Pause for thought – do we really need so much stuff?
As heard on BBC Radio Oxford
My pause for thought is reflecting on all the things around me. Since life changed with the nation going into lock-down we have been living in a different world. Previously at the click of a button or quick pop to the shops we could get pretty much anything we could wish for. Whether that be toilet paper or something more exotic. However, with many business closing in quarantine, times changed. There is no longer this instant gratification and convenience to get your hands on ‘things’ and this has led me to a realisation on many occasions…a thought process where I went from ok I ‘need’ new thing, to…can I get it?, to…do I really need it, all the way to actually, I really can live without it and actually I already have that which would do just as well…or even a full realisation that I just didn’t need it. That is time not used, money not spent and energy saved just from having to really think about the need.
I’m appreciating the value in things around me to a new level. The things I already have. Last month I trimmed a small tree down in the front garden and without thinking threw it in the wheelie bin for the refuge team to take away. But then I realised. That wood, is valuable to me. If I take the time to cut it and store it, in a few weeks I’ll have wood to fuel our little chimenea in the garden. Unable to go out and buy wood we’ve since had cherished fire side evenings burning what I once saw as waste. In modern life it is sometimes too easy to just go out and buy ready to use things, disregarding the waste or whether we really need it.
Cherished fire side evenings burning what I once saw as waste
Maybe I’ve been running life at such a pace I’ve lost my grounding, but with lock-down I’m feeling a new energy from opening my eyes to what I really need. I’ve got by with less stuff but has my quality of life been impacted? If anything, it’s rather uplifting to see I don’t need so much.
It seems this can also relate to the ‘admin’ of life. Many are returning to reduced capacity working environments where the focus is on the essentials, and what is incredible is that in many places, this is not showing huge gaping holes opening up, but instead highlighting that in countless ways the world can go round with less energy. The efficiencies of a reduced team or the forced requirement to re-think how things are done, streamline processes, are leading to less admin and more productivity. The pointless emails or amount spent traveling for a meeting that could easily be done on a video call.
There’s so much inefficiency in the world. So much stuff. So much waste. Chasing things, where actually, lock-down as proven to me that things don’t bring happiness. Experiences and time, connections and friendships, they bring happiness.
A precious commodity in manic modern life.
Experiences and time, connections and friendships, they bring happiness.
Thank you for reading my pause for thought as heard on BBC Radio Oxford
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harley’s and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
My life changed dramatically in March 2014 with the accident, here’s what happened
My life was full of adventure; I literally lived for the sport, for activities, the great outdoors. There was this constant underlying thirst for adrenaline. With a full-time job, I found my ways to shape life around these needs. Weekdays entailed a 16-mile daily cycling commute, lunchtime gym sessions and summer evening wakeboard sessions, you’ve got to love long summer nights. Once 5 o’clock hit on a Friday work was out of my mind and weekends were filled with road trips kite surfing, mountain biking and climbing.
But things took a life-changing turn on the 25th of March 2014. It was a pretty normal Tuesday, work had been as busy as always, but that was over for the day. I jumped on my bicycle with the fresh feeling of spring in my stride and hit the road pedalling hard. I was on route to the wake-boarding lake, a short 8-mile ride from work. It was going to be a great evening, a couple of sets behind the RAF Nautique wake boat, followed by some steak and veg on the BBQ by the lake watching the sun go down. Little did I know that my world was about to turn upside down. I had barely left work, maybe a mile of tarmac had passed, and I was cruising along with the flow of traffic. I was delighted to see the traffic signal switch to green on approach, and I was able to keep the rhythm going, I pedalled hard to keep momentum. That was when it happened.
Out of nowhere an oncoming car pulled across in front of me. I had a microsecond. Time seemed to go into slow motion. But there was nothing I could do. There was no route for avoidance. No hope to avoid impact. I felt my body crumple as I shattered into the rear passenger panel. My right shoulder took the full impact, soaking up the 15 mph to standstill impact. My body screamed internally before collapsing to the ground on my right side. Time was different. I could feel my heartbeat; my pulse thumped through my veins, my surroundings were almost a blur. Time was still.
Then, with a bang, full speed realities of life kicked back in. I could hear traffic, car doors, and people crowding around me, voices, and people asking if I was ok. Was I ok? I didn’t even know at this point. All I really knew is that I was on the ground in the middle of a rush hour junction with a bike stuck between my feet. My feet were stuck. Argh, my cycling cleats, they were stuck on my pedals. I felt trapped and tried to move but quickly found my right shoulder was not going to be any use helping me up. I remember shouting, shouting in pain, in rage, in anger, ‘why’ ‘what the hell’ ‘it was a green light’ ‘why did the car cut across’.
