Shorter rides boost the weekly mileage...

Snow is about to fall, or so say the weather people on the radio and Andy prempted the whole thing by texting me yesterday, or it might have been Friday, to kind of abort the ride. Initially I said let's wait and see what happens, but it was cold out there yesterday and the thought of leaving the house at 0800hrs wearing the balaclava and heading for Tatsfield Village suddenly no longer appealed. We both agreed to do our local rides, which is what I've been doing all week, short bursts of around five or six miles and it soon adds up. I was doing variations of the Norfolk Nobbler this week, starting with a ride of just over five miles, then another of just under six miles and on it went. I missed one day (I think it was Wednesday) but then I rode for just over 10 miles on Friday evening (resorting to using my lights as it got dark approaching 1700hrs). And then yesterday I went for it and rode what I called The Super Nobbler, a ride of over 13 miles. 

You might think these local rides are a bit of cop-out, a bit 'namby', but they're not. The Norfolk Nobbler has many hilly sections that get the heart racing and the worst of the lot, believe it or not, is coming up West Hill from the north, as opposed to the steeper but shorter 'south face'. In fact, the hills are pretty bad in places, not mind numbingly so, like Titsey or White Lane, but they keep me on my toes, so to speak. Norfolk Avenue is a case in point. 

Ready for a 13-miler Nobbler...

In fact, I am 'a local legend' on Norfolk Avenue, according to Strava. Basically the hill never stops until it stops and by that I mean that the climb continues right up to the moment when it doesn't, there's no levelling off, no 'ledges', not until you find yourself on a downhill stretch, and this is both ways. When I've turned right out of Ridge Langley and then left on to Arundel Avenue, I cycle down towards the right turn-off for Norfolk Avenue, which bears right and is then a hill from the very beginning until the moment that it isn't a hill, if that makes sense. I'm a foot away from the summit and still climbing and then a foot more and it's downhill as I freewheel down towards Church Way. Coming back in the other direction, it's a hill all the way to the top and I'm still climbing as I make the left turn and then hit the downhill ride the other way. 

On yesterday's 13-miler I rode three laps, but encroached upon Sanderstead Hill and on the third lap I rode down the Upper Selsdon Road and then turned left on to Arundel Avenue,  finding myself back in what I like to call 'the world', meaning the secret world of winding suburban streets, hidden from view, that duck and dive on the Nobbler rides. 

The great news is that my mileage is creeping up again. Last week was absolutely piss poor, but this week I managed to creep over the 50-mile marker with something like 64 miles, probably a bit more, but I don't think I reached 65. It all goes to prove that if you chip away at the miles doing little rides day-by-day, the distances soon add up and then, if you throw in a bigger ride at the weekend, before your week is out, you can really get things moving. It's going to be a bit of a challenge this coming week, which starts today (Sunday) but only if I don't go out today) and, as I write this at 1022hrs I've looked out of the window to see snow falling steadily. If this continues and it starts to lay, well, it might bugger up the whole week, but let's see. Andy was certainly right about not going out today, he must have a sixth sense. Had we done so we'd be out there now, our faces aching with the cold and who knows, a puncture would have made it a whole lot worse. So, it's fingers crossed this week and let's hope the snow is 'just visiting' and not hanging around for the week. That said, I have a theory about snow at this time of year: basically, you might think you're getting a light dusting and that's all, but you can guarantee it'll back; so if, say, like now, it snows today, on Sunday, and it lays, but in the morning is largely gone, well, don't think you've got away with it. You can virtually guarantee that a heavier snowfall is on the way. 

Lastly, and talking about cycling clothing, not that we were talking about cycling clothing, on yesterday's 13-miler I decided to wear my Parka on the ride. It's not a real Parka, but a green hooded affair that is really my day-to-day coat in the colder weather. I put it on for the ride along with the green balaclava and an orange beanie hat and you know what? It didn't hinder movement, it kept me warm and you can bet I'll be wearing it again as the cold weather continues.

I'm more than happy with my 64 miles this week.

As January gets moving...more ramblings

 I suppose the first question is simple: why was I walking around the street dressed only in a white duvet? I mean, alright, I wasn't really 'wearing' the duvet, it didn't have sleeves, so I really just had it wrapped around me, but my point is why? There's no answer. And then, somehow the duvet disappeared and I must have been clothed as I didn't feel in any way uneasy or cold. I was, however, running across a wide road and trying to reach the other side before this odd-shaped, retro van hit me. It didn't hit me. I reached the other side just in time and leapt up and over the very high pavement. From then onwards it's all a little vague. It turns out it was another of my fretful dreams, which I haven't experienced for a while, probably because the festive break enabled me to get all the crap out of my head, all the worry about this and that banished. But now I've been back a week or two perhaps all the stress is creeping back in, who knows? Anyway, I found myself awake around 0500hrs and in truth it didn't matter, I was in no rush to go anywhere, except that I was planning on a ride to Westerham or Tatsfield Village or even the Slines Oak Sloth*, but I was hoping I'd drum up the enthusiasm for a 20-plus mile ride and that normally means Westerham.

Library photo of Westerham, Kent

Cycling has tailed off considerably, especially this week. To be fair, for most weeks since the weather took a turn for the worst and the days shortened I'd managed to somehow put in around 50 (almost 60) miles, but I guess on average I been riding something like 54 miles on a weekly basis... until this week. This week I put in a measly 18.23 miles and that was last Sunday. I lost momentum yesterday. I had planned to ride to Westerham, which would have pushed my weekly total to something like 41 miles, which still wasn't good, but a lot more respectable than the reality of the situation of just over 18 miles. I don't know why I didn't simply bite the bullet yesterday, but I didn't and the weather was poor. That was the reason. It was raining in the morning and it persisted, but I can't remember how long for; it must have brightened up, but by the time things had improved I was in no mood to go out so I resigned myself to the piss-poor performance that I eventually handed in for marking.

Today was a different story. For a start, the weather was amazing. I left the house around a quarter to nine, so that's 0845hrs by the 24-hour clock, which I insist upon using for some strange reason. I was in two minds about where to go: Westerham, Tatsfield Village or the Slines Oak Sloth (see footnote). In the end I rode to Westerham and came back via the road that passes the Velo Barn, turning left on to Pilgrims Lane and later heading down The Ridge towards Woldingham. I reached home around 1100hrs (there, you see, I'm back on the 24-hour clock) and then set about enjoying the rest of my Sunday, which basically involved a walk around Chartwell in Kent and then sitting around the house watching clips from Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm and, of course, writing this blogpost. Avid readers might have noticed that I haven't been posting a great deal of late. There's no reason for this, I just haven't been posting that much. Also, you might be wondering why there aren't that many photos accompanying my posts. Well, that's easy. My phone (an Apple iPhone 5S) keeps running out of power. If you follow me on Strava, you'll note that a lot of my entries end after just six miles when the reality is a 20+ mile ride. I normally write something like '21 miles to Westerham, but phone lost power' but it's not a good state of affairs. Fortunately, I have an iPhone XS ready to use, it just needs a new screen and I have to get a new sim card. I'm out of contract now, which is great, but I doubt I'll leave my phone provider. I'm on a sim-only deal and it's fine, but I definitely needed a new phone. I've just got to get down to the phone store to get one sorted out. I think the XS has a far better camera than the 5S and I'm told the battery lasts longer. My current phone seems to run out even when there's supposedly 64% of power left. Using Strava takes up a lot of power and that's why lots of my Strava entries mention the phone running out. It's very annoying and means that I've stopped taking photos of my rides. Today's ride managed to record fine, but had I taken a photograph it would have been a different story.

