OK, one trade show under my belt.  Giving and Living Trade Show, done.  It was a pretty good day, but a long one, and I’m hanging now.  Still, I shall endeavour to at the very least start this…but don’t be surprised if this happens…

Was it only yesterday?  Apparently it was…  Blimey.  Well, let’s boil it down to essentials then.  I’m not sure my powers of recall are up to much right now!

It was cold.  But oh so pretty.  The kind of day where cyclists wrap up in many layers underneath warm jackets in primary colours, which look particularly attractive in the winter sun under clear blue skies.  When toe warmers under overshoes and over winter socks does not seem like overkill.  Where anything you own with the name “winter” in the title comes out.  Winter hat, winter collar, winter socks, winter gloves…

There were 11 of us. Not quite a record – that stands at 13 – but an altogether unprecedented turnout for this time of year, especially with ice being a distinct possibility.  Martyn had brought along four of his friends from the Burnham end of the world – including Paul and Trevor, with the addition of Jeannie and Mark (apologies if the names are wrong!).  We had a newbie – Jon.  Then me, Grant, Stephen, and Chris.  The 11th came later, meeting us at Sweets, because he’d failed to read my oh so informative email and check the start time ;).  You know who you are…Steve!

As I believe I’ve mentioned before, Martyn isn’t slow, and he doesn’t have slow friends.  Some of them are <start whisper>tri-athletes<end whisper>!  To be fair, we don’t dislike them because they’re triathletes.  We dislike them because they’re better than us! 😉 *grin*.  Jon turned out to be just as fast, and it is not news that Chris, aka Figgy, is a whippet.  Which left me, Grant, and Stephen doing our best to keep up with varying degrees of success at different times.  Let’s just say it’s a good thing it wasn’t a hilly ride.  I can, mostly, keep up on the flat.  Until you get to consistently doing above 23mph or so, or hit anything even vaguely resembling a gradient.  Then I’ve had it…!  I’ll be the one falling off the back waving you all goodbye.

We took a long loop of a route, down the more major, more likely to be gritted roads, to get to Sweets.  It was hard work.  But, like a slinky, though we stretched out and pinged back together, the G continued to stand for Group.  And even though it was hard work, and it was cold, it was impossible not to enjoy being out there like that.  Me, my bike, sunshine, friends, and an elegant sufficiency of wheels to suck, provided I could get on the back of one ;).  The new bottom bracket does make the Cube feel smoother to ride, though the baggy chain means that changing gear is a slightly delayed affair, and its tendency to change gear as and when it likes adds a certain frisson to the act of riding.  But it was all working, and thanks to my choice of layers, I remained in touch with my extremities, down to and including my toes, up to and including my ears.  All good really :).

And here we are, at the important part, the coffee stop.  The photo opportunity, what with it being pretty much impossible to take photos on the move with winter gloves on, let alone get the camera out of a pocket in the first place!  So here we are…

A still life, with teapot and Trevor…

Steve, having finally joined us, with Trevor…

Chris eating, as ever…  Jon, the newbie, will he be back?…  And Grant, who was hoping the camera was pointed over his head…

And then all of us.  The motley crew…  Well, nearly all of us ;).

It was, since the wood burner wasn’t lit until we were getting ready to leave (typical!), a little nippy sitting out there in the new “conservatory”, so we didn’t hang around too long.  Long enough for buckets and spoons and coffee and cake and bacon rolls….but no longer ;).  It was, oddly enough, warmer standing outside in the sun, which is just as well as we overlapped with the arriving Leisure Group and hung around for a bit of a chat before being on our way.  It was very nice to see them, and I really need to organise a ride that gets both groups together soon.

Time to go, said Zebedee.  The fast posse went home directly, as did we.  Only their direction was West and fast, and ours was North and blessedly somewhat slower.  Just as well, since I’ve rarely been up Mudgeley slower :(.  I blame the cold.  Heading back into the wind only revealed how sheltered Sweets had been as ice-cream head cut in with a vengeance before the toils of slugging uphill raised my body temperature up enough to override it.  *brrrr….*.  After that we headed for home at a reasonable lick, though we did split up on the last Wedmore road section which was, if not a sprint, certainly faster than sometimes.  Again – hard work but fun :).

Cycling time: 2:08:05 hrs
Distance: 35.35 miles
Avs: 16.6 mph.
ODO: 15691.13 miles

Clearly what I need now that I’ve made it back on to the bike is to stop just being happy/relieved to be on it, and to get some miles and hills in.  Proper training in other words.  Well, my variety of such anyway.  Sportive season looms, and I don’t want to limp around them all, I want to be on form, I want to do my best, want want want, me me me *grin*.

