My New Best Mate & Favourite Enemy

Cycled to work and back today. Mainly because it's Friday and I had this cunning plan to be logged in, ready and working by 7am so I could leave (feasibly) at 3pm...It worked! Mainly because I woke up at 5, sorted myself out, did the uphill and had a quick shower at work...oh, and I turned only the lights for my "pod" on and listened to the overfill beep on the coffee machine until the aircon (hoho!) came on at 7:30.

After a day filled with subduing french panic (i think), trying to figure out where to put the Romanians and some funky XSLT/Queuing tech, meeting some other (unrelated) Romanians and the fantastic Mr Sked offering to post a load of PC parts, I cycled home on a different (and somewhat randomly chosen route). A good route!

Only one significant uphill, which is thankfully shallow (ish) and short. Loads of flat (as flat as it gets in Bristol), and some mental downhills...during the best/steepest of which the recent vague squeaking from the stem manifested itself in a complete 360 of the bars. Very disconcerting suddenly having to brake using the heel of your hand, especially at speed*.

Luckily, there was a Halfords at the bottom of the hill so I picked up some Allen (Hex) Keys and sorted that mother out. Also raised seat 1/2 inch for greater leverage....What did I learn? High single gears == wrenching with the arms!!

Unfortunately while I was cycling in a more sane and relaxed manner round some of the local streets a van came hooning round a corner (blindsided by parked vehicles, mind) and almost took me off (thanks ears! you work great!!) and I smacked my knee right in the "dead spot" as I viciously swung left to avoid him...not being able to use one leg is not good on a bike and thus I slowly dropped onto the pavement. Saving myself (though not my dignity) by stamping out my numb, collapsing, left leg at the last minute and getting rammed in the arse by my seat...

Not so sure about getting clip style pedals/shoes now...

There are no pictures today, I'm too busy swearing at traffic!


* According to CardioTrainer on the G2 my top speed was 42mph. I don't trust it, so lets say it was 35mph at this point....very very steep & just the right kind amount of swoopy! No traffic...I must get one of those computery things....