Night Rider

No I am not talking about Kit and the bewildering "Hoff"...I am talking about what the best course of action is to maintain my "training" (laughing as I write that because any keen cyclist probably thinks my efforts do not constitute training), as the winter draws in.

I discussed the pros and cons of a turbo trainer with my brother in law who does lots of road racing.  I have to say the thought of going into my garage in the evening, plugged into my IPod and doing the equivalent of a spinning class on my own filled me with dread and the possibility of wasting lots of money! His recommendation was to spend the same amount of money that I would spend on a turbo trainer on a good light for my bike.

Which is what I did - I got the Exposure Joystick light - in pink of course (to match my handlebars and tyres).

Last night I did my first ride in the dark...as I got to the end of my village I could see a balck abyss in front of me and the added knowledge that on the hill out of my village I can reach the spead of about 33mph.  I was slightly nervous and felt I couldn't see much of the road ahead.  I was so dissapointed that I had spent so much money on a light that wasn't doing what it said on the tin...I thought I was going to have to turn around and go home...

I started moving the light, before I hit the hill, realising that is was pointing far too much towards the ground, and lifting it up I was able to see at least 100 metres ahead of me...I was off and it was brilliant.

I loved cycling in the dark, I managed 11 miles in 51 minutes.  Leaving the illuminated villages behind me, and re-entering the dark abyss in front it was quiet and eerie.  It was interesting seeing the shadows I cast and listening to the sounds around me, sometimes being illumiated by car headlights behind me casting a double shadow of me cycling away.

Feel confident now that I can carry on throughout winter, loving that hour on my own, in the darkness with the sound of the wheels on the tarmac - what a brilliant way to clear your head.