12.2 miles Max 16.1 in 1hr28 Average speed 8.1. The sky was Excel spreadsheet grey, it had just stopped raining, my brain was weighed down with issues that I couldn't fix. Do I really want to go for a ride? I asked myself.
The reality of course was yes. It's just a question of holding your breath
whilst you get ready and are outside but once on the pedals with the feet
moving things change. It did take a bit
of time - about three miles - but once I had switched into the changing surroundings,
the architecture, the flashes of the taxi cab headlights letting me turn across
his path my mood started to brighten.
I headed for Kensington Palace
Gardens where the few pedestrians out and about were under umbrellas. It was
raining, very slightly and I hadn't really noticed!
As I stopped to take the pictures a
large crow started jeering at me, really, really loudly
I cycled up Millionaires Row and to
Ledbury Road. I am meeting a couple of
friends on Saturday and this is one of our potential destinations. I managed to avoid Daylesfords (fabulous
organic cafe/restaurant/best bakewell tart on the planet) and found myself at a bike shop!
They were closing for lunch so I carried
on for a pootle around Westbourne Grove and returned an hour later. Ninon who owns/runs it really knows what she
is doing. Not only does she have a brilliant
team of mechanics but they all think out of the box as she is forever looking at
new brands and products to work out what will and won't work.
For instance, I have been using my
Basil Bag on my Brompton because I like how it looks and it's easy to attach
and detach. Unfortunately it has been
making its own breaks for freedom recently and three times this afternoon I
heard it land in middle of the road - narrowly avoiding being run over!
Ninon suggested using a Brompton
shopping bag (that I already have) but with a Basil cover over the top.
Apparently at a recent bike show in Germany she took the Basil cover to the
Brompton stand to see if it would work.
It does, so she now sells them along with the bags. Sorted!
Instead of trying to
sell me the most expensive thing possible, Ninon found me the perfect and
practical solution. That put a big smile on my face! She told me that
she has also sourced wheel guards recently for a group of people who have to wear full
length skirts. Now that's what I call a really good local bike shop. And here it is on my Brommie!
I then went shopping in Westbourne
Grove, continuing my quest to find garments that I can wear whilst pootling
around town without being all lycra'ed up. It's not always easy because they
need to stretch to allow pedalling but without being ruined in the process.
Once the sun comes out I hope to
take some photos of styles being worn by fellow cyclists, for inspiration.
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