Monday 24 December 2012

Yule be wet

Rapha Festive 500




6:30am and, as I lay in bed listening to the rain hammering on the window, I contemplated the day ahead... Santa is going to get wet whilst delivering the presents tonight... I wonder what sort of technical fabrics are incorporated in his outfit?  Right, less of that nonsense. Time to get out of bed and get out on the bike. 500km to cycle between today and 31-Dec. Man The Santa Up!

To paraprase the Norwegian proverb 'there is no such thing as bad weather...only bad kit', and the essentials for today's wet and dark solo ride: a casquette, a race cape and a good set of lights.

Clearly today's pedal was going to have a water theme; I knew the roads were going to be flooded, with puddles obscuring pot holes so I chose a route and roads I knew well. Especially since it was going to be dark for the first hour of the day's 100km goal.  As I left the street lights behind and dark country lanes beckoned, I reached behind to check my hand was illuminated red, giving me the comfort that the 70 lumens from the light would be seen by 'car-up' drivers.  A similar wave of my hand ahead of my front lights was unnecessary as the heavy rain was illuminated like silver rods. 

Peering out from under the peak of my cap I had a huge grin on my face; no work for over a week, a green-card from the family to take on the 500km challenge and I was on my bike!  Rain, what rain?

'Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow' - from The River God poem by Stevie Smith.  At Whitwell water cress farm on the river Mimram.
 
A brief stop on the bridge over the river Beane in Watton-on-Stone.
 
Nearing the end of the 100km wet ride :-)

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