Monthly Archives: July 2010

A Gentleman’s Excuse Me

Oops.  I’m two entries behind, and GB is showing me up something chronic by having blogged both our rides before I’ve done one.  Simply not acceptable.

So.  Yesterday the ACG were out and about again.  A mixed group gathered in the Square and, after a wait to make sure the ever tardy KG wasn’t going to arrive, headed off towards Glastonbury.  (As it turns out he’s been ill, so we’ll let him off).  The group rapidly split in two, but luckily there were enough of us at the right levels to allow that to happen without anyone getting left on their own.  I wish it worked out that way more often…  Anyway, we arrived at the café at the bottom of the high street and I had my caffeine fix – a notably nice americano.  The others joined us a little while later, and we sat chatting in the sun for a while.  I think that’s one of the best things about the ACG – we laugh a lot.  Which is good for the soul 🙂

Eventually we had to leave, and once again, two groups made their various ways back.  The “fast” group pushed across the Levels, into the wind.  I know, I’m always going on about headwinds, but it wasn’t as troublesome as sometimes as my caffeine fueled legs were happy to take the lead.  I get to feel all powerful and capable that way – very good for the ego.  Dad was hoping we wouldn’t do our usual daft race down the Wedmore road but I couldn’t promise him that…which is just as well as we were as juvenile as ever.  I played leadout team for GB, allowing him to sprint for home and get over the line first.  To be fair, the rest of us did stop and wait for Dad who’d gotten stuck behind a tractor, so GB was deprived of an audience to cheer him over the line 😉  Next time he tries to come past me I may have to head butt him…

Cycling time: 1:57:28
Distance: 34.2 miles
Avs: 17.5mph
ODO: 5196

So, that was Saturday.  Weren’t we fast?   That’s what happens when you avoid hills.  GB and I jested in very non-serious fashion about cycling again on Sunday…and then somewhat surprisingly we were both given leave passes to do just that.  So, as such opportunities should not be missed, he and I did it all over again this morning!

However it was a different route – since repeating yourself is wrong.  Firstly it involved wiggling down towards East Brent.  We ended up going that way having taken an unintended detour at Rooksbridge but, as is often the way, this proved to be a good thing.  As we headed back towards Uphill alongside the railway line we noticed that there were more spectators than one might usually expect for that line.  Ah hah we thought…and, as one anorak confirmed, they were waiting for a steam train.  We headed at speed to the next bridge along, where we joined an over-equipped motorcyclist to await the arrival of what turns out to have been the Duke of Gloucester (I know a man who knows these things).  It powered under the bridge, engulfing us in nostaglic steam, and we ran across to the other side, like a very fast game of pooh sticks, to watch it disappear off to the south.  A very good way to put a grin on my face – and it quite made my day 🙂  I even took a photo which I’ll try and post at some point…  And if we hadn’t detoured we wouldn’t have been in the right place at the right time and I would have even less to write about *grin*.

After that it was off through grockle infested WsM to the Castle in Kewstoke for more good coffee, more good chat, and then the usual route home.  GB suggested taking in some form of incline on the way home but by that point my legs weren’t feeling it.  Or rather they were, in painful knee fashion.  The right knee is coming out in sympathy with the left one now.  Misery loves company?  Also,  it being the second day in a row, with no need for such intense training, it felt like time to go home.

Cycling time: 1:56:47
Distance: 33.12 miles
Avs: 17.0 mph
ODO: 5230

It turns out we were much faster than I was expecting which just goes to show.  Not sure what it shows.  Something of significance of no doubt.  Probably that I should go cycling more often, right?

Pump up the jam

Rain was forecast, but it was warm, there wasn’t any wind and I hadn’t been out all week so I decided to risk it and, on the weather front, it went pretty well.  Grey cloud, very little wind, and the heavy rain only ever threatened, never materialised.   The only wind really was that which was self generated, by which I mean caused by my motion not my digestion!  Which was nice 🙂

However half way around my wiggly loop, I realised my ride was a little squishier than I’d like, and when I pulled over I discovered the back tyre was a little less than solid.  I hate changing the back tyre – it’s mucky and takes time – so I decided to pump it up and see what happened.  Well, it never got very flat, and I stopped two more times to add more air, but it got me home.   Overnight it has turned proper pancake, and I’ll be changing it later ready to go out with the ACG tomorrow.

