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rapha softshell gloves
if it rains, do i not get wet? if the wind blows, do i not struggle to move forward? and if it is cold, do i not shiver? more than likely, but only a bit of a bummer if walking from the front door to the car, or pushing a laden trolley across tesco's car park. on a bicycle, these are character building properties - all part of the deal.
heading out past initial vestiges of christmas decorations in front windows, down past the village square where the annual tree is festooned with bright light emitting diodes, like those found under audi headlamps, and off into rural freedom. it's cold: gilet and winter sportwool meet softshell gloves at the end of lengthy sculpted cuffs. threequarter bibs would probably have sufficed, but roubaix tights it is - no sense in taking chances with chilly ankles. and anyway, the tinsel is internal.
the wind spatters flurries of white tops on the loch, but heading in the same direction as my wheel; several minutes grace from adversity - i'm pedalling hard to keep that tinsel alight. roads seldom stay straight for long, and the ride is pulling me round to face those white tops, seemingly ignorant of my increasing effort at their behest. you have to wonder why you'd do this, well at least for a moment or two, but with a facial expression gradualy resembling one of those smilies at the foot of fussy e-mails, it's not a thought that remains for long. it's the extremities that remain coldest for longest, and today is no real change from that - the gilet has the body covered (in both senses of that phrase), the arms are warming nicely and just remains for the fingers to heat to similar temperature. there is every sign that this is happening.
with gritty and often slippy roads, control is not something to be relinquished at any cost - that control also demands comfort, since those hands can be in the same position for longer: concentration often forgets. and those very same hands will be required to grasp a small square of mint chocolate accompanying a dark brown, double espresso. a task that they accomplished with ease before moving on to a second one. you can't be too careful.
it is indeed, a merry christmas.
apologies for nicking a bit of ben ingham's photo, but he's a lot better at this sort of thing than i am.
posted on tuesday 9 december 2008
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