Monthly Archives: September 2009

Look Ma, No Hands

This September is proving to be truly fabulous on the weather front.  Yet another sunny dry day dawned, and after the busyness of the Carnival yesterday, I was really looking forward to this morning’s ride.  A small group of the ACG met in the Square at 9:30am as planned, already aware that we weren’t going to need all the layers we were wearing.  There was a bit of a nip in the air, so I was glad to have gone with the long-sleeved jersey, but the windproof gilet came off before we even left – which proved to be a good decision.

After the last trip out on our jolly, when hills were the order of the day, today was a day for flatness.  We did a nice loop from Axbridge, via Winscombe, Loxton, Mark, Burtle to a coffee stop at Sweets Peat Museum.  I practiced riding no-handed for a bit when no-one was looking, which went well.  It was virtually impossible on the old bike!  We sat outside on the terrace drinking tea for a bit before heading back via Westhay, Panborough and Wedmore.  The sun shone, there was virtually no wind, the temperature was nigh on perfect – in fact, it was perfect cycling weather.  You couldn’t have asked for better.  Being mostly flat, it turned out to be quite a fast ride too, and I got to hurtle down my favourite stretch home too which, when it’s good, is really good 🙂

Cycling time: 1:55:14
Distance: 31.74 miles
Avs: 16.5 mph
ODO: 2124 miles

See?  I said we were fast!  My legs were feeling great, and I enjoyed pushing it a bit.  I’ve still got corner issues, but it’s definitely getting better.  And I can’t tell you much about downhill, because that would have meant going uphill and we were avoiding doing that *grin*.  Talk about a fantastic way to start a Sunday 🙂

River deep, Mountain high

Having done a very strenuous yoga class on Tuesday, yesterday I was having problems walking let alone cycling, and it wasn’t just my legs killing me, it was my arms and shoulder too!  But I had the time, and the weather was with me, and G was free so I decided to go out anyway.  I duly warned G that I hurt and needed to stick to the flat…but I’m fairly sure she either wasn’t listening or didn’t believe me.

We started off by heading out through Winscombe to Sandford.  A tad hilly, but not too much.  Out across the levels (good) to Yatton and then on to the main road towards Bristol…from which we turned right to go up Goblin Coombe.  Yes – Coombe.  Remember how I feel about those?  Well yesterday was no exception.  I slogged my way up, in not-a-happy-bunny mode.  Apparently that wasn’t good enough however.  We joined the road that goes up past the Walled Garden and heads towards the A38…which is a long up.  And as if that wasn’t bad enough, we turned left before the A38 and headed up and up and up…to go ’round the Airport.  The down of  Brockley Coombe didn’t really make up for all that climbing…  From there it was flatish for a bit round Chelvey and back through Congresbury.  Up Sandford Hill, into Winscombe for a brief shop stop…and then UP Winscombe Hill!   I mean, really!  Is that any way to end a ride?!  Having said that, the zoom down the hill and then the bypass was kinda fun – I felt almost fast *grin*.

Cycling time: 2:21:02
Distance: 33.6 miles
Avs: 14.3 mph
ODO: 2092 miles

This was NOT a flat route.  See for yourselves!  It was a lovely day, the weather was great – though the chill is starting to creep in now – and it was good to be out.  My legs are not thanking me now though…

PS: my “new” bike has now done over 2000 miles.  How cool is that?  I started riding it in May, so that’s nearly 5 months.  Well – I’m impressed anyway 🙂

Cheddar Cyclosportive

Having been very organised, not to mention living just down the road, I signed my Dad and I up for today’s Cheddar Cyclosportive last night.  This meant that we could attach our numbers and timing chips before getting there, which made life a lot easier.  It was also really nice to be able to cycle to and from the sportive – local has a lot going for it.

That wasn’t the only advantage.  We turned up this morning around 8:40am and the queue for signing up was already backing up…  In fact it backed up so far that the start was delayed by 20 minutes or so.  We stood in the sun, with various friends and acquaintances, getting a little chilly, but right by the front so when the time came, we were amongst the first away.  I like that – sooner started sooner finished!