Cycling time: 2:10:41
Distance: 34.47 miles
Avs: 15.4 mph
ODO: 5162

It wasn’t the most exciting ride, and due to the tyre, not the fastest either, but I did enjoy it.  I practiced going round corners a bit, picturing the way the TdF guys do it, with some success.  I only wish I could go up hills the way they went up the Tourmalet yesteday! *grin*.

Great Weston Ride

Today I have done over 5 hours riding which, if you think about it, is pretty much a stage of the Tour de France. I have led the pack, I have dropped off the pack on hills, I have sprinted for bridges, and I have chased down breakaway groups.   So which cyclist am I? *grin* Answers on the back of a postcard or, alternatively, you could always leave a comment…

Today was a game of three thirds, played out under a blanket of grey cloud that was nearly chilly but not quite…

Part 1: GB, GW and I met up at 7.00am and cycled into the park and ride at Long Ashton.  There’s something very cool about turning up to do a sportive on your bike…don’t ask me why but I’ve always thought it looks kind of professional and nonchalant.   Having said that, it didn’t seem quite so cool when I rolled out of bed at 6.00am but at least, since it was GB’s idea, I had someone to blame it all on.  To make up for it he showed us the flattest route into Bristol possible, by which I was proper impressed since I was unaware that it was possible to get there without toiling over unpleasant hills.  Points to GB 🙂

Cycling time: 1:09:01
Distance: 19.33 miles
Avs: 16.7 mph

Part 2: We did the Great Weston Ride.   The route took us back out from Long Ashton, through Barrow Gurney, and out to Chew Valley Lakes.   I know it seems flat in car, but the slog past the lakes and up to the main road was possibly the worst bit of the whole ride.   The strong wind was against us, the road surface is like porridge, and it’s all going slowly upwards…  It sort of saps the life out of you.   Not nice.   The main road there always feels like it ought to be flat, but is actually very up and down all the way to Blagdon, after which there is a bit of respite before the hill to come…  The first stop of the day was at the bottom of that hill – Burringtom Combe – where we regrouped, and chatted to the rabbit we had recently caught and dropped.  Thanks go to the very nice man at the bike shop there who let me use the loo.  We then plodded our way up the hill, into the wind.   We spread out a bit and did our own thing, thus avoiding attempts at conversation and turning a blind eye to any misery being suffered.  Did I mention it was windy?  Right.  It was windy.   Very windy over the top of the Mendips, which is where we re-grouped and re-layered.  It was drizzly too.   Which is GB’s fault for mentioning, earlier in the ride, that drizzle had been forecast and that there didn’t seem to be any.  Still, drizzle is better than rain.  Just.  GW alleges that it’s refreshing, which is a masterpiece of positive spin doctoring *grin*.

Once at the top there was a nice fast section along to Priddy before the nasty descent down the very same hill that GW made me go up on Friday.  We were on to very familiar territory now as we went through to Cocklake, along to Wedmore, and out to the second food stop at Hugh Sexey’s school where the coffee was nescaf but the cakes were apparently awesome.  We were clearly near the front of the ride as very few had been through before us, which was quite a nice feeling.  I was having a good day, my legs had settled in, provided there was little or no incline, and I was really quite enjoying chasing rabbits, eating up the miles, and generally going faster than usual.

Onwards through to Mark, Highbridge, from where the wind was finally in our favour.  Out dodging grockle traffic to Burnham, along the fast flats pushing all the way, up the hill to Uphill and down into WSM and the stage finish on the lawns there.  Turns out we were around the 5th cyclists in.  Oooh, get us 😉  Rather than a useless goody bag we got a ticket for a free ride on the Weston Eye and a voucher for free fish & chips.  Both of which we did.  Well, it would be rude not to.  And since we were there early we had plenty of time in hand too 😛

Cycling time: 3:25:08
Distance: 56.33 miles
Avs: 16.4 mph

Part 3: We cycled home again.  There’s something quite cool about doing that to.  Especially when you pass all the other cyclists still going the other way as you’re doing it.  Note to self however – chips do not make good cycling food.  They make for great indigestion.  By now GB’s man flu had worsened, my left knee was proper hurting despite the pink pills, and I’m sure we could have lived without the last couple of hills over Bleadon and the Webbington.  Apart from GW who blithely announced she couldn’t wait to go up Weare Hill because then she’d be properly worn out.  Bless – there’s a category of strange especially reserved for such people 😉

