Not quite Julie Andrews but today I ventured onto, and indeed up, some hills. Because I promptly fell asleep as soon as I got out of the bath when I was back, I haven't stretched yet either, so my thighs are burning harder than the crazy world of Arthur Brown (the youngsters will need to ask any hippies they know in the older generation).
Following a flattish warm-up across the moor towards Puxton, I also visited the Cafe of the Year 2009 (as judged by the self-appointed cafe committee of the ACG judging panel, yep, me!) at the Walled Garden in Wrington.
http://walledgarden.co.uk
After a piece of chocolate cake (there being no Victoria sponge, alas!) I was cycling up towards the back of Bristol airport. After being passed by a young guy spinning away at Lance-like levels of cadence, and speed, I saw a cyclist coming towards me, downhill, slowing, grinning, and exclaiming in a pleasant Yorkshire lilt (how I love regional accents, so quaint), "Hello, how are you!" After a second of confusion, where I thought it was some friendly, lost tourist (because let's face it, northerners are friendlier than us) I suddenly realised it was KG, from the ACG, out on his own in a new top!
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Northwave_Nomad_MTB_Windproof_Jacket/5360045162/
So used to his yellow jacket, that I didn't recognise him in the fetching green and white. I am pleased to say that the price on this page has changed from the remarkably cheap price that KG managed to get it at, the Wiggle sale was fantastic, allowing such purchases at about 10% of their usual cost.
Somehow I persuaded him to come back the way he had just come, up the hill, round the back of the airport, dodging the tractors and plane spotters, as I told him I could show him a really pleasant way to Clevedon, where he was heading. KG, if you are reading, it was really good for you, you said you needed to increase your lung capacity after all.
We zipped down Brockley Coombe, a bit nippy after the sunshine and marvellous views at the top of the hill, to the crossroads on the A370. KG headed over the road towards the sea, while I headed back down the main road for a mile, then up (yes up, again!) Goblin Coombe. I'd never gone up this way before, and soon realised why when Charlie displayed 17%, there was ice in the ditches, and lots of steam coming off my head. Eventually I crested the hill before hanging onto the brakes down the other side into Wrington.
By now it was a lovely sunny, winter day, so I thought I'd head over and up over Burrington Coombe. This is a long hill for around here, and is also the scene of my 2006 crash on the MTB, ice, carelessness and downhill all involved. Fortunately, today all were reversed and I eventually emerged into the sun again before speeding down Cheddar gorge and then home.
A pretty but slow ride, didn't really fancy bombing down the hills just yet to make up for the uphills, and I still haven't got my Robert Millar legs. Charlie's stats are below, note the big lumps of green on the player, showing that I really did those hills today!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/23108037
http://connect.garmin.com/player/23108037
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
Today, as the football managers are wont to say, was day of two halves. This morning a ride with the Official ACG (as opposed to the Provisional ACG I suppose, the Irish amongst you will know what I mean. Or maybe not, try Wikipedia page of Irish history), where was I? Oh yes, the ACG went to Brean Down, while this afternoon, I descended into hell on earth, also known as The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. My son wanted to relieve himself of some vouchers, to buy some models he is now making, but everyone else was buying rubbish. Except for those like me who bought Cycling Weekly.
Enough of the judgemental rant. The ride. Just the 4 of us today, JT, KG and the man I shall now call The Doc. It was a bit cold to start with, and was damp pretty much throughout, without being wet, and I don't think I got my layers right, I never really warmed up. For a change I got K 1 out of the shed, even though he is supposed to be resting for the winter, Kona needs a bit of remedial work on the shifters and cabling so I popped him down to the LBS so PB could do the necessary.
It's amazing the difference that grippy tyres and good brakes make, I know I have said this before, so I don't know why it surprised me, but it does.
We went clockwise out to Clewer this time, and after JT's sterling efforts last week I am no longer complaining about her lack of mudguards, or the Doc's, as it's nice to have someone to draft on days like today. It was a really good ride, not too much traffic about, and we managed to avoid all the new potholes, and find all the lovely new surfaces and made good time to the cafe at Brean Down. About a mile out from the cafe I thought I better do some serious interval training so sprinted as hard as I could for a few minutes.
I have discovered a book called "The time-crunched cyclist" written by LA trainer (why does everything have to have a crunch these days?), and it maps out a plan for busy people like me, who have limited time to train. Thing is, you have to have high intensity, which is going to mean some hills tomorrow, and meant some sprinting today.
