So here I am back home at Potters-End. I’ve still got a few days left before the end of the week so I should be out cycling. Last week you can see from my mileage that I covered 940kms. This week although I cycled back from Taupo I did not have a race to come back too. I also cycled directly back so my mileage, unless I go out and hit the roads, will be quite a bit less. It’s hard to motivate yourself to go out on your bike after you’ve just come back from ten days of nearly continuous cycling.
So since it was hard to motivate myself I found the perfect solution. I found something else to do and didn’t bother swinging my leg over my bike. There’s always work to do in the garden and I found a job that kept me busy for half a day. I tidied up last spring’s daffodil bulbs and put them away for replanting later. Boy we’ve got some whoopers.
 |
| Wondering if You Can Eat Daffodil Bulbs. |
I also managed that day to catch up on what’s been happening on face book regarding the Global Bike Race. Things are constantly changing regarding the organisation or dis-organisation of the race. I can’t blame the Northern Hemisphere contestants for feeling a bit frustrated at the moment as they slide into winter. I went through a lot of indecision a few months ago with snow on the ranges and not enough hot water bottles to go around. Adi got a nice new pink hot water bottle in the shopping but I didn’t see a new blue one for me anywhere amongst the groceries. Potter’s-End austerity measures bite pretty hard. Anyway at least twice I got cold feet on the whole ride around the world idea. I’m back on course now but I don’t know if the race is?
On Friday to salvage what was a promising start to the week I begrudgingly went out on my usual 130km circuit leaving after lunch, and after coffees, and then also after anything else I thought I could do to put it off. I got on my bike and just felt like a steam train. Admittedly I didn’t have any luggage on board so I suppose I should have felt ok. But at the 110km mark I usually feel some tiredness since this course is quite hilly. Afraid that I might come down quickly and that the last 20kms could be a grovel I stuffed down a couple of chocolate bars. The tiredness never came and I walked in the door shouting to hottie hogger that” I was the man”! And,” what’s for dinner”?
Still not enough kms saw me out on the bike the next day. But really I could only face a ride into town and back. I mean what’s the point. It’s like when you’re studying, and you feel ok because you’re at your desk staring at your books. Let’s face it it’s not quality study so you’re just fooling yourself.
So the total for the week was 710kms. Most of it quality loaded touring and tenting. But the rest… a fill in. The last couple of weeks have shown me that I’m on track and pretty fit. So for the next month, basically all of December, I’m going to do…………………. Nothing!
Just kidding. No I’ve decided that for December I’m going to do virtually nothing, except two separate long day rides. On two separate Sundays I’ll do 270km rides on my Mercian with just a day bag under the saddle. Weather permitting. If it’s raining I’ll leave the next day. I’m posting this now so that if any of my roadie friends are reading this they may express interest in coming too. In fact I may even see if I can drum up a bit of interest for this with the Sunday bunch crowd?
This sounds a bit desperate but I may even consider riding Adi’s carbon road bike if that would make them feel more comfortable. Riding on carbon fibre would certainly make me feel nauseous but if it gets me a bit of company it might be worth it.
Since I’m no longer employed as a cycle shop boy next week I will begin home maintenance. Then next Sunday a nice 10hr return ride to the north westerly tip of the South Island where all the whales keep getting stranded. I’ll take my camera.
No comments:
Post a Comment