I experienced a number of technology fails on the weekend.

I admit I was secretly hoping a GPS track of one of my rides might somehow turn into a really interesting shape, like maybe a giant rabbit. This, however, is not what I had in mind. My GPS tracker made these maps during my last few days in Hull. Although we were together, it seems that we have very different memories of shared events. While I went on lovely long rides across the city and over the bridge, it seems my GPS device just went up and down the same streets a few times.

Sadly, it appears my much prized Go Pro camera is no longer working. I am hoping this is but a temporary blip in what has otherwise been delightful relationship. It stopped working during a ride on Friday and has since frozen during setup. I was kind of expecting this of my handheld snappy camera as it has taken some spectacular spills from the bike, while the Go Pro has been securely strapped to my handlebars. I am hoping it just needs a break as I have been working it pretty hard. It took over 1000 photos during some rides.

On Saturday night after a lovely leisurely ride with Larks and Owls, I joined some of the riders for a drink at a local which turned into a bit of dancing. Happily, I wasn’t alone in being caught on the dance floor in a frock and cycle shoes. While this seemed destined to be a fail, surprisingly I discovered they work pretty well. Cycle shoes on the dance floor – FTW.

Finally, a technology fail of epic proportions. I arrived home late on Saturday night to discover my key would not unlock my front door. I could access the hall but not my actual flat. The lock which until this point (over a month I have spent in Hull) had exhibited no such curmudgeonly tendencies suddenly, completely and inexplicably barred access to my shower, bed, change of clothes, supper…..etc. So, I slept in the hall. Well, I kind of slept in the hall. As a cyclist I feel fairly well prepared for many things – from temperamental weather to bike problems to anything that requires a few tools or perhaps the creative use of an inner tube or cable tie. But, sadly these did little for a jammed lock or impromptu bedding. The motion sensor hall light added a particularly special touch to this spontaneous camping experience.

I notice that many of my time-lapse sequences are of tracks away from car traffic and as a result is not totally representative of my cycling experience in Hull. Although I am doing many longer rides that take me out of the city, I frequently criss-cross the main urban centre to get to interviews.

Here is a time-lapse sequence from my cycle across town yesterday. I took photos every 2 seconds at 13.00 and again at 14.30.

City Cycling: 25th June 2010 from Kat Jungnickel on Vimeo.

Music is “Biskopsgården Night Life” by Glenny 417. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

Today I spent time at Costello Stadium with a group that provides opportunities for disabled people to experience cycling with their family and friends. I not only witnessed people thoroughly enjoying themselves but I took the chance to join in. I circled the park many times on a very sweet red tricycle with a basket on the back.

The group have a collection of bicycles that are easy to ride for people with different forms of mobility. Clients and carers told me not only how much fun it is but how the activity builds confidence, new skills and fitness levels. The smiles, laughter and shrieks of joy made it very clear how much cycling is enjoyed by everyone.

I then cycled from the stadium to Beverley Road where I interviewed a key member of the Beech Holme Tandem Club. Although, Rachel and I have been regular participants in the weekly tandem rides and we held a focus group with four backriders earlier this week, I thought it would be valuable to have even more focused time with an experienced backrider. And it was great. Talking about cycling is not always easy for people. But in some cases, such as this, it was filled with fabulous stories and rich history of the area.

This map kind of shows my movements today – however it only captures half the trip. Double it and add speed for a better representation – my goodbyes at the stadium took longer than expected and I had to race back into town for my next appointment. Like yesterday, the weather was perfect which meant I was kind of warm when I arrived.

A few weekend’s ago (13.6.10), I cycled from Hull to Hornsea along the Trans Pennine trail with volunteer Sustrans Rangers. It was threatening to rain in the morning but it held out for the duration of the ride. We shared the trail with walkers (some with dogs), cyclists, an occasional runner, a few horses (with riders) and a mobility scooter. Everyone was riding a mountain or hybrid bike, except me. I was on my skinny tyred road bike. I coped pretty well as the trail is well surfaced for the most of the way. There was only a short length of gravel where I had to slow down and really concentrate to stop from wiping out.

We stopped along the way at an Open Farm to eat cakes and admire the vegie garden and free range chooks. We stopped at other times for rangers to kindly fix a cyclist’s loose seat and to clear debris from the path. We arrived at Hornsea in time for lunch and collectively consumed a mix of sandwiches, tea, chips, pasties and Tunnock’s snowballs at the cafe on the edge of the Mere. Ok, I was the only one to eat a Snowball.

Hull to Hornsea with Sustrans Rangers from Kat Jungnickel on Vimeo.

Muisc is “Computer” by State Shirt and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License.

I went out again with the Beech Holme Tandem Club on Wednesday night (23.6.10). This time there were five tandems. We cycled from Beverley Road to North Newbald, via Skidby and Little Weighton. It was about a 30mile ride and we stopped at The Tiger Inn for refreshments. Topographically it was quite different to anything I had done with them before. This time there were hills. Tackling hills on a tandem is technically and physically hard work. Everyone was putting in a lot of effort. It was a gorgeous summer evening which meant that it was pretty warm work as well. And oh my, do they go fast on the downhills.

I chose to ride my road bike this week as I’ve found that when I pilot a tandem, I can think of nothing but piloting the tandem. It makes me completely re-think how I cycle, which is terrific for fieldnotes. But, this time I wanted to capture the broader experience of cycling with the group. As a single rider I could get closer to tandems, talk more with riders and think about the landscape we were traversing – all of which is more than possible for an experienced front rider but not me (yet).

Photos were captured every 5 seconds using a Go Pro camera attached to my handlebars. I used over 1000 images in this time-lapse sequence.

Music is “Ambient-M (2003)” by Antony Raijekov. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 2.5 Bulgaria License.

Beverley Road to North Newbald with the Tandem Club from Kat Jungnickel on Vimeo.

I blogged earlier about Tenfoots and Courts. Here is a little montage of pictures from the courts running off Ella Street, in West Hull. Ella Street became a Conservation Area in 1994.

Ella Street’s series of “squares” and “avenues” give it a distinctive layout, based on the traditional court pattern but with particularly large amounts of garden and green space. There is a little network of paths and tenfoots linking the courts and avenues, with the paths leading to houses having a “cottage” character. Some of the paved communal areas, used as parking in other nearby roads, have been reclaimed for plants and people with tubs and trees providing communal space in which neighbours can socialise.

Ella Street is also the home of Ellafest, a street festival running every two years.

Yesterday I cycled from Princes Quay to Bransholme and used the Foredyke Route, a quiet leafy and relatively smooth off road cycle path, for most of my journey. I have been on this track many times over the last few weeks, but usually I jump in and out of it as I criss-cross the city for interviews, rides and meetings. It is used by cyclists and walkers, many with dogs and in my experience, everyone is fairly considerate of other track users. Cyclists approach walkers slowly and walkers, if they are in the way, swiftly move to one side. Likewise, dog walkers rein in their pooches or direct them out of the way of danger. Much like a country town, people on the track tend to say hello to one another or wave.

I attached a handlebar camera and took a photo every five seconds. The blurry shots are the result of the camera bumping on the handlebars when the bike hit uneven ground. They represent the texture of the track. The images also provide glimpses of my wayfinding tools. Not knowing exactly where to exit via sight alone, I regularly checked my map and, at points, cycled with it in my right hand. When I was sure I had overshot my exit I referenced my location by GPS on my phone. Those very familiar with the track might also notice a few backtracks when I missed a point.

Music is Cool Aberrations by General Fuzz – licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Princes Quay to Bransholme from Kat Jungnickel on Vimeo.