Mid-week exercise usually consists of just over an hour of tediously sitting on an exercise bike, staring at my garden. Which is just starting to look like a garden again after a prolonged period of resembling part of the rain forest. Not my doing, well not directly anyway. In terms of jungle, it's even better than the real thing because there are no venomous snakes or poisonous spiders. As far as i know.
I digress. Today, for long and complicated reasons I got to cycle in the fresh air. Mini Mendip Rouleur and I were home by 6.45, and after quickly making his tea, complaining to the bank, and changing into a rather fetching old K-1 kit, nicely clashing with my new gilet, I was off into the late evening sunshine. By 7PM. And don't worry, there was an adult to look after mini MR.
I had intended to do the Tour of Winscombe six times (my 3.5 mile loop of the village), for a bit of hill repeats, figuring I could just about squeeze that in before the 8.30 sunset. In the end I thought, "sod that, let's do a proper route". So I cycled up to Shipham, down to Cheddar and up to the base of the gorge. Where i encountered "Police- Road closed" signs. Which I ignored, as had loads of other people by the look of it as plenty of cars, walkers, climbers and cyclists were also about. I passed a police car and occupants, and they seemed unperturbed by my presence, so onwards and upwards i went.
At the base of the really steep section there was a Rapha Condor Sharp team car, replete with cycle rack for 6 (?) bikes on the roof, but no bikes. It was predictably black with a white stripe and a pink one. Chic. My guess that someone was doing a reconnaissance mission for the Tour of Britain, which is going up the gorge on 16th September. I am planning an outing to the event, Gorge-Old Bristol Hill-Wells, see them 3 times, but don't hang about, they are fast these boys.
As was the rider wearing Saxo Bank kit who chatted to me for a bit before zooming off in the distance. He's from Axbridge, but it seems that the ACG would be a bit slow for him, I'm still trying to sell that top.
Coming down the gorge at speed was a cyclist in Motorpoint pro-cycling kit. He looked fast enough to be a pro, maybe he was connected to Rapha, I don't know the ins and outs of the British cycling team well enough.
Once up in the land of the Mendips it was a quick belt across the top and down Burrington, Langford, Sandford, Banwell and home up the Alpe d'Huez of Winscombe. Just over 25 miles, a couple of decent climbs, and some nice fresh air on a pleasant night, arriving home in the gathering gloom.
And West Ham won, AGAIN!!! Shock horror two away wins on the bounce. That doesn't happen every day. And the much-maligned (by me) Scott Parker is still there. What will happen next?
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