Well yesterday was an interesting day of riding!
It started out with a hiss and a roar of hard serious paced riding in a big peloton of about 80 riders and then fizzled off with a lone limp home - albeit a one legged limp home via the local bike store with one pedal in my hand and big brown puppy dog eyes ( I can't purr!) asking for help to fix my problem so that I could ride again today!!!
Ah! Yes.. I wish I could say it was due to my strong beefy thighs and 500 plus watt efforts to stay with the group which... was lead by a fiesty bunch of Belgian pro roadies here for a Californian winter. Hmmm.....which would you rather? Sunny California days with a crisp start compared to cold, brutal Northern European winters?...I'd choose San Diego as well. Anyway, I started riding with the group and it was all going well for about an hour....breathing out my backside and almost red lining it...coping....just....until the pace quickly changed and I had to get it together and dig deeper. My foot slipped out of my pedal (or so I thought) as I was about to come out of the saddle and jump to stay with the group. I fumbled trying to get my cleat back in the pedal, meanwhile..the peloton had geared up and I got dropped which pissed me off and then when I looked down all I could see was a bare spindle and no pedal. Wow! The pedal had broken!!! All I could think was thank goodness it happened here and not in Africa. So, here I am, dropped by the group and all I could do was laugh hysterically!!! I didn't realise that my pedal was still attached to my cleat and so at least I didn't lose it but it did make for a slow ride home. Matt the mechanic couldn't believe it as he had installed them only three weeks ago. Faulty equipment!!! Guess who's not taking any chances and has ordered a new pair for Africa?
So after that episode..I went through my entire equipment list from TDA and double checked everything then spent the afternoon at REI and B & L bike store getting all my spares. So, I've got all the equipment, got a bike box put away for me and I'm ready to go.
I just have to wait for the fat man in the red suit to come and bring me a new watch and a new bike computer and the list is complete!! The things we do to be able to ride in Africa....and looking forward to every minute!!
Merry Christmas to all family and friends in the Southern hemisphere. It's Christmas Eve where you are and hope all kidlywinks are in bed waiting for Santa's arrival...and for all the Santas in training..don't drink too much wine..and make sure you eat at least half the cookie/biscuit that has been left out for you.
Talk to you in the morning
Love ya
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