It’s the season of Back To Bike. With the ending of the road running race season and the arrival of the summer, I have been urged by my other half to blow the dust away from my newish (bought in September 2016 but I could count the number of times I used it with just the fingers on one palm) Liv bike.
Cycling in Essonne and Yvelines
Today, being forecasted with a cool temperature of mid-20s degrees celsius (as compared to the mid-30s of canicule in the week), we decided to do a 43km round in departments of Essonne and Yvelines. I wanted also to use the ride to try out my first set of proper bike outfit (Castelli, an Italian brand with a scorpion logo!)
Fear of Descents
My irrational fear of steep descents (“steep” is relative, of course) is my greatest handicap. Instead of leveraging on the gravity and savouring the adrenaline rush on downhills, I am usually highly stressed as my bike “flies (again, that is relative)” down the slope, my fingers gripping on the brakes, with the brake pads unnecessarily wearing out. Myriad images of myself being being flung out of my bike, thrown on the road, and then being squashed by oncoming cars incessantly cross my mind as I descend. In addition, I am still not comfortable on my road/racing bike…the thin tyres, the bent handlebars, and my difficulty in fully gripping the brakes (might be because of abnormally small hands).
Tour of châteaux on bike
Despite my paranoia, I have enjoyed my ride out (a needed break from running). It was a great day to get back to bike. Great expanse of clear blue sky scattered with puffy cotton clouds coupled with strong gusts of wind at times. We passed by some châteaux, and like a tourist, I took some snaps.
A light Mediterranean meal: Assiette Canapé of aubergine caviar, tarama, tapenade, and Poivrons marinés.
The ride ended with an enjoyable alfresco lunch at Gif-sur-Yvette, a neighbouring commune.
Oh, and today is the annual “foire” or the faire in Orsay, the second one since I moved in here almost one and a half years ago. The street where my apartment sits on is filled with vendors selling knickknack.