Cycling time: 0:39:21
Distance: 10.36 miles
Avs: 15.7 mph
ODO: 5127

That’s a total of 5:13:30 in the saddle, and 86.02 miles done.  I really enjoyed it – and definitely got a buzz from it.  Mind you, that could be the coffee – I’m still avoiding that for the most part so maybe now when I do drink it I get the benefits properly!  No, it was a really good ride, in good company.  I think I did ok 🙂  I’d been feeling at a bit of a loss with no bigger rides coming up on the calendar so it was a very good thing – thanks to GB for spotting it and suggesting it 🙂

Time to have a shower, kick back on the sofa, and watch the pros show me how it’s supposed to be done 🙂

She drives me crazy

GW did today’s route, which was billed as being easy as she claims to be off her game…  Yeah, right.  At which point does an easy route include climbing up the hill behind Westbury-sub-Mendip?  It doesn’t!  I’ve done that hill once before with the ACG when I was prepared for it.  Today it was definitely harder.  2.2 miles of up, 643ft of climbing.  Talk about a long slow slog…while GW chats away happily beside me.  Just as well that I was too busy concentrating on pedalling, breathing, and dripping to be able to talk…or there might have been a few choice words flying around.  She has this theory that on windy wet days you might as well do hills…and I never have seen the logic in that *grrrrr*.

Ah well.  At least that was the only real grief of the whole ride.  We got there via Cocklake and across, and from there went across from Priddy to the top of the hill above Wells.  The usually lovely descent was ruined by the very strong blustery wind and the amount of traffic on a damp road – really not ideal for the easily panic stricken rider.  Yes – that would be me.  A large dollop of caution meant that we emerged at the bottom unscathed, and headed out to Wedmore on the main, very boring, terribly surfaced, road.  Once back at Cocklake, we parted company, and I headed for home as usual.  The wind was behind me, but my legs weren’t up for making the most of it – too much gym work + that hill has left me with ouchy hamstrings.  Oh, and having resorted to my winter shoes, my left knee started playing up big time too.  Lovely.

Cycling time: 2:01:08
Distance: 31.74 miles
Avs: 15.6 mph
ODO: 5041 miles

It wasn’t as bad a ride as I’d feared because the wet went away early on, and it was warm.  However  the very strong SW wind was no fun at all.

I must try and take it a bit easier between now and Sunday’s Great Weston Ride, which I’m doing with GB and as it turns out, GW.  Well, since they’re both faster than me, at least I may get left in peace to plod around.  I’m thinking hares v. tortoise here…   Less gym weights and less wind and I may do ok.  Failing that there’s pink pills and caffeine, right?  😉

(No) Justice for all

Yesterday’s ride was a non event since, due to an Friday night where I didn’t eat enough and drank way more than enough, I totally slept through my alarm, and its many repeats.  Even hubby couldn’t wake me, so he gave up, turned the alarm off and left me to it.  I woke up 8 minutes after I was due to meet SH in the Cheddar…and was NOT happy.  Having said that, it would probably have been a very bad ride, so it was probably all for the best really.  I was cross though, since I was nervously looking forward to the challenge that the Burnham run is…and I also hate to let people down.  Ah well, spilt milk and all that.  Sorry SH (again!).

So even though I was out again last night (ooh, get me, a social life and everything!) I was pretty determined not to let the same happen again today.  I was up before the alarm, home by 8:00am, and in the Square at 9:00am to meet the ACG as planned.  DM has a very enviable shiny new bike which, conveniently, is going to match the ACG kit perfectly.  I’d give you facts about it but a) that would be geeky and b) I’m not that kind of geek.  It was black, white, shiny, sleek…will that do?  New bikes are very lovely 🙂

Initially it had seemed chilly, and it had clearly rained over night, but what must have been the tail end of that cleared, the sun came out, and the temperature rose.  My gilet didn’t even make it out of the Square, as I quickly stuffed it in my bag before we left.  Mind you, the wind, considerable, blustery and strong, wasn’t going anywhere, and proved to be a bit of a pain for a lot of the ride.

