Bike to bestival

I am starting to get very, VERY, Exited!

On the 27th it will be a year since weset of to do our Land's End to John O'groats ride as Buskers on Bikes (we raised a total of £10,000 for Cancer Research UK - so thanks a million to everyone who donated). This year Warren, Sophie and I have tried something a little different.   - this September we're organising, the inaugural Bike to Bestival: a 2-day, musical 90-mile ride from London to the Isle of Wight with 35 other cyclists…

All the riders have already paid to go to festival, and have stumped up the costs of the ride out of their own pocket. All sponsorship monies go straight to Cancer Research UK. We've set each of the riders a target of £200 which we're hoping they'll exceed, but as one of the organisers I've pledged to do the same.

You can read all about the planning for the musical and cycling parts of the ride on our blog and Facebook pages
 
http://biketobestival.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/BikeToBestival

You can see our event on the festival website in the news section. If you'd like to sponsor me then you can find my justgiving page here:


http://www.justgiving.com/DominicBall

Anyway... This Sunday we're meeting to play together as a band for the first time!! Very Exited!!

Bodies in urban spaces

Random stuff

My new(to me) guitar

Back in the late 80's or early 90's I scraped enough money together to buy a useable guitar. What I bought, much to the amusement/approval of the owner of the store was a late 70's early 80's harmony. Little did I know that this was a name of some weight, used latterly by a far eastern company.

When I moved to London I became friends with Rob, who explained that harmony had been a mass producer of instruments that real people could afford. It seems appropriate that they are now a vintage instrument that real people can afford.

Years later Rob decides to sell his 53/1. Needless to say I bought it. If Rob says it's in good nick then it is. It plays better than any guitar I've owned and is very pretty indeed. Better still it begs to be played, smells like an old blues bar and already feels like an old friend.

WNBR Brighton 2012

WNBR London 2012

 Well,

Anyone who has read this blog for a while will know that I ride the WNBR (or World naked Bike ride) most years. Effectively the WNBR stands for 3 principles

• Pro bike(and bike safety)
• Anti-Oil dependency
• Body acceptance

This year's ride took place on the  9th of June and as per last year the weather in London was gloriou (the weather in Brighton was yet again not ideal)

Anyway. If you want to know what it's like to ride naked around the capital... Come and try it next year.

Sculpture in the city of London.

Mostly bikes

Today the lovely miss s bought herself a bobbin bike. She had tried out a couple, but after much deliberation this was the royal blue bike for her.

We rode back through the city of London, where I saw a guided tour stopping at the old bailey, all on bromptons.

We stopped by the allotments for a spot of bean tying and tidying before heading back via the park

As I speak I can hear toad in the hole cooking in the kitchen. A truly lovely day.

Bike to Bestival

Warren, Sophie and I are organising this event this year. Please come along and join the fun

Tickets now available for Bike to Bestival from www.WeGotTickets.com

London to Hengelo

Dave and I recently went on a brief cycle tour, the long way round the Netherlands, to visit our old friend Adam. Highlights included a 20 mile dyke/road across the north sea, the sheer volume of public art, naked saunas, very flat riding and trappist beer...