09.08.10
Posted in Bike, Main, Web Development at 18:36 by thetribe
Enforced lazing that is, I’m officially on the sick due to a bad back. It has meant me sitting around all day on my laptop but it does mean I’ve had a sort of productive time. So far I’ve fiddled with a site I’m designing, spent a day trying to get it working with some stuff only to fail and revert back to the way it was. I’ve installed and played with flogr, a script to display your Flickr images on your own website. I’ve played around with a few site designs for a site for my sister, not that I have anything to show her yet. I’ve also begun installing Gallery 3 to play with, well I will once I get a few missing things sorted with PHP. I’m slowly re-acqainting myself with xhtml and css and loving every minute of it, even the hair pulling and screaming. 
So I think I’m going to try and make the most of this and fiddle (oo-er missus) with as much as I possibly can while I’m stuck here in my seat with an excuse to stay here.
Best thing about a bad back though is the fact that Bev decided the weekend was the perfect time to move furniture and decorate, while I just watched her grab anyone that popped in to help her 
One thing I really am missing though is the bike, annoying thing is that since I’ve been off it’s been lovely cycling weather and I could have clocked up miles, but I’ve only managed 10.5 miles so far this month, that was last Monday, before the bad back. Bethany has joined in with the #August150 and has so far clocked up 72.6 miles to my 10.5, going to take some catching!!
Also been looking at a new theme for the blog, one of the new ones with all the bells and whistles, although I’ve resisted so far as I should spend my time on other people’s projects first
Was Ashington Football Club’s first game of the season on Saturday and despite getting beat I’m looking forward to the new season, got myself a season ticket this year as I’m intending on hitting at least every home game and maybe some of the away ones too. Hopefully some good cup games and 2 finals like last year.
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03.08.10
Posted in Main at 12:09 by thetribe
Damn and Bugger!!
I seem to have knacked my back, I have no idea how I did it but I felt it overnight and took painkillers before setting off to work this morning. Informed the boss as soon as I got in and told him I’d let him know how I got on and if I’d be able to do delivery, turns out no was that answer. I boxed in a couple of jobs though before I left this morning, although I did have to ask for help lifting trays of mail, not funny!! Couldn’t even cycle back home, had to get dropped off.
Didn’t want to phone in sick so discussed with boss what to do tomorrow, going in early to box a few deliveries in but not going out on delivery myself and we’ll discuss after that, if that isn’t helping then he wants me to stay off and get better quicker, can see his point but I don’t like going on the sick, it’s just not me. 
(as stupid as that may be)
Sat in so many chairs since I got home to try and find somewhere comfy, no such luck. Bev is late finish today and I wanted to go out on the bike for a few hours later, not gonna happen. Bev’s probably lucky she’s finishing late, I’ll be pulling my hair out later 
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01.08.10
Posted in Bike, Main at 22:48 by thetribe
Well that’s July gone and what a month. Jade’s birthday, 18, bloody hell!!, my birthday and 155 leisure cycling miles.
August has begun with a washout, after finally getting Bev to agree to come out for a cycle with me the bloody heavens opened. I’m not too bothered about the rain if I’m out and caught in it but setting out while it’s chucking it down ain’t my idea of fun
Finally found a cycling GPS app for the iPhone that doesn’t eat battery but still can’t get it to upload anything, awaiting further help to diagnose problems, will no doubt keep you informed!
On the duty that delivers my own post for at least a week, rearranged the duty so I start and finish at my door, brilliant
#July150 has turned into #August150, think we agreed to keep it down as a few of us are on holiday throughout the month. Hope I complete it again, moved up the list in July and finished somewhere around 15th out of about 35 No access to sheet on here so can’t be more specific
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22.07.10
Posted in Bike at 22:51 by thetribe
Am I going to make the #July150? Ok so the title came because I was listening to Good Charlotte as I opened this but it still stands. I suppose if I can force myself to make the effort after work and knock in some extra miles on my days off I should make it. One day I’ll set myself a target and pass it with ease, I’m sure . Just don’t know when that will be.
