Today was one of those utterly superb days to
be riding the lanes. There was a fresh north easterly blowing,
usually a very cold wind direction that, but the sun was warm and
anyway, the lanes offer plenty of shelter if you pick the right ones.
Even so, I still fished out the buff that was given away with a
motorcycle magazine many years ago and has proved a toasty addition on
many an occasion. I can put up with a lot of things, but a cold and draughty neck is not one of them.
I feel at my happiest escaping into these sorts of surroundings these days. On a day like today, there's no better place to be.
I also fished out the Jamis for some
big wheel action. I don't ride it half as much as I should, but that
means when I do climb back on it, I appreciate what it has to offer
all the more, mainly speed! I'm no speedhound, I'm a bimbler, but the
Jamis fair flies in comparison to the two 26 inch wheeled bikes. I
also like its stability and the way it leans on those smooth and fat
tyres. None of that lean a bit, lean a bit more... Whoa...shi... that
I get with the more knobbly shod mountain bikes.
When I blow the highlights in a photo, I really blow them...
What started out as just a routine trip
around one of my usual loops ended up being a bit of a longer ride as
I was just enjoying being out, absorbing the countryside and feeling
wheels turning beneath me. The only time I noticed the wind was when it was whooshing through the tree tops or blowing dead leaves about on the tarmac, and that is fine by me.
The reds and oranges of Autumn have yet to fully kick in round these parts, but there is still the odd flash of vibrant colour to enjoy.
I passed two fully lycra clad roadies while out as well, a few miles apart. The first was an old bloke (well, older than me, and by some margin too... I doubt he sees a doctor when he's ill, more like an archaeologist.) I've passed before, and true to the stereo type, he never nods or says hello. Fair play to him though to still be out at whatever age he's at, he looks as old as the hills.
The second came towards me while I was plodding up a hill in the cover of a tree tunnel, and with the shade from the trees and me wearing cool dude mirror shades, it was all a bit dark under there. But I could see a big white grin break out and a cheery hellooooooo... as a young female flew past going like the clappers. It's not roadies that are the problem, it's male roadies in my (limited) experience. All the females smile, wave, nod or shout hello as they pass, most of the blokes just look like they're trying to ignore me, the snooty beggars. Sad gits, we blokes some times!
A cracking ride then, and the forecast
promises more of the same weather to come, so hopefully it won't be
the only bike time I get this week.
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