mcatrophy
Privileged to ride a 2018 FJR1300AS
Due to family health issues, I'd not been on the bike for a few weeks. So it was a nice feel to get back on it when, as She drove off to do whatever it was She drove off to do, She said "Goodbye, and we need some bread".
Those of you who are married will know that this translates as "You are going to buy some bread". Who am I to argue?
So, on the bike to do the mile-and-a-half to the group of shops that have the bakery. I buy the bread, back to the bike, pop the loaf into a pannier. Then look up at the sky. It's totally cloudless, varying in its blue, hovering on that smooth pale blue I associate with freezing weather. I'm parked on a rooftop car park, this is the view from the bike.
.
All these pictures are stills from the video camera I happened to have with me, so the quality isn't as good as I'd like, but still ...
(Click on any image to get the original still frame)
As I leave the shopping area, I should turn left to go home, but I turn right - well, She is out, so doesn't expect me home soon.
And away
Soon we're out of the built-up area (that flying saucer on the top of the tree is a mark on my screen, uncleared from something hitting it weeks ago).
I'm not on my own on the road, including hazards such as a hedge-trimming tractor, more of that later.
Once by the tractor, we can pass cars ...
... and we can start to enjoy ourselves.
The sign said bends ahead, the road says SLOW. We take notice of one and ignore the other
...
.. and find we are following ourselves.
That lorry pulling out could be hiding ...
... a car pulling out to go in front of me.
I'm already braking hard, but he sees me and stops.
I continue to play "follow-my-leader"
but not into the edge of the road - yes, that sun is bright behind.
We turn into a village starting the last half of the little trip
and now that sun is in front.
Occasionally I have to shade my eyes with my left hand or I literally can't see the road.
The contrast light to shade is extreme.
But, when we can see we can overtake.
Round the bend ...
... and into the sun
More contrast
and traffic
which we go by
when we can
I think the road goes round to the right
It does, but I have shade my eyes again
Riding uphill, the sun's even lower
Still a little colour on the trees
when they're not silhouettes.
There's no escaping the sun
but I'm still enjoying myself
Almost a tunnel of trees
More autumnal colours
Oh yes, there's that tractor again, approaching a blind bend, double white lines
which we carefully overtake
Safety round the bend
Last part of the "nice" road
And into the built-up area
and into the sun again
To complete the loop, we pass that first junction where we should have turned left home but turned right.
That run was just what the doctor ordered. It's rare to see such brilliant sun and such a blue sky this late in November, really beautiful, but the time of year does put that low sun very low - this started around 1:30 in the afternoon, took 45 or 50 minutes.
Hope you enjoyed the ride.
Those of you who are married will know that this translates as "You are going to buy some bread". Who am I to argue?
So, on the bike to do the mile-and-a-half to the group of shops that have the bakery. I buy the bread, back to the bike, pop the loaf into a pannier. Then look up at the sky. It's totally cloudless, varying in its blue, hovering on that smooth pale blue I associate with freezing weather. I'm parked on a rooftop car park, this is the view from the bike.
.All these pictures are stills from the video camera I happened to have with me, so the quality isn't as good as I'd like, but still ...
(Click on any image to get the original still frame)
As I leave the shopping area, I should turn left to go home, but I turn right - well, She is out, so doesn't expect me home soon.
And away
Soon we're out of the built-up area (that flying saucer on the top of the tree is a mark on my screen, uncleared from something hitting it weeks ago).
I'm not on my own on the road, including hazards such as a hedge-trimming tractor, more of that later.
Once by the tractor, we can pass cars ...
... and we can start to enjoy ourselves.
The sign said bends ahead, the road says SLOW. We take notice of one and ignore the other
...
.. and find we are following ourselves.
That lorry pulling out could be hiding ...
... a car pulling out to go in front of me.
I'm already braking hard, but he sees me and stops.
I continue to play "follow-my-leader"
but not into the edge of the road - yes, that sun is bright behind.
We turn into a village starting the last half of the little trip
and now that sun is in front.
Occasionally I have to shade my eyes with my left hand or I literally can't see the road.
The contrast light to shade is extreme.
But, when we can see we can overtake.
Round the bend ...
... and into the sun
More contrast
and traffic
which we go by
when we can
I think the road goes round to the right
It does, but I have shade my eyes again
Riding uphill, the sun's even lower
Still a little colour on the trees
when they're not silhouettes.
There's no escaping the sun
but I'm still enjoying myself
Almost a tunnel of trees
More autumnal colours
Oh yes, there's that tractor again, approaching a blind bend, double white lines
which we carefully overtake
Safety round the bend
Last part of the "nice" road
And into the built-up area
and into the sun again
To complete the loop, we pass that first junction where we should have turned left home but turned right.
That run was just what the doctor ordered. It's rare to see such brilliant sun and such a blue sky this late in November, really beautiful, but the time of year does put that low sun very low - this started around 1:30 in the afternoon, took 45 or 50 minutes.
Hope you enjoyed the ride.
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