SEPTEMBER

Monday 1st September 2025

Only about five hours sleep. Full Cumbrian breakfast around seven. I made some sandwiches and grabbed a muffin as well. I was on the bike and leaving Penrith by half past eight. Dry morning. Hartside Pass was okay. But I got soaked on the descent into Garrigill. Chilly for around three hours. I thought it best to do the full mileage in two days, rather than three. Nenthead was a bit flooded. Glasses blurred, sweat in my eyes. Weather faired up a bit later for the final stretch from Consett to Sunderland. Pleased to complete the C2C from Whitehaven to Roker. Had a smashburger for supper. Got a metro to Gateshead. Too tired to write. Fell asleep with the pen in my hand. 11.47pm.

Tuesday 2nd September 2025

Me and Jen had a lazy morning then I went out for supplies. Tuna and chilli beans for dinner. Lots of comments on my post about the bike ride. We went to South Shields for Rowan McCabe's ‘Hard Knocks’ show tonight. He did about eight or nine poems with long intros and stories. His book The Door to Door Poet was there but we are waiting till the official launch next week to buy ours. Rowan did stuff from recent gigs plus bits from his door-to-door poetry exploits. The metro rides were good. I am still tired after the C2C. I thought I'd be wrecked for a week, but hopefully okay by Friday. I need to prep my Washington workshop and submit three short pieces for the Bristol Flash Fiction Festival anthology. I need to book two more guests for next Poetry Jam. It's almost bedtime. 10.46pm.


Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Content is good to go for first four Washington workshops. Got my little C2C album on Facebook. A couple of flukey good shots but mostly just pics of my 19-year-old Rockhopper bike leaning against fences. Deadline for flash anthology has been extended to 14th September. I had a beef steak with chilli beans and mushrooms this evening. I'm low on Cherry Active juice. More on order but won't arrive till Sunday. 11.24pm.

Thursday 4th September 2025

Keyed in notes, did some edits. Set up Waddy for Poetry Jam. Small in numbers, big on enthusiasm. Great to see Andy Willoughby read. Great to see Jenni. She read a poem about me doing C2C and one about photographs. Ian Hart read some serious and funny stuff and ended with Parrot Noise. Christine Fowler's poems were mostly short: some light, some really dark ones about graveyards, blackheads and other stuff. Tom Kelly was on form. I loved the ‘Chuck Berry and Me’ poems. He did a William Jopling poem, then Geordie, and two shipbuilding monologues. It's good to hear work for second or third time. I ate more chicken tonight and prepped my sandwiches for Washington. 11.42pm.

Friday 5th September 2025

Up early to do morning pages then get ready for Washington. Finish the sentence, Tricube poems, Exquisite Corpse… Thanks to Alwyn for chat and lift to Metro Centre. Worked on August blog then out around 9 o'clock to catch the bus to Gateshead. Jenni is away, but I'm staying at her place because I need to be up early to take part in two fiction workshops at the Word WRITE Festival in South Shields. I've had three tins of tuna with a tin of barbecue beans and now struggling to stay awake.11.49pm.

Saturday 6th September 2025

Chatted online with Jenni at breakfast time. Public transport to South Shields okay. CG Hatton’s ‘standout fiction’ workshop was very impressive. This afternoon’s flash fiction session was an overview of the genre then an opportunity to write a short story for an anthology to be published within a week. I've done my first draft. Ate lots of chicken, did a bit of decluttering tonight and washing up for Jenni. OK. 10.32pm.


Sunday 7th September 2025

Wrote another draft of my little flash fiction from WRITE Festival. Went out to buy food. Me and Jenni watched the new Sheridan Smith drama ‘I Fought the Law’. Very powerful. Ate lots of chicken sandwiches today. OK.10.39pm.

Monday 8th September 2025

Front wheel hub of the Rockhopper started rattling like pebbles in a tin can near Beamish this morning; probably all the rain has flushed out the grease. I'll take it to Shaun at Bits4Bikes in due course. This afternoon I made a preliminary selection of poems for my 19th September gig at For Better Or Verse. I'm including quite a few from September Scrapbook. I'll use a slam sequence and some greatest hits, plus one or two new poems. 10.28pm.


Tuesday 9th September 2025

Got through a lot of work prep but still behind on my personal copy-ups. This evening, I went out on the Sonder Frontier bike for the first offroad ride since before the C2C. Took me a while to get used to the more laid-back head angle, but the bigger wheels and wider tyres were very welcome after hitting potholes on the Rockhopper last week. No new ground covered, no new manoeuvres, but an enjoyable hour. Later, I did a couple of read throughs of my For Better or Verse feature set which comes in around 26 minutes. I can shorten if necessary, without ruining the flow. I submitted three flash fiction stories to the Bristol anthology today. Planned the first session for a new term at Waddy. 11.35pm.

Wednesday 10th September 2025

In town quite early this morning for supplies. I seem to spend a lot of time in supermarkets and I'm eating chicken most days of the week. I made a print-out for next week’s gig set at For Better or Verse in Blackhill hosted by Steve and Melanie Wood. Delighted that Mr Wood says it’s okay to do about half an hour of material. I listened to the new Suede album Antidepressants tonight. Title track plus Disintegrate and June Rain my current favourites. I'll need to listen to their recent albums a lot between now and February before I attempt to see them in York. 10.42pm.


Thursday 11th September 2025

Packed up too much stuff for Morecambe then bus to Consett was late so it took over two hours to reach Jen’s place. It only took two and a half hours from Newcastle to Morecambe; all the train connections were perfect. Me and Jen bought food in Poundland and unpacked at The Shipping Lanes hotel. Tony Gadd is staying in the room below ours. Good to see him. We all got soaked on our way to the first part of the Poetry Festival. I can't remember any performers names and very little of what I heard but they were good. The second half of the first night at The King's Arms didn’t resonate so much with me. I kept nodding off. I'm loaded with cold. Meds wearing off by 10 o'clock, I just wanted to be back in the hotel. Jenni is still out. I think this might be my last year at the festival. I’m keen to get to bed. OK.11.45pm.


Friday 12th September 2025

Still have the snotty beak this morning. Breakfast was good: cornflakes, egg and bacon muffin, strawberry yogurt with added strawberries and blueberries, apple juice, orange juice and a banana. Jen took me to Carnforth train station where the film Brief Encounter was filmed 80 years ago; the museum has it playing on a loop in a mini cinema. We went to a local bookshop that had an early copy of The Wide Skirt poetry magazine. We caught a train back to Morecambe. I bought two quick-dry t-shirts in a charity shop and a Kevin Brooks novel. Chicken based bargains in Poundland. Unfortunately, I had a bit of a panic/blowout/hissy fit in a restaurant then a grumpy night at the festival. Only Luke Wright had enough impact to keep me awake. It fucking pissed down again. At least the sniffles seemed to be on the wane. OK. 11.55pm.

Saturday 13th September 2025

Enjoyed seeing and hearing Robin Ince do a lunchtime hour-long set at Morecambe Poetry Festival today. Other highlights were Claire Pollard’s poems about neglected female poets, and a gothic set from Jessica Traynor who signed a copy of her ‘New Arcana’ collection. Tonight, in The Winter Gardens we saw an hour from Henry Normal followed by Nigel Planer. We were a bit tired afterwards so came back to the hotel early. OK. 11.25pm.

Sunday 14th September 2025

The Morecambe Poetry Festival was ace today. I really enjoyed John Osborne, Louise Fazackerly, The Hovis Presley Tribute, Andy Bennett, Steph Dogfoot, Beth Hartley, Roland Crowland, Claire Ferguson Walker and Michael Rosen. Me and Jenni had burger and chips from a street vendor, and sandwiches from Poundland. We're currently at The Kings Arms where Jackie Hagan’s Manky Mates are about to take to the stage. OK. 10.55pm.


Monday 15th September 2025

We got back to the hotel around half one this morning. The finale of the festival at The Kings Arms was great, particularly Thick Richard and Matt Pannesh. We had our final big breakfast around nine o'clock this morning. The weather was bad for most of the weekend. The Pier Bookshop was closed today because it was too windy. Train connections weren't as good as Thursday, so the journey was about fifty minutes longer. Jenni booked us a mega dinner delivery for our return to Bensham. We watched Corrie and some episodes of Mitchell and Web Are Not Helping. OK. 10.14pm.


Tuesday 16th September 2025

First day back at Waddy. I did nothing new at all: absurd words, journal well-being, assessment questionnaire, then beginning sentences of stories. A bit of photocopying then bus to Jen’s. I’ve read most of Supermarket Love Story by John Osborne. Particularly enjoyed the Tannoy voice of closing time monologue and the cleanup in aisle six stuff. Ate chicken thins for tea and a little chocolate cake. Then out to Byker for Rowan McCabe’s book launch at The Cluny 2. Enjoyed Cooper Robson and Jess Johnson and of course Rowan. About eighty people there. Pleased he sold a canny whack of books. He was on top form. It was much the same as I saw him in South Shields but with a stock car racing section. Me, Jenni and Marie walked into town. This entry is a bit late. OK. 12.43am.


Wednesday 17th September 2025

Had another run through the gig set. It comes in around 25 minutes. I hope it's okay. The newest piece was written last year and the oldest 33 years ago. I hope it works. This evening, I rode the Frontier bike on slightly messy trails but still had a good time. I read the rest of Supermarket Love Story by John Osborne. I like his everyday observations and anything-can-be-poetry approach. I still have a runny nose and now a cold sore. OK.10.55pm.


Thursday 18th September 2025

Did the publicity for next month's Poetry Jam and posts for two workshops. Printed five copies of September Scrapbook and ten copies of Letting the Minimalism Slip. I only intended to do a few of each, but the laser printer was behaving itself and the paper didn’t scuff up. I only assembled a couple. Jenni ordered copies of Flash Mob, the WRITE Festival anthology of tiny stories edited by CG Hatton. I like the black and burgundy cover. I even like my story. Me and Jenni went to see a play called Yen at Alphabetti Theatre. Really strong acting from two lads. Molly from old Coronation Street played their mother. We had a drink in Station East and a Ginsters Moroccan vegetable pasty from Tesco. I'm up late on a school night. OK. 11.42pm.


