One year on

My turn for a post after a year's riding. I started riding again this time
last year, after a long break since I was at high school.

Some highlights for me:

* Getting into commuting into London. I didn't think I'd be doing that when
I first got a bike, but reading here and riding rapidly changed my
perceptions of long distance to the extent that it's now an easy little trip
for me. I remember thinking 11 miles was a really long trip for me back
then.
* Buying too much at wiggle mostly. I've spent HOW much in the last year?
* Buying a CoPilot Limo child seat and taking my toddler for rides. He
loved it even more than I do.
* Buying a Burley D'Lite trailer and discovering how much better it was for
my purposes than the child seat.
* Going shopping with the trailer has to be one of the most rewarding
experiences I've had in ages.
* Fetching my little boy from nursery school in the trailer. It's together
with an infant and junior school, and so we get lots of attention. Many of
the kids now know my boy's name and call out when we ride past.
* Learning that riding in the winter through the rain and even occasional
snow is actually fun, usually more so than the days with good weather. I'd
probably not have learnt the joys of riding in horrible weather, only I had
been forced to by the school trips.
* Starting to lust after a recumbent and doing all the research, and then
buying one. Wow, even more fun than the normal bike. I love the cockpit
"surrounds", and the feeling of flying when riding one. I'm even starting
to enjoy all the attention LOL. Finding out my commute took 15 minutes
longer on the 'bent didn't put me off either, just about nothing beats the
grin factor of a 'bent for me.
* Getting my recumbent legs over the next few months and then knocking 7
minutes off my personal best from before on the normal bike was a good
feeling too.
* Improved balance on the recumbent to the extent I can now negotiate one
particular farcility and not have to put my hands or feet down any more.
That took a good 1000km to do consistently.
* My first audax, what a lovely experience. I can't wait to do some more
rides like this and have entered several this year. It's just a pity I work
weekends as that severely limits my ride options.

So in the last year I've managed some 4700km, or almost 3000 miles. I'm
slightly gutted I didn't break the 3000 mile mark, but no matter, I'm pretty
happy all the same. I know to most of you that's only a small distance, but
not for me!!

On Mon, 4 Jul 2005 07:46:09 +0000 (UTC), "LSMike"
wrote:

My turn for a post after a year's riding. I started riding again this time
last year, after a long break since I was at high school.

Some highlights for me:

Snip tales of fun

That all sounds marvelous. What a difference cycling can make


"Bob"
--

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to a legal defence fund but only if 10,000 other people will
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Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

LSMike wrote:
My turn for a post after a year's riding. I started riding again this time
last year, after a long break since I was at high school.

Some highlights for me:

Nice little list! Sounds like the kind of little story that could
go very nicely on "Home Truths" - and help spread the word.
Are you one of urc's R4 listeners?

--
Nick Kew

Geraint Jones wrote:
"LSMike" wrote:
| ...
| * Starting to lust after a recumbent and doing all the research, and then
| buying one. Wow, even more fun than the normal bike.
| ...

The Dark Police will want to know what you mean by "normal",
you know.

Yes, I think the PC word is "conventional".

--
Dave...

On 07/05/2005 11:21:15 lid (Geraint Jones) wrote:

"LSMike" wrote:

... * Starting to lust after a recumbent and doing all the research, and
then buying one. Wow, even more fun than the normal bike. ...

The Dark Police will want to know what you mean by "normal", you know.

Now, about towing a child trailer behind a recumbent...

NORMAL?

--

Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

"Geraint Jones" .invalid
wrote in message ...
"LSMike" wrote:
| ...
| * Starting to lust after a recumbent and doing all the research, and
then
| buying one. Wow, even more fun than the normal bike.
| ...

The Dark Police will want to know what you mean by "normal", you know.

Now, about towing a child trailer behind a recumbent...

*chuckle*. One might even argue that none of us are normal since we cycle.
That makes us all pretty strange by most peoples' standards. Pretty sad
really when most people gasp with horror at the idea of cycling an 11 mile
commute.

cycling an 11 mile commute.

Been doing 11 mile commute regularly since April.

Thanks to a tail wind and no beer last night, achieved PB by a good
margin this morning: 28:40. Very pleased with myself. I'm sure it takes
longer than that in the car (I did have to cool down for ten minutes
when I got here though!)

"iakobski" wrote in message
oups.com...
cycling an 11 mile commute.

Been doing 11 mile commute regularly since April.

Thanks to a tail wind and no beer last night, achieved PB by a good
margin this morning: 28:40. Very pleased with myself. I'm sure it takes
longer than that in the car (I did have to cool down for ten minutes
when I got here though!)


Wow, that's going some!!! I've managed a 38 PB for mine, but then there are
a lot of traffic lights between here and Hyde Park. I know I'm rather slow
compared to any serious riders any time I go on a club ride or an audax, but
I do manage to pass virtually every commuter I see.

Yes, this is rural - no traffic lights other than roadworks. When I
lived in London I never managed to get above 18mph average whatever I
did.

I know what you mean about "normal" though - everyone here thought I
was mad when I started, and I'm sure they thought it wouldn't last. In
reality the opposite is true, it was a bit hard at first to think of
doing 11 miles at the end of a working day, now I don't even think of
it! Most days I even look forward to it, but I've just looked out of
the window at the force 4 againsterly with driving drizzle.

"iakobski" wrote in message
ups.com...
Yes, this is rural - no traffic lights other than roadworks. When I
lived in London I never managed to get above 18mph average whatever I
did.

I know what you mean about "normal" though - everyone here thought I
was mad when I started, and I'm sure they thought it wouldn't last. In
reality the opposite is true, it was a bit hard at first to think of
doing 11 miles at the end of a working day, now I don't even think of
it! Most days I even look forward to it, but I've just looked out of
the window at the force 4 againsterly with driving drizzle.


Totally, it's the bit I love and look forward to. Even after a long and
physically demanding day's skating. I'm not entirely sure that quite
classes as work, though it does earn me money.