The Appliance of Science

This one is all about learning and development. Ok, it's not really, it's about cycling but I'm trying to please everyone in an oblique way.

Today was an Axbridge cycling group day. I had planned to practice a commuting run to Bristol and back yesterday, but the weather was so bad that I'd have needed a canoe, so I compromised and stayed indoors in the dry. Which meant I had no excuses for not riding today.

I had the usual mental clothing faff about which coat to wear, and my good lady humoured me by asking some good questions but letting me decide anyway. I opted for the full heavy-duty waterproof, and I was glad I did, as the heavens opened as wide as a basking shark's mouth, and deposited half the Bristol channel on Winscombe Hill. Have I mentioned the wind? Obviously a great subject for schoolboy humour, so let's just say it would have been enough to keep Ellen McArthur happy. Or crying, or whatever she does in a gale.

Down in Axbridge we assembled, a two plus two combination. SS and me for the fast route and M and AG for the shorter, slower group. I was feeling rough today so was able to use my powers of persuasion to talk Steve out of a jaunt up and over the Mendips to Chew Valley lake, ("no, I'm not doing that") and M chipped in to help by saying that the intended cafe took over an hour to serve him when he last went there.

So we did what we always do when we don't have any other plans-we went to Sweets cafe. SS and I went via the Webbington, Loxton, Rooksbridge and Mark, while A and M cut through Wedmore. We passed them about 2 miles short of the cafe, and ordered the tea in time for their arrival. The wind seemed to have been in our faces the whole trip so far, and we'd had a few squally showers, so I was pleased that the sun was coming out, and we'd have the wind at our backs for the trip home.

Sweets seemed to be packed out with cyclists today, including an unlikely, and by the sound of it, newly-met, pairing of a chap from Clevedon and a lass from the Antipodes. There seemed to be some attempt to form a bond, but I think the he wasn't really getting anywhere. Mainly because he couldn't stop talking about himself.

SS and I headed out via Godney, Panborough, then cut back south of Mudgeley Hill. It was there that I learned my first lesson of the day. If you don't cycle for 2 weeks, get a bout of food poisoning and have a swine flu jab, you will find it harder to go up the hills as fast as you are used to. SS left me for dead, but kindly waited at the top, and we sped down through Wedmore, Clewer and Cheddar with the wind at our backs. It was there we parted. I think he could have gone on all day, but I was dead, thankful that I didn't have to go up Shipham Hill with him.

I also learned today that new brake blocks stop a bike much faster and more safely than worn ones, and new tyres grip wet roads better than ones with 1500 miles under their rims. Got home and the final lesson of the day, I really hate washing my bike. But then I knew that already.

Ironically of the four of us today, none of us live in Axbridge. Is this a first? It's a bit like football teams who all used to come from the town they played in. Who know in years to come, perhaps we will have Europeans and others in the ACG. Just remembered, we do, we have our very own Dutchman already in the group for sure (sorry A, couldn't resist). When will we get our first south American?

Here are Charlie's stats:

http://connect.garmin.com/player/19395990

Average speed quite good considering I felt rubbish practically the whole way round. I think I'll have to be a bit more scientific about this resting business. So some light spinning for the next couple of weeks before base training in December, intervals January, speed work February and the first sportive in March. Sounds far to organised, what's on TV this afternoon?