Curse of the Wheel Habit

[Mikefule]

This is getting silly. My last ride on any unicycle at all was on
Tuesday 3rd January. On Thursday 5th january, I was seconded without
warning to a job in Manchester that involved 6+ hours travelling a day.
I got out of that after about 3 weeks by throwing my bricks out of the
pram big-style, but it took a few days to get my normal routine back
into order, and weekends were spoken for with visits to Ruth, catching
up with family, etc.

Then the frosts came - so cold my car and scooter wouldn't start. And
then rain. And then a cold so bad I even had to miss dancing one week,
which I never do. And just as I started to get better from that, more
heavy rain and frost, and whenever I had time it was chucking it down
with rain, and if the weather was fine I was either ill or committed to
something else.

Then as the prospect of lighter evenings started to open up (the clocks
went forward on Saturday) I developed the worst case of flu I've had
for ages. All over eastern Europe and Asia, chickens are muttering
fearfully about the spread of Mikefulian Flu, and the danger of it
mutating and cross-infecting poultry.

And then today, at 4:45, I looked out of the office window. Sun
shining, sky blue, barely a cloud to spoil the view... my flu is
improved, and I decided i could manage a short ride... and I had a
choice: an hour's overtime or a ride, and I turned my back on mammon,
and switched down the computer, tidied my desk, put on my jacket and
bounded (slightly breathlessly) down the stairs to the scooter, only to
find it was now absolutely siling down with rain, like April showers
and March winds at the same time.:(

Will I ever ride again?

It is, of course, important not to despair.


--
Mikefule

Through decades of decay
Despair and dismay
We suffer
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[rob.northcott]

Why not ride in the rain? It's not bad once you're out there - not as
nice as dry weather but better than no riding at all. As long as you
keep warm while you've still got the lurgy it'll do you good. Anyway,
I thought you mentioned something about a coat you never get to use...

Go for it! Don't be a fair-weather cyclist!

Rob

EDIT: Nice title BTW :)


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rob.northcott

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[domesticated ape]

Too right, just ride in the rain!!! Especially since it's warm at the
moment.


Mikefule wrote:
> All over eastern Europe and Asia, chickens are muttering fearfully about
> the spread of Mikefulian Flu, and the danger of it mutating and
> cross-infecting poultry.


Lol:D

Hope you get a ride in soon anyway!


--
domesticated ape

i like bananas, monkey nuts and grapes
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[Mikefule]

rob.northcott wrote:
> Why not ride in the rain?



You're asking the man who once did Orkney to Nottingham (555 miles) on
a 2 stroke 250cc motorcycle in non stop rain in 11 hours, and once did
Chichester to Lands End, also in pittling rain on the same machine.
Riding in the rain on any contraption, one wheel or two (or even on
occasion three), powered or pedalled, wears very thin after a while.
I'm having a mid life crisis, not a lobotomy.;)


rob.northcott wrote:
> Nice title BTW :)



This was, perhaps a little too transparently, the main motive for
starting the thread. :cool:


--
Mikefule

Most will fail
And all will die
So none shall live
To tell the tale
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[underdog]

I've done more than my fair share of motorcycling in the worst of
conditions (even snow, no fun whatsoever) and it does wear thin very
quickly, even with the best of gear. I've found that the older I get
the more of a fair weather adventurer I've become (thus weakening the
whole concept of 'adventure').

It'll be summer very soon and I'm sure we'll be reading more of the
famous Mikefule ride reports in the very near future.


--
underdog

'I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody
tell you different' - Kurt Vonnegut
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[GoldCoastUni]

"throwing my bricks out of the pram big-style"

I just have to say that cracked me up. Hilarious.


--
GoldCoastUni
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[wobbling bear]

Mikefule wrote:
> This is getting silly....I developed the worst case of flu I've had for
> ages.


You're getting old father Mike !:rolleyes:
though winter is my prefered season, this winter was -Horribilis-: I
endured a recurrent bronchitis from november to february, I got the
same flu as yours, then some gastric ailment that washed out 4
kilograms from me in just two days! -never recovered them!- then broke
a toe ... only the perspective of uniing kept alive the will of braving
the elements!
So our craving is a good path to recovery!!! it should be paid for by
National Health !


--
wobbling bear

One Wheel : bear necessity
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[rob.northcott]

Mikefule wrote:
> Riding in the rain on any contraption, one wheel or two (or even on
> occasion three), powered or pedalled, wears very thin after a while.


OK, I don't ride in the rain out of choice, but if the options are
getting wet or not riding for months, I'd choose the wet.
Anyway, hope you get a ride soon, whatever the weather.

Rob


--
rob.northcott

'Dartmoor Muni Weekend'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46116) - Last
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[joemarshall]

Mikefule wrote:
> You're asking the man who once did Orkney to Nottingham (555 miles) on a
> 2 stroke 250cc motorcycle in non stop rain in 11 hours, and once did
> Chichester to Lands End, also in pittling rain on the same machine.
> Riding in the rain on any contraption, one wheel or two (or even on
> occasion three), powered or pedalled, wears very thin after a while.
> I'm having a mid life crisis, not a lobotomy.;)
>



Motorbikes are rubbish for the rain, cos you get cold. On a unicycle,
if you're getting cold, you're not riding hard enough. Hockey was a bit
slippy last night, but it was still way fun once you got started, and
certainly no problems with being cold, we were wearing t-shirts.

The trick to not getting into a rut of not riding is simple, just any
time you've said you'll go on a ride, go out, whatever the weather /
work etc. is trying to do to get in the way. If you plan your rides a
day or two in advance, then you just have to go out and play in the
rain when it rains. You can always grab some extra rides if it's nice,
but not riding just cos of weather is silly if you live in England.

Joe


--
joemarshall

my pics http://gallery.unicyclist.com/albuq44
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[Uniwitold]

You've made my day!:)
I thought it was only me.
11 winters of motorcycling in Poland in the past.
Good 5 winters of windsurfing in England when water was turning to ice
on wet suit many a times.
So I thought english winters were very mild.
This winter I was very reluctant to go uniing.
I thought my inner heater was worn out.
Nice not to be ,totally, alone in this perception.:D


--
Uniwitold

Veni !Vidi !Mount ! ' Public does not perceive it reacts'. Greg
Harper.
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[Spudman]

We don't have that problem down here in Arizona. :)


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[TheObieOne3226]

Its fun to ride in cold because you eminate steam. That looks cool.


--
TheObieOne3226

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mental

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don't feel like it. also you are reading an internet newsgroup where
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[terryb99]

We have the exact opposite problem. I personally don't enjoy riding in
110° F temperatures in the summer. It is really
uncomfortable.:rolleyes:


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terryb99
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[Mikefule]

terryb99 wrote:
> I personally don't enjoy riding in 110° F
>
> >
> >
> > Riding in Fahrenheit is like sooooooo:p last century.


--
Mikefule

Most will fail
And all will die
So none shall live
To tell the tale
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[dale_dale]

TheObieOne3226 wrote:
> Its fun to ride in cold because you eminate steam. That looks cool.




i love the way u think


--
dale_dale

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