I was really fortunate in the care and compassion of the passers-by. They helped me up and out of the road, collected my sprawled belongings of bike lights and removed shoe [to get me off my bike] and aided me to the safety of the curb where I awaited the ambulance. So much for an evening at the lake.
At the time, I had no idea of the full extent of the injuries; I was sent home from A&E with strict instructions to rest and let all the inflammation die down. The focus was my double size shoulder, which took the head on impact, my dislocated finger that was already swollen like a deformed balloon, and my right knee and hip following their hard encounter with the tarmac. I quite literally looked like I had been in a car crash. Ironic, really!
I was feeling incredibly shaken up, as one would expect following a head-on collision with a red light jumping car, my body was hurting beyond belief, but my get-up-and-go attitude had me staying positive about the short-term implications.
Little did I know that the world as I knew it was going to disappear for years. While the initial injuries were not life-threatening, they were definitely life-changing, and it was going to be a long road to full fitness.
That day changed my life.
Today, years since the accident in early 2014; my body has been through so much, over 13 months off work, 7 operations, full shoulder reconstruction [yes I am now partly bionic], 6 hip surgeries and years of rest, countless steroid injections [12], hydrotherapy, osteopath, shock wave treatment, acupuncture, red light therapy, CBD oil, spiritual healing, Physiolab ice treatment, daily active collagen, months and months of physiotherapy, and I’m still having treatment with my troubled hip persisting.
Shoulder reconstruction
In brief, the most impacting injuries included my shoulder and hip. My right shoulder has now been fully reconstructed with my ligaments being removed and replaced by an artificial surgili fiber, the bone cut short to allow it to reset, before being bolted back together. My shoulder surgeon, the third consulted who finally knew what and how to fix me, Carlos Cobiella, has been incredible. Despite being aware of my shoulder in everyday life on a multiple times a day basis, my shoulder has recovered to a level that will enable me to participate in my sports again, full functionality, full range, just a little grumpy and I will certainly pay for the fun with soreness afterwards – one of the hardest parts was actually learning to trust it again. The scar is beautiful too, a really clean 4-inch line across the top of my shoulder and three key hole marks. Incredible, given the mess it was in.
Hip complications
On the hip side, the repairs included bone removal and refinement, cartilage re-graft, ligament repair and stem cell treatment for soft tissue repair, followed by a series of steroid injections totalling 7, rest, two bouts of shock wave treatment, osteopathy, hydrotherapy and physio. This then continued with more surgery, hip fluid replacement, manipulation under anesthesia, labrum removal with donor graft replacement and further bone refinement. I also had to see multiple specialists until I found one able to fix me, Ali Bajwa and then Tony Andrade who have been incredible. In late 2017 I underwent my third hip surgery, with a full reconstruction of the cartilage, fully removing the labrum again and replacing it with donor cells.
Sadly though, this reconstruction failed, which can happen with absolutely no explanation. Simply it just didn’t take. I thus had to undertake the same full reconstruction for the second time in late 2018, my fourth hip surgery.
This surgery had me going pretty well for a good 10 months, however with lock-down forcing me to slow down I also started to listen to my body. I realised I was pushing on through a level of pain that a 33 year old just shouldn’t live with. In many cases pain is the body’s way of telling you to stop and rest, however once you’ve had significant injuries it’s possible that the pain just never really goes away. If I always listened to the pain and rested, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am now but at this time I knew I needed to listen.
My instincts were right and it turned out a “dangly” bit in my labrum had broken off the cartilage, a very clear cause for the pain and the join was still not mechanically sitting right. May 2020 saw hip surgery number 5, op 7, with a labrum repair and bone work.
I have always been religious in my physio, including the use of a Compex machine, PhysioLab, daily Active Collagen and Red Light Therapy with my complete commitment, and I’m feeling confident that 2020 will finally be the year I get back to sports.
Compex is an electric muscle stimulation machine designed to help reawaken the connection between the muscles and the brain. For the first 3 months this was used for 20 minutes 7 times a day on a range of muscle areas and really helped to get the dormant muscles back firing.
PhysioLab is machine that enables the application of cooling and compression and is used for the treatment of pain, swelling and inflammation [prof sportsmen use them lots]. I use it for 30 minutes every 2 hours for two weeks… It’s blinking freezing strapping around my waist / hip and pumping 6 degree ice water the body. Normal ice packs for cooling will only penetrate the first layer of the body but the combination of the compression and pumped ice water enables the cooling to penetrate 2-3 inches. The idea is that this helps smash away inflammation, freeing the pain and joint to allow you to push forwards again. With so many years of trauma and injury the joint’s become use to just being angry.
Red Light Therapy is a specific wavelengths of red light create a biochemical affect in our cells that serves to increase mitochondrial function. ATP is the source of energy for every cell in the body. So without it, we don’t function at all. Without enough of it, we don’t function well. It’s well known for it;s support in healing, energy, scaring, inflammation, tissue repair and a huge long list of other things.
