Thursday, January 19, 2012

Winter

I hate winter. Don't get me wrong. I don't suffer from SAD or anything else but Winter is a time of year when the bike spends most of it's time in the garage because of the weather, because of work, because of the short hours of daylight.

I try and get out at the weekend and also try and get to the gym as often as possible. I went to the gym tonight. It was so busy there were queues!

The problem with cycling in the dark is that many of the roads around here are unlit, narrow and bendy. It doesn't matter how much high visibility kit I have, both on the bike and clothing on me, as a cyclist I am at risk. In my view (and, more importantly, my wife's) the risks are too great and so I don't go out. I don't mind the cold and rain so much and will set out in it at the weekend. The difference being that it is light and I can be seen.

Last weekend I tackled another hill that has been calling to me for some time. Now before you scoff it is not a very long and arduous climb with only 2 short Cat 5 sections but then I'm no spring chicken (coming up on the mumblemumblemumbleth anniversary of my 42nd year)  and nor am I the fittest bloke in the world so it feels good when I take on a challenge and succeed.

Here is the route...



...and it was a gloriously sunny and frosty day.

I suppose that there are some things to like about winter after all.
JoD




2 comments:

  1. 800 feet of climbing is nothing to scoff at. Hills are always a challenge and those narrow roads in your pics dont look like they leave much room for error. Be carefull out there! Good job getting out there this time of year.

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  2. Thanks Steve.

    Isn't it funny. I don't think of it as all that much in climbing terms because all the measurements are in metres and not feet. 800 feet sounds like a lot, 250 metres doesn't.

    By the way the road in the photos is one of the wider narrow ones (if you get my drift). Some I ride on are so narrow that a car and a bike cannot pass safely in opposite directions! One of us has to stop - usually the car ;-)

    JoD

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