Take it to the bridge

I notice that my blog traffic is down significantly from 2018. Could it be that my adoring public are cool on the lack of running or abit sniffy about my rejuvenated cycling career. Maybe the blog is just a bit dull these days? Who knows?

In order to stop the rot (not really) and having reached the dizzy heights of a 23 minute 10 mile time trial, I have been rifling through any number of second hand bike websites in recent weeks. I came up with a couple of bikes for sale that might help me in my quest for speed. One was at Carnoustie and the other in the Borders.

And so, on Friday gone, I ventured to Selkirk to view a carbon bike with carbon wheels. Sure the bike was 4 years old and the wheels two (apparently), but if the machine was suitable it would be a step up 'for sure' (as they say on the Tour). I arrived at the bloke's modest abode and the gent dug out the Planet X machine from the shed. Of course, while I pulled at this and that and scratched my chin, going to look at a new bike with all the bells and whistles is like going to see a puppy. You're not likely to come away empty handed.  In making a 90 minute journey, I was already committed unless there was something wrong with the gear. I took the jalopy for a spin up and down the lane and it seemed smooth, eager. It was certainly lightweight. I made the lad a reduced but respectful offer and  he was happy to take my spondoolies. 'That was painless enough', I thought.

We shook (but not in a fracking earthquake sort of way) and I carefully placed the bike into the back of the car like it was my grannies frail auntie and closed the rear door. Business concluded, I drove through the town and parked up. As it was a lovely night and I'd never been to Selkirk, I put on my trainers and did a slow 30 minutes around the town. It really is no where near anywhere, but not a bad wee place on the whole. I changed and realising that it would be too late for dinner by the time I got back home, I used some of the money I'd saved on the bike and bought crispy shredded beef and chilli sauce and sat in the car developing a good sweat as I worked my way through the boiled rice and red gooey morass. What a messy eater I am. Stuff all over my chin.

I took the flying machine out tonight around my normal 20 mile circuit and took around 4 minutes off my previous best time. Granted I was high on new bike testosterone and gave it some welly, but it bodes well for the short and hilly event at Elsdon in 10 days and in Aberfoyle next month. In the meantime, I'll have to get the discarded bike polished and up on Gumtree (or whatever) and see if I can recoup some of the readies I parted with.