More Work Less Play.

Next week I may be required to work at the bike shop to cover for Scott, who’s off to Aussie on holiday. Aussie’s not so bad, although currently they are having trouble getting their heads around how we could be beating them in the Olympic medal count. I can see myself cycling there again in the next two or three years as I concentrate on riding the Paris – Brest – Paris. I think riding the qualifiers could be easier over there with more long distance events and participants. I will never forget my roots though, and will hold my head up high tolerating all the sheep jokes.

Hard at Work. Floor Pumps Dont hold themselves Up.

When I was younger like most people I was impatient. This impatience manifested itself most frequently when I was trying to fix my bike. I would for instance put the second coat of paint on a newly painted frame before the first coat had properly dried. I would try to cover the freshly stripped metal fully with the first coat usually not bothering with primer. This would of course result in an orange peel effect or wrinkles on the surface like your grandmother’s skin. This impatience reached its height in my adolescent years. I remember re-spraying an English Falcon frame in my seventeenth year and after all the coats of paint had gone on (complete with the original Reynolds 531 decals and lacquer), she looked pretty good. However unfortunately for the new owner the base layer of paint had not had the required drying time and the whole thing was just a week or so away from de cloaking. So sad to wake up one morning to find your pride and joy was just an illusion. The new owner was genuinely getting an English Falcon frame, although he rightfully felt duped. An angry phone call from the gentleman concerned instigated my immediate departure. Back I went to my university flat in another city leaving my Mum to sort it all out. My Mum’s shot of me now and enjoying rest and relaxation at her local rest home.

O’the sins I’ve committed by being impatient. I’ve wrecked perfectly good pieces of equipment just because I couldn’t wait for the shop to be open when I needed an extractor, or other tool to do the job properly. Cranks that I take off now in two seconds without thinking about it, would in those days have been bashed off after half an hour’s stressful effort. Inflicting surface damage and mutilating polished alloy surfaces.

Why you ask have I mentioned this now? Have I butchered a lovely piece of retro cycle componentry? Worse still, have I damaged the Mercian by being heavy handed? No, none of the above. I’m pretty mature and reasonably knowledgeable now, when it comes to the mighty bicycle.

I’ve buggered Adi’s laptop!!!!

The stupid thing!

 When will I learn not to piddle around with it? I won’t let Adi use my netbook because I’m scared she’ll wreck it. And I go and sabotage her laptop big time. Her pressure pad wasn’t working so I initially managed to fix that. But once I’d done my dash I had somehow managed to uninstall virtually every program on the thing. It still starts up though so I could have gone further!!!

I blame part of this on not knowing when to stop, and partly on the unseasonably constant rainy days we have been having.  I know this is a prelude to what we may expect to receive in Vietnam in two weeks but its driving me nuts. I can’t get the roof painting done and I can’t get blue skies for my weekly training rides.

And all the time Adi’s laptop sits and stares at me. Adi herself is pretty good about it since she only uses it for face book and writing emails.

A Little Performance Enhancement.

Last week after deciding to form a cycle touring club I proposed that all current club members and trainees should get together and go out on a trial run. I chose a one hundred and ten kilometre circuit with mixed seal / gravel and forestry road sections for the outing. Early on it was muted by the trainee that the club not be called the Tasman Cycle Touring Club but Tasman Touring Club. She was quickly put in her place by a more senior member present and that was the last said on the matter. Once we’d got to the forestry sections I looked around and found that said trainee had done a runner and had taken an easier route home. That won’t bode well for any aspirations she might have of full member status and the eventual position of peloton leader. Things got pretty messy towards the end of the ride when we found to our dismay that the valley road was closed and currently being deconstructed to install new pipework. Bolivian roads came to mind as I cycled down the valley. I found nine out of ten times in Bolivia I would end up cycling along the river bed. This didn’t eventuate along the Maitai and a jolly good day was had by all. The trainee was found on the settee with a cup of tea when I got home.

Backcountry with the TCTC and the Trainee's Done a Runner.

If the rain ever eases up this week I will put the word out, and the TCTC will hit the road again.

I will also put and second the motion that the club in the future begins to concentrate on getting members fit for the next Paris-Brest –Paris in 2015.

I see a patch of blue, there might be a ride on tomorrow. The TCTC trainee number one is suggesting that gravel roads could be a bit muddy……

Over ruled, and toughen up.