Colin is running a mile for charity.
http://www.mysportrelief.com:80/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=300476
Go on, you know you want to.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Advertising is dangerous
I was walking home today, going past some of those plastic-tubes-that-blow-up-in-the-air-with-logos-on, when one of them draped itself across my head and nearly dislodged my glasses. Most embarrassing.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
About my music links
It's come to my attention that if you're reading the blog in an email, the music links don't work. That's because when you open the actual blog it surreptitiously loads the music player, if needed. Email doesn't do that.
SO what I'm saying is, if you want to hear what I'm on about you have to open the blog itself, not an email. Sorry and all that.
..Clear?
SO what I'm saying is, if you want to hear what I'm on about you have to open the blog itself, not an email. Sorry and all that.
..Clear?
General chit chat
So, what shall I waffle about today?
Well, what about the terrible news that "They" are thinking about closing down 6music?
For those who don't know, and shame on you if you don't because I've blathered on about it on here enough times, 6music is a digital BBC radio station, available on iPlayer... http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/playlive/bbc_6music/ ..., either live or in listen-again format, and also DAB.
6music does not tailor its content for the mainstream, as do Radio 1 and Radio 2. That is its strength AND its weakness. The diversity of music on the station is huge, but be warned: tuning in "on spec" is like looking at the night sky through a toilet roll - you just don't experience the wonder of it all unless you give it a chance. You might be unimpressed by Orion's belt (especially if you haven't seen it before) but Orion itself is stunning, and beyond that the greater glory of the Milky Way is unparalleled.
I say - DROP THE TOILET ROLL!
Stop press - they just played all 23 minutes of "Echoes" by Pink Floyd. Who else would dare? Prog-tastic, pop pickers.
Anyway, I still hope they will change their minds. I've filled in the consultation... http://bit.ly/srconsultation ... and signed the petitions... http://www.petition.fm/petitions/6musicasiannet/1000/ .. and now I'm just hoping. The last eight years would have been (musically speaking) much poorer for me at work, if I didn't have the endlessly changing music scene as a backdrop to the daily grind. Yes folks, it's official, work is dull without music.
In other news, I went for a ride in 36 degrees yesterday. It was.... hot. I used the CamelBak so I was well hydrated, but boy does the sun slow you down. I will definitely be better when I get my e-replacement powder some time this week (thank you eBay). I rode up to friend Terry's house and played squash with him, then rode home. Needed a rest after that, I can tell you.
While we're on slowing down, Bangkok is definitely not built for cyclists. If cities can have opposites, Bangkok and Copenhagen are examples, and not just on the Celsius scale. There, the cyclist is king, lording it over pedestrians, buses and even, shock horror, the automobile. Here the cyclist is the runt of the road. I regularly have to pick the bike up and hump it over barriers, climb steps to overpasses, jump ditches etc etc. just to get where I'm going. And the diesel-belching buses, oy. I will persist though. Still a lot of fun.
Been listening to Turin Brakes for a couple of years now, and only lately realised how much I like this song:
Turin Brakes - Average Man
It's rare for me to like somthing with a slide guitar in it. Mind you, this one would benefit from it being removed. Stick a kazoo in there, anything but that awful caterwauling. Luckily it's only prominent in the intro. Must try to see them live. That might be possible this year, since a new album is now out and surely there will be a tour. Stop press - according to Wiki they are British, from Ballham, no less. I thought they were Canadian or summink. Ah well.
While we're on music, I've always heard people going on about how great Miles Davis is, and recently my drum teacher advised me to buy the "Kind of Blue" album, which I did and liked it a lot. I won't post any tracks here because that would make me a jazz fan, which I'm not. That said, it is a very good album, and I listened to it the other day on my way to "Niu's on Silom" for drinks with Bart. Niu's is a very cool and stylish Jazz/Blues bar and restaurant here, and for anyone visiting Bangkok I'd put it high on my list of places to go. Great musicians right there doing their thing within touching distance. I loved it. Actually I'd been there before with Lynny last time she was here. Poor love was still jet-lagged and she fell asleep. Mind you it's a very relaxing place.