Active Collagen – most will think of gorgeous smooth skin and wonderful hair but that’s not why I’m on it…although I won’t complain for those benefits. I’m on it because collagen contributes to the maintenance of ligaments and tendons, soft tissue repair, and protein synthesis, so recovery, healing and a smooth working body! My hip is something I battle with every day and I big time feeling the benefits in it. See more on why I take Active Collagen here.
The reality is I’ll highly likely, 95% according to the medical teams, need a new hip within the next decade. But that’s not going to stop me from pushing on and having the most fun I can with my body. So that’s where I’m at in mid 2020. I’m back pushing on but with a hip that is very much not ideal but thankfully it loves biking. I can’t walk far but who needs to walk when you can bike!?
How the bikes fit in
Some may wonder how I’ve been able to ride motorcycles during my recovery, given the injuries. But most of the people who ask are those who don’t ride, as those that do realise that you don’t need to be strong to road ride – cruising. If you have balance and coordination you’re be fine. But it’s important to realise that I’ve not been riding the whole time. It was a long time before I got my first motorcycle to avoid traffic on my commute. I was then unable to ride again for months post each of the 7 surgeries. But I’ve always pushed hard to get back on the bikes. Without my sports, the bikes, especially the Harley, have become my way of coping, my escapism, my bit of adventure and adrenaline. My life would have been a much darker place without them. Even just being able to go out to the garage on my crutches and look at them, polish them. It’s all helped my morale. The I started a new hobby with the dirt bikes as things started to improve physically. I’ve had periods across the years where I was able to get on the KTM/Husky, however further hip complications has repeatedly pulled me off it again, forcing more medical rest and surgery. See hear how I got into bikes in the first place please see here.
With time and patience, I knew I would get back to riding – only I had the power to make it happen and hard work always pays off.
Psychological impact of the accident
Beyond the physical implications, which have been life-changing, I have also been on a roller coaster of emotions; my body has changed, my daily activities, my ability to do sports, my views on the world, views on life, recovery and even pain have changed. My view on ‘who I am’ has changed, who I was has gone. And it is this, these discoveries that have led me here, to where I am today. I am now a stronger and more determined person than ever before, and through this life experience has grown ‘The Girl On A Bike.’ I’m more grateful than ever for what I do have, more thankful for the wonderful things around me.
The girl on a bike the accident hip surgery 2
The girl on a bike the accident hip surgery 3
The girl on a bike the accident hip surgery 1
My recovery from the accident is not yet over. However, the end of the tunnel is in sight and getting brighter with every month that goes by; which means exciting things.
My world of adventure and the former athletic me is coming back, and I will make sure it comes back. But either way, I want to help encourage others to join in too, to make the most of every day. I would love to help boost others to have a little more confidence in themselves, to maybe live the precious moments in a life a little harder, to help people join in with the sports I love, to get out on two wheels, share the addiction. The world is full of so many people, passionate about an aspect in their life, for me, it’s definitely ‘The Girl On A Bike,’ I am passionate about so many things as well; I enjoy a long list of sports, but motorbikes are so central to everything. And with two-wheel, you can travel to some unique destinations, escape a long day at work with a blast of wind in the hair, explore the countryside and even combine two wheels with holiday travel adventures.
Fancy joining for the ride? Tag #TheGirlOnABike and let’s get the adventures started.
What can you expect to hear from me?
It’s all about making the most of life on two wheels. You will learn more about who I am and my adventures making the most of each day. I plan to get stuck in with motorbike DIY following the motto that if “I can do it. You can do it!” (for the bike and inspired by the bike). Plus some bike essentials and product reviews, and as I get out and about I’ll share with you some of my adventures.
Finally, as my body allows I will add sports, from kite surfing and wakeboarding, to muddy mountain biking, spider inspired climbing and snowy snowboarding and snow-kiting.
Ultimately it’s all about tips for enjoying life, being more positive, exploring the great outdoors, making the most of our lives, my personal experience on health and nutrition [disclaimer, I am not an expert, but I know what works for me], and all wrapped up in some life learning’s in coping with difficult life issues, such as my accident or living with Vitiligo. I will be sure to review places I go to help others navigate the best spots and will most likely put in a few words about the kit I use.
Finally, I feel I should add that; all opinions will be my own.
If you’ve had any similar life challenges, then I would love to hear from you. I’d also love to know if there are any topics you’d love to see me cover! Get in touch with me via email or Instagram!
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
As you know I’ve been battling with my body following the accident in 2014 for some time. 7 surgeries down and more physio and treatment than you can shake a stick at. The body is a really darn complex thing but with the right love and attention it can do wonderful things.
