Duo Normand #1

I remember when I was eleven and went on the school trip to Belgium and Holland how the excitement built in the days leading up to departure until by the night before I couldn't sleep. I'm a bit of an old lag now but the sense of anticipation the night before heading off on a cycling trip never fails to tingle. No matter how trivial riding a bike might seem, entering a race in France, and going over there with the club always has that feeling of adventure. Along with the adventure is the feeling of  being part of where you are going. Not just a tourist but an active participant.
The Duo Normand is a fantastic event, racing  a 52 km course around the village of Marigny, in teams of two. Along with the rank armatures like me there will be a good few pro's showing how it should be done. Part of the appeal is that it is the same event for everyone. Well the pain goes on a bit longer for us, but you get what I mean.
The village really  pushes the boat out with closed roads, a banquet, a grandstand all t he trappings of a top event. The town embraces the event, in a way that is hard to imagine happening in the UK.
So up early in the morning. 

Punk Footnotes #9 - Live in Yugoslavia - Anti Nowhere League

ANL are probably worthy of two footnotes. They appeared as the real fag end of Punk in about 1981/2. They were probably best described as a prototype for the likes of Blink 182 and the Macc Ladds. Straight forward Punk tunes with a bucket full of predictable offensiveness to chuck around.

Their first claim to fame was their cover of Ralph McTell's 'Streets of a London' which actually pretty good and its b side 'So What.'

So What got sort if banned. Not banned in the Frankie Goes to Hollywood BBC way,  but properly seized by the police. The song was meant to be based on a pub argument where two men try to out brag each other. In pursuit of this the lyric moved from drug taking, STD's and fellating elderly gentlemen into far more dubious waters. And hence the attentions of the police. It gave the band a few moments of notoriety before the storm in a tea cup passed.
However the song gained an unlikely second life through American Heavy Metalers Mettalica. The song became one of their live favourites. Watching on YouTube, seeing  them boast 'I've been to Brighton, I've been to Hastings, I've been to Eastbourne too' is one of the more surreal moments in Rock. Though times had moved on and they did replace the reference to 'school girl' with 'teacher' with good reason.
Onto the second footnote. The band played in Zagreb in 1983, and a well recorded live album emerged of it. Though Yugoslavia was probably the most nonconformist of the Eastern Bloc states the iron curtain was very much still down, Reagan and Thatcher glowering and a pre Gorbachev series of immobile Soviet leaders still waving at tanks. Details are sparse on how the gig came about, and what if any impact it had.  There are claims the inter song banter was edited to remove references to Tito, and ANL's suspicion that the audience were expecting the Human League. But it does beg the question, why ANL? And also what if any legacy resulted from this exchange? An internet search does not reveal much more but it is fun to think about.

There is a sad irony given what was soon to happen in that country about ANL cheerily banging through songs with titles like ' I hate people' and 'let's break the law.'

Barclays Premiership TV Ad - Go F@$£ yourselves

Have you seen it?The Barclays Bank Permiership add. The footie going montage, The elderly widower with is scarf and whistful air, the middle aged Dad fussing over his son, and the young airbrush couple on the away coach. All off to follow their teams. Stop it, its fake, its slick but its propaganda. Its a lie.

It pretends that somehow the premiership is about the grass roots fan, the local boy following his idols. This may have been the case in 1957 but todays game as sod all to do with that. Lets get some facts out there.

Father and son off to the match - At most of the top premier clubs both the availability and price of season tickets mean that this kind of image is for most a romantic ideal for all be the well connected and well healed.

The young Couple on the Away Coach- This pair of characterless 'good looking young people out of central casting' are simply on route to the next Peugeot ad.

The Old Man- Nick Hornby skewered this myth 20 years ago. He moved to Highbury, expecting that on a Saturday afternoon front doors up and down his road would all fly open and a local red and white army would descend on their local team. He was disappointed, and frankly the old man is just a bogus. Most premiership grounds are miles from their traditional support, or the support is miles from the traditional home. If the ground is not some new pleasure dome located in a out of town retail park, then it is in a neighbourhood abandoned by white flight.

But this exists to pretend that the Barclays Premiership is in some way permanent, for all time, that it is connected with the people and the people with it. In a sport that is global and bankrolled by oligarchs the fans are there to provide a back drop for the cameras, to sell the myth to the viewers around the world.

The premiership is itself and exercise in the art of forgetting. Its only been around for 20 years but it is talked up as if it has stood for all time. And to this make believe version of history and tradition, with the integrity of a hyena add those nice people at Barclays.

Tour of Britain Coming of Age - further evidence

Seeing Wiggins giving it full gas in today's TT was fantastic to see. Firstly because I am sick of the sight and sound of the mardy Wiggo. The limp Giro, my knee hurts Wiggo. Seeing him back hungry for it despite the rain was great to see. And to be fair with the likes of Alex Dowsett, his nemesis in the Giro TT in the race he did need to be. But also it is further evidence that the ToB is finding its feet, with TdF riders turning up and giving the event respect.

