Additionally, the non-car borne shoppers visited several shops on each trip, and went shopping more frequently, so it could be argued that they are more frequently exposed to impulse buys.

There’s more about how this and how cyclists make better shoppers on Copenhagenize.com – the Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog.

We do all our shopping by bike – it’s surprising what you can fit into panniers.

So that only leaves the problem of what to do with the next printer that dies. The local tip is not a pleasant place to cycle to, what with the tricky roundabout to negotiate, drivers using the busy Tesco entrance/exit and Shell exit dashing into gaps in traffic without noticing bikes, and then the narrow entrance to the tip and the general scrum there.

The answer is to buy a better quality printer – we’ve done that, but’ve still got a dying one to deal with soon. Better start looking for another retailer that might take it back.

Frustratingly, Virgin and Cross Country trains whizz up and down the line all day, but even when these services did stop here regularly, it was never on Sundays, for some mysterious reason.

Northern refuse to improve the situation – stating their problem being reliable staffing, as Sunday working is voluntary.   So I’ve just asked Cross Country if they could consider stopping in Congleton on Sundays. They replied that the request would be passed on to the timetable planners.  Unfortunately, it’s the government and not the train operators that dictate timetables, and ‘timetable planners’ seem to be anonymous office workers, so it’s difficult to pinpoint who to pressurise.  East Cheshire Line Rail Users’ Group (ECLRUG) is good at doing this, but it takes a long time to change things (10 years, in fact, to reinstate our hourly service on weekdays).

Northern always talks about no demand.  But have you ever been asked what train service you’d like?   No.   And have you ever asked the train operators or the government for more trains?

If you want to help put on the pressure for a proper train service on Sundays, you could join ECLRUG and also email or write to Cross Country (find their email address here). If we don’t ask, we’ll never get.  If we do ask, and keep asking, we just might get.  One day.  Preferably Sunday(s).

I’d forgotten that my 3-layer approach to fending of frostbite in the fens (outside lifting carrots and in sheds sorting spuds) included work gloves over washing up gloves over Damart thermal gloves.

Next time I venture out on the bike I think I’ll try thermal gloves plus washing up gloves plus Buffalo mitts for extra warmth and to stop teenagers pointing at me any more than they already do.

Weight forward.
Short steps.
Sole down first, not heel.
Shuffle forward.
Repeat and scuttle.

You can really move quite quickly and confidently like this.   Just watch how young children get around on the snow and ice and you’ll get the idea.

It goes without saying (I hope) to wear flat footwear with a reasonable tread, and that slopes are trickier. Walk sideways up and down these so if you slip you won’t fall back or forwards with a crash. And no hands in pockets – get some decent gloves! – otherwise you land on your elbow (ouch) or face.

If you’re still not confident, there are lots of grippy thingies to put over normal shoes, but we’ve never tried them.   I wonder if they clog up with snow and then don’t work? And do they slip once you’re on paving slabs? I have got some heel crampons for my winter walking boots (for when full crampons are over the top) but find that I can never tighten the strap enough so at some stage they always dislodge. (I now wish I’d bought the instep style instead, but never seen these on sale since.) So I’m a bit doubtful about the usefulness of those overshoe grips that only fit with one strap over the toe or the heel. Guessing the instep style is the way to go, or the full shoe style.

Have decided to stay on foot for now – although the black ice might have us over before long.

Have never solved the cold toes problem, nor the cold thumbs. Doesn’t matter how thick or thermal the socks are. Even those neoprene over-shoe bootee things only work for a while, so the toes end up froze.
Thumbs are a similar problem – whatever mitts I wear (gloves are a no-no), they still get cold. Buffalo fibre-pile over Damart thermals seem to be the best for fingers, but not for thumbs – always end up numb. Is it because of rapid-fire gear change levers?

Anyone got the answer? Please? (Moving somewhere warmer does not count.)

You’ll find our older posts at this address:

http://scaresbrooks.blogspot.com/