Hoping I'm always there

It would seem that this month I am big in France, with 37 viewings of this blog there. Alors, bonsoir mes amies francais, j'adore votres montagnes. Or something like that, haven't quite got to the bit of my "Learn French" CDs that deals with that sort of thing. But I am looking forward to going over to the Pyrenees again in August and having a crack at a few more cols. That will necessitate riding three long, hard, hilly rides in succession so I'll need to practise that again.

The Tour of Wessex is on again at the end of May and I have entered all three hard, long hilly days again. But life has presented the opportunity for a bit of consecutive riding right now as Mrs MR is working at home tomorrow. I'd already agreed to meet Skip and the Captain at 10AM today, so if I can face it at 5.30AM in the icy blast I'll give it a go.

Back to today. Flat was the order of the route, and flat was what we got. And although there was some wind, it was nothing like yesterday, and anyway, there is no ride in the world that can not be cheered up by these four things:

1. Good company. And it was really good, although I felt a bit sluggish on the bike, and I ache now, I'm really pleased I had their presence as the motivating factor to get me out of bed. Besides, I think I must have seen well over 50 other road cyclists out today, all taking advantage of the opportunity to get out. Felt like part of a social phenomenon, there were cyclists here, there and everywhere.

2. Coffee. In a rural cafe if possible. Despite my city birth and heritage I prefer the rural setting of a cafe, where your bike won't get nicked, and there are nice things like trees and birds about. As long as the coffee is warm, has caffeine in it and comes in a clean container I'm not too fussed about taste.

3. Cake. Mine was superb today. Thick chocolate layer encompassing coffee sponge with a couple of fudge pieces on top. Not too big either, so I was tempted to have another, it is true, but I held my nerve and savoured just one piece.

4. Sunshine. All day, in the sky and in my heart quite frankly.

And we got a really good train going too, the three of us. The other two had, they claimed, stonking hangovers, but it didn't show, we chatted on the back roads, and singled-up on the main roads, sprinted, waited for each other, and not one idiot Sunday-driver. A record.

All I have to do now is eat some more pasta, have a sleep, and I can have a really good hilly ride tomorrow. Bliss.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/65850682