Monday, September 1, 2014

Scared of the dark

I do love a BBQ and I always enjoy a cycle; it's a perfect evening when I can combine the two. Last weekend it was not the rain that was the limiting factor but a different natural element put a dampener on my evening.

My Saturday was filling up fast and frustratingly exercise was the one part that had to be sacrificed so I saw the perfect opportunity when invited to a friend’s house to enjoy some alfresco dining. The party was eighteen miles by bicycle but not a Devon ride; it's a flat route with just one slight incline to finish and mostly off-road following the old railway along the river from Bath to Bristol. It seemed the perfect solution, I arrived in good time, got in my exercise and wasn't even too hot or dishevelled. The problem arose when I came to head home.

In the back of my mind I knew the evenings were beginning to close so I should keep an eye on the time. Stupidly I'm in denial that the longest day is far behind us and that actually it is time to dig out some of my more suitable cycling kit - including my lights. The beginning of my ride home through Bristol was easy and with street lamps just turning on I had no worries. That was until I hit the tree covered cycle path. Petrified is one way to describe my emotions. The problem being the slower I went the darker it would be by the end; I had no choice but to grind to a halt every now and then when the path seemed to disappear or as a tree looked as though it was leaning over and touching me. It is hard to describe the relief I felt once I hit the street lighting at the other end. I am digging out some lights right now.