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*.