I started taking something called active collagen desperate to find something to help. Most will think of gorgeous smooth skin and wonderful hair but that’s not why I’m on it…although I won’t complain for those benefits. I’m on it because collagen contributes to the maintenance of ligaments and tendons, soft tissue repair, and protein synthesis, so recovery, healing and a smooth working body!
Collagen is the primary protein in the body… supplementing with the right collagen helps you recover from exercise faster. Active Collagen is formulated to support your ligaments, tendons & muscles… backed by clinical studies & scientific data… U Perform is the UK’s leading sports recovery brand that delivers results. Give your body the support it needs with www.u-perform.co.uk
Active collagen is used by Olympic & World Class athletes to train harder & recover faster… daily use can support your active lifestyle by helping to reduce the risk of injury and optimise your recovery from exercise. Active Collagen is also Informed Sport registered & tested. See and feel the difference for yourself and use my offer to get 20% off all U Perform products.
My hip is something I battle with every day and I’m big time feeling the benefits in it. It was amazing to see how the surgeon was blown away by how secure the previous reconstruction looked & I hands down put it on the collagen. I could not recommend it more highly! Even my right shoulder previously reconstructed & my left knee which niggles me are improved, no pain in the morning, skin’s improved too (bonus).
I made the decision to take active collagen as I was desperate to find anything to help the pain and get my body in the best state possible given it’s the only home I’ll ever have. You can’t put a price on feeling good. It’s not the cheapest but you get what you pay for and that’s still nothing for improved pain and healing and it’s a solid dose of multiple forms of collagen. It can take 3-6 months to get the full benefits but I started to notice it after just two weeks. I could not recommend it more highly. Even if you just take it for 6 months and see how you feel
I’m a few months in on U-Perform and will keep you posted, so far my U Perform review is very positive, AND I can already tell that there is unlikely to be another day where I do not take it. The benefits just feel too good.
What is collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. As a result, it is the major component of connective tissues that make up several body parts, including tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles. This means collagen has many important functions, including providing your skin with structure and strengthening your bones. It’s really important to do your research when it comes to collagen though, as will all health supplements, you really do get what you pay for! Go cheap it’s going to be a poor low quality form, unlikely to give you anywhere near the same health benefits.
Some key active collagen health benefits include:
1. Can improve skin health
Collagen is a major component of your skin and thus it plays a role in strengthening skin, including elasticity and hydration. As you age, your body produces less collagen, leading to dry skin and the formation of wrinkles.
2. Helps relieve joint pain
Taking collagen supplements has been shown to reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen synthesis in the body. This may help promote pain relief among people with joint disorders like osteoarthritis.
3. Prevent bone loss
Your bones are made mostly of collagen, which gives them structure and helps keep them strong. Just as the collagen in your body deteriorates as you age, so does bone mass. This can lead to conditions like osteoporosis, which is characterized by low bone density and linked to a higher risk of bone fractures. Consuming collagen supplements can help reduce the risk of bone disorders like osteoporosis. They have the potential to help increase BMD and lower levels of proteins in the blood that stimulate bone breakdown.
4. Boost muscle mass
Between 1–10% of muscle tissue is composed of collagen! This protein is necessary to keep your muscles strong and functioning properly. Studies suggest that collagen supplements help boost muscle mass and thus the loss of muscle mass that happens with age.
5. Promotes heart health
Taking collagen supplements may help reduce the risk factors associated with heart conditions such as atherosclerosis.
6. Other health benefits
Collagen supplements may have other health benefits, but these have not been studied extensively.
Hair and nails. Taking collagen may increase the strength of your nails by preventing brittleness. Additionally, it may stimulate your hair and nails to grow longer.
Gut health. Although there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, some health practitioners promote the use of collagen supplements to treat intestinal permeability, or leaky gut syndrome.
Brain health. No studies have examined the role of collagen supplements in brain health [that’s a complex process to prove] – however, some people claim they improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety.
Weight loss. Some believe that taking collagen supplements may promote weight loss and a faster metabolism.
Given collagen is fundamental to nearly the completely workings of the body there are so many ways in which people feel the benefits! Anything from skin, joints, bones, to brain, heart, and gut health, as well as even help control weight and keep hair and nails healthy.
I encourage you to give it a try for 6 months and see how you feel!
Collagen side effects
Currently, there are not many known risks associated with taking collagen supplements.
Where to get Active Collagen?
I’m honored to say U Perform have given me a link to share 20% off their product range – I personally take U PERFORM active collagen. The U Perform review from me is that I highly recommend it. You have nothing to lose trying it too as there are zero negative side effects.
Pause for thought – do we really want life as we knew it back?
