Cycling Pilgrimage - Take Two

We did it again this year!

Source: Facebook

Source: Facebook

Perhaps not the best moment to show off my new hair-do ... :)

Bicycle Love

Just something I really really like. 

A dream.

Read this (photo source as well) ...

On A Cycling Pilgrimage

Hello, September, my favourite month of the year! The weather is getting autumnal but the memories of the long hot summer are still fresh and breezy... Here are some pics of our 60-mile cycling trip from the capital to the Basilica of the National Shrine in Brezje and back in late July. Absolutely gorgeous. I live in a beautiful country :)

And I really enjoy cycling!

Birthdays By The Riverside

The other weekend we spent a lovely afternoon at a riverside cabin not far away from our hometown. My two godsons were celebrating their 15th and 18th birthday respectively, and we were delighted to join the party. My boy and I cycled to the location (18 miles) as it was a gorgeous late-spring day. Which turned into a nasty cold rainy day in the afternoon but never mind :)

The birthday boys, two brothers, love B-B-Qing so they treated us to a delicious al fresco meal - with lots of yummy grilled vegetables! The cake was made by their Grandma, famous for her pastries - totally and utterly delicious, it was!

We ate, drank, talked, walked, played games and generally had a lovely time - another year cannot pass quickly enough! Or can it...?

- the riverside cabin

- some precious flora

- the river

- outfit of the day 

(fleece jacket & handkerchief 

around my neck - freezing!)

- we didn't cycle back home, I'm afraid :)

- a piece of art at the cabin

- footwear of the day

- football was played by both young & old :)

Once again, happy birthday, boys!

Cycling Outfit

Ever since I got my precious cruiser (just over two years ago!), I've been figuring out that I can actually cycle in most of my outfits (and more or less the entire year, minus the snowed-in time). Naturally, I ride my beloved Peacock more frequently during the warmer months, even though I must admit that it is rather appealing to cycle with hand-warmers and bundled up in woollen scarves...

Anyway, almost time for scarves in the last few days, but generally speaking we've had a fair share of warm summer days so far.

My cycling go-to uniform usually consists of a summery skirt, a top of some sort, sandals or plimsolls, and some fun accessories.

On one of my cycling trips into town I wore:

- plimsolls (with cherries!) - Cath Kidston

- denim skirt - Corazon

- shirt - McKinley

- bicycle pendant - borrowed from my son

- hydrangea brooch -  handmade by my friend Marysia

- messenger bag - Joules

- pink watch - S. Oliver
- glass cherry earrings - Etsy (bullseyebeads)

Do you enjoy cycling?

Seaside Cycling

It's been three weeks since we returned home from our seaside holiday. A lot has happened in these three weeks. My husband had a bad cycling accident (both arms in plaster cast as of yesterday!), I managed to translate eighty-five pages (of densely printed text) in seventeen days (Slovenian into English), my boy and my girl are back to school.

Our seaside holiday seems like ages and ages ago. We had a great time, though, and memories of enjoyable moments are always welcome when life gets a little rough.

We usually take our bikes to the seaside, there are some absolutely wonderful cycling paths in that part of our country. This year was no exception. The only problem is that I very rarely remember to take my camera along, I only make mental pictures of the absolutely breathtaking scenery.

These pictures were taken in the town of Koper, Slovenia, where we cycled along the coastline from our holiday resort, fifteen kilometres away. The cycling path between Portorose and Koper is truly enjoyable, winding its way through old railway tunnels, sweet-smelling vineyards and peach orchards. Heaven on Earth, I tell you.

It somehow never occurred to me to actually take a picture of us cycling or at least one of our bikes, but here we are, relaxing after our first half of the ride, and after some delicious ice cream, at one of Koper's beautiful lush and green parks.

P.S.: This is how our little girl manages to push her Lil Stardust for thirty kilometres...

Winter Cycling

I love cycling in winter. I particularly like cycling-appropriate weather in winter. Where I live, this means not a lot or possibly no snow. Which is a rare occurrence in the month of January. I'm sorry to say that the situation has changed since Monday when these pictures were taken. The roads have been snowed upon again.

Well, I enjoyed my bicycle ride to the choir practice. I get a lot of inspiration for winter cycling from the lovely S. from Simply Bike and I will definitely give riding my bike on snow covered roads a try but I do prefer snow-free winters. I don't mind the cold, even though I'm one of those people who come alive in the heat of the summer, but since I love layering and winter accessories, even freezing temperatures can't get to me if I decide I don't let them.

This outfit is very much cycling friendly. The tunic dress is stretchy enough to give my cycling legs a lot of movement space. It's quite warm as well, so there's no need for another layer of tights. In one word - perfect!

