Although I totally love the cycle commute there are times when it feels like every day is a battle. This week has definitely been a bit like that. There has been a mix of cold icy mornings at the start of the week with stormy, wet weather almost every day.
After storm Erik in February and Freya earlier in March, it has been the turn of Gareth to showcase the power of the elements. I’m not sure if it has been any stronger than the others, but it’s longevity certainly gave it a bigger punch as far as I’m concerned. By the end of the week I felt a little like I had been in a proper heavyweight boxing match.
Round 1
Monday was a gradual build up to the main event and the commute home showed only tiny slivers of what lay in store. It was as if Gareth was taunting me like one of those promotional tours the boxers put on before a big fight.
Round 1: Nothing to be scared of, easily mine.
Round 2
Tuesday was the first day I was really aware of Gareth on the commute. We could hear it overnight and I was pretty sure of what lay ahead when I got out of bed. It’s definitely still weather for full winter gear so I kitted up and headed out to the street after finishing off my Weetabix and cup of tea.
The first thing I noticed when I headed outside was the mess. Our recycling bins get collected on Tuesdays and some people had put them out overnight. Obviously a plastic wheely bin filled with paper and plastic is no match for 50mph winds. Several bins had been blown over and all the rubbish scattered across the front garden across the road 🙁
Riding to work wasn’t too bad as it was a South Westerly so mostly on my back. The wind had died down a little since the middle of the night and apart from a few rain showers I got to work reasonably dry and without any incident.
Riding home was another matter entirely…
About half an hour before I left the office I could see the rain starting to pelt against the windows. When I got out and on the move it was like riding with the brakes on. Coupled with some heavy downpours that shot-blasted into my face I reached home feeling tired but invigorated. It was a good feeling: having endured the worst of the storm I was home, showered and ready for the next edition.
Round 2: Narrowly awarded to Gareth.
Round 3
Wednesday morning was beautiful. The wind had died down, the sun was out and I cruised into work feeling great. There was still a fair bit of debris on the roads from the trees being battered over the previous 24 hours. However, I managed to keep the record of no punctures in 2019 so far!
After work I set out into a slightly grey evening but the rain managed to hold off. Although the wind was still noticeable, compared to Tue it felt like a piece of cake. Gareth tried to catch me out at the end by throwing a sharp downpour into my face, but I laughed it off and cruised the remaining mile to the house.
Round 3: Comfortably to me.
Round 4
A pattern was starting to emerge to the days this week. The mornings nice with sunny patches and a bit of a tail wind followed by wet, windy slogs on the way home. Although it felt lighter on Thursday my legs were starting to feel the effect of the constant battles so it was quite a ponderous ride home.
It always feels good on a Thursday when I get home as there is only one more day of work until the weekend. Also, I often leave my rucksack at home on Friday so have an easier ride to come. These thoughts left me in a particularly cheerful mood.
Round 4: A few weak blows thrown from both sides, but nothing of note landed. Score draw.
Round 5
Friday got off to a flying start. The wind had remained for my morning ride so I had a monster boost on the way to work. This served as a great recovery for my legs as I was able to cruise to work, spinning the legs nice and fast without much effort.
I could see the clouds getting blown across the sky through the morning at quite a rate so knew the ride home would be as hard as the morning was easy. However, I did not expect it to be quite such a stiff test.
Although the forecast was for gusts of a lower maximum than Tuesday, this commute home felt like the hardest of the week by far. I think the cumulative effect of the week made it harder, combined with some really nasty conditions. This clip below was just as I was on the edge of Edinburgh and although it may not show exactly how heavy the hail shower was, please take my word for it that they were very stinging!!!
Thankfully the hail stones did not last too long and the sun came out for the remainder of that journey. It was one of the toughest ride homes that I can remember though because of the constant wind. The direction was particularly bad and there seemed to be no respite.
Try as it might though, it couldn’t knock me to the canvas and I held on all the way to the final bell.
Round 5: After landing some heavy blows Gareth gave his all but couldn’t finish me off. Narrow victory for this round.
Result
Storm Gareth was tough, no arguments needed there. But by accepting the fact, enjoying the experience and perhaps most importantly being prepared, I was able to complete the week without too many issues. My legs definitely feel more tired than normal but a couple of days resting up will allow them to recover ready for another week of commutes. It also set me up nicely for a curry night on Friday which I’m sure tasted even better for the experience!
Having overcome Gareth I wait with eager expectation for what Hannah can deliver, whenever she arrives…
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