Bike Adventures...

The bike saga continue…

This morning on my cycle work, I chose to go up a fairly steep hill, for the future glory of a long down stretch. Mistake. Today’s mistake wasn’t made by me though… it was by some tiny lady, in a car that was too big for her, a Chrysler Voyager.

As I was picking up speed (probably at about 20-25 mph) I was going past traffic in a cycle lane. The picture below details a 100m stretch of road on which this lady thought she could bypass said traffic, the red line being the travel of car, the blue being me… the issue being that she swerved into this road, without indicating, without checking her mirrors. I was about two car lengths back, had to slam on both sets of breaks, veer into a curb to help with the slow down, travel into the trees and produce a big gash in my tire wall and inner tube.

Dang.

As I stood there in disbelief, having gotten out of the trees and examined the damage, I could only think of one thing to do… inform this lady of her dangerous manoeuvre. I picked up my bike, and sprinted down the road, by which time she was back onto the main road. I knocked on her window and proceeded to carefully, and calmly, explain the process by which I fell into the trees and damaged my bike. The only thing I forgot was to get her contact details so she could replace my broken parts.

Idiot.

The latter part of the conversation went like this:
Silly Woman (hereafter SW): I had no idea you were there
Me: That’s why you should check your mirrors before you turn
SW: But I didn’t even see you
Me: I know, I crashed to avoid you. That’s why you should check your mirrors and indicate before you turn,
SW: I didn’t see you… [by this time she seemed in shock and shaken up…]
Me: It’s ok, just check in future.

No less, I’m at work, unharmed, have a story to tell, but am out of pocket.

What's Hot, What's Not...

Dear Cars all over the world,

Cyclists have rights too. Just because you have the horsepower, doesn’t mean I am not allowed to overtake you. Just because you’re bigger, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to look in your mirrors when you turn. A cycle lane is for cycling, not for parking, and certainly not for swerving into when you’ve made a mistake or aren’t concentrating.

I don’t have a hooter… if I need to, I will shout to make my presence known – if you don’t like it, please suggest a suitable alternative.

A helmet doesn’t make me indestructible.

That is all… for now. The vendetta may continue.

What’s Hot, What’s Not…

Wind… I don’t like you. You only seem to make things worse.

Spooner… I like you. Liz is always in a good mood after spending two and a half hours talking to you.

Guitar… I like you, but please stop hurting my fingers. I caress your strings as often as I can.

In other News…

Two years ago yesterday, Liz agreed to marry me. My life has never been the same since. A whirlwind of adventure has ensued in a non-stop fashion; if a montage was created of the last two years it would definitely be set to a high tempo song with lots going on, as opposed to Aqualung’s Strange and Beautiful. We managed to get married, have operations, have fun holidays, and are on the brink of our first child popping out. We’ve had weddings, funerals, baby dedications, special birthday parties, have 2 god-children, have seen both sets of parents become grandparents… a huge amount has happened in just two years. Was there really ever a time that I wasn’t married?? It seems peculiar that there may have been.

Liz is my favourite person on this world… that I get to spend every day with her for the rest of my life is kind of overwhelming, I am a blessed man. Her commitment to me is beyond question, just as I’d do anything for her. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it is 100% the grace of God on our lives that blesses us in this inexplicable way. How the heck did a girl grow up an ocean apart from me, mature into the most amazing woman, then somehow end up with a wet Englishman… crazy. I am wholly bemused by this!

Thanks for an amazing two years, Liz!

It's a Bad Day When...

It’s never a good day when one of the following happens…

…You get out of the shower and into your clothes, then decide it’s time to discard the chicken stock that’s been in your fridge for two weeks…only for it to slip and cover you in foul smelling ming.

…you cycle to work, get to work and find that you didn’t bring spare boxers or socks. Am now sat at my desk with my tighty-whitey’s (which only ever make appearance for sporting occasions) and white trainer socks. I look like Michael Jackson when I walk – not the style of walk, more the white socks/ pale skin with dark trousers. I’m currently trying to convince my wife to bring me some spares…

Surely this day can only get better with a night of Bones, Glee and Jonathon Ross!