Tales from today's utility ride

[redflightuk]

one of several loads this week.

 

[mjr]

Seen on the ride today:

Problem: gardeners too lazy to put the van in the car park on the other side of the garden, so they park fully on the cycle track, leaving about 70cm between wing mirror and lamp post:

Solution: police cyclist off to have a word:

It was in the car park when I made the return trip

 

[Jayaly]

ME: Aargh! The Old Git has my keys an hour away and the nursery closes in 15 minutes. It's ten minutes in the car!
DUTCH BIKE: Get on. I've got this. No need to change, you can ride me wearing normal clothes.
ME: It's dark.
DUTCH BIKE: Integral dynamo lighting ready to roll.
ME: The child trailer is locked in the garage.
DUTCH BIKE: Big comfy saddle. He'll love sitting up there while you walk next to us.
ME: The cycle path is too bumpy for high speeds. We'll never make it in time.
DUTCH BIKE: Suspension seat post, baby.
ME: But people say you're slow and cumbersome.
DUTCH BIKE: Watch this...

SMALLEST BOY: Up on the big bike! We're having an adventure, Mummy!
ME: You're amazing. I don't tell you enough how much I love you.
DUTCH BIKE: From the EU to you, with love. Just promise me you'll try to get me spare parts after Brexit.
ME: If I have to smuggle them through customs in my underwear.

 

[mjr]

Tough ride to market yesterday. Usually I'm in top gear for more than half the ride despite the gently-rolling country and a railway bridge, but yesterday it was only one downhill and a few hundred metres of crosswind, with the rest in middle gear and trying to get down out of the wind. Very glad that I took the foldable panniers (Basil Mara) and wasn't trying to ride into that with treble the width catching the wind. Much easier ride home, though.

I thought I'd caught another cycle track motorist (a Europcar van) and a few more curious incidents on the way back from market. Got home to discover a fascinating survey of streetlights because I'd knocked the camera backwards on its mount at some point early on

 

[Pat "5mph"]

It's the rime of the year when BigCat needs to visit the vet for his annual jabs, also the time of year when the ice bike must be fettled, ready for the big freeze.
Still unusually mild here, thought.
So, trailer hooked up on this year's ice bike (I made a new one ) off we go to the vet.
Then, BigCat safely delivered back home, I rode to the shops to fill the trailer once more.
Turns out the trailer needed a bit of GT85, it was squeaking like mad full of groceries

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A rare for me short utility ride today, down to Jubilee Crescent to use the cash point and across to the barbers for a haircut.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

My daughter has chosen cycling as her fitness section of her D of E award. I have suggested she build her fitness and skills to a point she can get around the red route on Cannock with me.

No danger of that happening yet so today was a 14 mile round trip to Hobby Craft. We saw a kingfisher in the middle of town and I discovered I lost my bank card somewhere in Scotland.

 

[greekonabike]

I had a short 3 mile jaunt to the town centre only to find out the LBS was closed today, and for the next few Thursdays. I then cycled out of town and found out the other bike shop was also closed. Partly through laziness and partly because I haven't ridden for a while I hopped on the train with the bike and went to the bike shop in the next town over. Really knowledgable and helpful guys who are open on Thursdays.

GOAB.

 

[greekonabike]

Went for a ride to the town which was about 3 miles, meandered about a bit and decided to cycle to the bike shop in the next town rather than take the train. Journey there was fine along the cycle path on the beach but on the way back it was so windy I was constantly battling to stay in a straight line. I reckon I did about 20 odd miles.

GOAB

 

[mjr]

Opposite situation for me: slogged 3 miles into a headwind to town (I was glad I'd taken the panniers that roll up when empty and strap to the rack top), called in at a butcher's and a supermarket, then got blown home

 

[greekonabike]

I genuinely didn't realise how bad the journey back would be. It's quite a busy cycle path and at about the 3/4 mark myself and a few other cyclists were walking because the wind was blowing in from the side something fierce.

I suppose I would have preferred to have gone into the wind first. It makes the journey back that little bit easier.

GOAB

 

[Hugh Manatee]

That didn't go well at all. Another D of E ride with my daughter. A road ride to Sainsbury's to stock up on ill and geriatric cat food.

Three miles into the ride and she faints! Luckily (?!) she felt it coming so we were able to get to the side of the road. Basic first aid and a sit down got her conscious again to the point I was able to go and get a car to get her and the bike home again.

Not a vintage ride!

 

[galaxy]

OMG, hope she is ok, any idea what caused the faint.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

OMG, hope she is ok, any idea what caused the faint.

She has always been a little prone to it. We had hospital checks when she was younger and they didn't find anything wrong. I think it is low blood pressure. She is tall and always cold. The wife says she was always keeling over as a youngster as well.

It hadn't happened for quite a while so hopefully a one off.

 

[Reynard]

A quick 4 mile round trip to the post office at lunchtime to pay mum's road tax and blow away the cobwebs. On the way out almost got wiped out by someone pulling out of a side street between two parked cars without looking. Turns out it was someone I know, but the hand gesture I gave him wasn't a polite one...

Was wrapped up warm and it was a pleasure to be outside, though saddle on new bike = owie bum...