Windy Wandering

Holga Sunrise

2012-02-02T07:21:00.000Z

First light on Feb 1st. Captured with the Holga 'digital' lens.

Holga Cheating

2012-02-01T19:02:00.000Z

Did you know that you can get Holga Lenses for digital SLRs? I ordered one off Ebay, it arrived yesterday , all the way from Hong Kong and these are the first snaps. Taken in poor light with the ISO cranked upto 3200 :-)

3 in a Row

2012-01-30T13:17:00.000Z

Thanks to some reasonable weather, for at least a part of the last 3 weekends, I've made it out on the bike on the last 3 Sundays. 100km down in January is not too bad a start for a Hebridean year.

Quality Assured

2012-01-28T10:01:00.001Z

The sun shone yesterday and I took a lunchtime stroll up to the war memorial with an Olympus E620 hung around my neck and a Holga 120N in my pocket. I took a couple of shots with the Holga and a 'few' more with the Olympus. In fact I took rather a lot with the Olympus, reviewing the result, altering settings, changing modes and making 'x' number of other adjustments along the way.

Here's one of the digital snaps. I chose monochrome, black and white, electronic red filter and a polarising filter over the lens to get the best contrast between sky and cloud. I even looked at (and adjusted) the levels in photoshop to ensure optimum contrast and exposure.

Back at work (in my other life I'm a 'Biomedical Scientist') I got into a discussion with a colleague about the obsession with 'quality' within our role. Every morning we are faced with a huge list of tasks to do before we even consider carrying out a test - analyser maintenance, calibrations, quality control, reagent checks, temperature checks (rooms, fridges, incubators) etc. etc..... In fact there are so many routine quality tasks that I employ (I'm the manager too) Medical Laboratory Assistants, who (for very little money) play a very important role in carrying out the various QC tests, making all the checks on equipment and reagents and performing some of the maintenance and set-up tasks so that the 'professional' staff can actually find the time to do the job that they are paid for.

Don't get me wrong, quality control/assurance IS important and in the lab I work in the professional way expected from someone in my role (and expect it from those around me too). However, it's refreshing to get away from work and shove it all on the back burner.

I think this maybe where my ~~obsession~~ passion for toy cameras and cheap film (some call it lomo) originates. OK, some days I'll take the dSLR and happily click away in search of the perfect shot, but I tend to get more satisfaction from 'snaps' (to use a friend's term) taken using a Holga and some Fomapan - and these snaps are the ones that appear to create most interest (did I forget to mention that I've even had a recent request to submit 2 snaps for inclusion in a toy camera book).

So roll on simplicity and imperfection. Hipster? I'm the godfather of the movement! Take away my pixels (if you have to) but please leave the cheap film, and the Holgas, and the vinyl, and the fixed wheel bike, and.............

Somewhere on Kinder - remembering Kodak

2012-01-22T10:23:00.001Z

I took this shot on Kinder Scout, sometime in the 80's. At the time, the only camera I owned was a Rollei B35, and my film of choice was Kodachrome 64. I now have a choice of many different camera's and (with Kodachrome gone from the shelves) my colour film of choice is Kodak Portra.

It's sad to read of the trouble Kodak is going through. Hopefully, by filing for bankruptcy protection, the company will survive and Kodak film (in one form or the other) will be with us for many years to come.

I'd Rather Go Blind

2012-01-21T10:32:00.000Z

Etta James 1938-2012

I want my sun-drenched wind-swept Ingrid Bergman kiss

2012-01-21T10:12:00.002Z

A walk on the beach on New Years Day a Holga held at arms length and pointed in the general direction and a kiss 'snatched' in the moment as the shutter clicks.

Which brings me back to 'serendipity'. A happy accident or am I just a crap photographer and if I shoot enough snaps then, on the law of averages, I'll get a few I like? Come on now, don't hold back, be honest! ;-D

Post #500 - Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge

2012-01-18T13:02:00.000Z

Wikipedia is protesting against SOPA and PIPA by blacking out the English Wikipedia for 24 hours, beginning at midnight January 18, Eastern Time. Readers who come to English Wikipedia during the blackout will not be able to read the encyclopedia. Instead, you will see messages intended to raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA, encouraging you to share your views with your representatives, and with each other on social media.

Serendipity

2012-01-17T23:34:00.000Z

A few months ago now I described myself as '"a student of the Wiesmier school of serendipity in photography" in an 'Artist's statement' thread on Filmwasters, and I suppose this shot says it all. An unintentional triple exposure - the first as Deanne walks away from me, the second as she turns around when I call and the third standing at the point and looking back to Chanonry Point lighthouse. Truth is, that although I really like the result, it was completely unintentional. I don't remember not winding on the film, I thought that I had?

From Wikipaedia: Serendipity - A "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it. The word has been voted one of the ten English words hardest to translate in June 2004 by a British translation company. However, due to its sociological use, the word has been exported into many other languages. Julius H. Comroe once described serendipity as : to look for a needle in a haystack and get out of it with the farmer's daughter .

Whilst on the subject of Wiki some of the links in this post will be broken tomorrow - as I notice they are having a 24 hour anti-SOPA black out of English-language wikipaedia in protest against proposed legislation in the US that has potential to damage free and open internet - well done wiki, I agree the internet should remain free and open for everyone, everywhere.

Read me like a book.....

2012-01-14T09:18:00.000Z

That's fallen down between your knees
Please, let me have my way with you

(It's Only Natural - Crowded House)

Telephone Box, Fortrose

2012-01-13T07:54:00.000Z

Colour?

