Weakened

I haven't cycled to work this week which I find frustrating. I've needed the car although I did make a conscious decision not to ride on Tuesday because the roads were sheet ice. probably just as well, Lee, Edward & Ganny all fell off their bikes that day and I heard stories of a few more. I made it to spin on Monday, although Tony wasn't there to take it, so it wasn't as hard as usual, but still a good session. Friday I made the gym and did some reps on the static bike and some weights. Saturday I had a ride planned with Tom & Mark, my fellow L2Pers, plus Ed and Paul. The weather was foul (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7782157.stm) but we went out never the less. Cold. Heavy rain. I say we, Mark and Paul cried off. I'll give Mark the benefit of the doubt because I know he's hard core. Paul was still in bed at 9:30am, draw your own conclusions!



Now, I actually enjoy riding in extremes of weather (maybe not strong winds) and Saturday reminded me of the day we rode into John O' Groats (see me in Thurso traffic below), but we sensibly cut the ride short (27km) as the roads became increasingly flooded.

Never the less once showered and changed I felt great and Tom and Leanne joined us for a magnificent brunch cooked up by Beth. Worth any amount of wet riding.

I actually had my bike serviced this week at John Atkins. I was politely scolded for using such a quality bike in the winter. Whilst it seemed sound advice, that the cost of maintaining an expensive bike through poor winter weather was greater than buying a cheap winter steed, at the end of the day I bought it to ride, not pamper it. For heaven's sake it already lives in the house with us, not like my other bikes which have to settle for the shed (incidentally, on Thursday, as I put the bins out I noticed a flashing light in the garden. I traced it to my bike lights, which were on, in the locked shed, and as I said, I haven't used my commuter bike this week, so its lain locked up for a week. Now the batteries would've gone by now if I'd left the lights on last Friday when I put it away and surely I'd have noticed before. Spooky.)

Still, I best start my PR campaign to get myself a new bike...