Super Ted

Yep, this is yet another post about how much I love my new bike. ;-) I apologise if anyone believes that I am merely "gloating" but that really isn't my intention - I am just so SO excited, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, he has completely exceeded my expectations. I knew that having a lighter and nippier bike would help me improve, but I am flabbergasted at the HUGE difference he has already made; I'm riding faster, I'm finding hills easier and generally, my overall riding ability has dramatically improved.

On Saturday, the weather was so nice that it would have felt wrong not to take advantage of it and ride Ted, so I convinced my Mum to come out for a spin around the surrounding villages. It was a nice ride, despite an evil wind. The warm sun had lured me into a false sense of security and I had left the house without my "snood." Amazingly though, my lungs didn't collapse under the bitter wind entering my airways. WoooHooo! Hopefully this means that, although I am far from being fit and athletic, I have improved the condition of my asthmatic lungs.

I was chuffed to bits. But not quite as chuffed as when, I conquered one of my nemesis' - a quite short but very steep hill that has always defeated me. Somehow, Ted got me to the top, without the need to catch my breath half way up! YAY! I was over the moon. LOL! I think I startled the local horses when I triumphantly cheered at the top.

By Sunday I had already achieved my weekly total but with Mullerton being off work, there was riding to be enjoyed. So, despite the miserable grey and wet weather, we prepared for another Teddy adventure.

Despite the initial rides, I still needed to do a lot of work with Ted to feel more confident riding him. Don't laugh, but I seem to have lost the ability to raise my arms to indicate any turns (I guess I'm still getting used to the drop bars) and as I am still a little wobbly on him, any traffic un-nerves me; which unfortunately makes me even wobblier (I presume I find him twitchier, 'coz I'm used to a heavier bike with wider tyres). Anyhoo, we decided to avoid busy roads, especially as I was very wary that the wet roads would be even more tricky for handling. (Interestingly though, apart from on the descents, I wasn't really aware that the roads were wet and slippery.)

We decided to strike out on a new route to break up the monotony of riding the same old roads. So off we set. It was exciting getting out somewhere different. The best thing about not knowing where I was, was that I wasn't actually aware of what was around each corner, which proved useful, especially as it didn't give me chance to see the long and steep hills which lay in wait. Normally, these hills would have induced an instant dread, but as I said, Ted is SUPER and amazingly we got up them all without too much trouble.

When we got home I felt such a sense of achievement and pride. It amazes me to think that 6 months ago, there was not a cat in hells chance that I would have even attempted to ride some of the hills we rode yesterday. LMAO! In fact, when I started to ride again, last August, I never imagined that one day I would be able to keep up with Mikey on a decent ride at a half decent pace.

Hey, if I carry on at this rate, you all better look out for me at the next Winter Olympics - that is, if Cyclocross ever makes it into the official games. ;-)