Lives change, routines change and I've taken to watching independent movies at night times rather than terrestrial television. Some weeks back now I started watching movies that invariably involved 'a young married couple' visiting a remote farmhouse for the weekend only discover that there were evil forces lurking or nutters in the woods and it all turns rather sour. Good fun films to watch and movies that make you wonder why Americans going into spooky houses never think about turning a light on. You know the sort of movie I'm talking about. "Hello, is anybody there?" So, I'm watching movies like White Settlers, The Landlord, I See You, the latter two featuring a guy called Gerald, played by one Neville Archambault, who, in my humble opinion is absolutely brilliant. There's been plenty of others. I've started getting into Australian cinema with movies like Last Ride featuring Hugo Weaving, and Somersault, not to mention The Daughter, all good movies even if the latter was pretty harrowing at the end. Why am I watching these movies? Well, yes, it's better than watching terrestrial television, but there's more to it than that: I need some form of escape from reality, something that takes me out of things for a couple of hours and the movies seem to do the trick. I settle down with a cup of camomile tea or, as of the past few days, an Ovaltine, and that's me sorted until around 11pm (or 2300hrs) when I head for bed. Don't ask me why, it's just a survival technique I'm currently employing.

I can't remember if I've mentioned it of late, but we're in lockdown again. Everything's closed like it was in the summer, except it's cold out there and the cycling has tailed off as a result. The virus is more virulent, there's a couple of new variants and loads of people have been infected, some of us don't even know if we've had (or have) the virus and that's why things have taken a turn for the worse. Fortunately, it looks as if the vaccination programme has legs and is moving on at a fair pace. My mum (she's 91 you know!) is having hers next week, my mother-in-law had hers last Saturday and it's all looking good. I'm probably not supposed to ride to Westerham, it's likely to be breaking the rules, but if that's the case, I've been breaking the rules all summer. In truth, riding out alone and not stopping is probably not causing too many problems and even on a Sunday, when Andy and I meet in Tatsfield Village, it's still not an issue. Apparently we can meet one other person from another household.

Okay, so that's today's post. I hope to post more. For some reason things have tailed off, as I said earlier, but I'll endeavour to get back on track with it.

Until the next time...

* The Slines Oak Sloth involves riding along the B269 to just beyond Botley Hill, turning back at the mini roundabout and then hanging a left and riding along The Ridge towards Woldingham. The road bears right and takes me into Woldingham and then I turn right on to Slines Oak Road. I ride towards the B269, turn left and pick up the Limpsfield Road towards home. It's around 15.5 miles.

New Year ramblings...

I completed my week on Saturday 2nd January with the Slines Oak Sloth in the grey and cloudy weather. The roads were a bit wet but that was about it. In total another 15.34 miles bringing my weekly mileage to roughly 57 miles, possibly more as I haven't added up the fractions.

On Sunday 3rd January I rode to meet Andy at the Tatsfield Village bus stop where we chatted about a range of subjects, the main one being Andy's assertion that tourism was pointless. Perhaps not pointless but I think what he was getting at was foreign holidays and simply sitting around doing nothing for a week, which I always thought was the point, but I know what he means. Andy says time passes quickly when you're sitting around doing nothing. Now, I'm not sure about that. I always find that a busy schedule makes the time pass faster than if I'm doing nothing and don't forget that a watched kettle never boils, so there you have it. But Andy has point: how many people visit London, I wonder, and think that seeing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament is all there is to the UK capital? Or who goes to Paris just to see the Eifel Tower?

It was foggy and I thought a little cold so I wore the balaclava and several layers of clothing as well as my face covering thingy, not sure what you call them, possibly a 'snood', but who knows? Either way it made life a little more comfortable on the bike. 

Riding to the Tatsfield Village via Woldingham clocks up 18.23 miles. As you can see from the shot below, the roads were wet and because of the fog the air was damp. At one point I encountered sleety rain, or possibly even snow, on the 269, but nothing came of it.

On Clarks Lane, just past the Botley Hill roundabout...3 January

It's now Monday 4th January and I'm back at work, which was a bit of a wrench if I'm honest. I finished just gone 1630hrs and now I'm sitting at the dining room table blogging. I really hope to be able to get more miles in this week, but as it's dark by 1600hrs then I might need to look at early morning rides that get me back before I start work at 0800hrs. We'll see how that goes. Perhaps a couple of early Norfolk Nobbler Double Loops (10 miles). It would be good to get the mileage up to over 60 miles this week.

Tuesday 5th January and it's cold and rainy outside. It's now 1841hrs and I'm sitting in the sun lounge blogging. I wanted to go for a walk, but it would be too unpleasant. Ben Fogle's back on Channel Five tonight with a new series of New Lives in the Wild. Can't wait. Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Ben Fogle is one of the best things on television. After that I'll probably watch another 'scary' movie. None of them have been scary yet, just a little bit naff if the truth be known.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the lockdown. Yes, for the third time since March last year we're back in lockdown. For how long nobody really knows, but we've got the vaccines on the way so hopefully it won't be too long. I'm gunning for Easter. Everybody's getting tired of it now, I know that I am.

So, a week of no cycling. But the weather was poor. It was cold and rainy and not really conducive to enjoyable cycling. My cycling week ended on Saturday 9th January and all I managed was around 40 miles, probably just 39. Today (Sunday 10th January) I rode to meet Andy at the Tatsfield Village Bus Stop. He wasn't there. But he did try to contact me. Unfortunately, my phone (once again) had run out of power so I sat alone drinking tea and giving Andy until 1000hrs before heading back home. He never turned up. Later, when I'd charged my phone at home, I opened up the messages and there it was: Andy had aborted, but only because he couldn't get into his garage. An iced up lock prevented him from attending the Sunday morning meeting of NoVisibleLycra. There's always next week.

The weather was cold over the weekend. Yesterday when I rode out around 1000hrs it was just 1 degree as I headed towards my destination: Westerham. I rode there via Pilgrims Lane, past the VeloBarn and then into the town centre. I didn't have a mask or any money so I couldn't stop for a cappuccino and some cake at the Costa on the green. Instead, I rode through the high street and then turned right and headed for the hill that would take me out of town and on the road to Botley Hill. There was thick fog most of the way and on Sunday it was just the same. It was also very lovely. The trees were frosted white and were shedding showers of ice, glass-like shards shaken from the bare branches as the sun tried to poke its head through the swirling, steamy grey clouds. Sunday I rode back from the village via The Ridge and that means my mileage was 18.23. If I could do four Slines Oak Sloths this coming week it would be good, but let's see what the weather has in store.