Friday 19th September 2025

Sick to fucking bits of this bastard snotty nose. Over a week now. Bus to Washington was a furnace. Then I got on the Heworth bus instead of Houghton-le-Spring by mistake. The workshop was canny. Eight writers joined me for absurd words, journal wellbeing prompts and capturing the ephemeral plus responses to published poems. Big thanks to Alwyn for the chat and lift to Metro Centre. I had beans and tuna for tea. Jenni went to Sunderland for Stage Fright, and I went to Consett for the spoken word night For Better or Verse. Pleased to see Jonjo and his wife Kate there. Steve Wood put me on in the first half so they could catch my full set before they had to leave. I did about half an hour. Enjoyed it. After the break, Lorraine Weightman did her overheard conversation poems and a few favourites. I left as soon as she finished to get a 45 bus to Newcastle. It pissed down. Got a metro to Gateshead and bought supplies in Tesco. Then hopped on the 49A Winlaton bus that dropped me off just behind the Cafe under the Spire opposite Jen’s place. My nose has started running badly again. 11.38pm.


Saturday 20th September 2025

Grand day out at the Word WRITE festival in South Shields today for The Word is Murder presented by Vic Watson. The authors were Steph McGovern, Fiona Cummins, CM Ewan, John Sutherland, Vaseem Khan, Emma Flint and MJ Arlidge. It was good to listen to all seven talk about the crime novel. Tonight, I read a bit of Steph's debut ‘Dead Line’ and ordered CM Ewan's ‘Strangers in the Car’ online from Consett Library. OK. 10.17pm.


Sunday 21st September 2025

Visited Heaton Rail Centre with Jenni, Hillary and John. Saw some vintage trains. Jenni bought lots of badges and other souvenirs. Back in the attic, I ate lots of chicken. On the bus home, I started reading the first short story in Stephen King’s new collection You Like it Darker. It's not dark and it's not short – over two hours and still unfinished. Left a notebook at Jen’s. 10.21pm.


Monday 22nd September 2025

Pretty shitty day. I'm struggling to move forward with college paperwork. I think I've reached the end of the line. I’m fine with giving people some basic workshop exercises. I'm not good at prescribed schemes of work and assessments. I don't know how to assess anyone's anything. I think I'm done with college stuff. I'll see how I feel in a couple of days, but I just can't get my head around the new paperwork. I can't switch off my agitation. Even went out on the bike up on the waste ground but couldn’t ride properly. I don't know how I'm going to replace the money I'll lose if I can't do the college work, but I don't want to make myself ill, getting stressed every week. It took me years to get comfortable with the old format. I'm not a fucking teacher. I'm done. 9:23pm.


Tuesday 23rd September 2025

Told staff at Waddy how I feel about college paperwork. Unfortunately, I didn't get to speak with the manager and was advised by Steve Wakefield to wait a couple of days, to get a meeting with the college before making a final decision. The workshop this afternoon went well: warm up was a five-minute freewrite from anthology poem titles, then noun diary entries, drawing on childhood for inspiration, a revisit of story opening lines followed by a full reading of The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World by Gabriela Garcia Marquez. A bit of magic realism with discussion then unexpected starts to stories, ‘in media res’ to finish. I read Thank You Kindly Mr Patten and explained how it came about. This evening, I bought food then started sifting through material for my next poetry collection. Trying to top ‘Letting the Minimalism Slip’ will be difficult. And I've knacked my left shoulder. 11.32pm.


Wednesday 24th September 2025

I took the Rockhopper to Shaun at Bits4Bikes this morning. Surprisingly the hub stopped rattling on the way there. I still reckon it’s fucked. Got some DVDs and an eighties edition fine condition paperback Cujo by Stephen King in a charity shop and a ticket for Emma Kenny’s ‘Killer Couples’ show at Consett Empire. This afternoon was mostly copy-ups for logbooks and a letter to the Waddy manager about college paperwork. More copy-ups tonight and my right hand is now aching. 9.55pm.


Thursday 25th September 2025

Spent a fair bit of time copying up worklog and gratitude journal. I've read some flash fiction, some poems, and a Stephen King story. Also, some early Henry Rollins work from his 1990 book BANG! His pieces were more powerful and engaging than anything else I've read today, but he's never written much like that since about 1998. Tonight, I listened to a load of Adam and the Ants songs. I prefer the early stuff: pre ‘Kings…’ and B-sides. Spotify played Gary Numan, Echo and the Bunnymen, Soft Cell, Sparks, amongst others. Jenni messaged from London: “Is Steve having a good time?” I've got cold sores and a runny scabby nose and a dodgy work situation. I made more book samples for Joan Johnston. Bed soon. 9.55pm.


Friday 26th September 2025

Good time down by the river on my Sonder Frontier bike. Trails were dry and I managed to repair the step-up behind a fallen tree with rocks and more soil dug from a bankside using my little garden fork and trowel. I can now ride that section, no feet down. Took the bike under the bridge at Shotley and rode a couple of rocky sections as well. This evening, I watched bits and pieces of trial riding and music videos.11.58pm.


Saturday 27th September 2025

Fruity porridge breakfast and a bus ride up to Consett. The Panasonic CD double cassette deck going for 20 quid in a charity shop has gone. The final cans of Heinz chilli beans in Barry's Bargain Superstore have gone. Lesson learnt: sometimes it’s wise to impulse buy before someone else does… Fell asleep on the X70 to Gateshead. Bought some food then went to Jen’s. Ate chicken sandwiches then out to see Jenny Eclair at Northern Stage. She was really funny. Jenni enjoyed her lots. OK.11.45pm.


Sunday 28th September 2025

Long lie-in.
Jenni went to Darlington
for a train convention.
I went to Newcastle
for a cheap dinner:
two chicken breasts for
57p plus a 35p orange.
Then a bus to Consett.
I've read a Stephen
King short story, listened
to some Henry Rollins
spoken word, and voiced
notes into messenger.
The tinnitus is loud
and mouth ulcers hurt.
Shoulder still aches.
Autumn encroaches.
OK. 11.47pm.

Monday 29th September 2025

Copied up notes from first two Waddy writing sessions. Hope the third one goes well tomorrow. Made a new morning pages book for Wednesday. Me and Jenni were supposed to be going out this evening, but my computer migration from Windows 10 to 11 is taking far longer than anticipated. Jenni is lying down now but might be back up in an hour or so to finish off installation. I'm no good with anything technical. I have been under the weather for over three weeks now. Don't know if I'll be quitting New College Durham or if I'll be able to come to some bureaucratic arrangement. This isn’t the autumn I anticipated. 11.53pm.


Tuesday 30th September 2025

Last day of the month, last day of running a workshop as a college employee. The Waddy writers don't know yet. Nor does the college. But the Waddy manager does. No more gruelling paperwork for this poet. No more jumping through hoops. No more online training. No more pretending to be something I'm not. The writing session was good this afternoon. And things will get better. I'm going to just go in with looser plans each week and see where the energy takes us. I drafted six vignettes today. I'm going to use the time I’d usually spend agonizing over unnecessary college paperwork just typing and submitting poems to magazines and anthologies. Tonight, I went out to get the porridge that I forgot to buy at teatime. I nearly bought sultanas by mistake. The nights are really cutting in now: dark just after seven. I won't be out on the bike very much. Hope I can still reach my goals. OK. 11.59pm.

 

AUGUST

Friday 1st August 2025

Good day. I got through a lot of editing. I did my Washington Writing Workshops invoice. I checked out the best Jack Ketchum books - but I didn't buy any; I have too much to read already. I was chuffed to get a pretty solid abdominal workout done this morning. Only exercise I stalled on was Seated Russian Twists, but I managed many more reps in 20 minutes than on previous days. I listened to Your Casket or Mine, Toyah, The Cure, bits of The Damned, REM and lots of Behemoth. I am taking tomorrow off to go to another unplugged acoustic music show. I still haven't ordered bike bags yet. Time is ticking. OK. 11.52pm.

Saturday 2nd August 2025

Great day out. A good look at the t-shirts in HMV and Damaged Society. Then invited to take part in a 'Quite Quiet' gig in the Tiny Toad pub in Heaton - maximum capacity: 15 people, including nine performers; eight of them shared one guitar and I used my books. The songs were great. Many thanks to Jonjo and Pabs. I saw new horror film Bring Her Back at Vue cinema in Gateshead tonight - a really messed-up scenario. Enjoyed it. OK. 11.50pm.


Sunday 3rd August 2025

11 stone 1 pound. I got up late and did some abdominal exercises. Fell asleep with a book in my hand. Had porridge with fruit for dinner. Adjusted my handlebars, brake levers and grips on the Rockhopper, then rode to Stanhope and back. New gears are slipping. First proper ride too. Shaun said they might. Just need adjusting again. I've checked out directions from Penrith to Garrigill. And then on to Consett. Bed early because I'm done in. 9.44pm.


Monday 4th August 2025

Tonight was my first opportunity to take a look at the Flash Fiction Festival footage. The first Kathy Fish workshop is top quality. Some of the readings from later that weekend have audio out of sync. Some of the clips are distorted, but lots will be useful. I will get a load of pics and clips but will need a couple of weeks to go through everything. I uploaded Poetry Jam stills this evening. And the book 'Clive Barker’s Dark Worlds' arrived: it is a super lavish coffee table tome with loads of full colour images - photos and paintings from Clive’s personal archive, with a career-spanning text from the authors and compilers Phil and Sarah Stokes. I'm chuffed with the way tomorrow’s writing workshop came together this afternoon. It's been a good day. 11.29pm.