Nothing more to say now, just checked the phone and I've taken no photos recently of interest, so sorry for the lack of visual input. It's all getting a bit wordy init. Does anyone care? Suggestions for content type please (More crosswords? More top tips? Naked photos of me?), on the back of a 1000 Baht note to the usual address. Yes yes, I've used that gag before, well spotted.
Be good.
Well, what about the terrible news that "They" are thinking about closing down 6music?
For those who don't know, and shame on you if you don't because I've blathered on about it on here enough times, 6music is a digital BBC radio station, available on iPlayer... http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/playlive/bbc_6music/ ..., either live or in listen-again format, and also DAB.
6music does not tailor its content for the mainstream, as do Radio 1 and Radio 2. That is its strength AND its weakness. The diversity of music on the station is huge, but be warned: tuning in "on spec" is like looking at the night sky through a toilet roll - you just don't experience the wonder of it all unless you give it a chance. You might be unimpressed by Orion's belt (especially if you haven't seen it before) but Orion itself is stunning, and beyond that the greater glory of the Milky Way is unparalleled.
I say - DROP THE TOILET ROLL!
Stop press - they just played all 23 minutes of "Echoes" by Pink Floyd. Who else would dare? Prog-tastic, pop pickers.
Anyway, I still hope they will change their minds. I've filled in the consultation... http://bit.ly/srconsultation ... and signed the petitions... http://www.petition.fm/petitions/6musicasiannet/1000/ .. and now I'm just hoping. The last eight years would have been (musically speaking) much poorer for me at work, if I didn't have the endlessly changing music scene as a backdrop to the daily grind. Yes folks, it's official, work is dull without music.
In other news, I went for a ride in 36 degrees yesterday. It was.... hot. I used the CamelBak so I was well hydrated, but boy does the sun slow you down. I will definitely be better when I get my e-replacement powder some time this week (thank you eBay). I rode up to friend Terry's house and played squash with him, then rode home. Needed a rest after that, I can tell you.
While we're on slowing down, Bangkok is definitely not built for cyclists. If cities can have opposites, Bangkok and Copenhagen are examples, and not just on the Celsius scale. There, the cyclist is king, lording it over pedestrians, buses and even, shock horror, the automobile. Here the cyclist is the runt of the road. I regularly have to pick the bike up and hump it over barriers, climb steps to overpasses, jump ditches etc etc. just to get where I'm going. And the diesel-belching buses, oy. I will persist though. Still a lot of fun.
Been listening to Turin Brakes for a couple of years now, and only lately realised how much I like this song:
Turin Brakes - Average Man
It's rare for me to like somthing with a slide guitar in it. Mind you, this one would benefit from it being removed. Stick a kazoo in there, anything but that awful caterwauling. Luckily it's only prominent in the intro. Must try to see them live. That might be possible this year, since a new album is now out and surely there will be a tour. Stop press - according to Wiki they are British, from Ballham, no less. I thought they were Canadian or summink. Ah well.
While we're on music, I've always heard people going on about how great Miles Davis is, and recently my drum teacher advised me to buy the "Kind of Blue" album, which I did and liked it a lot. I won't post any tracks here because that would make me a jazz fan, which I'm not. That said, it is a very good album, and I listened to it the other day on my way to "Niu's on Silom" for drinks with Bart. Niu's is a very cool and stylish Jazz/Blues bar and restaurant here, and for anyone visiting Bangkok I'd put it high on my list of places to go. Great musicians right there doing their thing within touching distance. I loved it. Actually I'd been there before with Lynny last time she was here. Poor love was still jet-lagged and she fell asleep. Mind you it's a very relaxing place.
