On a hillside desolate

First a bit of news: Mendip rouleur has joined the twitterverse! You can follow me (and let's face it, it's going to look pretty said if you don't) by following the link below. I really promise to tweet very random and odd but interesting thoughts and observations. Unlike my first tweet tonight which is exceptionally dull. Not selling it am I?

http://twitter.com/#!/mendiprouleur

I haven't ridden to work for three weeks, and the last time it was pouring with rain on the way home. It has also been distinctly murky in the mornings, so it was a real pleasure to be able to ride in with sunshine on my back. So nice in fact that I detoured by way of Ashton Park and then Jacob Wells Road, where I surprised minimendip rouleur waiting at the school gates.

And guess what? Yes it was sunny in the evening too, although there was my old friend Mr Headwind back again to make life a bit harder. So I thought I'll do the hard hill (Dundry) and then head through the Chew Valley and do Harptree and back via Cheddar, thus making a genuine loop for the day.

But after Dundry I couldn't be bothered, so the route is a frying pan with a wonky handle as I needed a dose of tailwind to keep me happy, so came home via Banwell in order to get it.

The tan lines are coming along well, although it's not helped by wearing different shorts on a regular basis. I still have this differential tan on my arms from last week. I really need to find a sunny day where I can ride westwards during the afternoon, or eastwards for a whole morning. Whilst on the subject arm warmers, which I needed this morning for the chilly start, are also problematic if you don't make sure they are pulled up to the same point on both arms.

I was not that fast on the way in, and a bit slow on the way back, but the main thing was it was just nice to be riding. I have no major events planned until the Pyrenees at the end of August, so will just concentrate on my hills, and on enjoying riding. That's the main thing right now. Too many other things to worry about as it is.

I am also very, very jealous of Bunny. He is off to Brittany to watch three stages of the Tour, and what's more he is going to cycle to each from his house in the country. Still, he is missing out on the pleasure I had this evening as I laboured up St Peter's Rise. Nearing the top I actually had a good rhythm going albeit a slow one. I was slightly dismayed to see a car doing an eight point turn in the road in front of me, completely blocking all progress.

I slowed, and I gasped, more for breath than anything, but no complaints came from my lips, but I guess my presence was enough to cause offence. Perhaps he was a body language expert or an NLP practitioner, able to do Jedi mind tricks or something. I was obvioulsy doing something wrong.

"You f******g  p***k" this charming man shouted at me out of his window as he sped away. Bet you don't get that level of warmth in Mur de Bretagne.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/509453