Silverback Bikes been in touch.

A couple of weeks ago I got a message from Temarah Galant, who's is one of Silverback Bikes brand and marketing + communications personnel.

Temarah went on to ask could I recall about 3 years ago, I had done an article as an ambassador for Silverback Bikes, going on to inform me that the piece had resonated within the cycling community, and it continued to inspire people.

Very kind words, truth be known I struggle to accept positive feedback, as for me, all I am doing is getting on with life and trying to make the best of some unfortunate circumstances.

Anyhoo Temarah asked would I be up for taking part in another feature, this time a sort of VLOG. Silverback Bikes have always been supportive of me so it's nice to offer something in return.

Temarah sent across around 16 questions and asked could I record myself answering them.

Now whilst I don't mind riding my bike and doing a video, I hate doing the close up talky interview bits. I consider myself not be at all photogenic, and just don't like seeing myself on camera. I can never get my words out LoL, and upon watching myself back, tend to pick out every last detail of what I don't like about myself...Hey we can't all be perfect I guess.

I had been waiting for the weather, to try and get a decent day for the video, it's now winter, who was I kidding, and as Temarah had kindly asked " do you think you can have it done by the 13th", I decided to head out on Thursday.

Questions and answers prepared after giving my responses some thought. I gathered my bikey bits n bobs, including my Silverback Synergy Fat Bike. My dad Ern who has just turned 83 on the 4th November offered to tag along. This would be handy as he could help me setup and read the questions, so that I could respond to them.

But hold on, we didn't get away immediately, firstly we couldn't find our small tripod, then after  about half an hour of searching including in our loft we discovered it in our wee shed.

I told Ern "I'll ride over to the field where we used to take wor Baxter, and you can meet me there". Just as I went to set off on my bike my Bartlett Tendon Knee locked up..."Aww man".

So Ern and I decide to just pop my bike in the back of Erns mobile skip, that's what I call his car, and we headed off to do the interview. 

When we arrived at the field, at the back of Langley View, the noise from the traffic on the bypass was just too loud. So I suggested Beamish Woods, down by Eden Place. We then walked back to the car, reloaded my bike, and headed over to Beamish.

Once at Beamish we unloaded the car and set off, me pushing my bike as obviously I couldn't ride it.We  through the woods going down some steep bank sides, were there was a sort of trail, which was covered by beautifully coloured leaves all various golden colours and hues of browns until we found a suitable spot, where a fallen tree made a good spot to have a sit on and carryout the interview.

Now to the interview. I had decided to use my GoPro, hoping the onboard mic would be okay. Man doing the interview was harder than I thought. I just couldn't remember what I had written to each question, so had to ad-lib quite a lot. I got tongue tied, swore a canny bit when I didn't get what I wanted to say out and tried to not use " Mmm's & Err's".

Eventually I managed to get all 16 questions answered, wish I could have remembered exactly what I had written to each question, as it would have sounded a lot better I think it would look a bit daft sitting on a log reading out answers whilst also wearing my gigs.

A hike back to Erns car, I sometimes forget he is getting on in years. I mean there he was helping me push my bike up the steep side of a bank side with no complaints. I love spending time with my dad, although it is very frustrating at times as he is so hard of hearing these days, and his goto response is " What?".

Upon getting home and warmed through. With an inspection of my Bartlett Tendon it soon became apparent that a circlip had come off one of the pins in the knee. The pin had then gotten bent and  it was this stopping the knee bending as it was catching the knee frame. Ern got to work on my knee as I went up to my room to download the footage we had just shot.

Upon checking the footage I was gutted to find my first interview question and answer missing, where the hell it had gone I'll never know. I did a small amount of editing, using Wondershare Filmora, using my new Mac Pro. I'm still trying to get to grips with the Apple Mac. Obviously I had to edit out all the sweary bits LoL. I didn't think it was appropriate to have " Aww Bollocks and Fecking Hell Man" included in an interview.

That done I sent the files to Temarah, so along with some of my videos I already have on YouTube I think Silverback Bikes should be able to make a decent VLOG.