Nothing more to say now, just checked the phone and I've taken no photos recently of interest, so sorry for the lack of visual input. It's all getting a bit wordy init. Does anyone care? Suggestions for content type please (More crosswords? More top tips? Naked photos of me?), on the back of a 1000 Baht note to the usual address. Yes yes, I've used that gag before, well spotted.
Be good.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Electrolytes
Warning - this blog is basically me thinking aloud, and unless you're into issues around endurance sports it's extremely boring. If self-indulgent ramblings are your bag, read on....
We're constantly reminded, us sportsmen (don't laugh) about the need for correct hydration and electrolyte balance for optimum performance and endurance. Whew, what a mouthful. Anyway, with all that in mind, and mindful that taking on endurance sports in a climate such as exists here in Thailand causes added strains on the body's fluid levels, I looked around for an outlet for electrolyte replacement products.
Not a sausage could I find.
In a major city like Bangkok that's outrageous. One store answered my email with a promise that, although they don't stock the product I enquired about, they do stock other products by the same company, and they would get some in the future. That's a start I suppose, but these things are driven by market forces obviously, and the "Sports" market here is mostly blokes wanting to get much, much bigger.
In my book, that's not sport, it's pharmacy.
The basic premise in the minds of today's "yoof" is that the hours/days/weeks/months of hard work in the gym (allied with a healthy, suitably high-protein diet) required to build the desired physique can be avoided by swallowing regular handfuls of borderline illegal, life-shortening, hormone-balance-wrecking crap, and occasionally swanning down to the gym suitably attired in the latest glamorous lycra posing-tops.
The stuff you can get here over the counter is quite dangerous - human growth hormone, steroids, anything you want. This trend is duplicated in the actual company I used to buy my stuff from in the UK, an Australian company called Musashi. They now seem to concentrate on bloat-up protein shakes, amino supplements, whey powder, and in a small corner of their website you'll find the endurance stuff.
So I've jumped ship.
There's a UK-based company called Science in Sport, which has a line of products aimed at runners, cyclists and triathletes. Their stuff is even for sale in Tescos. I also found it on eBay.
The reason for all this girding of loins endurance-wise, is that I have a long offroad ride with the Bangkok Hash House Bikers at the end of this month. If I try to do 45 km in 35 degrees, with just water to keep me going, I'll get the worst case of cramp ever. I've always had problems keeping hydrated during sports. I sweat freely just walking along the road here in Bangkok, and that's not an exaggeration - ask wifey. Speaking of the ginger-headed one, she posted an enquiry on the ThaiVisa forum, which around here is the best way to find out anything about anything, asking about electrolyte replacement products. Answers? Plenty. One bloke suggested chocolate drinks are the future for endurance sportsmen. Another seemed quite taken with coconut water. Bizarre. The point is, there's just no interest over here in Triathlon, Cycling, Running or even Squash, because it's just too damned hot. It's only us stupid farangs that can be bothered.
I've already booked the hotel for the BHHB trip. It's at Khao Yai National Park, about 2 hours north of Bangkok. They usually do a big ride on Saturday, have a few drinks in the evening, then ride again an the Sunday. Then it's off back to Bangkok in time for tea & medals. I'm looking forward to meeting some like-minded people, possibly making some friends, and getting some good exercise at the same time. A full report will appear here. Lyn arrives in Bangkok two days later, so I better not get too badly injured. She'd kill me.
Later taters
We're constantly reminded, us sportsmen (don't laugh) about the need for correct hydration and electrolyte balance for optimum performance and endurance. Whew, what a mouthful. Anyway, with all that in mind, and mindful that taking on endurance sports in a climate such as exists here in Thailand causes added strains on the body's fluid levels, I looked around for an outlet for electrolyte replacement products.
Not a sausage could I find.
In a major city like Bangkok that's outrageous. One store answered my email with a promise that, although they don't stock the product I enquired about, they do stock other products by the same company, and they would get some in the future. That's a start I suppose, but these things are driven by market forces obviously, and the "Sports" market here is mostly blokes wanting to get much, much bigger.