The cafe must have had a load of crumpets about to go past a sell-by day, they were knocking them out at 2 for pound, with butter and jam. Mmm. Back in the saddle it felt even colder, I think it could have been the sea air, or maybe just the pervasiveness of the damp, but we all got a shift on to get warm.
We scooted back past those twin establishments dedicated to Wedding receptions-Rookery and Webbington- and just before the latter the Doc made a serious burst for home, only for us all to regroup in Cross. At some roadworks I managed to hold on to a post to save unclipping (for the second time today) before I turned for home up the Axbridge bypass. Charlie's figs show the fastest yet this year, probably because we all took our turn and road at similar speeds.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/23008906
Charlie shows an average of 16mph, and the mileage with the ACG was just shy of 34 of the 40 shown miles.
Tomorrow I'm out early to the hills, and intend to hit the Walled Garden cafe around 10.30ish if anyone fancies it, they do a lovely Victoria sponge.
Chapeau to the ACG!
Enough of the judgemental rant. The ride. Just the 4 of us today, JT, KG and the man I shall now call The Doc. It was a bit cold to start with, and was damp pretty much throughout, without being wet, and I don't think I got my layers right, I never really warmed up. For a change I got K 1 out of the shed, even though he is supposed to be resting for the winter, Kona needs a bit of remedial work on the shifters and cabling so I popped him down to the LBS so PB could do the necessary.
It's amazing the difference that grippy tyres and good brakes make, I know I have said this before, so I don't know why it surprised me, but it does.
We went clockwise out to Clewer this time, and after JT's sterling efforts last week I am no longer complaining about her lack of mudguards, or the Doc's, as it's nice to have someone to draft on days like today. It was a really good ride, not too much traffic about, and we managed to avoid all the new potholes, and find all the lovely new surfaces and made good time to the cafe at Brean Down. About a mile out from the cafe I thought I better do some serious interval training so sprinted as hard as I could for a few minutes.
I have discovered a book called "The time-crunched cyclist" written by LA trainer (why does everything have to have a crunch these days?), and it maps out a plan for busy people like me, who have limited time to train. Thing is, you have to have high intensity, which is going to mean some hills tomorrow, and meant some sprinting today.
The cafe must have had a load of crumpets about to go past a sell-by day, they were knocking them out at 2 for pound, with butter and jam. Mmm. Back in the saddle it felt even colder, I think it could have been the sea air, or maybe just the pervasiveness of the damp, but we all got a shift on to get warm.
We scooted back past those twin establishments dedicated to Wedding receptions-Rookery and Webbington- and just before the latter the Doc made a serious burst for home, only for us all to regroup in Cross. At some roadworks I managed to hold on to a post to save unclipping (for the second time today) before I turned for home up the Axbridge bypass. Charlie's figs show the fastest yet this year, probably because we all took our turn and road at similar speeds.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/23008906
Charlie shows an average of 16mph, and the mileage with the ACG was just shy of 34 of the 40 shown miles.
Tomorrow I'm out early to the hills, and intend to hit the Walled Garden cafe around 10.30ish if anyone fancies it, they do a lovely Victoria sponge.
Chapeau to the ACG!
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Back in the Saddle
For almost two whole weeks the country has been gripped. No, I'm not talking about Celebrity Big Brother, but ICE. Great big lumps of it lying, condensing and spreading like a cyclist's worst nightmare, all over the roads of Somerset. So for two whole weeks there has been no riding, no sprinting down the Clewer road, no kicking on up Cheddar gorge, and no bowling along to Puxton.
On Friday I could barely contain my glee as the thermometer nudged into positive figures, and my excitement knew no bounds as it hit balmy 10 degrees yesterday morning. An impromptu ride was already planned for Sunday, but I couldn't wait, so had to go and do a 38 mile loop around Puxton, Sand Bay, Weston and Brent Knoll.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/22583250
A great ride, it was fantastic to be out in the fresh air again after two weeks cooped up indoors. Not too taxing, hills are going to have to wait for some specific sessions.
Today we went out as the ACG, and again, it was like 7 hungry animals being let off the leash with a plate of food at the end of the road. At different times every one of us was severing and digesting the bit, never mind the chomping, and despite a tough headwind at times on the way back, it was pretty fast considering we have not really ridden for a while. JT had been up last night, as had KG, and I'll share a secret I have discovered-sleep and good food are wonderfully restorative compared to a night on the lash.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/22583168
Again pretty fast times, and I'm pleased to say I won the points jersey even if KG snuck up on the final stretch to pinch the General Classment (as Sean Kelly would say).