2012-01-12T07:33:00.002Z

It's entirely coincidental that I chose to run a roll of colour film through the Holga 135. It's ironic that the world decided to turn black and white for the occasion.

ICE technology (nothing to do with the weather conditions) and photoshop removed the obligatory dust marks and scratches (one of which runs the whole length of the film) that come FOC with every film processed at the local photo lab.

Whisky Bar - The Anderson, Fortrose

2012-01-11T20:49:00.002Z

Church of Scotland, Fortrose

2012-01-09T22:22:00.000Z

The Ullapool Road

2012-01-08T14:54:00.000Z

Holga 135

2012-01-07T09:07:00.000Z

I mentioned previously that I got a Holga 135 for xmas allowing me to play around with holga technology with the ease of 35mm film. It's a wonderful little camera, fits nicely into my coat pocket (so ideal for the cycling jersey) and I love it :-)

These were deliberately overexposed, taken into the sun using a soft surround filterand a quick click and release in 'B' mode.

OK, I confess, it wasn't deliberate - B mode was a mistake - the switch had moved in my pocket (I've now covered it with insulation tape) but at least I remembered to remove the lens cap ;-)

30 Years of Togetherness

2012-01-06T08:06:00.001Z

December 31st 1981 - I went to a fancy dress party and met a French maid. I was dressed as a 60's throwback beatnick/hippy type with pointy toe boots, straight leg black jeans, grand dad shirt and waistcoat. At the end of the party I asked the maid for a date.

8pm the 1st January 1982 - I was sitting on a rail at Stafford's Market Square bus stop watching a young girl walk casually towards me and I thought 'wow!' (and probably a lot more unmentionable young male thoughts). She was dressed in lace up furry boots; jeans that I think she must have sewn herself into; a long, green, baggy polo neck jumper; her hands in the pockets of an open, flapping duffel coat. I was dressed as a 60's throwback beatnick/hippy type with pointy toe boots, straight leg black jeans............. because that's who I was at the time - a youth obsessed with American Blues, the 60's British Blues movement and the Blues/Rock bands spawned from that era.

On that first date we went to the 'Malt and Hops' for a drink and chatted about ourselves, blues and rock...........this new year, we spent a weekend away at The Anderson in Fortrose and celebrated 30 years of being together.

A lot has changed over the years, but the 'magic' is still there.

Happy New Year, everyone, and all the best for 2012

ps. It's not my cigarette, I'm holding it for the photographer.

Beth

2011-12-29T22:52:00.002Z

More multiple and long exposures on my new Holga.

Calm Within The Storm

2011-12-28T17:00:00.001Z

Getting a bit blowy again outside :-(

I think it's overrated too..........

2011-12-27T13:37:00.006Z

An homage to Andrea

I got a(nother) new Holga for crimbo. A 35mm this time. Not the BC version, so not the same soft edges and dark corners that I get with my 120s, but the same restrictions and a chance to play around and waste some film on a different camera. And 35mm is so much cheaper than 120 :-)

Walking the Dog

2011-12-26T13:27:00.010Z

In this weather? You've got to be kidding!

This was taken (using a rather nice borrowed Petri rangefinder) a few Fridays back, when ice covered tracks made it very difficult to stay upright.

Now, it's the wind and rain that's the problem - today (and yesterday) we have been battered by 60-70 mph gusts, and not even a sign of a severe forecast from the met office!

So, stormbound in Stornoway for xmas - 'throw another log on the fire and open another bottle of wine, dear' - after all, I'm not going anywhere in this weather, am I

Merry Xmas....

2011-12-24T19:57:00.004Z

to all who wander here from time to time. May your wanderings in the new year be joyful :-)

Windy

Chaos

2011-12-23T07:38:00.004Z

2 days to go 'til xmas, my last day at work then a 4 day break (I miraculously swapped my weekends on-call duty).

As per usual the town is crawling with last minute shoppers. To add to the chaos, the island was hit by a 2 hour power cut yesterday lunchtime. I believe that shoppers in local food stores had to abandon trolleys and leave the shops as tills and card readers were effectively 'stopped'.

Off Kilter

2011-12-21T07:38:00.006Z

Jake, dressed up for his final xmas party at the Nicolson Institute. The UCAS application has been submitted and, come summer, school's out!

The original was in colour, but I've desaturated it for Andrea as I think she would prefer it that way. I can't do anything about the digital wizardry ;-)

Trees

2011-12-19T21:23:00.001Z

A couple of photos of trees that I took during a short walk on Friday (whilst new tyres were fitted to the car). Taken using a very nice petri rangefinder that I currently have on loan from Andrea :-)

Rust (Goes To) Sleep

2011-12-19T08:11:00.006Z

After much deliberation, I have decided to call it a day for one of my other blogs 'Island of Rust', leaving me with just the 2 blogs - Windy Wandering (my main focus for musings and mumblings) and Stornoway the Holga Way (an outlet for holga snaps taken around my 'home' town)

'Rust' has been imported to 'Wandering' and rusty snaps will appear here from time to time. Thanks and goodbye to my 'rust' followers, and if not already following 'wandering' I hope to see you there.

'Island of Rust' gone but not forgotten 'cause 'Rust Never Sleeps'

Stop my life, I need time to think

2011-12-18T22:12:00.004Z

Bloody hell, where has this year gone? This time next week xmas is nearly over!

The Way Through The Woods

2011-12-16T08:56:00.000Z

Wire and Wool

2011-12-13T22:41:00.001Z

Keep Out

2011-12-13T07:20:00.000Z

Winter Walk

2011-12-12T20:26:00.006Z

More fun with the Pentax Espio, a double exposure this time

Should I Be Driving?

