Christmas present from the puncture fairy

[pk]

Absolutely stunning ride today: Wimbledon, a24 to Epsom, up to the downs,
across to Headly, down to the bottom of the Zig zag, up to the top of Box
hill. Tea & Pasty then home again along the top to Headly, Epsom and home.

All in temperatures well below Zero. Not a cloud in the sky. It was as cold
as Oklahoma on Box Hill - Surrey with a Fridge on top!. Base layer, Winter
top. Gorestopper windproof jacket (old type not the shell) loverly and warm
the whole way.

Got back to Wimbledon.
Rolled down the hill to the Princess of Wales on the Morden road. (easy
walking distance from home)
Braking at the pub felt decidedly strange.
Front tire was in the process of deflating.

the puncture fairy does have a heart after all.

pk

[MSeries]

pk wrote:
> Absolutely stunning ride today: Wimbledon, a24 to Epsom, up to the downs,
> across to Headly, down to the bottom of the Zig zag, up to the top of Box
> hill. Tea & Pasty then home again along the top to Headly, Epsom and home.
>
> All in temperatures well below Zero. Not a cloud in the sky. It was as cold
> as Oklahoma on Box Hill - Surrey with a Fridge on top!. Base layer, Winter
> top. Gorestopper windproof jacket (old type not the shell) loverly and warm
> the whole way.
>
> Got back to Wimbledon.
> Rolled down the hill to the Princess of Wales on the Morden road. (easy
> walking distance from home)
> Braking at the pub felt decidedly strange.
> Front tire was in the process of deflating.
>
> the puncture fairy does have a heart after all.
>
> pk
>
>
I had a visit today too. We'd done about 0.5 of our 32 mile ride around
Inglebrough. Today was cool, above zero, over cast with a cold wind. A
good ride though, the Dales wore a covering of snow and we had the roads
pretty must to ourselves.

[Brian Wakem]

pk wrote:

> Absolutely stunning ride today: Wimbledon, a24 to Epsom, up to the downs,
> across to Headly, down to the bottom of the Zig zag, up to the top of Box
> hill. Tea & Pasty then home again along the top to Headly, Epsom and home.
>
> All in temperatures well below Zero. Not a cloud in the sky. It was as
> cold as Oklahoma on Box Hill - Surrey with a Fridge on top!. Base layer,
> Winter top. Gorestopper windproof jacket (old type not the shell) loverly
> and warm the whole way.
>
> Got back to Wimbledon.
> Rolled down the hill to the Princess of Wales on the Morden road. (easy
> walking distance from home)
> Braking at the pub felt decidedly strange.
> Front tire was in the process of deflating.
>
> the puncture fairy does have a heart after all.
>
> pk


I was visited by puncture fairy today and she wasn't too kind to me.

I got my visit after 18 very hilly miles, about 4 miles from home in the
middle of a forest on my MTB. I had one of those tins of air and liquid
rubber - fat lot of good that did. Ended up running back the 4 miles
pushing the bike over muddy hills. Hard work I can tell you, but a good
workout.


--
Brian Wakem

[Jon is Away!]

pk wrote:
> Absolutely stunning ride today: Wimbledon, a24 to Epsom, up to the
downs,
> across to Headly, down to the bottom of the Zig zag, up to the top of
Box
> hill. Tea & Pasty then home again along the top to Headly, Epsom and
home.

I defied the puncture fairy, with a 45 mile ride on the fixer without a
toolkit / pump / spare tube. It only occurred to me how badly equipped
I was 2/3rds of the way round.

There is some justice it seems as my lack of preparation included a
lack of water bottles. I only have one bottle on the fixer as it
normally gets used for my commute to work (at most 12 miles). I had
planned to refill it at a pub along the way, but none were open so I
rode the distance on 500ml of water. Not so smart!

The headache fairy visited me the following day[1], waved her magic
wand and left me desparately drinking water all day! :-)

I may have to bounce off one of the local bike shops!
Jon


[1] No... it wasn't a result of the usual Christmas excess! ;-)

[Tony B]

> I defied the puncture fairy, with a 45 mile ride on the fixer

I think the PF ingnores fixed riders, out of sympathy... I never take
owt with me on the fixed. Cept my mobile, natch... and a bottle of water
(one) and possibly a doorkey (with head drilled for lightness!)

Now I've posted this I wonder how long it will be before I regret it....

Tony B

[Simonb]

Tony B wrote:

> (with head drilled for lightness!)

Dangerous!