providing the Air Conditioning today and is everywhere. There must be a VW convention somewhere as 20-30 pass going the other way. Megan [Garth’s wife] Has decreed: “No hitting the ground!” - I’m sure that applies to me too! Once in Pescadero, we are quick to get underway, despite distracting WhatsApp messages ᏒᕮᗪᗩᑕTᕮᗪ. My brakes are screaming😱 ᗩᏀᗩ¡ᑎ! This happened last year too, it’s embarrassing as there are many ‘Too Pro To Say Hello’ [TPTSH] everywhere, there’s a race on today, the District Finals. I now hand wave 👋🏾 from the hoods, this satisfies my inner friendliness, but I don’t l👀k at them which satisfies the rejection anger as I don’t know if they waved back or not and leaves me l👀king Too Pro To Care. [ᑎᗩ¡Ꮮᕮᗪ ¡T!😎] I’ve decided ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC doesn’t like Karl. We head back out onto Highway 1, making good progress. We are South of the turn to Pescadero coming up to Pigeon Point, avoiding the toilet 🚽 from Hell👹 The Pacific tailwind is awesome. We pass what may be a Gorilla 🦍 wedding on the beach “ᗷᏒᕮᗩK¡ᑎᏀ! Dᗩ Lᗩᗯ, ᗷᏒᕮᗩK¡ᑎᏀ! Dᗩ Lᗩᗯ, ᗷᏒᕮᗩK¡ᑎᏀ! Dᗩ Lᗩᗯ‼️…”🎶 I don’t know about elsewhere but here you need a license to get married on the beach…👰🤵 not got one…Gorilla 🦍 [I imagine a Gorilla 🦍 chasing everyone, throwing them like rag dolls and biting off… Need to see the therapist when I get back…🤯🤪 Speaking of Dᗩ Lᗩᗯ I keep it under 55 on the descents, as the front wheel is catchy in the wind ᗩᑎᗪ I don’t want to break Megan’s decree! We make the Cycle Hut, but they have no ice cream🍦 [👺I don’t think they ever had ice cream 🍦you imagined it] I sit despondent listening to a lady promote a race [never going to happen] She enquires with Garth if the Kings 👑 face is on the British Currency 💷 yet? “We’re still in the handing over period, but you can be sure once it is, he’ll die …”🫡 We continue on without ice cream🍦[👺Let it go!] I descend like a Pro in passing 20 cyclists [👺 They were sat at a café] What’s your point!? We are paused as the race is cornering in front of us. Garth insists it’s not a closed ᏒOᗩᗪ so we press on against the flow…🫣 Bicycle after bicycle pass. They’ve been around all day and not one ᕈ¡ᑎᗩᏒᕮᏞᏞO! WTF? In this day and age where 65 kg and 10g saved on pedals all in search of marginal gains. I see Treks by the skip full, Specialized falling from the skys - Cevelo’s and Canyon’s even Giants but no ᕈ¡ᑎᗩᏒᕮᏞᏞO’s… Don’t get me wrong I like the exclusivity of ᗪᗩKOTᗩ ᖴC but you’d think a bike that has won multiple Grand Tours would be on someone’s list or marginal gains...Meh! We talk with a marshal a little after the Pro’s zoom past. You got to have confidence in the rider two inches away descending at 35-40 mph 15 deep around a bend - that’s crazy! He tells us all about the race, the history etc all while his HAM Radio 📻 is pulsing morse code … —- … 🆘 is all I need to know. We also decide that ᏀᗩᏒᗰ¡ᑎ programmers can’t be cyclists. The ᏀᗩᏒᗰ¡ᑎ continue to direct when there’s only up or down, forwards or backwards and that fucking Virtual Partner you can’t switch off. If I ever find the person that thought that shit 💩 up! 😡 I met George Lucas “Jar Jar Binks, why? George why?…” [👺Its true, he did] Although I love ❤️ this route I completely forgot there are 4 significant climbs, micro climates sponsored by Karl temperatures from 30°c / 86°f 🥵 down to 12°c / 53.6°f 🥶and gravel on the descending line is 50/50. But the real reason I love ❤️ this route is the “Arcangeli Grocery Company” SANDWICHES…🥪 Yes they’re spendy💰 $18 is like a lot of pounds and pence! 30 minutes standing in line [That’s 20 minutes of pain fo me!] But it’s worth it for a 20 hour Brisket and BBQ sauce with caramelised onions 🧅 on garlic 🧄 bread 🥖 best sandwiches…EVER! ᗩᑎᗪ a Godfather to go [ᗩᑎᗪ I don’t even know what’s in it!]🤗 The sign said TRY IT so I did… "Fredo sleeps with the fishes" While eating another dog 🐩push chair is seen in the area…😳 When we leave the sandwich 🥪 line is almost out the door 🚪 That’s 45-60 minutes! Great fulfilling ride with all the seasons in one day…Thanks 🫡 The quote "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" is a famous saying, often attributed to Mark Twain. While there's no definitive proof he actually said it, it captures a common sentiment about San Francisco's climate, where summers can feel surprisingly chilly due to the city's unique weather patterns - KARL! Curtesy of: Judas Priest Godfather Part II HM King Charles
02:59
62.8km
21.1km/h
920m
910m