Back on the bike

Thank you all for your well wishes and comments re: the recent post/coach incident. I didn't take the matter any further or report the incident to the police as at the time I felt like I had done something wrong. It's funny how we the cyclists feel the guilt for getting in the way of the more important car users. Anyhow, I just wanted to give a quick update on things since then.

I knew that I had to get back on the bike ASAP to make sure that I didn't lose my confidence, so the following day, I went for a quick spin with Mikey.  It was OK but annoyingly I really feared crossing any roundabouts. Thankfully, with Mikey at my side, it was fine.  Life then generally got in the way of riding for the next few days and by the time I next got on my bike it was Sunday and I still had 25 miles to do to meet my weekly target.  So a long ride was on the cards and we went a little further afield than usual, making a detour to see the Llamas. There was a hellish wind that day - there was seriously no respite; no matter which way we turned it was against us! Goodness knows what way it was going, as we never had a tail wind! As for the rain - it was wet wet WET! Somehow though, we made it back with 25miles on the clock. Phewph!

So that was last week.  This week was kinda OK but I am really struggling to get out and ride alone. When I'm with Mikey I'm fine, but I have let the coach incident un-nerve me and am lacking the confidence to cross any major roundabouts by myself. Unfortunately, this has had an impact on my usual riding routine. Since my "rediscovery" I have predominantly done 2-3 rides a week into Penzance to meet Michael at work. The trouble is that there are only two ways into Penzance. One being the way I went on the day of the coach crash and I am far too anxious to go across that roundabout by myself and the only other way is through Marazion. (Which regular readers will know is hell on earth, even more so at this time of year; tourists walking out onto the narrow windy roads without looking and car drivers parking wherever they want along the double yellow lines.) So now, I am really struggling to motivate myself to ride into Penzance - only managing to muster up any motivation once this week.

I know I shouldn't let the incident get the better of me. I know that near misses with lunatic car-drivers are all part and parcel of cycling, but I just cant shake the ill feeling. I seriously feel sick at that roundabout, even when driving across it. All I can hope is that my confidence will return after a few uneventful crossings.

Due to the lack of rides into Penzance, I again came up short for mileage this week and we had to do yet another 25miler today. This time the weather was a bit more pleasant, the rain held off and I kept tucked in behind Mikey and let him contend with the evil winds. We got home with 27 miles on the clock so I was one happy girlie. Hehehe! I guess the only good thing I can take from the whole situation is that I am getting out and doing longer rides.