And here we are, dear reader, back where we started, not unlike our routes.  Back to trade shows, and in this case, the London Bike Show, where I’ll be on Saturday.  Anyone want to meet up?  Buy me a coffee?  Or something a little stronger? 😉

Ah…I knew this was coming….*yawn*….Zonk….thud….. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………

Today is Day 5 on the wagon(s).  New Year, new resolve, etc…  I’ve had a week when riding wasn’t an option, as working wasn’t optional, and the rest of my time was taken up by seeing the kind of people with whom you make appointments and don’t cancel them.  So no riding, just evening gym sessions.  Better than nowt, plus it’s also a lot easier to decide you’ve had enough and it’s time to go home when all that involves is getting in the car and driving home, rather than finding yourself riding somewhere out in the wilds when the urge to cease such activity hits.  It’s also a good way to start getting the fitness back, and strengthening the core muscles again.  A good call all ’round therefore, and probably the choice I’d have made even if I’d had a choice to make ;).

Earlier this week it turned out that GB would be free on Sunday.  As would I be, clearly, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this and you wouldn’t be reading it.  In impromptu ACG, organised by the wonders of social media, style, we were four.  GB, myself, Martyn and Steve.  In consideration of my weakened and pitiable state, GB agreed that he would go against his natural inclination towards more interesting rides, and that we could do the traditional coffee run to Glastonbury and back.  Ideal for me, because it’s pretty flat on the way out, thus allowing me to establish how I was doing before having to decide on how I was getting home.  Hills?  Straight home?  Taxi? ;).

A 9:30am start was most civilised.  Although given the grey cloud and the fog, there wasn’t as much daylight as you might have hoped for.  Still, it was dry, and mild, and there wasn’t a lot of wind, so you’ll not hear me complaining.  Once all four riders of the apocalypse were assembled, we were off.  A little nervously on my behalf, but faint heart never won anything, right?  The one advantage of being off form is that it doesn’t take me as long to warm up as it does when I’m on form.  How weird is that?  Bonus though as it means that horrible first chunk of the ride when you feel terrible doesn’t last as long.  Of course the fact that I’ve been on the wagon for a while probably doesn’t do any harm either…!

Coffee was at Heaphy’s café, for two reasons.  Firstly the very good coffee, secondly the ability to park the bikes outside but close by and in plain view.  Not that we’re paranoid or anything.  Oh, and if you’re me, the fact that they also have Orangina is both a third reason and the icing on the cake.  Well, icing on the coffee maybe, since they don’t do gluten free cake.  I miss their carrot cake *sigh*.  They very helpfully told me about all the other places in town where I could get very good gluten free cake.  Helpful?  Not really.  Not when I’m standing in your café and ordering coffee from you.  Would you like me to go somewhere else?  An interesting marketing tactic methinks…

Time for the rogues’ gallery…  Well there was a great deal of discussion about music that I am sadly too young to properly appreciate, so being merely a child, I amused myself by playing with my toys ;).  I also discovered that t’other half had sent me an email jokingly asking if I’d like to ride this, which made me grin quietly to myself – maybe next year?

  
It having been pretty mild on the way out, I took the opportunity to swop things around and put on mitts for the return journey – all the better to take your photos with ;).  We did in fact take a longer and more circuitous, if not hilly, route home, since we all felt up to it.  Or I did, so I didn’t put my usual spanner in the works ;).  I was pleasantly surprised with how well it went really,  I’ve definitely felt worse out there!

I won’t go pretending that I was leading the way, but I’m not going to apologise for just doing my best.  It’s another part of my resolve – no apologies, no excuses.  They’re counter productive, and I’m working on my PMA :).  The weird thing is that I’ve been below par for so long that I seem to have forgotten that even on good days, back in the day, I could still have trouble keeping up with these guys, and would get dropped on the hills.  So I possibly need to readjust my baseline, because actually, looking at the stats and the route, this was a pretty good ride.  OK there was less talking on my behalf than sometimes, what with the whole need to breathe thing, but I think that’s fair enough *grin*.  Possibly also a blessing for my fellow riders too ;).

Cycling time: 2:15:03 hrs
Distance: 38.50 miles
Avs: 17.1 mph.
ODO: 15600.89 miles

Here’s a sign that things are getting, maybe, just maybe, back to whatever normal is… ;).
So 2013 is under way, and off to a fairly good start.  Five days, 3 gym sessions, one good ride.  Result.  *touch wood*. *fingers crossed*. *salute solitary magpies*.  There are many miles ahead, many rides, many sportives (hopefully – Cyclosport haven’t sorted the calendar yet, which if you’re as organised as me is a little frustrating!).  If this year is anything like previous years, this will be burned on the back of my retina soon enough: ;).

I’m sure our new memory foam mattress is fantastic.  However to prove that, I’d have to sleep on it.  As opposed to just lying on it wishing my insides thought sleeping was as good an idea as I do.  *sigh*.  So when, for the umpteenth time last night, they decided I should be awake again, and I discovered it was 6:51am, rather than bemoan the earliness of the hour, I was just relieved to discover a time that I could officially call morning, hit the coffee, and get on with it!  And yes, I should probably re-write that sentence, or punctuate it better, but hey, if I wish to be irritatingly long winded about getting to the point, that’s my prerogative, n’est-ce-pas?  Habits of a lifetime and all that ;).