In my book, that's not sport, it's pharmacy.
The basic premise in the minds of today's "yoof" is that the hours/days/weeks/months of hard work in the gym (allied with a healthy, suitably high-protein diet) required to build the desired physique can be avoided by swallowing regular handfuls of borderline illegal, life-shortening, hormone-balance-wrecking crap, and occasionally swanning down to the gym suitably attired in the latest glamorous lycra posing-tops.
The stuff you can get here over the counter is quite dangerous - human growth hormone, steroids, anything you want. This trend is duplicated in the actual company I used to buy my stuff from in the UK, an Australian company called Musashi. They now seem to concentrate on bloat-up protein shakes, amino supplements, whey powder, and in a small corner of their website you'll find the endurance stuff.
So I've jumped ship.
There's a UK-based company called Science in Sport, which has a line of products aimed at runners, cyclists and triathletes. Their stuff is even for sale in Tescos. I also found it on eBay.
The reason for all this girding of loins endurance-wise, is that I have a long offroad ride with the Bangkok Hash House Bikers at the end of this month. If I try to do 45 km in 35 degrees, with just water to keep me going, I'll get the worst case of cramp ever. I've always had problems keeping hydrated during sports. I sweat freely just walking along the road here in Bangkok, and that's not an exaggeration - ask wifey. Speaking of the ginger-headed one, she posted an enquiry on the ThaiVisa forum, which around here is the best way to find out anything about anything, asking about electrolyte replacement products. Answers? Plenty. One bloke suggested chocolate drinks are the future for endurance sportsmen. Another seemed quite taken with coconut water. Bizarre. The point is, there's just no interest over here in Triathlon, Cycling, Running or even Squash, because it's just too damned hot. It's only us stupid farangs that can be bothered.
I've already booked the hotel for the BHHB trip. It's at Khao Yai National Park, about 2 hours north of Bangkok. They usually do a big ride on Saturday, have a few drinks in the evening, then ride again an the Sunday. Then it's off back to Bangkok in time for tea & medals. I'm looking forward to meeting some like-minded people, possibly making some friends, and getting some good exercise at the same time. A full report will appear here. Lyn arrives in Bangkok two days later, so I better not get too badly injured. She'd kill me.
Later taters
Thursday, March 4, 2010
My Hero
(Takes a while to load, needs sound for best atmosphere)
http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1267656188005RA80
Rousing stuff.
Well, I liked it anyway.
http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1267656188005RA80
Rousing stuff.
Well, I liked it anyway.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Hua Hin, and bike stuff
Hua Hin:
I went (with Bart) for a long weekend down to Hua Hin, a resort on the coast two hours south west of Bangkok.
Or rather, I went to a resort near to Hua Hin.
Or rather, I tried to go to a resort near to Hua Hin but ended up in a mostly empty place 40km from Hua Hin.
Here's an enormous two-headed elephant statue I spotted en route..
*Note: The elephant wasn't en route, I was. I doubt the elephant's moved in years.
Anyway wherever I went, it was very, er, relaxing. Actually on the first night we chickened out and drove to Hua Hin itself and booked into a hotel. Horrendously expensive on top of the cost of the resort itself, but at least we managed a decent pub crawl without having to drive afterwards. The receptionist at the resort had laughingly suggested we drive into HH, have a few beers, and drive back. "haha, don't worry, it's fine to drink and drive in Thailand". Fine yes, but what if you kill someone? They just don't get it here.
Here's me wearing someone else's hair halfway through the afore-mentioned pub crawl..
A good night was had by both, and at 3.30am I was still awake. Quite an achievement for this old codger.