Whilst we were down the woods it looked so pretty, what with all the fallen leaves, as mentioned, and with all the rainfall of late, there were pools of water, that had formed like little ponds. I decided I would return on my bike on Friday and have a little ride and play about, maybe shoot a video.

Silverback Synergy Fat Bike 

Sometimes I just love being by myself, in my own little world doing my own thing, with no stresses and worries, playing around like a big kid. The woods were pretty soaked. It's funny the things that bring joy, for me it's riding through dry leaves and the sound as they crunch under my tyres, or on a cold winters day and again the sound of crunching ice as I ride over a frozen puddle. In the cold weather the feel of the fresh air as it burns your lungs and lets you know you are alive.

Friday morning, my dropper seat post won't pop up and for some reason as I set off on my Silverback Fat Bike the gears are all out of sink. I fiddled with the gear cable and managed to get a little better gear selection, then headed up the farmers trail, which would lead me to No Place, yes it's an actual name of a place, I then drop down to Beamish and the woods.

I began shooting footage, not really riding any particular trail, actually I tried to stay out of the dense wooded area, as I knew my GoPro wouldn't do well in the dark light.

  

It's hard work riding then having to come back for the camera, so each small movie I shoot although I have loads of footage, it's mainly going to and fro to start and stop the camera, then move it a little and place it for the next shot. There was some lovely lens flares to be had. I just figured out why the woods looked so dark...what a plonker I had my Oakley sunglasses on, which I think are way too dark in there lens. I think I'll keep these ones for the car and invest in a new pair with lighter lenses. They are just so expensive, as I'm practically blind without gigs I have to get prescription vary-focals...mega bucks.

I did pretty well yesterday I only slipped once in the thick mud, pity I didn't catch that on camera as it was hilarious, trying to catch myself with one leg that knows what it's supposed to be doing and a prosthetic one that I can't feel where it's placed and having a mind of its own, then doing the wild thing trying to keep my balance. Ultimately I didn't and fell in the mud. I also washed out on a particularly muddy bend, luckily just before a rock garden, with some pretty nasty looking sharp rocks.

After filming what `I thought was enough for a 5 minute video...How wrong was I LoL, I was beginning to get tired, man I miss my eBike. Don't get me wrong I love the Fat Bike, but that assistance to get home would have been nice.

As I was coming up the C2C I was just about to turn up towards Iceland and the steep bank to get me from the C2C to the carpark at Iceland, when "Snap" my inside tendon and cam went slack. As I checked my knee I discovered that the stud that holds the inside cam had sheared. "Damnit", this has now happened a few times. I had to take my leg off , sit on the wet ground and remove both cams and tendons completely, then pop the parts in my bag, followed by getting back up, dropping my shorts, whilst hopping about, and try and reattach my leg.

I then goy back on my bike and I was proper proud that I managed to climb the steep bank without getting off and then ride home through Mordor, also known as Stanley, then down and back to home.

My dad was in our back yard helping to mend my daughter's, partners car and my grand daughter Francesca was outside with her daddy. She looked a little cold, so after I washed my bike, she ended up coming inside and I guess I got roped into baby sitting. Francesca's 3 years old. I'm a bit out of practice with kids, in fact never really been good with them, give me a dog any day LoL. That said wor Francesca is a canny cute bairn and she was really well behaved, and it was nice to spend some time with her.

We watched TV, played pat a cake, listened to music and danced, drew pictures and coloured in and practiced counting, to the nursery Rhyme 1,2,3,4,5 Once I caught a Fish alive, Oh! and Francesca even had a go strumming on my guitar. She was fascinated by my prosthetic leg, especially my plastic foot with blue painted toe nails, however she now wants them painted her favourite colour red.

After Francesca had gone home with her dad I was able to have a shower, as I was filthy not having had a chance to get washed before baby sitting.

I then set about creating a short movie and searching for  appropriate free music to accompany the feel and flow of the video. Hope you like it.

Done the end