I’d like to pretend that the reason I couldn’t sleep was because there was an ACG ride this morning and I was excited about finally getting out on my bike again.  OK, there’s probably an element of truth to that, but actually I was more nervous about it than anything else.  It’s probably around 10 days or so since I’ve been out.  At least.  In the meantime, I’ve been away a couple of times, I’ve had a cold, I’ve had the usual IBS stuff going on and more, and yes I’ve been to the gym, but not as much as I’d have liked.  I’m seriously considering giving up eating for Lent…if it was Lent…which it isn’t, and I’m even too late for Advent.  But then I’m a tad on the agnostic side, so either would be fairly arbitrary anyway.  Still at the moment it doesn’t really matter what I eat, my interior is not happy, so as a result I’ve not been eating a lot.  Or enough, to be honest.  But hey, white wine has calories in it, right? 😉

So it was with no little trepidation that I dressed myself in my outfit of many layers this morning, and headed to the Square to see who I could see this morning.  Did I mention I have new longs?  My super support team Andrew – mechanic, bike midwife, dresser – had had an word in the shell like of the Kalas kit peeps that he works with, who have produced a pair of female specific bib tights.  I will admit to having had reservations when I first tried them on – let’s just say there were some cutting in issues going on if you happen to be more well endowed than your average racing female cyclist.  However today, over sports bra and base layer, they were far more comfortable than expected.  Apart from the whole inconvenience issues that is…I will miss that Gore zip!  I’m also pleased to report that however else today’s ride might have gone, they performed well – probably better than me!  Warm, comfortable, the pad was great, and there was no restriction around the knees – result!  It just remains to be seen how well they cope with proper cold, and whether they survive the combo of my clearly peculiar shaped behind & saddle better than the last such things have!

Right, back to riding.  We were due a fair turn out this morning, and had one no show and three extra shows, which made us nine.  Namely our esteemed leader GB, myself, Martyn, Mike, Steve and his MaxiMe Isaac, Grant, Ian, and Neil.  The latter two were new to us, and Isaac looks like cycling is what he was born to do!  Ah well, I’m not proud, being outclassed by a fourteen year old is probably a very good salutary lesson.  Besides which I’ve been abusing my system for way more years than he’s been alive, so it’s probably my own fault ;).

Our route went something like this.  I say something like beause it isn’t quite what was originally planned, and as it turns out everyone’s route varied, but I shall explain that in the fullness of time.  I do hope you’re feeling patient ;).

First off was the Gorge.  Closed to traffic, allegedly.  Whilst being almost as successful at this as last year’s Etape Cymru, it did at least mean it was considerably quieter than it might otherwise have been, which also made dodging the missing bits of road, piles of gravel and debris, and still flowing water, that bit easier.  I was actually very pleased with how I did.  According to the the few remaining Strava sections of the Gorge that haven’t been reported as hazardous, it looks like I did my second best time up there, so I wasn’t imagining it either.  I mean really – hazardous?  Downhill, ok, yes, maybe I get it.  But up?  Seriously?  I can’t go fast enough up there for it to be dangerous!  I’m far more likely to be going so slowly that I lose balance, fail to unclip, and end up in an ignominious heap on the floor somewhere with little more damaged than my pride! *grin*.

OK, Gorge done which, all things considered, was an achievement in itself.  As long as I ignored the fact that I’d just had my ar*e kicked by nearly everyone else.  According to Red Kite Prayer I’m fast anyway, so I’ll take comfort in that ;).  Sadly we lost three on the way up, as being less familiar with the Gorge and with time pressures on them, they decided to make their own way to where they wanted to be.  And then there were six…  Anyone else thinking Agatha Christie here, or is it just me?  At least I wasn’t the last to the top, which gave me time to initiate Isaac into the ways of the camera, and the essentialness of being caught eating by it ;).  He’s young, he’ll learn…but the force is strong in this one.  And hey, at least he seems to get on with his father… ;).

There were some interestingly muddy roads, with additional crosswinds, to be negotiated before one of my least favourite descents to Blagdon.  However the road from there to East Harptree is way more fun.  Oh yes :D.  I even got to do some of what I enjoy.  Silly fast stuff, down and up again.  Swoopy.  Which probably isn’t a word, but I like it.  I needed to remind myself of why I love riding so much, of what I can be good at, to let loose a little….  Mind you, after the last burst of such idiocy, my body informed me that such behaviour was foolish and foolhardy and if I continued to be such an eejot, it was going to be bringing out those lovely little sparkly lights around the edges of my vision that tend to imply that continuing verticality is unlikely…  Ah well, fun while it lasted right?  Hints of mojo, as the dearly departed Howie would have said.  Yes – I still miss him from time to time :(.  So I reined it in, and promptly got dropped, what with all the ups and downs on that road, and the interjection of motorvehicles into the mix…*sigh*.

