Tangled Thoughts

2010 and 2013

Christina

May 22, 2013

In 2010 Amanda and I made our first “Big trip” to England. Back then, for whatever reason, I didnt post too much. I thought I did, but looking back I only see a handful of posts sprinkled here and there – I suppose though, in my defense the laptop I was using could barely handle email – so uploading, editing, and posting pictures never really happened.

This year, we revisited some of the places we had seen in 2010.

In 2010 we went and saw the Royal Observatory. I dont recall much about it, except that I was less than impressed. If I remember correctly we were recovering from colds, and assumed this was some GREAT thing – it didnt meet our expectations. Or something. Whatever the reason, I remember not being impressed.

This year we didnt walk to the top, we simply enjoyed the view from down below.

2010:

2013:

2010:

2013:

2010:

2013:

2010:

So not impressed.

2013:

Kind of funny how much changes in three years.

Cycle Torque Interview

Christina

1 comment

May 15, 2013

Im excited to bring you an interview today, from David Fancourt of Cycle Torque, a company based in Surrey, England. Cycle Torque is a business that continues to grow.

It is now a well established, custom bike building company located in southern England, but that doesn’t stop it from reaching customers around the world with its ability to ship pretty much anywhere in the world.

In this interview, David talks about cycling, challenges, and his new range of bicycles, which should be available this spring.

What is Cycle Torque?

We specialize in building lightweight carbon bicycles that are multipurpose. We call it “Hybridized” in that the full range of bicycles, on road and off-road, can also be used in a variety of environments.

For instance our urban rigid bike called “CT 700” comes equipped with hydraulic disc brakes, 27 gears, and a carbon XC fork making it off road capable. Our mountain bikes “CT 1.0”, “CT 26” and “CT 29” are multipurpose as they weigh as little as 10.6k (23.3lbs), they are geared higher than normal mountain bikes with a large 48t chain ring to help them go faster on the road. They also have a remote suspension lock out to stiffen the suspension and increase energy transfer on the road.

What got you started in cycling?

I cycled as a child then took a break for a while. A few years ago, a friend got me started on it again. It’s a good way to commute to work, and so I bought a bike and started back up that way.

Why Cycle Torque?

The more I rode and worked on bikes, the more involved I became with them. I developed preferences and I realized I wanted to build a bike of my own. What I wanted in a bike was something that no one else offered. There are three main things: Weight, riding position, and versatility. I wanted a multipurpose bike. I didn’t want to have to keep changing bikes for every ride: on road, off road etc. I wanted a light, versatile bike that went fast. Since no one offered this, I decided to build one myself.

What’s one of the most challenging aspects in building bicycles?

I would say getting the variety of components to work together. Customizing the ride position, steering and making sure it’s comfortable and useable. I like sharp steering; you don’t like sharp steering do you?

Interviewer: No.

How do you source your parts?

Half abroad, half UK based. China, Australia, Taiwan and Germany are probably my biggest foreign exporters.

How can you ensure the quality of your parts?

I buy my frames directly from a well known manufacturer in China who rigorously tests their frames. All frames and carbon parts are EN standards passed, and are fatigue quality controlled and tested for stiffness.

What advice do you have for someone just getting interested in bikes?

What kind of cycling would you be doing? Mostly I think I’d encourage them as biking is a great way to get about, it keeps you healthy and is lots of fun. You can learn a lot as well, working on your own bike. I would advice you to get a basic tool set – puncture repair kit, tire pump, a few allen keys – that will get you started. Also if you’re going to be working on your bike a lot, then a proper stand is a must.

Where would you like to see cycle torque in 5-10 years?

I would like to see it producing up to a dozen bikes a month, 10-12 bikes a month ideally. Short term? I see maybe 4-5 bikes. I’d like to see Cycle Torque expanding its range of bicycles as I have exciting ideas for another range of CT bikes and taking the Hybridized principle even further with even MORE versatile bikes!

What benefits do CT bikes have over any other bikes on the market?

Manufacturers in general make bikes for single applications they have mountain bikes, road bikes, they aren’t versatile. There are many great mountain bikes, and road bikes, but I am focusing on making bikes that are useful in both environments. I call it “Hybridized.” The bikes stand out in this regard and I keep the bikes free from big tacky brand stickers and opt only for discreet decals just to identify the bike for a clean, almost “stealth” look.

To learn more about cycle torque, the business, or the ever growing collection of new bicycles being offered, feel free to check out the websites listed below.

Website: cycletorque.wordpress.com
Blog: cycle-torque.com

Thanks for letting us interview you, David!

Godstone Farm

Christina

1 comment

May 14, 2013

A few days before I left, we decided to take a trip to a little farm. We went there in 2010, and figured that Mr JD would be old enough to appreciate the animals. Plus we were excited to see them too. After a mix up involving times, and prices, we made our way in and spent the day visiting the animals, and the sandbox.

Before we got there, we took a little tour around the town. Amanda and I thought it was hot. Seriously hot. Roll up your sleeves and go swimming hot. David on the other hand, thought it was a bit chilly.

The first thing we saw – an ostrich looking bird, that was called something I cant remember.

This little horse was just a few weeks old (I think) and kept trying to eat…stuff it shouldnt. How come such cute little things do such crazy things??

Speaking of cute little things…Mr JD could care less about most of the animals (although he did take a liking to the chickens), he did however, fall for the tractor that would occasionally drive by. He was not impressed when his parents refused to let him throw himself beneath the moving tractor.

