I think I must have hit 88MPH on the way home today and been struck by lightning, because this afternoon I ended up riding the old Holstar as part of my norbs Tour de France Challenge. But wait, lets get in the DeLorean and travel back to this morning.
As you know, I busted another spoke over the weekend. So this morning I dropped the bike off at the bike shop to have it fixed. Drew at the shop said to pick it up at 3PM. No worries. Well it has been blowing like a bastard all day here today, with reports of gusts up to 100kph. “This is going to make for a terrific ride later on” I thought. 3PM I head over to the bike shop. What, wait. The shop is shut. There is a sign up. “Closed because of black out” But, my bike is in there. Oh, the humanity!
Driving home I am thinking about my options. The old flatbar is in the shop getting a once over before being sold. I still have 3 bikes at home. The brides flatbar that is way way to small. A bike scavenged from the tip that has no brakes or the old MTB turned into a shopping bike with single speed and fat knobby tyres. It is the same bike I rode from Sydney to Melbourne many years ago on the www.helpnorbshelpthekids.com charity ride.
As you can see form the photo below, it is no speed machine. Set up so I can get groceries on it, I can do about 17kph at 110RPM. Oh joy joy.
Well I tried to do my 1 hour minimum, but I failed. No lights, no bottle, and branches falling off trees and crashing into the ground sent me home 18 minutes shy of my aim.
I will leave it to my cycling peers to decide whether today counts, or the whole project has gone down the gurgler after just 4 days.
What thinks you dear reader?
The Speed Demon, Holly.
Mate if they give you a fail after riding that crapper in that crappy weather then they are spoil sports.
You should be awarded the Purple Heart for your bravery today. Thats what I say.
Mate riding that thing anywhere entitles you to make it count. Good job. And your crazy riding in this wind when you don’t have too. I was almost blown clean across the road at one stage.
Thats a Jens riding the kids bike type effort!!
Counts for 22mins, so your fine.