Holy crap!

Blimey! This story surprised me. I didn't think there was a road in the world which pro cyclists would have to walk on, never mind the weather conditions. However, when you read on about the cobbles, mud etc. it's a pretty good explanation of why.

I've climbed up a very short 25% hill in dry weather a few times but trying to go up a cobbled muddy road for a little over half a kilometre is another ask altogether. Even going up the skittery little 25% hill I've been on, I've been gasping afterwards (although a lot of people probably wouldn't have this problem).

I wonder if it's not so much the cyclists aren't fit and strong enough to get up the hill as the cobbles are so slippy it makes attempting to control their bikes too difficult? I guess that's probably the case. There seems to be no limit to the endurance of pro cyclists. I remain totally in awe of their fitness.

New bike photo

As promised, here's the photo of Kirby Girl's new bike. Isn't it a lovely machine? Well, I think so anyway. A bit too lovely for my liking. I'll have to accidentally spill paint on it so it stops looking better than my bike does.

It'll have a silver TorTec Ultralite pannier rack on the back within the next couple of days but that's the only aesthetic difference to be made from the picture on the left.

Damn! It does look better than my bike but don't tell anyone. Oh, if you're interested (although goodness only knows why) it's Kingfisher Blue and Pearlescent White.

New bike new bike new bike new bike

Hurrah! Kirby Girl got her new bike today and bollocks, it maybe is a bit better looking than mine (grrrr). When it's better weather (but before it gets filthy) I'll take some photos of it and post them here. It's a lovely looking machine and will be a good means for me to blackmail Kirby Girl out on her bike with me. I find getting it for her so exciting I could soil myself.

Up yours! You inconsiderate bastards!

Okay okay, this has even less to do with cycling than the Sheryl Crow post a couple of posts down but it's got to do with transport and that's just about close enough for me at the moment.

Forgive the The Sun or News of the World type headline please. Whilst we were out shopping at a branch of a large chain of supermarkets (aka Tesco), I noticed someone swearing and getting very frustrated with a sticker stuck to her car's driver side window. Initially I thought 'Jeez, that's a pretty crappy thing for someone to do as a prank' until I realised she was parked in a disabled parking only space and didn't have the appropriate badge permitting her to do so. Upon further investigation, plenty of cars were in the same boat, with stickers on their windows telling them it was a parking spot reserved for disabled badge holders (or something along those lines but not badger holders) only.

Whilst I'm sure this is something commonplace in countries slightly less stunted in their evolution than Ireland, I was delighted to see some deterrent being implemented for the shits who choose to park in disabled only parking spaces simply because they're too lazy to walk an extra ten metres to and from the shop they're frequenting.


Without getting onto too much of a rant about it, you wonder why such lazy people really need to be bringing their cars everywhere in the first place, never mind parking in spaces allocated for people who require them, as opposed to finding them 'a bit handier'.

Nearer ever nearer

I continue to be excited about Kirby Girl's forthcoming bike and the emotional blackmail it will (hopefully) let me get away with. I've been working along the lines of 'I thought you liked your bike. How come you won't come out cycling with me today?', 'I could have used the money I spent on your bike for [insert appropriate lie]' etc. Don't worry, it's only the start. I'm sure I'll come up with something better to try to force her out cycling against her will on a regular basis.

News is (and I use the word 'news' loosely as Kirby Girl and I are the only people who care) the bike is sitting almost complete but for the wheels (we would already have it had there not been a minor wheel mix up). Apparently they're to be in early next week and then her beautiful new bicycle will be ready for the road. I think I may be more excited than she is about it. I hope she likes it.