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Same Again – ish!

Posted by Richard Morris on 14 August 2026
Posted in: Apple Maps, Cycling, Diary, Road Cycling. Tagged: , , , , .

So after riding home on the Brompton yesterday after dropping the ST off for its second annual service, I again trusted Apple Maps to direct me back to Group 1 and set off.

And yes, it was a different route with more roads, although avoiding the really major routes. An interesting route too, including the first stretch alongside the Blackwater River again, avoiding tree roots and brambles before emerging into a car park for the second road drag, which meant dealing with traffic and commuting car drivers.  All of which went really well with nothing but courteous drivers slowing down and/or passing me with plenty of room.

Near to the end, I was directed into Farnborough Business Park which I went through easily … until the end at the back of the Village Gym: contractors were working overhead and had closed the footpath. Ah. Rather than retracing my route, I went right … and into some more vegetation through a small lunch picnic area and some lightly-trodden path through the trees. I eventually emerged through a hedge and across a planted border near to Group 1.

Back on the Chain Gang

Posted by Richard Morris on 13 August 2026
Posted in: Apple Maps, Cycling, Diary, Road Cycling. Tagged: , , , , , .

Well now. That was nice!

I last used the Brompton when I was commuting in London from our home in Rotherhithe. And then COVID-19 happened, so I worked from home. The company saw cost savings and I had been advocating remote working anyway, so we ended up having new employment contracts with WFH as the default.  That meant we didn’t need to be in Central London any longer, so three years or so ago we moved out to Surrey and I started a lot of indoor cycling instead.

The only use the Brompton got was then by my stepdaughter in her year out between doing her Batchelors and Masters in Law.

Until today!

The estate where our house is has limited parking and of course all the numpties move in to houses with one parking space for their SUV and van to use (it’s always that mix…). That plus the narrow streets means parking is at a premium.  We have space for two cars on our driveway in front of the double garage (which is actually the Man Cave for the motorbikes and the Pain Cave for our home gym).  At a push, we can play Car Tetris and creatively park them, but it’s a bit of a palaver. So when the family on the corner briefly vacated the visitor space they use all the time (!) we put the Abarth there as we have family coming up to stay this weekend with a whole host of children, so they’ll need to park on our drive.

This meant that when I needed to take the Focus ST for its second annual service this morning, we didn’t want to lose that space by collecting me in the 124. Instead, I decided to dust off the Brompton, pump up the tyres, and shove it into the boot to ride back on from the dealership.

I’ve only ever done the trip there and back by car, so once checked in, I unfolded the Brompton, popped on my helmet and gloves, and entered Home as my destination in Apple Maps with directions for pushbikes. And that’s how I followed some cycle paths and woodland trails more suited to a mountain bike back home.