I went for another, much shorter, cycle this afternoon with the intention of covering a few miles before lunch. I had the foresight of picking up a pump yesterday (which has been described as a 'futuristic pepper mill') so I was ready to go. With no idea where to go today, I did the usual thing and picked a direction.
First thing I noticed was a slight squeaking noise coming from somewhere on the bike, tho this was more then mildly irritating, I thought “no matter, I'll get that sorted when I get home” and continued along my way. I was pretty much ambling around aimlessly, taking in the sights, avoiding doors swinging wildly onto the road and in one moment of sear terror, a large BMW four by four that picked the very moment the road narrowed to overtake me (I stayed near the curb and was more then happy to let it pass).
Roughly ten miles in (near Syon house, rather nice) I'm afflicted with yet another puncture, not a problem as I'm prepared with a spare inner tube and a futuristic pepper mill! After fixing the problem I wonder around some more, looking for a cycle shop as my current run of luck would probably give me another puncture and I thought it might be a good idea to sock up on more tubes.
At this point, as is to be expected, I'm hopelessly lost but, at the, very least, I'm by a cycle shop. So I pop in and am presented with what I can only describe as the campest sales assistant I've ever seen outside of Soho! On the way out (no not that sort of out) I ask him for directions and tells me which way to go but adds “I guess no one would go there unless they had to” to which I had no choice but to reply “I live there!” and left a rather apologetic guy to wrench his foot out of his mouth (I problem I've been cursed with of late).
Overall, not bad going and was a nice way to enjoy the warm weather.
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4 comments:
so it's midget bikes now eh?
did you borrow it from ariane by any chance?
d'you think that filling your inner tubes with peppercorns might just have something to do with the higher-than-average rate of puncture you have to put up with (or be let down by...) on your aimless, directionless, less-is-more shorter-than-average velocipede?
finally, while riding with one foot (yours or the camp chap's, whatever works best for you...) in your mouth must somewhat mitigate your pedalling efficiency, guess it must, at the very least, keep the flies out of your teeth ...
Ah, yes, see the 'short cycle' referred to cycle as a verb as apposed to the noun. This was in no way to suggest I borrowed a bike from a friend, if this was the case, I'm sure it would be a better maintained one which wouldn't give be half the troubles the “beast” has given me.
Peppercorns in the inner-tube is one of the oldest tricks in a cyclist's arsenal, it prevents punctures, it does not increase them. Take note.
Peddling with one foot is not a problem for me, but having one foot in my mouth could go a long way to explaining why people don't cycle with me....
Sorry to use such an analogy but your bicycle issues remind me of one having a man in their life: you cant imagine a life without them when things are all smiles but if you don’t keep an eye on them and 'maintain' them regularly, they can fall apart (or wander off course).
Sofi, like your analogy, if major difference being that, unlike a bike, a man would (in theory) be working as hard on it whereas the bike is all take take take!
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