Up, up and away...

Do you remember in the seventies, there was an advert that had a song with this lyric? The rest of it was "in my beautiful, my beautiful, ballooooon...", for some reason the title seems apt, but I can't for the life of me remember what they were selling. The power of advertising, eh! If you know, leave me a comment and let me know.

Today was a day for the hills. Again. Old favourites like Cheddar gorge, Redhill via Blagdon, and of course the compulsory Winscombe Hill, as i live near the top of it I don't really have a choice. But also some new ones. Tickenham Hill (up) and Naish Hill (fortunately down) and the final killer, the hill up to the coast road at Portishead (which I don't know the name of).

It was another impromptu ride, with JT (she put her foot down and said I can't refer to her as "the former England captain, only nicer", DM (I'd like to call him Boots, but it's just too obvious) and initially J, heading out of the Square and up the gorge in the damp, drizzly and cold morning. J's purpose was to use us as an excuse to get out, and she was happy to be left behind, although I felt a twinge of guilt that it happened so soon.

We piled up over the top of Charterhouse, and with a small amount of faffing, took the decision to plunge (yes plunge) down the sharp hill into Blagdon. I don't like going down that hill. The top bit is about 8%, straight and easy to garner speed on. You then hit the bottom, which twists and turns, cars parked all over the shop, junction with a main road at the bottom, and the eye-watering 16% gradient for good measure. Heresy it may be, but I'd rather go up it. Still DM liked the directness of it, we cut through Blagdon, skirted the reservoir, and on through the muddly (this is not a real word, but it kind of feels right), pot-holed roads near Butcombe, up towards the best named road in Somerset-"Row of Ashes".

Whilst climbing, we were passed by two younger people (they must be, they were quicker than us) on bikes, whirring away with little effort, as the sped upwards. We dropped down to the Walled garden for our coffee/tea and cake-dainty cup for DM, not sure if his finger was suitably crooked.

DM then headed back to Axbridge, but just before he did, we had to slow down behind a long line of cars warily following a very skittish horse. JT said it was something to do with breeding, although the speed and intolerance of some of the motorists didn't help.

We passed Cadbury's leisure, still with their signs of fatties and aliens, which I think is hilarious, but apparently all the the PC brigade are up in arms about. But then, they are probably not the target market for the leisure centre. We whizzed along the flats through Yatton and Nailsea, my coffee and cake doing their job, oh how I was to pay for it later. From there we cut across and climbed Tickenham Hill, with some of the cars passing close enough to pat us on the back. Or something. Down the other side (Naish Hill) we had the services of a very kind "Doctor on call" car, waiting behind us and shielding us from the maniacs as we held onto the brakes of the 17% descent into Clapton.

Up the final hill to the coast road above Portishead, and JT headed off for her lunch at t her parents, leaving me to grind out 15 miles back via Clevedon and Yatton to the base of my lovely Winscombe Hill. So tired was i by this stage that I wimped it and went the long way round with the slightly shallower gradient. I then completed the ride with the "garden dismount" aka falling off on the grass before you can unclip, but happily it was a) a soft landing and b) unobserved

A really good ride all in all, not the fastest, but over 50 miles on the clock, with plenty of hills to boot, and as ever, great company. Hope your lunches were good.

Here's Charlie:

http://connect.garmin.com/player/24144329