As heard on BBC Radio Oxford
If you prefer to read, here is my pause for thought:
Hi, my name is Vanessa Ruck also known as The Girl On A Bike and my pause for thought began in 2014 when I was involved in a life changing accident while cycling. Over the following 6 years I was on a mental and physical roller coaster to get my life back. A life of extreme sports, peak fitness, and most importantly pain free living. I battled through a time when I didn’t even see myself as me, this broken body unable to participate in the activities I loved was not me. Many of my friends would ask me “when is Vanessa” going to be back?
Exploring the countryside around home
And then it happened. I realised, not over night, but in an awakening journey about what recovery really means.
When people say ‘recovery’, you typically think of returning to how you were before. But there is no going back. You do not merely recover, you reinvent yourself. You learn so much as you fight through, you see things in new ways and discover new truths; it’s an irreversible journey.
As I record this sat at home in lock-down I see so many similarities to the world’s battle with covid-19. None of this was planned but it is unfortunately the reality of the world we live in right now. The effects are life changing, life as we knew it torn apart, and impacts likely to last well into the future.
I hear so many talking about wanting life back, going back to how things were before. But I can’t help but wonder if that is really what we should want. Lock-down has taught me a lot about myself and somehow made me look at the world in a new way. Always busy, rushing, doing, being, fighting to cram more in, have more, do more, be more. But what does it all mean if we cannot share it with our friends and families? I wonder if I am not the only one seeing what’s more important in life than things. Time is precious.
How many of us have had more phone calls with loved ones and friends more than ever before? How about grandparents, where before it might be months between visits, and now we are embracing video calling and connecting as much as we wish. I’ve had Friday night socials, coffees in the garden sunshine. Reconnecting with people where ‘time’ seemed to have drifted us apart simply because life was ‘too’ busy. I’ve even spent time encouraging more birds into the garden and enjoying their songs. Done jobs I never had the hours in the day to do. I’ve explored the countryside around home. Places on my doorstep so beautiful yet I didn’t realise they were there, instead, jumping on planes and traveling. And most importantly. I’ve stopped to listen and be grateful for everything I do have around me right now. Yes I would love to jump on my off road motorcycle and tear off into the wilderness, but life, even in lock-down is a blessing to be alive.
I think that after lock-down I will take learnings from this time, realising that life does not have to be quite so fast paced and hectic. Keeping a little stillness and deep breaths of appreciation, keeping stronger connections with those I love. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that can bring the most joy.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harley’s and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
How to Change a Bib Mousse Foam Insert Tube – Full Dirt Bike Tire Change Tutorial
With correct working methods and proper tools, a Rabaconda, a mousse tire change can be an easy 4-minute job. This process represents the everything I’ve learned from an array of YouTube videos into a process largely following the @Rabaconda 3-Minute Tire Changer method but super easy for anyone. You don’t need to be a pro to do a tyre in sub 5 minutes! And that’s axle to axle! If tyre changing is your hate, then this is the video to watch. Here’s a full how to tutorial video with all the top tips to get your tyre changing time down to as near to the 3 minute pro time as possible.
Using this process I’ve got my time down to 4 minute 22 seconds!!
If you’re not into videos please keep reading for a step-by-step written process to changing a tyre with the Rabaconda tyre changer:
Set up Rabaconda – estimate 2.5 minutes
Rabaconda tyre changer
Set up according to your wheel size, I’m using an 18-inch tire for the demo and I already have it here set up at the 18-inch marker
Recommended to have sprocket down and the disc side facing up to give you more room to operate the tire irons
Loosen rim lock – do not removed, instead lossen to the last couple of threads. Keeps it in place but easy to work around
Position the rim lock opposite the bead breaker system
Grab a tire iron and use the straight end for dismounting. The straight end is easier to insert. It is stronger. And later, it is easier to get them out between the tire and the rim.
Using a double motion action – grab the Rabaconda handle and position the bead breaker as close to the rim as possible. Sometimes the mousse can be really hard and it’s so difficult to get the tire irons between there. The key here us to put your body weight as close to the end of the green lever as you can for full leverage, simultaneously pushing the tire iron. It’s best done with one quick and strong double movement.
Using four levers place them in using the same method roughly a 4-inch or 10-cm distance between the tire irons.
Now, quickly check if they’re nicely engaged. If you pull and they don’t slide out, then it’s all good.
With really hard mousse, there’s also one trick to get the tire irons flipped easier. You need to brake the bead from the opposite side. This will allow the tire to come over the rim more easily.
Now leverage the tyre off. Grab one in the middle first If and the other one in the middle. If you grab the ones in the middle first, then those two here won’t slide out. If you start with the one on the side, the other ones might slide out easily. Now you can see the straight ends come out easily between the tire.
Now that you have about a quarter of the tire dismounted, it’s time to flip around the tire. Flip around the wheel
Position the section which is just dismounted tyre under the bead breaker. Grab the handle again and start pushing the tire off.
