It’s windy out there.  It may be kinda sunny, it may be fairly mild, but that easterly wind?  Nasty.  And such conditions do not make layer choice any easier.  I took myself down to George’s in my long sleeve winter jersey with a windproof jacket over the top.

I was already not totally feeling the love by the time I got there.  It just all felt a bit like hard work and that wind was proving troublesome.  Not a great start.  I got there before she did – it’s a school run thing – and was glad of the opportunity to take the arms off the jacket, as I hate being too warm on the bike.  I left the route down to George, with a request that it not be too challenging, and we took advantage of the Spring sunshine to visit the seaside at Burnham-on-Sea.

That’s some sticky looking mud out there.  I remember losing wellies in mud like that. Mud, mud, glorious mud :).  Considering how much the tidal range of the Severn limits sailing opportunities I bet some of these boats never actually go anywhere.  But they look pretty right? ;).

The long stretch along the coast road to Brean was pure slog, with far too much traffic.  The season starts down there on March 31st, and there was a lot of pre-season cleaning and preparation going on as all those businesses that have been closed for months prepare to try and earn as much money as possible in the short space of time they’re given.  Silly season is on the way.  I made a mental note to do my best to avoid the area until about October…

Home into the wind via Bleadon, Christon and Winscombe Hill, where there was nothing for it but to plod up.  Plus, having started from a different point on the hill to usual, I figured Strava wouldn’t be comparing my time so I had no challenge to beat *grin*.  Me, competitive? ;).

Sun, daffodils, clocks going forward this weekend…anyone would think Summer Time was coming ;).

Cycling time: 2:17:53 hrs
Distance: 34.2 miles
AVS: 14.9 mph.
ODO: 12715 miles

It would be easy to blame the wind for today’s average performance, but I think it was just one of the ingredients in the mix.  I was riding with George, which always feels like hard work but turns out to be slow, possibly due to the amount of nattering going on.  Mind you, she’s always been better than me ever since I started out, so I think I feel that keeping up with her should be a struggle…so I make it feel like one even if it isn’t!  Cycling is mental remember?

I may have managed to eat enough to get me through the Lionheart, but I don’t think I’ve done enough since on the recovery front.  My legs were feeling pretty heavy and there wasn’t a lot in the tank.  And even dosed up with painkillers the niggle was, and is, cutting through.  Too much going on all ’round if you ask me.  Must do better!

On the upside this year’s March mileage total is already greater than last year’s, and I got to ride for a couple of hours with a friend in what was practically sunshine.  Could most definitely be worse :).

Mothers' Day daffodils