The Cycling Mayor

G, in helpful mode, had decided we were doing a long run today…about 60 miles.  Since the Forest of Dean is this weekend, I wasn’t sure that this was a good idea, but still, go with the flow etc…  However, fate clearly agreed with me, and when she turned up this morning it turned out that her childcare had gone minorly to pot and we were going to have to be back earlier than planned.  Having paused briefly to admire my new kit, which met with approval, we headed off into the slightly chilly sunshine.

Cycling time: 3:13:45
Distance: 47.826 miles
Avs: 14.8 mph
ODO: 9630.31 miles

As you can see, we still went quite a long way…albeit without the lunchstop we would have had otherwise.  I’m not entirely sure where we went – once past Wells we headed off around Shepton Mallet and the like.  Since hills hold no fear for G she tends to forget about them, and threw in a couple of corkers accidentally.  Well, she claims she didn’t do it on purpose…I’m not convinced! *grin*  At least we came home down the Gorge…

The new kit wore well, and the shorts are actually more comfortable than my plain ones.  The warm-up jacket came off after about 30 minutes and stayed off until we were back in the Square having coffee, having served its purpose.  All working out well so far.   Now all I have to do is get the new bike sorted

It’s here!  There is a large cardboard box blocking the hallway, full of lovely shiny new bike goodness.  Which is about all I know for the moment, until I take it over to see Andrew on Friday to have him build it up and make it fit me.  Oh, the suspense… But it’s here!

As is my new kit – which I am ridiculously pleased with.  It’s turned out even better than I’d hoped.  Ok, so there are no go-faster stripes *grin* … but it’s fantastic!  I even look vaguely presentable in it – black is so slimming   Not sure what effect the purple flames have though…   I’ll try and get some photos to post soon.

I plan on testing out some of the kit tomorrow on a ride with G, and I should be able to wear it for the Forest of Dean Spring Classic on Sunday.  The bike will need trying out a bit before I do an event on it though.  Halfway through an 85 mile ride is not the time to discover that you haven’t got it set up properly! *grin*

And now a word from my sponsor:

The weekend of June 12th – 14th will see the first ever beer festival at Cheddar Ales brewery, at Winchester Farm, Draycott Road, Cheddar.  It will be a beer lover’s paradise that will bring together 40 award-winning beers from around Britain to create one of the finest selections of beers ever seen in one venue, all served in amongst the weird and wonderful vessels of a working brewery.  There will also be music, games and a barbecue.  No ticket is required, just turn up and pay on the door.  £5 entry includes a souvenir pint glass and your first pint. CAMRA members with a valid membership card will get a free pint on entry.
Opening Hours

• Friday 12th June: 8.00pm – 11.30pm
• Saturday 13th June: Midday – 11.30pm
• Sunday 14th June: Midday – 5.00pm

For more information see www.cheddarales.co.uk or call the brewery on 01934 744193

I’m a ride report behind…life has been a little busy, and since Friday’s ride with G was only a short one, it nearly didn’t seem worth writing it up.  I must remember that an hour and half on the bike would seem like a long time to most normal people!   G has this theory that if you’re not doing the hours/miles, then you should do speed work or hills.  Well, we all know that I don’t go fast…so apparently it was hills.  Note to anyone cycling round here – avoid anything with the word “Coombe” in the title.  Goblin, Burrington, Canada – all Coombes.  I rest my case *grin*.

Cycling time: 1:33:45
Distance: 20.620 miles
Avs: 13.2 mph
ODO: 9541.0 miles

I don’t go up hills fast either…as you can see!

Last night was the Mayor’s Banquet (not mine – that’s next year!) and my folks came over for that.  We’d planned to cycle this morning and stuck to our guns.  By 9:45am Dad and I were on the road.  I cycled with Dad back to Portishead where they live, via the back roads, and then came back again by myself, straight down the main road, to add a bit of variety.

Cycling time: 2:37 ish..
Distance: 42.792 miles
Avs: 16.2 mph
ODO: 9582.48 miles

(My cycling computer is still playing silly b*ggers, something in the house seems to set it going, so unless you write the stats down the minute you get in, you’ll come back and they’ve changed a bit.  Luckily I made a mental note of most of it…)

The ride went really well when you consider how much was imbibed last night, and also the time at which I got to bed last night!  The first 20 minutes were fairly hideous, feeling as we did, with the addition of drizzle to perk us up…  But that cleared as we warmed up, and all those toxins have now been sweated out.  My legs felt pretty good, it cleared my head, and I’m feeling much more cheerful than I did first thing

I’ve also been sponsored online by someone today, but can’t work out who it is!  How very intriguing *grin*.  Thank you whoever you are

Oh my   I went to see Andrew of Kalas fame today.  We spent some time looking on the web at bikes, measuring me, and my bike and deciding what to do.  After all that, I came home, spent more time and…pushed the button.  I’ve ordered a new bike!  Actually the payment process fell over just at the end (*grrrr*), so I had to ring up Hargroves myself.  They managed to find my order, confirm that payment hadn’t been taken, and sort it out.  I hope it’s all worked ok – I forgot to get an order number – but apparently it should be with me on Tuesday!

