Variety is the spice of life, or so they say, which this week meant that MiniMe and I gave our Wednesday ride a miss, and went out today instead.  Which gained us a couple of degrees and dropped us a couple of knots, so it was clearly a pretty good call.

Now it’s all very well cycling in circles around the Levels, but after a while it does get a tad boring, and whilst it puts miles on the wheels, it does not put hills in your legs.  The time had come, the walrus said…   Unfortunately that makes me a walrus and I’m not sure I’m very happy with that!  Having said that I have heard that walruses are grumpy creatures, so perhaps there’s a grain of truth to be found there…  And according to wikipedia, it’s a long lived and social animal, so there’s something to aspire to.  So maybe I am the walrus?  Goo goo g’joob! *grin*.

Now, where were we?  Ah yes.  About to take eldest up hills.  It had to happen some time and I did warn him in advance so as to give him plenty of time to throw a teenage tantrum and refuse to go.  He didn’t, we did.

Out of Axbridge we went, up the hill to the bypass, and then up the A38 to go up Winscombe hill.  Round the back through Barton to the Webbington and then up the hill past there to go back to Cross.  Through Cross, over the A38 and up Notting Hillway.  We did consider going the longer less steep way but, ignorance being bliss and knowing no better, he chose the short (ish!) sharp shock way.  I think he ground to a halt half way up and had to get started again, but he did a fine job of getting to the top without complaining half as much as I would have done in his place!

From there it was past the windmill, down Rughill, and back home the usual way.  Apparently it wasn’t his back that was hurting as we went up the Cheddar Road this time, it was his legs!  So there’s progress for you ;).

My cycling PC has new bunny batteries – both halves of it – so hopefully my figures will be a little more accurate.  Having said that, they didn’t seem to add up, but maybe I set it up wrong, so I’ll give it one more chance…

Cycling time: 1:21:13 hrs
Distance: 17.43 miles
Avs: 12.9 mph
ODO: 9107 miles

It was good for me because I’m supposed to be tapering, and just spinning my legs.  It was also good for me to go up hills at someone else’s speed, sort of a reminder that it’s ok to go up them really slowly, and that actually, if you do, they’re easier!  I guess I tend to try and go up them the best I can, which is all well and good, but sometimes it’s just not necessary :).

So, roll on Sunday.  The forecast is currently ok, but I have little faith in forecasts…so we’ll see :).  It’s a very hilly ride *gulp*.