I’ve had a few days off and have been out each day for the last 3, first one was an offroad route through woods, did it along with Bev, 7 miles and about an hour and a half, which included a coffee stop at my mams so not as bad as it sounds. Yesterday we went along the coast to Cresswell and back, stopping a few times for ice cream and photos, a trip of some 11 miles. Did the same route alone today but without the stops, managed to shave over half an hour from the time and half a mile from the distance.
Tried a new app today, RunSat, which integrates with the new site I like, Run Saturday http://www.runsaturday.com, liked the app, just need to test more. Trying to find one that’s not so harsh on the iPhone battery, hard to do.
It’s back to work tomorrow and the first test of whether I can motivate myself to ride after work, I know I’ll enjoy it once out it’s just the getting out I can’t do.
Below is the ice cream stop pic
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18.07.10
Posted in Main at 02:45 by thetribe
Old is how I seem now, won’t say feel as I don’t feel old. But today my little girl (she’ll always be that) turned 18, I’ll say it again EIGHTEEN!! Where did the time go.
She has been out with her friends tonight, we surprised her with a Limo to take her and her friends, sure I’ll find out how it was in the morning. It’s almost 3am, been up since 5:30am, and I’m lying here writing this after being Dad’s Taxi, making sure everyone got home safe and those staying here got here safe too.
Having a BBQ tomorrow/today so no rest for me but sure it will be a great day.
Happy Birthday Jadey, Love You x
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14.07.10
Posted in Bike at 22:27 by thetribe
Well after my last post on the July150 things started with a bang on Tuesday when along with Carrie “NotTheWowy” I racked up 53.3 miles. Wow, a third of the way there in one ride. We left Ashington at lunchtime and I let Carrie take the lead and show me some of the roads she rides on her club rides, great roads they are too, although some have far too many ‘ups’ to be nice.
We stopped for refreshments in Ponteland before heading off again at which point Carrie found a lone cyclist and picked him up, we tagged alongside for a good few miles chatting and finally parted ways with an invitation from Carrie for him to look out for their club rides. He seemed to enjoy our company so he may take her up on that.
Carrie kept saying “should I show you this road” and I’d say “yes” only to find a bloody hill in the middle of it, you’d think I’d have learnt after the first couple of times but nope, says she hates hills but finds them easy enough!!
Was an excellent day and one I’d do again.
I did find out how much better the iPhone 3GS battery is compared to my 3G, I went through phone battery, backup battery and Carrie’s backup battery on the journey whole Carrie was still only half way through her phone battery, so still back to the drawing board for a power supply to last a full journey, however if I’d been out on my own I wouldn’t have gone as far so it would have lasted.
Cycle: 53.3 miles, Time: 4:15:08, Avg Speed: 12.5 mph, Max Speed: 29.1 mph, Min Altitude: 0 ft, Max Altitude: 678 ft
http://tinyurl.com/33f24dq
Added a screenshot of the route but have no idea how it will look on here
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07.07.10
Posted in Bike at 23:24 by thetribe
Well and truly stuffed my chances of an easy route to the 150 miles cycling in July. I mainly go out on my day off or/and a Sunday, due to the fact that after cycling about 6 miles and walking about 10 miles at work during the day I just can’t be arsed to get ready and hit the road in the evening.
Well last Sunday the wind was so bad I didn’t even attempt it, I’ve worked my day off for this week, my bike is in for it’s free service this Sunday, it’s Jade’s 18th birthday the following Sunday and the following weekend to that sees my birthday, where I may be in no state to ride on the Sunday.
So it’s either fail big style or put my ass in gear after work and at least get a few miles a night in and then if I get a day off can knock in a good few miles to get me at least close.
This challenge is a great motivator so I guess it’s out after work once or twice then!!
Watch this space!!
