Was working in Nottingham yesterday and today, so I thought great I’ll pack the bike and have a spin round the Pines when I’m done with work.
Got there around 3.30 and got myself together, I’ve ridden there a few times and felt confident about the approaching gloom and the -2 showing on the car temp guage. I had lights and tights and food, I’ll be fine. Stuck to the trail all the way round cos even the best riders can loose there bearings. All was going well and had switched the lights on and was I buzzing with the clear crisp riding and the shining moon.
Reached for the camelback mouth piece for a slurp of water and found it frozen solid, started trying to free the ice (whilst riding!) and ended up on my @rse for trying to be clever. Bruise on the bum and a sore wrist. Got up and went to push off changing down through the gears only to find the triggers missing.
Stopped the bike to shine the old helmet mounted Tesco torch in the direction and there were the bits all lying in the frozen forest road. I don’t mind saying a bit of panic started to form then at the back of my mind as I scooped up the bits and inspected the damage. Took me another 45 mins to get back to the car (after 2 hours out already) lost count of the number of double takes I made when not recognising the routes I was searching for. Finally got back to the car to find -4 on the guage and a welcome flask of coffee to calm the nerves.
I once did a similar thing a few years back at Ae, I WON’T be making the same mistakes again, if I’m not there by 2.30 it aint happenin!
