More bike stuff

I’ve had no words of late, involved in my bike, the parents being here, and the mundanity of trying to integrate changes into what must necessarily remain the same.

I’ve not been sleeping restfully for the last few months, a surprising condition for someone who’s pretty narcoleptic. The result of this is my becoming more cotton-headed in general - all of my faculties are reserved for work. Work is after all, what pays the bills and provides for my bike.

On the biking front (but what did you expect, considering i had to give her up for a full 8 days while my parents were here?):

Week 1:
• Bring bike home
• Totally and completely overwhelmed by bike and how big/fast/heavy it is
• Despite being able to putt around on residential roads, feel like cannot handle main roads, resulting in not being able to transport self effectively around.
• Discover that as long as bike is in motion, everything a-ok. When velocity falls, big problems. Hill starts and turns at slow speeds cause for stress - possibility of stalling and bike falling and getting mowed over by traffic
• Drop bike. Yes. I DROPPED MY BIKE. When stationary (see above point about falling velocity). Could not handle weird slope of driveway when not moving. Small scratches on bottom of body armour but otherwise still pristine. Emotional trauma. Discover that bike is very heavy when trying to right it, with Princess‘ help.
• Am only biker on road religous about speed limit, such that little old ladies get impatient and overtake dismissively
• Start to think was mistake to get sports bike as obviously too much to handle
• Want to cry because of above point, and too in love with bike to part with. Yellow is new favourite color.

Week 2 (Christmas to New Year):
• Complete write off. No contact with bike as had to hide it while parents were here

Week 3 (first week January):
• Retrieve bike from hiding place (Princess’ carport) with much excitement
• Miraculous appearance of confidence - attribute this to missing bike. To date, execute perfect hill starts, slow turns, road positioning (for the most part). Still iffy on staying in same lane position when doing big roundabouts, but supremely confident is just a matter of time before getting right
• Discover unbeatable ancient method of keeping in mind which gear bike is in - counting
• Internalise the difference between riding like every car is a bike killer, and being paranoid about it
• Really enjoying self now. Leaning gracefully into corners is best feeling in world
• Slow-speed handling still a bit of a concern, but big improvements. Am sure that like big roundabouts, all matter of time
• Freeway on Saturday morning is answer to all problems