2011-12-11T20:20:00.003Z

No, I don't have triple vision. Taken on a Pentax Espio - autofocus and exposure and then hold a holga prismatic filter in front of the lens. A rather cool result. And for the record, I was in the passenger seat at the time the picture was taken.

RAWR!!!!

2011-12-09T08:04:00.002Z

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'I'm a scary tiger!'

'Yeah, whatever'............

Snow

2011-12-06T14:11:00.006Z

The snow's here and I've just done 4 nights on-call in a row. Not feeling at my best today so I left work at lunch time and came home. I'm now heading off to bed for an afternoon nap.

Here's a picture taken in sunny Brittany in 1993 - probably on the Rollei B35, but I can't be certain. Not a flake of snow in sight. Alex and Josh have also grown a bit since then :-)

Bye ;-)

Gate, Stornoway Castle Grounds

2011-12-06T14:07:00.000Z

A Bit More Redscale

2011-11-28T20:36:00.004Z

Another go at redscale. At first I thought the process hadn't worked properly (again). But, after comments from fellow filmwasters, I decided to play with the scanning and it appears that there was an element of colour correction from the scanner.

All sorted now though - You've seen the next shot before, a different result however, when scanned as a 'positive' and then 'digitally corrected'.

Creative Commons

2011-11-24T07:28:00.002Z

My Flickr account has a 'creative commons' licence on the photos. I allow the pics to be used elsewhere if I'm given credit for it. A number of pics have been blogged and re-blogged, the one above has even been used in the Guardian Blog at some time in the past.

This one is the latest :-)

Setting Sun

2011-11-22T07:09:00.016Z

Not something I see very often at this time of year as my office doesn't have a window. This picture was taken in Stockbridge back in June when the sun was shining and I did see a sunset. Stockbridge has 2 suns. It would be nice if they could send the spare sun to Stornoway, we could do with a wee bit more.

What? They wont let us have it? Oh, I see, the second sun's not real. It's just a 'trick' of the filter. Nevermind, I'll just have to make do with my light box and keep taking the tablets.

That reminds me, tablets!

Last night, driving home from the Co-op, a 'record' (not that I'm old or anything) was played on the radio (at the start of the Jo Whiley show). It had a rhythm and beat that I found somewhat 'uplifting'. I arrived home, it was still playing, and for the first time in ages I sat listening until the end to find out what it was. It was The Chemical Brothers (with Noel Gallagher) - Setting Sun. Can't believe I haven't heard it before, but then I didn't hear a lot of new music in 1998, the year I moved to Stornoway.

Tablets? OK! I'll go and take them now! Calm down, don't get your 'knickers in a twist', it's only vitamin D ;-)

Monday Morning

2011-11-21T07:26:00.003Z

It's wet and dark outside, and it's the start of the week :-(

Did I mention how much I enjoyed my holiday in Tuscany?

Filmwastin' Take 2

2011-11-20T10:29:00.006Z

Another shot from my first attempt at redscale. This one being a bit more redscale than some of the other pics.

I have a Petri 7 on loan from Andrea - I was on pic #16 before I realised there was no film in the camera (so not really film wasting).

Beth also developed a roll of film that she had in her Petri SLR. She practised rolling film onto a reel with a roll of polypan (bulk loaded, 'cheap as chips' - good for practice then and not really a waste).

New(ish) to film photography, she forgot the built in exposure meter - half the film was over exposed - but there are some good results (be warned Andrea, there are a couple of you)!

Last night Jake was looking for AA batteries - 'Some in that Minolta over there' said I. He picks up the camera and 'Oops, my bad!' I hear him exclaim as he opens the back of the camera and exposes the roll to light. 'I take it that's the battery compartment on the bottom' he mumbles apologetically as he closes the back and disappears, with batteries, 'sheepishly' out of the door.

All part of the fun of using film :-D

Spoke too soon

2011-11-17T07:18:00.003Z

It's pissing down outside :-(

Another picture from a (rare) sunny day to lift the mood.

Sunshine Superman

2011-11-16T22:00:00.003Z

Monday....

Tuesday....

Wednesday....

Grand weather we're having at the moment :-)

'Sunshine came softly through my a-window today
Could've tripped out easy a-but I've a-changed my ways........'

Redscale?

2011-11-15T18:52:00.005Z

OK the lomo thing's getting to me and I had a go at redscale and actually got some interesting results.

The wikilink tells you what it's all about, but basically, I took a roll of Kodak Gold 400 and rolled it backwards into a 200iso DX coded cannister then shot the roll through the Pentax Espio.

The film was developed by the local photo shop - I had to wait about 10 days because his machine was broken and he needed a part. No problem with waiting, I've got a backlog to earlier this year waiting to be developed. I thought he may have found the dead cat in his developing tank whilst it was being fixed, but alas - no. The film came back covered in marks (and I'm not complaining at £2.00 a film for develop only)

Lest we Forget

2011-11-11T07:33:00.004Z

Field of Remembrance, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000Z

Walk the Line

2011-10-31T18:48:00.001Z

Filmwastin'

2011-10-30T20:04:00.006Z

My favourite camera at the moment is a Pentax Espio that my mother gave me. It's an auto focus/exposure point and shoot thingy with a rather phallic zoom. I've been playing around with the different functions (B shutter mode, double exposure etc.) and tried things like putting a magnifying glass in front of the lens to distort the image.

