Commuting is a grim reality of London life, but made more bearable when the grim task can be made to feel a bit more like play.
Was bimbling home from work last night on the bike with a couple of miles to go. As I went round a bus, a black figure flashed past on a Bianchi. He was on the drops giving it full gas. Ahhh temptation, I could not resist giving it a go. For the uninitiated, one of the joys of cycling is drafting. if you can sit close to the guy in fronts wheel you get a massive helping hand. If you get in the middle of a big bunch the effect can be huge and exhilarating. I kicked myself into life and sprinted to get on his wheel. It is these moments when one is not commuting through Croydon anymore but in some imaginary breakaway in the Tour. I managed to get on and enjoyed the ride for a mile. My man was keeping a decent pace going. I thought I had better come through and take a little turn on the front. It would have been rude not to. As I came round I realised it was Northern Jon, one of my club mates from @oldportlianscc.
One of the true pleasures of cycling is it allows grown men to chase around acting like big kids. But there is another pleasure in seeing somebody you know through the sport out on the road by chance. These are the kind of experiences that makes commuting by bike so different from jamming my body into a sweaty tube or exchanging gestures with other motorists as I sit burning precious fuel in a traffic jam. One hears about the dangers and aggravations of cycling in London, but these little, unsung pleasures that set it a part.
Was bimbling home from work last night on the bike with a couple of miles to go. As I went round a bus, a black figure flashed past on a Bianchi. He was on the drops giving it full gas. Ahhh temptation, I could not resist giving it a go. For the uninitiated, one of the joys of cycling is drafting. if you can sit close to the guy in fronts wheel you get a massive helping hand. If you get in the middle of a big bunch the effect can be huge and exhilarating. I kicked myself into life and sprinted to get on his wheel. It is these moments when one is not commuting through Croydon anymore but in some imaginary breakaway in the Tour. I managed to get on and enjoyed the ride for a mile. My man was keeping a decent pace going. I thought I had better come through and take a little turn on the front. It would have been rude not to. As I came round I realised it was Northern Jon, one of my club mates from @oldportlianscc.
One of the true pleasures of cycling is it allows grown men to chase around acting like big kids. But there is another pleasure in seeing somebody you know through the sport out on the road by chance. These are the kind of experiences that makes commuting by bike so different from jamming my body into a sweaty tube or exchanging gestures with other motorists as I sit burning precious fuel in a traffic jam. One hears about the dangers and aggravations of cycling in London, but these little, unsung pleasures that set it a part.
So true Andy. Similarly, that wave, nod and "g'day" from someone you know going in the opposite direction can lift the day in a nano second (or dash it to pieces if they're off training or to meet others for a long ride when you're headed for a day at the desk).
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