Hard Men

Greetings!

"You Tube" is great isn't it?! Is there anything that's not on there?! Okay, so the screen is miniscule and sometimes it doesn't work very well, but there's certainly plenty to entertain. Yesterday evening I decided I could do with watching something to get me in the right frame of mind for a good few miles on the bike today. Something which would make my intended 50 miles or so seem like a walk in the park in comparison. "Aha! Paris-Roubaix", I thought. A quick search on You Tube and up pops a selection of videos of "the Hell of the North" from the 1980's. Just the ticket! Feet up, crack open a bottle from my real ale collection, dish of salted peanuts in easy reach and let the insanity commence!

There's good old Phil Liggett and an "amusing" American commentator who ups the entertainment factor! Mud, pave, crazy speeds, spills, frills, blood and guts (alright, just blood). Excellent stuff! 130 miles gone, covered in mud and they're still riding at motorbike speeds. Marvel, as the likes of Sean Kelly and Greg Lemond go hell for leather after six and a half hours in the saddle. Gasp, as somehow a rider still has the strength to make a break for glory. Sit goggle-eyed as a rider punctures and just starts to run instead! Hell, almost. Hard men, for sure.

Sunday dawns......to a covering of snow! What?! Well, there was no snow in the videos I watched last night, so perhaps I'm quite justified in pulling the bed covers back over and planning next weekend's ride instead. But, then I think of that well known picture of the legendary Tom Simpson time-trialling through the snow in the 1962 Paris-Nice race in fingerless gloves and shorts, and I realise that resistance is futile. Lying on the floor nearby are my numerous thick cycling tops, warm leggings and gloves. There are no excuses. The bike awaits. "But there might be ice", I half-heartedly protest. "Pathetic!", comes my own response - it's not cold enough.

.....several hours later and I'm almost home. 50 miles plus under the wheels and I'm feeling pretty good. This morning's reluctance long forgotten. Just a few more small hills between me and a pan of hot soup and half a loaf of bread. But wait......if I do that twice more I too can call myself a "Hard man" of cycling!

"No".....I'll settle for the soup!

Yours

The Pale Rider