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Poem - Winter Ride To Work

Blog Date - 10 November 2014

To wake in the morning and pull the curtain back
To see ice on the glass thick enough to crack
Freezing in the house so what's it like outside?
25 miles to work, that is my next ride

T-shirt times 2, jumper times 3
Leggings and thermals, padding for the knee
Jacket and coat, overpants 2 more
So many layers I can't fit through the door

The seat is frozen, tank covered in frost
Will it bloody start or is all hope lost
Kathunk kachunk...cough pop splutter
It's feckin Baltic, I must be a nutter

It is dark and cold and I'm tired and frumpy
The bike is grumbling, rattly and grumpy
Everyone else is asleep in a warm bed
"I'm a winter biker, yeah!" that's what I said

I gain speed, the air bites my face
Car up my ass, she thinks it's a race
I'm in no rush and for that I am so glad
She overtakes on a bend, makes me so mad

I fear every corner, waiting to slide
Can't go too fast, I'd crash if I tried
Grit on some roads a risk of ice on the rest
Take it easy, slow down and hope for the best

Cars and trucks know not of the threat
They slow just a tad, drive like it's just wet
They know not tyres can slither and slip
They know nothing about friction and grip

Every twitch and twinge could be my last
Slow down, please! You're going too fast
And get off my rear you freaking tin pot
2 wheels and once chance, that's all I've got

After 5 miles my goddam fingers are numb
After 10 miles I can't feel my poor frozen thumb
After 15 miles I am in screaming in pain
After 20 miles I curse "NEVER AGAIN!"

I pray for red lights for momentary ease
Warm fingers on the motor, oh god yes please
Countryside speed just worsens the chill
If it were warm it would be such a thrill

After an hour or so I'm at my workplace
My eyes are running there's frost on my face
Ice on my gloves and ice down my chest
God I love biking, yeah man it's the best

I'm nearly there but it's not over yet
The security chain and lock must be set
My fingers won't move the lock is icebound
My breath melts enough to turn the key round

Inside brings light and sweet warm air
But don't be too hasty, do have a care
When fingers get blood and warmth do regain
It comes with the curse of very great pain

I stand in the room and ask myself "why?"
Why put myself through this, make myself cry?
Does it make me a hero, make me a man?
Like climbing Mount Everest, I do it because I can.

Snow drifts across an wintry road

Reader's Comments

shirley said :-
Perfect description of cold weather riding...haha brrrr
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC

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