The joy of mechanicals

It's a pleasure to sound all "pro" and to talk about a stuffed bit of kit as a "mechanical". I used to say that the franinfranfanjan was busted - now I say I'm down with a mechanical, or a "mechanical incident".

I've clearly been watching to much of the Tour. I'm absorbing the lingo.

My brain has also been absorbing the crashes. I have had dreams about crashes every night - except it never hurts when I hit the ground. Phew. Last time I took a tumble, I just lay there on the cold concrete for about two minutes, gasping with how much it hurt to slam into an unyielding surface from just a few feet above.

The mechanical is done with though. What takes 30 seconds to fix on the Tour took me 24 hours. I've been off the road for two days - and been stuck on buses instead. Even though I have been travelling outside of peak hour, I have spent nearly 5 hours either walking to the bus, waiting for the bus, sitting on the bus and then walking to work/home after getting off the bus - in just two days. 2.5 hours per day, down the toilet. I used to think that spending 35-45 minutes on the bike, plus 5-6 minutes at each end getting changed, was a lot of time. Two days on the bus has served to remind me that it can be quicker all up on the bike.

I also had to deal with a complete loony on the bus on both days. At least when I am on the bike, I only have to deal with one loon - myself.