Playing Games

The Psychologically trained may think this is all about our friend Eric, not wreckless but Berne, but it isn't as I shall explain in a moment.

First, have you ever seen those films where someone is struggling underwater, trying to get to the surface, then finally they drift away and give up? Just as you think our hero has died, along comes someone who hauls him out of the water, and the soundtrack goes from fuzzy and dream-like to normal. Well, that's just how I felt about 10 minutes ago. I had bathed in a lovely hot tub of water, laid down on the bed and was settling in to a nice sleep listening to the radio, when some loud music woke me. It's Sunday night, too much to do before tomorrow, so I hauled my very weary carcass into some clothes.

Today I did a hilly loop around the Mendips on my own. Forty miles of up and down, including the tough hill up to Priddy, and the nasty one out of Blagdon. The gradient of which peaks at about 16%, but averages about 10%, for what feels like an age. I also did the main road out of Wells up to the TV tower, which just goes on and on and is always busy with traffic.

I'm moaning, so I should stress I loved every minute of it. And there were over 180 of them. To pass that amount of time on my own I invented a game. I take my son to school a lot and the journey is about 20 miles into Bristol, and we play a game called "The cyclist game". It's basically guess the number of cyclists you see, and we take it in turns to do first guess. So I'll guess 12, and he will guess either 13 or 11. Nearest wins, scores a point, first to 20 points wins the match. Get exact score and you get 2 points. There are a few other rules too, to sort out a couple of arguments we have had, but that's essentially it. He's winning at the moment 5-3.

But you can't really play that on your own. So today I decided to play a game called cyclists versus idiots. Would I see more cyclists, of any description, or more examples of idiotic behaviour during the course of my ride. I'm pleased to say the final score was cyclists 20 Idiots 10, so not even close.

Top three idiotic behaviours:

3rd A perennial favourite with cyclists, the teenager shouting out of the car window at me. I include it for traditions sake, but sorry to report all he said was "your wheels are going round". Loudly. Not very original was it?

2nd A man reversing his Audi (light blue A4 I think), out of parking space into the middle of the road, (covering about 50% of both carriageways, astride the white lines) halfway down Cheddar Gorge, as I approached at close on 30mph, while waving goodbye to his friends at side of said road. I had to break hard and skidded but nothing worse that that I was restrained, and limited myself to a loud shout of "look where you are going", before following him slowly into Cheddar, resisting the urge to overtake or be juvenile.

1st I'll preface this one by saying I like farmers, and normally they are pretty considerate. I was approaching a farm entrance at about 15mph on the flat as a tractor was waiting to pull out with his very long trailer, trailing behind him. He saw me. He waited. I approached. He waited. Until I was 10 yards away. Then he pulled out. Blocked both sides of the narrow lane and drove very slowly down to the junction. Just. Plain. Rude.

So there you have it, a tough ride, lots of hill practice, lovely sunny day, bit of a cold wind (easterly I think) but hopefully done me some good. What game shall I play next time?

Here's Charlie (look at the profile bit!)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/26363030