The real point of this post is the session I went to on Friday, not booze, but actual training. Having a training-related job means I'm often the last one to seek it out for myself, and I nearly didn't go. But really glad I did, it was all about goals you see. With the help of a really good crowd, I was coached towards achieving one of my goals for the year-being organised in my training and then achieving the targets that I have set for myself.
A conversation I had been unconsciously putting off, got done this week, solely as a result of that training day. I have always been pretty good at goal setting, but have allowed it to drift for a couple of years.
So thank you to MG, I am pleased to report that stage one is completed, and things are moving in the right direction, more to follow!
Chapeau mes amies to you today, the best day out on a bike in ages.
On Friday I could barely contain my glee as the thermometer nudged into positive figures, and my excitement knew no bounds as it hit balmy 10 degrees yesterday morning. An impromptu ride was already planned for Sunday, but I couldn't wait, so had to go and do a 38 mile loop around Puxton, Sand Bay, Weston and Brent Knoll.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/22583250
A great ride, it was fantastic to be out in the fresh air again after two weeks cooped up indoors. Not too taxing, hills are going to have to wait for some specific sessions.
Today we went out as the ACG, and again, it was like 7 hungry animals being let off the leash with a plate of food at the end of the road. At different times every one of us was severing and digesting the bit, never mind the chomping, and despite a tough headwind at times on the way back, it was pretty fast considering we have not really ridden for a while. JT had been up last night, as had KG, and I'll share a secret I have discovered-sleep and good food are wonderfully restorative compared to a night on the lash.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/22583168
Again pretty fast times, and I'm pleased to say I won the points jersey even if KG snuck up on the final stretch to pinch the General Classment (as Sean Kelly would say).
The real point of this post is the session I went to on Friday, not booze, but actual training. Having a training-related job means I'm often the last one to seek it out for myself, and I nearly didn't go. But really glad I did, it was all about goals you see. With the help of a really good crowd, I was coached towards achieving one of my goals for the year-being organised in my training and then achieving the targets that I have set for myself.
A conversation I had been unconsciously putting off, got done this week, solely as a result of that training day. I have always been pretty good at goal setting, but have allowed it to drift for a couple of years.
So thank you to MG, I am pleased to report that stage one is completed, and things are moving in the right direction, more to follow!
Chapeau mes amies to you today, the best day out on a bike in ages.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
The best year ever?
The weather was a bit cold, a bit damp, and a bit drizzly, so I decided to go for one last ride of the year and think about all that has passed since 1st January. I bet we have as many words for rain as the Inuit have for snow.
The year has been dominated for me by my Land's End to John o' Groats trip, its preparations and repercussions. I was hideously under-prepared and suffered for it, but considering I had only ridden over 100 miles twice before, I was amazed that I did it. But pleased, and moved and touched. Some numpty once told me (in the context of feedback from an unsuccessful job interview) that bike rides don't tell you anything about the capability of a person. Well this one did. I'm not going to do the full horns of Jericho on this one, but I learned more about myself, the people in this world, and the spirit that imbues us all, form a single trip than from all the courses I have been on or delivered. So yah-boo sucks mate you are wrong-find your character at the office if you like, I found mine at Fort Augustus.
I have also done six sportives, and of those the one I really enjoyed the most is the Tour of Britain ride at the beginning of September. Two superficial reasons-the medal (of course) and the realistic feel to the event, including a proper arch at the finish-all fed my vanity. But it was that point on one of the climbs, where I (a forty-something trundler-actually dropped people, that I realised I had trained and prepped well enough to put in a half-decent performance, that's what I enjoyed the most.
Other things on the cycling front. I have developed a better technique, better on-board posture, learned how to recover properly to prevent injury and how to track stand without falling over (learnt the hard and embarrassing way). Oodles of kit and gadgets, but Charlie has to be the winner in "best stuff acquired" category. Where would I be without him? (About 350 smackers better off, but you can't take it with you).
Then there is the job situation. A new one, tougher, more demanding but actually more enjoyable too, a real test of my skills, and a chance to do the L & D stuff I really want to do. We will have to see about the values bit though, be the change you want to see, and all that.
I don't tend to talk about the family on here, don't think it's right somehow. But if they should stumble on to this post by accident, I want them to know they are the two most important people in the world to me, whatever they may think about the cycling and other stuff.
So today's ride-all about hills. Over to Wrington, up over the hill, down to Cleeve, up Brockley again, then back though Churchill, Shipham and down to Cheddar, Axbridge and up here to home. 2000 or so feet in a little over 31 miles. If you look at the profile you will see there were not many flat bits. Somehow I think that is more the shape of things to come than things past, what with the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin etc. all looming in September.