For anyone who cares – I have ordered a Cube Axial WLS Comp 2009.  As you can get 10% worth back in kit I have ordered some pedals, 2 bottle cages, some mitts, some lube, some muc-off and some spare bar tape.  I have also ordered another mini-pump like my current one from ebay as that was the cheapest place by far.  My new kit is currently somewhere in the middle of Germany, still winging its way here.

So, by the end of next week, I should be all kitted out, all set up, and ready to go!  Very exciting *grin*.

According to UPS my new kit is indeed on its way, it’s currently in Prague, and delivery is scheduled for Monday. Spot the girl who’s going to be glued to the UPS tracking site until then! *grin*.

My cycling computer went nuts today – wireless ain’t all it’s cracked up to be – and about the only thing it managed to stay sane about was the trip time! So I’ve had to guess at my stats for the rest. It’s been playing up a bit…and I think I’ll get hubby to put the wired one back on instead – low tech is sometimes more reliable!

It was only a shortish ride – with G – we went out round Sanford, Yatton, Wrington, Sanford, Shipham and down to home again. There really wasn’t much in my legs today, which I suspected when I went out, but I could have been wrong…I just wasn’t!

Cycling time: 1:36:01
Distance: 24.32 miles
Avs: 15.2 mph
ODO: 9520.42 miles

I think I’ll do an hour in the gym later just to spin my legs ’round, and hopefully the next ride will feel a little better

There’s a rumour that my new custom Cycling Mayor kit from Kalas could be with me next Monday!  How exciting is that?!!!  I so hope it’s all turned out as good as we hoped – *fingers crossed* ‘n all that   The suspense is unbearable…

Brand New Day, and a Brand New Term.  The Easter holidays are over and the Summer Term is here.  The mob went off to their respective schools this morning, happily enough, leaving me all kitted up and ready to go out in the sunshine.  I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated so the good weather and nearly complete lack of wind definitely helped to ensure that I went out.

Where to go when the sun is shining and the holidays are over?  Yes – it’s now safe to go to the seaside   I did a minor variation on the seaside loop.  I went up to Winscombe and along the main road to Churchill, mainly just because I’ve never done that stretch of road before, usually choosing to avoid it by various back routes.  As it’s a mainer road you get the usual trade-off between smoother road surfaces and traffic…but it wasn’t too bad, and the long down from Rowberrow, where I would normally come in, to the traffic lights is always nice.  From there round the back lanes at Churchill, across to leaning tower of Puxton Church, past the RCH Brewery, and along the beach at Sand Bay.  Into Weston to admire the Wheel, along to Uphill, down the main road to turn right and wiggle across through Lympsham, past Rookery Manor, and back home on the hill past the Webbington Hotel.

Cycling time: 2:12:01
Distance: 35.662 miles
Avs: 16.2 mph
ODO: 9496.1 miles

The sun shone. The wind barely blew. It took a while for the temperature to warm up, but it was summer kit all ’round. My legs felt really good – no idea why, and after celebrating eldest’s birthday yesterday they certainly didn’t deserve too!  I’m sure the lack of wind helped but still…have you seen my average speed?  I was flying! I thought it was going well when I checked at Uphill around 1:20 in (I had to stop and take my arms off), and it was 16mph then. This was a bit red flag to a bull, and made me push it a bit all the way home too!   I made sure to take some of my Recovery drink when I got in, so hopefully the next ride will be just as good. I may not be a fair weather cyclist, but I certainly prefer it when it’s like this *grin*.

The ACG were out again yesterday morning.  Five hardy souls met in the Square and were away promptly at 9am.  Blimey was it ever nippy!  K had figured us out a route which took us out via Wedmore (where the hills helped us warm up a bit) across the levels to Shapwick, along through Catcott, back through the back roads and up to Mark and then home again.  We had a lovely coffee stop at Richs Cider Farm where I’d never been before – and where the warm coffee was more than nice, it was essential!

Cycling time: 2:20:03
Distance: 34.210 miles
Avs: 14.7 mph
ODO: 9460.5 miles

It was a really nice ride – and once the sun came out after coffee, the temperature rose noticeably.  We were a bit faster than usual, I think just to make sure we all stayed warm!  OK, so maybe shorts were a tad OTT – but I can’t go back to longs now – it’s a mental thing.  Besides, I have a tan to work on   This is not to say that a winter jacket wouldn’t have in handy though! *grin*