Two events, preferably on the same ride that sum up the good and bad/highs and lows of cycling.
Mine from 30 minutes ago:
Looked a right berk after changing down too late at a roundabout and dropping the chain when I tried to ride away. Must of inadvertently back pedalled a bit, rank amateur.
15 minutes later looked like a riding god* after a slow speed sideways bunny hop up the kerb to a near perfect track stand to make way for an ambulance.
* It's my story and I can exaggerate if I want to.
Last Thursday. Rode my lovely Tripster from my house to the beach. Flying along enjoying the sunshine, chewing on a few flies, thinking this is the life. Have a nice swim in the still-warm sea.
Ride home, it's a flat 10ish miles, and can avoid traffic nearly the whole route (for this reason decided to forgo the helmet wearing option (and it was hot!)). Get to a bit where there's a choice of shorter route on road, or slightly longer, pathway leads to the woods... take the pathway. Get something wrong, skid, otb, headfirst into large metal fence. Whack goes head, crack goes back, land in a groaning heap. Cannot move. Rest in the thread I started. A definite "yang".
Went out for a late evening ride around the villages, I felt really good, fast and smooth, not a car in sight.
Later, Strava revealed that I was actually very slow.
Also...
Rode the descent lines at Stainburn, composed, balanced, tyres were gripping, I was pushing hard but felt relaxed, hitting gaps and pumping the boulders. Flow.
Headed towards the techy stuff in the woods, rode like Bambi on ice, dabs everywhere, getting off to walk, feeling uncomfortable and out of control. No flow.
29 miles and 4000ft of climbing in the Lakes on Sunday. 23 miles and 3000ft of climbing in the western Dales the next day. The latter took 2 hours more, involved pushing through a km of intermittently knee-deep bog, and being late back home... 👿
It seems to take about three years before I forget how bloody horrible a route is and want to ride it again... 🙂
C2C, martinhutch?
Ying - First half of the big hill on my hill, in the big ring, dancing on the pedals, feeling fast, sharp and in control.
Yang - The second half, die a slow death, blowing, power running low, crawl to the top.
C2C, martinhutch?
Nah, just consecutive days out. Tour of Coniston first day, Tour of Whernside the second. I now remember why I don't bother trying to ride into that part of Dentdale except in drought conditions.
Racing earlier today.
Ying. Fast course, fast day, flying and well on the way to a big PB and a season goal.
Yang. Seeing a line of stationary traffic with 2 miles to the finish. Race over. Filter to the front. A downed rider and mangled bike.