weimieman Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Sometime ago when I was introducing myself to the forums, I made a comment that if the government gave out motorbike licenses instead of prozac, the country would be a far better place. Now I'm not mocking anyone who suffers from this medical condition, far from it, you have my every sympathy but I was mearly trying to explain what bikes and riding meant to me. I've done the pack thing, hated it. I've done the touring pack thing, tolerated it (too many hero muppets at the front). I've done the riding in threes, bearable. Twosies? Not bad at all, quite relaxing as long as your mate isn't a hero muppet (see touring pack thing) No, what my bikes have always meant to me were the means of alternative transport away from the norm of everyone else sat in their tin cans on their way to work. Again, don't get me wrong, I love my cars and always have but this is a bike forum so I'm bulling up our two wheeled buddies. I bring my dog into work most days so I have to bring my car but if I haven't got her, then I'm on the bike whatever the weather (within reason, I have to grip and stop!) Take today, it's peeing down in my neck of the woods but thats what waterproofs are for. Granted, wet manhole covers and the forthcoming wet leaves dropping do make your eyes open a bit wider but that's all about the fun and freedom of biking. I suppose what I'm really getting at regarding the topic (sorry I've trailed off again) is because of what happened to me last night. I live in a small village in the North West. There are only three houses and I'm in the end one so I gained all the land to mess with my bikes in the back garden!!! My neighbours are the best in the world, they are away a helluva long time through the year hence why they moved to a village from a big city as they wanted somewhere quiet and trusting. Best neighbours in the world to be honest. You can't beat cranking up the sound chair on Call of duty and letting off some steam and know you're not disturbing anyone, whoa, come back Anyway, I digress. Every now and again, their grown up children come over to stay as they live abroad. Both married with children. This time, the eldest son has come over .... on his own ..... and he's brought two Hungarian buddies with him .... Guess what, not a peep from them. I've was in the garden last night playing with the DT listening to their very quiet radio next door and they had the oldies channel on. Excellent, a bit of Elvis and a bit of DT, all I needed was a can of Strongbow and life would have been perfect but I was applying decals so not the best combination. Long story short, I've got an early start this morning so off to bed at 1030 as it's a "school night" and I'm covering for the manager in the office so best to have my wits about me. 1100pm, a taxi arrives, so do more Hungarians with lots of wine. I took it for a long as could, 1202 to be precise when I stormed downstairs to have a word. Now I'm Mr Placid and it takes a lot to push my buttons but shouting at the top of your voice, dragging chairs across the balcony and flicking cigarette ends onto our private road (no road sweepers so who's going to tidy up?) along with effing and blinding (it was in Hungarian but I know swear words when I hear them) was just too much. Again I'm no prude and only a young lad myself but on a school night, cmon. I'll leave out the facts from the middle but the point of my story is that I got about four hours sleep when I was planning for much more. It was raining this morning but I still reached for the bike keys. I'm still still fuming at the ignorance of next door but over the six and a half miles to work, last night became a distant memory. I arrived at work bright eyed, fresh as a daisy and ready for what they day threw at me. Anyone relate to this .. (I really must stop going on like this. Does this forum have a moderator for waffle????) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Waffle away - I do!! I have the exact same thing. Now we're out in the country, the ride into work is mostly great scenery and great roads (dreading Winter, as they certainly won't grit our country lanes). The only bad bit is the A33 into Reading, but half the time I'm awake enough to skirt around the dickheads who are still dozing behind the wheel and swerving about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTGordo Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Oh yeah I'm hear'n ya, Bad day/week whatever. Crazy kids. Too many jobbies to do around the house. Too many stupid people at work. Head for the hills and it's all ok again for a couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weimieman Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 Oh yeah I'm hear'n ya, Bad day/week whatever. Crazy kids. Too many jobbies to do around the house. Too many stupid people at work. Head for the hills and it's all ok again for a couple of weeks. Don't use the word "jobbies" like that, BWJ will think you'll be going around each room soiling it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkwindjammer Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 What anyone else does behind closed doors is their business what other people do in private is their business Have you tried Bisto ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weimieman Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 What anyone else does behind closed doors is their business what other people do in private is their business Have you tried Bisto ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weimieman Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 Following up on what I said last Friday 5/8/11 about how bikes are the