I was out on the bike this afternoon. It was a thoroughly glorious day, even
the wind was warm. Loads of newborn lambs in fields, primroses blooming in
the verges and I saw a stag with three hinds resting in a field. They were
totally unconcerned by large woman in fluorescent Lycra pootling by.
On way back home, cycling through a village I was overtaken by a fit young
man on a mountain bike. Serious stuff - he was sipping from his camelbak and
had his head down - he was pedalling hard. My cheery "afternoon" was
ignored. Fit young blokes on MTBs, going fast whilst sipping from their
Camelbak are not going to acknowledge the existance of the middle-aged woman
in Lycra on a tourer with mudguards, pannier rack & Brooks cotton duck
saddlebag.
Fit young bloke started to zoom off, and I thought "B*gg*r it, I've lost
weight, I wonder if I can catch him?" So I set off. I caught him within a
100 yards or so and sailed past him. As I did so, I offered a cheery
"Afternoon. There's life in the old girl yet." and zoomed off in front of
him. It was only much further on when I had to stop for traffic that he came
by me - and only because he went illegal by going on the pavement at speed
(pavement = footpath on this side of the pond and cycling on the pavement is
illegal). I don't do pavements. Must admit, I enjoyed myself immensely
overtaking the fit young bloke. Makes the weight loss worthwhile :-)
Cheers, helen s