Last spring an summer I tried to ride my bike an increasing number of kilometres each day. It was a modest target but I tried to ride 100 kilometres each week. I started with 15 kilometres in the first week. This is quite easy, just ride to the farm 2 or 3 times in the week, maybe taking in a detour down one of my favourite lanes. Or just riding the bike to the station instead of driving- 28 km. It was easy to do 50 km a week. This year it is tougher. We have lots of heavy rain, just for about half an hour once or twice a week but it makes sections of the roads into streams of mud which though they form in fives minutes take five days to dry.
Today is the only day that I can fit a bike into my schedule. I did it last week. I rode to my nearest student 12 km away. I was really looking forward to building up my cycling muscles and maybe tomorrow be able to sit with ease in spite of the exercise today. To be secretly honest too I was enjoying the prospect of an extra snack or two to keep up my energy for the ride. The weather had alternative plans for my day. At 6 30am it was as dark as if there was an impending tornado. I took David to work and will drive to my student. But this still leaves ageing muscles in need of maintenance, stretching and using.
Photograph: My bike beside the Old Canal, Ronquières to Feluy
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