It's not just the weather, of course. Now I'm back at work my cycling windows are getting smaller. It's dark around 1600hrs, meaning lunch time and first thing in the morning are the only other options. The last thing I want to do is go out first thing in the morning as I need a bit of chill time prior to starting work around 0800hrs. By lunch time I'm in need of a break, so it looks as if cycling is reverting back to two rides per week, at the weekends, but only during this period of darkness and bad weather. Hopefully, as the weather improves, I'll be pushing the envelope again...unless COVID restrictions mean I can't ride out to places like Tatsfield village or Westerham. I think I'll take the risk on that front.

Christmas ramblings

[When I started writing this rambling post, London was under Tier 3 COVID restrictions]

So London goes into Tier Three restrictions and I'm wondering what it all means for cycling. Will riding from where I live in a Tier Three location out into the sticks where I'm sure they're all Tier Two, be illegal? Even if I'm not really stopping or socialising with anybody from the Tier Two location? Who knows? Perhaps we'll see what happens. I mean, will the police be on the look-out for for cyclists crossing the border? Or will things be like there were during the summer lockdown? And by that I mean I rode everywhere: to the lakes, to Westerham, to Tatsfield, and sat there drinking weird teas in fields and just chilling in the heat of an amazing summer. Surely I won't be denied that pleasure? I'm not sure what the deal is with Andy, and by that I mean is he in Tier Three or Tier Two and will the situation affect our Sunday meetings? I hope not.

Max in Westerham, 27 December

I've probably said it before, but the novelty of COVID-19 has well and truly worn off. I'm fed up with family packs of Alpen, the summer's gone, cafes are closed and it's all getting very, very depressing. Today I drove to Sevenoaks and the M&S cafe was closed. Things brightened up a little when I drove en famille to Forest Row and to one of many great establishments, Java & Jazz. Coffee and walnut cake, a cappuccino and half of another piece of coffee & walnut, ordered accidentally. All was good. As darkness set in we did a short walk around the block, admiring quaint cottages and Christmas trees and then we drove back. All good, but tainted by the virus and, if I'm honest, the strong likelihood of a no-deal Brexit. Depression loiters just under the surface of life at present and even Christmas brings no respite. Now, instead of enjoying the occasion we'll all be fretting about who's going to give it to who and whether grandma should be locked in a cupboard until she gets vaccinated.

And let's not forget Brexit. From 2016 to the present day it's hung over everybody like a bad smell and presided over by that obese arse Boris Johnson, a buffoon with a stupid haircut who is basically messing up the country at every step he takes. Whenever I see him standing next to European politicians he looks such a mess in his ill-fitting suit when compared, say, to Barnier, whose suit at least fits him and he looks the part. Johnson not only doesn't look the part, he isn't the part, he's an imposter, a career politician who is in it for himself and nobody else. I don't think I hate anybody more than I hate Johnson. He lies and lies and doesn't really care about the people he's supposed to be looking after. I hate his voice, his appearance, his politics, everything and I have to keep reminding myself that we, the British people, voted him into a position of power. He who lied to us all about giving £350 million a week to the NHS - I can't remember the details - but it was definitely a lie designed to make people feel inclined to vote Brexit. And just over half of us did and now, while I suspected we were about to engineer a so-called 'no deal' Brexit, an 11th hour deal has been agreed, although UK fishermen are not happy. Is a going to be a good deal for the UK? Of course not. For the British people? No, why would you think that? New roaming charges on mobile phones anybody? More red tape anyone? Arsehole in charge of the country? You bet!

It's just gone 0600hrs and I've been up since around 0530hrs, having woken up at 0400hrs. Why stay in bed? So I'm listening to BBC 6 Music, Chris Hawkins, on my new digital radio. Isn't he the guy from The Darkness? I've just eaten a bowl of Alpen and a sliced pear plus a cup of Yorkshire Tea and now I'm thinking about a boiled egg, although if I make one I must remember it's on the hob. The other day I got carried away with other stuff when I heard an explosion in the kitchen, it was one of two boiled eggs and when I got out there there was no water in the pan. However, a major disaster was averted: I didn't burn the saucepan, although I must point out that exploding boiled eggs are a good example of how absent-minded and 'off in another world' I've been of late, preoccupied, millions of thoughts twirling around in my head at the same time. The other day I inadvertently used chicken gravy as an accompaniment to cottage pie. We had beef gravy, but the packages are identical and, again, I didn't think, my mind was elsewhere, I wasn't on the ball and I need to get my act together.

It's now the 22nd December, the day after the winter solstice, which means that, from now on, it's getting lighter every day and we're under 10 days from 2021. I'm listening to Chris Hawkins again. London is now under Tier 4 restrictions and for many, Christmas is now ruined and everybody is blaming Boris Johnson. Well, not everybody, but he's getting some stick from the media. I don't want to get back on the subject of Johnson, because everybody knows I think he's an arse and there's nothing much else to say about him.

Tuesday 22nd December 2020

I love being off work for the Christmas period. I still get up early, like now, and sit downstairs listening to the radio and writing the blog, or writing other stuff. Sometimes I listen to BBC Radio 3, in fact, I might switch over as the Pretenders are on and I can't stand them for some reason. Oh, alright, I'll stick with them, but perhaps later a switch to classical music would be good. The other day I sat in the conservatory, reading The Fall by Albert Camus, and listening to Radio 3. The light faded and soon I was sitting in the darkness, nodding in and out of sleep and feeling, I don't know, so relaxed, it was fantastic. The Fall is a bit of a handful, but there you have it. I've got other books to read, like a brand new copy of Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, a book that has shimmered in my head ever since I first read it back in the mid-seventies, there's something about Diggory Venn, the reddleman, and the whole atmosphere of the book that means I have to re-read it. So that's next for me.

A ride to Westerham

Around 1045hrs I headed for Westerham on the bike. I rode via Pilgrims Lane, past Velo Barn and into the centre of town where I enjoyed a large cappuccino and a Bakewell tart. Have I mentioned my crap iphone 5? If not, just to say that the battery went flat when I arrived in Westerham so I couldn't accurately monitor the mileage. I reckon it was roughly 23 miles as I rode back through Woldingham, there was no rain and it was a very pleasant day (still is as I write this at 1402hrs). It's cloudy out there, but warm, albeit grey. and it was one of those days when I could have carried on riding all day. I was considering riding to Dunton Green or Riverhead or even Otford (now there's a new destination). But I settled for Westerham where, incidentally, they have a decent Christmas tree on the green, which adds to the festive spirit.

