Mice Star Dates 22 to 31

The Fourth Week of January and beyond. My cycling (AKA Mice) Log Snow Day 22. 1hr 24 mins to do 15.22 miles, 10.8 average speed and 18.3 max. 

The BBC website said 1 degree from midday so I took this as the moment to go for a pootle. Grey was the order of the day with grey skies and grey snowmen languishing above and in Hyde Park. It was fun to be out but poor robin, the east wind did blow. 

 

 I am a wuss - unlike friends of mine there is no way I would have gone out any earlier! And I suspect several others I know and care about are on that list (actually that goes for everyone out about in these conditions) so please be careful out there. As it was a little earlier in the day the orange sky is missing but I took some pics anyway

My Cycling (AKA Mice) Log Snowstorm Date 23. 12.26 miles in 1.16hrs, average speed 9.6 max speed 15.6 with the air temperature at 1 degree (according to the BBC website). Above freezing! I headed out on the Brommie and cycled three laps around Hyde Park.

On the way there the snow fell out of the sky so heavily and in such big fat snowflakes I could hardly see where I was going! "What am I doing?" I asked myself. "Am I turning into Ian Euk Ianrauk or Andy Allsopp or something?!" Actually I realised I must stop reading anything in Cycle Chats Commuting Section written by Crock of Gold!!  

Mice Log Snow Cold Out There - Date 24. Thank goodness for a fab elevensies with friends at  Gail's Bakery. We managed to avoid the temptation to eat - calorie levels could have gone through the ceiling! 

  

The last time I saw Jennie was in The Hague in November after a ride to Schalke  with Olaf Storbeck. The photo of Jennie and I on our Dutch bicycles generated a few comments about the little bag on her handlebars!!  Apparently not quite suitable for FNRttCs!!

 

After coffee I set off for Hyde Park and did three laps. it was cold which is probably why I managed 20.3mph as a maximum speed with an average speed of 12mph during my 15.49 mile pootle.

Mice Log Brrrrrrrr it's Cold Date 25 A trip to London Bridge followed by a visit to Borough Market. 11.43 miles, ave speed 10mph during 1.14hrs.

It wasn't entirely without incident however....! On discovering a traffic jam I got off my bike and crossed the road as a pedestrian. As I picked up the handlebars to turn the bike away from the main road the front wheel rolled away on its own and lay down like a dropped coin! Oh Gawd!!!

The lights were changing, there were people and traffic next to me and it was all a bit perturbing! Luckily a very kind pedestrian retrieved the wheel for me. He then helped me work out what to do next. The missing bolt was long gone and apparently the only option was a walk to the bike shop.

The pedestrian must be a cyclist because when I asked "Can I ride it to the bike shop?" his immediate and emphatic response of "No" was so quick that I laughed out loud. So a walk it was and I am now the proud owner of Pitlocks!

Very happy to know that there are some really kind people out there who help complete strangers. Thank you very much, whoever you are.

Mice Log Woohoooo Spring is here for one day at least Date 26. Temperatures in double figures, bare legs in the Park - (slightly mad I'd say) lots of people out and about and still the remnants of snowmen lying about the place. I wore SPDs and it definitely affected my average speed which was 11.7 with a top speed of 22.1 during 1.19hrs and 15.37 miles.

On my way to Victoria I saw confirmation that Friday Night Rides were . The Gates to the FNRttC were closed. It was alarmingly symbolic and I very much look forward to them opening again soon.

According to my heart rate monitor which I switched on half way round I burnt 722 calories!! Excellent!  

Mice Log Windy Sunday Date 27. 10.5 miles around London with a train trip to Hampton Wick to Sigma Sports. The weather was a bit localised as a friend in Hammersmith asked me how I was coping with "the showers?" to which I replied "What showers?"! The view of the sky from the station platform summed up what was happening!  

                                                                       Cloudy or not?

Mice Log Star Date 28. A trip to Marylebone via three laps of Hyde Park (obviously!). Total Distance 16.99, ave speed 11.7, max speed 24.3 in 1.26hrs. It was a bit windy! Snowdrops were out and the daffs are having a go! 

It's that time of year! On the way home I bought two bunches of tulips. I love tulips. One bunch of pink and one bunch of white - my absolute favourite. They are so simple. No fuss, no frills. Lovely! Chacun a sa fleur as they say...!

Mice Log Star Date 29 - the wind was about and I was out on the Brommie! 15.38 miles in 1.36hrs with a top speed of 15 which was a bit pathetic but hey, did I say it was windy?!

Hyde Park was much deserted, the swans, duck and geese were huddling together probably having a right laugh about a guy on a Boris Bike who was so busy looking at them he didn't bother looking where he was going and nearly collided with another cyclist. All ok tho'. 

  

The restaurant/cafe on The Serpentine looked very pretty. Might take a closer look one day. Am not sure winter has gone - tomorrow is looking a bit chilly again. Be careful out there peeps.

I ate well! I found this Warm Baked Goats Cheese Salad and made it - it was delicious - I ate the lot!!

Mice Log Star Wowser its Windy Out There Date 30. 11 miles. Average speed 9.1 mph.

A trip to south London via Victoria Station and back then around and about - it was too windy to be out in the Park so I explored squares and streets I live near which protected me from some of the gusts.

My windows are rattling and the lamppost opposite is behaving like a yachts mast. Am glad to be inside now. Hold on to your handlebars peeps!

Mice Log Star Date 31. 15.25 miles during 1.21hrs, average speed 11.2 with a max speed 25.1 mph!! Thank you tail wind! 676 calories burned but many more eaten. Oooops!! The blue sky out of the bedroom window looked perfect. What a shock to see the rain battering the windows in the sitting room! I ventured out anyway and missed the rain but the wind was definitely out there.

 

 

My total mileage for January is 416.75 all flat but miles all the same! I love riding my bike!