Snow, Wind and Punctures

Are there ever days when I wish I wasn't commuting on the bike?

I'd be lying if I said there weren't.

Over the winter there were one or two days when the ice/snow/cold was so bad that I wished I'd left the bike at home. One day in particular I was caught out with the weather. I thought the roads would be fine, but I made a big mistake. Ice everywhere (oh and there was diesel everywhere that day as well!). I made it to work in one piece but I wasn't looking forward to the ride home!!

However, days like that are very rare, probably about 0.5% of my commutes. 95% of the time I absolutely love cycle commuting. That leaves 4.5% to account for. Today was part of that 4.5%.

I'm glad I came on the bike. No question. I got a good workout and had no incidents or annoyances with other road users. However, the gods were conspiring against me. First there was the snow. Not a huge amount, but the sort that melts slightly when it hits the ground and then refreezes, creating the effect of walking on slippery cornflakes.

Then there was the wind. 
No! Not that sort of wind!! That sort of wind gives you a quick boost!
It was the windy, blowy type wind!
The type of wind that always, ALWAYS seems to be in your face and never behind you.

What annoys me most about this type of wind is not that it makes even pedalling down hill hard, it's the fact that it doesn't actually look windy! There is me struggling my little guts out against the wind, and no-one else can understand why I am going so slowly and looking so red in the face!

Grrrrr!!!

Then came the icing on the cake. The puncture. Not a BANG type puncture, but one of those ones where you can sense the tyre getting a little soft. Hmmm, can I make it to work without fixing it/pumping it/ruining my rim?
Oh, and the flatter tyre makes it harder to cycle of course.

 This mornings flat. Yes I know my bike is manky!!

So this 4.5% represents the days when something or everything is conspiring against me to make it to the  meeting I inevitably have first thing.

Do I hate these commutes! Absolutely not.  Why? Because when I do get to work, despite everything that nature and the puncture fairy could throw at me, I made it in and made it on time (just!). I feel like I have accomplished something, even before I have started work

Much better than listening to BLAH, BLAH, BLAH on the radio whilst stuck in endless traffic queues.

Oh, and there is the small chance the wind will be behind me on the way home.........please!!!!!