Cycling. The sport of Gods. It’s a hard sport but even harder when you haven’t ridden for 12 months and are trying to get fit again. Two weeks of riding and the accumulated wear and tear is starting to tell. I’ve only been riding 25 to 30 km a day and haven’t been out everyday but boy are my legs getting sore! And I’m tired. I’ve been getting to bed late and getting up early but the extra physical activity is certainly starting to tell and I’m increasingly hungry which isn’t suprising. Nothing more I can do but push on through. I’m over 90kg in weight now and it’s just not good enough. Have to keep going.
Of course the big thing is that I enjoy it. Now I am just starting to get over the initial suffering that being totally unfit causes. I can ride along, not with too much pressure but at a nice clip and not feel like my lungs are being dragged through my mouth!
It’s amazing the things you can think about when you are on a bike. You wouldn’t believe it. Movies I’ve seen, people I’ve known, books I’ve read, things I am going to do. It can set you straight. That is of course if you don’t have a car drive out in front of you or pedestrians on the bike path completely ignore your existence.
Many people have this amazing habit of letting their dogs run off the lead and inevitably the dog will run in front of you. A trend I have been noticing lately, particularly around Lake Tuggeranong is the pairs or groups of young mothers with their heavy duty prams. They really don’t like to get out of your way. And have you seen the modern pram! They are built like armoured personnel carriers. I’m sure I will shortly see footage of the US Army using them in combat in Afghanistan.
Then of course there is my personal favourite, Mum, Dad and the little kids on bikes. Usually little Johnny is wobbling away by himself in front of Mum and Dad and is doing quite nicely until Mum or Dad yells out that there is a cyclist coming and please keep over. You could bet $1000 that little Johnny will look around and wobble straight into your path! You would be a winner every time.
The ACT Government now call them Community Paths which I guess means they are trying to get everyone in the community to use them. I’m sure, in fact I know that many cyclists don’t take the required care on them when they are in built up areas and they deserve the scorn they get from other users however I am not one of these people.
I slow down, take care and even have a bell which I use and makes me a complete dork in the cycling world yet there are still people who give you the lingering,disdainful stare as if you don’t belong.
Poor cyclists. We can’t ride on the roads without getting abused and increasingly we can’t ride on the bike paths without getting the same. Pity. We should be encouraging cycling not making it harder.
In anycase I will be out again soon, sore legs and feral drivers and pedestrians notwithstanding…and I will enjoy it! Bye.
Of course the big thing is that I enjoy it. Now I am just starting to get over the initial suffering that being totally unfit causes. I can ride along, not with too much pressure but at a nice clip and not feel like my lungs are being dragged through my mouth!
It’s amazing the things you can think about when you are on a bike. You wouldn’t believe it. Movies I’ve seen, people I’ve known, books I’ve read, things I am going to do. It can set you straight. That is of course if you don’t have a car drive out in front of you or pedestrians on the bike path completely ignore your existence.
Many people have this amazing habit of letting their dogs run off the lead and inevitably the dog will run in front of you. A trend I have been noticing lately, particularly around Lake Tuggeranong is the pairs or groups of young mothers with their heavy duty prams. They really don’t like to get out of your way. And have you seen the modern pram! They are built like armoured personnel carriers. I’m sure I will shortly see footage of the US Army using them in combat in Afghanistan.
Then of course there is my personal favourite, Mum, Dad and the little kids on bikes. Usually little Johnny is wobbling away by himself in front of Mum and Dad and is doing quite nicely until Mum or Dad yells out that there is a cyclist coming and please keep over. You could bet $1000 that little Johnny will look around and wobble straight into your path! You would be a winner every time.
The ACT Government now call them Community Paths which I guess means they are trying to get everyone in the community to use them. I’m sure, in fact I know that many cyclists don’t take the required care on them when they are in built up areas and they deserve the scorn they get from other users however I am not one of these people.
I slow down, take care and even have a bell which I use and makes me a complete dork in the cycling world yet there are still people who give you the lingering,disdainful stare as if you don’t belong.
Poor cyclists. We can’t ride on the roads without getting abused and increasingly we can’t ride on the bike paths without getting the same. Pity. We should be encouraging cycling not making it harder.
In anycase I will be out again soon, sore legs and feral drivers and pedestrians notwithstanding…and I will enjoy it! Bye.
Strange Notations From a Laborious Life 