Back on the Bicycle

Took my first trip out on the bike this afternoon for several weeks. Thankfully, it's become quite noticeably mild over the last couple of days, but it was a rainy day. Not that I mind that so much. With the doom-laden prophecies of a summer drought and talk of hosepipe bans on the way, it's refreshing to see some water falling from the sky. And there's also something therapeutic about cycling along a wet tarmac surface on which you can see your reflection, with raindrops stinging your face. The prospect of stopping off at a cafe for a good quality latte, before getting into a nice warm shower afterwards provides that extra incentive to peddle that bit harder. That combination of adrenaline, endorphines, caffeine and warm water from a nozzle provides an unrivalled feeling to brighten up an otherwise dull Sunday afternoon.

Being in the zone once you've left the London sububs and are cruising along the lanes of rural Hertfordshire on an Allez Specialised, unencumbered by traffic lights, with woods and fields in the background - sheer bliss for a man of simple pleasures. It looks like springtime (although in chronological terms it's now officially "Summertime" since the clocks went forward at midnight)has finally arrived. I stuck to the winter clothing though. It's amazing how quickly the body heats up on a cold day during a short sustained burst of vigorous peddling. However, it will be another few weeks at least before I don the tight lycra shorts.