Today's ride (22nd December) brings my weekly total to roughly 39 miles, but overall I've been riding fairly frequently: I rode to Tatsfield village to meet Andy on Sunday (16 miles); the previous Saturday I rode the Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles) and I did the same ride on Friday (another 15.34 miles). The previous Sunday I rode 18.03 miles to Tatsfield, also to meet Andy, and the mileage was higher because I rode home via Woldingham. The Saturday before that I rode to Sevenoaks (something like 34 miles, making me a hero on Strava) and then my ride prior to that was the Sunday before when I rode 18.03 miles to Tatsfield. So, reduced riding due to bad weather mainly, but I'm still getting up to around 50 miles a week. So far this week (and remember my week starts on a Sunday) I've riden around 39 miles. I'll probably do another 20-odd miles this week, taking me to around 59/60 miles and then a ride on Boxing Day to Tatsfield, taking my weekly mileage (hopefully) to roughly 78 miles, which ain't bad. It all depends on the weather.

Here's the past week's mileage to date:-

1. Sunday 20th December, ride to Tatsfield, back the fast way: 16 + miles.

2. Tuesday 22nd December, ride to Westerham, via Woldingham: 23 miles. Cumulative total 39 miles.

3. Saturday (Boxing Day) to Tatsfield Village via Slines Oak: 18.03 miles.

4. Sunday (27th December) to Westerham (the slow way) via Tatsfield Village with Max and then back along The Ridge (26 miles).

5. Tuesday 29th December, The Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles).

Total: 57 miles.

Christmas was pleasant, it always is, and now it's Boxing Day and I've been on a ride to meet Andy at Tatsfield Village (see above). The weather was overcast and slightly on the cold side, but it was fine and I wore the balaclava, which was probably overkill on my part. Andy and I enjoyed Christmas cake, mince pies, a fantastic protein bar and, of course, a cup of tea, well, two cups. We talked about movies on Prime and then rode back together via Woldingham and, for me, the steep hill at the end of Slines Oak Road.

A ride with my son Max

On Sunday 27th December my son Max and I rode the long way to Tatsfield Village to meet Andy and I made a right nob of myself on the road leading to St Leonard's Church. A cyclist en route advised me to seek another route as the road ahead was flooded, he meant well. "Not a problem, mate," said I with bravado and, to be fair, Andy and I have rode through the flooded section of road before, I wasn't anticipating a problem. But I was mistaken. When we reached the water, two cyclists on the other side were working out a way of getting across without getting wet, but I steamed in and got stuck half way. The water must have been around a foot and a half deep. The bike came to a standstill and I knew that within a second or so I would have to wade out, pretending there wasn't a problem (when clearly there was). Max played it safe and found a way around the water and so did the two cyclists waiting on the other side. Only yours truly rushed in and received a soaking in return. The water was cold and I had the whole ride ahead of me. Fortunately, the weather was mild and warm and in all honesty it never really bothered me. I kind of accepted it and got on with the ride. When we reached Tatsfield Village we munched on Andy's protein bars, which are seriously good, and then, after chatting about our bikes and Andy's London to Paris ride in 2011, we rode with Andy towards the Tatsfield Bus Stop and turned left on to Clarks Lane, heading for Westerham. Andy turned right and headed home along The Ridge. There was so much water on the roads (after the havoc wreaked by Storm Bella) and there was a raging torrent blasting its way along a roadside gulley as we entered Westerham. There was a masked queue for the Costa so we decided to ride home. It was tough coming back up the hill, but we pressed on, turning left on The Ridge and riding through Woldingham. Once we had tackled the Slines Oak hill it was just a case of riding along the Limpsfield Road to reach home, a ride of 26 miles, and the perfect way to start my cycling week.

Same flooded road, but less water and a different day

It's Monday and there's a whole week of not being at work ahead of me. If I can get a couple of rides in before next Sunday that would bump up my mileage.

29th December - The Slines Oak Sloth

At lunch time I decided to hit the road and was going to do a Ledgers Double Loop (12 miles) but decided instead to ride the Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles). The weather was grey but pleasant and I was out for 90 minutes. I left at noon and was home around 1.30pm, just in time for jacket potato, tuna and sweetcorn!

And now it's a day later, 30th December, Max has gone home and we're all wishing he was still here. It's 0835hrs, I've had breakfast and I'm thinking about another ride, possibly another Slines Oak Sloth. So far this week I've covered around 41 miles (26 + 15 = 41) so another 15 would be excellent for midweek.

New Year's Eve 2020

It's always an uneventful day and I've never liked it. I can't stand the false bonhomie of New Year and the anticlimax of the whole thing. The fireworks go off and I'm always thinking so what? Sometimes I go to bed before midnight and these days, because I don't drink, I tend to wake up feeling fine, which is far better than a hangover. I should have gone out for a ride, but didn't.

To keep dry in the rain, take the car, bus or train ...not the bike!

If you want to stay dry during rainy weather, leave the bike in the garage and use the car, the train or the bus. It's that simple. I don't think I've ever gone out in the rain, wearing supposedly 'waterproof' clothing, and come back dry. I'm talking about the ineffectiveness of cycling-specific 'waterproof' clothing. Somehow, the rain gets in and I get soaked to the bone. I suppose the acid test is whether you can reach your destination dry and not have to change clothes when you get back. Easier said than done, I'd say.

If it's raining, leave the bike in the garage...

I recently bought a traditional cycling cape off Amazon. It looked the business to be fair, transforming yours truly into a kind of high-viz caped crusader, and I was convinced it would do the job, ie, keep me dry. I remember owning a cycling cape years and years and years ago and, I can't remember how, but it somehow clipped to the bike forming a kind of tent over my legs and, by and large, kept me dry. Not this one. Although, when I mounted the bike I felt pretty confident that I would get home dry. As I set off, however, the first problem was safety. I had two choices: Keep my hands under the cape, which would mean a lot of faffing around, first to avoid the cape obstructing the lights, and second, how to grab the material of the cape in such a way as to enable normal operation of the brakes. The second choice was whether to put my arms through two apertures so they were free to hold the handlebars in the normal manner. Eventually, after stopping and starting a fair bit, I opted for the latter.

For a while I was confident that I would remain dry, but this was purely because the rain was almost non-existent. The first thing I noticed was that the cape wasn't going to protect my legs, leading me to the conclusion that a cape alone was not the answer to keeping dry. I would need to be wearing waterproof trousers. Another thing was to factor in the wind. Wind and capes are not good bedfellows. Once the wind gets inside it, well, you're finished basically. The wind blew the cape back at me exposing my legs completely so that when it really did start to rain I was wet through within 10 minutes. Add no front mudguards and the fact that the front wheel was kicking up a lot of water from puddles and, well, I was out of the game before it started.

