It ended up being a very short bike ride, a mere ten miles, because during them time it took me to eat my lunch, and get out there and pump the tires up, the wind suddenly got up and veered around to the north west. As soon as I was out of the protection of buildings, it turned out that my preferred route was going to have the wind hindering me virtually all the way.
So I decided to just make it short, rather than a 25 mile job.
Still it was good exercise, I was able to ride safely on the cycle track, and a wind from that direction meant I wasn't exposed to the full vomity miasma of Cotham rubbish tip.
Bizarrely, this is a popular spot for birdwatchers due to the huge numbers of gulls it attracts over the winter months - amidst the thousand plus herring and black headed gulls there's occasionally a glaucous or iceland gull, rare visitors from the arctic circle.
Somehow these "gullers" are able to pick out these different birds at a range of 400 metres through a spotting scope, something I'd never be able to do.
The official graffiti artists have also made it out this far. Virtually all the bridges along the cycle track are now colourfully decorated. Rather cheerful.
See what tomorrow brings!
Si
Superb graffiti.
ReplyDeleteI'm neglectful. These photos remind me I haven't been to the Danube Canal for ages. It's a virtual art gallery of graffiti down there. You'd love it. Unfortunately it's so windy here at the moment 5am I can't sleep for the noise, in fact been awake for hours listening to it. A sound somewhere between a jet plane revving up and a training thundering along. It's supposed to get worse as the day goes. 8kms run in the Turkish park yesterday and an hour on the Kettler will have to do. Cycling in Vienna is only for the brave. There's a rule from the days of the horse and cart that cars can emerge from junctions on the right into your path. And they do! The hospitals must be busy patching up injured cyclists, I should think.
ReplyDeleteGull fanciers are a hardy lot - always loitering around landfill sites and sewage works. Occasionally they go to the seaside where they either hang out around fish factories and dock areas, or else sit up on some windy headland as little white specks pass by a mile or so offshore. If I were you I'd stick with the flowers and butterflies.
ReplyDeleteThat's some classy graffiti, Simon!
ReplyDeleteWhen you're cycling, do you find the wind is against you on the outward lap, and then somehow twists round so that it's against you on the way back as well? It sometimes happens to me!
THanks all!
ReplyDeleteYes, the wind is always in my face wherever I ride!