Tuesday 5th August 2025

Indoor physical exercise naturally takes longer as I put in more reps. I didn't leave for Waddington Street Centre until eleven this morning. Distractions on the bus to Durham annoyed me. Even though I'm going to get off before the bus station, people doing likewise at various points along the route aggravated me and made concentrating on reading very difficult. I know that I'm a very insular person, and connection is often a struggle. I'm not socially inclined. I have goals and an agenda. Anything that doesn't assist in my goals is just an annoyance. Totally selfish. I will never be more than a sub-standard participant in the world… Today's workshop went well. I only used about a third of the prepared material. So now I won't have to prepare anything for next week. The wind is annoying. I hope to ride a bike tomorrow. 10.39pm.


Wednesday 6th August 2025

The lawnmower overheated long before I finished the job today. I just stopped for dinner till it recovered. The creeping blackberry vines needed pruning around the back door and window. The new Writing Magazine arrived. Great articles on horror flash fiction and autofiction. I took the Rockhopper into Bits4Bikes. Shaun informed me that it has ‘chain suck’ and needs a spacer between the crank arm and bottom bracket axle. I rode along the trail by the River Derwent to Shotley Bridge, then on the road to Chipchase, then followed some singletrack to Blackhall Mill. I rode up the bank on the road, turned left and went to Hamsterley Mill garage, turned right again up the road, and joined the Derwent Walk to ride home. I currently weigh 11 stone. I am quite chuffed. OK. 10.26pm.


Thursday 7th August 2025

Great night at Poetry Jam. All the guests were mint. I got a DIY one-off booklet from David Rutherford and a copy of Kirsten Luckins’s sci-fi pamphlet Off World as well. I was really tired before the gig but cakes from James Oates perked me up. It was good to see Hester Dowling deliver a full set. She says no one asks her. Well, hopefully they will now. Kirsten was on top form: lots of voices, lots of theatricality. The open floor readings were varied and strong. Ian Hart had Jenni creased, laughing at one of his parody songs. Chris Short read a mint poem about mental health. He's a top-notch rhymer. Aaron Wright did a poem. Jenni did a couple. Annie Moir was there too. It was really good night. Took me ages to get tidied up afterwards, but James Oates kindly gave me a lift home. 11.55pm.


Friday 8th August 2025

Clive Barker’s Books of Blood Omnibus Volume Two arrived. Different publisher from Volume One, but the same interior layout and the same format of cover with companion artwork. I handwrote a letter to Dave Rutherford about his poems. I spent a lot of time at the computer trying to complete college paperwork, but it's fucking excruciating. I'll be on until the 28th of August, I reckon, because I hate doing it so much and have to walk away every ten minutes. I've been listening to Venom and quite a lot of Darkthrone. I ordered bike bags for the Rockhopper and hope they’re okay to carry half my gear for the big ride. I got another prezzie for Jenni. My bottle of Cherry Active juice should arrive on Wednesday. The bike stuff should be here tomorrow afternoon. 11.02pm.


Saturday 9th August 2025

Tweaked a little poem this morning but I don't think people will like it. Tinkering on paper with stanzas like I did in my twenties rather than chopping prose narrative into neat lines. I got the Rockhopper back today and it is riding well. My bike bags and mudguards arrived for the C2C. Jenni and I watched the 1994 production of Cabaret starring Alan Cumming and Jane Horrocks. Brilliant. OK. 11.02pm.


Sunday 10th August 2025

Jenni and I had a big Sunday dinner ordered from a local eatery. Then we walked into town so I could get train tickets for Penrith. The weather will be good on Wednesday, so that's when I'm going to do a reccy. Big thanks to Jenni for help because I couldn't hear the staff at the station due to background noise. Likely Lads and Rising Damp on TV tonight. OK. 10.08pm.


Monday 11th August 2025

Got the equipment and clothes ready for Wednesday’s bike ride from Penrith to Consett. Only took an hour, but fitting a pair of mud guards was an absolute bastard. The front one fell off because it doesn't fit the fork properly. It fits on the Sonder fork but not the Rockhopper. I have zero tolerance for shit not doing what it was supposed to do. I didn't get the bike outside till half six, knowing that rain was forecast for seven. I burnt my right knee on a hot disc brake rotor whilst adjusting my front wheel. Then it pissed down. I didn't drop the bike off at Jen’s till half eight. I didn't get back home to Moorside on the bus till five past eleven. I initially left Jen’s at quarter to ten this morning. I hope Wednesday goes a lot better than today. 11.50pm.


Tuesday 12th August 2025

A noisy Metro carriage on a loop around the coast and back to Gateshead. The carriage has stopped next to a really fucking intense bright light. Lots of things interfere with me. More noise these days but I had a good workshop this afternoon, even if it was just me and Chris. SHUT YOUR CUNTING SHRIEKING MOUTHS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, YOU MORONS! IF SOMEONE WAS MURDERING YOU, NO-ONE WOULD PAY ATTENTION COZ YOU FUCKING SHRIEK AND BOIL PEOPLE'S PISS ALL THE CUNTING TIME! Anyway, as I was saying, Chris and I each wrote  6 or 7 pieces. I'm pretty chuffed with mine. Mostly fiction or about other people. I write enough about myself in the diary. I was a bit anxious today. I'm actually bricking it for the bike ride tomorrow. I hope it all goes okay. The buses were really fucking slow today. Road closures. An incident in Lanchester, which may or may not be drug-related. Tick Talk at Whitley Bay was ace tonight. Lots of great speakers, stories, poems, songs, and lectures. Jenni did a piece about trains. Rachel Lydon talked about living in the moment. Aaron did his Bubbles poem. Gaeran did a moon poem and played Knocking on Heaven's Door. I had to get away sharpish, though, for the ride back to Gateshead. Hope I sleep better tonight. OK. 9.44pm.

Wednesday 13th August 2025

Didn't sleep well last night. Or the night before. So I wasn't in the best of states to be pedalling a bicycle from Penrith to Castleside. I've been super anxious about it for months. People in Penrith were helpful, got me out to Beacon Edge. The C2C route is much better signposted around Penrith than over my way. I had a couple of wobbles. I think those were due to the heat. Jenni says the temperature was five degrees higher than forecast. She was worried about me. A couple of times, I had to just lie down on a patch of grass till the queasy feeling passed. I rode the proper route and didn't do any uphill pushing. Although I did stop twice mid-climb because I felt a bit dizzy, but I pedalled up all. I had a celebratory ice cream at Hartside Summit. Chuffed. If I do the whole C2C, I'll need to arrive in Whitehaven the day before I intend to ride. 11.45pm.


Thursday 14th of August 2025

Awake early. Wrote some messages to Tony Gadd about C2C. And to Brother Mark about trials biking. Had a long lie-in. No physical exercise before breakfast. Yesterday was more than enough to last me a week, but I'll be doing some tomorrow. I've done little but sleep and look at C2C possibilities for a week or two from now. This afternoon, I caught a bus to Consett, bought food, and some bits-and-bobs to attach a front mudguard to the Rockhopper more securely. I booked another guest for Poetry Jam. I ate a beef steak with salad. My backside is a bit sore, but it was that way even before the ride. I slept a bit more this evening. I’ve done little else. Drank some Cherry Active juice and will soon be in bed. Hope I can keep my momentum and achieve my goals this year. 10.07pm.


Friday 15th August 2025

Not fucking happy. All set to book hotels and travel to do C2C next weekend, but it would appear that I may have a hernia just above the groin. And the trouble with reading up on the internet about any ailment is that you think you’re dying. It could be nothing. I feel sick when I look at it. Am I feeling nauseous cause of the hernia, or because I might have to cancel plans? I don't like the idea of being cut and prodded. I don't like the idea of losing the rest of the riding season on the Sonder and Rockhopper. I'm really fucking annoyed. And I can't see a local GP till next week. The weather in Cumbria is forecast to be good for riding from 22nd August. My personal outlook isn’t so sunny. 11.05pm.

Saturday 16th August 2025

The local pharmacy put me in touch with the hospital. They can't say until they’ve seen me, but I've likely got a hernia. And will need an operation at some point. I spoke to my stepdad, Ernie, and he also seems to think what I described is a hernia. No more bikes, possibly. I'm not happy about this, obviously. Not after such intense focus and devoting a month to it. Really disappointing. 10.30pm.


Sunday 17th August 2025

Examined by two doctors this morning. First wasn't sure that inflammation is a hernia, second said it is. Both said I could keep biking in moderation. I wanted to go out on the Sonder bike, but I'm too tired. I'm okay for a few hours, then I'm zonked. I wrapped up Jenni’s birthday presents this evening. Had a beef steak salad, then nodded off again. Maybe the heat. 9.23pm.


Monday 18th August 2025

At Moorside surgery this morning. I felt really stressed and thought I was going to meltdown in the waiting room. The doctor is referring me for a hernia operation. It could be about 18 weeks. I asked about safe exercises but was told to ask the surgeon. So basically, life on hold until I get the hole sewn up? I don't think so. I had a ride on the Sonder bike down by the Derwent this afternoon. Cleaning pretty much all favourite terrain as well as, and in some cases better than, last month. I felt much better after the ride. I've ordered an inguinal hernia belt in hopes of stopping my gut from falling out and becoming strangulated. I'm going to try easy gears again on the Rockhopper next weekend. Tonight, I got the Poetry Jam event page sorted and a bit more of the college paperwork done. I watched a route cam video of Whitehaven to Keswick. Mostly on cycle paths and country lanes. But we'll see how things go. 11.34pm.