In the absence of any better plans, four of us did the first half of my usual training loop, round to Sweets Peat place for coffee.  I reckon if we’d sat there long enough, every cyclist in Somerset would have passed by…it was one of those days.  After a decent natter in the sun, KG headed straight for home, being due at Pageant rehearsals.  The remaining three of us wiggled home in Brownian fashion, affecting the route every time we came to a junction.  We met a couple of other ACG members heading the other way at one of them, which was random but nice.

When the wind was behind us, the sun shining, with clear views for miles, all that was separating us from Le Tour was a few tournesols.  Well, ok, not all.  In my dreams!  But since they were going up big hills today and we weren’t, I reckon we might have had the edge on the happy front 😉

However, and I still don’t know what happened, things fell apart in Wedmore.  We were heading towards the golf course, up the hill there.  I plodded up, and when I got to the top I was all alone.  No sign of them.  I went back down, but still, no sign…  So I went back up again, and decided I didn’t really have any other option that to head for home, so I did my kinda dancin‘ all the way home.  This mostly involved me pretending to be Thor Hushovd and sprinting as fast as I could for home, for no particular reason other than that I was quite enjoying it *grin*.  Hopefully nothing untoward happened to the other two and they had as much fun getting home as I did.

Cycling time: 2:01:28
Distance: 32.58 miles
Avs: 16.1 mph
ODO: 5009 miles

I’m surprised the average speed wasn’t faster and I guess the wind may have had something to do with that.  I’m sure I was going faster than that though.  It certainly felt fast.  However, considering my weekend, it’s a miracle I was going at all…let alone at speed.  There’s clearly no justice – I really should have been suffering more *grin*.

And finally: today saw another landmark – my bike has now done over 5000 miles.  I like that 🙂

Update: they were fine – it was just a question of missed turns and not catching up.  So that’s alright then 🙂

Smile

Planning routes is increasingly difficult if I want to avoid being bored.  And I’m easily bored.  Today’s route was circuitous and wiggly, as I took in some bits I fancied doing and joined them up as best I could.

I headed out up the main road to Sidcot, left into Winscombe and out through Sandford.  Over to Puxton, following a tractor towing some sort of rolling device that was exactly as wide as the road.  Which is good because you know nothing’s going to come the other way at you, and bad because it was going just slightly slower than I wanted to be and there was no way to pass.  Still, once it turned off to do its agricultural thing, I got back up to speed.  Rather than head for the seaside I headed back towards Banwell to go up the little steep hill towards the Castle, parallell to the main road, thus crossing off one of my targets.  It’s still steep…but at least all the traffic is on the main road.

I went straight over the top, along Wint Hill (check) and along the wiggly road to Loxton which is one of my favourite bits of road.  It’s up and downy, fairly sheltered, mostly quiet, with stunning views down the valley past Crook Peak to the coast beyond.  From there I went across to East Brent and all the way round, skipping the Knoll this time, to head back into Mark.  From there it was along the Causeway, left to Chapel Allerton, and past the Windmill (check).  This brought me nicely to GW’s current abode for refreshment and chat.  Duly refreshed on both fronts I headed home via the usual Wedmore – Cheddar – Axbridge route, having slightly lost my mojo due to the break.

Cycling time: 2:03:07
Distance: 33.68 miles
Avs: 16.3 mph
ODO: 4976 miles

The weather was really hot, but you don’t really notice until you stop and suddenly sweat pours from every pore.  Which it did.  Very pleasant.  I had to wash my face in cold water at GW’s as the sweated salt and suntan cream combined in a particular sting-y fashion.  Still, my tan is coming along nicely 🙂  The wind managed to be mostly useless all day, moving from the South, where it would have blown me home, to the West where it didn’t…  Nothing new there then.

There were a lot of buzzards out and about being thermally territorial.  When one flies over the road, it feels like the Roc is swooping down to take you away in his claws.  Well, at present the nights are warm enough to be Arabian, so I think the reference is appropriate *grin*

It was mostly a smelly ride.  Things have been using vehicles to impel them off this mortal coil.  I didn’t see them, but I know they were there…  And there are a great many agricultural rural smells going on.  And the odd bonfire.  All definitely smelly as opposed to fragant.  As, no doubt, was I by the time I got home.

