Well the Old Boy has again done what he promised and bought this Old Girl a new bike!
I didn't realise it was all so complicated and confusing to buy a bike. I just look at a bike and say "I want that bike in white thanks," but it's not as simple as that. There is the size to figure out, the style of bike, either a cross bar or the ladies style, a step through type. Then there is the reach, and the leg position on peddles. Then there's mountain bikes, and road bikes, and racers, and hybrids, and different handle bars, and gears and number of gears. On top of all that it has to suit the Old Boys pocket!
I eventually found a bike after looking in bike shops in Biggin Hill, Hayes and two more in Bromley! I ended up getting the bike that I first saw last Thursday!! I know all you girls can relate to that (or is that just me?)
It was too late to go for any sort of pleasure ride with the Old Boy, because we were in the car and he had to drive home while I rode home on my new bike. Once home though, we cooed and arred over the new arrival, then we started to compare his bike to mine, and who had the bestest and whose is the cleanest and whose can go the fastest, you know the sort of thing. I think we came to the conclusion that it still takes a rider to get the best out of the bike.
"Come on then" says the Old Boy, "lets get out for a quick 10 miler" I was more than keen, as my bike had brand new blinking lights too! "We'll go down to Greenstreetgreen" he says, but by the time we had got our gear on the Old Boy had changed his mind, he said something about Farnborough Village as well. Of course me not being the greatest navigator in the world, and I have never really paid any attention when we have been in the car as to what way we were going, I presumed that we are still going to GreenstreetGreen and then on to Farnborough from there.
Going up the A21 I kept up with the Old Boy, I was getting used to the gearing and the way I have to change gear, but soon the hill slowed me down a bit. I kept on going, I could see the Old Boys blinking lights, and even saw another cyclist overtake him just as he over took me. So I kept my head down, and just peddled and peddled. Just after the last roundabout before GreenstreetGreen I had to pull over because I had a phone call. By this time I couldn't see the Old Boys lights and I presumed it was him anyway, and he was waiting by the Rose and Crown for, wondering if I was ok. But, that is not how it was. The Old Boy had turned off by Starts hill and was indeed heading up to Farnborough Village! I had got it wrong! There is obvisouly not a way to get to Farnborough from GreenStreetgreen, and he had been through the Villiage and passed the pubs, and back again to the traffic lights to find me. Now as I am writing this he is still moaning that I don't listen! And that I got it wrong. Hmm, well maybe! Or he should have made his self clearer!
Now that I know we are not going to Farnborough Village there is only one way home, and that is up hills. Either Crofton Road, or Knoll Rise, or Perry Hall or Poverest!! Oh, well, at least I can test the gears out on this bike, and at least it will put to rest the argument that it is indeed power and not gearing that gets you up the hills! I still have to peddle, it's me that has to do all the work, no matter what sort of bike is underneath my tenderised bottom!
The Old Boy said that we should go up PerryHall lane! My nemesis, (one of many I might add) and this will be a test. So far I have never got up this in one go, or two goes, in fact I usually walk it! So lets see if I have got fitter! I could hear the Old Boy behind me as we go up just a slight incline "Is this it, is this what you been moaning about?" I told him that we not got there yet, just up a little bit more and then there it was. Rising up high. I can feel the hill as I begin the ascent, "This is a pimple" says the Old Boy, But I know that this hill wants me to fail, it wants me to get off and walk on its pavements, and have another little laugh at the Old girl as she trys to get fitter!
To my surprise I passed the place where I first stopped, I passed the second place that I stopped and kept going, it was hurting, my legs where screaming at me to stop, I could see the roundabout up the top, "I just want to get there, just to the round about, and I will be happier." I said to myself. The Old Boy decided to be behind me as we tackled this hill, I knew that he would be watching me, seeing if I am fitter, seeing if it can do it.
Yes. Yes. Yes. I made it to the round about and then had to get off! There was no way I could have negotiated that as well, my legs were hurting me. But I had got to the place I said I wanted to, maybe if this roundabout wasn't here I could have kept going. The Old Boy just looked at me, tutted and shook his head, and then carried on. I walked over to the other side of the road, found a safe place to put the bike on the road again and then finished the hill!! One stop on the dreaded hill, yes, I am pleased with that.
I overtook the Old Boy again and continued to lead, but as I have already mentioned I am not very good at navigating, or remembering routes, and now this route is in the dark, I did get a little lost. "Why you heading to Chislehurst" says the Old Boy. "Oh should we have turned left there" I says. The Old Boy just raised his eyebrows again and said "Thats ok, we can go this way and maybe do Summer Hill, or we could go through PettsWood" You can guess which one I opted for!
When I realised where were were, I was thinking that we were going to go back to the orignal route, over the walking bridge, straight down the road and turn left in to Oxhawth. But the Old Boy had other ideas, as he was in the lead again. We went through the high street, turned right to the roundabout and right again and went through Pettswood on the other side. He went straight down Southborough and passed both Oxhawths and turned left when we got to the first pub to go through the park!!
A pleasant ride! An enjoyable ride, and a very good test for the new bike!
Yup, I think I like this bike, and I am sure it is going to help in getting me fit!
Geeky stats for test ride, and I have even included a picture of me on my new bike!
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