It has DX coding - uncoded film is shot at ISO 25. I've just finished a roll of polypanF as such, but haven't developed the film yet so I'm still waiting on the results. I've replaced the polypan with Kodak Gold 400 - rolled the wrong way into a 200 ISO DX coded cassette - a first attempt at redscale.

Using an automatic point and shoot, no need to think about aperture or shutter speed. Shoot at will and experiment - then wait until the film's developed to see the results (no instant digital fix). Some shots make you smile and go 'wow', some you just want to 'bin' and some give you ideas to try something a little bit different - as Andrea commented when we met in the co-op a few nights back - 'just filmwasting'

Bread

2011-10-29T19:09:00.006+01:00

Home made bread straight from the oven (with jam)

Om Nom Nom!

It's All About The Bike

2011-10-28T09:29:00.006+01:00

According to Robert Penn it is and that's the main reason why I've taken today off work. Since getting back from Italy I've had 1 day off in the last 18 (1 day more than Andrea I believe) and I have a free weekend. So I've decided to make it a long one - get the bike cleaned and oiled, get some of the backlog of film developed and just chill.

Coincidently, I notice that Robert Penn chose a 'Rourke' frame set.

Can't remember this guys name? He came from Stoke, he was wearing a Rourke Jersey and we met in Gaiole before L'Eroica. He was riding a renovated Holdsworth Professional - which just happens to be what I used to ride. My first lightweight frame back in 1975 and the frame that I won the GHS 10 on.

Italian Style.............

2011-10-26T22:06:00.007+01:00

Belgian 'grit'..............

Lazin' on a Sunny Afternoon

2011-10-23T20:23:00.005+01:00

Since getting back from Italy I've been busy. Had to catch up with all the on-call swapped for the fortnight away, and yesterday was my first 24hr break in 2 weeks. Still got a few films to develop from the holiday (the L'Eroica ones are finished) and still haven't got around to cleaning and oiling the bike.

Despite the fact that I've worked 13 out of 14 days, I haven't really missed much. The weather has been wet and windy for most of the time and it hasn't been cycling weather. Hope it improves for next weekend when I am free.

There were 4,000 participants in L'Eroica - it may have been sunny but it wasn't a day for lazin'. Well not until arrival back in Gaiole where (like the 'heroes' in the photos above) I could sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice cold beer.

Street Artist, Florence

2011-10-20T23:04:00.006+01:00

Watching the world go by

2011-10-19T07:25:00.001+01:00

Raison d'etre

2011-10-17T19:24:00.002+01:00

Sweet Gene Vincent

2011-10-16T18:25:00.007+01:00

On my way to Italy I bought a 'Best of Ian Dury' CD. For those of you who are wondering wtf I'm rambling on about and how this is any way relevant to a picture of me waiting on the start line of L'Eroica? - I give you this video ;-)

Picture taken by Deanne using the Pentax Espio

Monte Sante Marie

2011-10-16T09:41:00.011+01:00

Some rode..........

Some pushed...........

and some carried.

I didn't see anyone crawling ;-)

The climb from the second 'ristoro' at Asciano was a monster. 135m ascent in 6.5km over ruts and gravel with the mid day sun beating down on your back and reflecting back into your face from the white road. All part of a 12km section of strada bianchi. I used all of the skills acquired from 40 years of cycling (road, track, MTB and cyclo-cross) - plus a large measure of brute strength thrown in - and managed to ride it all. At the top, I collapsed under the welcome shade of an olive tree, pulled my bidon from my bike, closed my eyes, and thought how glad I was that I hadn't been tempted by the raw eggs, Chianti or Grappe on offer at at 'Asciano ristoro'.

Due ruote e una Rollei una strada bianca

2011-10-15T09:14:00.007+01:00

I used to have a blog called 'Two Wheels and a Rollei' through which I shared cycling snapped with my old Rollei B35. The blog lost it's way somewhere along the line and I folded it some time back.

For L'Eroica I modelled myself on my formative cycling years, the 1970's - the era of Merckx, De'Vlaemink and Zoetemelk (my childhood heroes). It therefore seemed appropriate to carry (and use) a camera from the same period on the ride.

A selection from the ride - '2 wheels, a rollei and a white road' - shot on retro 100 and developed in aculux.

My italian is not that good, infact the only words I seemed able to use correctly during my holiday were 'Grazie' and 'Si', I'm hoping that google translate has given me the right title for the post.

Stornoway Proof?

2011-10-12T19:49:00.009+01:00

There was a rather gorgeous display of wooden bikes and accessories on display at L'Eroica (from 'Cerchi in Legno Ghisallo'). It could be the answer to the rain and salt responsible for oxidation of any steel frame exposed to the Outer Hebrides climate.

Even Deanne got excited and couldn't resist the urge to play - and I've managed to resist the obvious pun and innuendo ;-)

The Dust Settles

2011-10-08T20:52:00.003+01:00

A quick 'I'm back in the UK' post. Stopping the night at my parent's and heading back to Stornoway tomorrow.

L'eroica was hot (about 38C) and the ride was wonderful (I think the Irish would say 'good craic'). Eve and myself did the 135km route in 9 1/2 hours (including rest stops)and, although completely knackered at the finish, we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - probably the best bike ride in the world :-)

Ready To Go

2011-09-26T22:31:00.003+01:00

All packed and ready to go. Heading off on the first ferry tomorrow, flying from Prestwick at 7am on Wednesday and in Pisa before lunch. All essentials packed (including coffee bags, Marmite and vegetable Oxo cubes). Closed the box up and realised I hadn't packed the Isostar and Nutrigrain so had to open it again.

