This weather, this dreadful run of average weather is eating at me. Yes we had three glorious days of cloudless skies and little wind, but now we are back to greyness and damp.
Sunday's ride was an epic, a group of five of us rolled south, went through Tuakau, over Pukekawa, down to Mercer, across to Mangatawhiri and then back up through Happy Valley and Hunua to descend the gorge and roll home.
When we started I mocked the others for being over dressed, but I was the one who got it wrong. After three hours I was frigid and feeling like a shell of a man. The stop at Mercer enabled me to make use of a newspaper and stuff some down front chest and also a layer on the top of either thigh, under my shorts and leg warmers.
Unfortunately with my sweat dampening the newsprint, there has been a transference of ink to me. I now have "Auckland Art" in large font and mirror writing on my left thigh.
It was a great group, very compatible, and we rolled well. Apart from on the longer climbs, and there, I was the anchor, going backwards at a steady rate of knots. Some of that was the cold and some was just lack of hill miles. But overall it was a satisfying ride for us all.
The Croc was absent, he made a bike car interface on Saturday on Chapel Road. A woman pulled out in front of him, and he was left with no choice but to embrace her car side on. His injuries, luckily, have been relatively minor, six stitches to the chin and a crushed and split finger, but he now thinks he hit is melon a bit harder that he originally thought and has trouble remembering the event. He does assure me that the stitches will not mar his visage.
The driver, well little to say, initially stating that she had never done anything like that before (what a relief to be taken in that statement!), now has effectively shut The Croc out and won't provide details of car rego or insurance. Thankfully the police will resolve that I imagine. I could rant about this attitude of the drivers for a while, but that will just be preaching to the converted.
Speedy recovery Croc!
Poor Croc!! Sending fast healing vibes his way. Im currently sitting in the sun in Nimes evening out my cyclists tan, although it appears I maay have to make a hasty comeback after having some sort of entry into a ¨race¨ done on my behalf without my knowledge...... Emma
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