On reaching East Harptree , where the peloton were patiently waiting, GB provided us with two options.  The longer, hillier, muddier, and frankly gratuitous route, which they all took.  Or the shortcut.  That’ll be mine please.  Coffee was at the New Manor Farm café place in North Widcombe.  Which sounded like North Woodcote when GB said it, but having been told it was the place with stables, I did at least know roughly where I was aiming for.  Not that this helped when I asked a friendly cyclist and his wife if they knew where I was going.  Hard to find a place on a map that doesn’t exist!  So I took a magical mystery tour to get there, because I had to find the bit of road where I knew I was when I last went there, which meant heading towards Litton and then going from there.  With the aid of a quick check on the Crackberry GPS maps just to make sure I wasn’t going any more than usually nuts.  This added a few miles, and stopped me arriving hours before the posse, so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.  To be honest I enjoyed a little bit of not having to keep up, and being me and my bike again too.  Head space 🙂  Having said that GB very nearly got a text saying “Got dropped, got lost, got bored, gone home…”.  Finally I arrived, parked the bike up, purchased coffee, parked me up…and five minutes later they all arrived.  Almost perfect timing :).  Actually perfect come to think of it, cos that way I didn’t have to queue for my coffee! ;).  Apparently the way to fuel a MaxiMe is as follows:

Even if I could eat it, I certainly couldn’t ride on it!  I don’t know if it counts as refuelling, or sabotage?  Still, looking at Isaac, the few minutes it spent on his lips is never going to equate to a lifetime on his hips…  Jealous, moi? 😉  Thanks to the minor colly wobbles earlier, even I decided food of some sort would probably be advisable.  Gluten free wasn’t an option in the range of fabulous cakes on offer, sadly tho’ unsurprisingly, but luckily I found an emergency “safe” bar in my saddle bag.  Think of me as a Boy Scout, though I’m usually more of a Girl Friday to be honest.  Anyway, I ate it with my coffee, that having been the point, right?.  Besides, I’d have been nagged into it if I hadn’t ;).

There were many plans for the way home.  And then there was mine.  Which seemed to appeal to some.  It had options too.  But essentially it meant going up East Harptree hill.  This having been my idea, I was supposed to not whinge about the hill on the way up.  I did my best…which may well have been lacking on several fronts ;).  Still, I got up it again, and it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.  At the top, having confused my Harptrees when considering my way home, we were opposite the Castle of Comfort and presented with two options.  Steve and Isaac headed for home, since even chocolate rocket fuel can only get you so far.  Age and treachery had triumphed over youth and skill 😉 (and that’s one of the Christmas gifts coming my way – thanks Mum & Dad!).  So then there were four…

Now, I believe I mentioned we had two choices?  So it was left, and doglegs, and Priddy, and down Westbury Hill to avoid the wind as best as possible.  Or right, with a headwind along the Burrington Road, left before the Combe, Charterhouse, the Mendip Shavings road, and finally down Shipham Hill.  Which was the way I was going, on my own if necessary.  And perfectly happy I’d have been to do so either, I really didn’t mean to drag everyone else with me.  Sorry!  However GB decided I was looking far too spacey, and should not be left to ride on my own…aw bless :).  So four of us took it in turns to fight against the wind, which no doubt made it a lot easier, and fought our way to the castle beyond the Goblin City…  Come on, there is a Castle type building up there along the way, it makes sense if you’re me! 😉  Ill-advised though it may have been, I took my turn at the front as often as I could, and I think I acquitted myself fairly well.  The same cannot be said for my performance on the up and down road after Charterhouse.  There was a rabbit on the road…the testosterone had to chase it down…and I was dropped once again.  Mind you I think the rabbit appreciated the tow!  I pootled along in my own sweet, and resigned, tortoise fashion, eventually but happily coming across a waiting GB, ready to shepherd me home.  Well, that or to stop me holding them all up any longer 😉 *grin*.

Just as well it was (nearly) all down hill from there then right? I love the descent from there to the Lilypool dip because it’s mostly straight and I can go properly fast, so I did :).  I enjoyed Shipham Hill, albeit cautiously, too.  Well it is wet and gravelly out there, and I did want to get home in one piece.  That just left one last fairly restrained run down the bypass, as I led out the train for GB’s sprint finish…and we were back in the Square :).

Cycling time: 2:25:24 hrs
Distance: 34.96 miles
Avs: 14.4 mph.
ODO: 15529.10 miles

As rides go, it went far better than I had any right to expect it would, and I really enjoyed the company when I was fast enough to keep up with it! 😉  Thanks guys – much appreciated.  And I do mean that.  Group hug? ;).

Besides, it’s December right?  Too early to be fretting about form for next year really, even if the lack of mileage is grating on me, and to be fair, I have a few more hurdles to get over before I get there anyway.  One thing at a time, little steps, etc.  Since I can’t bunny hop, I’ll not be jumping those hurdles on the bike, that’s fo’ sho ;).

Just because it’s Christmas, and this afternoon was spent drinking fizz (hic!) and putting the tree together…here’s our daft, but clearly under-impressed at being captured being so, cat, hiding under the tinsel :).

