The wheels on the bike go round and round
Originally uploaded by t1mmyb.
I like cycling, if only because it’s not jogging, an enterprise I find tedious in the extreme. I’d much rather be playing football (that’s soccer for any Americans reading this), but you can’t thusly commute to work.
We had a recent reaquaintance with the world’s favourite two-wheeled human-powered transport/leisure activity whilst on holiday in Cornwall. The weather wasn’t great for most of the week, and it bucketed down with rain just as we arrived in the car park in Wadebridge next to the Camel Trail; nevertheless we cycled from Wadebridge to Padstow (Phoebe resplendant in her new rack-mounted bike seat), had a cream tea and cycled back again. It’s about 5 1/2 miles - about 40 mins gentle cycling - each way. We used our own bikes, transported all the way to Cornwall on Big Dave’s bike rack, using about 25% more petrol as a result of the extra wind resistance.
On return from holiday, I put the bikes in the back garden, locked the back gate and thought “I must lock them up before I go to bed.” On returning to the back garden to do so, I discovered that my lovely dark green Gary Fisher Aquila had been stolen. Someone had climbed over our 6ft-high fence and lifted it while we were in the house.
Our insurance company have been great, though. I had a call from their designated bike supplier today, giving me some ideas for replacements. It turns out it’s £650 of bike that constitutes new-for-old. I’d thought of spending perhaps £200. Still, if it makes the 15-mile-each-way commute easier, I’m all for it.
I cycled one way along the Bristol and Bath Railway Path today, but boy did it take a while. I left the house at 8.15, arrived at work at 9.30, but by the time I’d showered and changed it was 9.55. It’s cheaper (and more fitness-inducing) to commute like this, but it sure ain’t quicker.