Well now. Wednesday. Off work pretty much permanently mid-week now after having "taken a hit for the team" this month. Well you would wouldn't you? Full-time only go for rides when you can fit them in, or devise a cunning plan whereby you maximise on the recession and get two days off mid-week? Exactly!
So, Wednesday. DiY or a ride out? Things were swung for me for several reasons; no rain, clear skies and minus 2 degrees Celsius. But which bike to take? Retro via the Orange Clockwork or Klein Mantra, or a bit more modern? So I took the Tassajara out for a spin - poor dear hasn't been used since I commuted in to work in London. Although saying that it hasn't been neglected; I treated it to a new Thomson seat post and a 190g saddle. No padding there then my lad. Getting o it was interesting. For one it has clip in pedals, something I've not used for a good 12 months. Secondly it is a long, long bike so I was really stretched out. Within 200m neither was an issue any more.
Where did I go? Not telling as if you've ridden with me before, then you'll know I have a tendency to sometimes hit proto or emerging trails. Today the trail wasn't even proto. Virgin ground Dear Reader, virgin ground. So virgin that I rode past a coppice worker - and when was the last time you saw one of those eh? He didn't look happy to see me. Now prior to riding past him I'd noticed on some of the slightly more used trails I'd been on [the word "trails" being used in a lose sense here ;¬) ] that cut wood had been laid across them in order to prevent errant cyclists. One thus assumes that the coppice worker may well have a dim view of persons such as myself? Fair enough; he may well require a licence to cut the wood whereas I'm just being ignorant.
Sorry, didn't mention the weather again did I? Minus 2 degrees Celsius, but no wind so at home it was t-shirt and cycling top. This combo seemed warm enough when getting the bike out, so that's all I wore. This working on the theory that pre-ride you should just be on the point of shivering. Naturally in the more open sections I was tremendously under-dressed, especially when passing over areas where the little snow we have had has stuck. Naturally this snotty situation happened at the same time as I rode up behind a jodhpur wearing dog walker. Now this was on a long uphill section of track, so there was an excuse to ride slowly and admire the, er, bouncy view. Quite frankly young women should not be allowed to wear such distracting clothing whilst walking. Of course a bit of humpy pumpy in the bushes was out of the question - for a start I'm a munter, and secondly the cold had meant my jaw had stopped working as intended. "Hmmph, ugger numpf" whilst dribbling was all I managed to say. Not the best chat up line now is it?
The trails were interesting. The mud of the past few weeks had frozen into bloody horrid tram lines. You'd be cycling along all happy, the next thing the bike would decide to follow somebody else's weekend ride. "I don't want to go that way!" And of course my off-piste lines didn't bode well for a fast, flowing ride but if one wants new, linking paths between otherwise rather boring sections, then this is what I have to put up with.
What a pleasant way to spend a Wednesday morning. No doubt some form of work will come along soon to fowl this all up.
So, Wednesday. DiY or a ride out? Things were swung for me for several reasons; no rain, clear skies and minus 2 degrees Celsius. But which bike to take? Retro via the Orange Clockwork or Klein Mantra, or a bit more modern? So I took the Tassajara out for a spin - poor dear hasn't been used since I commuted in to work in London. Although saying that it hasn't been neglected; I treated it to a new Thomson seat post and a 190g saddle. No padding there then my lad. Getting o it was interesting. For one it has clip in pedals, something I've not used for a good 12 months. Secondly it is a long, long bike so I was really stretched out. Within 200m neither was an issue any more.
Where did I go? Not telling as if you've ridden with me before, then you'll know I have a tendency to sometimes hit proto or emerging trails. Today the trail wasn't even proto. Virgin ground Dear Reader, virgin ground. So virgin that I rode past a coppice worker - and when was the last time you saw one of those eh? He didn't look happy to see me. Now prior to riding past him I'd noticed on some of the slightly more used trails I'd been on [the word "trails" being used in a lose sense here ;¬) ] that cut wood had been laid across them in order to prevent errant cyclists. One thus assumes that the coppice worker may well have a dim view of persons such as myself? Fair enough; he may well require a licence to cut the wood whereas I'm just being ignorant.
Sorry, didn't mention the weather again did I? Minus 2 degrees Celsius, but no wind so at home it was t-shirt and cycling top. This combo seemed warm enough when getting the bike out, so that's all I wore. This working on the theory that pre-ride you should just be on the point of shivering. Naturally in the more open sections I was tremendously under-dressed, especially when passing over areas where the little snow we have had has stuck. Naturally this snotty situation happened at the same time as I rode up behind a jodhpur wearing dog walker. Now this was on a long uphill section of track, so there was an excuse to ride slowly and admire the, er, bouncy view. Quite frankly young women should not be allowed to wear such distracting clothing whilst walking. Of course a bit of humpy pumpy in the bushes was out of the question - for a start I'm a munter, and secondly the cold had meant my jaw had stopped working as intended. "Hmmph, ugger numpf" whilst dribbling was all I managed to say. Not the best chat up line now is it?
The trails were interesting. The mud of the past few weeks had frozen into bloody horrid tram lines. You'd be cycling along all happy, the next thing the bike would decide to follow somebody else's weekend ride. "I don't want to go that way!" And of course my off-piste lines didn't bode well for a fast, flowing ride but if one wants new, linking paths between otherwise rather boring sections, then this is what I have to put up with.
What a pleasant way to spend a Wednesday morning. No doubt some form of work will come along soon to fowl this all up.
Comments
Post a Comment