Yesterday i got the certificate I was waiting for from CycleScheme which I can exchange for the bicycle. So its the wait until monday when I will go and collect it from the Swindon store. Its Specialized Allez. Red in color, waiting to be mine. Will be here soon.
Today plan is to attend Kabirz birthday party and later dinner with family. Tomorrow morning has to be visit to Gurudwara.
Great day again. Missed my hun. A LOT. Even at this time when seeing beautiful vies of this isle and having wine alone.
Day - 140 miles (225 km)
In temperatures of -3 degrees.
FROM - Swindon TO Isle of white.
Top speed ever mine - 108 mph (175kmph)
Good hotel in Ryde.
Pix to come soon.
My first solo trip within UK. 180 miles ( 290 km). Seen some beautiful places.
The best surprise was when I spotted the bikes cafe called 'Loomies'. The next best thing was the beautiful roads in National South Downs National park.
Today was a bike day, travelled locally, loved A25, Hun company was amazing. Herez the route.
It was not a sudden decision to rent a bike but I have been contemplating hiring one. So as it happens Molly wanted to go to her friend's wedding in Luton I thought I can be on my own and should hire a bike. And so on wednesday after work I rushed to buy the gear and ended up spending £300 on it. The gear was pretty neat and just the right stuff I wanted.
And leaving ealy on Thursday before Easter I hired Yamaha XJ6 from Lamba Motorcycle in Carshlton High Street. I rode to London Eye to have dinner at Wagamama on South Bank. Here is initial pic.
I been contemplating buying a bicycle and after visiting the bike in Becton I made up my mind to pause my seach for bike and get a bicycle. Yesterday I went to the shop and ad hoc choose the Specialized Allez. So i got the quotes and ordered it online on cyclescheme.co.uk website. And today I received the email that my applcation was accepted so I am waiting for certificate so that I can collect the bike.
PS. Bike is a motorbike in my terminology and bicycle is a cycle.
First look :
I have set up alerts on autotrader and mcnnews websites and whenever someone adds a bike which matches my criteria (Kawasaki ER 6N) I get an email. I have been checking out bikes online for a while now and this was one that the seller was based in London and being almost in the right price category I wanted to check it out. So on Sunday I called up this guy on Sunday morning and fixed an appointment at 6pm the same day.
I drove with Molly and bought a flashlight on the way to investigate in semi darkness. It was a good thought. The guy showed me the bike and I liked the feeling of owning the bike. Next investigated the bike closely based on the youtube videos see on the way. So there were small wear n tear with the bike and it looked fairly good with 8000 miles on it. I took it for a small test ride. Got my new helmet from the car, removed the covering and got new gloves. Bouy what a feeling. The small ride was cold but brilliant. I was happy and at the same time in dilemma whether to own one right now considering the care and money required. The gloves were for summers so pretty useless for the chill. My hands were frozen but enjoyed the ride. Went back after the vist to O2 and then visited deepak n deepali.
I love to have a bike soon but with the investment £2800 + insurance £200+ plus tax £70 and MOT £150 or so i see investment of £3220 I might wait for an year. MnS may visit this year. Definately I should rent it this year on some good weekends. The love stays I shall be back to buy one.
Isnt this guuud?
It was the weekend when Holi was celebreated in London.Few days before the actual Holi. The party was at Reggiez place and we had good fun awake until early hours of morning. And it snowed the morning of Saturday when we were suppose to go play holi in Richmond. So many peope dropped their plans but we ended up going in snow in 0 degrees to play holi. My hands were damm cold but it was fun getting colorful. One memory here.
Planning with Deepak to take Garima to a new place Little Venice was a very good option. Even though we went when it got dark and it was cold it was still beautiful. I will have to plan a trip in summers on a warm long day. I love the long boats that can move in the canal. Back from the milton keynes days.
This pic is of a cafe right on the canal, will make a visit in summers for sure.
It was red nose day on friday in support of comic relief. And great to have another dress down day. My collegues got the red noses.
