I need My Fixie!

Hello blog lovers.

Mmm, shall I explain the title? Yes of course I will, just in case you all think I have gone totally bike barmy and bought another bike (a fixie) before I have even pumped up the tyres again on my Specialized! (well, actually I had to do that any way, as it's been sat in the nice warm utility room since I got it!)

But what I actually needed was be back out on my bike again, And not just any bike, I wanted to go out on my 'Spesh' It's been sat in my house, gleaming, wanting to get out and ride. The Old Boy's bike must have been teasing my bike, with all the mud and dirt dripping from it, the water bottle filled and then emptied! So this evening I thought I would give the running a miss and go for just a short ride, to familiarise myself, again, with all the gears, and riding style of my new bike.

I pulled on my spandex with the luminous panels on the sides, thermal socks, spesh shoes, tee-shirt, long sleeve shirt, cycling jacket, cycling rain jacket, buff, hat, thermal glove liners and outer gloves! by then there really was only time for a quick ten miler! But there is one thing that I really don't like, and that's being cold! 

I wheeled my bike to the front door in happy anticipation of this evenings short ride around, opened it and looked out in despair as the rain and sleet had just started to come down! "Oh,  Undercarriages" I said as I turned to the Old Boy. "Oh just go" he said, "If we don't go out, we never will, it will soon pass"

So we went out. But it looked as if we were going to cut our route even shorter than we planned. "Just go through the local park and we will go straight to Bromley" O.B. said. I did as directed. But when we got onto Southborough Lane the O.B. directed me to go up the A21, our original short bike ride, through Hayes!

I just pedalled along, trying t remember which lever did what to my gears, and trying to concentrate on the traffic, contend with the cold affected my eyes (which were leaking, and freezing on my face!) I had a permanent grin on my face, due to the cold. But do you know what, I was really enjoying it.

My arms hurt, my hands hurt, my face was frozen into an inane grimace, and I was well wrapped up and looking like the mitchilin man. I can't wait for the summer! I know I am going to have some fun on my bike and I am so glad I had a quick 'fix' of riding on my new bike this evening!  it has reminded me of  things to come.

I didn't take my Garmin with me today, as this was just a 'get out on my bike and and have some fun' ride (if riding in the freezing cold, sleet and rain can be classed as fun) but the Old Boy took his, and we actually rode about 11 and half miles at around 10 mph, with one stop at the Red Lion in Bromley North!