BACK ON THE BIKE

Today 24th Feb was the first time in 2010 I took the road bike out, the weather was fine and the roads for the most part were clear. I am off medication for the Embolisms the past several weeks so the system needed exposure to the real world once again. From photos some of you have seen, you will know I generally use the “San Marco Carbon Saddle”. Today I used the “Rever Saddle ” which is a high tech San Marco saddle that is on my “Carbon” bike as my “derriere” has had no exposure during the past six months to the harsh realities of cycle life.




This bike like all that I own, is built up with a variety of parts acquired over several years from a number of sources. The Shimano 9 Dura-ace STI levers operate a 10 speed Ultegra drive chain and cassette which has not been used since August 2009 when the weather was considerably warmer. Today the temperature was about 4c so I was wearing longs and jackets. Surprisingly everything was working smoothly although I was careful about the reach when changing chainrings. With the intention of taking it easy I was on the road only 15 mins when Harold Toschnig was coming towards me , so a quick turnabout and rode tempo with him until we found a team mate of his coming towards us, so reversal of direction once again for about 10 kms where when we got to the bottom of a steepish climb they went up and I took the easy option and went off in an easier direction to the shops and a visit to the firm that provided the panels to frame “Skippy’s Legacy”.

After an hour and half of “ trouble free riding” I was heading south from Fugen towards Uderns on the RHS of the road, coming towards me in the middle of the narrow road was a White Sprinter Van. The driver was holding the mobile phone to the left ear and attempting to hold papers in the right hand as well as the steering wheel. Suddenly he jerked the steering wheel to the left across my path without thought or signal as he decided he was turning left into a side road, I went left also to avoid hitting him and thus into the path of his following colleague who also was driving a Sprinter but was travelling slower and signalling, he came to a halt. The following traffic came to a stop also, I made the hand gesture indicating hand telephone in use and pointed out his colleague , he just shrugged. Both vans were advertising platforms for their employers company. Here I am linking KWS to their website so that they get the public raspberry they deserve, click here if you chose! Yet to find the website address !

Throughout the past months I have been trawling for “Cycle Safety Websites” and list a few for you to if you choose checkout:

www.sharetheroad.com
www.roadscc.com
www.ipayroadtax.com
www.fightbaddriving.co.uk
www.rideofsilence.org

There are other sites that I am not recalling at present but I will add here at a later date. I am adding my comments to quite a few cycling sites because “Google and others” pick up and this of course translates to visits by others who I hope recommend me on to their “following”.


Fatty is a site I enjoy reading for the comments and yesterday announced a fundraising for a Cancer Victim who is a nephew, point is you need to go to the site pretty soon as it closes in days and the three bikes offered are worthwhile “Prizes” for a $US5.00 investment.
Many will be contributing with no intention of taking the bike but others will enjoy riding a “Team Radio Shack Trek Race Cycle” if their number comes up.

GO TO www.fatcyclist.com and enjoy the read, I first came on this site last year after a comment on twitter, @fat cyclist is the link there!





Some of the comments to this blog’s entries are quite entertaining and if you click on the name you link through to their site and find some really interesting subjects and as time permits I enjoy their variety and content. Another site that I go to regularly is www.georgethecyclist.com , George is at present cycling in Central Africa and the stories from there are really educational and give a picture of life I would not care to visit.