I was kinda dreading this morning’s ACG ride, which was probably not the best way to approach it.  I think it was the having seen GB’s planned route beforehand thing, knowing that it involved hills, thus allowing me to fear the known not the unknown.  I’m not sure which is better.  Or is that worse?  Things were not helped by the fact that with immaculate timing, as ever, my insides decided that the best way to process food was as fast as possible, do not pass go, do not hang around, do not impart any nutritional benefit along the way…*sigh*.  So I wasn’t feeling at my best, even if I could remember what that is anymore!  Of course this didn’t stop me layering up appropriately and rocking up in the Square at 9:00am.  Well if I didn’t ride every time I felt crap I’d quite possibly never get out on the bike at the moment ;).  Besides, I’m not going to get my form back unless I do some training, now am I?

Unexpectedly and surprisingly there were seven of us.  Quite some turnout for a winter ride.  Myself, GB, Martyn and Paul, Dave, Robin (of Dartmoor Classic fame) and Ian.  I’ve mentioned Paul before – he’s a compatriot of the infamous Paul Baker.  Ian has been out with us in the past, took a brownie point break upon the arrival of mini-Ian, and has since been riding with a certain Paul Baker.  I’m thinking of banning people who know, work for, or ride with Paul Baker – they’re all too bleedin’ fast…bit like Paul Baker himself! ;).

Posse all assembled, we headed out along the usual familiar wet muddy lanes.  I was doing ok…unless there was a gradient involved, at which point I would fall off the back of the pack like a stone and have to catch them up when conditions were more in my favour a little further on, ie downhill or flat!  I’ve decided that however girly wussish it might be, I’m getting me some lower gears for next year.  I wouldn’t mind it being harder work if I was getting up the hills faster, but I’m not.  I’m just finding it harder work and less pleasant with nothing to show for it, and since a lot of next year’s riding will inevitably involve hills, it’s time to address the issue.  I’ve tried it out, I’ve done over 1000 miles with this set up, and I’m sorry, but it’s time to wimp out ;).

I was finding it all a bit frustrating really – trying to keep up, not having warmed up, not feeling great.  I was dropped even before we reached the bottom of Canada Combe, as there’s a nasty steep bit on the Locking road there.  It’s not that long since I last went up Canada Combe.  Maybe if I hadn’t mentioned it back then it would still have stayed off GB’s radar?  So it was with a certain lack of enthusiasm that I turned left to follow the lads up the hill.  Martyn kindly dropped back to keep me company, in solicitous fashion.  You know that thing when you’re feeling fragile and then someone is nice to you and you feel like crying?  Yep – that.  Poor Martyn nearly had an emotional me to deal with, and I’m not sure he was ready for that! 😉  Luckily the state of the road and the steepness of the climb meant concentrating on that and breathing, and was just distracting enough to head me off at the pass.  I was even slower up it this time than the last, if that’s possible, which clearly it is, but I still made it.  Paul was clearly not on form as he had to resort to Shank’s pony, much to his disgust, and he left us earlier than planned, albeit not until much later, so I hope he’s feeling better soon.

The peloton were patiently waiting at the top for us, and kindly continued to do so whilst I took photos and had a drink.  At least that was due to be the biggest hill of the day, so it was all downhill from there, right?  Actually the downhill from there is good fun, so there was some return on my investment at least.  Life was indeed somewhat easier from here on in.  Well, it’s not hard to be easier than that!

After a silly stretch where I got to semi-sprint and lead the way down the road by the railway line, Ian led the way across the mostly flat, to the coffee stop, making it all look enviably easy.  I couldn’t compete with the sprint finish though – much though I’d have loved to, I was definitely outclassed.  Although everyone will no doubt deny that that there was any racing on any sort going on… 😉

Coffee was at the NT café at Brean Down which, even with signs indicating the contrary, was actually open.  It’s a funny place – oddly barren on the atmosphere front.  Still the coffee was nice, and they had some gluten free biscuits.  With breakfast unlikely to have been much use to me, I figured I should probably eat something, and so I did.  Well I shouldn’t have.  Today is clearly not a day for consuming solids of any sort :(.

Having coped with the consequences of that, it was time to leave.  I was not feeling happy on many levels, and I did warn GB that I probably needed to take it little easy on the way back.  Another wobbly moment was narrowly averted when he was just nice enough and not too nice ;).  However although I should have been taking it easy, I didn’t for a while.

There’s a sort of chasing demons thing that comes into play.  If I go hard enough and fast enough maybe I can kind of ride them away?  It sort of works, but there’s always payback somewhere along the line.  However fast I go, most of the lads can, and do, go faster, and eventually I just can’t keep up anymore.  GB took pity on me and tweaked the return route so we didn’t go over Brent Knoll, or in fact past the Webbington.  I may not have said so at the time – but thank you!  If I’d been dropped on one of those, again, I don’t think I’d ever have caught up.  As it was, on the flat, I mostly held my own.  I may have even taken the odd stint on the front…but eventually I was happy to sit at the back, chat to GB, and left those that wanted to to get on with it!

Various folk peeled off as we went along, until just 3 of us arrived back in the sunny Square at around midday.  Lunchtime, if lunch is something that you can do.  Yep, still moaning *grin*.  Still I think we all had a good time, or maybe we were just smiling because it was over? ;).