In the evening met up with my gang DnD KnK and Garima, Deepali's cousin visiting from India. Really good pub The World of Beers near Fenchurch street.
I went out yesterday to few bikes and bicycles shops. I am looking for a a bike something like Kawasaki ER-6N which fits well in the budget. Will cost me somehing around £3000. Plus there will be additional cost with road tax, MOT and insurance. Which can be quite a bit. But considering I will be working in Swindon for the rest of the year, I may well get it. There is a Kawasaki showroom not very far from my place in Croydon. Another option is to rent bikes. The cheapest one I could find was at Lamba Motorcycles in Carshalton. Not ver far. I drove there and saw the place, looked at the bike Yamaha XJ6 which can be hired for £40 a day or £75 for the weekend. Should get it soon.
Then coming to bicycles. Went to GB shop on south croydon high street. I liked it instantly, it had some good stuff but all road bikes and accessories. Wallangiton cycles were good. Tried few hybrids buy I think I like the road bikes with a flat handle. So Giant Escape 1 for £500 is one option but better is 2012 GIANT Rapid 4 for £450 which is the one I likes last year when I went to cycle surgery. Eeping my budget to £500 I realised I can get 2012 Giant Rapid 2 for £500 which will be of better specs than Rapid 4. I also wanted to check out Specialized so recommended one was Sirrius. Not seen yet, so it will either be Sirrus or Rapid 2.
Still the big question remains, bike or cycle or both? And where is the garage to park. Need a house first.
I saw Angels and Demons late in the night yeaterday. What a brilliant movie. And today visited bikes n cycle shops.
Hello. Nothing much today, just a regular day at work today. But looking back on days which I couldn't capture this is my chance.
11 May 2012 me n hun went for a bicycle trip. It was a lovely day and I spend some of the most memorable time with my hun. She is so beautiful and her smile gives me a reason to live. I will make sure we do some more adventurevtrips this year. We drove from Horsham to Worthing, took a while, and travelled 40 miles. Lovely green and yellow fields. Love the memories and my hun. So ever beautiful.
Its monday and running day. Richard Haigh was back so we along with Peter Divers went for a run in Swindon starting at wakefield house (our office) towards the Great Western hospital. 6 degrees outside.
Hmmm so Feb is almost coming to an end. It was a quite simple month. Valentine's day was mostly spent working and then me driving back to London to habe morning glory for dinner with my hun and joining us were D n D. DnD came back with a surprise, it was great to see them. As both my Swindon flatmates were in India for their respective weddings I invited friends to Swindon and we went for a Bath trip. So we 7 went to Bath on a rainy day but had some good time. Time spent with my hun was simply superb. It was Domi's birthday last friday and I drove from Swindon to London reached the pub called Agenda near Fenchurch Street at 6:30 pm. Today was salary day, yuppiee. Mom is recovering from foot fracture. Luv billi too. They should come here soon.
Ok so just that I dont forget here is the course I will want to attend.
So I have been going to thec MCN Motorcycle show since 2011. That was when Molly took me there for first time. And I realised that I am not into flasy bikes, classis bikes, performance bikes etc but adventure biking. The idea is not to own a bike or ride one but also to travel places and see the world. I just read a book from Sam Manicom which i enjoyed but there is more to it. Meeting Nathan was another good experience. And the guy James Markoja who is going to takes his polish wife from UK to Australia on a bike. I am inspired an will be following him on FB throughout his journey.
A pic from the show.
I have always wanted to blig but somehow it never happens. Just looked at my blig and it has been more than 1 year. What the hell. Such a beautifulyear went by and I dont have anything here. Hmm I should. Probably its never too late. Let me put some pictures, get some memories in here. And this year hope to leave a bit of my mark. For my future self to read. Hello future Monty.
The picture of me in Swindon trying out the leather jacket at SuperDry worth £110 after discount. I dont wear leather by the way if I can avoid.