I rode along the B269 to Botley Hill and then turned right on to The Ridge, heading towards Woldingham. When I reached the Botley Hill Farmhouse pub the proper rain had started and I resigned myself to being wet through from the waist down, and getting wetter as I progressed towards and through Woldingham. On the downward ride along Slines Oak Road I had that sense of resignation that I normally have in the rain when not wearing waterproof clothing. I was wet, basically. I had been defeated. Nothing else mattered. Bring it on. I embraced my wetness in other words. The cape hadn't done it's job and I was, I have to admit, despairing, writing a much more depressing version of this article in my head as I rode along and almost blaming Boris Johnson for my predicament.

Why didn't I think of that? An umbrella!

Well, it wasn't all bad news: my upper body had remained dry and this was when I realised that to keep totally dry I'd need to be wearing those waterproof trousers; but even then, would I really keep dry? No, I wouldn't. I went out in waterproof trousers when it wasn't raining (as an insurance policy in case it did rain) and when I got back I was wet through, with sweat! I had to change my trousers. So, my simple message to readers is this: if it's raining and you're thinking of riding the bike, don't. Not if you want to keep dry. Why? Because wearing 'waterproof' clothing will not keep you dry, you'd be better off either taking the car, the bus or the train. One thing I did think about was wearing day-to-day rainwear, like a trench coat or a hooded parker, the stuff I normally wear when I go out for walk in the rain. Not that I consciously go out for a walk in the rain. Who does? I mean, let's face it, you only go out in the rain if you have to. Fine, you might be caught out in the rain, hence that well-worn mummy phrase, "take your coat, it might rain", but if it's raining BEFORE you got out, what do you do? Ask mum for a lift to the station, or whatever. You certainly wouldn't take a walk for the hell of it.

The cape would be good for walking in the rain, but on a bike, unless accompanied by waterproof trousers, you're on a loser and even with them you'd likely still get back and have to change. Personally, I'd love to know if there is such a thing as truly waterproof cycling wear, somehow I don't think there's any such thing.

Postscript, Saturday 19th December 2020...

I was praying for more rain today as I wanted to test the cape and waterproof trousers combo, but alas, initially just a mild spitting when I set off on the Slines Oak Sloth, a 16-mile ride that, like yesterday, takes me on the 269, along The Ridge and then past the golf course into Woldingham and home via the length of Slines Oak Road. It brings my total mileage this week to just over 50 miles.

There was rain but not as much as yesterday, but guess what? Yes, when I reached home I was soaked through and had to change all my clothes. My trousers (the ones underneath the waterproof trousers) were wet through, even the fleece I was wearing under the cape was wet through, my socks were soaked and my supposedly waterproof Peter Storm walking shoes are also soaked and will take a few days to dry off.

I was kind of hoping that wearing the cape/waterproof trousers combo would improve things, but no, the result and the message of this article remains the same: there is no such thing as waterproof cycling wear, you might escape with being less wet than you might have been had you not been wearing your protective clothing, but you will still be wet and that's in mild rain. Should you experience a major downpour then in my opinion you're better off stripping naked and riding home; that way all you'll need to do when you get home is dry yourself off.

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.

To Sevenoaks and then to Tatsfield Village...

To a certain extent I've lost (or I'm losing) my grip on reality. I'm glad, however, that I'm now off for Christmas, which is good news. I need the rest. It's been busy at work and we've all been working at home for most of the year. While I rather enjoyed the summer lockdown (that word 'lockdown' was meaningless to anybody who owned a bike) I haven't been too happy with the latest bout of restrictions. Why? Because the weather has closed in, cycling is less frequent and when I'm not working, well, what is there to do? I've had a few walks around the block, but I've been unable to motivate myself to ride the bike. This week, I've only cycled 21 miles, although, as I write this, I am considering a ride to somewhere and if I can manage a 20-miler (I can definitely manage it) my total will go over the 40-mile marker, meaning that a ride to Velo Barn tomorrow (Saturday) will mean a weekly total of something like 60+ plus. Not bad considering past weekly totals that have hovered around 35-40 miles.

I know Andy's been getting out there. I've been following his Strava feed. Mainly local rides, which is what I should be forcing myself to do, but as we've both been saying, it's those low-mileage local rides that soon add up. If I could just motivate myself to ride, say, Tuesdays and Thursdays that would be 20 miles (two laps each) and to be honest, it's the two laps that demotivates me. Perhaps I need to work out a local 10-miler that doesn't repeat itself. Repetition = monotony = demotivation = no cycling. I need to get out there and today must be a 20-miler, perhaps a ride to Tatsfield village via Beddlestead Lane and then back via Beech Farm Road and Washpond Lane, that would be good.

Only three miles to Sevenoaks?

My last ride was on Sunday. I rode out later than usual because of the rain and I sat outside the Velo Barn with a cappuccino and a slice of coffee and walnut cake. To be honest, I'm getting fed up with the combination. I might revert to tea and skip the cake because the latter is a bit squidgy, overly moist, perhaps, but not best of breed, put it that way. And I've started wondering whether the cake cancels out the health benefits of the ride. I think we all know it does.

It's 0823hrs, Saturday morning, and I'm sitting at the dining room table, lap top on, listening (for the first time in while) the Today programme on Radio 4, they've just interviewed Larry Lamb about Barbara Windsor, who has died, aged 83, after a long battle with dementia. I interviewed her back in the eighties in a pub in Amersham, a nice woman, but unfortunately I was let down by technology. My tape recorder wouldn't work and I remember driving all the way from Brighton early in the morning, in the rain, and I wasn't feeling too healthy either.

I think if I leave shortly I might be lucky on the ride front. Certainly if I head out within the next 30 minutes. I didn't go out yesterday (Friday) so I need some decent mileage today.

Saturday morning: to Sevenoaks!

Riding to Sevenoaks in Kent wasn't the plan. The plan was to head for Dunton Green and then ride back, but when I reached the road sign just before entering Dunton Green I noted that Sevenoaks was only three miles away. Riverhead was two. So off I went. Initially I was thinking of simply riding to the Velo Barn, but as I said earlier, I'm going off of the coffee and walnut cake and and I can take or leave a cappuccino (what was wrong with me, getting into drinking coffee?). Anyway, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

I rode the fast way along the 269 and then took a left on to Pilgrim's Lane. My plan was to have a break at Bojangles in Dunton Green, but it was closed and then, as I say, I pushed on to Sevenoaks. There were plenty of other cyclists around, mainly Lycra monkeys, but the ride was good. Parts of Sundridge Lane were flooded, puddles stretched across the width of the road, but conditions generally were good. I didn't hang around either: I didn't have any tea with me and because I didn't have a mask I couldn't really stop anywhere, which was mildly annoying as I spotted Malabar, a coffee shop in Riverhead, but even with a mask I was in two minds as I was a good 90 minutes away from home.

