Monday, 31 October 2011

Exercise, Endorphins and Ennui

Monument Valley, Arizona and Utah
Back at the weekend from a holiday in Spain. Pleasant weather, time with family, nice food, no alarm clocks. Was a little sad yesterday and maybe even a tad depressed. Not because I was no longer on holiday but simply because I hadn't managed a bicycle ride for nine days. Realised I was really missing the exercise induced endorphins and the buzz of a good, fast, sweeping decent or two. Can never let this happen again. What am I going to do on my five week long motorhome tour of the American South West next year?

8 comments:

  1. Brompton...tempting but don't think the OH will go for the N+1 argument. Mind you, there is one I might be able to borrow from a relative!

    I really fancy having access to a road bike and a MTB though. I'm sure I will be able to hire a MTB for trail riding but not so sure about a road bike. Cannot go five weeks with no cycling!

    Even so i'm going to have limited opportunity for cycling as I will be the only driver on our tour and I cannot just abandon the family. I suppose having a foldup utility bike with us would very handy for getting to the local shops, etc. and would make it easy to get my fix.

    Work is doing a "Cycle to Work" scheme (at last). Maybe my own Bromptom is not such a no no after all. I will need to get from the hotel in Las Vegas to the motorhome rental place a few miles away so that already saves a taxi fare.

    Oooh, dare I?

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  2. Do dare!!

    Plus a Brompton suits the whole family, also your wife will be able to use it.

    My Mr is 6'2'' and I am 5'2''... Brompton fits us both rather well :)

    x

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  3. LC

    You are tempting me. Will have to get my wife to try the brother in laws's Brommie soon!

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  4. Lol sounds like you'll be leaving the club Darrell & appreciating one from close up. Great bikes - somehow don't think you'll be disappointed!

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  5. It's one of those purchases you never regret, partly because it retains its value so well, partly because it pays for itself many times over in many small ways. The wide range of rider heights it can accommodate means it can be used by the entire family, and their track record suggests is will last for decades, by which point you'll have long forgotten how much it cost.

    If you can hire a mountain bike, the Brompton will do as a road bike substitute for five weeks easily. Plus it could be the last bike you ever buy for the golden child.

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  6. The only driver? That's a pain.

    If you cannot possibly recruit another driver, my take on it would be to tell Mrs MAC you are getting the Brompton or you aren't going...

    I would murder my wife and family if I had to drive them round for 5 weeks with no cycling ;-)

    Don

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  7. Don

    I think murder is a little extreme.

    I'll be the only driver because there will only be me, the OH and the Golden Child on the trip and I would rather drive a motorhome than be driven by the OH!

    LC, Ian and MrC

    Have arranged to borrow the Brommie for a couple of days and we are going to see if it would make a good family bike. I would be more than happy with this arrangement but the OH feels it's just an excuse to get a Brommie for me (not true, not true!).

    I must make her fall in love with the bike! It doesn't help that my sister has labelled her husband's Brommie a "Roy Cropper bike". He is not bothered by this slur and I know my sister has no appreciation for the finer things but I must try to to shield the OH from such negative bias. Maybe if I let her choose the colour while I choose the spec'?

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