With force but being careful not to rip the tyre you can dismount both sides of the tyre using the Rabaconda
Once you’re at the rim lock, change the Rabaconda setting and push behind the rim lock, it should slide off effortlessly
It’s actually possible to mount a new tire without taking the old one off. But I’m mounting the same tire here for the demo purpose.
Prepare your mousse as normal – do your homework here
Ensure your tyre is the right way if directional
With rim lock opposite Rabaconda arm, engage the rim lock and then using one lever to get the bottom of the tyre on. Once on you should see no mousse on the top,
Position rim lock directly under Rabaconda arm and use first lever using curved end. Hook this under the Rabaconda lever holder
Now using two levers work around the tyre pulling it on. Big chunks at first getting smaller
At the 2 and 10 o’clock position place a lever in the removal position. This will hold the tyre low in the rim to allow easier rim lock installation in a moment
Continue around the tyre
Once at the rim lock using a level leveraged on the brake disc push the rim lock in – and in the same moment push the Rabaconda down onto the tyre edge. Engaging the tyre in full
Tighten rim lock and refit to bike.
Rabaconda tyre change with mousse
Here’s me using the Rabaconda for a 4 minutes 22 second tyre change:
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
Living with Vitiligo – face vitiligo camouflage process to hide white patches
This won’t work for everyone but it’s how I manage my face for vitiligo camouflage and I hope maybe it will help others.
Before we get into it, the most important part is to love the skin you’re in, vitiligo really is beautiful, and if you have the confidence to not hide it, that’s even better! For me I am bold and free with my body but like to camouflage my face.
My Vitiligo story
Having had vitiligo since the age of 13 it has taken me some time to learn how to really manage it. My first patch was a halo mole on my chest, which remained the only patch for a few years. However, in my late teens it began to spread and has continued since. I now have patches all over my body, hands and face; chest, arms, wrists, belly, back, hips, crutch, knees, ankles and feet.
The day it spread to my face was by far the most challenging and something I’m still yet to gain enough confidence to let go bare. I genuinely love the body patches now, they’re unique and make me me.
What is Vitiligo
Vitiligo it an autoimmune skin condition whereby melanocytes are destroyed, leading to depigmented of the skin. Leaving you with white patches that will not tan and have no natural sun protection. It’s purely cosmetic but does leave your skin with zero natural sun protection. Vitiligo camouflage can be tough.
My face
I want to share how I keep my face protected and camouflaged. It is important to note that this is what works for me with a light white complexion, it might not work for everyone. It is also not something that will work over night, but if you start this tomorrow then it will start working in a few months’ time!
So here it is, how I protect and keep my facial vitiligo protected. This make up is also relevant for sports where you want your make up to stay perfect, even if you’re covered in sweat and mud.
Here’s how I do vitiligo camouflage on my face:
I also recommend taking U Perform Active Collagen to support a smoother, healthier skin complexion. More information here and get 10% off.
Step one – sunscreen
Always wear full block / high factor sunscreen to ensure there is never any tan on your face. With vitiligo the normal skin will tan and colour but the vitiligo will not. The result is an increased contrast between the patches and your skin. No tan reduces the contrast between the two skin areas. Sunscreen will over time enable your skin to pale in tone and give a reduced contrast to the patches.
Step two – fake tan!
Apply a form of fake tan to your face every night before bed. This will give your face a natural glow of colour in the absence of any sun. The darkness I use varies across the year based on my body’s tan. So in summer when I get a natural tan on my body I use a darker tan. I use Zanderm and it’s incredible. Have a play about with their test shades for the best colour as it will be specific to you which ones best suit your skin tones. Use this every night to give some colour to your face. I often give a small top up in the morning pre make up too if needed. Note you should also exfoliate at least once a week to keep the tan even.
Start with a primer, I use Maybelline Baby Skin Primer to give a nice smooth base. Then Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation. I use two colours, a lighter and darker, and mix them to match my body’s tone. This is due to my body changing colour through the year and so enabling me to adapt my face colour to match. Make sure you blend down your neck, so you don’t get a line. Estée Lauder is a more expensive option, but it really is worth it. The foundation stays on considerably longer than any of the high street brands I’ve tried – you really do get what you pay for.
Next is an important step! You then need to set the foundation with a fixing powder. I use Essence All About Matt Powder to keep the foundation in place. This is around £5 so nothing fancy.
For my eyes I use a waterproof eye shadow and Estée Lauder Sumptuous Waterproof mascara with a waterproof liquid glitter eye shadow. These do not shift, move, smudgy or vanish with intense sports, mud and sweat.