It appears I may be cycling tomorrow and Sunday.  Don’t know about you, but that sounds a bit keen to me…*grin*.  I may have to wimp out of something… 😉

Killer Queen

Man I kicked a*se today!  Oh yes I did! *grin*.  GB and I had a Sunday morning run out to Glastonbury and back, with the usual coffee stop to admire the stereotypical Glastonbury sights.  There was a lot of nasty wind around but that notwithstanding, we had averaged 17mph by the time we pulled up at the café – and that’s with chatting on the way.  We’re good we are. 🙂

We sat outside, and I had my first coffee in weeks – today is the first day of my retox *grin*.  Well, to be fair it was actually a cappuccino, and very nice it was too.  Though it was rather worrying that the girl serving, having confused the till, couldn’t subtract £1.65 from my £2 to give me change and had to resort to a calculator…   On top of that GB’s toast took so long to turn up – being clearly a tricky culinary construction – that he eventually demanded a refund and gave up.  The gentleman – and I use the term advisedly – at the next table made a point of telling me how nice the tattoo on my left arm is, which was unusual, and quite nice.  Although we nearly got sucked into a long conversation on the subject…  Glastonbury is one place I can be guaranteed NOT to stand out in the crowd *grin*.  Well, actually, there’s not as much purple lycra there as you might think… 😉

Minus his toast, GB and I headed for home.  Having done a few hills before he met me, so as to get his hill fix in, and being carb deprived, GB admitted to being a little short on energy.  And even though the wind was more in our favour, it spent quite a lot time seeming to still be against us, and doing that annoying thing where it makes you lurch sideaways by catching you unawares at gaps in the hedge…  In fact we were hedge-hogs wherever we could be *grin*, but it was still a tad relentless.

So I decided it was my turn to be at the front, since I was feeling fine, and was no doubt also caffeine enhanced.  And I had a blast!  All the way!  Even across the Levels.  On the last stretch home, with the wind finally behind us, and pushing hard, we were briefly doing over 30 mph – and that’s on the flat!  I put my Lance face on and went for it – all the way from Cocklake to home 🙂

Cycling time: 1:55:10
Distance: 34.23 miles
Avs: 17.9 mph
ODO: 4942 miles

I left GB on the bypass, having got the jump on him away from the BP junction, and decided to push for home rather than waiting and having him cruise past me at the end – I’ve fallen for that trick before! 😉  And look how fast we went!  Even without the aid of the South African Trio!  I’m still buzzing 🙂  Oddly enough neither my knee nor my shoulder twinged at all.  Weird.  But in a good way 🙂  Detoxing is clearly good for my cycling, which I may have to bear in mind when preparing for future events…

In other news, 5 seconds might not be a lot, but it sounds a lot like a psychological advantage to me *grin*.

Big girls

The weather has broken, but at least it had the courtesy to wait until after today’s ride.  GW and I headed out in typical Thursday morning traditional style. I’d planned a route but as ever we didn’t stick to it.  There was much chatting, and enjoying of the scenery, as GW hasn’t been out in a while.  Not that this has noticeably affected her fitness, but there you go.  We visited the back roads round Nyland, Rodney Stoke, Westbury sub Mendip, Wookey Hole, Wells, Burcott, Westhay and Wedmore, in pretty much that order.

Cycling time: 2:14:34
Distance: 33.48 miles
Avs: 15.0 mph
ODO: 4908 miles

My figures aren’t 100% accurate as I didn’t realise my cycling computer wasn’t on until we were nearly in Draycott – but they’ll have to do.  Add another four miles if you’re picky…which I am *grin*.  It was windier than I’d have liked, but the wind was weirdly warm so not entirely unpleasant, and indeed very lovely when it was behind us – noticeably so on the main road home – always nice 🙂

It all made for a very nice sociable ride, and since I’ve been doing an awful lot of cyling on my lonesome of late, that made a nice change.  Even the familiar roads – well, it’s hard to find unfamiliar ones these days – don’t seem so tedious in company.  Having said that I did try another new road today – that’s two in recent history – how exciting is that? 😉  I’m going to have to search more out as I really am getting bored of the same old same old…

On a painful note, my left knee has started playing up again which is a bit irritating, and I think I’ll have to go back to my back issues of Cycling Plus and re-read the knee pain articles.  Mayhap I’ll have to adjust my cleats again.  Or just take more pink pills *grin*.