Why is it always down hill to work and up hill going home? Why is it when the sky is black it seems to just hold on until hometime? Why is it when you cycle to work against the wind it always turns for the journey home?
the journey is the harder one for me, two steep long hills, on the return they're longer and gentler once you're fit, a hill to finish is nice for a final splurge I start with a fairly long and steep one after about twenty metres tops, that I can do without
yep, the rain holds off long enough for me to decide i don't need waterproofs, then 1km in pisses down, stopping only when i get to work. all in less than 5 miles Never happens the other way round though.
Hairy Jock will know this one - I have a very, very short, elbow-bend climb to get back up onto the Roseburn path from the road at around the half-way home stage. It's very short, but I hate it. It's the one thing I don't look forward to on the way home every night- can't take deep breaths going up it as there are too many flies under the trees at either side. I'm sure there will shortly be a flurry of responses calling me soft / a wimp / a big jessie.... (Mind you, when it was once at the start of a ride it was a scoosh to get up without even noticing or feeling the strain. It's just where it is on my route at the end of a tiring day at work that causes me problems.)
As I go the opposite direction, I am going down it on the way home, much more fun, especially as they have repaired the advertising board at the bottom so you can't see if there is anyone turning in from Russell Road. Wow, if you zoom right in you can see two cyclist going up the hill...
I have a steep climb for the last 2Km of my home commute, sometimes after a hard day or a head wind a larger gear wheel at the back is brought into service. I'm sure if it was in the middle of the ride and there was a way of avoiding it I would give it a miss on some days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comming from Granton, if I don't go via Dundass Street I turn off just before that onto Wester Coates Road.
Spotted recently on this particular brief climb, at around 6.30am every morning, is a Chinese granny out running - wearing a blouse, knitted waistcoat, trousers and normal granny-style shoes ! She must be in training for something as she is always keeping an eye on her watch to note her times. Good on her - hope I'm still as active at her age.
It's been a few months since I commuted but it was always a pleasure to leave my desk and set off on my bike. Regardless of the weather (we don't really have hills in or near York).
I live on top of a hill, so on any given day I decide to head out I always have a big hill to climb on my way home.
