A Big Hand For The Band

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Why A Big Hand For The Band? – well it has 2 meanings for me. I’ve been a Van Morrison fan for over 30 years and he always signs off a gig by saying this to his audience but it also means something completely different as well. We don’t do anything in isolation, I work with other people, my family support me in many ways, Helena helps with my training, emotional support, nutrition, I love riding with Keith, Daryl helps me with coaching, I have a great board for Legs for Literacy and on and on. So this is my way of saying thank you – A Big Hand For The Band!

First outside ride in over 4 months always feels a bit strange for the first few km’s and then it feels as if you were never off the bike. Lovely to feel a bit of heat and wind in your face, months of trainer rides are behind me for a few weeks. Keith did a grand job of tuning my bike up with new cassettes, new chain and new to me wheels. Lets see how the legs go now – 53k easy spin today and a bit harder and longer tomorrow.

Side Note – first ride using my new Garmin Edge 1050. Best feature is the bell – double tap any screen while riding and the bell rings – brilliant.

Wednesday 12 March 26

Fort la Tour Park Run Saint John -Sat 08 February 2026

First big event of 2026

  • Heading back to Spain for another attempt at the Millars Fondo. 157 hilly km’s on March 22 with 2200m of elevation. Nervous to even attempt this with only a winter of indoor riding on Rouvy for training but at least we get a new cycling jersey with our name on it.

Wednesday 04 February

Chron’s Disease

After 8 months or so of constant stomach cramps and a variety of tests along the way I was finally diagnosed with Crohns’. It was actually kind of a relief to be diagnosed as the not knowing was almost worse than than the pain itself. Anyone who has Chron’s will know that the pain is debilitating.

After a wide range of tests including a CT Scan, appointment with a Naturapath, doctor consult, followed by a colonoscopy I am now on a 6 week course of Prednisone to alleviate the symptoms plus my SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) diagnosis from my Naturopath which involved a Breath Test followed by a 2 week course of the “Tincture of Death”. For now the prednisone is definitely helping and I am following a pretty strict diet of Gluten Free foods plus limiting lactose, wheat and sucrose which includes peeling the skins off apples & no beer (luckily there is no what in Guinness!

Tincture of Death tasted even worse than the label suggested it would. Probably the most vile thing I have ever drunk so it must be good – right!

We had our little Kia Soul re-wrapped over the winter and did a quick AI cartoon image – turned out pretty cool I think.

Sunday 18 January

Wildcat Mascot Game

Ollie, the Legs for Literacy mascot had great fun hanging out at the Moncton Wildcats Game recently as part of their Mascot game.

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