The animals came in two by two…

Yes, I’m two ride entries behind again.  Shocking isn’t it?

The first took place last Thursday morning with George, the artist previously known as GW.  Yes, I’ve given up on initials.  There are too many cycling folk in my life now that share initials and trying to figure out how to get ’round that has been doing my head in…  It was getting to the stage where I was going to have to a crib sheet just to remember who I was talking about!  So, names it is.  If you find yourself mentioned here and were rather names were changed to protect the innocent, let me know, and you can have your initials back.

Anyway George and I were both suffering from feeling oddly tired, as I have been for a while, so our ride was not a challenging one.  I’m pleased to say my fatigue didn’t transfer to the bike too much though, and my legs were feeling pretty good.  We spun our legs around the Levels in wiggly fashion, chatting a lot, and generally not pushing it too hard.

Cycling time: 1:49:13 hours
Distance: 27.55 miles
Avs: 15.1 mph
ODO: 5995

As the weather has been noticeably cooler of later, I finally bit the bullet and ordered my new longs.  OK, so they’re expensive, but my last pair lasted two years before starting to come apart at the seams, and I got a lot of wear out of them.  In fact I’m sure I have pairs of shoes that have cost more and been worn less, which makes the longs seem like quite an economical purchase by comparison.  It’s amazing how you can rationalise things away isn’t it? *grin*.

It’s just as well that they arrived on Friday, since this weekend was chilly, and I was glad of them as I stood in the Square with Dad on Sunday morning, waiting for the ACG to gather.  And gather they did – 9 of them to be precise – with a fair sprinkling of newbies.  The ACG beast is growing!

Since a lot of us had done the Cheddar Cyclosportive last weekend we agreed to take it a little easier and flatter this week by heading over to Brean Down for coffee.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as we headed out at a more reasonable pace than sometimes.  We negotiated our way past queuing tractors, over past the Webbington, over Bleadon Hill, and across the main road to follow the railway line as usual.  The unusual number of spectators along the roadside made me wonder…and yes, a steam train was due shortly!  So we gathered on top of the next bridge – ok, I made them – and waited until the Tornado blasted its way down the track, whistle blaring, and engulfed us all in smoke before chuffing off into the distance.  Very cool 🙂

It was then nice and flat, and not too busy traffic wise, for the wiggle out to Brean Down.  It turns out it was the last weekend for the café (of fab scone fame) there.  The NT are going to be taking it over, which probably means the prices will triple and the place will get gentrified, though I hope to be proved wrong…  We colonised a rickety round wooden table and put the world to rights for a bit, in the sun, sheltered from the nasty North wind.

Time came to get going again, and we headed south along to Burnham, doing 20mph+ without even breathing hard.  Yep – that would be the wind for you.  Not that we’re complaining you understand 😉  We took the little scenic wiggle along the coast path to Highbridge, before turning more into the wind and heading for home.  I was cycling at the front with one of the newbies, long-legged Paul, and trying to chat, and go at his speed…which I’m sure was good for me.  Honest.  We managed to pretty much stay together, more or less, until near the end when we lost a couple.  Some of us had found the long fast road from Wedmore as irresistible as usual – ok, maybe it was just me – and the sprint for home spread us out rather.

Cycling time: 2:19:26 hours
Distance: 37.19 miles
Avs: 16.0 mph
ODO: 6032

Another good ACG ride.  It’s so nice to see the group growing.  Chris, who came out with us for the first time, had only done 16 miles in one go before and so more than doubled his record, on a heavy hybrid – very impressive.  That’s what the ACG should be all about 🙂

PS: look – the odometer ticked over the 6000 mark….!