Looking forward to Sunday's ride? An understatement - I'm almost peeing myself with excitement :-D

ps. nice one Cav :-)

L'Eroica Final Preparation

2011-09-24T08:19:00.013+01:00

Last Sunday I joined Stephan and Eve on the gravel tracks of the castle grounds for what may be my last training ride before Italy. The weather's pretty grim outside with wind and rain battering the windows and rattling the slates and, worryingly, the Met Office are showing wild weather right through to late next week. On Tuesday (the day of our ferry crossing) the forecast is for gusts of up to 47mph - possible ferry cancellation strength :-(

Fortunately the local weather station and metcheck disagree showing 20 mph winds with gusts of around 30mph. Fingers crossed they're correct and that the ferry sails and we get away :-/

Over the next three days we will be keeping a very close eye on the forecasts to see whether a change to the Tarbert-Uig ferry or an earlier sailing is needed.

During last Sunday's ride, Eve took a tumble on the ascent of Gallows Hill, when her wheel lost traction on the steep gravel and (thanks to good old fashioned clips and straps) she couldn't release her foot from the pedal :-(

Fortunately (apart from a few cuts and bruises) everything is OK and she is now in possession of a pair of 28c Pasellas, courtesy of my Bob Jackson fixie :-)

On a sadder note, Stephan - the 'Big Smit' (eat your heart out Mig we have a challenger for your title!) wont be travelling with us so I wont be getting the beers he owes me for fettling assistance and loan of kit :-(

Seriously tho', aggrevation of thrombophlebitis and small clots in his leg are preventing him from flying - on Doctors orders - so our group is down to 4 with only Eve and myself riding. Take care Stephan, gentle exercise and rest and get well soon there's always another year.

Eroba for L'Eroica

2011-09-20T23:37:00.006+01:00

Eve's mount for l'eroica - a 1961 Eroba Race, equipped with Campag Gran Sport gears/hubs and Mafac brakes - lovely :p

It belongs to their friend 'Vic', who received it from the RAF in 1961. So it's as young as (or as old as) me - depending on whether your glass is either half full or half empty ;-)

Trailer Wheel, Goat Island

2011-09-15T07:57:00.000+01:00

Caledonian Rain

2011-09-15T07:25:00.003+01:00

'Isle of Lewis' ferry leaves Ullapool

Lambs to the Slaughter?

2011-09-15T05:02:00.008+01:00

Sheep or lambs? I'm no expert, so couldn't really say. But my guess is lamb, and I'm almost certain that they are on the journey to somebody's dinner plate.

At what stage in our evolution did we decide that we could eat animals? Probably at a time when we were hunted by predators and watched as predators ate our companions and other animals. And, then someone thought 'I could do with a piece of that!' And then came fire..........

I don't like lamb. If I could choose the one meat that sent me on the path to being veggie it would be lamb chops.

Happy Birthday

2011-09-13T07:24:00.002+01:00

You were four fifths of my age when we met and now you're only twenty three twenty fifths - you're catching up ;-)

xxx

One Way

2011-09-12T22:54:00.002+01:00

Keep Out, Stornoway

2011-09-12T22:35:00.000+01:00

Storm Brewing

2011-09-11T20:13:00.004+01:00

There's a storm on the way, tail end of Hurricane 'whatever' I believe, due to hit tomorrow. 40mph gusts were blowing when I woke up this morning (no....not under the duvet!) and I didn't feel like facing it on the bike so went for a walk around town with the DSLR and the loaned Hassie and studied some 'urban decay' instead - some of the pictures may appear here with time.

Waste Pipe, Port of Ness

2011-09-08T07:31:00.000+01:00

Cycle Touring

2011-09-07T22:10:00.009+01:00

Cycle Tourists - Maaruig, Harris

Loaded up on the Kyle Rhea Ferry, West Coast Tour 2005

John 'Innertuba' Western Isles Schools Tour 2006/07

A couple of friends of mine, Don and Martin, are currently cycling from Dungeness to Gallen Head raising funds for the Linda Norgrove Foundation. Their trip started on August 28th and they have now left England and are heading home through Scotland, with plans to finish the ride next Wednesday (14th Sept). Their progress can be followed on their ride blog 'North West passage', and if anyone is interested they can join them for the last day's ride from Kershader to the West Coast.

It's probably more than 4 years since I've been on a 'tour'. The last one being a trip north to Durness and an aborted plan to cycle to Cape Wrath (a military exercise was taking place). Plans were changed and I headed across the North Scottish Coast before turning south to Carbisdale Castle and then on to Ullapool and home.

Cycle touring is a great way to travel. The pace is slower than in a car - with time to take in the view, and it's a lot easier than backpacking - the bike takes the load. It's a great way to relax and unwind (tho' Mrs. W. would not agree). Some people like companionship and tour in groups, but, on a long tour, I prefer to ride alone pootling along at my own pace with my own thoughts. Stopping for a brew when I feel like it. Visiting cafes and pubs for cake or local ale, and exploring local 'attractions' as I pass them.

On the tours that I've done I've always pre-booked Youth Hostels and arranged set overnight stops. However, keeping to a schedule is too restrictive for some. They prefer to take their shelter with them, and a tent gives them the freedom to change route and stop and rest at will.

Maybe I should dig the panniers out and head off again next year? Should a 50 year old stay in 'Youth' Hostels? Should I go more luxurious and stop in B&B's or Inns? Or maybe I should go the other way and get a tent? I think some planning is needed - where's me maps?