Tuesday 19th August 2025

Out at ten this morning. Read a lot of fiction writing exercises on the bus to Durham. The session didn't take much prepping. I spent more time making a map of the C2C from Whitehaven to Keswick. I  chatted with Ali and Dave this lunchtime about hernias. Ali has one. Dave says it's a risk to ride in the middle of nowhere on a bike with a bad abdomen. I'm really pissed off about it, but I had a good workshop with the Waddy people, mostly fiction. Afterwards, I got the bus to Bensham, slept some of the way to Jen's. I gave her a bag of presents, then we watched TV because Jen didn't want to go outside again after a big weekend. Queen Freddie Mercury auction, two episodes of The IT crowd, some Dave Gorman, and Horrible Histories. Really tired. Some queasy wobbles today. Lots of tremors, shakes, pins and needles. Bit of a stress headache. Not much more to add. Hope for better days ahead. 10.31pm.


Wednesday 20th August 2025

Bit of a lie-in at Jen's this morning. My pages were a run-through of the dilemma of hernia and riding. I sent pages to Tony Gadd, who very kindly outlined similar restrictions to his own activities from back in the day. Jenni and I went into Gateshead for supplies. I ate two tins of tuna with cucumber, mushrooms, and red pepper. If I’d been at home, there’d be grapes as well. This afternoon we watched a load of Classic Coronation Street. I left after a pasta tea. Stopped off in Tesco to get more supplies. Been trying out a hernia belt. Weighed the two bags I carried (21Ibs) and had supper. Worked out miles to ride if possible tomorrow. My right hand is being a bastard. Carpal tunnel crap. At present, I don't really want to do much of anything. But I'll have to make the effort. It's forecast to rain for three days. 0K. 11.44pm.


Thursday 21st August 2025

Great to get out on the Rockhopper bike. I rode to Bishop Auckland and back, then up to Parkhead Station and back home. The right leg is holding up okay. I stopped every hour for 15 minutes. I got back home around twenty to eight, having left the house at five minutes to midday. I took five short breaks. So, six and a half hours in the saddle for 66 miles. And an hour and a quarter of not riding. I think that's pretty good. I managed to stick to the Get Directions average time for much of it. I had a bath with Epsom salts. Had tuna and chilli beans. Then pineapple. A cheese and tomato sandwich. A glass of Cherry Active. Hopefully, I'll get over to Allenheads and back tomorrow. Which is about 40 miles. Maybe I can add another fifteen somehow. Then Saturday should be less busy. OK. 10.25pm.


Friday 22nd August 2025

Today was a good day. I rode to Parkhead, dropped into Stanhope, then along to Eastgate. And over to Rookhope. Then a long climb to the top of the five-mile hill before dropping into Allenheads. I stayed there thirty-five minutes. Ate a Moroccan Vegetable pasty. Showed a hiker some leg stretches. Then did a seventeen-minute moderate climb on granny-ring gearing back out of Allenheads and free-wheeled for fifteen minutes back down to Rookhope. Continued out to Eastgate. Back to Stanhope. Twenty-eight-minute climb up Crawleyside bank to Parkhead. Then a fast ride off the moor to Consett, then down to Annfield Plain and back to add more miles. Sixty-one in total, on top of yesterday's sixty-odd miles. I stopped every hour for fifteen minutes to do hand and leg stretches, except near the end of the day. I'm getting the fear now about how roadworthy the bike is, despite a superb service from Bits4Bikes. So many ‘what ifs’. Bath and chicken salad. Cherry Active juice. Mile calculations. In bed now. 10.27pm.


Saturday 23rd August 2025

Up early, morning pages, then started in on breakfast. Got a bit of RSI in the left hand, which is trying to scupper my biking plans. But I said Fuck That! My final of three training days, and so I rode to Washington and back one-handed on a fully loaded Rockhopper. Shaun at Bits4Bikes helped me out with the front brake adjustment. I ate a big chicken salad, then got ready to go to Jen’s place. Chats, cake, Cherry Active juice. Good. 10.14pm.


Sunday 24th August 2025

Big help today from Jenni booking my accommodation for next weekend’s bike ride. And encouragement from Tony Gadd. I’ve covered about 160 miles over three days. I’m as good as I’m gonna be this year. Jenni and I went to see ‘Six’ in the cinema, but I fell asleep for most of it. The bit I saw was great. Tonight we watched the film Calvary and 'That’s Rock' music videos. OK. 10.45pm.


Monday 25th August 2025

I was really aggravated on the bus to Consett today. Someone's kid screamed from Newcastle to Chopwell. I felt like going downstairs to ask why the mother didn't try to do something about it. I am liable to get punched one of these days. I did more college paperwork this evening. I think it's pretty much done except for photocopying, which I'll do on Thursday morning. My left palm started tingling again after wringing out a shirt that I washed in the sink. I've tried to rest my hand since last Friday. Besides a little ride to Jen’s on Wednesday, I won't be riding the Rockhopper till Sunday. I'm taking it to Whitehaven on Saturday. I reckon 10 miles an hour should get me back to Penrith in about seven and a half hours, including rest stops. 11.17pm.


Tuesday 26th August 2025

Good day at Waddy. I made a map for day-one of the C2C bike ride. Whitehaven to Penrith. Then started photocopying final College papers. Still a bit to do on Thursday before the pre-term meeting with the Outreach manager. This afternoon, I had a great final summer session with a couple of the Waddy writers. We warmed up with A2Z stories, then a version of word bank stepping stones, and pass-the-prompt exercises. Everybody wrote good stuff. Some pieces were rhymes, some were free verse. All of mine were flash fiction. A few of them went down really well. I bought my train ticket for Whitehaven. Much easier to do in Durham than the traumatic transaction in the bedlam of Newcastle Central station earlier this month. Ate another chicken salad. Uploaded the Poetry Jam pics tonight. Watched a Brett Anderson (Suede) interview. And some C2C route footage on YouTube. 11.10pm.


Wednesday 27th August 2025

Got the bike down to Jen's with no problems this morning. Weather forecast for Cumbria this weekend looks utter shit. It's the wind strength that's the real bastard. 42kmh. I anticipate a strong soaking on Sunday and Monday. I stayed at Jen’s for a couple of hours, then we walked into Gateshead. I got an X70 bus that took a fucking hour to get to Consett. Add time from Newcastle, and ‘Express’ is a fantasy. This evening, I had a beef steak with my salad. Very nice. I worked out how long it's likely to take me to ride from Whitehaven to Sunderland. It's a lot of time, energy, and money – just to get pissed on for three days. But hopefully the 'showers' will be brief. I'm at Waddy tomorrow for a college meeting. Then off to Baltic Art Gallery for the ‘Words on a NE Street’ homelessness anthology launch. OK.10.44pm.


Thursday 28th August 2025

Got the rest of my college paperwork photocopied this morning. Attended a meeting about new paperwork this afternoon. You’re quiet, Steve, one of the Waddy tutors said. Yeah, I’m frightened to speak in case I lose my temper. And to a certain extent, I did. Saying “If I get any hassle next term, I’m leaving!” probably wasn’t the best way to break my silence. I’m done with hoop jumping… On a more positive note, the ‘Words on a NE Street’ event at Baltic Art Gallery this evening was superb. A great range of voices expressing various perspectives on homelessness. There was live music too. It was great to be involved. Thanks to Steve Wood for the lift home, and to Melanie for the musical reminiscences. I had a little cheese and tomato sandwich for supper. Soon to bed. OK. 10.37pm.


Friday 29th August 2025

I didn't get much done today. But I did manage to buy a ticket to see Suede at York Barbican next February. The Newcastle date clashes with another event, and I've never been to a gig at the Barbican. I said last year I'd love to see Suede. They might be the last rock band I get to see. York is now sold out. As are three other dates. I've spent most of the day prepping maps and other info for the weekend ride from Whitehaven. I am absolutely bricking it. I hope the bike is okay. I hope I'm okay. I doubt the weather will stay nice. I came over to Jen's place mid-evening. I still have to repack my bag. And hopefully whittle down its weight a bit. I’ll be in bed in Whitehaven by this time tomorrow. OK. 10.17pm.


Saturday 30th August 2025

Good sleep. Only woke once before half six. Trains to Carlisle and Whitehaven were great. No problem getting the bike on. I found the harbour quite easily but managed to miss the slipway. I asked for directions to Inkerman Terrace for the Chase hotel. Bike storage is indoors. Went out twice on foot for a reccy. It rained both times. Wind speed is 42 kmh. I hope things ease a bit tomorrow. Eaten a lot of chicken. Going to bed soon. OK. 9.27pm.

