Star
Date 70 15.80 miles, average speed
8.6 top speed 18.1 in 1 hr 45; on the Bbbbbblimey are you really
going out in this weather??!
A
tip off from a friend that the commute had been not only freezing but a gale
force wind explained the noise I could hear.
It was louder than the dustcart. I checked the BBC weather forecast and
clearly it was worth waiting til mid-day when the temperature would be up to a
massive 1 degree!!
Out
on the Brommie I went - blown along like a rocket. It was soooo cold. As I made my way to Ladbroke Grove I was
clinging on to my handle bars for dear life.
Bitterly cold. Except bizaarly I
wasnt. - apart from my nose. Everything
else was fine. My Gore jacket is the
best investment I made - if only it didn't clash sooooooo horrendously with my
new Bright Red Basil Cover on my Brompton bag.
A good thing I didn't see anyone I knew - the style police would have
been after me! An email to
thebicycleworkshop is on its way to see if I can have another one so I can
co-ordinate my wardrobe! After all, my
bicycle is the best accessory I have!
I
wasn't the only one on a bike today
Perhaps
the force of the wind was stirring my brain which started thinking about all
the various London boroughs and their inconsistent and confusing cycling
allocation of funds. Westminster we hear
won't have blue paint. But they will
have a pothole I could hide my Brompton in.
I was so shocked I put my front wheel in it. They have cycle paths absolutely in the door zone - they actually want cyclists travelling so close to parked cars that as soon as a car door is opened - Bang. The cyclist hits the door at speed.
And
please can you tell me who designed and implemented this cycle lane. How does
it work?
Has anyone from Westminster City Council tried cycling along it as the lights go red and someone wants to turn right? No sooner has the cycle path ended there is a car in it?
So as you cycle along in the cycle path what are you supposed to do here? What do the cars do if they want to travel straight on?
Answer: they squash you into grass.
So
with a Monday rant over I cycled towards home through a blizzard. I was being snowed on! Then I saw a really large snowflake head my
way. It turned out to be a football from
a school playground. Immediately there
were six pairs of eyes peering through the gate at me, along with a teacher.
"Can we have our ball back, please. It's behind you"! (Like I hadn't
seen it! As I walked towards them with
it I said "Would you like me to
throw it over the wall" "Yessssssssssssssss
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese!!!" came the unanimous reply. I was quite pleased with myself as I managed
that first time!!
A quick change and over to Clapham for supper with friends.
And my birthday cake was absolutely out of this world. I'm not sure I needed two helpings!