Bike stuff:
I was talking to squash-friend Terry the other day and mentioned that I'd been in a mountain bike race in New Zealand three years ago, and that there was photographic evidence on the internet somewhere. Subsequently I went looking for the photo's and I've finally decided to download them. Originally I'd refused due to the fee involved. Here are three of the pics, and in order you can see:
Me on the last downhill stretch at 45kph, stupidly waving to the camera. (Mistake)
Me realising that, due to waving, I'd missed my braking point and that the oncoming hairpin bend was rushing up a little too quickly
My bike, having gone over the edge in a most undignified fashion
I actually did a face-plant into the hillside and blacked out for a few seconds. When I came to I was 20 feet below the road caught up in a bush. There was a considerable drop still below me. Very lucky not to do the full plunge, or break my neck. I looked up and there was the photographer saying "oh dear". I managed to collect the bike and finish the race, albeit with a nice gash across my nose, no peak on my hat and a general feeling of second-handedness. Ah well.
In other (and better) news, I took the bike on a little spin around Bangkok yesterday. It's running well after its trip here and being reassembled by me. Predictably I ran out of water on my 30km ride, and equally predictably I got lost. Good fun though, can't wait to go on a proper offroad ride. There's a group here called Bangkok Hash House Bikers, and they meet once a month in different locations around Thailand, ride all of Saturday, have a few beers and stay overnight, then ride again on a Sunday. Then they return to Bangkok. Sounds like just the ticket for me, more to follow. I need to get up to speed though, they do 40-50 km offroad, which is a lot.
More soon, be good.
I went (with Bart) for a long weekend down to Hua Hin, a resort on the coast two hours south west of Bangkok.
Or rather, I went to a resort near to Hua Hin.
Or rather, I tried to go to a resort near to Hua Hin but ended up in a mostly empty place 40km from Hua Hin.
Here's an enormous two-headed elephant statue I spotted en route..
*Note: The elephant wasn't en route, I was. I doubt the elephant's moved in years.
Anyway wherever I went, it was very, er, relaxing. Actually on the first night we chickened out and drove to Hua Hin itself and booked into a hotel. Horrendously expensive on top of the cost of the resort itself, but at least we managed a decent pub crawl without having to drive afterwards. The receptionist at the resort had laughingly suggested we drive into HH, have a few beers, and drive back. "haha, don't worry, it's fine to drink and drive in Thailand". Fine yes, but what if you kill someone? They just don't get it here.
Here's me wearing someone else's hair halfway through the afore-mentioned pub crawl..
A good night was had by both, and at 3.30am I was still awake. Quite an achievement for this old codger.
Bike stuff:
I was talking to squash-friend Terry the other day and mentioned that I'd been in a mountain bike race in New Zealand three years ago, and that there was photographic evidence on the internet somewhere. Subsequently I went looking for the photo's and I've finally decided to download them. Originally I'd refused due to the fee involved. Here are three of the pics, and in order you can see:
Me on the last downhill stretch at 45kph, stupidly waving to the camera. (Mistake)
Me realising that, due to waving, I'd missed my braking point and that the oncoming hairpin bend was rushing up a little too quickly
My bike, having gone over the edge in a most undignified fashion
I actually did a face-plant into the hillside and blacked out for a few seconds. When I came to I was 20 feet below the road caught up in a bush. There was a considerable drop still below me. Very lucky not to do the full plunge, or break my neck. I looked up and there was the photographer saying "oh dear". I managed to collect the bike and finish the race, albeit with a nice gash across my nose, no peak on my hat and a general feeling of second-handedness. Ah well.
In other (and better) news, I took the bike on a little spin around Bangkok yesterday. It's running well after its trip here and being reassembled by me. Predictably I ran out of water on my 30km ride, and equally predictably I got lost. Good fun though, can't wait to go on a proper offroad ride. There's a group here called Bangkok Hash House Bikers, and they meet once a month in different locations around Thailand, ride all of Saturday, have a few beers and stay overnight, then ride again on a Sunday. Then they return to Bangkok. Sounds like just the ticket for me, more to follow. I need to get up to speed though, they do 40-50 km offroad, which is a lot.
More soon, be good.
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