Sunday 31st August 2025

Can't sleep. Went to bed around ten. Woke at quarter to twelve. Went to the toilet. Back to bed. Slept till quarter past two. Think I've been awake on and off since then. About five o’clock, I got a niggling pain above the left side of my groin. I'm hoping it isn't another hernia. I've had no problems with this side at all. I've had no problems with my stomach all week. Yesterday I forgot all about the hernia. The weather is shit and forecast to be rainy on and off all day. The bike is sorted. I've been well fed and should be rested. If I'm going to get through this, I need to go slowly. I checked out the start of the route again last night. I saw blue sky for a little while, but by the time I reached the harbour, it was pissing down again with a 42kmh wind just to annoy me. Maybe I'm an irresponsible arsehole for attempting this bike ride. I did 160 miles last weekend, no problem. My bag is too heavy. Carrying water is a pain. I will try to get by food-wise on Nutri-Grain bars and bananas. And hopefully the cooked breakfast will do me good before I set off. I didn't hear any wind or rain until about an hour ago. I've heard cars coming and going. Around five o'clock this morning, I started to hear movement in neighbouring rooms. I should jot down the names and numbers of some taxi firms before I leave, in case I need them. I really hope that I can do this ride. The fear is kicking in. I was alright till I felt that glitch in my left side. It might be okay. My left wrist has been okay all week, but carrying a small cardboard tray of items in a supermarket yesterday set it off tingling again. I've been chatting with Jenni online. Today I'll be on my own. I had to copy out the instructions on how to use the mobile phone because I couldn't remember them. I aim to be dipping my back wheel in the slipway at Whitehaven harbour around nine, but it will probably be a bit later. I don't feel like packing up until after breakfast. All I can do is go slow and hope to survive the ordeal of wind and rain. Why is the weather being such a cunt after weeks of decent days? Maybe it's like this near the coast all the time. I'm struggling. I wish I'd slept better. I hear noises that could be wind or passing traffic. I think it's the wind. If it were just light rain, that would be okay. If it were just wind, that would be okay. But high wind with rain is like pedalling into the wide spray of a garden hose. I was going to say water cannon, but that's probably a little extreme. Part of me just wants to get breakfast and go back to the train station or get a taxi to Penrith, stay the night, and get a train home tomorrow morning. I am an idiot, am I not? Maybe I need to start feeling positive about this in the next couple of hours. The curtains are still closed. But it's light outside. I will peer out in about ten minutes when I finish the next page. Maybe these body twitches are just more of my fears. I didn't think I'd feel like this today. I hope I'm okay. I hope I don't have to call for help. I hope I don't have to stop. I hope I don't collapse. All negatives. I hope I stay happy. I hope the sun comes out. I hope I find energy and serendipity at every turn. I hope someone gets a shot of me with my back wheel in the water. I hope I can sit and just pedal or freewheel, hour after hour. I aim to try. I aim to succeed. I need to do this. I always wake up with doubts and fears. Work, money, capability. Every day of the last training sessions, I felt unable to commit and thought it was all a really stupid idea. I aim to match the times that Google says are respectable for the route. I have all the breakdown sections strapped to my bars on a bit of card, waterproofed with clear tape. I secured the front mudguard with more black electrical tape last night. I want to be able to do the ride. I've done 160 miles. More than enough. I will try to stay on course. Breakfast isn't for another two hours. I might go back to bed for an hour after this page. I might go round to the front door and see how things seem outside. If I can make it to Penrith without any major incident, I should be okay. I aim to just ride as slowly as I can without aggravating my arms or stomach. I have bananas, an orange, and five Nutri-Grain bars. More than 1000 calories. I will see how I am when I reach a food outlet. Surely, I've got more than enough to get me to Keswick. Wind, rain, hernia, carpal tunnel, neurosis. And a desire to see this thing through so that I never have to attempt anything like it again. Survival and triumph. Enjoyment would be a bonus. 6.18am.

LATER: Awake a few times in the night. Anxious. Breakfast was served at half eight. It was nearly ten before I dipped my back wheel in the Irish Sea. The forecast was for high wind. At times, I was blown uphill. Kirkland to Keswick was my favourite part. Keswick to Penrith has lots of long roads. I got to the George Hotel at quarter to six. Had a chip-shop supper and a hot bath. OK. 10.05pm.

...............................

Postscript: The second day, Monday 1st September, started fine. I only referred to my map once. I made it up all the hills but got thoroughly drenched between Garrigill and Allenheads. I decided at that point I was going to push on with fewer rest stops and just try to ride all the way to Roker before dusk. The sun came out before I reached Consett, and I dried out long before I reached Sunderland.

It could be seen as an act of recklessness to ride with a hernia and no support team, but the alternative was to cancel the ride altogether. I figured any physical discomfort I might experience due to attempting the C2C would be far outweighed by the blow to my mental health if I let a hernia keep me off bikes for the rest of the season and possibly the next six months.

I dipped my front wheel in the sea at Roker and asked a passing stranger to take a photo of the Rockhopper next to the 'C' portal sculpture with me wearing a black t-shirt hastily pulled over my Pack-a-Mac. The words on the front: NEVER GIVE UP.

Thanks for reading.

JULY

Tuesday 1st July 2025

It's International Zine Month, but there's little chance of Steve making and publishing anything this month. It took me 12 hours to transfer notes from Facebook to my hard drive. I haven't been across the doorstep. I feel like I've got a bit of a cold coming on, but it might be pollen allergy. I didn't try anything too strenuous today. I've listened to Venom, Marissa and the Moths, Behemoth, and Suede. Eclectic, if nothing else. I still weigh 11 stone 6 pounds, which is great. But want to get down to 11 stone 3 pounds. That will be a loss of two stones since 7th April. It would be great to do it by next Monday. But without some strenuous physical exercise and skipping a meal or three, I don't see how it will be possible. 10.55pm.

Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Torrential rain prevented me from visiting Bits 4 Bikes this afternoon to start getting the Rockhopper roadworthy for the C2C. My left wrist hasn't been so much trouble today. Soon Will Come Thunder, my July 2023 pamphlet, tells me I had RSI that month, too. Possibly due to making runs of three different pamphlets in a month… Today I read some of ‘Notes from Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture’ by Stephen Duncombe, did abdominal exercises, had a tuna salad for tea, cheese sandwich for supper. 10.51pm.

Thursday 3rd July 2025

Took my big list of repairs and modifications for the Rockhopper to Bits 4 Bikes. Didn't get back home till twelve. The buses were shit this morning and again this afternoon, so I didn't get to Waddington Street Centre until twenty to five. Setting up for Poetry Jam wasn't too difficult. We had a canny crowd in tonight. The open-floor poets were great as usual. All the guests were on form. Paul Sta was funny and did great intros to everything. Liz Haynes' book contains hardcore poems about farming life; her delivery really hit home. James Oates did a generous set of mostly new material, but a couple of poems from open-floor visits. A new book is surely long overdue. My pocket camcorder needs a new memory card. I bought one this morning, but it doesn't work. Jenni and I got a train back to Newcastle, then walked to Bensham. Thanks to James Oates for a magnificent steak pie. Thanks to Tony Gadd for the ‘Inquire Within’ poetry book. Thanks to all who come to Poetry Jam. Thanks to Waddy for the ace venue. 12.23am.

Friday 4th July 2025

Good to see a couple of Black Sabbath documentaries tonight. One was an overview of the band, including various post-Ozzy line-ups and changes in musical direction. One was an episode of Classic Albums featuring Paranoid. I had a big steak pie about one o’clock this morning, so I tried to cut back on the food for the rest of the day. Mainly just tuna, fruit salad, bit of Christmas cake. I've had a pain-free day as far as the wrist is concerned. I ordered a copy of Anthony Bray’s ‘View From The Metal Throne’ book about Venom. 9.37pm.

Saturday 5th July 2025

Canny day in Newcastle. Bought a pair of trousers and a long-sleeved top for a fiver. Saw some good books, including Defying Gravity: The Jordan Story and a Clive Barker coffee table book of art and insights. Also saw lots of music albums I'd like, but I've got enough. Packed up all my work stuff at Jen’s and got home around six. Tried to watch a 50p horror DVD with dolls in it, but fell asleep. Mixed online reactions to the Ozzy/Sabbath gig. 10.40pm.

Sunday 6th July 2025

If I lose another two pounds, I'll be two stone lighter than three months ago. Did some back-stretching exercises, read some poems and prose, and listened to a two-hour Jeff Mantas (Venom) interview. I've had a chicken salad and other smaller meals. Checked out Joan Johnson's poetry manuscript. OK. 10.43pm.

Monday 7th July 2025

Too many gaps in the diary. I've written more in rough books than directly to hardback, and it's all to copy up before the end of the year. Good ride on the Sonder trail bike this morning. Cleaned some little sections: exit climb off the bridge at Shotley, over rocky steps out onto the road. Front wheel ledge-drop into a stream, and out again. Up off a wooden bridge, over a log, tight right turn, then up a dusty slope onto the trail near Moorside… I've started taking poems and prose for the next Washington anthology. I've formatted a preliminary poetry-pamphlet layout for Joan Johnston. I’ve exercised with some light free weights. My left wrist seems to be holding up okay. I'm loving Lou Reed’s ‘The Blue Mask’ album. 11.00pm.

 

Tuesday 8th July 2025

Posted Joan a mock-up of her pamphlet plus examples of mine. Borrowed ‘Invisible Girl’ by Lisa Jewell from the library. One of the characters is having a rough time, and I've warmed to the book this evening. I went over to the quarry where I used to train for trials in the noughties. Sad to see all the lines and slabs of rock I used to ride now obstructed by big bushes and tall trees. So much erosion and mud, it's not worth taking a bike there now. Just as well I’ve got access to some mint trails down by the riverside. 11.20pm.

 

Wednesday 9th July 2025

Prepared for Friday's Washington Writers session. Mowed grass. Read more of ‘Invisible Girl’ by Lisa Jewell and sorted some logistics for the Bristol trip and C2C. The latter might not happen if I can't get enough back-to-back days for training before the end of August. I listened to a Jeff Mantis reworking of the Venom classic ‘Witching Hour’ tonight, some Judas Priest songs and a couple of Behemoth tracks, followed by a bit of Lou Reed. I'm still eating salads, still a couple of pounds shy of losing two stone. 10.21pm.

 

Thursday 10th July 2025

Disappointing day. Three hours trying to level out the dirt behind a fallen tree so I could step the bike up and onto the trail – but when I returned tonight with the bike, I got stuck because of two upright branches. I was too tired after about 10 attempts to hop my Sonder Frontier through a tiny gap, so I just returned home defeated. I double-checked my workshop handouts for Washington. Today has been a bit too hot. Tinnitus raging tonight. 11.26pm.

 

Friday 11th July 2025

Too hot to do much tonight. I tried to get an hour of sleep after tea so I could wake refreshed and read, but I still nodded off mid-sentence and ended up dreaming things completely unrelated to the narrative in my hands. Wilting at 23 degrees. The workshop seemed to go okay today. Eight people in. I quite candidly said at the start that I'm self-indulgently picking exercises from my own poems and favourite sessions. We each did six pieces of writing. Big Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the ride to Gateshead. Later, in Consett, I stocked up on veg and tuna. I popped into Bits 4 Bikes. Got a quote for the work required. I’ll take the Rockhopper in as soon as possible, but I'm toying with another Sunderland ride tomorrow. 9.57pm.

Saturday 12th July 2025

The weather held, and so did my puny wrists. Since starting more intensive abdominal exercises, I've got a wee bit more core strength. I've started riding cycle paths with my back straight, head up, looking forward, rather than at my front tire. There's very little weight on my hands. 54 miles to Roker beach and back to Moorside. Some of the C2C signage is sadly lacking. But no matter, I had a good ride. 8.32pm.