Cycling time: 2:12:50 hrs
Distance: 35.78 miles
Avs: 16.2 mph.
ODO: 1073.79 miles

For all my complaining, it wasn’t a bad ride really.  The weather was kind, the company was good, and the scenery was pretty.  My form is not back, though there were occasional flashes of it, which was good to see.  It’s just the hills that need work really.  Nothing new there then.  I guess there must be some residual fitness in there somewhere right?  Onwards, if not upwards…  But man, you should have seen the state of me and my bike afterwards!

I gave lunch a miss, unsurprisingly…  White wine later methinks – that has calories in it right? ;).

When I woke up the sun was shining.  Within half an hour there was rain, and then hail!  And both in properly quantifiable amounts.  This would be why I had arranged to ride with somebody else – to stop me bailing when the going looked tough!  It cleared up, and dried up…though my weather station was still showing only around 5C out there, so it was far from toasty!

So, what to wear?  Tricky after such a long time.  My layering skills felt rusty, and since it looked so horrible out there and I felt so out of practice, I was worried I was entering over-compensating territory and about to wear too much!  Are you ready for my Michelin man impression?  Ok then, here goes, and in order of donning…  Sports bra, new l/s Rapha base layer, Gore bib long tights, new Rapha winter socks, overshoes, s/s Cyclosport jersey, Gore winter jacket and Planet X winter gloves, with my old Rapha winter collar in the saddle bag just in case.  The only thing I forgot, which I was to rue later, was a Buff over my head to keep my head and more particularly my ears warm.

All dressed up, with somewhere to go…and as I rode up to the Square, a little early, the rain started.  Man am I ever gifted!  I sheltered under the cover of the Town Council Farmers’ Market Stall  until Martyn arrived.  Even with all our entreaties to friends and the ACG, it appeared that we were the only two braving the elements…everyone else presumably being somewhat more sane than us!  Still, just in case we waited until 9:00am before heading off – we’re good like that.  Somewhere on the way out towards Cheddar we passed another well-wrapped cyclist going the other way, who looked suspiciously like Grant, but since he never comes cycling with us, I presumed I was mistaken, and we carried on our merry way.

Off we went towards Wedmore.  This was not a training ride, this was a coffee run ride and nowt more.  Ten days without riding the bike and I wasn’t expecting great things, which is just as well because that way I wasn’t disappointed!  It felt like hard work.  OK, so the wind and rain and cold probably weren’t helping.  And I always forget how strong Martyn is, and that he’ll always match whatever speed you’re doing and then add some, and then I try and keep up, and so it goes on…  But still – hard work!  We took the direct route to Sweets, there being no other option in my mind.  The little lump of Mudgeley Hill from Wedmore didn’t actually feel too bad, which was vaguely positive, and the descent the other side was just as lovely as ever, even in the wet, which was mostly just on the road now rather than actually falling upon it, making life far more pleasant. 

There were a couple of other local cyclists already at Sweets when we arrived, who we didn’t know, but who we knew a little better soon enough.  Hello Ben and Helen!  After being there a little while who should walk in but Grant?  Well, b*gger me, it was him after all!  Just as well we’d advertised where we were going and stuck to the plan then.  And he wasn’t the only one.  Mr extremely fast Tor 2000 Mike was the only one of his usual posse to make it out this morning, so had headed out a bit early to come meet us for coffee too, which was lovely.  A 100% increase in numbers!  Looks like we two went forth and multiplied!  Positively sociable, no? :).

We sat, we talked.  I hugged my coffee cup, it being warmer than me.  Since eating is apparently out of the question these days, I added some sugar to it which totally goes against the grain, but is probably better than nothing.  That’s another one of my problems at the moment, and a fairly major one at that – my inability to fuel properly.  Yesterday’s safe rice cake and ham lunch?  Last night’s safe pie?  This morning’s safe cereal?  What do they all have in common?  That they went straight through me!  Right now it doesn’t seem to matter what I eat, that’s what happens, so it’s probably a miracle if I manage to derive any nutritional benefit out of anything! :(.  Probably another reason today felt like a hard work…moan, winge, excuses, excuses, etc.  I know, I know, Rule 5!

The weather had been fairly pleasant as we passed the time inside but, as I jested was likely, by the time I set off on the trek to the outdoor toilets, it was starting to rain again.  Making it rain is my superpower remember? ;).

We dillied and dallied and faffed under the outside cover for long enough for it to improve from truly hideous to barely tolerably horrible.  The winter collar came out from the saddle bag sharpish, every zip went up and stayed up, and even then I got ice-cream head as we headed back across the Levels.  Which would be when I rued the lack of Buff…next time I’ll know better!  Still, trying to keep up with the boys was fairly warming.  Mike makes it look so depressingly easy – clearly slumming it – and Martyn always gives as good as he gets.  I did try and keep up…luckily I managed to slip to the back and chat to Grant for a bit before it became (I hope) too obvious as to how crap I was!

