Its been a funny old week.The holiday season has gone into full swing with hordes of people flocking to seaside resorts and other national and local attractions.
As this has taken place, the weather has been rather unsympathetic.
Providing the nation with what can almost be described as an autumnal feel.
Commuting to work has been challenging to say the least.
Each day I have been faced with strong, cool, blustery, winds and violent cloud bursts; creating frequent goosebumps and damp clothing.
This change has prompted me to rummage through the bottom of my drawers containing 'cycling clothing'; in search of long sleeved shirts and jackets that resist more than a light shower.
My tumble drier has also been put on a short term contract.
With the weather too unreliable for outside drying, and it not yet being cold enough to put the heating on, I had little choice.
My carbon footprint has suddenly been extended by half a size.
Too make matters worse 'Addy' my bike has been playing up.
Although he is no where near retirement age, he is getting on a bit.
Do you know bikes like dogs have their own years.
Where one dog year is the equivalent to seven human years.
Well for bikes its even more exaggerated.
One bike year is equal to 'as much' as 15 human years!!!!!!!
If of course you hardly use it, youth can be prolonged (Cycle botox)
So 'Addy' being over 3 years old now is getting up towards 50, so he is bound to have a few complaints here and there.
He also likes to go back to the bike shop to visit 'Miss Grace'.
When he complains I am not always sure if its a true ailment or just a case of 'Cry Bike'.
(Miss Grace sexy isn't she..............)Addy has been nagging at me all week vocalising from somewhere around the the rear derailleur top pulley. He really is a master of Ventriloquy
Each time I stop pedaling, he is very cunning and stops too.
In the end I lost my cool.
I turned him upside and forced the pedals round with my hand.
This really wound him up and I soon had him squealing.
Spun into submission he soon told me that his chain was overstretched and that the constant pressure of performance had given him many sleepless nights.
On top of that he said that he had been grinding all of his teeth and that they were so worn he found it difficult to communicate from one place to another.
It sounded serious!!!!!
Serious ailments require serious action.
So this week my usual Saturday 'long ride' was cancelled exchanged for a visit to York with 'Addy', to see the bike Dr's.
The prognosis was clear. In order to ensure his survival, Addy needed urgent surgery.
New Chain, New cassette and New front chain rings.
Unable to bear being in the operating room I took a walk into the city with York with Joanne.
York is a beautiful city and its history attracts many tourists.
The cobbled streets often contain street performers.
There are no tramps with penny whistles attempting to put a tune together whist smoking cigarette's and drinking cheap sherry. No to be a street performer in York you have to pass some sort of street performers audition.
Some of them are very Interesting as well as entertaining.
One such performer is 'The Purple man'
It is basically a guy totally motionless on a bike.
I know you might be thinking phaaaaa It could be anyone of you, when climbing a very steep gradient, But this guy was Purple.
He was also dressed in such a way to present a feel of movement.
It was quite amazing. But why purple ?
On my way back to Cycle Heaven I could not get the purple image out of my head and also thought about another great image although in this case a moving one.
The film 'The Colour Purple'
In the film one of the characters Celie says 'The more things change, the more they stay the same'
A few minutes later I was soon to realise how true it was.
Addy had been refitted with new cassette, new chain and new front sprockets, but when it came to his road test he still nagged on through his top pulley. Addy !!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe he just wanted to let me know he was there.
Training