I was on the bike for three hours and when I reached home it was gone 1130. The weather was drizzly and by the time I reached home I was damp, that's probably the best way to describe the state of my clothing. Damp right through to the cycling shorts. After a cup of tea I fixed up a Samsung HD television in one of the upstairs bedrooms and then messed around changing passwords on things because we had upgraded the WiFi. Annoyingly, for some reason, I've lost all the apps (Netflix etc) on the television downstairs and the Sonos has gone too. Other than that all is fine [later I managed to fix both].

Tatsfield village to meet Andy...

It's Sunday morning now and in 10 minutes I'll be out on the bike again. During the week new lights arrived and they're pretty powerful.

I fixed my new front light to the bike and headed for Tatsfield on a grey morning that constantly threatened rain. When I reached the village, Andy was there and we sat and chatted about bikes. Should I have abandoned the Kona Scrap? No, of course not, it was fine, although the Specialized Rockhopper is far more suitable for our rides with its 27 gears (as opposed to 16) but then, let's face it, for 10 years I rode the Kona and while it was always in a state of disrepair (there was always a faulty brake or a dodgy gear) I rode everywhere on it and it's still in the garage now with two flat tyres. It needs a service and possibly a new bottom bracket, who knows? I'm planning on getting it serviced soon.

Andy's Kona Blast, Tatsfield, Sunday 13 Dec*

The ride back from Tatsfield was wet. It started raining as soon as we mounted our bikes for the return journey and intensified as the ride progressed. By the time we parted company at the top of Slines Oak Road in Woldingham it was chucking it down. The thing about rain is this: if you're caught out in it you simply get on with the task of getting to your destination. If it's raining before you leave the house, the chances are you'll abort the ride. Listen, while I think the best thing to do is to get on out there, I too (more often than not) can't resist an abort text at the slightest sign of rain. Because, let's face it, riding in the rain is no fun, but I suppose the thing is to judge it correctly. A fine, light rain is probably alright, but it's the slightly heavier and more consistent downpour that makes a ride not worth the bother.

And talking of wet weather, I found a traditional cycling cape online the other day, and I'm seriously thinking about buying it**: it's high viz, has a hood and apertures through which you put your hands and I reckon it'll keep me 100% dry. Basically, it's a tent that you wear.

* Photo: Andy Smith

** I've bought it!

Not riding as much, but why fret about it?

I missed a week. Didn't write a thing. Maybe because I didn't really do a great deal. Well, I didn't ride the bike that much. Last week I didn't really do a great deal either. Alright, I got out on Sunday last week to meet Andy at the Tatsfield village bus stop, but since then only one ride, a 6.13-mile jaunt around my local streets. Quite a work-out, but normally I ride two laps, this time just the one. It was still worth doing, any form of exercise is worth the effort, even if it's only for half an hour. When I say I haven't done much, I mean cycling, nothing else. I don't want anybody thinking I haven't been working. In fact, I'd say work has kind of taken over a bit, or it did last week.

Velo Barn today

Today the ride was blessed with heavy fog. I mean, there's always fog at this time of the year around the Botley Hill area, but today was something else, it was everywhere. Once I found myself on the 269 there was fog and it went all the way down Clarks Lane and was even hanging around as I made the turn left into Pilgrim's Lane on the final stretch of gravel before reaching the Velo Barn. I was going to sail right past it, ride into Westerham and then back up the hill, but in the end I decided it was worth stopping. Then I said to myself that I wouldn't order cake, just a large cappuccino with chocolate on top, but I weakened. I sat outside, wearing shorts for heaven's sake, but as I say it wasn't cold and there's nothing better than chilling in a place like the Velo Barn, among other cyclists, drinking a decent cup of coffee and munching on a piece of cake before heading back up the hill towards the fog and home.

Velo Barn last Saturday...

In recent times I've taken to riding along The Ridge and into Woldingham rather than chance my arm on the 269, which is an inherently dangerous piece of road, and even more so in the fog. But even along The Ridge there was mist, albeit not as thick. I rode down Slines Oak Road and then up the steep bit towards the lower end of the 269 and there was no fog. I cycled into Warlingham and headed down the Limpsfield Road towards Sanderstead and home and now I'm chilling. I was listening to music, but now I'm writing this blogpost and I'm amazed I skipped a week as normally I'm pretty good at regular weekly posts. I hope my millions of readers haven't taken offence at my laziness. I'm sure they haven't. I mean I've not received any complaints and none of the TV channels seem to be mentioning my absence from cyber space. Should that be two words or one?

So my weekly mileage for the current week is what? I rode around 18 miles last Sunday, then six during the week, that's what, 24 miles, and now I've added another 20 miles, so that's a grand total of 44 miles, the equivalent - in 'old days' terms - of two runs to Westerham at the weekend. Not bad really, but I should have rode my local run twice and had I done so I'd have been on 50 miles dead. I'm wishing I'd got out there earlier if the truth be know. I should have left around 0700hrs and headed for Dunton Green, that would have meant around 55 miles, which would have been even more respectable. But it's funny how the weather dictates everything and how, as the nights close in and we steam towards Christmas, that desire to go all out and ride 20 milers three or four times a week disappears. I think the key thing here is not to fret, not to get uptight about mileage and just get out there, even if it's on a short ride round the block.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to meet Andy and possibly Phil and/or Geoff in Tatsfield. Tomorrow starts my cycling week and next week I'm hoping to get two local rides in. Let's see. The key is not to get uptight about anything, as I'm prone to do.

This week my sanity has been preserved by watching I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here. I know, it's rubbish television, but for some reason I look forward to it and I think it's because I need that escapism at the moment. Rubbish TV on one hand, Chuck Palahniuk on the other, both good in their own ways, but if I had to make a choice, it would be Chuck as there's a big difference between escapism and inspiration.

Postscript - riding off without my rucksack

How ridiculous and how typical of me, mind wandering all over the place, fretting about this and fretting about that and what did I go and do? I'll tell you. I was sitting in the Velo Barn on Saturday morning, enjoying a slice of coffee and walnut cake and a large espresso, and then I got up to leave. In fact, I left without my rucksack, which I'd placed on the floor beside me, resting against the wall of the Velo Barn. I got up and rode off, leaving the rucksack behind. I rode all the way home without even noticing I didn't have it and when I reached home it still hadn't twigged. There are reasons for this, of course. Because I wasn't carrying the flask and the mug and the milk, there was no cause to even think about the rucksack, and because I hadn't had a puncture (and, therefore, did not need my puncture repair kit) the rucksack was of little importance). I reached home, came into the house and got on with my day. It was only the following morning (Sunday) as I searched for the rucksack in order to place inside it my flask, mug and milk container that I realised it was missing. It wasn't in the garage and then, of course, I remembered, it was still at the Velo Barn. Everything has a knock-on effect. No rucksack meant no tea for Andy and I at the Tatsfield Village bus stop. Fortunately, Andy offered to buy me a coffee from the shop so all was not lost and then, instead of riding all the way to Woldingham with Andy on the return trip I rode in the other direction to the Velo Barn to pick it up. I stopped for another cappuccino, but no cake, and then I rode home. There was thick fog again so I followed The Ridge into Woldingham as I did on Saturday, still foggy, but not as bad as on the 269. Oddly, while we were sitting at the bus stop, Andy said a quicker way to reach the Velo Barn would be to take the off-road track past the golf course. "No, the problem with that is I'd get a puncture," I said, happy with riding along Pilgrim's Lane instead, but as I approached the off-road bit, I decided to take it and, as I suspected, the bit at the end was just as rough and muddy as I remembered it. Anyway, later, as I approached home territory I noticed a wobble and sure enough the bike had a rear wheel puncture. Very annoying. I trundled down Church Way and limped my way into Ellenbridge Road and home. As I write this the puncture ain't fixed, but I'll have a bit of time tomorrow so I'll get it done. At least it didn't happen while on the road and at least it didn't happen when I didn't have my rucksack containing the puncture repair kit. You live and learn. Or perhaps you don't.

