Hurrah! Commuting Again!
This week I was so utterly fed up with the loss of fitness caused by weeks off the bike that I decided to cycle in anyhow, and wash up in the loos if I must with a flannel. The ride in was hard but not impossible, but the hill was a monster. (520 feet up to my office in not a lot of distance along!) I have some way to go before I can cycle up it all in one go again.
I stowed my bike in the usual place and dragged myself up to the office wondering what had possessed me to think that a wash in a toilet was going to be in any way sufficient. I got my washbag out of my locker and went in search of suitable facilities. Imagine my relief when I found a shower in a unisex disabled loo that looked like it didn't see a lot of use. There were also hooks on which I could hang my cycling gear to air out. I felt a twinge of guilt here - if I was wheelchair-bound, how would I feel about a cyclist using my facilities in that way? I examined my feelings, decided that I had no idea whatsoever as to whether what I was doing was acceptable or not, and decided to continue until I either had an opinion either way or there was a complaint. So, I showered, packed, breakfasted and made it back to the office for 9am.
Imagine my delight to find in my Inbox an email advising me that all shower facilities were now open again, and not only that, but that regular cyclists, runners and walkers were to be assigned their own locker in the actual shower area! To top it off, cyclists were to be given first refusal on them before anyone else got considered!
So, after having headed to the Estates Office double-quick to pick up my key, I now have locker number 1 and it has all my wash stuff in it, leaving room in my office locker for clothes, bike spares and wet-weather clothing spares. No longer do I have to carry lots of stuff from office to shower room and back again. Unparalleled luxury.
As if to underline this new encouragement to green travel, the evening was warm, sunny and my ride home was luxurious and relaxing.
Again I found myself riding through clouds of Spring perfume from the extravagant blossom.
Life is good.
I stowed my bike in the usual place and dragged myself up to the office wondering what had possessed me to think that a wash in a toilet was going to be in any way sufficient. I got my washbag out of my locker and went in search of suitable facilities. Imagine my relief when I found a shower in a unisex disabled loo that looked like it didn't see a lot of use. There were also hooks on which I could hang my cycling gear to air out. I felt a twinge of guilt here - if I was wheelchair-bound, how would I feel about a cyclist using my facilities in that way? I examined my feelings, decided that I had no idea whatsoever as to whether what I was doing was acceptable or not, and decided to continue until I either had an opinion either way or there was a complaint. So, I showered, packed, breakfasted and made it back to the office for 9am.
Imagine my delight to find in my Inbox an email advising me that all shower facilities were now open again, and not only that, but that regular cyclists, runners and walkers were to be assigned their own locker in the actual shower area! To top it off, cyclists were to be given first refusal on them before anyone else got considered!
So, after having headed to the Estates Office double-quick to pick up my key, I now have locker number 1 and it has all my wash stuff in it, leaving room in my office locker for clothes, bike spares and wet-weather clothing spares. No longer do I have to carry lots of stuff from office to shower room and back again. Unparalleled luxury.
As if to underline this new encouragement to green travel, the evening was warm, sunny and my ride home was luxurious and relaxing.
Again I found myself riding through clouds of Spring perfume from the extravagant blossom.
Life is good.
posted by Catherine at 23:57
2 Comments:
Wow - that blossom is wonderful! I've re-discovered your blog (finally... no internet access at my new place of work and little surfing time in the evenings!)
Hope you're OK - we'll have to catch up sometime.
Life always seems good when the sun is shining.... Kxx
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