12°C, windy westerly, CA:20.
Ride in warm wet air. The round trip was typical winter at 1h 22m. Only a few minutes from the average. I feel alive again.
On seeming normal.
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Monthly Archives: Jan 2013
First ride
6°C, V. Windy, sun. CK:43miles
Rode a loop in Lancashire- Parbold and the flatlands by Bank. The hedges were low and sparse so no shelter from a strong westerly. Those last miles were hard and slow even on the 42×17. I was standing on the pedals even on level roads.
I have lost form, even though I was reluctant to admit it.
Next week, I should do the same milage and see how it feels. Then, if that’s okay, add 10 more the week after.
You do too much exercise.
-4°C, calm & icy.
Last day of snow, a heavy fall is coming this afternoon.
More turbo time to keep me sane but…
A colleague said in a firm voice that:
(I)” you do too much exercise, half an hour a few times a week is enough”.
Only a few decades ago, millions of men would work 10 or more hours a day burning far more calories than I do on the bikes. It was normal then. Now it’s normal to do barely any and shorten their lives by 10 years. I said that it’s un-natural to do none and our bodies suffer long term (and short).
Besides, it’s fun.
Morning commute
-4°C, clear, no thaw yet.
I could not pass this view this morning on the slow commute today. Breath-taking, it forced me to exclaim. I pulled over into a snowbound bus-stop and got a few shots.
Later, this winter demonstrated its darker side. On the crest of a hump-backed bridge I lost all grip. The road-speed was low but I could not slow on the descent side of the bridge. A car in front became the object of my fears, I really don’t want to stove the front of my car in, or the back of anyone else’s for that matter. I could not slow, but I could steer a bit so I headed for the oncoming side of the road. The grip seemed better there and I stopped as that terrible grinding sound from the anti-skid brakes juddering ceased. No crash then.
Home later: 50 minutes on the turbo. It keeps me warm and is preparation for the first ride of the year, which may be on Friday. I am obsessively referring to weather reports, many times a day.
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Still no ride
-2°C, thick snow everywhere.
2nd Snowday: it’s the 21st of January and I still have yet to ride a bike this year. Of this, I have never known.
At least I did a few turbo sessions this weekend, 70 mins today and a long walk with Rosie in the deep snow.
Back to work tomorrow.
Related articles
- Thousands take a ‘snowday’ as nearly 5,000 schools close and commuter chaos follows icy conditions (independent.co.uk)
- Woman found dead in snow after night out (independent.co.uk)
Turbo effect
-2°C re-frozen snow. No thaw.
40 minutes on the turbo, plus other stuff as a warm-down. Not much, but it’s an encouraging start. I had no trouble keeping warm in the evening nor overnight. Such is the effect of exercise, it keep you warm for days.
There is bit more snow to come, and this wintry weather is said to last two weeks. Grief.
Worst drive home.
-3°C, heavy snow.
That was the worst drive home I can remember. It took one whole hour to do the first mile. There was almost grid-lock in all the built up areas because of this snow. I could see gritting lorries but the road was coated in a lumpy layer of glassy compressed snow.
In all the Journey took 2 1/2 hours. Just for security, I pulled over to get extra petrol on a stretch of road where the car was doing 9 mpg.
This land does look lovely though.
Looming snow.
-2°C. Snow soon.
A cold week with a front that wants to push it away as much as we all do. There will be snow, but probably not enough to close work I think. There are many hopeful souls out there though.
I’ve been on my turbo, that signifies the end of the longest lived cold I can remember; the despair. 17th of January and I have not ridden a bike this year yet.
Huff and puff
1°C, clear & still
Back to work tomorrow, energy is returning along with my voice. Out goes the despair of getting another damned cold straight after the previous one.
Half an hour on the turbo plus some weights and stretches, that did nicely. Shame the mild winter has given way to such hard frost and ice.
Racing bike repairs are under-way: new headset= in, new pedals= on.
The wheel rebuild awaits, I have to post that one off though.
My Commuting bike could do with a new saddle, only because I don’t like this one. It’s not the right shape. I spend enough hours on it to easily justify the cost- about £45.
Back to back.
7°C, sunshine.
The Doc says I probably have a second cold straight after the first. Unlucky, but not a serious worry. Presumably, there is no reason that you couldn’t be infected with two colds at once.
Snow is on its way, though it may not fall here. The Mirror paper predicts -15C and blizzards, though view predict that every time the temperature dips a little. Nobody believes them any more. Well, no-one worth mentioning does.
Related articles
- The ‘snowpocalypse’ is coming (themediablog.typepad.com)
- All change with our weather this weekend as winter bites back (itv.com)
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