Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Today, as the football managers are wont to say, was day of two halves. This morning a ride with the Official ACG (as opposed to the Provisional ACG I suppose, the Irish amongst you will know what I mean. Or maybe not, try Wikipedia page of Irish history), where was I? Oh yes, the ACG went to Brean Down, while this afternoon, I descended into hell on earth, also known as The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. My son wanted to relieve himself of some vouchers, to buy some models he is now making, but everyone else was buying rubbish. Except for those like me who bought Cycling Weekly.

Enough of the judgemental rant. The ride. Just the 4 of us today, JT, KG and the man I shall now call The Doc. It was a bit cold to start with, and was damp pretty much throughout, without being wet, and I don't think I got my layers right, I never really warmed up. For a change I got K 1 out of the shed, even though he is supposed to be resting for the winter, Kona needs a bit of remedial work on the shifters and cabling so I popped him down to the LBS so PB could do the necessary.

It's amazing the difference that grippy tyres and good brakes make, I know I have said this before, so I don't know why it surprised me, but it does.

We went clockwise out to Clewer this time, and after JT's sterling efforts last week I am no longer complaining about her lack of mudguards, or the Doc's, as it's nice to have someone to draft on days like today. It was a really good ride, not too much traffic about, and we managed to avoid all the new potholes, and find all the lovely new surfaces and made good time to the cafe at Brean Down. About a mile out from the cafe I thought I better do some serious interval training so sprinted as hard as I could for a few minutes.

I have discovered a book called "The time-crunched cyclist" written by LA trainer (why does everything have to have a crunch these days?), and it maps out a plan for busy people like me, who have limited time to train. Thing is, you have to have high intensity, which is going to mean some hills tomorrow, and meant some sprinting today.

The cafe must have had a load of crumpets about to go past a sell-by day, they were knocking them out at 2 for pound, with butter and jam. Mmm. Back in the saddle it felt even colder, I think it could have been the sea air, or maybe just the pervasiveness of the damp, but we all got a shift on to get warm.

We scooted back past those twin establishments dedicated to Wedding receptions-Rookery and Webbington- and just before the latter the Doc made a serious burst for home, only for us all to regroup in Cross. At some roadworks I managed to hold on to a post to save unclipping (for the second time today) before I turned for home up the Axbridge bypass. Charlie's figs show the fastest yet this year, probably because we all took our turn and road at similar speeds.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/23008906

Charlie shows an average of 16mph, and the mileage with the ACG was just shy of 34 of the 40 shown miles.

Tomorrow I'm out early to the hills, and intend to hit the Walled Garden cafe around 10.30ish if anyone fancies it, they do a lovely Victoria sponge.

Chapeau to the ACG!