Vitiligo makeup cover up product list – are all available here:
Gaddrt Magnificent Metals Glitter and Glow Liquid Eyeshadow
Essence All About Matt Powder
Avon True Glow Bronzing Pearls
Products for vitiligo camouflage
I also recommend taking U Perform Active Collagen to support a smoother, healthier skin complexion. More information here and get 10% off.
Please see my vitiligo camouflage make up tutorial here:
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
If you’ve ever wondered about our little home garage setup, please do watch this. This is our dream garage!
Our dream garage
From the foundations up we’ve built this workshop to our very own specifications and absolutely love it! We probably spend more time in the garage than any other room in our little 2-bedroom house too!
It’s worth nothing that we don’t live in some huge fancy house, it’s a modest 2-bedroom end of terrace. We had an 18 metre garden with off road parking and decided to know it down and build a double garage.
I’d love to hear what you think, what do you love, what are we missing? What makes a dream garage for you? I’m a huge Teng Tools lover so it’s got to be Teng.
Here you’ll see a sneak peak into what we have in the garage. Key items of mention:
Teng Tools – red units, tools and EVA control systems [foamed tools]
Cardo Systems – intercoms
Wiltech – hydraulic bike lift
Karcher – petrol jet wash
Draper – car jack
DeWalt – power tools
Parkside – pillar drill
Duramat – rubber matting
Hebo trials and enduro kits and helmets
Leatt – body armour and kit
Rabaconda – enduro tyre changer
Two dream garage tour versions to watch:
Full video tour:
22 minute detailed tour – everything covered
https://youtu.be/GlL4QxBw7hg
Mini dream garage tour:
6 minute sneak peak – just the highlights
https://youtu.be/0aN6meWpBEw
If you’d like to see the kit we have in here please see my Amazon store:
I do make a small commission for any Amazon buys through their affiliate programme so thank you in advance if you do shop. It all helps me keep the content coming 🥰
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
Looking for your first bike or taste of off road…I think I’ve just found your perfect ride. Introducing the Sinnis Blade X
….which has completely blown my expectations. As a 125cc Suzuki engine powered agile little bike it has an incredibly low 91 cm height seat, smooth power delivery and 100 mile range. It’s an absolute bundle of fun. Being honest, I didn’t think I’d fall for the Blade X but having taken it out on the Wiltshire lanes for five hours today I think it’s an absolute winner of a first bike for anyone wanting to get some mud on them and pop around town. It withstands drops with out any complaints, the weight is low and manoeuvrable giving confidence, and it’s small capacity means it’s highly forgiving (no unexpected back flips like some of the more mainstream enduro bikes). Confidence builder 100%!
Sinnis Blade X review
It’s not going to be for everyone, especially those on the tall side, but for someone starting out and wanting a bike to develop on, even with ‘L’ plates…it’s perfect. And from only £2399 new. Only thing I’d say is the peg ground clearance was a little on the low side for some of Wiltshire’s charming ruts and I’d definitely want to put some better rubber on.
Who’s ridden one or even heard of Sinnis? I never like to mock anything until I’ve tried it, hence taking one out for a play. OK…so I’m not going to rock up at a Hard enduro on one but that’s not what it’s for!
If you’re wanting to get into riding and a little off roading this is like a winner winner chicken dinner!
See my Sinnis Blade X riding review here
And Sinnis Blade X technical review here:
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
Two girls, Megs and The Girl On A Bike, passionate about dirt biking chatting about a whole array of topics submitted by you! Get in touch to request a topic!
Progressing enduro and hard enduro riding takes energy and dedication, it doesn’t just happen so here’s how Megs and I approach upping our game, and it ultimately comes down to dedicated practice. I’ve written this following our live chat on the topic – you can watch it here:
Dedicated practice
So what is dedicated practice? It’s focusing on an individual element of a skill or riding so homing in and spending a chunk of time solely focusing on that. Consider it like doing drills, over and over again.
It’s important as it enables you to really develop and get the movement into the muscle memory. Once you reach the point of it being subconscious you free up your mental capacity for other areas. Such as reading the terrain ahead, which will actually then help you go faster. Think of the Dakar riders who are able to ride at +80mph sucking up the sand dunes and unknown terrain while following a paper scrolling navigation on their bars using cap headings. Without muscle memory this would be impossible.
Examples of dedicated practice drills:
figures of 8 whether that’s big and fast or slow and balanced
de-weighting the front wheel
going up a hill climb
static balance stands
clutch over brake use on hills
controlled braking down hill
What’s my favourite dedicated enduro practice?
For me it has to be logs, although they always scare me. With practice I’m starting to be able to hit bigger and bigger things. Logs come in so many shapes and sizes, with different run ups and exists, then you add wet conditions and it’s a different board game. My least favourite has to be corners unfortunately. I’ve been spending time on figure of 8 drills and have definitely improved but put me in an unknown terrain or a flat bend and I’m not yet at a point of really trusting the side tread and wanging it around a corner to what ever I face next. Lot’s more practice needed.
