Premiere Sortie sur mon Velo apre Jour Noel,First Bike Ride after Christmas Day.

Outside Tesco's Supermarket on Kilmore Road before Christmas Day

Surly LHT on the West Pier  Howth

The Surly LHT and I on the West Pier Howth

Harbour Seal waiting for People to give it Fish at Howth

At last the Thaw set in on Christmas Night and continued on Saint Stephens Day. The Temps rose from - 10C before Christmas Day to 8 C on St Stephens Day but with Patches of Ice still on the Paths and Roads. The 27th came along with Temps rising to 11Celsius and only tiny bits of Slush,as I was suffering from Cabin Fever I decided to go for a spin at 3.00pm on the Surly LHT. I headed off out to Raheny then onto the Cycleway out to Sutton then Howth Village.

It was getting very Gloomy with the Rain falling and slowly getting darker. There was still little bits of Ice here and there but I could hardly see it with the Rain on my Specs and I had to keep wiping the Lenses every so often with my Fingers. This was the Third time to be on this Bike since I got it on the 24th of November. Because of the Snow and the two falls I had on the Dutch Bike I just stopped Riding in the Snow. The second time out a small problem cropped up with the Bike,the Chain began to hit off the front Mech Cage particulary in high Gear. So before I left the House I decided to try and fix it. I put the front Gear on the Granny Gear which is the big Chain Ring and the Rear Cassette on the high Gear which is the small Gear. Then I loosened one of the two little Screws ,the right one on the Derailleur a bit and tightened it a bit,then it righted itself and all was fine,no Clanking off the Mech Cage.

Out on the Cycleway at Sutton there was a strong Breeze coming from the Sea on my right and I could feel it pushing me over a bit  but it wasnt impeding my progress much. The Rain was blowing into my face and I had to keep wiping it off my Spectacle Lenses with my Fingers. The Sea was coming in and you could hear it bashing off the Sea Wall.It really felt good to be out Cycling along really Invigorating. Loads of People out Walking and Dog Walking and Jogging and a few People on Road Bikes,they seemed glad to get out of their Houses like me possibly for the first time for Days because of the Snow.
I got to Howth and took a few Photo's of myself and the Seals then headed Home and when I got to Clontarf I continued on the long way up the Cycleway back Home.  With some stretches of Ice on the Cycleway of 10 metres or more every so often,I just got off and walked it each time I came to the Ice .

Total distance I had covered was 30 KM or 19 miles.The Surly was very smooth and dependable with no Twitching of the Steering,it held the Route solid and true,it was a Pleasure to Cycle on it but what would you expect from a Tourer it did what it said on the Brochure Brilliant Bicycle.

Joyeaux Noel Happy Christmas everybody keep on Cycling,one less Car.

New Brook's Flyer Saddle on my Surly LHT Photographed in between the two Cold Spells of Vicious Wintery Weather. Firebrigade and Ambulance nasty Stuff happens this time of the Year.The Dutch Bike, I was caught in the New Outbreak of Snow on Monday the 20th when I left the Supermarket.The only People in the Park is those with their Dog,s.Icy Conditions on the Roads.There  is supposed to be a Thaw on St Stephen's Day but it will be a very slow one with Icy Rain and bits of Snow. Cant wait to go off on my Bike for a spin. Need Knobbly Tyres badly for the Wintery Weather.

19th & 20th Dec 2010 The Dublin Flea Market,Critical Mass, Finally the Snow arrived.

The Snow had come back to  the UK & Ireland on Thursday the 16th Dec it Crept down from the North in Donegal to the West then the Midlands and was approaching Dublin gradually but held off from hitting the Dublin area,we were lucky for a few Days but there was a heavy Frost and Ice in the Night Time. There was a  Slight Dusting of Snow on Friday Night and on Saturday but that was all with Ice on the Roads. Then Sunday came along and the Weather was Beautiful with Sun but it was very Cold but tolerable all the same and I went on the Critical Mass Special Edition. Because of Christmas and the Dark Evenings it was decided to hold a Special one at 2.00pm instead of the End of the Month at 6.0pm.

I went into the City at 12.30 am and went to the Dublin Flea Market in Newmarket Square. I had a look at Bespoke Cyclery Stand at the nice Vintage Racer they had and their other stuff then had a look indoors then headed off to Saint Stephens Green to Critical Mass. There was only four of us at 2.00pm so we decided to wait for 15 - 20 minutes,then bit by bit more showed up and we eventually had ten Cyclists. So we headed off at 2.25 pm down Dawson Street with some Whoops and Hollers and shouting about Dumping the Car and using Bicycles and getting Rid of Carbon usage etc. We reached O'Connell Street and the Polish Girl said we should go to the Phoenix Park and have some Crackers and Hummous so we did. We had a great time in the Park and sat down at the Picnic Tables and Dunked Crackers into Hummous and had a Mini Picnic. I said if I had known we were going to End up here I could have brought a Trangia Stove and a Coffee Pot or a Kettle and had Tea or Coffee and maybe bring some Food as well a well maybe next time. So we had a Photo Shoot of ourselves at the Table and with the Bikes. Then we went to Shomra Spraoi/ Fun Room in Belvedere Court and had some Refreshments and watched the Film of the San Francisco Critical Mass. We are Traffic.There was bits of Snow Falling while in the Phoenix Park.

The Next Day Monday the 20th I went to the Supermarket at 4.00pm,Weather was lovely but very Cold. While I was inside I heard the Shop Staff say it was Snowing out really bad, Sure enough it was Trundling down so I took a few Photos of it. On the way Home I slipped on the Icy Road and came off the Bike,People came over to see if I was alright and I thanked them and continued on my way  but it was to Slippy on this Road and walked to the main Road before Cycling again. When I got to my Estate I just Walked because it was even worse. It looks like we will have the Snow until Christmas Eve and then a Thaw with higher Tempson Christmas Day.