It’s tricky really.  If I’d been on my own I’d have taken it easier, but then I might also not have gone out at all.  In such illustrious company I probably pushed too hard so as not to make too big a fool of myself, which may not have been wise from a rest and recovery point of view.  If you look at the stats, even though it was flat, we were doing pretty well by my standards, so I should possibly be a little less hard on myself?

Having negotiated a range of variously filthy and wet country lanes we were fair flying down the Wedmore road to Cheddar at a more than acceptable speed when Grant got a rear wheel puncture.  Darn – I was enjoying that!  To be fair, so was he…but it turns out a nasty little flint had stopped play.  Still, it had stopped raining, there was a little sun, and we had a quiet side road to lurk in whilst he performed an impressively efficient tube change.  I believe I’ve mentioned before that such things are a spectator sport, right?  Watch us watching!  I’d have helped, but clearly my job is to capture the moment in official press photographer stylee.  Well, it’s that or break a fingernail right? ;).

In what seemed like no time at all, possibly thanks to the use of my wonderfully co-ordinating red tyre levers, and undoubtedly thanks to the use of one of those snazzy gas cannister things to inflate the new tube, we were on our way back down the road and trying to warm up again.

Grant peeled off homewards when we reached Cheddar, and we three headed back towards Axbridge.  I was flagging a bit up the main road, and gave up trying to keep up, but I was still happy to shoot past the guys, who were chivalrously taking it easy and waiting for me at the top, to head down the bypass for home.  A sort of slingshot affair.  Not at quite my usual pace to be sure, but fast enough to get me home just before that last gasp burst of energy ran out.  There wasn’t any more where that came from that’s for sure!  We rocked up in the Square, with my exertion in cold air induced cough already making its presence known, and I’m happy to admit I was glad to be home.  The others still had more miles to do, Martyn back to East Brent, and Mike back to Somerton, but I wasn’t even remotely jealous! *grin*.  Best to know when you’re beaten right?  At least I wasn’t cold – all my lovely new kit had kept me as warm and toasty as it was supposed too – even my feet, which I didn’t realise were wet until I got home I took my socks off.  Result!  Money well spent methinks :).

Cycling time: 1:17:06 hrs
Distance: 20.82 miles
Avs: 16.2 mph.
ODO: 1006.67 miles

Thanks for the ride guys :).  OK, it’s a little depressing to be this far off my game, but better out than in, and it was really nice to have company to keep me going.  It was also lovely to unexpectedly catch up with Grant and Mike (metaphorically speaking, since I’d never catch Mike unless he let me!) both of whom I haven’t seen for ages.  Most impressively of all, and I’m not sure how it happened, but what was meant to be a quick rinse turned into a proper wash and polish, so the Cinelli is now as clean as it gets.  It’s really winter bike time, but since the Cube is currently out of action due to bottom bracket issues, me and my new baby get to play together a while longer :).

I don’t know when the next ride will be, and I don’t know how I’m going to feel as a result of today’s ride, but it’s a start right?

Plans are flexible things.  For a whole heap of various reasons, including several plans falling apart, I ended up able to join Guy on his long planned long Sunday ride yesterday.  Along with Steve.  Three ACG musketeers.  Or something.  Anyway I’d seen his route beforehand.  I was scared.  Though not scared enough to stay at home apparently.  Mostly because it started with the Glider Hill, which I have never made it up, which set me off fretting about it from the get go.  Not the best frame of mind for actually beating that hill.  So when Guy suggested that having driven up it the other day it was likely to be even more treacherous than usual what with wet and gravel and leaves etc and that there were other options I wasn’t going to disagree.  And when we got there, having picked up Steve on the way, and he agreed with Guy, I have to admit to having been incredibly relieved.  Though the alternative was Westbury Hill which I did on Tuesday and didn’t much enjoy then.  OK, so they were probably just taking pity on me but hey, I don’t care, I know I can get up that one and once again I did…

Up and up and up from what had been semi-presentable early morning weather down in town, to cloud, fog, drizzle, and sod all visibility.  In fact taking the usual photo of the view behind me the flash went off – it was that dark!  As for views, what views?!  Not even anything to make all that hard work worth while!

It did not make the climb any more enjoyable…that’s for sure.  Compare these with the photos taken doing the same climb on Tuesday – talk about a contrast!  Still, I got another awkward eating photo – they’re becoming my forté.  My signature dish.  Etc.  Guy was merely being tolerant…no smiling there.  Guess he’s probably had enough of the omni-present lens by now!

The trek across the top of the Mendips was, not to put too fine a point on it, pretty miserable.  Headwind, ‘orrid weather, slog…  I was not enjoying myself.  I was mentally entertaining ideas of leaving the pair of them to it.  Until we got to the long descent down to Chewton Mendip which I love a great deal and which may finally have conjured a brief smile onto my face, and which was enough to keep me going.  The weather didn’t get much better, but once off the hills it was a little clearer.  The roads were unfamiliar to me though, so I wasn’t able to take many photos – too busy wondering where I was going, and trying hard to keep up with those two.  We had a brief break at a conveniently closed road junction which came complete with cute chocolate box cottage – aka photo opportunity and excuse to stop!  I was feeling a bit flat so as I was informed we were still another 10 miles or so from coffee I grabbed a bit to eat too.  Possibly not enough.