I'm wearing:

- boots - Mass
- tights - no idea (home closet?)
- tunic dress - Kesidov
- roll-neck - Dorothy Perkins
- pink top (underneath, only the long sleeves are peeking out) - TwoWay
- angel accessories
- felt earrings - crafts shop in the capital (no close-up this time, sorry)

Outdoors:
- coat - Mana
- belt - Hofer
- scarf - local shop
- gloves - Benetton (present, from long ago)
- beret - Seeberger
- button badges - Ness
- bag - BlackHouse
- bike - Electra Cruiser Peacock (birthday present from husband!)
- bike basket - Rice

Happy cycling!

I Love Cupcakes II.

I promised you another post on my birthday weekend yesterday and I definitely plan to tell you all about my lovely presents but today I'd like to share my excitement with you about this beauty:

My cupcake bicycle bell from dringdring that I won on SimplyBike has finally arrived! Isn't it pretty? I'll put it on my mountain bike eventually but right now it's sitting on my desk and being admired by me.

I'm one lucky girl, aren't I?

I Love Cupcakes!!!

I'm so excited!!! I participated in a lovely giveaway hosted by the wonderful S. from SimplyBike and guess what - I won!!! The prize is a bikebell from a Canadian company called dringdring - I get to choose my favourite design and, as you can well imagine, I've already done that! Ta-da!

I love reading S.'s blog, it's truly inspirational, and I also very much enjoy reading the blog she used to write on, academichic, which her friends continue to fill with all sorts of useful information on styling ideas and, most of all, great photos.

The choice for the prize was very difficult indeed - just look at all these scrumptious bells! In the end I decided for the green cupcake as green is my favourite colour and it will go well with all my bikes (sounds like I own far too many but I don't really - I have three, and I've already introduced the favourite one on this blog).

I'm really looking forward to bike-friendlier weather now!

Pictures courtesy of dringdring

Bikes & Brooches

Saturday's outfit. Hard to believe it was warm enough to walk around dressed like this only a few days ago. It's tights, boots & Barbour jacket this week. And umbrellas. Yesterday evening I rode my bike to the first choir practice in the new season - I put on my hand-warmers and a hat...!!! It's the first week of September!!!

Anyway, Saturday was sunny and warm and I was able to observe my 'no-socks-or-tights-till-the-end-of-September' rule. It felt good. The outfit was very cycling-friendly.

I put on my lovely red polka dot dress-turned-into-skirt (what's with all the hyphens today?), my favourite apple green top and my comfortable jean jacket. Plus the uber-comfy sandals. I love summer.

As far as accessories go, I borrowed the golden bicycle pendant from my boy and put on two absolutely gorgeous and precious wooden brooches I'd recently purchased on Etsy.

The watch was a wedding present from a good friend - it came with a black leather strap. In the last fifteen years I've added brown, white, pink and red leather straps to my collection.

I'm wearing:

sandals - Leonora Passaro
skirt/dress - Benetton (girls' department)
top - Playlife
jean jacket - Urko (local brand)
skinny belt - H&M
sunglasses - M&S
watch - wedding present from a friend
golden bike pendant - borrowed from my boy
blackbird brooches - Fiona Macneil on Etsy (totally adore her shop!)

I miss you, sun!

Thursday Afternoon

The second outfit from yesterday, when it got too warm for my cosy Petit Bateau top and my red Nike flats. I kept the cropped trousers because they're really light and perfect for the summer heat.

I even went into trouble of changing my jewellery, I felt I needed something turquoise. Hence the ring and the earrings.

I went shopping in the afternoon, we ran out of a few things, and my bike basket is absolutely perfect for a quick ride to the supermarket and for picking up some groceries.

I'm wearing:

wedge sandals - Marx
cropped trousers - Playlife
top - Playlife
bag - Zara
necklace - Haba
earrings - market at our usual seaside resort, years ago

I'm riding:

Electra Cruiser Peacock...
...and loving it!

Going For A Ride

Today I ventured on a bike ride from my hometown to the capital, which is about 60 km or 37 miles. I cycled the same route nineteen (!) years ago (twice) and decided to repeat it (with more gears and more years...). As my husband commutes to the capital, I held my thumb out and put the bike on the car roof and he gave me a lift back home...

Back home I just took it easy - picked up the kiddies at my parents' and read some Agatha Christie (I'm very much into her at the moment!).

I'm wearing:

sandals - Cath Kidston
cropped jeans - Wallis
polo shirt - Barbour
messenger bag - Cath Kidston
necklace - gift from Mum & Dad when my girl was born
watch - Swatch
angel bracelet, bagpipes charm bracelet

A Match Made In Heaven

This is it - my Peacock with the new Rice basket. I think they look great together, if you don't mind my saying so!

I just had to add some close-ups of the bike - the design is so perfectly thought-out! (I owe the idea for the close-ups to the charming S. of Academichic & Simply Bike.)

I love the bell with the pattern that matches the ornaments on the frame...

I love the logo - already bruised by the basket...

I love...
Well, what else is there to add?
I LOVE THIS BICYCLE!
(You'd never have noticed, right?)