Tonight I learned the secret of how to become a good Masters cyclist & it is all about the recovery drink and music selection. The recovery drink of choice was an amber looking liquid in a cold can. Very tasty after a hard ride!! Thanks Bob. What I didn't know was that x-mas music makes you go faster, but I'm not sure I'm going to try that again ;)
My "easy" training week ended abruptly on Saturday with a hilly ride from Pioneer Park & to add to my tired legs I got in another 60+ miles today. I love sunny November days!! Next weekend they have warned for some snow flurries and it will be fun to take out the winter gear!! I'm probably the only one in Indy looking forward to that.
I've cycled in London for six years now and have remained accident free. Here's my strategy and several tips for safe, pleasant city cycling:
Strategy: cycle like driver should drivei. claim the lane you are cycling in
Cycle 3-5 feet away from the curb. In doing so you dominate the lane and force traffic behind you to overtake you sensibly. You are much less likely to get "squeezed" in doing this.
ii. be "in the flow" of the traffic
Be assertive and carve for yourself a place in the moving traffic queue. This communicates that you belong on the road, and I believe earns you greater respect from motorised traffic. It also gives you greater space and scope to react to trouble.
v. do not jump red lights under any circumstances
You may be tempted as everyone else seems to do it but those who do are just being dicks. They do not get to their destination quicker and they are not "safer". There is no excuse.
I believe following these five tactics are the basics for safe city cycling. They put you in control, force motorised traffic to acknowledge your existance and as a result encourage safer overtaking practices.
Tip 1: Anticipate trouble
This means keeping your head up and keeping in check of your situation. I've analysed my pattern of view whilst cycling and it boils down to
and repeating.
Tip 4: Be polite, civilised and keep your cool
Always be polite and courteous to pedestrians, even if it looks like they have done something stupid - they don't mean it, and they are just trying to get somewhere like you. Give way at zebra crossings.
Remember this isn't a war zone, it's just a bunch of people trying to get from a to b, and 90% of the time the law is rightfully on the pedestrians side, not yours.
Dealing with motorised traffic is slightly harder. If you get cut up or bullied by motorised traffic try to keep calm and carry on. You will catch them up at the next junction anyway, and a quick word with them may reveal how blissfully unaware they were of what they did. However most drivers are not willing to take your advice even though their interpretation of the highway code may be totally inaccurate. It’s often best to let it go, to save your sanity.Summary
Save cycling in cities like London is combination of general safety strategies like cycling like a drive should drive, and specific cycling tactics like staying out of the door zone. Once you've got these right cycling becomes a more predictable and enjoyable experience, and doesn't feel like taking your life into your own hands each time you into the saddle.
La Gola is where the river Ter flows into the Mediterranean Sea, having started in the Pyrenees mountains around the ski resort of Vallter 2000 some 220 kms away.
Many people visit the Dali/Gala castle at Púbol but do not realise that only a couple kilometres off the road there is a charming church hamlet to visit without any tourists, Sant Andreu de Pedrinyà.
OMG, this looks so good. Just found out about it on ivillage.co.uk. Um.... supposed to be Christmas shopping but hey, got a bit distracted. This is due out sometime in 2010 but as yet there is no indication of what the price will be. It comes complete with an exercise bike so it won't be cheap and I expect it'll be the usual scenario - rare as hens teeth to get hold of one. I'm guessing it will be handbags at dawn when they are released into the shops.
Yesterday it was time for another 5 minutes of torture on the bike. This was the final test to establish a complete power profile. I managed to do pretty well and can now say that I can light up quite a few 100W lamps for a few minutes!!
Ride Day is getting ever closer!
Registration for the 2009 Ba Vi Bike Ride is due by Monday 16th November for this year’s annual KOTO Ba Vi Bike Ride! Please get your forms in early!
We still have bikes available for those of you requiring a bike to participate.
Everything is in place for this year’s ride. The route has been finalised with only a few changes which will provide a faster departure from Hanoi’s traffic and will avoid the road works on the way to Ba Vi. And this year we even have a post race therapeutic massage available for those in need at the end of the ride!
Please fill in the attached registration form as soon as possible and return to KOTO Training Centre or email to – kotobikeride@koto.com.au. Then to complete the registration process, drop in at Café Hideaway at one of our information days on Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th November between 10am and 3pm. There, on payment of your minimum sponsorship fee, you can collect your bike ride t-shirt, ride notes, bike number and bike ride information pack. Any balance can be paid at the bike ride or by Tuesday 24th November.
Remember, the more money you raise, the more chance you will have to be in the running for some great prizes!
This year prizes include a Red River Cruise on the Jewel of the Delta, a weekend at the Mai Chau Lodge and our youngest Achiever can invite four friends to join them for an afternoon kids session of making and tasting at the Hanoi Cooking Centre.
Email your form to kotobikeride@koto.com.au , fax it to us on (84-4) 3747 0337 / 8 or drop in to see us at the KOTO Training Centre at 101 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Hanoi. For more information, please contact us by email or give Oanh or I a call on 04 3718 4573.
JOIN US and to make this the best ever KOTO Ba VI Bike Ride!
Regards
Cynthia Mann
Fundraising & Major Events Manager
KOTO Hanoi
Many thanks to our sponsors: UNIS, Tan Da Spa Resort, Exotissimo, Crown Relocation, SOS, Ciputra, Joy Water, Tiger, Lucky Beer, The Warehouse, Baran (Vietnam) Ltd, UMA, Mangosteen IT Services, Cafe Hideaway, Mai Chau Lodge, Jewel of the Delta, Hanoi Cooking Centre
Take a peek at The TFN09 Official Photographer Contest Finalists. 3 more days before the Winner's announced!
