The ride to and from work and home is a fucking hoot. It takes about 45 mins and requires me to ride diagonally from one side of London to the other. Psychologically it’s broken up into 6 time trials, Hackney to Shoreditch, to London Bridge, to Elephant and Castle, to Vauxhall, to Wandsworth and then to work, with sector 2 and 3 being the most intense with a propensity to be the most enjoyable. It’s hard to explain to the uninitiated but something clicks in the brain when approaching a web of traffic, the idea is to clear the obstacles as quickly and effectively as possible and find clear road on which to accelerate to the next sector. Nothing else matter when one is in the zone, the single-most aim, therefore, is simple. It’s to win.
One has to attack the situation, one has to consider the stationary and shifting traffic ahead whilst paying attention to vehicles, such as fucking mopeds, bicycles, fellow riders etc., moving in the same direction behind and alongside the Black Bitch and her lunatic rider. It’s like a perpetually shifting puzzle punctuated by fast roundabouts and magnificent blast of unadulterated speed.
Of course, as already mentioned, when it’s too hot the BB isn’t happy, and I’ve yet to do the in the pissing rain too, but for now it’s more fun than wanking with a dead arm. I should imagine this enjoyment is made a little more profound by the limited time the Black Bitch and I have together. Sadly, I can now confirm that at the end of this month she’s being put out to seed. At the moment she’s in fine fettle but too much more of this and she be irreversibly injured.
In many respects today’s Piqued is a little eulogy to my bike. I’ve had her for over 10 years and at times, on the odd Sunday, she’s been able to completely turn my mood from that of a miserable dejected bastard into a state of fire-breathing joie de vivre (words don’t do justice as to how much this has meant to me in the past, and if you think this a little over sentimental, feel free to fuck off and read someone else’s blog.)
So, on Wednesday the 30th of September, she’ll be taken to my parents and wrapped up until I’m satisfied that her new owner will love and cherish her as I did and do.
Have good weekends all.
NO. ARTIST SONG TITLE LAST WEEK WEEKS ON
30 Hockey Song Away NE 1
29 Enter Shikari No Sleep Tonight 21 6
28 You Me At Six Kiss And Tell NE 1
27 Dizzee Rascal Holiday 29 2
26 Preston Dressed To Kill 17 8
25 Friendly Fires Kiss Of Life 25 4
24 Jet She’s A Genius 19 5
23 Europe Last Look At Eden 18 4
22 The Big Pink Dominos 26 2
21 The Ian Carey Project Get Shaky 16 7
20 Lostprophets It’s Not The End Of The World… NE 1
19 The Used Blood On My Hands 20 4
18 The Gossip Love Long Distance 22 3
17 Funeral For A Friend Wrench 24 2
16 The Prodigy Take Me To The Hospital 13 7
15 The Mars Volta Cotopaxi 10 10
14 The Cribs Cheat On Me 14 5
13 Kasabian Where Did All The Love Go 7 8
12 Arctic Monkeys Crying Lightning 11 9
11 Editors Papillon NE 1
10 Gallows I Dread The Night 12 4
9 The Temper Trap Sweet Disposition 15 5
8 Pearl Jam The Fixer 9 5
7 Muse Uprising 5 6
6 Placebo The Never-Ending Why 4 6
5 Paramore Ignorance 6 4
4 The xx Crystallized 8 3
3 Ian Brown Stellify 3 3
2 Skunk Anansie Because Of You 2 4
1 Biffy Clyro That Golden Rule 1 8
