Journeys

So, a journey. By bicycle. I'd known for a while I was down to blog on this subject, and as today approached I became gradually more and more desperate. Because, truth to tell, I've barely cycled at all this year, despite all my best intentions. Somehow there's never been quite enough time, or I've had too much to carry, or I've not quite felt like it, or...
There's always been something I could point to as a reason not to cycle.
But this week is National Bike Week; and my Bicycle Bonus pack arrived on Saturday. And I was given a pair of snazzy new bike lights and a book titled 'Cycling to work for beginners' at a cycling stall on Pottergate by a man who said "Hopefully these will help you get back on your bike again". And I was due to blog about cycling just this Thursday and -suddenly- the sun started shining.
All of a sudden I had more reasons to cycle than not to.


So on Tuesday I hesitantly got out my bicycle and wobbled off down the road.
A whole mile, to the nearest park and ride. Not much of a journey. But as I cycled past fields of barley- turned from mostly green to mostly golden in just the last week and gloried in the feel of the wind in my face like a dog at a car window, I remembered how much I enjoy cycling.
Today I looked at my work appointments, carefully studied google maps, equally carefully avoided checking the weather forecast, and set off.
I tussled with big scary roundabouts, abused pedestrian crossings (but not pedestrians), flew joyfully down the near vertical cliff of Carrow Hill (Oh no, not Carrow Hill, that's a one way street and would be terribly irresponsible. It must have been some other nearby hill) and then paid for it on the grindingly dramatic ascent of Harvey Lane (OK, so I got off and pushed).
I arrived at work sweatily triumphant and 15 minutes early.
My next trip was to Hellesdon, I chose a route through Mousehold that looked pretty, and proved to be a wonderful cycle path: a road that had been closed to traffic for the benefit of cyclists and pedestrians. I didn't realise such things existed; clearly I must study my cycling map of Norwich more closely.
Then, home. Via the UEA for pleasant cycling on quiet roads.
That all adds up to 17 miles cycling today- a real journey. And my panniers are packed ready for tomorrow.



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