We have lift off (well, FALL off...)

Last Thursday, Luvbug and I bought bikes. No, not the broom broom eeeeeeee kind, the come-with-a-chain and a daft looking hat kind. We had decided that our encroaching middle-age spreads needed dealing with. And as he had been glued to the Tour De France for 3 weeks, bikes were the natural answer.

Now, I hadn't been on a bike for 25 years(!) so, before buying, I suggested we go somewhere and HIRE bikes for a day, to check I could still make one go. We did this the other week- Alton Water, a reservoir in Suffolk, hires out bikes for the 8 mile trip around it. Guess who fell off? I am still nursing a scabby knee (which is surprisingly itchy, something I'd forgotten about grazed knees.)

But, not put off, now we have our own! We've been out and about in the evening, totting up a few miles each day. And I still keep falling off.

It must look hilarious- I have all the gear; the special cycling gloves (their padding helps my sore hands), the special cycling helmet that makes me look related to Star Trek NG's Mr Worf, the posh LED lights... and there I am, falling off and lying in a heap laughing.

BUT! All is not lost. I have, as of last night's Tour De Colchester, realised what I am doing wrong: I'm not steering. Apparently there is a quite normal consequence of this;
(1)don't steer;
(2)hit something;
(3) fall off.
AHA! By Jove, I think she's got it!

LAST night I was desperately trying to get the bike to turn, but not actually steering very much, apparently, then at the last minute changed strategy and tried to stop instead. Luckily a helpful hedge was there to assist in this- and as I crashed into it, a cat came tearing out of it, did one and a half laps of his garden and then shot up onto a garage roof. Now, you KNOW I love felines, but I'm afraid it was his antics that made me fall off this time, in hysterics :)

Today, Luvbug is off for a long ride solo. My only trip today will be back to Halfords, where I'm sure I'll be causing much amusement by bringing in a bike for repair less than a week after buying it, -as it now bears a startling resemblance to its owner, with a bulge that shouldn't be there, in its front tyre.

Hey ho!