‘ello ‘ello ‘ello

Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Health, Travel, Work-related | 3 Comments »

Since the office move, I’ve been cycling a fair amount – I’m still not back to doing the full journey by bike, but that’s because I’m (in my terms) an idle bugger, and can’t be arsed to do it. I will. Just not yet.

Anyway, it has to be said that – on occasion – my cycling doesn’t necessarily happen in complete accordance with the Highway Code. Not really a shocker, is it? Leaving the office is a case in point – the road out of the industrial estate the new office is in is a nightmare, and if you leave at 5.30 the full length of the road is solid with cars, none of them moving. They’re all rammed right in to the kerb too, so there’s no room for a lowly cyclist.

Well, there is. It’s just known as the centre line. And that’s what I use. I belt down the middle of the road, annoying drivers by being just about the only thing moving. Then when the mini-roundabout comes up, I can crease in, turn left, and be done. The road I turn on to has another mini-roundabout at the end, but on this occasion I’m turning right, so I do the same thing, get right down to the end of the line of traffic, turn right at the mini-roundabout, and bang, job done.

Only yesterday, coming to the end of the second road, I belted past a police car. Oops. He followed me, and persuaded me to stop. (mainly by parking in front of me, but there we go)

Did you know what you were doing was dangerous?
Well, yeah, but I figure it’s not quite as dangerous as trying to ride down the correct piece of road when all the drivers seem to be using it. Including yourself.
Ah. But it’s dangerous to be riding in the middle of the road.
Indeed it is. But again, I figure that as I’m turning right at this mini-roundabout, it’s probably safer for me to be out in the correct place – just early – rather than getting down to the end, then trying to get across the road between cars stopped close together.
OK, I see your point. But what do other road users think?
Well, I’d guess they think “oh shit, best not hit that one”. Or “Bloody cyclists – I should get a bike and cut through these jams too”
Not quite what I was meaning…

He let me off – I wasn’t riding dangerously, or even carelessly. Just not in the Highway Code style. Will I change? Nah, doubt it.

Rain

Posted: Tue 24 May, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Health, Travel | 3 Comments »

It’s pissing it down this morning, so I opted out of fitness and went instead for a lift in to the station. Which is all well and good, except that – like a twunt – I forgot that at the other end I’ve still got to get to the office.

So while it’s nice to be semi-dry when I get to the station, and while I don’t get soaked by road-rain stuff on the way in, I do spend longer in the rain.

Arses.

Work vs. Rest

Posted: Wed 11 May, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Health, Travel | Leave a comment »

One interesting thing I’ve found during the time I’ve been cycling to work recently is that progress is more measurable on a Monday.

I think that cycling all week, it’s best to have a couple of days off at the weekend. This seems to give the muscles time to recover a bit, but also to build up – I know it was always said that in gym workouts etc., it was better to work out every other day, for a similar reason.

All the same, it’s interesting to see how much my fitness levels have improved already – the parts that were knackering me in the first week are now fairly easily surmountable. Within a week or so, I’ll probably be only using the train one way to work, and cycling the full distance home. That’s the plan, anyway – just to see how I do and so on.

I’m enjoying the ride, in general. There’s far too many idiots on the roads now, but that’s part of the process. It’s still a good feeling to have completed the journey, and it’s also pretty fun and exhilarating in pieces to just get it right and do the ride smoothly without being prone to too many unnecessary risks…

Too much information

Posted: Fri 6 May, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Health, Thoughts, Travel | Leave a comment »

You know, there’s one thing that no-one ever mentions when it comes to things like commuting to work by bike. Well, I’m sure there’s plenty of things that no-one ever mentions, the same way I’m certain that there’s stuff most cyclists mention when it comes to travelling on roads. Fucking idiots in 4×4 vehicles, for example.

But I digress. In this instance I’m going to mention something that I’ve never heard anyone else whittle on about.

It’s not an easy subject, and some people will just think “Ick”. Indeed, on some occasions even I think “Ick”. But it’s a fact of life – when you’ve been cycling for a couple of miles, and it’s warm – even worse, when it’s warm but rainy/windy, so there’s also a fleece jacket of some description added into the equation. I’m sure I’m not the only one to have noticed the manifestation of : Sweaty Crevice.

No more information need be disseminated. I’m sure you can all work out what I’m referring to. It’s not pleasant.

Center Parcs

Posted: Mon 2 May, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Thoughts, Travel | Leave a comment »

Well, I’ve finally got round to putting up some of the photos and thoughts from Center Parcs.

The page is part of the Photos section, and is here – as always, you can click on any of the images in order to see a larger version. Enjoy.

Center Parcs – initial thoughts

Posted: Sat 30 April, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Thoughts, Travel | Leave a comment »

Well, it has to be said that the break at Center Parcs went pretty well. I’ve a number of thoughts and photos about the place, and I need to get them more in order in my own mind before going on to write about them in depth, but all told it was a good time.

It’s also renewed my interest in archery – I won’t mention the score I got, because I’ll only get told I’m being a big-headed git – and Tai Chi, so we’ll see how things go on that score too.

In the meantime we’re off to see Faithless at Alexandra Palace tonight – an 8pm to 2am gig, which should be a laugh. The camera will be going with me, but as I’ve not been to Ally Pally for a gig before I’ve no idea whether any photos will be successful or not.

So – much more writing type stuff will be done tomorrow, along with a quick smattering of the 160ish photos from the week at Center Parcs…

Great North Run

Posted: Tue 26 April, 2005 | Author: | Filed under: Health, Thoughts, Travel | 5 Comments »

Flippin’ ‘eck, one of my friends (I’d say she’s insane, but hey, horses for courses) has managed to get herself on a team who are doing the Great North Run on 18th September. Utter madness.

Still, we’ll be going up there to add to the (im)moral support and so on, so it should be quite fun. I’ve never been to a marathon-type event before, so I’m quite looking forward to it.

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