How would you respond to this question? Stay in bed, in the nice warm dry house, or go cycling? Do some much needed housework, in the nice warm dry house, or go cycling? Sit in doors all morning and some of the afternoon, in the nice warm dry house, or go cycling! If you answered 'Cycling' to all of these, (and are of course female) then you truly are........crazy enough to come on a Breeze cycle ride to do the Lovely Ladywell route!
When I told Yvonne that I would be going with her on this ride yesterday, I had been sweltering in the heat, sweating in my house, with three sweaty boys all wanting to play football in the garden! I was longing to jump on the bike and pedal off in search of refreshing refreshment of the refreshing type. (usual Mr. Forster's or Dhr.Amstel)
But I couldn't let her down, .....could I! All dressed up, and raincoat tucked into my drinks rack on my Spesh (yes I am taking the pink one out, see if she can be a proper road bike, out in all weathers, or whether she is just all pink and glitz) my Garmin on my wrist, (which I forgot to switch on! Grrrr) and I headed off to Cator Park to meet Yvonne, and any other crazy ladies want to cycle for fun in the rain!
I got as far as Whitebeam, about 200 yards from my home, and I had to stop and put my rain coat on! Oh well, maybe the rain is only passing! But the further I got the heavier the rain came down! Why didn't I get Yvonne's telephone number! I'm sure I had it from the last ride! Maybe I will just cycle up to Cator Park, and then say I'm not going, and the go home! Of course then my brain kicked in, (for just a split second that is), "If you go all the way to Cator Park, you might as well continue to ride the rest of the way, after all its not 24 bike ride, is it Old Girl" So that's what I did.
Cycling in the rain, singing, yes singing on my own all the way to Cator Park. I knew roughly where I was going this time, so no need to stop and get out my directions to find out which road next, which meant that I was there a little earlier than I was last time, 9:45. Me, alone, standing under a tree, looking wet, with a bright orange coat on! I was still wondering if there would be any others turning up today, or if it will be just me and Yvonne. I then saw a lady approaching "Is this the Breeze ride" she said and I told her it was, and that was Mary.
Then another lady turned up, "Breeze ride?" she said, and we both said "Yes" That was Brenda. Next to arrive was Yvonne, she was a couple of minutes late due to technical difficulties with the printer, or register, or something, and then last but not least Anne arrived. Quite a nice little group, a nice wet smiley group, to be going on a bike ride with!
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| Anne, Mary, Yvonne and Brenda This was taken after the ride! |
With the usual checks done, air in tyres (mine felt a little soft actually, but probably a good thing in this weather!) and then brakes and finally the chain. This time of year the trees are shedding bits of twigs all other the place, best to be on the safe side and give it a good look over! And then we were off. I was back marker, probably just as well as I am the only one who's bike has no mudguards! I shall be wearing my stripe with pride! (with a wet arse to boot......and no, that doesn't mean you can boot me!) With the five of us making our colourful way through the park and onto coffee at Oscars, (and a cake or something for me!)
Yvonne managed to get an action shot, she look at this
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| Brenda, in blue, Mary in yellow, me at the back. |
There wasn't that many cyclists about, nor indeed pedestrians, on the WaterWay link to Lewisham, and we made quick time to the coffee shop. The road works still in progress creating an awful noise and smell! Apparently its been like that for well over a year now! It must be all the preparations that take forever! We arrived at Oscars coffee shop, a bit soggy, but all still very chatty. I seemed to be the only looking a bit like I have wallowed in a mud bath, my legs were covered in dirt, a huge stripe up my jacket, and my hair!!! Well I don't want to even start with the hair! But my bike! My beautiful pink and black bike, she was covered in grit, mud grass and looking like she has been dragged through the same wallowing mud bath! All because 'she didn't want to 'wear mud guards' she is so vain my bike!
We ordered our coffee and sat down, I again was the only one who had something to eat! (hmmm? weight not moving...beer in take same....cake check, one needs sugars.... croissants obviously breakfast is important......chocolate......purleeeeessse I am female......Nah, no connection)
They were a nice bunch of ladies, here is a picture of us all
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| Brenda Mary, Anne and me, (with that hair!) |
But all too soon it was ready for the ride back. Putting my jacket on felt really horrible! It was cold and wet! It may stop the water from getting in but it also stops the sweat getting out! It was just as wet on the inside as it was out! Is there a coat, a raincoat that can cope with a cyclists needs, and a runners needs! We don't want a lot, just to be comfortable, dry, warm, looking bloody gorgeous! Not a lot really!
The ride back was a little better, the rain was coming down as hard! If it had been sunny we could have taken so many great shots, where the trees were hanging down framing the bridge, it would have been great to take some action shots of the ladies through the trees! Oh well, next time!
We stopped off at the park, Yvonne said we wasn't allowed to play on the slide or the swings cos it was too wet, and we might get wet bums and we might fall over and get all muddy and we don't want that do we! Hmm, that don't sound like Yvonne at all, what she said was "I bet you want to go down don't you!?" Of course I did.......I did want to go down, but I thought, maybe not this time round!
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| Yvonne, Mary, Brenda and Anne |
The ride as soon over, we said our good byes and we all went off, but.....no......I need to save the but, for the time being!
No Geeky stats, cos I forgot! But it was the same route as last time, so about 20 odd miles from door to door, a great ride, a great wet ride, and some lovely new cycling chums I have met too! How else do you get over a wet horrible day!
Oh yes, the Spesh handle ok in the wet, but I must remember to wear my gloves as the brake levers are pretty slippery when wet!
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