That’s me completed yet another Strava challenge, this time the “Alaska Airlines Miles on the Ground” challenge.
Please do check out my profile at www.strava.com/athletes/gsvalentine and better still follow me. Oh and do remember, if it’s not on Strava, it did not happen! FACT!!!!
Off the Tracks: Inside Central Station (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Sunday 17th May 2020)
Storm Hector causes havoc on the tracks, Sajid completes his last shift before he retires after 45 years in the station, and Beyonce and Jay Z are in town.
The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 19th May 2020)
Tim Dunn visits Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales, talks to the man who saved it from closure and tours the breathtaking stations of the Hungerbergbahn in Innsbruck.
Scotland’s Home of the Year (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 8:00pm to 8:30pm | Wednesday 20th May 2020)
On the islands of Orkney and Shetland, the judges visit a home inspired by Vikings, a converted ruined steading, and a maritime-themed fisherman’s cottage.
Billy and Us (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | 10:00pm to 10:30pm | Thursday 21st May 2020)
Billy Connolly shares his ideas on masculinity and talks frankly about how his time in the shipyards shaped him both as a man and as a comedian.
The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Friday 22nd May 2020)
Beginning in the mountaintop town of Creel, the Chihuahua Pacifico Express – or El Chepe for short – winds its way through the Tarahumara Mountains, home to the reclusive Raramuri people. Divisadero, Mexico’s most panoramic station, offers the first glimpse of Copper Canyon. Created by six separate yet conjoined gorges, it is four times the size of the Grand Canyon. The train continues on to the Urique Canyon, which at 6,200ft deep it is the deepest in North America. The final leg crosses the state of Sinaloa, Mexico’s breadbasket, before reaching Los Mochis and the gateway to the Pacific Ocean. Narrated by Bill Nighy.
Portillo’s Empire Journey (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 22nd May 2020)
Michael Portillo visits Jamaica, the Caribbean capital of the Empire, heading to Fort Charles where the Empire enlisted the help of pirates to defend the new territory from the Spanish. At the old naval headquarters, Michael learns how the Royal Navy moved in to replace the pirates as Britain struck a deal with Spain to keep her territories. The island needed a new source of wealth, and found it in the triangular trade as slaves were shipped from Africa to work sugar plantations. In Pinnacle, birthplace of the Rastafari movement, Michael learns how Jamaicans were later inspired to create a new religion.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.
Happy first birthday to LNER’s Azuma trains, which celebrate a full year, since being launched into passenger service.
Many more photos can be found at www.gordon-valentine.com/zenphoto/trains/class-800/
Below are the top five most looked at photos on this website during May 2020.
Number 1 (113 views) : Hunter inline skinsuit Team Britain 2018
Number 2 (42 views) : Castelli Body Paint 3.3 Speed Suit
Number 3 (35 views) : Hunter inline skinsuit Team Britain 2018
Number 4 (31 views) : Hunter inline skinsuit Team Britain 2018
Number 5 (27 views) : Hunter inline skinsuit Team Britain 2018
Think it’s time to give me with my current host! Been with them since 2003. But in the last number of weeks, my website has been going off-line at least 15+ times, a day for around 5 minutes at a time.
All they keep telling me to upgrade to WordPress Hosting plan. Which is no use to me at all, since I need access to more than one database! One to host the main part of this website, then another host Zenphoto, also need subdomains. So why would I pay more, but get less?!?!?
At least during this lockdown, I’ve got time to sort things like this out!
So here is list of the main things I need:-
Sure I have missed things, they are main ones!
P.S. My website went off-line at least 3 times, while just doing this blog post! That’s how bad it’s got!!
That’s me now done 60% of #walk1000miles. So 599.94 miles down and 400.06 miles left to go!
Keep up-to-date with all my cycling and walking adventures over at www.strava.com/athletes/gsvalentine
All going well, I will start doing new vlogs again from this Wednesday. Not done one since, 21st February… So about time, I fixed that!
What should you like me to talk about? Also what, should I wear for it?
So far on Twitter, people have posted the following:-
So pleased with myself, I did 103.2 miles of cycling last week. Making it the most miles, I’ve done this year in single week. But of course, that may sound great… But I’ve done 100 mile in single cycle before. So will only be extra happy, when I got closer to doing, 200 miles in single week!
At least one good thing, about not going back to work, till at least July (can see it, being much longer) and being told by the UK government, we can go out take unlimited outdoor exercise. I will not feel so bad about doing much longer cycles!
Here are some of my favourite cycling photos from last week.
Of course, many more photos can be found at www.gordon-valentine.com/zenphoto/me/2020/
Loving this map from VeloViewer which shows all the roads, I’ve cycled on so far during 2020! Over the coming days, weeks and months, will trying filling in even more of the squares!
Off the Tracks: Inside Central Station (BBC Scotland/HD & BBC iPlayer only | Sunday 10th May 2020)
Staff and passengers of Glasgow Central Station celebrate its 140th birthday with a special party on the concourse, while supervisor Allison helps rescue a young owl.
The Architecture The Railways Built (Yesterday | 8:00pm to 9:00pm | Tuesday 12th May 2020)
Tim Dunn goes behind the scenes at London’s King’s Cross station and finds out about the disused funicular railway hidden in the Avon Gorge in Bristol, blasted out of the cliff.
Paddington Station 24/7 (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Thursday 14th May 2020)
Documentary following 12 months of Paddington train station and the Western network, following the staff, engineers, drivers and signalers who keep the railway running. Cheltenham races sees thousands of extra passengers arrive – many of whom fancy an early morning tipple – while chaos ensues when a passenger chases a fraudster round the station, accusing him of selling her out-of-date football tickets. In Swindon, the control room staff hear that heavy rainfall might cause flooding and block the mainline to Cornwall – leaving them facing a big decision.
The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys (Channel 5/HD | 8:00pm to 9:00pm| Friday 15th May 2020)
A 500-mile journey across South Africa in a luxury hotel train, which travels between Pretoria and Durban on the coast over the course of three days. The first stop along the way is Nambiti Private Game Reserve, home to rhinos and elephants, before moving on to the country’s most famous battlefields and the Drakensberg Mountains. Passengers have a chance to explore the ancient art of the San people and visit a vineyard that produces some of South Africa’s finest wines. Narrated by Bill Nighy.
Portillo’s Empire Journey (Channel 5/HD | 9:00pm to 10:00pm | Friday 15th May 2020)
Michael Portillo tells the story of how a small island on the edge of Europe built the biggest empire the world has ever seen. In the first episode, Michael travels to India to uncover how the British East India Company – the world’s first multinational corporation – raised a private army to create an empire. Beginning his journey in the slums of Kolkata, he explores the ruins of the grand residence of Clive of India, who became the undisputed ruler of Bengal – amassing a vast personal fortune and making millions for shareholders in Britain.
All TV guide information taken from DigiGuide — www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=15119.