Caching by bike

I love long car journeys to interesting places. I love long walks in the woods or across fields in the sunshine. I love hacking across country on horseback when I get the opportunity... but cycling is a different kind of pleasure, and also something I don't get the chance to do very often, which is what makes it so exciting. My bike is still in Wales and despite the kind offer of one of my colleagues to have his spare bike, I had to decline simply because I have nowhere at all to keep one, not even a garden or communal space. A bike of my own will have to wait until we get a different place.

Meanwhile I have taken to hiring bikes in Brockenhurst in the New Forest where the bikes are good quality and the people are friendly. I can see myself remaining a loyal customer to Cyclexperience until the day I get a bike of my own (in England!). I decided it would be nice to combine cycling with my passion for geocaching like I used to years ago when I'd cycle up the Tawe in Swansea to Pontardawe and pick off caches en route.

I was provided with a map of the area I'd opted to venture, a route taking me west to Burley and then north and back towards Brockenhurst again, making a complete circuit. I lost the way a couple of times, but then I also had my GPSr telling me in not so many words "There's a cache over there; why not make a detour and pick it up?" Of the eight I stopped for, I thankfully found them all, and some were in pretty remote areas which made cycling to them even more appealing. Glad I had my detailed map of the New Forest with me as the route map I'd been provided with didn't show up all the paths I was taking, and the spare batteries came in useful for my GPSr. How reassuring to be able to pinpoint your location when you're in a place you've never been before. Don't know that I would have got back by 5pm without it!

Sadly on this occasion I also had something of a breakdown and I have no recollection of how it happened. It didn't seem to be a straight forward puncture, which I've had before. No, I stopped to try and help direct some other cyclists and when I started off again my bike felt heavy and hard to cycle. I wondered if I had lost the knack or knackered myself?! The odd squishing sound that accompanied my laboured pedalling told me something was wrong and sure enough my rear tyre was all squidgy, to use the technical term. I had the option of calling the hire centre for help or a replacement bike but by this time I was so close to Brockenhurst that I decided to persevere. Unfortunately it got a lot worse and soon my inner tube was caught up in the spokes. The bike's entrails were spilling out everywhere and in my inexperience at resolving bike problems, I only made the situation worse. Shamefully I pushed the bike on its front wheel through the town and gained some muscle in my arms just by supporting the rear wheel the whole way. Despite this, I still had an awesome day and will be going back for more! Next time, remember to take the repair kit, girl.

This was not supposed to happen!