Halifax and Back

Today's trip was intended to be a simple ride out, covering some of the same route I'd ridden last week. Burnley to Halifax, via Nelson, Colne, Keighley, then Hebden Bridge and Todmorden on the way back. 

I picked my bike up from Goat's this morning, having had a new back tyre fitted and a service. Goat's advised me to take it easy until the new tyre had bedded down, so I decided to avoid the Padiham - Fence bypass and go through the town centre instead. Which meant lots of traffic.

It occurred to me early on that this would be more of a challenging ride, rather than something recreational and easy. Lots of stop-starting, low speed, and concentration. Not a bad thing; at this stage in my biking career, I need to start focussing on the sort of riding that I'll experience when I (eventually) sit my test.

And it was also early on that I experienced the highlight of today's ride.

Of the spills I've had during this first year of biking, two have occurred during ill-considered overtaking manoeuvres. The other drivers involved were mostly to blame, but I should have anticipated their obliviousness and been more cautious. The result, though, was a significant knock to my confidence, and a determination to take fewer risks in future. After all, biking was for me - initially at least - a cheap way of getting to and from work. So, why bother with overtaking? Why try and get to my destination a couple of minutes sooner? 

And so I've been patiently waiting in traffic ever since. At first with the serenity of someone who knows his limits; but soon, the continual stream of bikes and scooters passing me began to chip away at that serenity. What was wrong with me? Was I a coward? 

I pootled through Burnley's heavy Saturday afternoon traffic, coming to a stop behind queues on Active Way's two lanes. Between the two queues is a tantalisingly wide gap, stretching all the way to the lights. My VanVan will fit easily. 

I wait. I look around, see what's coming up behind, and have a think. I know it will antagonise some drivers if I take the gap. In the past I've seen other drivers actually reposition themselves in order to prevent a bike passing. I don't want that to happen to me. I could just wait the five or ten minutes it's going to take for me to work my way up the queue. 

Or I could grow a pair. Not an expression I like very much, but in this case entirely apposite.

I'm boxed in behind the car in front. I wait some more. The traffic inches forward a little, and my chance appears. Another look around. Nothing coming.

I pull out into the gap. Into second, then third. Concentrating hard on the space in front and the proximity of the cars around me. I anticipate the side road, where cars are waiting to turn on to Active Way, as I know from bitter experience that if someone lets one of them out, they're unlikely to notice my bike working its way up the middle.

I pass the side road. The lights have changed ahead, and the traffic is beginning to move either side of me. I push forward.

The lights change again before I reach them, and I wait at the head of the queue, cars either side. 

And then I'm away, heading towards Duke Bar. And I suddenly realise that my heart is hammering in my chest and I feel a massive sense of exultation.

And then I realise that I've just done something that most bikers take completely for granted, and I should maybe get over myself.

I clearly still have a lot to learn.