This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Leaky pipes, doubt it's flooding from rain. There was a big hole spewing out water from the middle of the road at about 8pm.

MASSIVE hole in the road this morning. The road was closed to vehicles resulting in many disgruntled drivers. Availed myself of the cycle path and smugly cruised by.

Yes, so clearly a pipe burst. It sounds as if there had been unrepaired problems for a while.

Water supply is one area in which decades of under-investment have been showing very clearly for some years; it always seems fine to under-invest for a while because risks don't necessarily get 'triggered' that quickly, but they will eventually.

Pissing wet through, 0/10

Would have been a comfy ride apart from a tide of zombie peds as soon as I hit the city. Fucking look up you cunts.

Slightly wet this morning, but also 11 degrees. So while I was coming into work in double layers yesterday, one of which being my warm jacket, today suddenly I'm back in short lycra. Weird weather.

This drives me mad. Feel like its a game to some who seem to go out of their way to look in the opposite direction

Rare occasion that I could ride in this morning. Too tired to get my bike ready late last night so thought I'd just do it this morning. Faff getting it out from under everything. Quickly fit the pedals back on, no problem. Faff getting my lights ready but can charge them at work. Faff putting air in tyres using crack pipe at back because fixie disc is fitted but that's what I want, but it is an actual faff because it's tight. Valve core decides to shit itself in the process. You bastard. No fixie ride today. Pull out other biek from under stuff which has a slightly creaky bottom bracket. Start filling tyres. Starts pissing it down. Fuck this. Go back inside and get changed and drive instead.

I'm dry but miserable.

Had several this morning look up from their phones directly at me (ringing my bell) and just look down and carry on.

I used to wait until I was right alongside them before screaming 'ASSHOLE' at them but someone pointed out that wasn't very grown up. Twat.

Had a weird experience on the tube today... some guy got on at Cannon St and just emptied a container full of food on the floor, then kicked it around a bit... stood near the door whilst trying to rap and then laughed when loads of people got on at Victoria... I nearly asked him if he was on day release but thought better of it

All this ‘get bike ready’ stuff. What is that?

(didn’t re-fit mudguards last night, wet arse this morning - coincidence?)

Today was the first time I've done the full 25km commute in the morning. 95% of it is on dedicated bike path, 80% on NCN 1. Lovely.

Today was also the day that I found out the office shower has no hot water.

I bet Clarence Lane is even more fun now.

Is the park any nicer to commute through with Priory Lane closed?

I don't get to ride much at the moment so my bikes are usually behind something and need lifting out, tyres have gone flat, batteries dead in lights, lights not even where I thought I'd left them etc etc.

Haven't noticed a difference in the morning in the park.

Last night though, there was a police car stationed at the road closed sign. In the past, motorists have just mounted the curb and driven over the pavement. Like a flock of sheep, one goes for it, and all the others follow.

Everyone was ignoring the road closed signs further up the road, then having to do a grumpy u turn once the presence of the police was clear. One motorbike rider did get busted for using the cycle path though, which seemed at little harsh as he did tiptoe through very slowly, but its not like the police could let it slide.

I just turned the smug face up to 11.

Bit windy, isn't it?

Slow out fast in!

Pelted with falling branches also wasn’t amusing. Trees, bah.

Yeah I cycled over a few tree branch bits that a) felt shifty under my rear tyre and b) made it feel as if I might be getting a flat for a second. Bah indeed.

got slapped on the face by a leaf! it hurt.

Pretty gusty on the way home!

Fun if you make it through a slippy bit though - 'whoa, there it goes, aaaand back on track'

Yeah, just half a second of "oooops oh no you don't". At least I no longer live in Raynes Park, I always had quite the steep (though short) hill descent there with two rather sharp bends in it, so prime opportunity to really faceplant if you're not careful.

Hospital appointment this morning meant I got to go over Wanstead flats and through the woods to whipps cross. Squishy big apples plus squishy muddy mud = hilarious slippery sliding. Lost the back end a few times without stacking it. Spent a small amount of time in a bramble bush.

Took the opportunity of being able to blame an overrunning hospital appointment to take the long way into work. Very enjoyable except a couple of exposed sections on the Thames path where I was pretty much pedalling to stand still.

Last week had an eventful commute as a train broke down in front of mine. Got off still 8 miles from work and randomly took a canal route that was lovely. Supposedly a cycle path it became more single track and gravel than anything. Passed some great graffito, an old monastery, various slip slidy "Oh shit! I'm going to fall into the canal" moments and across a nature reserve with off camber slick boardwalks.

Would ride again.