A chicken? A duck? A duckin?

Little “Baaaa’s”

A not so little pig. We were a bit surprised how big they were, I suppose I always thought of pigs as being like Wilbur from Charlotte’s web, cute and small! And talking, of course.

After we had seen enough of the animals, we made our way to the sandbox. A giant sandbox. There was not one kid that was happy to get out of there.

Then of course we had to check out the slides.

Someone loved that as well.

All in all it was a fun day.

Im Back

Christina

1 comment

May 12, 2013

About two weeks ago I gave my laptop a sip of coffee. Of course in the matter of seconds I realized my grave mistake, and it never fully got to appreciate coffee the way I would have hoped. In reality what happened I was telling Amanda a story about what I cant remember at the moment, I picked up my coffee and promptly dumped it. Not just a little. But the ENTIRE cup all over, evenly spread across the keyboard of my laptop. Amanda and I jumped, and it didn’t even get 2 seconds to enjoy, but that was enough to fry the keyboard on my laptop.

I gave it the night, a very long painful night to recover. But the next morning when I started it up, the B key stuck – and that was that. I cried. A whole bunch of tears, because what else can you do when your computer is on, but you are stuck because the keyboard doesn’t work. And then we decided to take a walk to the computer shop.

Who looked at it, and said mother board. I would have cried – except I was out of tears, and had really already diagnosed it as NOT being the mother board. And then he told me to give it a week – to let it air dry. And then I cried. And pouted. And walked off. More upset than I was before – because a week? With no computer? Was just not going to do.

After about 30 minutes of pouting away and ignoring the sun we decided to see about a rental laptop. Long story short – we ended up leaving the coffee allergic computer so it could get a new keyboard, and I walked out with a loaner laptop. Except that the loaner didn’t have a slot for my memory card, and when I cant get my pictures on the computer I kind of forget that I can still take pictures, and so I was sort of….out of water there for a while.

Then I left England. With a laptop that still wasn’t fixed because they had accidentally ordered a UK styled keyboard – so that was fun, and then there was that whole…..20 hour flight that kind of got to me, combined with time changes and frustrating things at the boarder but Im back! Im back home, and back getting acquainted with my old PC whom I have to say I love very much.

All that is a long way to say: Im back. And will be doing some catch up this next week, but until then here are some flower pictures, because that makes everything ok, right?

And if that isnt enough, one more of Mr JD, that should make up for it right?

Life with Purpose

Christina

no comments

April 27, 2013

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” – James 4:13-15

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. – I Thessalonians 5:4-6

Ive been thinking a lot about these verses lately. A few years ago, I memorized this portion of James, and lately have been trying to re-memorize it – so that could have something to do with it. But I was also giving some thought to the second passage as well.

Everyone it seems is constantly talking about the world ending. And quite frankly, it annoys me. Or scares me. Or scares and annoys me. Either way, I don’t like hearing about it, and don’t like talking about it. Maybe its because if I don’t think about it, don’t hear about it – it wont happen. Which isnt good logic, but all of that aside.

When I was younger, I used to think that as long as I had plans – everything would be ok. If I had plans for the day after tomorrow, I was guaranteed to live until the day after tomorrow – Because I had something planned. Obviously this was silly logic, and I think in a way I realized that it was, but still held onto it. The need for control I suppose.

Just yesterday as we walked along the streets of London, I was thinking about all that has been going on in the world lately Im pretty sure that the people have been injured in the recent happenings around the world, were not planning to get hurt that day. Most of them probably had plans for the following day, most of them probably had plans for the weekend. And yet none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Of course this isnt to say that planning is bad, its just to say that planning something doesn’t guarantee anything.

As we wandered under and over various bridges, I couldn’t help but ask myself – if something happened in THAT moment, surrounding by all those people, it was very possible that something could happen –would I be ok with it? The answer, of course, was frightening because my first thought was no. No, Im not ready! We have plans, so nothing can happen, of course. We still have to travel to Croatia! We still have to see more of the world! We still have bills to pay! People to see! Vain and selfish thoughts. Especially in light of everything.

I think I often take life for granted. I take advantage of the days I have been given, foolishly still assuming that if I have plans – everything will be ok. Even though I gave that thought up years ago, I wonder if somewhere it still is embedded deeply.

When the truth is – we are not guaranteed tomorrow. We arent even guaranteed today. Every minute, every day, every triumph, and every seemingly bad day is a gift that has been given to us.

It doesn’t matter if we have plans or not – we have been given a certain amount of time to live on this earth. Like it or not, our days are numbered.

I am guilty of getting mad. Oh I get mad. I get worked up over stupid silly things. Things like the weather. My mood often depends on my current candy situation. I am happy one minute, and mad the next because someone looked at me wrong. I get wrapped up in me, myself and I that I forget that there are others out there! Our lives are short, too short to spend complaining about the weather. Sure, we have to think about these things. But we don’t have to get hung up on the small insignificant details in our lives.

Really, when it comes on down to it, at the end of the day all that we have done is pointless unless it was done to bring some small insignificant amount of glory to God. Wandering around making vain plans because “I will then be guaranteed those days” is not the way to live. Instead I should be living for Him, and through Him, because I am not guaranteed any amount of time. Every day is a gift from God, and should be lived as that.