Great week of cycling and fairly decent weather too...

I took last week off, which is a bit strange when you're working from home; it's a bit like going to the office for a holiday. Well, not really. I've grown accustomed to my work and home environment being one and the same thing and it's easy to adapt and separate the two. The first thing is just don't do any work; that's easy enough, you simply keep your desktop computer off, go nowhere near it, and don't answer your mobile phone either. 

Coffee and cake at Velo Barn...

Ultimately, therefore, I had a great week. I cycled a lot (unlike this week) and ultimately I rode around 94 miles, just over, closer to 95. This was achieved not by riding long distances like I did in the summer, but by riding short 10-milers every day. I managed to ride over 50 miles between Monday and Friday and when I added up all the fractions of a mile, the grand total on Friday night was an incredible 71.71 miles. Bon and I had talked about a ride to Redhill on Saturday, but in the end I rode to the Velo Barn for a cappuccino and a slice of coffee and walnut cake. The perfect way, you might say, to round off a week of cappuccinos and cakes. Let me see now, I had a large cappuccino and a slice of coffee and walnut cake in the Sevenoaks M&S cafe just prior to lockdown; I visited Knole on two occasions and had the exact same order, then there was a slice of cake standing on mum's doorstep and, then, of course, there was the Velo Barn on Saturday. I'm missing one more occasion, but I can't for the life of me remember what I did as we never ventured far from the house, Sevenoaks being the furthest journey. It doesn't matter. Either way I had a lot of cake and a lot of cappuccino, but fortunately, I did a lot of cycling so I think I'm in the clear where the health police are concerned.

The weather was fairly good too, a bit blowy on a couple of the local 10-milers, but generally fine and no rain. The ride to Velo Barn was, as always, wonderful. I left the house around 0800hrs, got there just after 0900hrs and sat outside eating my cake and sipping my cappuccino, surrounded by Lycra Monkeys.

Sunday, of course, was the start of my cycling week and, as usual, I rode to the Tatsfield Village bus stop to see Andy and Phil. No sausage sarnies or cakes this week, which was just as well when I consider my week of over indulgence. It was, as always, just over 18 miles as I rode back along The Ridge to avoid the 269, parting with Andy at the top of Slines Oak Road in Woldingham.

Nice weather at Velo Barn and loads of Lycra Monkeys too

It would be remiss of me not to mention the US elections and the fact that Trump lost. It goes without saying that he thinks he won and that the whole thing was rigged by the Democrats. Personally, I think he should quietly and not be such a bad sport, but he's a bad loser and it looks as if he'll be going on and on about it for years to come. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not somebody who hates the Republican party, I'm not a socialist by any stretch of the imagination. Had the Republican guy been Mitt Romney or even Bush I wouldn't have been THAT bothered who won the contest, but it was Donald Trump and as most people know, if they've been watching, he's been a complete arse with his wall separating Mexico from the USA, with his Muslim travel ban and God knows what else, he's just a complete arsehole and nobody, apart from toothless Americans with guns and a prepper mentality seem to like him. Mind you, we have our 'Trump' here in the UK going by the name of Boris Johnson. He's not been in power for a year yet, which is a pity as it means we have four more years to run before we can get somebody decent in Number 10. Now, I know people say that Starmer's a good egg, and he might be, but the party he's in charge of has taken a right drubbing from the Corbyn years and there's a lot of stuff that needs to be resolved before I vote for him. 

Tatsfield Village on Sunday morning, note Phil on his bike

The virus continues and we're all under a kind of lockdown until 2nd December, but then what?

Cycling this week has been a no-no so far, but I'm aiming to get out tomorrow morning BEFORE work to put that right and then, hopefully, ride Thursday and Friday, giving me a total for the week of around 49 miles. Then, if I ride to Westerham again and repeat last Saturday's ride (or even head for Botley Hill) then I might put in a fairly respectable weekly mileage. We'll see.

To the Velo Barn and then to Tatsfield Village (in the rain)...

Not a particularly impressive week on the cycling front. I went out once on a 10-miler, two laps of local streets, and that was it. The main cause of my lack of riding was the weather. It was one of those situations where, if I left it until after work, which was roughly 1630hrs, then the chances of rain were very high and if it was raining I'd stay indoors. On the day I did go out, it was first thing in the morning, 0710hrs to be precise, and having enjoyed a good night's sleep it was a pleasant ride and not a tiresome one. Afternoon rides after a day at work are just that, tiresome. I feel weary and want it to end so I can get back home and chill in front of the television or read a book. So just one ride. The most disheartening aspect of it all was the weather app on my iphone, which sported a cloud with rain underneath it for most days of the week. Very depressing. I started to pin my hopes on the weekend, but noticed that the rain cloud symbol appeared for both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday it looked as if my only chance was to head out early and try to get back before the rain, which, according to my phone, was going to start at 1000hrs. I left around 0800hrs, which I thought might be too late, and rode to the Velo Barn, a 10.73-mile outward journey and it was rain-free, which was just as well as I wasn't wearing any protective clothing. Well, alright, I had on an old Regatta waterproof top, that was all...and trousers, of course, underneath which I had my Lycra cycling shorts.

The other day I was wondering whatever happened to our pal "Dawes Galaxy".

As I approached the Velo Barn I did seriously consider riding further, like last week. Yes, Dunton Green sprang to mind as a 31-mile ride would give me a respectable weekly mileage figure of 41 miles. I say 'respectable' and I mean 'respectable' inasmuch as I'd only been out once during the week. But, as I reached the end of Pilgrims Lane, with the Velo Barn on my right, the temptation provided by the thought of a cappuccino and a slice of lemon cake proved too much. And besides, I'd brought my book with me and intended to read some of it, which I did. As always, the place was full of Lycra Monkeys, but I don't really mind them. Soon it was time to go and I was still in need of more cycling so instead of heading home I rode into Westerham and rode through the town and home via the usual route up the hill, adding, I reckon, about two miles to the journey, possibly two and a half miles, but let's not quibble, it's not as if I put in a great performance last week, is it?

