As I was riding along a minor A road today my rain jacket fell out of my rear pocket . I heard it and felt it so stopped immediately, put my bike on the verge and ran back for it.
As I picked it up and jumped back on the verge a car, that had slowed right down stoped alongside me. He asked if I was OK and did I need any help.....brilliant...I didn't but thanked him profusely and off he went
It's no more that I would have done but it lifts you a little that some drivers do take care....and care
Absolutely - I had similar on a very ill-fated commute a while ago whilst fixing the day's millionth puncture - four people stopped to check I was OK; IIRC only one was a cyclist (at that moment in time) along with two drivers and a ped
After a very poor week for commute mileage thanks to the weather, I was glad to see the rain today was significantly less severe than forecast, so I nipped out for a short utility run.
I hit the usual pared-down charity shops, scoring no furniture as usual but did pick up a nice biscuit-coloured M&S lambswool V-neck jumper for the princely sum of £6; which should finally provide a decent warm accompanyment to my favourite white linen shirt; whilst being in-keeping with the beige linen trousers it's often worn with
Stopped at the park for a go on the much-neglected rings; mainly to try and stretch my knackered shoulder a bit more. Only did just over half the exercises I usually do; mindful of the potential to overdo it and both damage something / make my kickboxing class later much less pleasant. It all seemed to go OK; the new stretches eliciting a raft of satisfying pops and cracks from my shoulders / neck and for the moment at least everything feels more mobile and less painful..
Just got to the butchers in time to score some black pudding, got a wrap from the Lebanese place then headed back along the tow path amid a smattering of lightish showers. The temperature was tolerably mild and I enjoyed a few sniffs of actual enjoyment from just being out, which have been in short supply over the winter.
Today was notable by how quiet everywhere was; not sure why but while not deserted there was a notable lack of both foot and vehicular traffic, which was most welcome.
I'd covered around 19 miles by the time I got home; hoping there's still some in the tank for kickboxing in a bit, which I don't think I'm going to have the luxury of missing the rain completely.
A poor week by some measures, but this week's 66 miles is the most I've managed since mid-December; a far cry from the summer's consistent 150+ miles. Hopefully with the dark receding and temperatures creeping up, so will grow the distance covered
EDIT: Further, left for kickboxing in the dry; hedging my bets on the halfway-house of waterproof jacket upon my person and overtrousers in my bag. Got a little way and got hit by gradually worsening fine rain; meaning my lower half was soaked by the time I got there.
Had a pretty decent lesson and bonded with a few other guys who'd also got damp cycling in, then having a surprising amount of energy left headed across town in the mild, dry evening air to bother the shops.
Scored a few reductions and rode home; getting cut up by a Tesla w*nker who decided he'd use the cycle lane to go around the back of a right-turning bus. I made my presence known and he hung back in shame until I needed to turn off..
The rain set in again but it was just about warm enough to not lose feeling in my ungloved hands and the ride back along the tow / cycle paths was quite nice - my head torch cutting through the dark to give a fantastic view of my surroundings - if hampered somewhat by the light reflecting off the water falling from the sky.
Once onto the tow path the last four-ish miles were pretty much deserted and it was like having my own secret little route all the way back to the flat
All in all a great day for exercise - comprising the mild session on the rings, kickboxing class and about 37 miles on the bike. Feels good to have had a bit of a hammering and I'm enjoying a nice buzzy body high as I consume my fish finger pittas.
In other news I'm considering serialising my contributions to this thread with Jason Statham slated for the movie adaptation; although I'm not sure he could handle the excitement...
