Another week down

Fat Cyclist posted the other day that the autumn was his favourite time of year for riding.  I disagree.  Autumn on the west coast of the UK is a time of squally rain and strong winds, interspersed with blindingly low sun.  I would have been better off in a canoe or with a snorkel than on a bike the other day.  Thursday I caved and went to work in the car.  Sat it the car park about to come home Thursday evening, I could barely stay in my seat the car was blown around that much.  Then when I got going, I was blinded by the simultaneous pouring rain and very bright low sun in my eyes.

Anyway, Monday was a public holiday here, last one til Christmas.  it was pretty miserable all day, but brightened slightly in the afternoon.  Karl rang and said he was just up the road and did we fancy riding up to the Villa and meeting his wife.  So we arranged for him to swing by and pick us up.  When he arrived he was knackered.  He'd got the bonk about 10 mins after ringing us and was in a terrible state.  I have never seen anybody eat two Boost bars, a packet of crisps and a bottle of Lucozade quite so quickly.

We eventually got to the Villa and had a pleasant couple of pints of Copper Dragon 1816.  The rain absolutely threw it down.  At one point we were contemplating getting Alison, who had driven round in her Mini, to take Jayne back to our house, to pick up our big car and come back so we could put all the bikes in the back.  We decided to have another half and sit it out.  Eventually the rain eased and we rode home.

In hind sight, we couldn't have got the big car because it was full of our eldest's stuff.  He has been living in a flat in Blackpool with a couple who he has had more an more fallings out with.  He had decided to move out and picked up the keys for his new place on Tuesday.  Unfortunately, his old flat was bang in the middle of the busiest part of Blackpool, no parking, "No Loading" signs everywhere and traffic wardens on bonuses.  So we said we would pick all his stuff up on Sunday.  He works nights in a care home, so would be OK Sunday and Monday night and would stay at a friends Monday daytime.  So we emptied his flat, just leaving him some clothes and the junk his ex flat mates had left behind.  Or so we thought.  Tuesday morning, he rings to say he's got more stuff left than he can carry.  Fortunately, there are roadworks at the end of his street and it is a lot less busy than usual and the traffic wardens less eager.   We got the last of his stuff and got him moved in.

In between all this I have done a few rides to work and back.  No great mileages but steadily reaching for 3000 miles for this year.

Rang about the tandem this morning, hopefully it will be back next week some time.

Cheers

Tim