In the early years the likes of Tom Boonen might turn up because Quick Step were paid to be there. He would sulk his way through, with one eye on the exit and basically not giving a shit. Meanwhile we had to count on Roger Hammond to keep the flag flying with a stage win as some second string European Pro took the main prize.

It was the first race where I noticed Cav, when he was a small boy riding for T-Mobile. He took a cheeky second on a stage - that was kind of news.

While plenty of old timers would wax lyrical about the Milk Race, it was a ProAm event that never routinely pulled in the bigger continental names. Now with a good few Pro Tour Teams not only turning up but also giving it a good old bash maybe it is up and running. Hope so. While ride London was a huge success the men's Prudential Surrey Classic did not really attract the field it deserved, especially from Sky. Seems like ToB is a different matter and Wiggo came out today ready to put a few demons to the sword.

Bring on the next stage.

Tour of Britain Comes of Age

Seeing world class riders fighting for the win on a tough stage in bad weather suggested that maybe the ToB is coming of age as an event in its own right. Seeing riders of the caliber of Martin and Quintana, not just showing up out of contractual obligation but showing theselves with aggressive racing was great.

Bedroom Tax and the UN

The impact of the bedroom tax is starting to bite for tenants, and in most parts of the country the smaller properties they are meant to move to don't exist. This places families facing choices tha arn't choices over roof or food. The UN have attacked this policy, something that for a first world nation is pretty shameful. And predictably the Government has responded to the critic by branding her 'politically biased.' But it is interesting that it is Grant Shapps who is doing most of the hooting and hollering. He is the ex Housing Minister who came up with the idea. Mark Prisk, the actual Minister now implementing it is much quieter. Too much to hope that he is planning to quietly bin it I guess. 

A Year Into This Thing

I started this blog last summer, my first posting being about the demise of Lance Armstrong. About a year ago I went to my first @waterstonescroy book group to discuss Jamilla, and shared my thoughts on it here as well. I have intermittently talked about what I am reading and mean to do more of that. This was never about to be a very focussed blog, just me going on about what was on my mind normally cycling, housing, food, books and music.

Given what is happening with things such as the Bedroom Tax I kind of feel I ought to have had more to say on housing, but often in the moment it has been said better by others. I have enjoyed discovering Matthews Yard and my little go at interviewing with Croydon Radio and sharing that. I started writing about obscure things to do with band I love. Probably the best moment was Hazel O’Connor commenting on the entry about her.

Getting the chance to muse on cycling and life with Old Portlians CC has been a particular pleasure and probably the bit I will look back on. Thanks to all those who have read my stuff, and especially those who have said nice things about it. And Julian for reminding me about my dodgy proof reading.

Circuit of Kent - OPCC Club Sportive

Not sure whose idea it was. I think it was Northern Jon who suggested it one night over a beer in the Blackheath Harriers. But after a big turnout from the Old Portlians in the Castle Ride, Sunday’s Circuit of Kent was designated the ‘Club Sportive’ for 2013.

The Circuit of Kent is ideal for this kind of things. At 130kms, (with an 80km option) is challenging enough for the fast boys without being a masochists’ slog fest. It has been up and running for years and I believe has been attributed as being the inspiration for many British Sportives. Run by the Sevenoaks Rotary Club to raise money Macmillan and Hospice in the Weald they have got just about everything right.

Having well stocked feed stations in one thing, but at the Circuit of Kent you can tuck into cheese baguettes, soup and Bakewell tarts at the finish. This is a big plus in my book. I had one particular grim experience on a well know multiday sportive a few years ago. Having rained solidly all day at the finish we were soaked and frozen. All they had were some very pretty, but very small cakes made by the local WI.

Anyway, back to the Club Sportive. The idea was something that would bring the club together, on the start line at least. It was great we had riders for whom this was their first sportive through to road racers. We had guys who have been in the club far longer than they care to remember, and guys who joined this year. In no particular order it was great to see Alan, Dave T, Oz , Kev, Paul C, Say, Peter, Rosie, Iain, Julian,  and Austen there together with friendly fellow travellers Joe McRae and Alex Le Bicycle. It is just a shame that the event clashed with the SCCU 25, or there would have been and even stronger contingent.

Any talk of riding round as a club was clearly only in jest as the fast boys buggers off up the road from the gun. That my friend is the Old Ports way.

I have ridden the event half a dozen times, normally in sunshine. Yesterday did bite back with some cold autumnal rain but we were all counted in by the time it really tipped down. But still a cracking event.

Special mentions for Alan Dock. He is quite new to the sport; more accustomed to the pace of the Saturday club run, but finished the 130kms in a very respectable time. Also, mention to the Iain Hawthorn my 2 up partner. Despite having a 12 hr in his legs from Thursday he was not shirking as we worked together along the lanes. Great ride.