The rowing season is finally back, lasting from April to October, and with it comes the need to get to Barmouth a couple of times a week. As I don’t wont to drive, fuel costs, parking costs, planetary costs etc I normally cycle. If I go on my mountain bike I end up worrying about my pride and joy being whisked off and ending up on ebay, however when we moved here four years ago from Brighton I brought with me Gloria.
Since that time Gloria has taken up residence in the back of the shed under a dust sheet, I had forgotten about her. Shame on me as she had served me well commuting to and from work, I had been lured into the new world of single track, suspension and more gears than an explosion in a clock factory!
A little bit of mechanical adjustments, lubrication and dusting and she was back on the road. We have been back and forth to Barmouth a few times now, it is a very different world from Hope Brakes and shimano gears. Stopping is more a case of ESP and going up hills is a full work out. However I am really enjoying being back on the road.
This got me thinking that’s its not the bike that’s important but enjoying the ride.
And why called Gloria. The chap I bought the bike from In Brighton was called Mr Swanson. And he really knew something about enjoying the ride. He had ridden the bike all the way to Southern spain and back, making my trips seem like nothing, once shes on the flat and your pedalling smoothly you can really see the potential to eat up those miles.
Now theres a thought worth thinking about………