Summer time

... and the living is easy.  But before I wander off humming Gershwin classics to myself, let me offer up a little praise to the possibly temporary arrival of a British summer (we all know what this means don't we).

There is  no avoiding it, this week is prime cycling to work weather, and the excuses are becoming rapidly more flimsy.  So transparent in fact that last night I admitted it to myself, I was going to need to cycle in or accept that I am simply no longer a bike commuter.  So tyres were pumped (unlike the owner) on the hybrid, pannier was stuffed with spare inner tubes and tyre levers and basically I was committed.

Put out all kinds of appropriate biking clothing last night.  Then this morning got out of bed and ignored all my carefully selected baggy trousers and microfleece type top in favour of a simple T-shirt and cycling shorts.  Yes, cycling shorts.  Lycra as an outer layer.  Lycra.  Me.  All those wobbly bits on display.  Suffice it to say I slunk out of the house avoiding the eyes of the mountain bike as I quietly wheeled out the hybrid.

Ah, the joy of the bike ride.  Instead of sitting in traffic jams in the car fiddling with the heater / air con to try to get the temperature right, instead of changing radio channel every five minutes to avoid arguing people but still find out what's happening in the world, instead of being in such interminably slow traffic that my left buttock starts to ache from the clutch change. Instead of all this I was in control of my commute, and my lungs were pumping, my legs were hurting, I was doing this.  Then something happened which never happens in the car.  At red lights I chatted.  Another cyclist came up from behind.  He nodded and smiled.  I nodded then smiled.  And the lights stayed red.  And I opened conversation, he reciprocated.  Two miles later on we were still cycling side by side chatting.  Ahem.  He was chatting.  I was panting somewhat.  And it just wouldn't happen in the car and I saw that it was good.

"One of these mornin's, you're gonna rise up singin'; You're gonna spread your wings And take to the sky."

Humming.