A Bug's Life

I keep making things harder for myself - and in doing so, the trials of the day before pale in comparison. This is an excellent demonstration to my brain of the power of practice to improve one's skills. (Pity it doesn't work with essay-writing)

Five minutes cycle to Cycle King to buy panniers. Had some trouble on Coleridge Road - cars wanted to overtake on a narrow stretch, instead I tried to cycle at a decent speed so they wouldn't feel held up. Went very wobbly when I slowed for traffic lights and nearly came off :-(

I took the advice of watervole and naath and got decent big ones, "two separate panniers that individually clip onto your luggage rack. Then, if you want to go shopping, you can carry one round a little like a shopping bag - they come with a carrying handle to make this easy."

I then spent really far too long faffing around trying to fit them. I thought I'd managed okay, but one had two bungee cords on and the other had none. Are they meant to be hooked together? Good job I didn't try that, as that would have involved bungee cords going through the spokes of the wheel and I would have realised the error in my reasoning as soon as I tried to move the bike. After 15 minutes and a broken nail I returned to the shop to ask them to check I'd got them on properly, as there were fixings left over.
"I don't even know if I have them the right way round."
"The reflector strips at the rear are usually a clue, madam." *removes panniers and swaps them round*
bugshaw: *goes red* (which matches the panniers, so I call that a win)

Off to Sainsbury's - a long way round due to the attendance of five emergency vehicles on the quiet back route I'd chosen, Mill Road being chock full of unsympathetic drivers. Bought falafel mix. Put it in panniers! Panniers and cycle lock much easier to manipulate now I've had more practice. Bicycle did not fall over due to presence of provisions. bugshaw also did not fall over, and managed hills, cycle lanes, shared-use cycle/footpaths, actual roads, traffic lights, and the big roundabout on Perne/Radegund. Still cannot lift my hand enough to do hand signals, push my glasses up my nose, wipe cobwebs from my face, or look at my watch.

Generally am v. pleased with myself, for a) getting out there and doing it and b) making progress! 35 minutes total cycling on that trip, and no soreness. I might crack this yet...

Need some sort of bicycle icon. And either a fixup for my rear light (which is blocked by panniers) or a different light that will fit on the end of my luggage rack.