I love my Ultegra brakes. I really do. Not only do I love how they make me stop, but let’s face it, in that sort of gunmetal grey finish, they’re awful purty too :). But, as is often the way with pretty things, they do seem to be a little more high maintenance than less attractive models. Today’s ride got off to somewhat of a false start as I set off and was noisily reminded that the front brake wasn’t releasing once applied and had to turn around from the Square and go home and apply WD40 before I could be on my way. Gotta love WD40 though :).
As I have my first event of the season on Sunday (about time too!) I should be taking it a little easy this week. Not that I ever have gotten the hang of tapering, but I know it’s something you’re supposed to do ;). I went through my library of routes and dug out a seaside loop to do. I even avoided those that involved starting with Shipham Hill though I was sore tempted… This one was relatively flat, and for novelty value I decided to do it clockwise. Not just for novelty…let’s be honest, doing it that way around meant that I could finish up by going up Winscombe Hill and home down the bypass *grin*.
So how was it? Overcast, indecisively damp, relentlessly grey. Mild however, with not a lot of wind, and therefore the first ride this year without a base layer, which was noticeably more comfortable. That’ll be the feeling of Rapha next to your skin for you 😉 *grin*. I got my kit choice totally spot on. So spot on that I didn’t make a single adjustment the whole way ’round. No zip maneuvres. No layer removals. Nowt. Unusual.
It was the kind of route I don’t really have to think about, though maybe I should have paid slightly more attention as I did deviate slightly by taking a turn too early and going through Lympsham by accident. But then Lympsham is pretty, so it’s hardly the end of the world. By the way, if you’re ever in the business for some wrought ironwork, there’s a company on a scruffy plot along by the railway line not far from there that you should look at just because this makes me laugh every time I hurtle past it…and it’s a long straight parallel flat stretch, so I do mean hurtle :).
...buying a stairway to heaven...
I know, small things please small minds…*grin*. It was the only thing worth showing you today really, what with the world being covered in a blanket of grey cloud. Not the best day for visiting the seaside, but at least when the sun’s not out, neither are the grockles. Silver linings ‘n all that.
Cycling time: 2:06:47 hrs
Distance: 35.65 miles.
AVS: 16.8 mph.
ODO: 12241 miles
It was, oddly, a blinding ride. I can’t explain why, but I felt like I was flying along. If you’d told me my bike had an engine I’d have been tempted to believe you! I guess it was a zone day – it just felt easy. Effortless. And right. And fun :D. I barely registered some of the ups, and even Winscombe Hill was marginally less strenuous than usual. Just for fun I pushed it down the bypass a little and easily made it over 30mph before I had to turn left and ruin a perfectly good sprint finish *grin*. Mojo rising :).
PS. In deeply sad statistical analysis fashion I should inform you that today’s ride takes this month’s total to a nice round 400 miles. 40 miles more than February 2010. Not that I’m keeping count at all. Or competing with myself. Yep. Sad. *grin*.