The day started so well!

Sarah and I left the house at 7.15am in the morning to meet up with fellow Stockport Community Cycling Club riders to cycle to the start of this weeks ride. The club ride this week was Cuerden Valley,  and the start was at Whittle-Le-Woods, Chorley. So ahead of us lay 35 miles.

Through Stretford, Trafford Park, Walkden, and around Bolton. It was cold, with temperatures hardly rising above zero.

Finally we arrived.

Soon we were on our way. I was back leader today.

Then it happened! My front wheel slipped off a kerb, I toppled in to the road and directly in to the path of an oncoming lorry. A screech of brakes, smoke as tyres skid, burning rubber, a crunch of metal …

Thankfully the lorry driver had managed to swerve slightly and I had equally managed to topple back in the direction of the pavement slightly too. A catastrophe had been averted. I got up rather shaken, a bit battered, but thankfully still in one piece, and fortunate. The bike had faired less well, it’s front wheel shattered, but that could be repaired.

Getting home proved eventful. we transported the one-wheeled bike on to the train and then on to the bike shop. We then walked home.

When we got back I decided for my own confidence sake that I needed to get straight back on to a bike. So we donned our bike helmets and once again set off in to the cold for our second ride of the day, this time just a short local circuit.

Back in the saddle

I was certainly grateful of the ride. We were tired after it all,  and in spite of a curtailed day still managed 57 miles of cycling plus a couple more of walking.

I think we might be consuming a bottle of wine this evening,  it has been quite a day!