Waxing, And Bimbling About Is Actually Enjoyable - Gosh!

What it's all about, for me at least.

After a sudden burst of biking activity which saw three rides in a few days towards the end of February, it had been all quiet on the pedaling front for a week. I'd told myself I was going to get out, even got all dressed up in my scruffy cycling gear on two occasions, but never made it out of the door. The first aborted attempt was down to the IBS making itself felt, the second time it was the weather. I am getting old and wimpy, but dodging horizontal hail showers isn't a whole lot of fun really. Hail stones really flipping sting when being propelled by the sort of gusts that were raging when I looked out of the window prior to mounting up. Beggar that for a laugh then, I stayed in.

Yesterday though, I did finally get rolling again. During the week I'd given the freshly washed Fatso some real tlc involving a couple of coats of wax – DoDo Juice Diamond White followed a couple of days later by a coat of Rubbish Boy's Juiced Edition. Both are waxes I have left over from when I had my van, and was also very much into the whole vehicle detailing lark, as I have been really since I was a kid cleaning my early 'pushies'. So it follows I still like to keep my bikes clean and so may as well use these products on them, although on this occasion I didn't treat the tyres with a dressing, but only because it was locked away in the shed and I couldn't be bothered to go and fetch it. Having had the attentions of my pressure washer, the tyres looked agreeably clean and black anyway, so my laziness wasn't really spoiling the overall impression.

A clean bike is a happy bike. Well maybe a happy owner, but anyway, Fatso was looking properly peachy having had a bit of a tickle. Didn't get under the front mudguards though...

So it was a clean and glossy Fatso that I rolled out ready for action, and into a mischievous north westerly wind. It wasn't as stiff and gusty as the forecast suggested, but it was still enough to make sure all possible gaps in my clothing were sealed shut. I enjoy the fresh air immensely, but strictly on my terms and that means no flipping draughts!

 Trevella Stream looking peaceful.

The climb up from Trevella Stream to Five Turnings. Sky looking promising.

The banks and verges really are starting to come alive now as more and more Daffodils are flowering, and I was admiring one such display when I once again became the subject for some Sunday sport and got chased by a local Springer. This dog lives in a bungalow on one of my regular routes, and when loose, he never fails to give chase up the road, having a good old bark in the process, until that is, he meets the limit of 'his' patch and then just stops dead in his tracks. Most four legged chasers tail off (no pun intended) but this one slams on the brakes like there is an invisible wall he is about to run into. He's no bother though, it's more a game than an attack and he clearly enjoys himself, so it's all good fun really.

 But minutes later that sky had suddenly turned a bit grumpy looking. Thankfully though, it was a dry ride.

Hmmmm... I feel a theme coming on...

My presence led to more noise when I reached Boswiddle Ford. As is always the case there, the trees are home to a large number of crows but even their squawking was nearly drowned out by the water that crosses above the road falling into the stream on the far side. Not quite the roar of, let's say, the Niagara Falls perhaps, but it's no trickle either. As usual, I spent a while at the ford, it's one of those places I always stop at and have me a bit of a linger, as it just feels a nice place to be.

 Bothering the local Crows at Boswiddle Ford.

With the Crows... crowing and the water gushing, it's noisy, but peacefully noisy. Better than traffic and the neighbour's telly anyway.

The lanes on the whole ride made for a pretty agreeable experience though, as is to be expected. So it came as a bit of a surprise to see a thread on a cycling forum extolling the virtues of slow riding, and how pleasurable a thing it can be to ride a bike, unfast... Well I never knew it was a secret to be honest, the advantages seem flipping obvious to me, but to read the replies from some folk you'd think it had never occurred to them before. Cycling is of course many things to many people, amply demonstrated when I got home by switching on the telly and seeing the track championships once again filling the schedules. No live coverage to be had of me or anyone else for that matter pottering about the lanes or canal paths slowly, because that wouldn't be very exciting to watch. But I bet even the lycra clad speed fiends pelting round the banking of the Velodrome enjoy a leisurely pootle now and again.

 Variation on a theme number two.

Fat bike, big gate.

The bicycle is, in my opinion anyway, the best vehicle there is for low speed bimbling and general exploring. Motor bikes are pretty good – you can smell the smells and get the wind on your face if you opt for an open face lid, and they are pretty convenient to ride and park, but a bicycle beats them on all but the hills and distance available in a given time. On a pedal powered bi-wheeler you can hear what's going on around you, as well as seeing it and smelling it, and you can carefully and securely park your bicycle so easily by leaning it in the hedge or just lowering it slowly to the ground and onto its left side (never dropping it, nor placing it on its drive side unless it's a single speeder – derailleur side down just seems so wrong!) almost anywhere without impeding other traffic or worrying about it rolling off its stand or something. On a bicycle you can hang a 'uey' at the drop of a hat and go back for a second look at something, or to bag a photo or whatever. You can't do that in a car, or in my case, my old Vivaro van. 

The bicycle to me then, is the ultimate vehicle for going slowly and enjoying the surroundings. Sure it's not the only thing a bicycle can do, but it has to be the most obvious, but then the folk on forums never cease to amaze me these days, (well it's not just on forums, it's people everywhere to be honest!) and the surprise that a bike can be ridden slowly and enjoyably is nothing compared to some of the forehead slapping things people come out with, but that's a whole other rant, and maybe for another time!

 Variation on a theme number three. Not going to do much good lying there though...

 Water was gurgling and bubbling up and out of two storm drains beside the lane and then running down the hill and into a stream that passes beneath the road. All the seemingly constant heavy rain this winter has washed all sorts of mud and detritus into the roads and down drains, causing floods and blockages.

Although here, I couldn't see any particular blockage, it appears to be just the fact the culvert beneath the road is inadequate for the rainfall we've had. Whatever, I've not seen the water above the road here before.

A good old ride around some very peaceful lanes. Not as far as it looks perhaps on the above map, as my computer showed a total of 14.7 miles. I'm no endurance hero!

The bigger map can be found Here