Saturday, July 31, 2010

THE RIDE JOURNAL




To make up for missing out on my usual weekend rides, the latest copy of The Ride Journal arrived in the post today.

This is an inspirational magazine, or, and here I'm allowing the professional librarian in me to come to the fore, periodical, as it's quite the heavyweight publication. Rouleur-like in it's print quality, with a great feel (and smell?!) to it's paper, it is jam packed with articles and insights all with one thing in common; they are written by people who just love to, well, Ride.

Actually, it didn't make up at all for not being able to get out for a ride, as leafing through the articles just made me itch to get out all the more. And that's an itch I can't scratch at the moment.

At least I did manage a ride out with my eldest (nine years old) son at lunchtime. He on his six speed Shimano mountain bike, resplendant in Liverpool Century club jersey and wrap-around shades, tackling the hills like a wanabee Phillipe Gilbert, I was glowing with paternal pride when a bunch of riders from the North Norfolk Wheelers passed by and shouted praise in his direction.

Right, here's hoping I feel healthier tomorrow... Sniff.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

So, the Tour finished last weekend and I was looking forward to getting back on my bike, inspired to reach new heights! But... The kids finished school for the summer holidays and the school holiday curse struck immediately; we all came down with the most awful summer cold imaginable. Now, I know the rule - if you feel OK from the neck down it's fine to head out on the bike, but this time I was too debilitated to manage even the easiest ride. Cue a week of forced rest and self-pity!

The six week school holiday posed a dilemma anyway; how to fit my usual bike rides into a schedule that revolves around three children being at home, the youngest of whom is only two years old. I devised a double-headed plan of getting out two or three early morning in the week before my wife heads out to work, backed up with heading off during the day with the kids in tow. Great, except I don't yet have a child seat, nor a bike suitable to attach one! Somehow I can't see this idea working with my Bianchi Infinito... Time to beg, borrow or steal, OK, maybe not that last one :)