2013-05-19 Ladies do Owls

That's a REALLY hard question. Got loads of love for the barn owl, cos they're proper stop-and-stare beautiful and seeing one in the wild got me into owls. But for your more exotic owl interest, the Blakiston's fish owl is a big round bastard of weird owly charm: http://www.owlpages.com/image.php?image=species-Bubo-blakistoni-2

Also love the spectacled owl and his lovely fluffy trousers: http://www.screechowlsanctuary.co.uk/owl-directory/american-owls/spectacled-owl/aztec/

Betty, you made more reflecto-owls! Ace! Must spread rep etc.

Cazakstan, yup! See Hats for one if you're on the ride, if they all disappear & you want one (this goes to everyone) drop me a PM & I'll make some more up.

traditional barn owl for me, if that what I keep seeing in Norfolk at dawn.

I am on the ride and I'll definitely be buying an owl!

traditional barn owl for me, if that what I keep seeing in Norfolk at dawn.

• off-white chap, bit like a ghost flying around silently? Looking like this: http://www.redbubble.com/groups/birds-birds-birds/forums/13405/topics/233084-barn-owl-tyto-alba
  

Owl, that spectacled owl is awesome! What a fearsome face!

Caz, I don't think any of the owls are for sale... but I guess I could take my carradice and we could see if one wanted to come home with us...

Owls do disappointment/disgust/frowning-in-general VERY well...

http://owlisnotimpressed.tumblr.com/

Almost as well as existential angst/gruesome hangovers:

http://hungoverowls.tumblr.com/

Had to stop looking at the hungover owls as giggling too much in the office.

But, but I only want a little owl, they are only little...

• off-white chap, bit like a ghost flying around silently? Looking like this: http://www.redbubble.com/groups/birds-birds-birds/forums/13405/topics/233084-barn-owl-tyto-alba
  
  

Not completely white, but that's the badger, description match too.

Great to see swooping by you at dawn.

Not completely white, but that's the badger, description match too.

Great to see swooping by you at dawn.

A majestic sight indeed. Feels like a real privilege if you get to stand and watch them in the wild for any period of time... on a recent ride from Cambridge to London we saw a barn owl couple hunting openly in a big field for 5 minutes at about 4pm. At least one vole got caught. Hip-flask got opened to toast their success...

Disappointment replaced by reminder of a pre-ride beigel. Or two.

This is what I love about you CW - stoic, in the face of adversity. Good work

Hi ladies – I’ve got to say I am SUPER excited about Sunday. Most excitingly, the very lovely and talented Betty has made reflective owls, which I will be selling for a mere £5 each (some of this will make its way back to the forum as a donation).

Amazing - talk about game changer - ride with themed merch??

Am newly fixed though, a bit worried about the hills!

I have been a long time hill hater - preferring to sulk and weep a bit and then walk at the merest hint of incline steeper than Southwark Bridge. HOWEVER, I've had a bit of a breakthrough and realised I can do hills more than I previously believed. You've just got to keep turning those cranks, innit. I will be turning slowly at the back and I'll bet i'm worse at hills than you.

And if it all gets too much, these feet were made for walking, innit.

To add to the hill-related woes I recently added two teeth to my chainring and now I can't do a hill start on anything steeper than about 3% without using this pathetic little scoot-scoot-scoot manouvre that is as humiliating as it is painfully slow.

HTH.

I guess we found another use for the cable I have.

Hi ladies, I will be meeting you at Brick Lane. do I need to bring a lock with me?

^ you might want to bring one for your own peace of mind, but I don't think it's strictly necessary. I'll have a chain with padlock that can be used to secure multiple bikes and we'll probably be doing a bike pile so if you do want to bring something it doesn't need to be a full on security system that weighs 4 tons.

Bothwell is right, no need to bring Alcatraz or anything. There'll be both bike piles and chains :)

Awesome. Also, I'm not strictly a fixie or single speed rider... I have a couple of gears!

Hi, I'd love to come along on this. will be at Catlin Street/Rotherhithe New Road SE1 at 9.55. ok if the other half comes too? (i promise he'll behave)

Sorry ladies. I'm out tomorrow. RA flare-up strikes again :(
Have a great time and take pics so I can at least feel as though I was with you!

Awesome. Also, I'm not strictly a fixie or single speed rider... I have a couple of gears!

That's absolutely no problem at all, all bikes are welcome!

Hi, I'd love to come along on this. will be at Catlin Street/Rotherhithe New Road SE1 at 9.55. ok if the other half comes too? (i promise he'll behave)

Great, see you and Mr Half there.

Sorry ladies. I'm out tomorrow. RA flare-up strikes again :(
Have a great time and take pics so I can at least feel as though I was with you!

Oh no, a real shame! I hope you feel better soon and can join us for the next one.

1. hats
   
2. poots
   
3. bothwell
   
4. pops
   
5. KT Bee
   
6. Cafewanda
   
7. xsvcx
   
8. Helen not-on-here
   
9. Pip not-on-here
   
10. Caz
    
11. LeeBee not-on-here
    
12. chai wallah
    
13. mrs_socks
    
14. edscoble
    
15. kati
    
16. Anna not-on-here
    
17. Hannah not-on-here
    
18. T4
    
19. nevil troll
    
    

Can't wait! Will meet at Brick Lane and will get your number off KT Bee.

I rode the route last night and saw 12 foxes (including one eating a loaf of bread) and heard lots of bats - looks like this might be the most animal-packed ride ever!

I can also confirm that there aren't any actual hills - it's a little draggy-uphill in places and there's a very small number of short slightly steeper bits but it's really not actually hilly at all.

1. hats

2. poots

3. bothwell

4. pops

5. KT Bee

6. Cafewanda

7. xsvcx

8. Helen not-on-here

9. Pip not-on-here

10. Caz

11. LeeBee not-on-here

12. chai wallah

13. mrs_socks

14. edscoble

15. kati

16. Anna not-on-here

17. Hannah not-on-here

18. T4

19. nevil troll

20. Kattiep