This post was originally going to be about the ace bike ride Owen, Will, Dom and myself went for yesterday. I was also writing one about spending New Year with my family. I even started putting together a photopost – a collage of photos I took over the Christmas period (inspired by Smitten). Any one of these might yet become future entries on here.

But I decided to post a picture of the thing that my day has revolved around:

I seem to have achieved nothing but the consumption of most of these. But then I guess that’s what a bank holiday is for isn’t it? I have to thank the Westbrook family for these. It was an ace Christmas present.

Hello. How are we all then? Feeling a bit better this year? Good.

Now, I have this mountain bike. Its got some really very powerful hydraulic disc brakes on it, from the Shimano Saint stable. That’s got to be a good thing, right? Well, usually that’s considered to be a very good thing – especially compared to my other bike, whose v-brakes are just downright scary. But thats not always the case.

So there I was yesterday, pedalling like a ballistic missile down the trail, clattering through the roots, really really going for it, when SLAM!

An overhanging bramble bush grabs a brake lever. All of a sudden my very powerful front brake finds that its being applied – hard. I’m still going forwards, but my front wheel really isn’t going anywhere fast, except perhaps sliding sideways out from beneath me. And now I’m lying face down in the dirt and the bike appears to be on top of me. Someone behind me is laughing. Wha…?

I’m really not happy about that happening, so after getting up and making sure I’m still in one piece, I take it out on the rest of the trail, which quite frankly rocked. Its the best way to make sure it doesn’t knock your confidence too much.

Today I seem to have a nice selection of bruises all the way up my right hand side and various strained muscles. Not only that but I have a feeling I may have ruined my nice red RaceFace jacket – seeing pink bubbles in the bottom of the washing machine isn’t right is it? Bah. Oh well – what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Or something.

Oh and Grant – This was not some sort of karmic balancing for my not going up to Scotland to play on bikes with you lot. I was going to crash either way. I think I was due a good one.

Christmas was good wasn’t it? While we were partying in our collective living rooms, one of the biggest natural disasters in recorded history struck Asia. Put simply, they need aid, and fast. Andy Budd puts it a lot better than I do. But you can help:

And just when you think it can’t get any worse, Tsunami-related spams begin to arrive. Always make sure you donate to a reputable charity.

Time to head for home. Unlock the bike, put the lights on, climb aboard. Pedalpedalpedal, swing it out then carve into the first corner, same as normal…SCKRE-THUD!

****!

Get up, look down at the bike. Look back at the ground. What the hell happened there then? Brush myself down. Somehow I hit my hip, my arse and the front of my knee. That bloody hurts.

You okay?

Aye, fine thanks. Its a bit slippy there.

Pick up bike. straighten out mudguard. Get back on. Carry on as normal — but slower.

That still bloody hurts.

You might well remember The Grey Album – where a DJ mashed up Jay-Z’s Black Album with The Beatles White Album.

Well now a certain “dj BC” has done the much the same thing, except that in this case they’ve mixed The Beastie Boys with the Beatles, to create The Beastles — and early indications are that it works quite well.

[Don’t be at all surprised when that link falls off of the face of the net… via Nick Bradbury]

Its apparently 5°C outside. That means for the daily commute I’m dressed in a snow-coat, wooly hat, gloves and have the option of a scarf in my bag.

The fact that I’m riding along at ludicrous speed means that I create my own wind-chill. On the way out of the house I say to my housemate its really bloody cold today!

How wrong was I?

Stuart recently moved to New York. He’s scared to leave the apartment – because its -10C or -25C with the windchill.

Whats more, in my Alien Loves Predator email this morning, I’m told It is very, very cold today. Do not go outside.

All of a sudden I’m glad I live in slightly warmer climes.

Phone rings. Its Alice.

Hi, we’re in Sainsbury's, in the beer section. What would you like us to get in for you for Christmas?

Winner!

My word, we really did look ridiculous.

[A follow-up to Fancy Dress]