Bridge to Nowhere

2011-09-06T21:56:00.007+01:00

The sun was shining on Sunday and the wind blew me out to Tolsta and beyond, all the way to the road's end and the 'Bridge to Nowhere'. The concrete bridge is a sad reminder of an abandoned road building scheme started by Lord Leverhulme in 1920 intended to create jobs and link Tolsta to Ness. However, once over the bridge, the road turns to a stony track which soon gives way to a waymarked boggy track, over the cliff tops to Ness.

How great it would be to have the choice of a loop to cycle. But, having reached the end of the road, with nowhere else to go, I turned to head home.

An 'out and back' is not so bad when there's a chance of coffee and cake ;-) So (as it was not too early) I called in to see my good friends, Eve and Andrea, with the excuse of wanting a look (and drool) at the 'new' Eroba that Eve has loaned from Vic for L'Eroica.

After coffee and wafers, Eve took the chance of her first ride on the bike and (joined by Vic who was riding Andrea's Argos) accompanied me for the ride back to town.

New Tredz

2011-09-03T18:22:00.006+01:00

New tyres for L'eroica arrived yesterday, a couple of 700x32c Vittoria Cross XN Pros. They are actually cyclo cross race tyres for firm dry surfaces but, at 350g they are lighter than the undersized Pasela Tourguards that they replace. They can be run at lower pressures (60-90 psi), have more suitable tread for Tuscany's white gravel roads, and certainly appear to be more 'bomb proof'.

Fitted them at 7.00am this morning pumped them up to max pressure and gave them a test ride (in the rain) on the gravel and rough tracks of the castle grounds.

Verdict - cruised over the gravel, gripped well on the loose surfaces and didn't feel 'dead' on the tarmac. A 'thumbs up' :-)

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-31T11:09:00.003+01:00

53 or 54 years? OK I'm guessing >:X

I know Roche did the triple in 1987, so it's 25 yrs for me soon, but I don't remember much about the Gaul, Anquetil, Bobet years.

Have a good day both xx

Bolt Head, Stornoway Waterwheel

2011-08-29T23:43:00.000+01:00

Vignette - Ashton Lane, Glasgow

2011-08-29T23:22:00.007+01:00

I have a Hassie on loan, it has a monster lens hood attached to it. Fully extended it gives a seriously wicked vignette. Cool, eh? :-)

August FFS!

2011-08-28T18:29:00.010+01:00

On an August bank holiday weekend one should be sitting on a sunny riverbank, wearing a panama hat, sipping a Pimms and lemonade and watching the world float by.

Maybe one would prefer to be lying on a village green outside a country pub, supping scrumpy or a real ale, conversing with friends and listening to the crack of willow on wood from the cricket match that's happening over there somewhere.

That sort of thing just doesn't happen in Stornoway. The weather today was awful :-(

It didn't stop me heading out on the bike though. Enthusiasm, madness or fear?

1. Enthusiasm - I've been obsessed with bikes since I was 12. I completed my first 100 mile ride in February 1974 with the Stafford Road Club, 2 weeks before my 13th birthday. A 104 mile reliability trial from Hatherton (nr. Cannock) to Montgomery and back in under 7hrs.

2. Madness - 25mph winds with 40mph gusts, the wind chill bringing the temperature to about 5C. I was cold, I was blown across the road, the cross wind made my sinuses hurt, but I stayed out for 2 hours and managed 50km.

3. Fear (of failure) - probably the main reason for going out. Only 5 weeks to L'eroica and I really want to do the 200km course. Ego, eh!

P*/:(!%E

2011-08-27T10:28:00.005+01:00

I'm getting more confident riding a road bike on the gravel trails on the Castle Grounds, another 90 mins done this morning on a variety of surfaces. I was picking up speed on the descent from the Deer Park to the Creed when I hit a large stone and pfhssssssssst........ bump bump bump >:[

Wonder if the bike will take 35c tyres?

I didn't have a camera with me so a couple of pics from previous puncture occasions.

Sail on By

2011-08-27T07:38:00.003+01:00

Arnish Lighthouse from the Isle of Lewis Ferry

The Oysterband and June Tabor have got together to record a second album 21 years after the excellent 'Freedom and Rain'. I haven't been excited about a CD release date for a long time, but I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of 'Ragged Kingdom' on 19th September.

Here's a clip from their previous collaboration - a cover of Velvet Underground's 'All Tomorrow's Parties' from a concert in 2010. Get them to the HebCeltFest!!

5 weeks to go

2011-08-25T19:44:00.003+01:00

5 weeks from now I'll be in Tuscany (all being well). Training is going well and yesterday I decided to try and simulate riding the 'white roads'. So I took the road bike onto the castle grounds and rode some circuits on hilly, gravelly tracks including the climb from the Creed mouth to the top of Gallows Hill - 66m gained in about 1km (3 times) :-)

Drive Wheel, Stornoway

2011-08-24T07:32:00.000+01:00

Teach Your Children

2011-08-20T00:35:00.002+01:00

" alt="Britannia Trophy MTT 1979">

For a 'Snap Happy Chappie'

2011-08-11T16:11:00.005+01:00

This shot's for Colin, I didn't see him this morning when I left the hospital at 4.30AM after an early morning call-out. Maybe he's pulling our legs and he really doesn't get out of bed at 4 every morning to water the hanging baskets. Maybe he just dreams it, or maybe it's just that he didn't feel like coming out in the wind and rain that was battering the plants this morning and he was sat at home with a mug of tea and bowl of corn flakes, happily playing with his blog ;-)

For the record, this pic was snapped using his Leica (III I think it was - or some other ancient screw mount version), that I had a loan of for a few weeks. Rollei Retro 100 and developed in Aculux.

