Wednesday 31 December 2014

Orange Brompton 2014

This has been some year. If you have been reading this blog for s while, you will know that I am quite keen on going on lots of Brompton related adventures and 2014 has been a good year in terms of that!

To date there have been 1,224 comments made on the blog and much more correspondence than this via the contact email address listed on the main page. I have been humbled and delighted by many of you taking the time to contact me. For some it is simply to say hello. For others it is telling me about your own adventures. Perhaps best of all are the 31 people around the world who have bought a Brompton and attributed its purchase to me.

2014 has been a year where I have been on some much longer rides. Even though I am one year older, I still feel that my overall fitness has improved - directly because of owning a Brompton and of course using it. My hope is that 2015 will bring further improvements.

There have been over 124 blog posts this year and to pick out my own highlights has proved difficult. I have however posted below a few of my favourites and if over the New Year period you find yourself bored with nothing else to do, you could do worse than give them a viewing.

January

This was a night ride with a difference. Cycle from central London east towards the Docklands and Canary Wharf and top it all off with fish and chips.



February

By February many of us were chomping at the bit for a longer ride. It came in the form of the Gatwick Express. This was a ride from the London Eye to Gatwick Airport that proved to be a ride I would not forget.



March

March brought the first of a series of wondrous night rides. This is where one meets at Hyde Park Corner just before midnight and then cycle through the night to the coast...in this case Burnham on Crouch.


April

There is a now annual Brompton gathering in Sheffield. This was the first time I visited the delights of this fine city and had a lovely time and received a warm welcome. I really hope to make the ride in 2015!



May

A few of us decided to enter a sportive called the Mitie Revolution. This was to be my first attempt at a 100 mile ride in one day. It contained lots of hills and believe me it was possibly the hardest thing I had ever done on a Brompton! Click on the link to see if I managed to clock up the 100 miles.


June

The Nocturne is a great event and not content with just this I also took part in charity 60 mile night ride around London later that evening! 



July

No surprise, the highlight of my year is the Brompton World Championships. This event for me, cannot be bested in any way. It would be true to say that I am thinking about what training I need to do for 2105!



It was in July I said goodbye to my original orange Brompton. I sold it to a lovely lady, via another lovely lady in Australia. You probably need to read the blog post to find out more.


The Dunwich Dynamo is quite a well know ride and this was the first time I attempted it. If achieved it would be the longest ride I had ever done and be the second 100 miler for 2014.



August

Another night ride from central London to the coast - in this case Whitstable. It was the first big ride for my new P type Orange Brompton. Read about how I got on with it.



September

London to Brighton is a classic cycle ride and one of my favourites. Towards the end one has to contend with the infamous Ditchling Beacon and I was keen to see how i would get on with my new P Type Orange Brompton.


October

It would be true to say I thoroughly enjoyed the St Crispin's Day night ride and I will be there for 2015! If completed this would be the third 100 miler this year...


November

A night ride from Kew Gardens to Box Hill and back has always been a favourite. It has it all. Distance, pace, ascent of the famous Box Hill and the prospect of eating at a Wild West themed restaurant! 



December

A ride throughout the night in London at Christmas is quite a magical occasion in many ways. This is without a doubt one of my favourite rides and has become an annual fixture.



The Videos




All that remains to be written is for me to thank you out there for continuing to read about my adventures, for all your kinds words of encouragement  and for the many of you who have taken the time to contact me directly. I wish you a very happy 2015 and hope that you will also enjoy your own adventures, whatever form they take.

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