Bike night review

Last night was bike night 'Wheels within Wheels' at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. The evening was introduced by Andy Miles, Sustrans' North West England representative.

The action kicked off with a film Freeride Alta Rezia, a 6 day downhill tour in the Italian Alps featuring Hans 'No Way' Rey and Thomas Frischknecht. Excellent and humorous insight into touring the singletracks of the Alta Rezia region using the skiing infrastructure in the Alps and having some amazing downhill experiences. http://www.alta-rezia.com/ contains galleries and links to gps data.

The main feature was a talk by Greg Yeoman who, with Kate Leeming, toured over 7500 miles around Australia. An amazing feat crossing this huge continent and surviving hazardous conditions to promote sustainable development. More at: http://www.gracexpedition.org/ and http://www.red-line.moonfruit.com

Sponsored by Buff the event included a quick demo of some of the many ways to use a Buff.

Heavy Fork - short showing bikes stunts (not) performed by a 12 year - quite painful to watch but fun.

The last film of the night was a downhill epic. Anti Gravity Unhinged, is the latest in the Anti gravity series by Reflex films featuring lots of fast and furious downhill action filmed in impressive locations around the world.

More mountain events are taking place at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal town hall, Kendal Leisure Centre and Rheged each day until Sunday.

Pouring Concrete

Events to report from my commute this week have been thin on the ground. Mostly I've focussed on traffic, making sure I can be seen in the darkness and trying to anticipate what others are doing. Whilst I've been doing that, work continued on the culvert replacement. Despite some poor weather (the leaves on the tree in last week's shot are all but gone), the renovation of the downstream end of the culvert has got to the stage of pouring concrete to reinforce the walls. This is week 9 and things seem to be moving along nicely.

Quicker by bike?

Find out when the Top Gear team race across London by different means. One of them will be on a bike.

8pm Sunday 11th November BBC2
7pm Wednesday 14th November BBC2

Update: Bike wins! Yes, Richard Hammond beats off the challengers in James May in a car, The Stig on public transport and Jeremy Clarkson in a power boat. Great stuff.

Bike Night

Here's an event for your calendar if you can make it to Kendal next Tuesday, 13th November. You could be in for a cycling treat. All you have to do is sit and watch others on their bikes, as Tuesday is the 'Bike Night' of the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. Tickets are £9 from the website or the Kendal Brewery Arts Centre (01539 725331). Kick off is at 7pm

Blakewater turns a corner

Week 8 of the culvert replacement has seen a turning point in the renovation in moving from removing material to adding it. Workers from Bethell are now reinforcing the walls of the culvert. In the shot from this morning, you can see steelwork being added to the side walls ready for filling with concrete. This suggests this section is being repaired before moving upstream towards Little Harwood.