tattiefritter
02-11-2007, 07:08 AM
In a rather wine fuelled conversation on Friday night I uttered the fateful words "I haven't fallen off my bike for a while".
Sets off on this mornings long ride (potentially 30 hard miles) and it soon becomes apparent to me that I have not actually gotten fully over my cold and wasn't up to full power yet, hoped we wouldn't be tackling the "extra loop" on the ride and would do the 18 miler instead. So somehow I managed to find myself trundling along in front humming away to myself. The track drops down through a stream then steeply up the otherside, the water is about a foot deep in the middle of the stream and is moving quite quickly so I can't quite see what the bottom is like, fairly standard for Lake District fords I thought. Heads down into the stream confidently looking at the line up the otherside when next thing I know the front wheel stops dead and I'm tipping up in the air. :eek:
Straight over the bars and right in the deepest part of the stream :D . The water was so cold (there were still some ice patches around) that it totally took my breath away. I scrambled out quickly in a bid to stop myself getting any more soaked leaving my poor bike in the stream. OH came along and picked the bike up and told me off for saving myself first! The frame was absolutely full of water (not good for a steel frame) and I was completely sodden all the way down the right hand side of my body. The boys rode through it taking a different line to me though gratifyingly had to work for it.
I had a spare set of gloves and a windproof fleece so I was all set to carry on once I emptied my waterproof socks of water but I'd completely knackered my shifter and only the smallest three cogs were available to me at the rear. We were about to head up Garburn Pass which is a long, rocky and at times very steep climb and there was no way no how I was going to get up it without my low gears. So we headed back to a cup of coffee and a slice of cake (bonus). I've decided it was god's way of telling me I shouldn't be riding today!
The guys have gone out for a local spin so at least they'll get some riding in. I've got a nice collection of bruises developing now.
Sets off on this mornings long ride (potentially 30 hard miles) and it soon becomes apparent to me that I have not actually gotten fully over my cold and wasn't up to full power yet, hoped we wouldn't be tackling the "extra loop" on the ride and would do the 18 miler instead. So somehow I managed to find myself trundling along in front humming away to myself. The track drops down through a stream then steeply up the otherside, the water is about a foot deep in the middle of the stream and is moving quite quickly so I can't quite see what the bottom is like, fairly standard for Lake District fords I thought. Heads down into the stream confidently looking at the line up the otherside when next thing I know the front wheel stops dead and I'm tipping up in the air. :eek:
Straight over the bars and right in the deepest part of the stream :D . The water was so cold (there were still some ice patches around) that it totally took my breath away. I scrambled out quickly in a bid to stop myself getting any more soaked leaving my poor bike in the stream. OH came along and picked the bike up and told me off for saving myself first! The frame was absolutely full of water (not good for a steel frame) and I was completely sodden all the way down the right hand side of my body. The boys rode through it taking a different line to me though gratifyingly had to work for it.
I had a spare set of gloves and a windproof fleece so I was all set to carry on once I emptied my waterproof socks of water but I'd completely knackered my shifter and only the smallest three cogs were available to me at the rear. We were about to head up Garburn Pass which is a long, rocky and at times very steep climb and there was no way no how I was going to get up it without my low gears. So we headed back to a cup of coffee and a slice of cake (bonus). I've decided it was god's way of telling me I shouldn't be riding today!
The guys have gone out for a local spin so at least they'll get some riding in. I've got a nice collection of bruises developing now.