Went out for a ride organised by the local TRF and it was a bit of a frustrating one tbh as two of the guys were nervy and slow. Tracks that I would normally ride at 20-30mph, they were doing at 7mph, which is quite literally pedestrian, but overtaking/moving up a position in the order is kind of frowned upon. They even wanted to cut the ride short at lunch because it was a “bit slippery”, which is a kind of like a boxer not wanting to fight because it’s a bit “getting punched in the facey”. I prefer the weekend rides as it’s a younger demographic, whereas midweek rides tend to be attended by old fuckers. I suppose that also includes me, but in my head I’m still 19!
We all have to start somewhere Z, I appreciated guys who knew what they were doing waiting for me. If they’re foolish enough to try to keep up with better riders, it could end in tears. Like a lad I know coming off and breaking his leg, with the rest of the day ruined trying to get him to hospital and his bike recovered. They were riding over the Gap, when it was open. Zhed, have you ridden Strata Florida and Sarn Helen yet. ?
Decided to break into my Christmas supplies and pour myself a glass of chilled Kirin Ichiban with the distinct possibility of pouring another in the not too distant future Andy
I know. I'm just being a wanker. Lol. At least I didn't crash today. Wales is on the To Do list for next year.
Bought three barrels of beer Chipped a molar went to the dentist Played squash Hung a bathroom cabinet Replaced a fan oven.
A pal of mine got into doing rides with the TRF a year or so ago. He has spannered himself and broken more bones messing about in the mud than 10 years of doing track days with me. Tis gnarlier than it first appears. 7mph is plenty...
The same can be said of group rides on the road. See it all the time on summer weekends. Hero at the front setting the pace, also-rans struggling to keep up at the back and clipping bends and getting out of shape.
The same can be said for ski schools After a couple of days into your allotted week you’re held back by children and oap’s when all you want to do is to see how well you bounce on a blue or red run.
GG beat me to it yesterday with that reply, and was afraid to read today's tasks/achievements (just helped repair the Eiffel weather mast in the afternoon etc) with me only managing to put the kettle on.
I need a few small 'tree' presents for Christmas day. After aimlessly wandering around the shops for an hour, only bought a pint of Asahi and a chicken Donburi Andy
This was the opposite. The hero arsehole (ie: me) was second to last in the crocodile and the (very experienced) group leader was one of the riders fannying around making a meal of things, with the other one being the guy in front of me. Neither of them were newbs - I think it was probably more a question of fair weather riders taking it easy in sketchy conditions while I was the prick on a new bike which he was itching to braaaap a bit.
I've been on road rides like that too. Which is why I tend to ride alone these days, or with a couple of mates whose riding I know well and who are similar in pace. I went on a charity run once with about 60 other bikes. It was in a good cause but mind-numbingly slow and we weren't supposed to overtake. I was stuck behind some old boy on an 883 Harley Sportster with shotgun pipes and atrocious fueling. It was banging, chuffing and farting continuously and I kept wondering whether the racket was something falling off my bike until I realised the cacophony was coming from the contraption in front. I couldn't stand it and just had to overtake. So did everyone else and eventually Sportster man ended up at the back.
Eventually got taken up to theatre around 16:30, the anaesthetist made my wrist/arm look like a pin cushion, couldn't get the canula in and working properly, possibly fuel to the fact I had not eaten since 05:45, and the last drink was a glass of water at 11:00, a bit of dehydration kicking in, a few hours later I woke up in the recovery room, once I was fully conscious again, they took me up to a ward,.it should have been in/out in thecsame day, but they kept me in for observation, had a nice room, all to myself, with en-suite toilet and shower, that lasted an hour and a half, then they moved me to a multi occupancy room No sleep at all,.2 machines going off every few minutes which sounded like an old dot matrix printer, and a third machine which kept beeping a two tone beep every few minutes, then there was obviously the nurse every two hours doing blood pressure and temperature Released from the hospital around 2pm yesterday afternoon with a right bag full of medication Now home relaxing, getting some actual sleep
Under pressure from Doris I've put up (even) more flashing Christmas lights in the lounge to brighten things up (as apparently I'm a miserable bastard cos I don't see the point of all this fannying about). Don't get me wrong I do like Xmas, I like being inventive in buying loved ones presents, I like the Christmas dinner tradition and I enjoy the day BUT I really cba with all the palaver of putting up lights/decs etc for just a few days. I'll just wait to see how long one, if not both, of the pups chews through the wiring electrocuting themselves or decides to piss up the Xmas tree
