France: Huge Summing Up Part VI: Underwater Cycling
Despite my training plan having Sunday 1st June down for being hungover, I felt fit as a fiddle. It was just that the weather was awful. I held off for as long as possible, hoping for the rain to stop, but it just went on and on, so in the end, I headed out to ride to Mèze and back - about 20 miles each way. This was really tough riding in the rainy weather:
- After less than two miles, there was water coming out the top of my shoes
- I turned around after only 15 miles - I was wet in places I didn’t even know I had
- Four miles from home, a White Van overtaking me slowed down and stopped. The driver got out, and said that this wasn’t the weather for cycling - would I like a lift home. I’ve gotta tell ya’, that would never happen in the UK - White Van Drivers are above the law, and generally view cyclists as viable targets. Anyway,I explained that it was OK on two counts - I was only a few miles from home, and besides this was just like English weather . . . but thank you anyway, Monsieur Conductor du Fourgon Blanc (Mr White Van Driver)
- When I got home, I found I was pretty much covered in a thick grinding-paste-like deposit of road grime. This included the whole drivetrain on the bike (which I cleaned, dried and re-lubed, of course), as well as all of my clothes. Including the chamois of my cycling shorts. Eugh! It’s a darned good job that I keep that cleaned and lubed too, otherwise I could have ended up with some serious chafing problems . . .
Workout:
- Type: Cycle
- Date: 06/01/2008
- Total Time: 1:45:00.00
- Distance: 30 miles
- Average Speed: 17.14 mph
