So, this blog thing then

Righty ho, a couple of glasses of champagne and half a bottle of red wine into the evening, i feel that the moment is right to write something insightful on this here blog, for your collective enjoyment.

I think i have a new song in the works, or at least the opening sketches of a new song. No lyrics, i'll leave that up to one of you guys. Starts of off with that rather nice little riff that i played at the scream practice place and you may perhaps dimly recall. That floats along for a bit, with variations, and then stops with a jazzy bit (ie some chords that aren't really chords atall, but sound kinda cool). Then we have some strumming, the chords are pretty good i think, but still a work in progress for sure. G, Dm, DwithanEinit(D2perhaps?), F7(Fmaj with an E at the top), E, then back to G, Dm, D2, C, some sort of E or B thing that i am yet to be sure quite what it is (the notes are (low to high) E B Eb A B E, what is that greg?), then back to G, Dm, D2, Amaj7, B, E5(ie not major or minor, just a power chord basically). The idea that i had was that the first section (floaty bit with lots of picking) would involve a nice warm bass part and perhaps some things sustained and high up, probably not much drums and probably no vocals, then the strummy bit definitely wants some drums, and vocals. The rhythm of it i am yet to work out, but at the minute i'm playing it in a slow 6/8, possibly more like a 3/4. it could easily be a 6/8 with other bits thrown in though to make it more interesting. it finishes on an E, and feels like that wants to become the beginning of something a bit more energetic/poptastic, probably starting on Eminor. I'm not yet sure what this wants to be, but i've been playing around with chords like Em, D and A, with little inspiration so far. I think i'll record some bits, but at the minute have no mic so it may have to wait a little. When that final E5 lands, a funky driving drum beat wants to come in, probably with a groovy bass, and that should take the song all the way to its conclusion. I dont know yet what the path to this conclusion will involve though.

OK. i'll work more on it, do some recording, and you guys can see what you think. I would especially enjoy hearing anything poptastic that you've got starting on Eminor.

In other news, my trip cycling across France was a lot of fun. Three of us (Will, Tom and I) cycled 560 miles in 9 days, from Paris to a little village called Faugers, not far form Montpelier and Bezier. There we spent 8 days relaxing in the sun, reading, eating cheese, drinking wine, playing chess and table tennis, and listening to music. Although pleasant, the time spent in Faugeres is not really worthy of much note. The ride there however was packed with adventure. Each day we got up at 7am, had breakfast, packed up, and set off. After a few days we were well into the swing of it and were away before 9. We would ride about 35 miles before lunch (having purchased the days food at some point in the morning), and at least another 30 in the afternoon. The smallest distance we cycled in one day was 45 miles (day 2, cycling into a strong headwind all day, traumatic), and the most 85 (day 9, race for the prize, including a mountain ascent (over 1000m upwards), and two other serious hills, in melting heat). Generally, campsites appeared when we needed them, although occasionally we had to ask the locals. Arriving at a campsite, we lay on the ground for a bit, put up the tent, had a shower (most french campsites have showers), got changed, drank lots of water, and started to think about dinner. Eat. Sleep. Get up. Ride, Eat, Ride. Eat. Drink. Ride. Eat. Drink Ride. Eat. Drink. Sleep. Get up. Repeat. For 9 days. It was as metally exhausting as it was physically.

The first day was challenging for two reasons. Firstly i was rather hungover, and had no real sleep to speak of. Secondly we had to find our way out of Paris. What we initally thought was the Seine flowing south turned out to merely be a canal, flowing east. Not a good start. Back into Paris to find the real river. We did eventually escape the city however. First few days were mostly flat, and we made good mileage (with the exception of day 2, mentioned above). Slept little at night to begin with however, as my legs were burning. These days were tough. Legs spinning for hours at a time. Roads long. countryside uninspiring. Fueled by bananas and lion bars.

Then we hit the hills. Somewhere north of the Dordogne valley it starts to get hilly. I actually found the hills easier to deal with than the long flat stuff. A shorter period of real work to power up them is rewarded by a long exciting descent. Max speed was 40mph. On a bike this is seriously fast. Sometimes we would be pushing over 30 for 10 mins or more. Lots of fun. Panniers add a new dimension to cycling i haven't experienced before. I discovered at the airport on the way home that my frame is only a little over 8kg. Each pannier however is over 6kg. So a laden bike of over 20kg is quite a thing to ride. Hills that would be serious on an unladen bike become monsters, descents that would be fast on a light bike become rollercoasters, corners that would be exciting anyway become, well, interesting. You just have to prepare for the corner early, and leave it up to the bike. You have only minimal control over where you are heading. We didn't crash once. Amazingly.

When we found ourselves in the hills, i found myself faring better than the two others. This made a nice change. They are both pretty serious riders, and each had about double the amount of kit as me. I had one shirt, one pair of shorts. Washing kit involved leaving them out overnight and hoping that it rained (it did sometimes).

Highlights of the trip. Almost keeping up with the peleton of a local bike race we bumped in to, and being announced and cheered by the spectators as we rode through the finish. The descent into Conque. Buying £23 of pastries and cakes and eating them outside the shop, to the amusement of the shopkeeper and other customers. Escaping the dordogne valley. The two passes we made over 1000m. Keeping up with cars on the descents. The massive hills. Tree lined descents suddenly opening up onto bridges crossing large rivers. Seeing the sea, and so knowing we had almost made it. Lion bars (lots of lion bars). Bananas (lots of bananas). My Richard Veronque water bottle. Lunching on massive baguettes filled with cheese and meat every day. Calf muscles. Doing the majority of the third stage of this years tour de france, seeing the names of riders chalked on the road, and so riding the same hills that they had. Being cheered by french passers by. Overtaking people that did not have panniers. Lion bars.

One day it rained. I discovered two things. My panniers are not water proof. My waterproof jacket is not waterproof. I don't want to talk about that day.

It was an epic adventure that i enjoyed hugely. I would do something similar again, but not just yet. It was very hard work. Arriving at the destination was amazing, and bizzarre. Suddenly a group of 3 in a tent and on bikes became 10, in a house. I'm glad that we elected to fly back and not cycle back. On the plane i sat next to a Korean girl who told me that there is a good Korean restaurant near trafalgar square. Korean food is amazing.

JT