Monthly Archives: January 2010

Just the two of us

I’m not getting out much at the moment as every time I have plans to, the weather louses them up. Tuesday was abandoned due to a zero degrees temperature – frostbite really isn’t my thing.

Today was better. Although, judging by how long it took me to warm up in the bath, not much better. Still, as I didn’t feel it too much when we were out, that’s ok. It also managed not to rain on us.

I went out for the usual training loop with GW, and we nattered the entire way around. GW was on her workhorse bike, the heavy Dawes, which was a blessing. In fact, she even asked me to slow down a couple of times. It also meant that the poor girl was stuck with sticking with me, which I imagine I appreciated much more than she did *grin*. Yes – I know, she was handicapped – but you have to take little pleasures where you can, and that was certainly one of them. Ah, the day that GW asked ME to slow down… 😉

Cycling time: 2:10:43
Distance: 31.93 miles
Avs: 14.6 mph
ODO: 3033 miles

Talking and cycling slows you down and also makes you work harder. We were going to come back via the Nyland wiggle, but both my knee and shoulder were hurting. They both felt better on the drops, but it seemed best just go come home directly. I had a long bath to defrost in, and to soak the aforementioned achey bits, but in hindsight I’m not entirely sure that was a good idea as it seemed to induce instant fatigue pretty much as soon as I got out. I grabbed some lunch and had to have a siesta as staying awake became impossible. Weird!

As I sat in the bath, it hailed. Which made me feel very pleased about being where I was and no longer where I had been 🙂

Plan ahead

I’ve decided to commit myself, and have signed up to do two Evans Ride Its – one on 11th April, and the other on 9th May, which fills the gap between the Mad March Hare and the Dragon Ride. I’ve added them to the Cycling Events links over there –> in case you’re interested in the details, or fancy joining me.

I’ve have liked something a little bit longer, but I couldn’t find any sportives local enough in that time period, so this will do nicely. Plus entry only costs £10, and with a Sunday Times voucher code, I saved £5 per entry – bringing the cost for two rides down to £10 total. Bargain! You don’t get many sportives, apart from the Mad March Hare, with entry fees like that! 🙂

I’m also pleased to notice that the odometer on my new bike has just gone over 3000 miles. Sounds like a long way doesn’t it ? I do like my milestones 🙂

Ain’t no stoppin’ us now

Another ACG ride – an official one this time. Which presumably explains why only 4 people turned out… 😉 Quite an evenly matched four though, which worked well. MD, KG, GB and me headed out to Brean Down. To prevent the usual end of ride racing foolishness, and to add a little variety to life, we went out towards Wedmore first, up Rug Hill, over to Mark, out past Brent Knoll, and then along the coast to the Brean Down café. They do exceedingly good scones, so I indulged, but I’m calling it lunch, so that’s ok 🙂

It’s much nicer going out there out of season – much less traffic, much less people, much less flesh, and much less…well…everything really! It’s just a shame not to be able to sit outside the café and enjoy the fab views, but that’ll be possible soon. There’s usually a narrow window of opportunity when the weather improves, but the tourists haven’t arrived yet 🙂

Getting back on the bike was bracing, as it seemed to have become chillier whilst we were inside, but then doesn’t it always? We came back fast via Lympsham and Rookery Manor, thus avoiding Bleadon Hill, and just leaving the Webbington bump to get over before getting home.

Cycling time: 2:10:47
Distance: 34.9 miles
Avs: 16.0 mph
ODO: 3001 miles

I’m having one of my patches of spending a lot of time on the drops. I don’t know if that’s related to the new saddle, or to trying to be as comfortable as possible and not have my shoulder nerve complaining at me, but I spent most of the ride pootling along happily that way. We all took our turns at the front – all very civilised – and pretty much stuck together the whole time. The roads were wet, but nothing like yesterday. It wasn’t what you’d call balmy, but was nothing like Wednesday. And look at how fast we were going! All in all, a much better ride 🙂

Last night I fitted my new brake block things – which was fiddly, and not good for fingernails…but I did it. Which I normally don’t – I get Paul to do these things, because then I have confidence in the end result. So I was kinda nervous about how they’d be today. Apart from being a bit noisy to start with, they seem to have been fine. Possibly slightly better than the old set…but it’s hard to tell because I was trying not to brake too much, as part of my trying to get better at hills and corners! Still, they seem to work, and that’s a good thing. The ability to stop without having to use an inanimate object to do so is quite important 😉 *grin*.

