....except that once or twice I struggled to keep up with aforementioned 8 year old daughter!
Seems I have a first reserve for France. Went out for a bit of family practice yesterday and of course, now that I've decided to get a new bike (4 stroke, push start!), I'm now getting on better with the GasGas - regularly in that powerband - such fun (that sounds like an oddly inappropriate Miranda quote) - it is mighty fun though! You do have to really rev the 'whatnots' off it to really get it working properly and in that powerband, but when you do, you do get rewarded. I'm learning and now believe that riding across the Pyrenees and raising lots of money for GOSH and KidsCo is really very possibly within my grasp!
Sometime back, I recall reading in MCN about a guy that rides an R1 (from memory) and commutes on it, all weathers for 25 or so minutes, morning and evening. He commented that he really feels alive during those 50 minutes each day and mostly has a big grin on his face. I remember thinking how fabulous though in all honesty, not really comprehending (although I understood the 'feeling' from being on a horse).
Several months on, I understand it completely! There was a wistful moment yesterday, looking at the stubble on the recently harvested fields where I would have galloped and cantered most days (work permitting) on my sadly departed one horse power(!) thoroughbred!
Yesterday, in the sunshine, with my daughter who very capably tackled and succeeded through some horrible hard ruts (Mummy didn't plan a good route -oop!), the smells of the harvest and the sheer joy of knowing that you're riding your bike well (ok - for perhaps a small amount of time anyway, I was properly burning the oil off 'cause I was in the powerband?!), the feeling, just awesome!
And on the straight trails, little Toj no. 1 was whicking along so fast, I had to really keep on the throttle to keep up - tee hee. Seems I have a first reserve very keen to come to the Pyrenees instead of going to school!
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