2013-08-04 - Going Nuclear - Part 2 - Foulness

Exactly, I think it's an island full of contradictions.

I hadn't heard of Tarkovsky, I'll have to look him up.

There were people firing BB guns at us?!

I said I'd post a picture of that 40% hill in Harlech. You can't really tell it's 40%, but still...

It's the steepest hill in the UK, apparently. We didn't ride up or down it but having read about it since I wish we had. Apparently once you're past the 40% bit at the bottom it's fine :)

I also wanted to post this. I don't normally post stuff from Hansard(!), but this is a good piece of Parliamentary storytelling and shows how meeting a sticky end on Maplin Sands isn't just something that happened in the 19th Century...
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1970/feb/13/maplin-sands-deaths

The lads with the dropped plastic cars at the entrance to the stairs were popping bottles off a fence post across the road and thought it amusing not to stop when we rode through. I was first so didn't appreciate it much. One of them banged a bb off the floor as I passed. I just ignored it. Silly boys.

How long does that 40% bit last I wonder? I reckon if I had a run up I could manage about 12 yards!

I still can't work out what the suggested cause of death was for the two lads whose bodies were recovered from Maplin Sands... I am appropriately freaked out though!

Unless I'm very much mistaken the 40% road in Harlech is a one-way street. Traffic flow being downhill rather than up.

And that's my excuse right there.

I hadn't heard of Tarkovsky, I'll have to look him up.

do it!

Fox you always take such nice photos, what camera do you use?

Thanks for a great day everyone!

Was talking to one or two of you on the ride about a photo project I did in Ethiopia on Modernist architecture...

http://cargocollective.com/tommuddimer/

Wasn't part of that chat but thanks for posting! Fascinating.

I've had so many folks say wonderful things about the pictures taken on this ride - especially those taken on the island itself.

I'm reminded that it was indeed a wonderful ride. It's too easy to climb aboard - pedal - arrive - and miss everything! eg My daily commute! So this was fabulous contrast.

And this weather is saying do more - do more - so I will!

Glad you enjoyed it and I hope it does inspire more cycling, that would be awesome.

do it!

Fox you always take such nice photos, what camera do you use?

Panasonic GF1 with the 20mm ƒ/1.7. It's a lovely camera and lens combo, portable but nice and sharp, good depth of field and nice sharp, correctly exposed JPEGs straight out of the camera. And because of the combination of fast lens and image stabilisation it's great in low light too.

In an ideal world I'd have something slightly smaller that I could fit in a jersey pocket, but I wouldn't really want any reduction in quality, which is pretty much inevitable. Using the 20mm is almost like using a high end prime.

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~tstronds/nostalghia.com/TheBibliography/Articles/olivier_article.pdf.gz

Unless I'm very much mistaken the 40% road in Harlech is a one-way street. Traffic flow being downhill rather than up.

It wasn't a one way when I as there 4yrs ago. I've ridden it in the winter, not that bad really. Plenty of run up before to get some speed up

Oh yeah, I meant to say, it is one way now but as you'll see from my top picture there's a sign at the top saying unsuitable for motors, which probably puts off most traffic. Nothing went down it while we were exploring it on foot and I gather people still ride up it.

Annoyed I didn't have a crack at it now. Plenty of run up yes but it's not like it's not steep after the 40% bit for quite a while, just less steep!

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~tstronds/nostalghia.com/TheBibliography/Articles/olivier_article.pdf.gz

My parents used to have Brueghel's Hunter's in the Snow on the wall when I was young.

#csb

Fox - let me know if you want to borrow any Tarkovsky stuff, I have a groaning box set somewhere.

Made loads of individual Christmas cards one year by transcribing a detail of Hunters In The Snow in watercolour over and over again. It was strangely hypnotic re-painting those dudes.

#csb2

It wasn't a one way when I as there 4yrs ago. I've ridden it in the winter, not that bad really. Plenty of run up before to get some speed up

It definitely is one way and has been for as long as i can remember!
Have never tried it on a bike, but is do-able

Oh, we must've missed the signs! There were no cars driving around anyway