Not waving…but drowning

Also known as not cycling but swimming…

I had to go out this morning – as GW made me. W came along for the ride, which made three. Never a good number. And it was raining. A lot. It had been for hours…which meant that even when it wasn’t raining, it was still very wet. Many of the roads were more like riverbeds as the water from the hills poured off towards the Levels, and I met a couple of cracking potholes, hidden beneath the muddy torrents… I left the two of them to carry on their merry way after half an hour or so and headed back, which at least meant I could do things my way.

Cycling time: 1:17:10
Distance: 18.84 miles
Avs: 14.6 mph
ODO: 2966 miles

The only up side of all the water was that the bike didn’t need a lot of cleaning when I got back. I popped into see Paul this time, and picked up some new brake block things that I’m going to try fitting later. I’ve also been meaning to mention that I have a new saddle – a Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow – and it’s fantastic! 🙂

Cold as ice

The weather forecast said 3C and sleet. I was <this> close to wimping out but chose instead to compromise. An hour on my bike this morning, and an hour in the gym this evening. I togged up, base layer and buffs a plenty, and headed out into the dismal drizzle. I did a little loop through Cross, up the scenic (ie not madly steep) way to Badgworth, down to Cocklake, ’round Nyland, down the back route from Draycott into Cheddar, and home. To be honest, it was pretty miserable… I was going to pop in and see Paul at the LBS for some advice on my brakes, but couldn’t face the thought of stopping, warming up, and then having to get back on the bike and out into the cold again!

Cycling time: 1:01:46
Distance: 14.95 miles
Avs: 14.5 mph
ODO: 2947 miles

I didn’t realise how muddy I was until I parked up the bike and looked down to see if I should clean it. I cleaned it. I didn’t realise how wet I was until I started taking sodden layers off. Straight into the washing machine with those. I didn’t realise how cold I was until the warm shower actually made bits of me hurt by waking them up. Oddly – not my feet, but the fronts of my thighs, which had been cold enough to be painful on the ride. I even developed a minor case of ice-cream head as I came into Cheddar, having discovered an interesting bitter wind in Draycott. I could have cycled longer, but I’m glad I didn’t have to 🙂

Still, it’s all good training, and I need to be doing some of that 🙂

That’s the way I like it

Finally, after two weeks in the doldrums, when riding the bike would not have been merely unpleasant or foolhardy but possibly suicidal, the barometer tipped in my favour.

I arranged to go out with GB on Sunday, in case it was due to be horrible, as having an arrangement in place to go out makes me much less likely to wimp out. As the forecast improved, I dropped a line around the ACG to see if anyone else would like to join us, and at 10.00am on Sunday morning, 11 people turned out! 11! I think that’s the best turn out ever. I’m may have to stop “organising” proper rides, and just to stick to the “I’m going out, is anyone joining me?”! *grin*.

We split as usual, and 7 of us set off to repeat the route we rode on Boxing Day which we did, more or less. First off, straight out to Glastonbury for a nice stop at the Rainbow Café. Out again into the sun, and round the loop SH introduced us to last time as the group started to spread out… The ACG peloton split and reformed in various different ways for the rest of the ride, but we didn’t actually lose anyone, which was an achievement 😉

Loop done, to avoid the main road, we decided to retrace our steps to Godney, which meant a quick trip down the long straight and, as it turns out, submerged main road. The rhynes and Levels are full of snow melt, and the one by this road was just oozing through the bank and over the road. We spread out, and picked our way through the shallows spraying water everywhere. Pretty though 🙂

We went across the Levels south of Wedmore Edge, straight into a nasty headwind, where I took my turn at the front, which was hard work but kinda fun. Just put my head down, and pushed…no doubt splashing water in GB’s face, since my lack of a rear mudguard has yet to be rectified. It’s very pretty down there when it’s flooded – all reflections of the sky, with geese, herons, swans…

The rest of it was pretty much the usual. Even the competitive charge down the last stretch. Which apparently we weren’t going to do, so I wasn’t pushing very hard. Besides which it’s hard to keep the pressure up when you’re out in front on your own and not supposed to be racing. At which point GB can be guaranteed to cruise effortlessly past… Next time he says we’re not racing I’m just going to ignore him! *grin* Not that it’ll make much difference to the final result…

Cycling time: 2:38:00
Distance: 40.40 miles
Avs: 15.3 mph
ODO: 2931 miles

Should you be curious as to precisely how we wiggled around – our route is here. Or if you prefer, there’s GB’s take on it. We had great weather for it, and it was just so fantastic to be back on the bike. I had the level of kit just right, my legs felt great, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe that accounts for the pretty respectable speed. I feel like maybe I can get in training now 🙂 First ride of 2010 – done.