Go to work on a bike

This morning I got the chance to cycle to work, and because that meant I had no car to fall back on, I also got the chance to ride back again this evening.

I'd been planning it for a few days, and come the appointed hour there was a sharp frost, so I slipped an extra base layer on, as well as my new winter cycling boots (with the third best ever invention-Goretex) loaded up the rucksack and headed out into the cold. I quickly wished I'd practiced on my old bike as the handling is very different to the new one. I also realised that my old lights were not going to cut it, as one of them instantly died as soon as rubber hit tarmac, leaving only one rechargeable light to get me all 20 miles to Bristol.

Fingers crossed I headed for the A38 and on up to Churchill. The gritters had not dumped too much salt down which was good in one sense, but poor for traction purposes as I slithered down the hill at Rowberrow. I opted for a route via Congrebury, up the A370, then down through Long Ashton and into Bristol proper. Where there was a huge traffic jam caused by a serious smash on Coronation road.

Oh, and the driving was crazy, I guess more drivers=more crazy people allowed on the roads. But it's not surprising the urban cyclists take to the road at rush hour. I also found out that my stats were all mucked up because Charlie hadn't recorded properly and my speedo was also defective. But I didn't discover that till I got home. In the rain, and the wet.

Not a great ride, bit of a slog, but useful from a training pov-40 miles today, give or take, and at least I got a bit of practice of cycling in heavy traffic. Like that's going to help going up the Tourmalet in September!