The route was mostly on familiar roads, which was a bit bizarre.  Paying to use roads I use all the time?  The first chunk was on fairly main roads which were luckily not too busy as it was quite early.  Out from Cheddar to Wedmore, up and down Mudgeley Hill, and out on the main road to Glastonbury.  Various groups who had started after us hurtled past us from time to time, and sometimes we were part of a peleton for a while, which was nice.  From there it was out to Street and beyond..and it wasn’t until the left turn near Ashcott that we left the main roads and traffic behind.  We did the first hour at over 19mph which just goes to show that what little wind there was was in our favour, the roads were flat, and the sun was shining! 🙂

Of course that mean we were nearly at High Ham hill…but I guess flat all the time would be boring, right?  I knew exactly what to expect, told Dad about which gear to be , and then got my own in  a complete tiz by ended up in top of bottom not bottom of bottom and had to stand up and push the pedals for a bit until I could sit down, take the strain off the pedals, and change into a sensible gear!  Still, both of us got up the hill to the first food stop where smiley happy people gave us flapjacks and welsh cakes – very yummy.

From there it was down and out to Langport – the least familiar section of the route for me – where we got stuck with a slower group.  Not that slower is necessarily a problem, but they kept slowing down and then speeding up which was harder to cope with than doing our own pace, so eventually we put our heads down and went past ’em!  2nd hour brought us down to an average of 17.something.  There was a nasty hill near Woolavington which I hadn’t even registered beforehand – so it came as a bit of a nasty shock!

We joined up with familiar roads near Basonbridge, and then there was the 2nd feedstop.  On from there to go over Brent Knoll, which was harder than when we recced it, something to do with there being less left in the legs I think,  After that it was almost like a normal training ride.  Back to Loxton, up the not flat road past Christon, up at Banwell Hill – still not much fun – and then I had much fun going very fast down the hill into Winscombe.  I overtook some bloke on a Cervelo who was less than impressed and had to catch my back wheel!  He may not have liked being overtaken by a girl, but he certainly didn’t mind being taken for a ride by on! *grin*.

Luckily the roadworks in Winscombe were passable so that we didn’t have to go up Winscombe Hill as feared, and from there it was a quick stretch to Shute Shelve and more hurtling down the bypass to get to the start, where we duly de-chipped, grabbed some food, and chilled on the grass in the sun for a bit.

Cycling time: 3:50:16 (officially with stops 3:58:49 – 98/134)
Distance: 65.02 miles
Avs: 16.9 mph
ODO: 2057 miles

The best bit for me was doing the corners and downhills much better than I have been, so I’m really happy with that.  It was a blast all ’round really.  We’re both really happy to have gotten in under 4 hours.  The average speed was fab – way more than Dad was expecting, or me to be honest.  You couldn’t have had better riding conditions.  Sunny, not too hot, not too much wind – great cycling weather all ’round.

Last event of this year’s season – and a good way to round it off 🙂

PS: I went out with S and P for a bit yesterday if you’re wondering about the apparent discrepancy in ODO increase.  Which you weren’t.  *grin*

Get off of my cloud

The “new” bike has done 1973 miles as of today.  Which, coincidentally, is the year I was born in  Anyway…

I probably shouldn’t have been riding today, with Sunday looming, but the weather forecast was good, and it seems a shame not to make the most of what may be the last few days of “summer”.  I convinced myself that it was a good idea by deciding to use it to do a couple of errands, thus combining trips and saving efforts.  I called Dad last night and he agreed to come over and join me.

Things never go quite according to plan, as it turns out G was joining us.  So we cycled into Cheddar, did my errands, came back, and picked her up in the Square.  We did the flattest route possible, for a couple of hours, in weather that was colder and greyer than it should have been, but not as windy as it had seemed.

Cycling time: 2:03:56
Distance: 31.32 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 1973 miles

More level Levels work, which is my kind of thing at the moment – I’m still feeling more tired than I would like.  I’m feeling better about corners and the like though, thanks to the advice from T at Cheddar Cycle Store which mostly involves having your weight distributed better – and it seems to be working.  *fingers crossed*.

Tour of Britain

Being the Mayor means getting invited to a whole heap of civic things.  This time it was a VIP breakfast before the start of Stage 6 of the Tour of Britain in Frome.  Well, as the Cycling Mayor, I could hardly turn that one down, now could I?!  Even if it did mean not cycling down with the ACG to watch it – duty calls and all that, right? *grin*.  I took Dad as my Consort, figuring that I’d never live it down if I went without him 😉

I wore my long sleeved custom cycling jersey, over smart trousers and killer heels, with the “Bling” over the top – which went down really well.  Breakfast was lovely, but that really wasn’t the point… We headed out into the sunshine – it was a truly gorgeous morning – and wandered around the gathering spectators.  After picking up a few freebies, we spotted the VIP area – a fenced off area right by the start line – which it turned out we were entitled to be in.  Result!  Not only did that get us a great uncrowded view, but there was also a large catering trailer with a covered upper deck to it so that you could watch from up above.  Very cool 🙂

