Morning Commute:
Total Distance: 13.33 miles
Total Time: 50m 07s
Max Speed: 26mph
Avg Speed: 16mph
Max H/Rate: 170bpm
Avg H/Rate: 147bpm
Cadence: 78rpm

Gaz was calling in sick today so I had a decision to make – it was absolutely pissing it down.. Long or short route. In the end I decided the long way.

Firstly I had to race my daughter to nursery. Today was the wrong day to do this – going down towards the mini roundabout I was keeping up with traffic at 25mph. I couldn’t go any faster because the car in front wasn’t going any faster. This didn’t stop some asshole of a woman driving right up my arse – swinging her car from left to right to try and get past me.

I turned round giving her the signal to back off as she was really really close to which she shook her head and said no.

Had I not known that my wife and daughter weren’t a little further up the road, I would have stopped at the mini roundabout and dragged the stupid bitch out of her car and taught her a lesson about driving. She was no further back than 5ft at 25mph. I had nowhere to go as the street is double parked. I couldn’t slow down as she would have rode into the back of me. I couldn’t speed up.

I had to bite my tongue… Grrrr. And due to the rain there was no video footage… I hope this waterproof case is released very very soon.

Despite this, I still won the race and pulled over waiting for them. In the rain. And the cold. I’m nice like that, then I set off up t’Ashton.

By the time I got to Ashton, I realised that my statement about “people always seem to drive better in the rain” was utter bollocks, and indeed I had just been lucky for my previous journeys!

Ashton Road was hammered with people doubling up on a single lane road, making it difficult to progress. I weaved my way around whenever I could and made it through. Hyde Road was much the same with people squeezing down towards the bus lane, blocking traffic.

Stockport Road came my second dangerous moment, doing around 18mph coming up to a traffic island, I checked over my shoulder as I had to pull out due to a huge puddle in a huge hole and some bitch of a woman put her foot down and shot past me a mere inches from my hand.

I gave her the wanker sign and carried on.

Plymouth Grove. Wet. Cycle Lane. For some reason I was thinking about what Red had said about this road, and if you see danger to pull out of the cycle lane. I couldn’t see danger but for some reason I still pulled out of my cycle lane… 2 seconds later a car was coming from a side street and skidded right into the cycle lane… Spooky!

Then, sprinting at 24 mph. Car decides at last minute to turn Right. BMW pulls out into cycle lane to get round and gets stuck, obviously not looking in their mirror or the gap available to them. This was the first proper test of my brakes. I pulled out into the road behind her and crouched down so she could see me in her mirror. Nothing. Just a blank glaze on her face.

I kept calm.

Oxford Road, where taxi’s in a straight ahead only lane decide to turn left at the last minute. Beautiful road. BMW driver does the same fucking thing today – this time much closer. What have I done wrong?

Coming up to the old cinema place I was waiting at traffic lights. As they turned on green a guy pedalling for his life sprinted right past me looking smug and pulled over…. This pissed me off… Clip. Clip. Push… Got right up to him… Said “anyone can do that mate, but they can’t do this” and then let the taps go :) Off into the distance I went – nowhere to be seen.

Wanker.

Evening Commute:
Total Distance: 9.60 miles
Total Time: 44m 29s
Max Speed: 30.60mph*
Avg Speed: 12.95mph
Max H/Rate: 175bpm
Avg H/Rate: 155bpm
Cadence: 76rpm

Well I glanced out of the window at 4:20 and knew that tonight I would be testing out my new overshoes for the first time – and boy did they get a workout. It rained badly all the way home – 44 minutes of pure pissing down BUT, surprisingly, mixed with good sensible driving – this was probably because of road works causing huge backlogs of traffic, but its their own fault for using their cars (unless your redbikes who has no choice).

I navigated to Plymouth Grove without an issue, then stumbled upon 15 cars using the cycle lane to squeeze a one lane road into a two lane road. I commented to every one as I rode past in a polite manner – you know, as I do.

Stockport Road then Kirkmanshulme Lane, where a cop car was screeching down – this didn’t matter to the silver car that pulled right out both infront of me and the oncoming cop car. I shook my head in dismay as I went past him and he proceeded to drive at me at speed whereby he got the bird – and everybody knows that the bird is the word.

He backed off and I continued.

Hyde Road was brimming with traffic due to some badly timed roadworks up at the top near Debdale Park Piss Stop. I had a van move towards me as I was cycling through the middle, blocking my route, so, I unclipped, got off my bike and pushed it through the gap giving him a lovely smile as I went past.

I then further made my way up patiently sitting in traffic in the left lane. A fellow cyclist was coming up the middle and shouted over that the gap was pretty wide and clear should I want to use it – I thanked him and pulled out to the middle when safe and made my way up behind him.

He jumped a red further up the road, which was disappointing,

Denton Roundabout saw people just being dicks – just 4 RLJers tonight, but plenty of people going round the roundabout too fast leaving themselves parked over the only place I could get past on two of the four junctions.

Devils Hill loomed on the horizon… It was wet, windy and too dangerous… But what the fuck! I went down one side as safe as I could – topping at my max speed then gave it a push up… I clocked in a respectable 1m 11s, and in better windless weather I just know the Trek will get me up there in less than 45 seconds. Roll on summer!

Now I’m home, getting warm, and preparing for Lyon V Liverpool.

Anyone have any tips on how to make my signalling clearer to people behind me – I don’t feel that my black gloves (with reflectors) are visible enough as I frantically move my arm up and down to signal I’m turning if they haven’t seen me :)

Total Commute Extras:
Total Ascent: 814ft