Obsession, compulsion.

Regular readers will know why I started cycling in adulthood. And why I continue to do so. There has been a development.

Last night whilst riding through sleety rain, I realised it has become an obsession, I have a compulsion to get on my bike.

My evening rides are getting longer, at first they were around ten miles, taking about an hour. That has creapt up to fifteen miles and around an hour and forty minutes. I pass people multiple times as I complete my loops.

I could feel the cold creeping into my hands and feet, but I was still close to heading off into the night, instead of turning for home. I couldn't of course: it was 19:30, any direction would have been unlit; not great with such poor road surfaces, and I had commitments waiting for me at home.

My cycling clothing is now reasonably good at keeping me comfortable, unless it gets really bad.

The recent very cold weather has meant a few missed days, it's hard to have to accept I shouldn't go out. I look at the weather reports and out of the window a lot during the day. Trying to decide if it's okay to get on my bike. There are so many hills around me, I can't pick a flat route. And besides, I came off last week on a level road. It was the steep camber that caught me out.

I set myself goals to cycling further, more often in 2021. It has to fit into the time I have, so it's not going to be ultra distance. The likes of Mark Beaument haven't got to worry about their records being broken by me. I'm going to buy his book about endurance riding, I have read Trevor Lund's book - North to Alaska - about his ride up the America's. And have just started Quondam by John Devoy about his journey through Africa. I definitely have the bug for long distance rather than speed cycling, although I have looked into racing. But that might take up too much time, travelling to the venues across the country isn't going to be possible, even without Covid restrictions.

The charity ride in June for Mind will be partially accompanied by two members of Moof IT cycling club, I'm really looking forward to that. You can sponsor me here.