Nearly as cool as the fact that various of the cyclists and their drool-worthy machines wandered in and out, nonchalantly parking up for coffee, and generally looking way more relaxed than I would have thought they’d be.  Talk about bike envy!  I was a bit reluctant to just go up and talk to them but I did get my photo taken with a certain Russell Browning – which was a tad groupie ish but hey…  He wasn’t chatty, but at least he was obliging enough to stand still for 2 minutes and to smile 🙂

All the teams, vans, extra bikes, etc all arrived a bit after 10.00am for signing up.  A few of ’em got lost and they had to delay the start a little, but with remarkably little apparent effort, there they were all – ready to go. There was a real sense of atmosphere. Lots of press, commentary, sunshine, school kids waving flags…a final countdown (guess the music playing…) and that was it – off they went!  It was fab to watch all that colourful lycra going past and heading off.  I felt kinda jealous!  Mind you, I think they’d have dropped me quite early on…*grin*.  I followed the race online for the rest of the day, and Russell came in third – which was quite clearly due to my Mayoral influence… 😉

More of my photos to be seen here, and one of me doing my thing here 🙂  Nearly famous? 😉

As perks of the job go – this one was the best ever!

Lazy Days

OK, not so much lazy, as too tired and out of sorts this week.  I did go out for a bit on Wednesday because I was fed up of spending so much time in the gym…but only for an hour, which meant I ended up doing an hour in the gym in the evening anyway.  Doh!

Cycling time: 1:08:14
Distance: 17.3 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 1941 miles

My legs felt fine and the weather was nice – the flesh was willing but…no “oopmh” there behind it, so probably best not to have pushed it any further 🙂

Take the ACG train…

A little while ago The Railway Inn in Yatton got in touch with me, and invited the ACG to pop over some time.  Well, any excuse for a pub lunch works for me, so today was an ACG jolly.  Everyone was up for it, and committed to coming along, so that the pub knew roughly how many people to expect.  It all got a tad complicated but…essentially there were three groups.  One for the hill inclined, one for the Strawberry Line, and one for anyone else to get there anyhow else.  For some reason I’d convinced myself that hills were a good idea, which made me one of 5 who set off from the Square at 9:30am.

The route had nothing to do with me, which is probably just as well.  If I’d be warned I’d be going up the Gorge for the second time in a week, I might well have had second thoughts!  Yatton is only 10 miles away, but we went a properly circuitous and lumpy route that included the Gorge, Charterhouse, Blagdon, Butcombe/Redhill and Wrington Hill.  The latter was a killer so it was a case of mp3 player in, head down, and plod…for quite some considerable time!  I think my legs may feel it in the morning.  I could definitely feel that the odd glass of wine I may have had last night probably wasn’t such a good idea *grin*.

Having done the hilly bit, we did a nice flat loop round from Cleeve to Yatton, and had an awesome sprint down Kenn Moor Road into Yatton – doing some serious speed.  OK, so I started it, but if I’d remembered quite how long that road was I might not have done.  It was fun though 🙂

We were joined at the pub around midday by those from all the other routes, as well as family and friends which made around 25 people in total – a fantastic turnout.  Some of them were even mad enough to cycle home too, but I wimped out (bike racks are great!) and enjoyed a well earned pint (ok two) with a very generous and reasonably priced Roast Pork lunch.  At £5 a head for lunch, and £2 for apple pie and ice-cream, all enjoyed sitting outside, in the sun, in September…well, you can’t go far wrong with that 🙂

Cycling time: 2:02:53
Distance: 27.83 miles
Avs: 13.5 mph
ODO: 1924 miles

It was a lovely ride, and a really sociable occasion.  Definitely worth doing something similar again in the future I reckon 🙂

If you’re interested, and this works, according to GB, this was our route.  If you did the whole thing and didn’t bail at Yatton of course *grin*.

PS:  S joined us for lunch and, the Man from Delmonte, he say yes!  Yes – he agreed to do the 2011 Etape with me.  He did attempt to add caveats afterwards but…really, too late…*grin*  Mind you he has deprived me of several happy months of nagging and cajoling…  Come to think of it, maybe that was why he caved.   😀

Here come the girls

Last night the girls were out on the town.  This morning felt very morning.  At some point in between, I chatted to G and decided to swop this morning’s planned gym session with a ride.  Whilst I knew, on waking this morning, that a couple of hours in the sun on the bike would make me feel fab, there was definitely a leap of faith to be taken in order to actually get me kitted up and on the bike!  Especially as G was a tad on the late side, and I could have used the extra time in bed!

