Lost without it

It's now almost a week since I took my bike in to be mended. It got a broken spoke last week, the inevitable consequences of riding a touring bike on London's pot-holed byways, and has gone in for essential repairs and wheel-truing.

I didn't realise how much I used it until this week - I'd got to the stage of riding to work at least twice a week, usually three times, reducing my exposure to the overcrowded and unreliable train services to just once or twice a week. Of course this week had to be the time that the trains would go totally tits-up, the very week I had to take them every day!

It's probably cos we've been having 'a bit' of rain. Every Londoner knows that our extensive rail system cannot cope with more than a bit of drizzle. But this week has seen frequent cancellations and overcrowding worse than it has been for ages, and has made me yearn for the freedom of the bicycle. Even in the rain!

What's more I haven't been able to get to the swimming baths, as the bike is the only quick and reliable method of getting there and still being able to get to work on time.

Come back darling, I miss you!!