First commute, first spill :-/

[aqaleigh]

Morning all,

I thought I should record the results of my first commute to work this morning, with lessons learned.

Route: Virginia Water to Bedfont, via Staines - 8.1 miles
Time: 44 minutes
Spills: 1

The spill came at a road-to-cycle path transition - I hit the 1" kerb at too shallow an angle, so the bike went one way and I went the other. Luckily, no damage except to some rather nice trousers, which now have a couple of holes in them.

The weather was rainy, but this (rather to my surprise) did not affect how much I enjoyed the ride. A buff round the neck and another one on my head gave me windproof, wicking insulation up top, and a wicking shirt under a wool jumper with a hillwalking jacket kept my torso warm and mostly dry. Pit zips on the jacket helped with ventilation. The legs were the main problem - reasonably comfortable, but the lesson learnt here is that cotton trousers don't work well in the rain. Next time, waterproof trousers and/or Ron Hill leggings are in order - dry office trousers can go in the pannier.

The Altura Dryline 17 Briefcase pannier worked flawlessly - everything stayed nice and dry, and the pannier remained attached during the spill (it was on the non-contact side, which helped).

Looks like there's something to this cycling lark after all... :-)

- Darren

I do a similar route to this ascot -virginia water - staines

do you go on the A30 / main roads all the way? or have you found a better route?

I always find from wentworth golf course on - the roads are busy and in poor condition - I have tried the route from ascot via windsor park and prefer this but it is a mile longer (well worth it though)

anyway enjoy your commuting and stay safe

 

[dhague]

I do a similar route to this ascot -virginia water - staines

do you go on the A30 / main roads all the way? or have you found a better route?

I live near the centre of Virginia Water village (about a mile from the Wentworth traffic lights), so my route is from the railway station, down the back way through Stroude to Egham, (that's the nice part) over the M25 bridge, and then through Pooley Green to the Thames bridge in Staines (the not-so-nice part).

Here's that part of my route in Google Maps.

To be honest, your current route is probably best if coming from Ascot.

 

[Davywalnuts]

haha, yes, Bedfont, Feltham, burnout cars and houses, murders, yup, its all there!!

With regards to yesterdays rain, shocking!

 

[Bollo]

Glasses, cycling, rain. Not a good mix, but there is a range of options available that'll solve the problem:-

- rustle up a pair of glasses with windscreenwipers
- get someone to burn lasers on the back of your retinas
- contact lenses
- get a peaked cyclists cap or sun visor

The latter's probably the cheapest and easiest

Or use the cager trick of rubbing a potato on your lenses.

Note - do NOT rub a potato on your lenses!

 

[purplepolly]

hhhm, so I could stand outside work in the evening rubbing a vegetable on by glasses before I go home...

 

[Bollo]

hhhm, so I could stand outside work in the evening rubbing a vegetable on by glasses before I go home...

My suggestion was not meant to be taken seriously, though as a fellow gregories wearer I sympathise with your plight. I might just give it a shot myself after the last couple of days.

 

[aqaleigh]

I live near the centre of Virginia Water village (about a mile from the Wentworth traffic lights), so my route is from the railway station, down the back way through Stroude to Egham, (that's the nice part) over the M25 bridge, and then through Pooley Green to the Thames bridge in Staines (the not-so-nice part).

Here's that part of my route in Google Maps.

To be honest, your current route is probably best if coming from Ascot.

cheers

 

[aqaleigh]

haha, yes, Bedfont, Feltham, burnout cars and houses, murders, yup, its all there!!

With regards to yesterdays rain, shocking!

i take offence to your suggestion this area is full of burnt out cars -houses and murders

ITS NOWHERE NEAR THAT GOOD

 

[hackbike 666]

Heh heh.I've driven trains around that part of the world for near on 20 years and it can be a general bundle of laughs to brighten the trip up.I think Feltham has mellowed in the past few years.

 

[Aperitif]

Mellowed hackers?

You must be seduced by the eerie blue glow of the St Giles Hotel! Bedfont is upmarket in comparison - it has a sun tan parlour and 'Barry's of Bedfont' selling huge translucent plastic boxes and stuff to put rubbish valuables inside...

Pleased to see this corner of the universe on the map though, with dhague davywalnuts, aqaleigh and self, - maybe the winds of change are blowing and it really is mellowing?!

 

[aqaleigh]

Heh heh.I've driven trains around that part of the world for near on 20 years and it can be a general bundle of laughs to brighten the trip up.I think Feltham has mellowed in the past few years.

not SWT are you?

 

[miedoescenico]

Burnt Out Cars

Hi,
I'm looking for burnt out cars for my photography project.. could anyone possibly direct me to some please?
It would be a massive help!