Wonky saddle

As I stood in the Square this morning in Axbridge, just as we were about to set out on an official ACG ride, I happened to glance down at my lovely new saddle. A delightful present from my parents for my recent birthday, it had proved very comfortable on its first outing yesterday. (BTW it's a Selle Italia Flite, in red of course). I had fitted it in the shed last Tuesday night, by the light of a head torch, in between doing loads of other stuff, and the sore right sitbone and tweaked left inner thigh muscle were the symptoms of a slight misalignment. Bizarrely, the centre line was parallel with the ground on the front to back axis, it was the side to side axis that was on a slope.

Now I could have rummaged in my seat post bag for my allen keys and attempted to fix it then and there, but everyone was about to set off, and anyway, knowing my history, I may have made it worse.

Fortunately we spent a lot of time going up the hills today, so when i wasn't in the saddle, I was trying to keep up with our newest newbie, also conveniently called by the same name as half the ACG. He actually looks like a good candidate for a medium ACG top to me, though he may be a bit tall. Skinny, wiry, fast (so SWF it is then), who claimed not to have been on a bike for a while. Still he was good company as were Shipham MTB, Boots, the Doc, Knight of the Realm and Skip.

Ah, bless her. She arrived like one of those people who turn up to work early from a good night out and get brownie points for being at their desk before the boss. But the only reason is that they haven't actually been home yet. Her eyes wouldn't have been out of place in Glastonbury, her poor, injured knee strapped up to keep it from falling apart, and did offer the suggestion that she could still be drunk. To be fair she did go to sleep at 4AM, so to come out for a bike ride by 9AM shows immense dedication I think.

So off to Cheddar we trundled, and hit the bottom of the gorge where we split up for a bit. I thought I'd keep Skip company, but she wanted to be on her own, so I carried on and joined Boots and SWF as we spun our way to the top. We all re-assembled before splitting up again on the way to the new Rock Cake (was Mountain, now refurbished and re-named) Cafe above Croscombe. Two alternative routes were on offer, the first was down Old Bristol Road to Wells then up through Horrington to the cafe. The second, taken by the Knight and Skip, was across the top to the cafe.

The Knight is still operating on China-time, having returned from a tour of the world's most populous country, and was decidedly jet-lagged rather than jet-powered. Once we all re-grouped in the cafe various teas, coffees and cakes were ordered, along with bacon and other sandwiches. Somehow the Doc managed to turn up last and get served first-how did he do that?- but I for one was quite impressed by the look of the new place and may return again soon.

The promised warm weather was not present on the top of the Mendips, as it had been pretty windy, drizzly and after the cafe, cold. Still, with the wind at our backs, we sped back via Green Ore and Charterhouse, and down Shipham Hill to Cheddar. Except Knight of the Realm who came down the gorge and met SWF, me and Boots at the petrol station. I managed to clock my fastest single speed-point of the year as I came down Shipham Hill, 45.1 mph according to Cateye, the arbiter in these matters. For the sad Stattos (like me) I have never managed to beat the speeds I used to do downhill on the Kona, I think it had a slightly higher top gear ratio. (For maximum impact that last sentence should be imagined in a nasally tone of voice, by a man in an anorak).

It was great to be riding with a group today, even if we did fragment a bit. Normal, unserious banter, just ride and enjoy myself. Just what I needed. The saddle? Well I didn't seem to notice it, and as I don't have any neck pain either, I'm just beginning to wonder if I may have hit upon something useful.....

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/52266998