Still.  We spent a couple of happy and very lovely sunny hours pottering around between Wedmore, Wookey, Wells, Wedmore and back again, and even threw in Mudgeley Hill for good value.  It wasn’t the flattest route, but the weather was stunning, crystal clear views, unbroken sunshine…well, it was worth it.

Cycling time: 2:15:48
Distance: 33.87 miles
Avs: 14.9 mph
ODO: 1896 miles

On the way back we popped in to see S and beg coffee from him – G was in dire need.  S is going to do the Etape with me in 2011.  He doesn’t know it yet.  But he is *grin*.  Go on – pretty please? 😉

Fun in the sun

Whenever I’m due to go out with S or G I feel ever so anxious beforehand.  And then when it come to it, 9 times out of 10, we have a great ride.  Well, today with G was one of those 9.  The weather was just lovely.  It was sunny and clear, but thanks to it being September, not baking hot with it.  There was wind – when isn’t there? – but since we were mostly doing hills and lanes, it didn’t impact too much.

The route is a bit of a blur…but we started off with Cheddar Gorge, where we passed a long strung out line of LEJOGers.  I’m not sure I’ve ever overtaken anyone on the Gorge before, so that was fairly motivational… After that it was over the top and down to Blagdon Lakes, down a hill which totally did my head in, as my brakes really weren’t cutting it (more of which later).  I actually had to stop as I was feeling so uncertain of them.  Or was it me?  Stunning views from up there…  Anyway…  From there was lots of wiggling around Butcombe way – lots of up and down and scenic country lanes, all the way along to West Harptree and Chewton Mendip, from where we took the long A39 uphill slog…  Not quite as far as Wells this time, as we swung a left and took ourselves off to the Rocky Mountain Cafe for tea and carrot cake.  Sitting outside basking in the sun was very lovely 🙂  There were quite a few other cyclists there, and I was even recognised!  See – the kit works *grin*.  I’ll try not to let the fame go to my head… 😉

We took the direct route back – straight along the windy top and back down the Gorge, at which point G had to head off.  Just as well considering the way I go downhill…  Oddly enough I actually prefer the Gorge going up, to going down.  Who’da thought it?!

Cycling time: 3:09:50
Distance: 43.55 miles
Avs: 13.7 mph
ODO: 1863 miles

OK, so not fast – but it was bl**dy hilly out there!  I came home via Cheddar Cycle Store – as my brakes really weren’t feeling good, and I wanted ’em checking out.  (Bad worker blames her tools?).  Turns out that, after the last time the front wheel was out, that little lever thing hadn’t been flipped back down to hold the brakes in place.  Doh!  No wonder they felt bad!  The lovely Tom adjusted them a bit too, and riding home from there they were definitely feeling better.  Be interesting to see what difference that makes on the hills on Sunday.  And if the weather’s anything like today, it should be another lovely ride 🙂

Near wild heaven

Training time again.  Today’s intention was to break the 2 hour barrier – at which I seem to have been stuck of late, due to time restrictions, routes, company, whatever…  However I couldn’t go out for as long as I’d been thinking because it turns out I have a yoga class this afternoon so I had to get back for that.

I did a nice loop from here to Wedmore, out to Shapwick, along the cycle routes behind Ashcott and the main road, to get Glastonbury.  The main road bypass road past Glastonbury was a blast.  Wind in my favour, smooth, wide…lovely 🙂   Even the nasty subsiding road across to Launcherley and the Wells is nicer when the wind isn’t in your face!  Once in Wells, it was the Burcott Road wiggle to get back on the Wells-Wedmore road again, past all the Tour of Britain signs, and then head down for my favourite stretch of road back into Cheddar, and then back home.

Cycling time: 2:39:01
Distance: 41.98 miles
Avs: 15.8 mph
ODO: 1819 miles

It wasn’t the flattest of routes – what with Mudgeley, Shapwick, and the like – so it was fairly good training really.  Real hills can wait until the ACG go out this weekend!   The weather was average – clouds like a big thick blanket that never cleared, but not cold or too windy.   I’m pretty pleased with the speed, but less so with the knee and the LH shoulder blade which is twingeing up a storm now.   Swings and roundabouts…  Time for that yoga class – that should stretch it all out a bit.   Failing that, it may be pink pill time! *grin*