What I want is to be better at going up hills so apparently what I need to do is just to go up more of them. Since all things come in threes, though I don’t for the life of me know why, and the last two rides have been hilly, it seems only right that today’s ACG ride should also be a hilly one. Putting the route in the hands of one of our mountain goats, DM, ensured that this would be the case. Whilst also making it not my fault! 😉
There were six of us this morning. GB was off doing family things but is back now, and I believe out doing our route as we speak, no doubt faster and better. (But probably wetter *grin*). I was only able to approximate it for him though as I got a little confused around Nempnett Thrubwell, which I understand happens a lot…
However back to us. Myself, clearly. The aforementioned DM, complete with very fetching bandana. SD who, and maybe it has something to do with his mountain biking, seems to be just as happy at the back chatting as out at the front, or racing the BW up hills. Yes, BW was with us. Showing us up as ever. Well, maybe not SD. That leaves IH, back with us after a break, and a newbie, AW. He does time trials, which tends to indicate how he feels about hills. It all worked out swimmingly really. It’s nice and easy to count to 6. BW and SD did their thing at the front, occasionally interchanging with DM and I, and the other two brought up the rear. There was quite a bit of stopping and regrouping, but that’s a good thing. A G for Group good thing. Not to mention allowing us to catch our breath from time to time, or “admire the view”…
Without meaning to be rude in any way, it was nice to have two slower folk with us. Because it meant I wasn’t the last up the hills. Very often with the ACG these days the one bringing up the rear by very virtue of always being at the rear is me! It was nice to be reminded, for PMA purposes, that it’s only compared to the usual mob that I suck… And to be fair, I did myself proud going up the hills. They have definitely gotten easier. Well I suppose the hills haven’t gotten easier at all since I’m guessing erosion hasn’t affected them much in the time I’ve been cycling. In which case then I’ve got to admit I’m getting better, I’m getting better all the time…(I couldn’t get much worse)… Hands up if you’re singing a little song in your head now…
So, hills. Sparrow Hill. Followed by a stretch on the mostly flat to warm the legs up. A very long slog up from Rodney Stoke to the top of the Mendips. Slogs that get steeper at the end like that should be banned… Then there were some interesting hills over Nempnett way. I’m really hoping we actually went up Awkward Hill – how great a name is that? On the way back after a well earned coffee stop there was Sandford Hill and finally Winscombe Hill, just to round things off. Probably around 2100ft of climbing. Not bad as these things go. Mind you, that probably depends on which of the 6 of us you ask :).
Coffee was at the perfectly pleasant but exorbitantly expensive Walled Garden, aka the Ethicurean. With variable prices too it would appear, since back in March scones were £3 each and today they were £3.50! I’m sorry – but that’s taking the p*ss. Not having that much money on me, I stuck to the usual caffeine fix. I gather the cakes were lovely. My coffee, at a more usual £2, was nice enough. But still… Yes, I know, you can’t take it with you. But in order to try and take it with you, you have to have it in the first place!
OK, scone related rant over. Probably. Just as we were leaving AW discovered he had a puncture so we all stood around in the sunshine and let him change it – very efficient he was too – whilst clearly intimidating all the “normal” people having to run the gauntlet of our presence to get to the café. We’re very scarey. Or maybe it’s just the Lycra…
On the way down to Wrington, at a reasonable gravity induced speed, there were for some reason parked cars on the LHS and the odd pedestrian milling around. I was leading and took a wide line around them and, as a car was approaching from the opposite direction, I shouted “car up” as you do. Plenty of room, no problem, etc. The numpty pedestrian nearest decided to tell me I should “get a bell”. Yeah, cos that would really get your attention. And by the way – you’re not a car, and I wasn’t talking to you, I’d already avoided you walking in the road! Numpty. (You know I thought I’d feel better about that once it was out of my system but no. Ah well).
All in all it was a pretty good ride. There was a strong Southerly wind, blowing serried ranks of dramatic clouds over our heads, and making for some interesting temperature variations. It tried to rain a couple of times, but BW sorted that out by putting his waterproof on *grin*. Mind you, it did give him yet another chance to display his “look ma no hands” cycling. Particularly irritating when you’re going downhill, hands on the brakes, paying attention for all you’re worth…and his hands aren’t even on the handlebars let alone the brakes! I’m not jealous. Much 😉
Cycling time: 2:43:04 hrs
Distance: 33.1 miles
Avs: 14.4 mph
ODO: 8288 miles
Anyway as I was saying – a good ride. More hills under my slightly less tight belt 🙂