#i'm from bristol not newport

[clove-pinks]

I saw @joachimnapoleon’s post wishing French Marshal of the Empire Louis-Alexandre Berthier a happy birthday today (born 20 November 1753), and immediately zoomed in on his participation in the American Revolutionary War under General Rochambeau.

Rochambeau?? Does that mean... he was in Rhode Island?? (FYI my home state where I’m from, for those just tuning in at home)

And yes! Yes he was in Rhode Island!! 

Detail of Plan de la position de l'armée françoise autour de Newport et du mouillage de l'escadre dans la rade de cette ville, 1780. (Library of Congress) 

Although an author for the map isn’t listed on the LOC, a Rhode Island history site attributes it to Berthier based on “similarities in style and technique with other known Berthier maps and because Colonel Desandroüins was Berthier’s commanding officer.” (omg he drew Easton’s Beach)

I also found an interesting (if somewhat embarrassing) article in the Journal of the American Revolution: Why Newport, Rhode Island, Scorned the French. Basically we were very rude and hostile to General Rochambeau and his entourage because a) the French are CATHOLICS, b) Newport was a hotbed of Loyalists, c) Newport people are just jerks tbh, d) strange fears that the French eat babies?!

[bikepackinguk]

Day Eighty-seven

It's been another early start after a rainy night near Cardiff Airport. I don't have too much left of Wales to ride around, so let's see how far we get today!

It's out from the woods and onto the road for a few miles round to the hilly town of Barry to stop off for a resupply.

It takes a bit of meandering to make my way down to the waterside, but from the docks it's some nice level riding as the weather clears up and the miles start ticking down whilst following the cycle laths through Sully.

The slog around the B road starts to climb up as I enter Penarth for a journey through the clifftop park, which has a lovely view across the Bristol Channel.

It's a steep descent down the road to Penarth Seafront, which is very pretty despite the stoney shore, before veering back up again over the cliffs of Penarth Head.

Like a rollercoaster, it's straight back down immediately again to the marina, and then some absolutely lovely riding as I head along the Cardiff Bay Barrage.

The weather has cleared for now and the paths here are busy with tourists as I wind my way along the waterside trails into Cardiff. Thankfully there is aome decent infrastructure for cycling along here and I get aome good smooth pedalling in.

After enjoying the views around the bay, it's out around Cardiff Docks as I follow the road around the coast and over the Rhymney River.

The road carries past numerous industrial estates and the traffic is very dense, but fortunately there's enough pavement to allow me to keep out of the worst of it as I head out of the city.

The weather is having a changeable day though, and the aun disappears as some torrential rain begins to roll in as I pass Parc Tredelerch. The waterproofs are thrown back on once more, and the riding continues!

The busy road gradually shifts into some quieter country lanes, with the landscape dotted with cornfields and cows. The rain is down to a steady drizzle now, which helps keep the heat down as I keep putting the miles in until the road hits the outskirts of Newport.

I take a bit of shelter in a bus stop to check the route, which of course then coincides with the rain pausing for now.

Jumping back on to NCN Route 4, it's a zig-zag through the suburban stretch here, over the Ebbw River, and past some more industrial areas before hitting the A48.

The major roads here have some good dual-use pavements all along them, meaning an easy ride around and then over the River Usk before stopping for a short rest.

With the cycle route doing aome serious meandering past here to add a lot of unnecessary mileage, I decide to opt for the A4810 and get some good pace going.

The wind has gotten up and is blowing up the channel, but today that means it's behind me and helping to gust me along the Gwent Levels.

It's not exactly great scenery, with various industrial estates along the dual carriageway, but the off-traffic cycle paths last a good distance and allow me to enjoy getting some decent speed on.

By the time the cycle lanes vanish and I'm forced back onto the road, the traffic has lightened and it's off to a quiet side road to roll iver the rail brisge to Magor.

It's time to navigate between the motorways heading around the landscape here, so I drop onto the B4245 to push around to Caldicot. There are a few climbs to deal with, but nothing too bad.

At Caldicot, I meet back with Route 4 once more, and with the weather and roads getting more difficult I decide to stick with it for now as it crosses over the M48.

The cycle path heads out along more farmland lanes, though the roar of the motorways is ever oresent in the background, even above the heavy rain.

The route threads through the fields along narrow lanes as it clips the edges of the Wye Valley AONB, before a long hard climb up and up to the outskirts of Chepstow.

I hit the A roada once more here, for a nice ride along the cycle path as it heada past Bulwark and a pretty major milestone for the journey.

Around the motorway junction and over the mouth of the River Wye, the route heads across the impressive Severn Bridge.

The bridge not only takes me over the famous River Severn, but as the welcoming signs point out, I have now crossed back into England once more.