Hard enduro tyre obstacle on Husqvarna TE 15i
Two areas of dedicated practice
There are two areas of riding where dedicated practice can really help.
The first is with dialling in your current skills. The things you are doing most of the time you’re riding. These are going to progress your riding in your current areas, get your speed up, increase your control and handling, but you won’t necessarily be able to tackle the next level yet.
And then you have the progression in terms of new skills where you’re really stepping forward into new areas. An easy example is when you first start de-weighting the wheel, this then opens a progression trail that leads to logs, steps and even rock beds.
Photo by Phill Hodges
How to identify your practice point?
If you’re like me when I first heard about dedicated practice, you might be wondering what are your areas to focus on? Here are some ideas to find yours:
The obvious is spotting your weakness, what are you not so good at, or maybe even suck at?
If that’s not obvious how about the area you’re slowest at? Does everyone accelerate past you while you’re struggling for traction? Maybe you wobble the second things get slow and technical?
What about the area you least enjoy? Quite often the area that needs to the most work is the area we’re the least good at. It is natural to find the least enjoyment in the bit you find the hardest. It’s harder, maybe that comes to mind?
Then you have confidence. Confidence often comes with experience and skill, so if the confidence is low that could be a clue to an area that needs more focus. Say logs always terrify you. I guarantee if you spend enough time drilling logs over and over in a mix of conditions, you’ll be come so normalised that you’ll get confidence.
If you’re still sat there thinking…ummm I can’t think of an area… there are two possibilities, either you are GForce Jarvis and an absolute pro… or … more likely….you’re just not quite focused your mind on your riding enough. Maybe ask a friend what they think your weaker area is. Friends are normally ace at knowing and a good friend will be honest with you!
I was terrified of downhills but with practice, going round and round I am starting to normalise the fear:
Tackling those practice points
Next it is time to talk about actually working on them. You need to figure out an exercise to focus in. Cornering is an easy example with figure of 8s. Standing, sitting, up / down, burms, off camber, flat, gravel, rutted, sand.
Find a way to ride them as much as you can. If you don’t have a dedicated area you can train, when you go our trail riding, try to dedicate ten minutes every time you ride. Find a space where you’re not going to upset anyone and focus in on that skill.
Using friends to give you a visual or even video yourself is a great way to get analysis. So often I think I’m burning round a corner, elbows up, weight forward…and then I see the video and it barely looks like I’m even trying. Video is a great tool for self-analysis!
If you’re not sure on the technique get on to some online tutorials, YouTube is an obvious start and Megs has loads!
Find new terrain, new locations, new spots to ride, travel and get some riding time with new people.
How do you identify new areas to improve
We’ve worked on weakness but how do we then work out how to really step things up!
It’s not just about getting better at what you do, it’s also about growing your riding skill set. So how do we identify them?
The obvious one is having a go when you naturally come across new terrain out riding. It might be a small bank or a little log, something you’ve not tried before. Make sure it is a sensible thing to try given your skills and give it ago.
I find riding with people who are better than me, which is not hard to find, really helps me grow. It gives me inspiration on what is possible and friends right there who know the best tips to help me grow.
You then have a more planned and structural way of aspiring to learn something. Take the obvious like wheelies. Do the research online first, get your head around what you need to do and then get out and try it.
Dedicated practice to drill in those skills
Learning frustration
An important factor when pushing your riding to the next level is understanding that it can take time. It can take hours and hours of practice, fall after fall and many bike drops. You might also nail is one day and then completely fail the next. This is why dedicated practice is needed, keep at it until it is so dialled in you get to a consistence performance. Don’t give up! You might also want to seek some help from others or video yourself and double check some online tutorials as it could be a small tweak in your body could get you there.
But don’t give up. Rome was not built in a day and progressing can take a lot of sweat and bruises.
How far to push
Having said that…it is also vital to understand how far to push yourself and know when you’re at your limits. To progress you have to leave your comfort zone but it’s important to only push so far. Enduro and hard enduro can be very demanding and dangerous sports so it’s about making calculated risks. Push beyond your limits but in a safe way. I guess it is the difference between being brave and stupid!
No when to give up, here I tired three times and knew it was time to walk away, live for another day and conquer that hill/step next time.
You must leave your comfort zone to grow, but remember the difference between bravery and stupidity!
The Girl On A Bike
It’s also important to know when to quit. Maybe today is just not the day. Walk away and try again another day. This could be particularly important when the conditions are not right. Don’t set a be all and end all goal on learning to wheelie on a wet day, it’s just not sensible. Try something else.
So that’s what we have! I hope that’s been helpful, I’d love to hear your thoughts so please do get in touch via my social channels!
Get out and ride, and stay safe.
If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.
