Biking in Essex

It was glorious this morning...definately Spring but now a cruel cold easterly has taken the temperature right down. We don't get many East winds here in Cornwall, the prevailing wind is the warm wet westerly which brings the mild climate we all love.
When I lived in Essex I encountered the  really black, dark easterly for the first time when I was out riding my bike. Essex was flat for the most part and I rode a bike every day, to school, into town for the shopping, everywhere. I loved it and had a large Dutch bike called a Gazelle. It had great big wheels and I could really move on it. It also had a three gear attachment. The only time I  ever used this was when the east wind stayed my progress almost to a halt. It really was ferocious. The east wind here is only its small brother in comparison.
On the front of the Gazelle was a large basket, almost always full of  school books or food.
 I also used it to get to the station. There were railings close at hand and I had a lock so three times a week whilst I was working in London I left my bike at the station. I got back very late at night. and just occsionally found it had been tampered with. Lights went first but unlike some of my biking chums I  never  had  my wheels pinched!   They were just too big to go on most bikes.
I didn't cycle along the main road but went home through the park which was I though safer than the cars screaming along the main roads. It never occurred to me that it could be dangerous until a girl was murdered in an underpass that I had to ride through. For a while after that I used the road!.
Cycling is good for you. I am sure that my good health now is the result of 25 years of peddling away and its also good for the bank balance....no tax, insurance or petrol required.
So the Queen  song is an appropriate  one.  "I want to ride my bicyle , I want to ride my bike"  Ding Ding!