The dark side

Not too much to report on tonights ride. You'd think I would have learned from the 'Four Kin' light episode but no. The dark caught us up before we'd managed to do more than 5 or 6 miles. I think we probably only managed 8 or 9 in total so a wash out really.

It wasn't helped by the fact that despite me being slightly excited about going out for the first time on my new bike, when we got to the only downhill offroad bit we planned on, I got a puncture. Within 20 yards of leaving the tarmac and had to walk it down the best bits to find Nick. Bastard.

By the time the spare inner tube was on and Nick had called me a 'useless bastard' 15 times for asking whether there was anything different I needed to do to take a disk brake wheel off, and how the hell do you get it back in between the brake pads, oh and not having a pump with me (Oops) that the light had gone and the long journey home became adrenalin fuelled. Not because of anything that should excite us, oh no! Because we had absolutely no idea where each other were and only slightly more where the road was! Neither of us had lights (Ok I had the factory reflectors still on but there was a distinct lack of light to be reflected!).

Other than the puncture though I can safely say that the new bike helps, a lot! It will be interesting to see what it's like on the canal and whether it makes that easier too! What I'm really looking forward too though, is getting the bugger offroad a bit and going on some decent trails with a few jumps and drops! With a bit of luck I might be joining Nick and Ash for a trip to Wales at the weekend so the Canal might have to wait until I've satisfied my lust for a bit of fun rather than plain endurance!

A final thought. I still have the bell fitted that bike sellers must put on by law. It's the only gay bell in the village, and for that reason, I'm out.