best therapy, I just had to come back here and put a nice end to the story. After a good relaxing ride in and a fairly pleasant day at work were nobody moaned too much about how badly done to they were (despite having a roof over their heads and a full time job) etc, I was really looking forward to the ride home. Not far, only about 14 miles door to door but still, it's a nice ride. The temp is in the late teens and I have to go down Morecambe promenade which at this time of the year is flipping heaving and every set of lights gets you along with every pedestrian crossing stuffed full of blue rinsed Grandparents allowing their grandchildren every indulgence under the sun. Oh yes, Morecambe is heaven to the soon-to-be-obese child with it's ice cream and hot dog stands. I digress once more. For the first time in my life, 22 years on the road on bikes, I GOT A BLOODY PUNCTURE!!!! How very dare you life after all I said previously about bikes. Guess what, I couldn't give a damn. I was about halfway home so a quick call home to bring the compressor down and I sat on the beach wall stuffing my fat face with a hot dog. No I was never a chubby kid but by god I'm approaching it an as adult. Also, my tea would have been ready in half and hour but I'm 38, you can't tell me what to do! Anyway the point of the story is that I've had many punctures in my cars over the years but never one on my bike and truthfully, it didn't bother me. I dare say if it had have been winter and it was pishing down then the story might have been different but it wasn't a bad day to have to kill half an hour on the prom Bikes really are the best therapy (and possibly hot dogs) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realrayzor Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 First day of my biking life i got a puncture. Did i care? Not a bit! Well only a little:-) touch wood it'll be 20 years before i receive another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTGordo Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 mmmmm, hotdogs. Prefer a kebab myself. Clocked off early today being "humpday" or "give a shit" Wednesday and going to ride my bicycle over to pick up my daughter at school and stop off have for a coffee and piece of cheese cake. Anything with two wheels..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1949 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 The temp is in the late teens and I have to go down Morecambe promenade. Don't leave the juicy bits in mid-air, what happened next? Apart from the puncture that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weimieman Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Don't leave the juicy bits in mid-air, what happened next? Apart from the puncture that is. Now that would be telling, but it did involve ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhat250 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I agree Wimi" ,, with your first post, , Its just i can"t get out on bike for bloody rain, i"v my bags packed from last weekend ,[ bishop Auk] rained all week end, so didn"t go.. Was gonna do Orkney isles this weekend, [ classic rally] and the rain is here, and forcast to stay till sunday, This is the worst summer in living memory up here, , av spoke to older folk & never seen it this bad,,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weimieman Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 I agree Wimi" ,, with your first post, , Its just i can"t get out on bike for bloody rain, i"v my bags packed from last weekend ,[ bishop Auk] rained all week end, so didn"t go.. Was gonna do Orkney isles this weekend, [ classic rally] and the rain is here, and forcast to stay till sunday, This is the worst summer in living memory up here, , av spoke to older folk & never seen it this bad,,,, Yep it's absolutely bouncing up here as well, plus the wind isn't helping at all. Mind you, I don't have my dog with me for the next two days so it'll be waterproofs at dawn and a full tank of fuel in the bike to help with the sidewinds going down the prom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voxy Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I totally agree with you guys! My commute to work (out of North London) in a car was reptatively too tedious and would wind me up like crazy not being able to move around people who "park" in the middle of crossroads or following that I'd get stuck behind a few buses and even a milkfloat! Anyone familiar with Green Lanes? All this stress before starting a long stressfull shift at work! To combat this, I wanted to learn to ride to make a difference with my commute. To say the jouney to work has completely changed for the better would be an understatement!! I have since caught the bug for biking now and am loving it! Some challenges to face still as a learner i.e. filtering, which feels rewarding when you achieve it. I'm now turning up into work for the early shifts feeling much more awake and positive from the adrenaline and feeling focused to start work. -Also in on time/early! The bizarre thing now is my 12 hour shift at work really appears to draaaag on after the adrenaline kick. Also the excitement waiting to get back on the bike again doesn't help! The other daily positive aspects on the commutes are the nods/exchanges with other passing bikers and yes lo and behold even some small talk at the lights -which to me is really suprising for London! None of this is experienced in a car! Except the exchanges of course -which would tend only to be negative or a "Im cutting you up/pulling out anyway thanks" wave. Grrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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