Sunday 13th July 2025

Out with Jenni to buy things for her mam’s birthday. We had a meal in an Indian restaurant with Hillary and John, then drinks at the Station East pub. Tonight I ate chicken sandwiches. It's sweltering again today. I'm still tired after biking yesterday. 11.17pm.

 

Monday 14th July 2025

Jenni helped me out with bits and pieces for my Bristol trip. We watched the first of three ‘Live Aid at 40’ programmes, then the Psychoville Halloween special to lighten the mood a bit, then another from Live Aid. I read a bit of a New York Times interview in which Bob Geldof said it would never happen now because everyone has their very own little internet bubble, and no one gets real news. I read from a 2015 copy of Poor Lass zine (that Jenni picked up recently in London) on the bus back to Consett. The zine contained articles about health, and those unable to afford good dental care or psychotherapy. Back home, I discovered I've gained four pounds in weight since Saturday afternoon. I read some student poems by a writer concerned about performing them in public. Am I allowed supper? OK. 10.13pm.

 

Tuesday 15th July 2025

Morning pages. Email checks. Stationary purchases. Prep for Bristol Flash Fiction Festival. Thanks to Jude Higgins for travel advice. Thanks to Shaun at Bits 4 Bikes for help with the Rockhopper. 10.59pm.

Wednesday 16th July 2025

I printed out five little selection pamphlets of the readings taking place at the Flash Fiction Festival this weekend. About 70 to 80 pages of stories were sent to attendees. I'll get a lot more out of the evenings having all the work to hand. I spent most of the afternoon packing and checking my lists. It's only two-and-a-half days, but I seem to be taking a hell of a lot of clothes. I voiced in my notes tonight and watched one of the bonus features on the Hellraiser DVD. Unfortunately, it cut out before the end, but I think it's on YouTube… This time tomorrow night, I'll be off to Newcastle to start my big journey. 11.07pm.

 

Thursday 17th July 2025

The one time I take a genuine interest in a football match, it's two-all at extra time, going into a penalty shootout – and I need to leave after the first goal to get a bus across the water to Newcastle for the overnight coach to London. I am looking forward to the Flash Fiction Festival in Bristol this weekend, but I'm wondering, who won the footy, Sweden or England? The Manchester coach is late. I hope the London one is okay. I hope to get a good seven hours of sleep overnight. 11.15pm

 

Friday 18th July 2025

After a thirty-minute delay in London this morning, I made it to Trinity College in Bristol with help from a fellow Flash Fiction Festival participant and a Royal Mail postwoman. I enjoyed Kathy Fish’s three-hour workshop. I read one of my drafts and got a good response. Kathy said I write really dark. I filmed a lot of stuff coz my memory is so poor. I enjoyed the anthology readings tonight, but after a 12-hour journey, I needed to get back to the halls of residence for sleep. I think I may have overeaten a bit: I had fruit for breakfast, an all-day breakfast in a Bristol café at twelve, and a chicken curry at Trinity after the workshop, but I'll be okay… I've done some abdominal exercises, I've been in touch with Jenni, I've got the windows open, and I'll be sleeping on top of the duvet, but I want another drink of water first. 10.34pm.

 

Saturday 19th July 2025

Absolutely smashed tonight. Twelve hours of flash fiction today. Great to meet Nancy Stohlman and hubby Jamil. Also, David Swann and Tim Craig, along with lots of other nice people. I ate lots of good food and will pay dearly for being a glutton, for sure. I got a lot more video footage and wrote another couple of pieces today. Thanks to Jude Higgins for feedback on Teenage Bangles written in her session at nine o’clock this morning. Good to meet KM Elkes as well. And to sit in on a novella-in-flash discussion hosted by Michael Loveday this afternoon. Also to participate in a Damian Dressick workshop. Chuffed to get his book signed. Also, David’s and Tim’s. 10.34pm.

 

Sunday 20th July 2025

I came away from Bristol Flash Fiction Festival a little bit early. I was whacked before the final day even started. The three workshops today felt more like lessons on a university course; a completely different vibe to yesterday, and for that reason, I struggled with them. Even Kathy Fish, whose Friday session had the element of performance with prompts, seemed more academic. Michael Loveday is deeply committed to his subject matter and is probably the leading figure on the concept of novella-in-flash, but I just wasn't functioning by three o’clock this afternoon. I left before the raffle draw in the dining room. I had a three-hour wait in Bristol for the coach to Birmingham. The waiting lounge here in Birmingham is spacious, and the coach departures are clearly stated. Mine is due in 35 minutes at half ten. I've had some great highlights: this morning, Tim Craig asked me to sign one of my books; this afternoon, I spoke to Vanessa Gebbie; and Damian Dressick stopped me in the corridor and said he liked my stuff. I wrote a couple more pieces today. I heard some great ideas. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, which is my own fault for eating way too much food. My diet is probably fucked, but I have loads of flash fiction books to read and a bunch of workshops on video. I aim to submit all the pieces I wrote this weekend to the Flash Fiction Festival anthology. Thanks to all the great people who spoke to me this weekend, especially Tim Craig and David Swann, who both bought Laughter to Split Glass – selling two poetry books at a flash fiction event is an achievement, I reckon. Well chuffed. OK. 10.03pm.

 

Monday 21st July 2025

I got into Newcastle at 25 past five this morning. I did morning pages at Jen’s around six, then got into bed. We chatted, mostly about the festival. I got up for a couple of hours but went back to bed after breakfast till eleven. We watched classic Emmerdale and Corrie this afternoon. Jenni transferred all the festival files to a new USB stick for me, all 58GB of them, about 10 or 12 hours, probably more. The last of three buses broke down tonight, so I dragged the wheelie case from The Grove to Moorside. I’m chuffed with all the new flash fiction books. 11.45pm.

 

Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Had a good chat with Ali today about the Waddy Writers and challenges faced regarding hard-to-motivate people. I did a canny two-hour session, but it wasn’t very well attended. Mainly just recap exercises as a warm-up for the summer. Afterwards, I got some half-marathon booklet covers printed, then a very slow bus ride to Consett. I read a few Tim Craig short stories today, but found it hard to concentrate on the bus. I will reread several times in the coming days. In Tesco, I saw a Facebook friend whom I haven’t spoken to face-to-face for 37 years. We chatted a good while in the bread aisle. It was good to see her. I came home and ate a chicken salad. Pleased I've only put on a pound or two. Very sad to hear that Ozzy Osbourne died today. I was thinking about him on Sunday evening as the coach pulled into Birmingham. I've listened to Ozzy and Sabbath sporadically since I was eleven or twelve years old. Such a shame to go so soon after his final gig. 10.32pm.

 

Wednesday 23rd July 2025

I've been on a bit of a go-slow since I got back from Bristol. Lethargic till midday. Then all afternoon into evening to make a dozen booklets and get prompts ready for Friday’s writing half-marathon. I've been reading more bits about Ozzy online. And some bits of flash fiction, particularly Tim Craig's stories from his ‘Now You See Him’ collection. He posted an ace photo on Facebook from the Flash Fiction Festival that he took onstage… I weighed 11 stone 4 pounds this morning. I've not been on a bike for over a week. 10.52pm.

 

Thursday 24th July 2025

So many gaps. The most concerning is the 15mm-wide hole in the brickwork by the front door. The wall is crawling with ants, coming and going, halfway up the side of the house. A moment’s pause. Then back indoors for a big can of bug spray. It seems to do little. But hours later – maybe just the drop in temperature – and the legion of ants is no more. And this particular gap, for the moment, is no longer a problem…

Today I was informed that I won a raffle prize at the Flash Fiction Festival and could I send a postal address. I wrote back with a thank-you and feedback. I did Poetry Jam publicity. I had a couple of hours out on the Sonder bike tonight. I watched a clip of Tony Iommi talking about the loss of Ozzy Osbourne, and I read some Kathy Fish stories online. OK. 9.50pm.

 

Friday 25th July 2025

Canny little writing half-marathon at Arts Centre Washington today. We did six rounds of writing and readbacks. Some great pieces produced. Big thanks to the writers. Big thanks to those who give me end-of-term chocolates and cards. Also, big thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Metro Centre. Back home, I ate a chicken salad, answered an e-mail, then out for This Be The Verse spoken word event. The bus was cancelled, but I had a good walk instead. Top turns on the open floor and two cracking guests: Gary the Hat and Sikander Jai. I entered the ‘definition’ competition, wrote three words and won five books. Many thanks to Mel and Steve Wood. I also got to see the Life on a NE Street anthology, which I shall be purchasing copies of at the Gateshead Baltic launch event on Thursday 28th August. Nice walk home. Chicken sandwich. Hope to bike tomorrow. OK. 11.05pm.

 

Saturday 26th July 2025

This morning, I felt very lethargic, but a phone call from Shaun at Bits 4 Bikes informing me that the Rockhopper is ready for collection got me out of the house. New bars, stem, grips, chain, chainrings, front derailleur, cassette, gear cables, and rear disc brake rotor. This afternoon I saw Amelia Coburn play a free short set on the BBC Proms ‘Introducing’ stage at The Glasshouse in Gateshead. She signed a copy of her debut album Between the Moon and the Milkman for me. This evening, I saw Renata Connors and Your Casket or Mine play unplugged sets at Lovaine Community Garden in North Shields. Mint gig. Found a pound on the pavement in Gateshead. OK. 10.48pm.

 

Sunday 27th July 2025

Mostly just listening to music on the radio and reading a few pages of ‘Stage Invasion: The Spoken Word Renaissance’ by Pete Bearder. Later, Jenni made a lush veggie curry, and we watched the England vs Spain Euro Women's football final. Listened to a Radio 2 Rock Show Ozzy tribute. OK. 10.45pm.