Cheers Colin

Reviewing the Situation

2011-08-11T08:43:00.010+01:00

All these shots were over-exposed and have been rescued with a little fiddling about in Photoshop >:-)

It's now my 3rd 50mm/f1.8 Zuiko lens to bite the dust. The first just fell apart whilst focussing, the second had fungus and this one - the aperture blades have started sticking :-(

In the words of Fagin - 'I am reviewing the situation' .

Start an Ebay search for a replacement lens?
Time to look for something different?
Maybe something solid from the USSR?
Maybe a different type of SLR?
A Zenit or some such?
Maybe a nice rangefinder?
A Fed or even a Zorki?

I'm very fond of the OM10 with a 50/1.8 lens though. I feel it suits my style (whatever that may be?). And 50/1.8 lenses are '10 a penny' on Ebay (well quite a bit more than that but not outrageously expensive).

'I think I'd better think it out again!'

Metal Tub, Molinginis

2011-08-10T21:48:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Harris

2011-08-10T06:59:00.004+01:00

Last Friday I grabbed the chance of a day off work to bang in some training miles. The weather was good so I decided I'd test the fitness (and the bike) with a Tarbert and back ride.

Fortunately, the wind was blowing in the right direction - against on the way out and assisting on the way back - and not too strong, probably around 15mph (you get a feel for this sort of thing when you've been cycling on Lewis for nearly 15 years) and, a bonus, there was some sunshine.

The bike felt good, and I managed the climbs on the gearing (the lowest is a lot higher than on my Audax bike) which gives me confidence for the L'Eroica ride in October.

If you like strong coffee, I can recommend the Americano in the First Fruit cafe in Tarbert - it comes as an Espresso concentrate in a large cup with a jug of water so it can be 'diluted to taste' :p

The long straight, Airidh a Bhruaich

Approaching the Harris hills

Ardhasaig - the climb to the quarry can be seen starting to the right of the buildings and then rising diagonally left across the hillside to the bealach. A climb of 30-189m in ~2km.

Bealach na Ciste - Looking back after the Ardhasaig climb

Higher

2011-08-05T08:12:00.005+01:00

Jake had his 'Higher' results yesterday - He got A's in Maths, Physics, Tech and Computing; and a B in English. English is the result he's most pleased with - like most of the male line on my side of the family we're mathematician/scientists and not literary critics.

The picture was taken earlier in the week on our Urgha-Molinginish walk.

Well done Jake, this is dedicated to you:

You 'don't' always get what you want..........

2011-08-05T06:59:00.009+01:00

But, as the song goes, 'If you try sometime, you just might find.....' something unexpected and pleasing.

Actually I didn't try. The results were all due to a mistake.

I took the Holga TLR down to Glasgow for Alex's graduation. The reason being that I wanted something a bit different to the usual formal photos. Although I'm not unhappy with the results, I was expecting something a bit sharper than these. Next time I will try to remember to switch the shutter away from the bulb mode.

I don't have any pretensions to be a formal photographer. It must be a stressful occupation knowing you have to get everything right - background, exposure, composition - because someone is paying for the results. I suppose the ability for live view offered by digital is welcome technology in that situation.

Here is one where the subject matter and the camera remained still for longer than 1/125th of a second.

Molinginish

2011-08-04T22:36:00.010+01:00

Monday was a public holiday, I wasn't working, the sun was shining (up above the clouds) and Deanne managed to persuade the boys (the 2 who were at home that day)to go for a walk. We headed down to Harris and walked from Urgha, over the hill to Molinginish.

Molinginis is an abandoned settlement of about nine houses on the shore of Loch Trollamarig and can only be reached on foot or by boat. Searching around the web I have discovered that the village was inhabited between 1823 and 1964, the last person leaving through necessity of old age. Two of the buildings have been renovated, 1 as accommodation, the other as a store/shed. I believe it is a retreat for a local solicitor.

We sat on a bench overlooking the sea and ate our lunch, but were chased away by midges very quickly. From Molinginish we followed the path along the hillside above Loch Trollamarig to the bottom of the zig-zags at the head of the loch. Thanks to a dry spell the path was easy to follow, but sections must be treacherous after heavy rain.

After coffee and a snack on the bridge we started the slog up the zig-zags and then followed the track back to the car at Urgha and then retired to the Isle of Harris Inn for a pint of hand pulled Deuchars before heading home.

Shovel and Pickaxe, Molinginis

2011-08-04T22:31:00.000+01:00

Beth

2011-08-04T07:31:00.004+01:00

Life's been busy again, it always is when the week is sandwiched between 2 weekends of on-call.

Here's a picture of Beth, who is currently enjoying the sun in Greece with a friend and her family.

The weather hasn't been too bad here lately, but today it is raining. The forecast for tomorrow shows a dry day with a 10-19mph South Westerly wind (and maybe some sun). I may take the day off and go for a long bike ride to lift my mood before another weekend of on-call.

Sharing a Joke

2011-07-29T22:31:00.000+01:00

Mum and Dad

2011-07-27T18:21:00.002+01:00

Dad - 'Is that my old Rollei that you've got there?'
Me - 'Yes dad, you 'gave' it to me when I visited a few years back. Remember?'
Mum - 'I wouldn't trust a word he says, Gerald'

'Claude the Cyclist'

2011-07-23T09:32:00.006+01:00

The 2011 Tour de France arrives in Paris tomorrow, and what a great race it has been with everything set for an exciting finale.