That's the Welsh Coast done! Blimey! It's been some challenging going at times, but I've always loved every trip I've had to Wales, and this has been no exception.

There's still time yet in the day however, and with nothing but major roads nearby, it's time to make tracks before I can find a spot for the night.

I head around the trails looping the motorway junction to continue on Route 4, only to find that the route has some temporary closures along the waterside. Without much other option, I take to the A403 to carry on southwards. Thankfully I don't have to plough along in the road for too long before the cycle lanes emerge and turn off by Northwick.

The route navigates around the busy motorway interchange, passing through Redwick, before heading into Severn Beach.

I spy a good amount of trees shielding the town from the ever-present noise of the motorways, and sure enough on a little investigation they look to offer some great spots to setup the tent fornthe evening.

Not a bad day all told! It's been very soggy at times, but it's great to chalk off another big milestone for the trip. I may even let myself have a bit of a lie in tomorrow to celebrate.

TTFN!

[mitchell-smith-art]

ABOUT

BIO

I am an artist from Torbay, Devon and I'm currently based in Brighton, UK. My work spans across all mediums, from painting, to sculpture, performance & tattooing. I studied a BA in Fine Arts in Bristol & an MFA at Wimbledon College of Arts, graduating in 2019. I've worked in several art galleries such as Bernard Jacobson, Newport Street (Damien Hirst) and am a founder of Uncovered Collective, which is a group of creatives who hold exhibitions for emerging artists. Currently I mostly create handpoke (stick and poke) tattoos, from a private studio space in South London. I also work in SEO. I also have a food blog: Brighton Bites Back and am part of Uncovered Collective.

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ARTIST STATEMENT

My practice is an investigation through various media. Generally, my motivation to create comes from an attempt to define my moral and political identity against the social landscape.

I am currently focusing on developing my SEO career further.

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EDUCATION

MFA  2017 - 2019 - Wimbledon College of Art, UAL, London

​BA (Hons)  2014 - 2017 - University of the West of England, Bristol

​Foundation Diploma in Fine Art  2013 - 2014 - South Devon College, South West

​Tattoo Apprentice  2012 - 2013 - Revolver Tattoo Rooms, Torquay

​BTEC in Fine Art (lvl 3).  2010 - 2012 - South Devon College, South West 

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AWARDS

​UAL Vice-Chancellor Scholarship  2017-2019

​The Empringham Prize for Engagement  2017

​The Degree Show Prize  2017

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MEDIA

the Horizon Magazine - issue3 Subject LDN

Vicious Circle (Art number 23)

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COVER ART

Idles - Mother - 7" - (artwork: SHE, 2017)

Splurge - Dopey - Album cover - (artwork: Sunflowers in mince, 2018)

PODCAST​S

What Is Your Working Class? - (hosted by Aidan Teplitzky)

Bitesize B2B Marketing - (Co-host)

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MERCH

Monk Audio T-shirt design

Spaced Digital T-shirt design

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STREET ART

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-25228679/ /splash-colour-walls-hill-shelter-thoughts/

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MUSIC

Foxhol - Worm/Wyrm (lyric video)

Foxhol - Statecide (music video)

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EXHIBITIONS

11. 2021 - Vertical Merger - Uncovered Collective - Woolwich, London

10.2020 - Emergent Vision - Uncovered Collective - Peckham, London

8.2020 - Gods, Devils & Software Engineers - Deptford Does Art, London 

12.2019 - Vicious Circle - The Old Biscuit Factory, London 06.2019 - MFA Fine Art Show - Wimbledon College of Arts, London  2.2019 - Postopia - Uncovered Collective - Ugly Duck, London

10.2018 - Who Will Provide? - The Crypt Gallery, St Pancras, London

9.2018 - The Great Divide - Ovada Warehouse Gallery, Oxford

8.2018 - FEMzine presents FEMfestival - Stour Space, London

2.2018 - CONFLICT - Chelsea College of Arts, London

5.2017 - ‘Eleventh’ Degree Show - UWE studios, Spike Island, Bristol

8.2016 - Parallels - The Island, Bristol

10.2015 - Seriously Dad it’s Art - Spike Island, Bristol

8.2013 - The Great Big Rhino Project - (Charity auction) - Paignton Zoo, Torre Abbey

7.2013 - Young Artists Exhibition - Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey, Devon

[spooki-local-cryptid]

Please spread awareness!!

I'm haven't seen any posts about this yet here, so I might as make one. If you're or know someone from southern Wales, especially around Cardiff and Newport, but also from Bath, Bristol and Somerset; listen. Millions of cubric meters of radioactive waste is being dumped in the Bristol Channel, and it's contaminating all the nearby inland waters, fisheries and wildlife. It won't leave at all for at least 12,000 years. The very first people came to the UK 12,000 years ago, just let the time it'll take sink in.