There was more riding, there was more climbing.  Quite a lot.  Today there just didn’t seem to be hills in my legs.  Flat.  Downhill.  But not hills.  Was it because I was mentally behind and having to keep up?  Who knows?  I do know that the coffee stop at the Riverside Inn at Saltford came as a welcome relief.  Not only was it scenic, but the coffee was extremely good, and GB’s bacon butty was lovingly presented.  Guy did try talking to me at the bar when we were ordering but apparently I looked a little wired.  He may have had a point.

We sat outside for rather longer than we probably should have because by the time we got going again I was shivering.  Even with the sun finally on its way out and the temperature slowly rising it took a while to warm up again.  There was a reason for this road sign – something to do with grumpy old men thinking it ought to have been located rather further away from the busy junction or something, but I may be recalling that incorrectly.  I was after all not the grumpy old man in question, merely the daft bint with the camera ;).

The route back was due to be shorter than the outwards leg, and somewhat less lumpy, which helped my PMA a little, if not a lot.  It was also more scenic somehow.  Back through Pensford, and Stanton Drew and the like.  Sunny skies, gorgeous autumn colours, pretty quiet roads.  As in pretty quiet, and quite pretty.  As ever sunshine makes a massive difference :).

But I was suffering.  I started to get that feeling.  Every time I stopped and had to unclick and put my weight on my legs and the ground I felt that little bit less in touch with reality and a little more dizzy.  I was clearly running on empty, though I’m not sure why.  In girly wuss fashion I had to take a breather next to that round cute thatched cottage on the junction near there, and I actually took a gel.  Gels are only ever in extremis for me and the last time was on the Maratona, which elegantly demonstrates the depths I was plumbing.  I guess it did the trick, but it did seem to take quite a long time.  Still it never got anywhere near as bad as it could have done so maybe I was expecting too much from it and actually it was working well before I thought it was.  We came back through Chew Magna and across the lake, and I pointed a camera behind me to see what faces Steve could pull ;).  I like the one on the left – because clearly keeping up with me is proper hard work *grin*.

One more big climb to go *sigh*.  The Wrangle I think Steve called it.  Straight up from Compton Martin to the top of the Mendips, at a fairly constant and only just tolerable gradient.  It would probably have been quicker to walk…but I didn’t.  Stubborn as ever it would appear.  There are probably snails who have done that climb faster though.  Having finally reached the top where they were waiting, I did however know that there was no way going up any more hills was going to be a good idea.  Not if I wanted to be any use to anyone for the rest of the afternoon.  The initial plan had been to go across and down Burrington Combe and then back up Rowberrow and down Shipham.  All very nice in theory.  On another day.  Today?  No way José.  I was going home.  Across the top, down the Gorge, and home.  No more hills, and as close to as the crow flies as possible.  I don’t know if the lads bailed just to be chivalrous and keep me company or did in fact feel as ready to go home as they said they were, but whichever it was, all three of us headed for home.

Finally my legs woke up.  Kinda.  Well I love that bit of road.  I knew the end was in sight.  I could smell home, and an end to the torment ;).  It was time to let the Cinelli off the leash.  OK, so I shouldn’t anthropomorphize the bike but sometimes it really does feel like that’s what it wants to do.  Besides which I think I  needed to remind myself that sometimes I can actually ride the bike.  That’s what was missing today – I was not feeling capable.  In fact of late I have not been feeling capable.  I don’t know why, but cycling is mental, right?.  Or psychological as Guy said, more correctly.  But how you’re feeling has a massive effect on how you ride, and I haven’t been feeling it.  I think maybe I’m just mental ;).

So I had a mad blast across the top of hills, under a bowl of blue sky, without caring whether or not I had company.  Sorry guys!  Hey, you like chasing rabbits right? 😉  They did catch me up at the t-junction at the end, where I was waiting to take their photo, as ever 😉  At least I’m predictable right?  After that I even did pretty well descending the Gorge, though Strava has stopped recording that segment – it was reported for being too dangerous apparently.  Shame, because it was nice to see that I was getting better at it – and I wasn’t going to be trying to beat any times.  Bet some eejots would though, so maybe they had a point.

By the time we got back to the Square I’d still done over 60 miles, and I didn’t miss that extra hill one bit!  I’d also survived, which had been in question a couple of times…  Kinda dreading next week’s Exmoor Beast now though…is it too early to start (gluten free) carb loading? 😉

Cycling time: 4:17:54 hrs
Distance: 60.75 miles
Avs: 14.1 mph.
ODO: 953.65 miles

Later on, post refreshing shower, and in search of brownie points and restorative white wine, we went up the Gorge again so that youngest could show off her work properly.  Not just an owl, but a buzzard, a peregrine falcon, part of an otter, and that goat…all the work of her fair hand apparently.  Aw bless :).