 

Monday 28th July 2025

Listened to the radio and watched reruns of Emmerdale and Coronation Street. I enjoyed an episode of Midsomer Murders, the first one I've ever seen. Got the 715pm bus back to Consett. I nipped into Tesco for tinned tuna, bananas, Warburton Thins, peanuts and red peppers. Consett Tesco never has Moroccan Vegetable or Bombay Potato and Spinach pasties. I read a bit of Apartment 16 by Adam Neville tonight. I am impressed by the ability to create atmosphere and setting capable of drawing you in, but can I commit to reading a 40O-page novel in summer? I want to read ‘View from The Metal Throne’ by former Venom drummer Tony Bray. And ‘Defying Gravity: The Jordan Story’ by Cathi Unsworth. OK. 11.05pm.

 

Tuesday 29th July 2025

I started reading a little book called ‘The Possession’ by French Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux on the bus to Durham. A short memoir of jealousy and obsession. Only 44 pages of first-person paragraphs. Almost a novella-in-flash but with untitled sections throughout… Waddy session was good today: Absurd Words, First Times, Objects and Lies, Emotional Resonance of days, Creative Wish Lists, Blessings… I finished ‘The Possession’ tonight in Consett library because the book was due back with a waiting list. Can’t remember details, but was taken by the candid voice, page layout, and brevity. I didn't get home till after eight. I spent a long while in Tesco. Got the 7.57pm bus home with all my clobber. I ate a meal consisting of two tins of tuna with half a tin of barbecued beans, followed by a slice of pineapple, then peanuts and sultanas. I checked out videos from American trials/trails bike legend Jeff Lenosky. Still pedalling through rock gardens and getting up big boulders in his fifties. I'm in bed early so I can put in a good day of admin tomorrow. Might read for a while, though. 10.08pm.

 

Wednesday 30th July 2025

Didn’t finish abdominal exercises till half ten this morning. 11 stone 2 pounds on the scales. Only a few nuts, sultanas, and a slice of pineapple for breakfast; tuna and more peanuts for dinner. This afternoon, I watched Ozzy’s final journey through the city of Birmingham online ahead of his private Buckinghamshire funeral tomorrow. Then I worked on some pamphlet edits for Joan Johnston. I ordered some tickets for WRITE Festival workshops taking place from the end of August through to mid-September at THE WORD in South Shields. And I ordered Clive Barker’s Dark Worlds, an illustrated retrospective hardback coffee table book. I wanted to bike tonight but stayed in to make vocal entries from my diary for this blog. Knocked off when the mobile’s battery ran low. I listened to Amelia Coburn’s debut album, ‘Between The Moon and the Milkman’. I’m tired and hope the weather holds in the morning so I can ride. 10.50pm.

 

Thursday 31st July 2025

Transferred files and Messenger text, but otherwise just a couple of hours on the Sonder bike down by the Derwent. I watched a couple of Clive Barker interviews and a Jack Ketchum interview. But otherwise, really slow. Forgot to do an invoice, forgot to sort a saddle bag and bar bag. Feel wrecked. If I don’t get to bed soon, I’m going to be sick. I want a big lie-in tomorrow. I’m going nowhere. I want to read some flash fiction and work on my own stuff. I have lots to get through. I hope I can still ride the bike long-distance the week after next. I won’t get a distance ride till Sunday. I don’t want to do a lot. Sometimes I want to jack in writing altogether, but the mood will pass. 9.51pm.

JUNE

Sunday 1st June 2025

Jenni and I saw The Salt Path, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, based on the memoir by Raynor Winn. I often think becoming destitute could so easily happen to anyone, in this case due to a dodgy business deal. The cinematography on the landscape sequences was superb. Tonight, a man at Newcastle Central Station asked if I was the writing workshop guy. Turns out he attended one of my evening courses about ten years ago. He remembered my Hometown Slog exercise and I remembered he was a teacher. 10.43pm.

Monday 2nd June 2025

Waddington Street Centre lesson plan wasn't hard to prep because I used material from the one-day journaling workshop I attended last month. I've got my Durham Careers Association workshop sorted as well. Poetry Jam pics from last month are up on Facebook. They were a pain to edit because the big computer is running slow. Too aggravated to get the Rockhopper bike out tonight (while the Sonder is being repaired) and risk an accident riding tired. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow. 10.51pm.

 

Tuesday 3rd June 2025

I let the Waddy writing group have half an hour for the final exercise and they loved it. The work was strong. I showed some to staff. I got a load of food on the way home and had a big chicken salad for tea, then packed for tomorrow's session. It's at Middlestone Moor in Spennymoor, so I need to leave early for the bus. I rode the old Rockhopper on riverside trails tonight. Not great. After using a super-quick-engaging rear hub on the Sonder Frontier, going back to a slow standard Shimano makes technical trail riding a nightmare. I need the extra control and stability the Hope Pro 5 gives me. Should have the better bike back soon. I watched several clips of the Michael Monroe band playing classic Hanoi Rocks songs. 10.52pm.

 

Wednesday 4th June 2025

Eleven people joined me for today’s workshop at Middlestone Moor. We got through seven exercises with quite a few readbacks: absurd words warm up, adjective-noun-verb sentence stems, things that make you smile, speculate on a person, character opposites, 10 images from the last 24 hours, and Dear Zoo Pitbull. I got lots of good feedback, plus questions about bookmaking. Too tired for much tonight, so I just re-watched the Hellraiser 2022 film, but prefer the original. 10:45pm.

Thursday 5th June 2025

Good night at Poetry Jam marred for me by logistical issues beyond my control. Rach Lydon’s performance was ace, reminded me The Moth spoken word; Gaeran Southern was very entertaining; and brilliant to have a set from the fantastic Julie Egdell after a long absence from the scene. Big thanks to all of them and the open floor readers. We had The Failing Writers in recording their podcast, and the place was packed. Listen here: https://podfollow.com/the-failing-writers-podcast/view Thanks to James Oates for the lift home. 11.56 pm.

 

Friday 6th June 2025

Good to be done for the day and just watching cheesy heavy metal videos. Venom was the first band I went to see in concert. Today I ordered one of their t-shirts from Amazon. I'll probably wear it on the bike when I make my next trail trundler videos. I'm way behind on work but chuffed with feedback from recent poetry gigs and workshops. I did a bit more with the free weights tonight, mainly just to keep the limbs moving so any sporadic jolts on the bike trails don't come as a shock. This morning, I weighed 11 stone 12 pounds. I want to lose another six pounds this month if possible. 11.17pm.

Saturday 7th June 2025

Thought it would be a good idea to get some miles in my legs by riding to Bishop Auckland and back, but maybe not. I did 48 miles – and it rained for half of them. My clothes were caked in gritty grime. I got back at 4:40pm then spent about two hours getting cleaned up and ready to go to Jen’s. I told her 9:00 p.m. Now it's going to be half nine. And I've spent money on food that needs to go in the fridge ASAP. An annoying family is likely to get on the X45 bus – which is later than I want to depart. I am a fucking radge packet. I want the world to run my way, but that’s selfish, I know. The bus station is filling up and I’m seething. 8.22pm.

Sunday 8th June 2025

Today has been a big lazy one. I've allowed myself some calorific indulgences, including a sausage roll and two Eccles cakes. Jenni put on a mint film called Funny Cow, starring Maxine Peake, about a comedian's harsh beginnings and success on the circuit. Then we watched Bake Off and Cracked Actor. 10.38pm.

Monday 9th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, preliminary plans for tomorrow at Waddy, Keyed in lesson plans. prepped content more fully. Thanks to Jenni for updates, thanks to charity shops for clothes and footwear. Thanks to Tolu A Akinyemi for positive response to my notes on his book. OK. 11.23pm.

 

Tuesday 10th June 2025

Two hours of photocopying and sorting papers before the Waddy session. We were in the computer suite keying in texts for a wall display. I wasn't sure the writers would be keen to do an edit session, so I planned two other options that will now be used later. I got out on the Sonder bike tonight down by the Derwent. Trails still great, despite recent rain. I managed to get across another stream without dabbing. Exited the Shotley Bridge in fifth gear. Chuffed with my ride. I've been having an online chat with brother Mark about the Hope Pro 5 hub. I think it's okay now. I'm trying not to use the big four sprockets unless absolutely necessary. Been listening to Jeff Mantas Dunn online; I love his Venom recollections. 11.07pm.

 

Wednesday 11th June 2025

SIMON LOVES SUMMER

 
The sun is splitting the trees
So some inconsiderate sod is out
Blasting stupid inane dance music
Sounding like a Neanderthal bashing their head
Against a ten-gallon drum of dog shit
Oh, listen to me! - acknowledge
The sort of rubbish that floats my boat!
NO, FUCK OFF! I'm in my own house
Minding my own fucking business
And don't need to know that you exist
So go stick your sunny exuberance
And let others enjoy a peaceful evening
You totally ignorant sack of cack

 

Thursday 12th June 2025

Up around eight, had porridge, did the workshop prep, then cleaned and re-lubed my Rockhopper bike. It took about an hour. Then half an hour to make a bandana to protect my neck from the sun. I rode over the moors to Rookhope. Which was a bastard because the single track is little wider than a tyre in places but deep set, so you can’t turn the cranks without twatting the pedals off the grassy sides. I didn't remember it being so bad. But I rode it and out along to Stanhope. I cleaned Crawleyside Bank without getting out of breath. Had a full-on headwind back to Moorside. Got in at half four. Quick turnaround. Chicken breast and curried beans then out to the Brendan Cleary and Friends gig at Newcastle Lit and Phil. He was on form. Kathleen Kenny, Ally May, Ellen Pheathean, Joan Johnston and Bob Cooper read as well. 11.55pm.

Friday 13th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, workshop setup at Arts Centre Washington. Good turnout including a newcomer. A repeat of a previous journaling workshop. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for the lift to Gateshead. To Jenni for cuddles. Sonder for the bike. OK. 11.11pm.

