Mice log star date 53

A trip up north! 13.96 miles Ave speed 10mph Max speed 25.9mph
Duration 1hr.23m

Winter had returned with a vengeance. The air temperature had an easterly wind chill factor taking it to zero but it felt much colder than that. Were these the right conditions to be heading north I wondered as I put on thermals, jeans, base layer under base layer, my favourite Max & co puffa before my Gore Oxygen jacket. 

I was off to north London to friends for supper and a sleep over!!  I had luggage! Aside from the excitement,  my main concern was that the destination had the word hill - Winchmore Hill - in it so I put on my cycling shoes and added my boots to my enormous Super O Caradice saddle bag. I realised later that I had packed more than I did for one whole week in France. But hey, it was cold!

The last time I made this journey I got supremely lost so this time I had Google-mapped the route. 

Into Hyde Park, onto Regents Park, Camden, Finsbury, Wood Green, over the North Circular to Palmers Green and along to Winchmore Hill. 

Oh the joys of cycling on main roads during the school holidays. So easy and clear. Wouldn't it be great if we could turn the school run into "The School Fun". Something that's about the getting there, the journey. An opportunity to walk, cycle or scoot, talking and spending time together rather than a stressful race to avoid traffic whilst adding to it. It would be so much more fun for the children, healthier of course and would teach them about road sense too. I can only hope that this dream comes true one day. It may be a bit unrealistic but if it could at least be given a try from time to time....

 .
The reduction in cars on the road was great but the other snag I noticed is the ridiculous road design that cyclists have to sit in bus lanes behind buses as they chuff out their soot and fumes. Yuk! Moving into the outside lane solved this problem but it's not always ideal.

 

My Google maps research had been resoundingly successful.  I was nearly at my destination when there was a flash of a battery image from the Iphone followed by............nothing. Absolutely nothing.  It had run of juice and turned itself off. Oh Gawd! 

The last time I came here I had written out all the details on something called a piece of paper. Not this time. No address, phone number, nothing. I could remember the name of the next street on the route so cycled on. Half way along it, I noticed a bicycle wheel hanging in a window. A bicycle shop wow! 

And not just a bicycle shop but one that combines a shop, a cafe and a workshop. The Bike Boutique at 57 Station Road, Winchmore Hill N21 3NB bikeboutique.net. The owners, Cheryl and Steve are keen cyclists and have put their passion for cycling into this great bike shop.  In I went for a cappuccino, a chat and an iPhone recharge. I did take pen to paper tho' and made a real note of where I was going ...!

Two miles later I reached my destination. I spent the evening with a very, very, great friend - one of life's best - and her new partner, her childhood sweetheart.  Two really great people - what a match.  

We chatted and laughed our way through the evening, fish and chips followed by chocolate and on into the early hours. In the words of a credit card -  priceless.