We've had today's iTune already but I've been saving one of my favourites for this eventuality. In a 900+ mile ride, you are bound to fall off something as gravitationally challenged as a bike, and today I did. So, time for a rousing chorus of Razorlight's Stumble and Fall ( Buy it for 79p through iTunes Music Store). The most important thing is that the bike is fine... and I haven't found any major bits missing either. I also had another pucture, and wrote off a tyre. So, an eventful day ...and I now have no spare.
This stage started with an hour spent on Hamilton Station getting over the trauma of separation from my co-rider(!), updating the blog and planning my way through Glasgow. In the end I gave up on the latter and decided just to ride into the city and turn left as soon as I crossed the River Clyde.
This worked really well and took me through traffic-free green spaces and on to Route 7 of the National Cycle Network. Between the green spaces and the cycle there was a bit of road work and it was here that I fell off when I clipped the kerb trying to get onto a cycle path. I am not sure what happened but I fell flat on my front so the impact was spread over a large area! I only have a couple of grazed knees and a mangled little finger so got off lightly.
Route 7 was good but went through a poorer area of Glasgow with lots of drinking going on along the cycle path, which means that there is glass everywhere. This is what split my tyre and caused the puncture.
After about 15 mile on Route 7 I had to give up and join the A 82 as the signs ran out... get onto it Sustrans!
STATS:
Net ascent (decent) ft: (113)
Distance miles: 51.24
Average speed mph: 12.70
Time in saddle: 4:01:57
Cumulative Distance: 816.12
In this picture the bike looks positively vertical. I reckon you just wanted an excuse to play Stumble and Fall. I want photographic evidence of the injuries.
p.s. Nigel's after you so get in touch
Posted by: Emma Berry aka daughter | June 05, 2006 at 04:15 PM