Warning: Rambling and somewhat philosophic post coming up. Cake may improve your reading experience.
Well it's mid-August, and no matter how we might try to deny it, Summer is slipping and sliding away. I'm typing this at 22:30 and while in midsummer the sun would have barely set at this time just now it is most assuredly very dark outside with only a vestige of twilight remaining. Plus there's that distinct slight chill in the air. It's not cold, not remotely, and probably warmer now than it was leading up to the July heatwave. But still the endless baking days of summer have had their turn.
The next thing to look for is the first brown leaves. Then before you know it the equinox has come and gone and darkness invades.
With Earthly changes come human changes and the looming question of just how you will cope when the sun goes down at 4pm becomes oh so prominent.
Back in the realm of the physical I'm looking at the 5 bikes that will be bearing the brunt of the Autumn and Winter onslaught of filth. The pain is at least shared; the winter hack commuter will be earning its name once more, while the big brute tourer can battle it's way through near enough anything while still carrying shopping safely in panniers. The road bike, shock horror, does not currently have mudguards as I built it in early July and reckoned I'd get them whenever we had sustained rain. That remarkably has not happened yet.
In September I am planning several afternoons of intensive winter preparation. Each bike will be methodically stripped down to individual bearing balls and then scrubbed free of dirt and regreased. Cables will be replaced, new brake pads installed where needed. Every last bolt and crevice will be cleaned and greased. Mudguards aligned and mudflaps refettled. It will be at least March before such a strip and rebuild should be needed again.
Then comes, for me at least, the much tougher question of mental preparation. The past few Winters have been extremely harsh on my physical and mental state for many complex reasons. This time will be different as I will at least be free of very full time studying so that I'll actually be able to get outside and enjoy the weather fair and fowl. Also wondering if I'll avoid the dreaded Norovirus yet again - I'm beginning to think I'm immune to it or else very lucky.
So, I'll finish this with a question. How do you cope? Or does one not 'cope' with winter, rather embrace it for better or worse?
posts