Voeckler hung on in yellow for 10 days and almost took the jersey to Paris, but lost out on the final day in the mountains. It was a brave fight by the Frenchman and it would be good if he could pull out something special today to get a podium place.

Mark Cavendish will be pushed all the way to the Champs Eleysees for the green jersey after battling through the mountains and losing valuable points when finishing with large groups outside the time limit the last 2 days. Only 15 points separate him from second placed rider Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil

The race winner will be determined by today's penultimate stage - a 41km TT. Less than a minute separates the top 3 riders, with Andy Schleck in yellow, Frank Schleck 2nd and Cadel Evans 3rd (only 57 seconds down). On previous form, Cadel Evans is the faster time triallist, but will he be fast enough to take nearly a minute out of yellow? The stage is set for a day reminiscent of the Lemond/Fignon TT of 1989, in which Lemond pulled back 58 seconds to win the tour by 8 seconds. Are we in for a closer finish?

My picture shows a bottle of wine bought whilst down in Brampton. Do you notice 'Claude' is almost an anagram of 'Cadel'. Unfortunately Claude isn't wearing the 'Maillot Jaune' Is this a bad omen? I hope not, fingers crossed Cadel does what is needed to beat the Shlecks and ride into Paris in Yellow tomorrow.

What did you do on your day off?

2011-07-21T20:27:00.003+01:00

Actually I had 4 days off 2days each side of a weekend meaning 6 days away from work in total.

Thursday, I've already mentioned - Carloway and back on the bike and an afternoon with a polar bear. In the evening I took a stroll into town. there was a samba band and I took some pictures using the OM10. But they haven't been developed yet.

Friday I started to fix the garage door. It's been broken since I moved in, more than 13 years ago. It finally gave up the ghost and I nailed it shut about 6 months ago. I ripped everything out and started to build a new frame and new door from plywood. In the evening I took a walk into town and took a photo of some green rope that had been strategically placed to prevent a tall ship drifting out to sea.

Saturday I carried on with the garage, but didn't manage to finish. There was no room at the Inn (Laxdale Campsite) so the PB's came and camped in my back garden. In the evening I went to the HebCeltFest. I saw KT Tunstall. Good, but not my type of music. I took some snaps on the OM10 using legacy pro @1600iso. I haven't got round to developing yet.

Sunday it was raining. Had a slow start to the day and after lunch said 'Goodbye' to the PB's and sent them off in the direction of the ferry, bound for Ullapool.

Monday it rained. At lunchtime I went to An Lanntair and sat and had a coffee with the 'Lewis Photographica Continuing' (Splitters), then bought a gear wire from Alec Dan's and went home and made some final adjustments to the Burton.

Tuesday's weather was a bit better and improved through the day, I finished getting the new door on the garage and walloped on a coat of primer. I now have a garage that can be used - for storage anyway, I didn't make a very large door.

Wednesday I returned to work - roll on the weekend

Must get round to developing some film!

Tractor, Carloway

2011-07-20T08:01:00.000+01:00

Something for Windy

2011-07-17T18:46:00.007+01:00

I have to thank Colin for the inspiration for this. On his new blog (Snap Happy Chappie) he has put together a short video of his Leica shots together with a 'Leica Camera Song' soundtrack. My eldest son, Alex, put this together back in February - A collection of my snaps set to 'Something (longer) for Windy' by Bonobo

Polar Bears in Stornoway?

2011-07-16T08:16:00.002+01:00

This is 'Polar Bear'. He's been a virtual contact via various cycling forums, currently YACF, for many years.

He and his partner are on a cycle tour up through the Outer Hebrides (with Barra to the Butt and various detours now completed), and are currently pitched at Siabost. On Thursday they planned a day trip to Stornoway to see the Tall Ships, the Lewis Chessmen (and a certain Mr. Windy).

So, Thursday morning, I cycled out to meet them - all the way to Carloway along the Pentland Road, but no sight so turned around and headed home. I later found out that they had a lazy start to the day and were about 10-15 mins away from Carloway as I turned for home.

I headed into town in the afternoon and found 2 tourists sitting on a bench, in the rain, with hoods up, eating pasta and chips - cyclists food - it had to be them. At the same time PB noticed a pair of 'cyclists legs' passing by and looked up at the same time as I looked at him and we said our hellos.

We went for coffee and cake (thanks PB) and then the PBs headed to the museum. I looked for another friend but couldn't find them so walked up to the museum too. We then strolled back to the harbour to see the tall ships - a bit disappointing, the only one there was a few miles out at sea.

The afternoon was getting on, and the PBs still had a long ride back to their campsite so we said our goodbyes. I turned and headed home and they headed to the co-op to buy their supper. A very enjoyable afternoon and another 'virtual' friend becomes 'real'.

Polar Bears in Stornoway? And I thought the ice cap was retreating!

Holga Pinhole

2011-07-14T07:15:00.003+01:00

From the first roll using the modified Holga

Naked Soup

2011-07-13T07:35:00.002+01:00

The name of a wonderful soup and sandwich bar (on Kersland St.) not far from Glasgow Botanical Gardens. Worth checking out for lunch if you're in the area. Soup, sandwich, drink and a piece of fruit for about £4. The bike is on the Great Western Road pointing you in the right direction. Looks like a good mount for L'eroica ;-)

'I've got a bike
You can ride it if you like
It's got a basket
A bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could
But I borrowed it'

(Pink Floyd - Syd Barrett)