This morning's commute and other commuting stories

For those keeping up with the rivetting narrative, I avoided old street today and it was a delight. The twitchiness on the approach to the roundabout was a good reminder of what's in store if you continue west.

8/10

Saw a belter this morning - cyclist turns left off Commercial Street onto cobbles and whoosh he's down and the cyclist following makes it around the same corner by getting traction off the first guy! Rode over him and his bike and stayed upright. So thoughtful.......Sir Francis Drake would have been proud.

Lovely crisp clear weather, but greasy roads and a wipeout on a mini roundabout means that cornering confidence has dropped to zero despite not having had a fall for a few years!

5/10, wouldn't slide again.

Greasy as chips out there today. Felt like someone had swapped my Schwalbe Ones for shitty worn out Gatorskins. Unnerving. 4 out of 12.

Yesterdays ride home was pretty grim.

• mamil muppet on shitty hybrid with what sounded like studded tires, furiously nodding away jumping reds.
  
• unattentive mother babbling on her phone while her 2-3 year old daughter wandered along the cycle path, nearly getting run over by aforementioned mupped
  
• downed rider laying in a big junction, obviously hit by a car. She/he was being cared for, so I rode along.
  

Perhaps my extreme speed sparks some base hunting instinct.

The gloves explanation is probably more apt, though.

+1 to the greasy roads warning.....

Bust my shoulder wiping out on the college roundabout on the Kingston one way system last night. Whether it was a patch of diesel (jersey stank of it afterwards), or just greasy roads, I don't know. All I do know is that I'm in pain today.

5/10 for this morning's commute due to said pain.

• Broke my jersey zip putting it on, so had to cycle home in a base layer and rain jacket (that thankfully I had in my bag, otherwise I would have froze).
  
• My Mio GPS came off the mount while riding, bounced a lot then got run over. Now it won't power on or do anything.
  
  

A spendy commute, 0/10

First decent ride of the year on the way in yesterday, nice 75km round Biggin Hill area. Bit of a back twinge by the end though. This morning's commute upgraded it to complete spasmagony.
Not enjoying today now. 2/10 - at least not on public transport.

Section of road was closed that must have only been 100 yards long, figured I would follow the diversion instead of walk it, added 3 miles onto my ride home.

Scoring your commute
Creates an unsightly line
And then crosses it.

Do not lean

Stopped at the Parma Cafe in Kennington on the way in.

Full English £4.30/10, plus you get the added bonus of taking a trip into the 80s.

Oh and my balls froze off, sadly.

rip

Bunked off, no commute... 10/10

Last minute decision to don the ski gloves this morning. Toasty.

Roads were full of cunts
Clean your windows before drive
Or I will blind you

hungover; took the tube; went to greggs .. still here

7.36/10

New commute is c.8 miles towpath and 5 miles road. Second day today and I'm already getting annoyed with the wildlife. Who wants fresh goose? I know of a rowdy gaggle that are in need of a good oven.

It's the swans you want to watch out for, they can break a man's arm they can.

It's my shins that I'm bothered about, they were bleeding yesterday. My own fault for slowing down to pass safely, gave them the chance to attack me. Today I had the buggers on the run going full tilt at them.

Reported for anserinist behaviour.

Bloody left crank came loose on bike (which is spare bike). Plumbers merchant to the rescue.

Is it the ground that's hard, or my tyres? Feeling every gravelly blip. But loving the start in daylight (ish) which means I can say hello to and feed my goldfish in the pond after breaking the ice. Some might say nooooooo - do not feed in winter. To those tight fishted bastards I say where's your heart ........and your fish flakes?