George Osborne, the genius he is, has made the cheap desision to dump all that toxic waste not even one mile away from the shores of Cardiff. The most populated city in Wales. Fucker. This waste comes from one of several hazardous and old reactors around the west of England and Scotland, and in total they've created more than nineteen million tonnes of toxic waste. About 4 million of that is dumped in the Irish channel, where there has been an increase of blood diseases and cancer, especially in children.

The French company building the reactor in Somerset is set to be the world's most expensive building yet, costing a whopping £20 billion. Theresa May has given the French EDF company a 'marine licence' to dump even more hazardous crap into Cardiff Bay. Protestors are in their thousands have submitted multiple petitions and demonstrations but all of it is being ignored. Even the BBC Current Affairs department is ignoring the issue. Not only is this an issue for the environment, but it's also a humanitarian issue. It's contaminating our tap water. It's proven to cause diseases and cancer. This is so fucking disgusting.

I'm sure most of you won't be aware this is happening, so please share this to spread awareness. This is horrible.

[lies]

Like everyone's so sad and frustrated but holy shit you guys just LOOK AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW. I guess you wouldn't get where they are in the sailing world without having a certain amount of tunnel vision, but like what's the point if you can't take a step back and enjoy the pretty? Like they're basically saying through heaven. But idk I'm not a sailor. Anyway I had feelings.

(Continued from here)

Yes! IKR??

I just rewatched that video of them in the Bristol Channel and it’s true; something about the combination of how absolutely glassy flat it was and so quiet and the 4-knot breeze just gently breathing over them and THAT LIGHT it was just… breathtakingly, heart-stoppingly beautiful.

And Pascal is putting his hand in Jérémie’s camera lens and flipping him off, and Charles is just muttering, muttering, because there’s nothing they can do, and they get the sched that says Brunel and AkzoNobel, only 18 miles away on the south side of the channel, are in 20 KNOTS OF WIND! And he can’t know what fans knew watching the tracker, which is that it was just a momentary puff; both boats were back in 6 knots of wind a few minutes later. But on board they only get the sched once every 6 hours, and it will be 0100 UTC before they get another update and they are STUCK on the north side, committed, with no way to get across the adverse current; they’re just going to sit there and wallow while the fleet sails past them.

So for Charles it’s just like *fuck me*; it’s the Newport arrival all over again, when they were leading the leg with every expectation of winning and then dropped to 4th in the last few miles. Or going back to the last edition when they were on track to threaten ADOR for the overall race lead heading toward Cape Horn and then the mast just snapped and he slammed his hand on the wheel and screamed.

He’s usually so low-key. He’s quiet. Easy-going. But he is intensely competitive, even by the standard of all these hyper-competitive types, and you can see it here. There’s nowhere he can go and nothing he can do and his normal Mr. Calm demeanor is gone and he’s practically VIBRATING with frustration.

And yeah, the contrast between that and the quiet beauty around them, the awesome majesty of it, was so moving. It was like an almighty power of the universe enfolding them, and them being in it and part of it and yet unable to step outside themselves and witness it even as it moved through them.

Or something. Anyway, yeah, agree.

ETA: Here’s the video:

[tipsoctopus]

'Can't believe what I'm seeing' - Lots of Stoke fans blast Rowett's call against Bristol City

There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a disappointing season thus far for Stoke City.

The Potters were fancied to challenge for an immediate return to the Premier League, but have only collected 35 points from their 26 Championship matches this season, which is only good enough for 14th position.

Gary Rowett’s side have won just eight of their league matches this season, and there is serious pressure on their manager at the moment.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Rowett is still in the position, but a poor result against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup this weekend could prove to be the end of the road.

Stoke suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Bristol City in the Championship at the weekend, and the club’s fans took exception to Rowett deciding to replace Benik Afobe with Peter Crouch in the 60th minute of the match.

Crouch has only scored one Championship goal this term, whilst Afobe is the team’s leading scorer this season with seven.

The Stoke fans were upset with Rowett’s call at the weekend, and took to Twitter to express their views:

Moving forward?…

— Euan Ramage (@EuanRamae7) January 1, 2019

Well it’s clear rowett knows he’s in trouble if he’s bringing the big man on this early

— Ben Street (@BenStre83066504) January 1, 2019

pic.twitter.com/5vZFJc3t8p

— James Naylor (@Sporting_Jim) January 1, 2019

Oh great , crouch will beat them for pace ? if ya bringing him on then u need 2 upfront , how did he get a managers job !

— Newport Mon (@symattad) January 1, 2019

I can’t even believe what I’m seeing

— Will Shirley (@WillShirley18) January 1, 2019

This is a wind up surely

— howardjs (@sjosephhow) January 1, 2019

Can you take your Twitter offline as we are a corrupt club

— AJ Potter (@nerdjacking2) January 1, 2019

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