 

Saturday 14th June 2025

Kept waking up after tiny dreams like haiku poems. Situations grotesque and situations mundane. I made up a new morning pages notebook and did a swift free-weights session. There was a good turnout for the Sky Hawkins tribute gig at the Cafe Under the Spire – lots of lovely people doing poems about or enjoyed by The Word Bird. 10.06pm.

Sunday 15th June 2025

Lazy day. Me and Jen were out briefly for supplies but mainly just listened to the radio: Angela Griffin sitting in for Michael Ball, then Paddy McGuiness, followed by Elaine Page, then Sounds of the 70s with Bob Harris. Jenni had a veg pizza, I had half a chicken. We watched Soccer Aid then Jen helped me sort logistics for a possible gig in Shipley. Bus home. 11.45pm.

Monday 16th June 2025

Checked in with Mam and Ernie on the phone about health and happiness – and making wills and funeral plans. I prepped a writing half-marathon this afternoon: made books and selected prompts. Did a couple of lesson plans. Vocal entries. More lightweight training whilst listening to a Satyricon setlist. And the new Behemoth album is great. 11.55pm.

Tuesday 17th June 2025

Got to Waddy about ten to twelve this morning. Writing half-marathon only took about 10 minutes to set up. Four people joined me and got through about ten rounds of writing. Some of the really short ones were the best: three to five minutes. People did great. I got a few flash vignettes and bits of free verse. I had an enjoyable session on the Sonder bike this evening, including scooping up onto a riverside ledge and navigating a mud bath, no feet down. Ate a cheese and tomato sandwich and watched a Behemoth documentary. OK. 11.43pm.

Wednesday 18th June 2025

Read some of The Book of Alchemy (Suleika Jaouad) this morning and a couple of flash fictions by KM Elkes, then voice entered notes. This afternoon I mowed grass again. Tonight I got the Poetry Jam event page sorted then watched a Nergal (from Behemoth) interview. The four lead songs from their new album all have great videos. If my tinnitus wasn't a barrier, I'd have been to Brixton a couple of months ago to see them and Satyricon. OK. 10.58pm.

 

Thursday 19th June 2025

Time required to carry out simple tasks seems to expand in direct proportion to how much time you can’t afford to waste – like fixing a rim tape on a bicycle wheel when you thought you only needed to replace an innertube. Or having to double back because you missed a C2C sign near Washington. Or the two hours since getting home. I've had a box of chicken pieces (only 100 calories or so), a cheese sandwich and some pineapple. I got a good wash to get the skank off me. I pulled two thorns out of my left shin. I messaged Jenni; she needs the weekend to herself, so I'm going to go out tomorrow afternoon to do 50 miles if I can. Then I'll need to do about 30 miles on Saturday to match the mileage of the C2C. I hope I can do it. Then I just need to get the bike checked and three more days of good weather, the sooner I do it the better. 10.19pm.

Friday 20th June 2025

Another big day in the saddle. I stayed quite local but put the miles in riding to Swallwell and back, then up to Parkhead station and back, plus a few runs back and forth along the local cycle path. My main gripe is a sore backside and a numb right hand. I didn't go out till ten past two and didn't get home till about half nine. My legs are okay but I'm well tired. I need to do 28 miles tomorrow to match C2C mileage. Of course, it will be vastly different on the actual route. And I hope I can still climb out of Garrigill. I'm tired now and will soon be asleep. 11.30pm.

Saturday 21st June 2025

Woke up with a dull pain still in my right palm. Took Ibuprofen and put a folded sock in my glove to do another 29 miles on local cycle paths. Spoke to Steve Wood and Melanie Bowman in Consett. I wanted to go back out tonight to do more miles, but I've cleared 140 in three days. I'm concerned about the C2C route and the roadworthiness of the Rockhopper bike. It's a hot night 10.05pm.

Sunday 22nd June 2025

Right hand okay. Left hand now sore. Spent a few hours watching C2C route videos. I aim to get back to the training after a week or so. Hard to be motivated today. I'm going to Jen’s after the Waddy workshop on Tuesday. I've been watching Nine Inch Nails live from Dublin. Great production. Deep cuts well performed. I ate beef steak and tuna today. 11.20pm.

Monday 23rd June 2025

Carpal tunnel hassle in the left wrist this evening. I've tried ibuprofen and some physio exercises, but it's not great. Could be weeks or months. Hopefully not. I want to ride my Sonder bike but can't until my wrist sorts itself out. I prepped a session for Washington, copied up stray work log notes, and listened to Venom. I did some abdominal exercises. I don't really have much more than that. Been listening to a Venom box set from 2005. The first band I got a ticket to see in Newcastle 40 years ago. They’ve never played Newcastle since. Hardly anywhere else in the UK since. I have one more Waddy session this term, then I'm done till September. I have three at Washington. I’ve chosen poems to read at Shipley on Wednesday. I'm pissed off about my wrist. 11.06pm.

 

Tuesday 24th June 2025

Morning pages, email checks, bag pack, readthroughs on the bus, photocopies of student work, two-hour session at Waddy went okay. Three hours to get home due to road closure. Thanks to Ali Lee for offering me six summer workshops. OK. 11.38pm.

Wednesday 25th June 2025

I've thoroughly enjoyed checking out poetry in West Yorkshire. I arrived at Shipley around two this afternoon under a grey sky, but was soon glad I brought my new black cap. It was baking hot by about three o'clock, by which time I'd found The Triangle venue on Bradford Road. I had to go back to the train station to use the facilities to cool down. Later, I sat in The Pride of Shipley pub and wrote a few things, read a bit of the C2C guidebook. My left wrist hasn't been so bad today Hopefully, only a few more days. I toyed with the idea of a Subway meal deal but thought all that bread, fizzy pop and big cookie for £3.99 would chuck my new diet regime right out of the window, so I got chicken drumsticks and a punnet of strawberries from Iceland instead. Shipley, like Consett and Sunderland, shuts around five. I sat in a park and tweaked my notes for my open mic mini set, then hit the venue. The open mic was quite varied. Poetry about Boyes department store, nature poems of a high calibre, some brave mental health verse from a first timer... I did five poems in four minutes and really enjoyed my time in front of the crowd. Michael Farron runs a tight ship: all done in the first bit after 50 minutes. A quick break, then Vicky Gatehouse read poems about lab technicians, pornography for pandas, how holly trees survive in summer, and the importance of saying NO to wind turbines near peat bogs. I got a book signed, thanked people, and was back at Shipley train station early enough to get the quarter to ten train, instead of quarter past, back to Leeds. I’m now on the 10.45pm to Newcastle. Hardly anyone on board. We haven't hit York yet. I’m meeting Jenni in Newcastle in about two hours. 11.00pm.

Thursday 26th June 2025

Went into town this afternoon to buy a twenty-quid pair of gloves for the bike ride. Much better gel padding than the decrepit ones I've relied on for the last 14 years. I also got a pair of charity shop trousers for three quid. Me and Jenni went to see Come From Away at The Little Theatre in Gateshead tonight. I've seen a televised production of this musical about plane passengers and the Newfoundlanders who looked after them when flights were grounded on 9/11. Seeing it on stage was ace. Jenni says it was as good as the touring production she saw at the Theatre Royal last year. 11.00pm.

 

Friday 27th June 2025

Didn't get to Washington till 20 past 11 this morning, but still plenty time to set up the fiction workshop for the writing group. I repeated 10 images from 24 hours. We played beginning-middle-end, and various starts to a story. It all went down really well. Thanks to Alwyn Bathan for chats about theatre and dangerous pursuits on ride to Metro Centre. I found a copy of the Lou Reed Ultimate Music Guide in WHSmith, then temporarily got lost on the way back to the bus station… Me and Jenni watched two episodes of ‘Transaction’ written by and starring Jordan Gray, then I caught a bus to Hexham for Quillseekers poetry and spoken word at the Forum Cinema. Jasmine Jade gave two thought-provoking readings about identity and cultural alienation. Host Caitlin Kendall gave generous open floor slots to all who wanted one. Thanks to David Rutherford for the swift lift home. OK. 11.23pm.

 

Saturday 28th June 2025

I didn't get out to Consett for supplies till midday.  Saw some mountain bike gel gloves for half the price I paid on Thursday. I spent twenty-seven quid on chicken, tuna, fruit and veg. Back home, I watched a ninety-minute Henry Rollins interview from earlier this year. I had a salad then edited video stills for the Poetry Jam photo album and listened to the podcast made about it by The Failing Writers who gave a pretty in-depth analysis of our event. I also listened to ‘Growing Up in Public’ and ‘New Sensations’ albums by Lou Reed. 11.30pm.

Sunday 29th June 2025

Most of today spent listening to Lou Reed, reading about Lou Reed, and checking out solutions to hand pain caused by prolonged cycling, including ergonomic grips, short stems, riser bars, Cherry Active juice and physiotherapy – very time-consuming. I've been out on the Rockhopper for 90 minutes. It was okay. I'm hoping to get it set up for touring in the next week or so. Thanks to all the Facebook friends for well wishes ref Jenni and me and our fifteenth anniversary. 11.03pm.

 

Monday 30th June 2025

I took a risk and went down the woods by the Derwent on the Sonder Frontier bike this morning. I wore gel gloves and a wrist splint. I did a personal-best hill climb, cleaned a long technical section of woodland trail, and scooped up two rock /boulder lines by the riverside. I stayed out for about two and a half hours. I took breaks for hand stretching exercises every fifteen to twenty minutes. Back home, I found I’d lost as much weight in two and a half hours on the Sonder as I did after 140 miles over three days on the Rockhopper. This afternoon, I read a great article on The Velvet Underground in The Lou Reed Ultimate Music Guide. I made a new morning pages notebook, then looked at handlebar and stem combos for the Rockhopper to match the more upright riding position of the Sonder Frontier. It’s been a hot day. 10.49pm.