The ride home was as expected, except that I didn't feel in anyway phased by the ride towards the hill, which, on other occasions would have been a tiresome experience as I thought ahead to the slow incline all the way to Botley. I took the whole lot in my stride and this was because my level of fitness had improved thanks to a summer of almost daily cycling in decent weather. I can't remember what time I reached home, but I was pleased to have avoided the rain, or most of it. I managed to reach Sanderstead High Street when the rain eventually started, but I was only five minutes from home and while five minutes of rain did mean I got wet, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. 

The Sunday ride was next on the agenda and both Andy and I were hoping upon hope that it would take place, although we knew there was little chance of seeing Phil or Geoff. Rain was promised, but before I hit the sack on Saturday night I heard a weather forecaster talk about light rain in the morning and heavier downpours later. This time I thought I'd go out in full waterproofs and I did. It was raining when I stepped outside and in pre-lockdown days this would have been cause for an 'abort' text, but after a good six months of almost daily riding I wanted to be on the bike, rain or shine, so off I went and it was fine. Invariably it is fine, it's just the thought of riding in the rain that's off-putting. I kept up a reasonably good pace, rode the fast way along the 269 and Andy was there when I arrived. Our new destination appears to be the Tatsfield Village bus stop, we've moved on from our old haunt of the bus stop at the end of Approach Road. We made small talk as we always do, drank tea, ate a biscuity snack and chatted with an old guy who described as both as 'mad men' for riding all the way from our respective homes in Sanderstead and Caterham in the rain. Perhaps it was a little mad cycling in the rain to Tatsfield Village, it's not as if much goes on there, but it had to be done and we're both glad we got out and did it and that the rain didn't prevent us from going out as it used to.

The ride home was easy enough. The rain had eased, although it hadn't been too bad. I rode along The Ridge with Andy and parted company at the top of Slines Oak Road in leafy Woldingham. Even riding up Slines Oak and on to the 269 was no big deal and I reached home before 1000hrs.

A few words about waterproof cycling clothing. In a nutshell, I wish I hadn't bothered if the truth be known, although, saying that, I probably would have been wetter and more uncomfortable when I arrived at the village if I'd left it behind. My problem with it is this: it makes me sweat so when I reach home I notice that I am wet through. Everything I was wearing was wet as if I hadn't worn any protective clothing and my shoes were full of water and soaked through, so I'm now thinking I would have been better off just wearing the cycling shorts and, alright, possibly just a waterproof top to protect my upper body. It wasn't cold, that's the key thing, but as it was everything had to be peeled off and everything is now drying on radiators or on clothes horses. I jumped into the shower and now I'm dressed and washed and shaved and feeling good. 

I'm hoping to get more riding in next week, certainly more than last week, but right now I'm chilling and thinking about lunch.

Points of Order

* Incidentally, if you're wondering why there's a photograph of our old pal "Dawes Galaxy" included with this post, it's there for two reasons: First, my iphone is now such a pile of poo that the battery is always running low very quickly and invariably when I go to take a photo it packs up; Second, I was thinking about him yesterday as I rode to the Velo Barn. We haven't seen him since the above shot was taken and I fear the worst.

* Velo Barn. I've been wrongly pronouncing it as the "Veelo" barn when I should have been saying "Vello" barn, as in 'velodrome'. It's definitely 'vello' drome and not 'veelo' drome so I'm guessing it's 'vello' barn and not 'veelo' barn. Lesson learned.

* Lastly, thanks to Andy for a brand new pair of gloves. He inadvertantly found himself with a spare pair and gave them to me. Much appreciated.

A (baker's) dozen things to consider if you're new to cycling...

Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29er

Things to look out for when riding the bike - a few thoughts.

1. Get used to your bike before you cycle too much on the roads. By that I mean get to know how it handles, what its limitations are and so on. 

2. When you're on the road, don't let your mind drift. Be aware of traffic at all times and listen out for cars. Watch the situation in front, ie sometimes cars give room to a cyclist on the other side of the road, but that means they're coming straight for you, beware. 

3. On the point of motorists giving cyclists room, most don't bother. They're supposed to leave something like three feet between you and them, but they don't, most drive far too close for comfort, so keep over to the left hand side and don't drift to the right, keep the bike straight and always cover the brakes with your hands. 

4. Beware of motorists full stop. Especially van drivers. They don't care about you. Watch out when riding along for lorries or buses or coaches turning left in front of you, they might not have seen you on their inside; there's been a lot of cyclist deaths caused by lorries, buses, coaches etc turning left with a cyclist coming along their inside. 

5. Parked cars. Another big cause of cycling accidents is people opening their driver side door as you're riding past. You must give them enough room to do this. I've had a few close calls. So when you're approaching parked cars, check what's behind you before moving out and keep your eyes peeled, give the cars parked on your left room as again, motorists don't think and they don't care about you.

7. Don't drive recklessly and by that I mean don't speed, especially on downhill sections of road or bends where you don't know what's coming round the corner. You'd be amazed how sometimes cars come round a corner on the wrong side of the road. 

8. Don't take corners too fast. This was how I came off back in October 2016, cutting my legs and hands in the process. It was painful for days, make that weeks, and my right knee swelled up. Not good and all because I came whizzing round a left turn too fast on a wet road, the bike slid from under me and I hit the road hard. The weird (and nasty) thing about coming off is the impact. You hit the ground with a thud, it's really not pleasant. With this in mind, your bike has very very thin tyres compared to mine, making it much easier for you to come a cropper if the roads are wet. Don't be fooled, keep the speed down. I came off when I was riding the Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc, a hybrid, that's why I exchanged it for a mountain bike (fatter tyres, more stability). See photo at the top for my new bike, a Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29er. Although make no mistake, the accident was my fault, not the bike's.

9. Keep an eye on the saddle. It might not be right for you. You'll soon know if you're getting numbness 'down there' and you don't want to be getting any embarrassing problems. There are plenty of good saddles,  just go on Amazon and you'll find them.

10. Enjoy riding the bike with pals, go to the parks etc, but I would strongly advise against commuting on it through rush hour traffic in any UK city, but especially in London, although since lockdown there's been more cycle lanes. I've been riding, mostly at weekends, and Andy and I go out early into the rural lanes of Northern Kent, leaving the house around 0700hrs and getting back around 0900hrs, possibly a bit later, but the point is there's  less traffic. The key thing to avoid at all costs is traffic and this is more of a problem in the city.

11. Don't wear flip flops or any other inappropriate footwear.

12. Always be prepared for punctures, get some 'leeches' from Halfords, make sure you have a small pump and, of course, something to put it in (small rucksack, for example). And, what about a lock? Lots of bikes are nicked so I'd suggest a U-lock, although they are very heavy and cumbersome.

13. Don't ride in the gutter. Why not? Because of all the crap that resides there, like leaves, general crap, potholes and so forth. It also encourages close passes.