Got your banana?

'Got your banana? What are you like?' was Jackie's greeting when I reached work on my bike today. Clearly I had arrived! My bike travels with me in the lift up to my office on the 5th floor to stop it being vandalised.

I had an appointment after work yesterday so had to leave promptly and en route the heavens opened and I got caught in a truly amazing downpour of hail. Fortunately not of the stinging variety. It was exhilarating! I felt fresh and alive and tingly. I don't mind a bit of rain (or hail) winds dodn't do much for me nor does snow as I usually fall off my bike in snow and ice.

The trouble with rain is when you get home and then have to deal with the wet clothes. Although the waterproof cycling trousers Sheila brought for me for Christmas are brilliant. They are easy to slip on and keep me dry without getting in the way. Only trouble is they are a dulll black colour. Most cycling gear seems to be either dull black or very vivid. I don't mind the vivid. My jacket is a say a banana yellow!

Sheila and I did a few cycling holidays when we first got together in the early 1990s. One weekend we were up in the Dales and the heavens seriousily opened. The rain was fierce and horizontial and we got soaked through almost immediately. The rain poured horizontally through the dry stone walls (that's a misnomer!). We cycled through deep waters on the roads that cars were avoiding.

Min-morning we found a cafe and steamed dry, it was wonderful. It was still raining an hour later so we took an early lunch. An hour later it was still raining so we had to set off to catch our train home. I took all my clothes off in the waiting room, naked and freezing - luckily the room was empty. On the train I had a warming brandy. That was our last trip for ages!

Best,

Bill