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04.07.10
Posted in Main at 23:04 by thetribe
Found out today a friend died, that wasn’t the worst part though, sadly he died in November but I just found out today. Granted we weren’t bosom buddies, we met via a love of AC/DC and participating in a newsgroup, he lived in the North East like me. Dave Ritchie was his name and he’d battled cancer for years, whether it was this that caught him or not I don’t know. He wouldn’t let it get him down though and was in the TA and took up running to keep himself fit and strong to fight it.
We met quite a few times and spent long bus journeys heading for concerts, a 6am start from Newcastle to Milton Keynes for an all day concert, headlined by AC/DC and including The Offspring, Megadeth and Queens of the Stone Age if I recall, we were mainly there for ‘DC. This ended with a journey straight back home getting back to Newcastle at 6am the following morning. We also bussed to London to see them at The Apollo, that was an overnight bus, getting to London at 6:30am and a dash straight to queue at The Apollo as we’d been told first come, fist served for the best seats, was bollocks, they’d already been allocated. Stayed overnight and bussed back following day for that one, staying in Hammersmith.
Another one was ZZ Top at The Apollo in Manchester, early morning we left home and Dave popped to the hospital for an appointment on the way, saying it was quicker to pick me up before than to get me afterwards We saw ZZ Top and headed straight back home, Dave dropping me home at 2am before turning back around and heading the 40 or so miles back home, with me shouting “keep your bloody windows open so the cold air keeps you awake”
When Brian Johnson took some time out from AC/DC to join his ex bandmates from Geordie to do a mini Geordie II tour we were there, The Opera House in Newcastle and The Cellar in South Shields I was at, Dave squeezed in an extra one at a small club where afterwards Brian joined everyone and bought them all drinks, jammy bugger, I missed it
We often chatted on MSN and I designed and hosted his 2 websites for him, our last conversation was back in October when he told me he had a few ideas for the sites but that he had taken a bigger role in the TA and was off to Germany. When I didn’t hear anything for a while I wasn’t worried as our contact was sporadic, if he was out of the country with the TA he’d often be online when I wasn’t and I him. Today though I decided to check out his photography site to see what new pics he’d added and noticed the domain had expired, as had his main personal one, that’s when I googled to see if I could find anything and came across a forum discussion leading to his obituary in his local newspaper.
So the Curse of the Internets is that it’s so easy to keep in touch with people but unlike a phonecall or letter others may not know of you or how to contact you to let you know when something happens. There was actually a bunch of us, from all over the World who would meet up at concerts and it seems none of the others I’ve spoken to knew either.
Yes we may not have been bosom buddies but I’d have liked to pay my respects, we did so much in the short spells we spent together.
So Dave (friend), Captain David Ritchie (TA), MIB (newsgroup monicker) “We Salute You” RIP.
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30.06.10
Posted in Bike at 15:10 by thetribe
I participated in a friendly challenge during June, the #June100, to see if I could clock up 100 miles cycling in the month, it started off with a few people interested and then when word got round there were about 30+ people up for the challenge. So many enjoyed it we’re now going for the #July150. You can enter commute and leisure miles but only the leisure miles count towards the total.
Read more and go get yourself signed up here http://www.phillconnell.com/blog/2010/july150-challenge-sign-up Even if you don’t think you’ll do that many miles sign up anyway, you’ll be surprised how much it motivates you
My totals for June were
Commute Miles – 122
Leisure Miles – 112.97
Total Miles in the Month – 234.97
I didn’t realise I cycled so far on the postie bike!!
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29.06.10
Posted in Bike at 22:30 by thetribe
Well, this is becoming a habit, usually forget to update this but have done daily updates for a few days. Thought I may as well pop in a few words just to keep it going.
Got my new solar charger and tested it earlier, fits nicely on the iPhone, way better than the other one. Opened up the battery meter app once plugged in and it kept me updated throughout the charge till it chimed loudly when fully charged and I almost shit myself.
Will be testing a different cycle app hopefully tomorrow so will see how the charger fares doing what it should. And will see how MotionX-GPS Handles itself and the subsequent export/import of data, watch this space.
Right, 6am start tomorrow so off to kip, charger pic will be added once published apparently
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