I decided to pedal down the cut this morning as all of the snow appeared to be gone and the ground wasn't icy. So, I dived on the canal as usual at Selly Oak got about a mile along it just past University Railway Station and was enjoying the peace and quiet when I realised that I was in fact pedalling on sheet ice.
You know the cartoons where the character is running along a cliff then carries on running on thin air and only drops to Earth when he realises he is in fact in mid air? Well that was me pedalling on ice. It went something like this. Pedal pedal pedal. Ice! Oh shit! Crash...slide...ouch...check no one saw...pick bike up...walk past ice.
Most of the canal was ok, but areas where the towpath were exposed were bloody deadly. I kept a wary eye on the surface for the rest of the way and had to walk at a couple of places. I came off the cut at Gas Street and pedalled the rest of the way by road.
Now I'm having the debate about the route to pedal home. City Centre or Canal? All good fun though.
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The ice is 'interesting' at the moment isn't it!
ReplyDeleteIt was well above freezing yesterday, but still there were patches of treacherous ice...normally on corners....
At coaching yesterday the ground was easily taking a stud. I wasn't expecting ice anywhere today.
ReplyDeleteYou're normally alright on ice until you have to turn or slow down. Just keep relaxed, sit there and do nothing. This is obviously a lot easier said than done, espeshially if you're heading straight toward a canal.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you wern't hurt. Be carefull out there!
Hmm, cycling when it's icy and there's a chance of falling of is daft. Doing it when there's a canal next to you is madness!
ReplyDeleteI thought the towpath wouldn't be icy Rafe, it came as a bloody big shock I can tell you!
ReplyDeleteCity Centre is the way if its like that on the way back and you slip into the canal your f****d and your too important to drown :)
ReplyDeleteOooh, too important eh? I've never been called too important before. Care to explain that concept to wifey? :-)
ReplyDeleteI have a picture of Clive cycling along the tow path tomorrow wearing a life jacket....................just incase!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are not hurt