Strava Cycle Ride 19th May 2016

(you got to get Kylie Minogue I should be so lucky in your head to make it work!)

I am just so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky
I am just so lucky A BIKE!!!

I am so excited, cycling, cycling, cycling
I am so ready for iiiit!

(Get Queen’s Bicycle Race in your head)
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride NEW BIKE!

I want to ride my bicycle
A gift that brings such deeeliiight!

I can’t believe it!! I am so over whelmed!! A lump in my throat and tears in my eyes……
I can’t believe how lucky I am!

My family have got together for my upcoming birthday and bought me a…..
NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And it’s beautiful. I can’t believe it, I keep looking at it and tearing.

A NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(not sure if it comes with new legs to propel it!)

I am still stunned. This has got to be one of my best presents of all time, next to the very first bike I remember getting as a child. I remember it as if it were yesterday. It previously belonged to my brother who had out grown it, pale blue I think it was. Dad, who was a great artist in many mediums, made it look brand new for I think my 6th birthday. He painted the main frame and forks gold with beautiful bright red mud guards. I loved that bike, my first two wheeler (and no we didn’t have stabilisers ‘in those days’!).
Dad hid it at the top of the garden under the apple tree. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It gleamed its brilliant bright colours in the summer sun. The image I have is so vivid I feel If I close my eyes i can reach out and touch it. I loved that bike.

Next challenge
They presented me with my beautiful new steed a couple of weeks early as I need to get used to riding it before we do the C2C (Coast to Coast – Whitehaven to Tynemouth) at the end of the month.

Aaaarrgh … I’m sooo excited….. a NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaargh!! I am just so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky!!!!!!!

My first drop handle bike!
The bar length on my ‘old’ bike is 58cm and my ‘new drop handle’ bike bars are 43cm, bit of a difference!

The challenge now is to learn to ride it. I didn’t think there would be much difference in the handling between each bike but there is. I opted not to change my pedals for my cleats straight away, I though it enough learning to ride the bike without the added complexities of the cleats.

Two sets of brakes, different gearing, Shimano’s STI (Shimano Total Integration) gear levers, disc brakes, no seat (or very little seat!), the list goes on so the cleats can wait.

Blimey, twitch those bars and you are off. I found it harder to steer as the handle bars are much narrower and the bike a lot lighter and far more responsive than I am used to. As you know I love speed, it’s the sudden stopping I’m not so keen on so going downhill I was away until … corner…. Blinking Nora I thought I was off!!! It really is ‘like learning to ride a bike’!

I got the chain jammed twice, berk! Bikes generally have some sort of indicator on your gear levers so you know what gear you are in but I hadn’t noticed them. Not, that was until I got back and noticed I still had two pieces of tape on top of the levers …. Surprise!! … gear indicators!!

Another song coming on!
I wasn’t going to say anything about this…. BUT … it’s all part of the experience so I MUST share ….

(Alicia Keys – This Girls is on fire)

This fadge is on Ffffire
This fadge is on FIRE!!!!!!!
I’m sitting on FIRE!!!
This fadge is on FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(fadge = lady bits. Fadge pronounced fudge with an ‘a’)
Sorry but I had to share. Wore my usually 20 million layers (3 really) but only about 5 miles in the pain began. Tried adjusting the seat but the bolts were that tight I couldn’t move them so suffered all the way. I had more undercarriage stops then knackered stops today.

I don’t have time so start testing out or breaking in a new saddle before C2C so I am going to put my ‘old’ saddle on and see how i go over the next couple of days.

I am going to leave it here today as I have a banging head ache (unusual for me). I am supposed to be going to ‘Back to Hockey’ event at 7.30pm but will have to miss it as I am now going to lay in a darkend room (going to bed).

I am so so chuffed with my fantastic and most unexpected birthday gift. I have to say, the family have managed to get one up on me this time! and i am so very grateful that they have. Thank you, you beautiful people.

Thank you for reading
Be safe out there whatever you are doing
Jo x