Being out on the bike, self-sufficiency and meeting people....

[Globalti]

Went out for a nice easy solo ride yesterday taking in some stunning Ribble Valley and Bowland scenery, stopped for a coffee at Puddleducks cafe in Dunsop Bridge (best scones in the UK at the village in the centre of the UK) and met some interesting folk along the way:

- A South African from Durban with a broken gear cable. Chatted for a while but couldn't do anything to help him. (Note to self: must pack a gear cable in the tool kit)

- A gent on a tourer heading for the Clarion House for a cup of tea. Stayed chatting with him for a couple of miles.

- At the cafe a couple with a son the same age as my own, out on three really nice carbon bikes.

- A lady with a horse in its trailer (horsey equivalent of a bike rack?) who chatted about bridleways, rights of way, riding horses cross country, man v horse v bike, etc.

With each, the conversation was enjoyable but what I enjoy most about being out on the road bike is the feeling of self-sufficiency and being out with the bare minimum of kit, confident that I can deal with almost any eventuality and go anywhere I please, on a whim. No need for an engine, just me and my bike in perfect mechanical order, ready to face whatever life throws at me. I didn't used to get this feeling on the mountain bike where your ability to cover road miles is limited.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

''Sociable loner'' sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it? But I'm a bit like that too.

 

[Bexmay]

Sounds lovely. Can't wait to get back to this. I noticed just walking down the local disused railway track that everyone says hello to each other. Even people cycling the same way as I was walking said hello as they passed.

 

[ColinJ]

- A South African from Durban with a broken gear cable. Chatted for a while but couldn't do anything to help him. (Note to self: must pack a gear cable in the tool kit)

(Assuming that it was a rear gear cable and he wanted a lower gear for climbing ...) How about manually selecting an easier gear by pushing the rear derailleur to the desired position and holding it there by adjusting the endstops?

 

[Globalti]

Could have done that but he just wanted to turn round and head back down the hill to Clitheroe.

 

[Banjo]

I normally carry loads of tools spares etc,about 20 miles from home the other morning I remembered my pump wasnt on the bike. Really took the edge off my enjoyment thinking the fairies would be bound to take advantage of a lone pumpless cyclist :-) Breathed a great sigh of relief when I rolled back into our street with the p"£$%^%$ fairies still in hot pursuit.