Cycling Blues :-(

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    • August 19, 2013 at 12:54 pm #1720
      admin
      Member

      Cheer up Mike, things are not that bad in fact they are quite good.
      If you look at the Campus facilities tab on the website you will find there are plenty of shower facilities on the RAL site ( http://www.harbug.org.uk/?page_id=307) and, as far as I know, all facilities are available to everyone on site, so try some out. You are right the amenity block is a very good facility and is usually quiet in the mornings. If you want some privacy use the disabled shower.
      Is there any competition; getting stuck and frustrated on the A417 with speed restrictions, other idiots using your piece of road, somebody having the audacity to turn right in front of you etc. or you could be cycling along quiet country lanes and tracks at whatever speed you like. On a bike you can smell the trees and flowers, cycling through nice villages and countryside and being able to appreciate it. You may think you cannot face the ride home but once you get home you will feel a lot better than if you had driven.
      Are your neighbours angry or jealous? It sounds like you have the perfect Sunday.
      As for clothing, try looking at Mountain bike shorts, you can get baggy shorts with padding so you still get the comfort of Lycra shorts. Theres nothing wrong with cycling in any old T-shirt. Forget cycle chic, wear whatevers comfortable and you feel happy in.
      My solution would be for you to get back on you bike, cycle along the Sustrans route 544, take your time and enjoy your journey. In this weather it cannot be beaten for lifting your spirits.

    • August 19, 2013 at 1:13 pm #1722
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      The bus is a nice alternative to cycling if you’re feeling tired or nursing an injury, as there are lots of friendly people to get to know. But the bus can get really busy, and sometimes it’s not much fun standing up in a game of sardines all the way to work.

      You say you lost your nearest changing room, but if you can be bothered to walk from the bus station to your office, you might as well walk from one of the other changing facilities, having cycled in. We should count ourselves lucky that we have such a range of facilities, and such a variety of pleasant routes to cycle round here.

      If you’re too tired at the end of the day, have a banana, or even better, sprint down to Q Gardens Farm Shop on your way home for one of their amazing ice creams.

      Get back on your bike – you won’t regret it! No more excuses!

    • August 20, 2013 at 7:09 am #1723
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      I am confused over one point – why on earth would your neighbours be cross that you go out cycling at the weekend? Most neighbours are glad not to have any for a while! Are you perhaps a tad too sensitive (about neighbours, clothes etc). As to driving, come in earlier when there’s less traffic, go home early and go for an evening ride!

      I occasionally cycle and don’t partly because I am a lazy b*st*rd and partly because I need to build up flexi hours for walking activities – this is very difficult if you cycle (well OK, mainly the first). As Emily implies all the “reasons” cyclists don’t are just excuses. Embrace the hairy naked surprise (metaphorically rather than actually!) and cycle more than you do now but not every day and bus on the others.

      (And the Q-gardens ice creams are amazing).

    • August 21, 2013 at 12:35 pm #1730
      Mike
      Member

      Good Afternoon and thank you for putting me in my place. HarBUG is mainly here to campaign for better facilities and to help promote cycling to work, so one should be supporting that really and not talking down cycling. Cycling can be good ‘cyco’therapy.

      I have been ‘experimenting’ with the bus this week. Just two days to go before I can write my paper on it. Trying to get into the bus thing. Even thought about buying the model bus Thames Travel are selling on their web site. I have to make it to Friday without giving up. One cannot have on opinion on something without trying it so I am going for it this week.

      Buses have their advantages, such as less stress of not being in a car and being able to nose at things out the window; the flowers people are growing in their gardens for example. but goodness me busses are dull. I did remember to pack a good book today (about a lady called Rosie Swale Pope, an amazing woman who ran around the world). I would rather be on two wheels though. I noticed the poster on the bus stop notice board, promoting cycling to work!

      Autumn will be here in the not too distant future, and being out in the fall with the autumn air and doing some early morning star gazing and Dear spotting, listening to the Owls hooting along by Ardington village. That was very pleasant last year. Autumn is a nice time to be outdoors. Is liking autumn a bit too melancholy?

      It feels nicer knowing these are normal things to want to do or at least if one can be acceptably eccentric in a good old harmless English eccentric sort of way. Personally I like harmlessly eccentric people as they make the world more interesting while everyone else is too busy conforming. I appreciated the cyclist who went by my house the other day in union jack leggings. I guess that is what I mean. The guy who built a bicycle out of an old radiator or old Colonel Mustard, who used to dance outside the Westgate in Oxford. I kind of miss him, the old nut.

    • August 23, 2013 at 8:08 am #1731
      Anonymous
      Inactive

      …not sure what Dear spotting is but it sounds promising… 😉

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