YHC was stirred early enough to calculate the chances of rain to be sufficiently low, such that an ageing Mamil could conquer the North Shore , consume a coffee at the Cava , and be at work before the forecast showers were due.
Thus it was a pleasure to behold only 5 others lining up for a saunter along the one true path, a small but tidy peloton of the uber cool ER phenomenon.
Consulting the time gods, for a sign to depart, as BOF is now no longer scheduled at the appointed hour..YHC self selected to be Lantern Rouge, a role of increasing importance in the face of such greatness, let’s face it YHC could not hope to lead off the front anyway. And statesmanlike YHC rolled out to talk of stately things and be regaled of stirring tales of previous cycling derring do ..ok everyone was cycling in the rain and I was not..
The small group meant few if any regroup stops, and this kept the schedule almost to the second, meaning that Roseville and TIndale , and Crow’s Nest offered no respite but as LR and chuffing at a sedate speed( pre race taper for our heroes ) there was no need. Dry roads and favourable lights, few cars and nil conflicts meant the commute was business as usual, no incidents to report, a perfect day for a ride into town.
YHC has a view that rain and wet roads add to risk, not really from a bike perspective , more that the driving public are nearly twice as stupid when windscreen wipers are in use.. I can ride to conditions keeping the bike the right way up, using plenty of extra brakes and all that jazz, keeping bigger gaps, thinking ahead more, but sitting as I was on the bus in the pouring rain and watching cars dice with each other taking advantage of the bigger gaps and generally menacing each other fully ignoring the conditions, it makes me feel a little more vulnerable while in that environment on a bike.
The weekend is at least looking like a good one for a hurl , no doubt there will be a tide of ERs swirling the various national parks, beaches bushes and now swimming pools..
Have a great one all
BT