That is where this blog is heading, the Raid Pyrenean next year. So the weight needs to come off, the power on, and the motivation remain. I think it will be as hard if not harder to squeeze the rides and the training in around the rest of a hectic life. But I am fortunate to have these opportunities. Fortunate to have a great life, health and family, where I need not worry about food and shelter, but can focus on heart rate and cadence. So I am thankful for that, and hope that if anyone else is reading this, on New Year's Eve 2009, you too can count your blessings and have your best year ever.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/21349021
The year has been dominated for me by my Land's End to John o' Groats trip, its preparations and repercussions. I was hideously under-prepared and suffered for it, but considering I had only ridden over 100 miles twice before, I was amazed that I did it. But pleased, and moved and touched. Some numpty once told me (in the context of feedback from an unsuccessful job interview) that bike rides don't tell you anything about the capability of a person. Well this one did. I'm not going to do the full horns of Jericho on this one, but I learned more about myself, the people in this world, and the spirit that imbues us all, form a single trip than from all the courses I have been on or delivered. So yah-boo sucks mate you are wrong-find your character at the office if you like, I found mine at Fort Augustus.
I have also done six sportives, and of those the one I really enjoyed the most is the Tour of Britain ride at the beginning of September. Two superficial reasons-the medal (of course) and the realistic feel to the event, including a proper arch at the finish-all fed my vanity. But it was that point on one of the climbs, where I (a forty-something trundler-actually dropped people, that I realised I had trained and prepped well enough to put in a half-decent performance, that's what I enjoyed the most.
Other things on the cycling front. I have developed a better technique, better on-board posture, learned how to recover properly to prevent injury and how to track stand without falling over (learnt the hard and embarrassing way). Oodles of kit and gadgets, but Charlie has to be the winner in "best stuff acquired" category. Where would I be without him? (About 350 smackers better off, but you can't take it with you).
Then there is the job situation. A new one, tougher, more demanding but actually more enjoyable too, a real test of my skills, and a chance to do the L & D stuff I really want to do. We will have to see about the values bit though, be the change you want to see, and all that.
I don't tend to talk about the family on here, don't think it's right somehow. But if they should stumble on to this post by accident, I want them to know they are the two most important people in the world to me, whatever they may think about the cycling and other stuff.
So today's ride-all about hills. Over to Wrington, up over the hill, down to Cleeve, up Brockley again, then back though Churchill, Shipham and down to Cheddar, Axbridge and up here to home. 2000 or so feet in a little over 31 miles. If you look at the profile you will see there were not many flat bits. Somehow I think that is more the shape of things to come than things past, what with the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin etc. all looming in September.
That is where this blog is heading, the Raid Pyrenean next year. So the weight needs to come off, the power on, and the motivation remain. I think it will be as hard if not harder to squeeze the rides and the training in around the rest of a hectic life. But I am fortunate to have these opportunities. Fortunate to have a great life, health and family, where I need not worry about food and shelter, but can focus on heart rate and cadence. So I am thankful for that, and hope that if anyone else is reading this, on New Year's Eve 2009, you too can count your blessings and have your best year ever.
http://connect.garmin.com/player/21349021
Monday, 28 December 2009
Now with added cadence.....
http://connect.garmin.com/player/21165916
Today may, or not, be the last ride of the year, it depends on the weather for the rest of this week. Being the anal type that I am, I record all my rides in far too much detail-it's not healthy.
But for the record, today I passed a quarter of a million calories expended on exercise for the year. So, what if I have eaten more than that to compensate, or slumbered away many a Sunday afternoon, today's 1200-odd calories tipped me over that goal.
It was cold again, a bit icey, worse than boxing day, but not as bad as last week. So I stuck to south-facing back roads and main roads for eat-west bits, as far as I could, and went gingerly down any slopes of any kind. Went north for a change too, out as far as Nailsea, then back via Brockley Coombe and the airport. Down the A38 on Redhill I nearly hit 40 mph, which would have been good considering the weather.
I now have the GSC10 cadence sensor on the Kona working again-it's amazing what reading the instructions can do-so Charlie stats above show how fast my little legs went round all the way. Someone told me that Brockley Coombe has the same profile as the Tourmalet-which I'll be riding up in September-only it's 2 miles instead of 15 miles long. Oh well, I enjoyed the sunshine anyway, it's nice to be able to get outside and roll those wheels!
Today may, or not, be the last ride of the year, it depends on the weather for the rest of this week. Being the anal type that I am, I record all my rides in far too much detail-it's not healthy.
But for the record, today I passed a quarter of a million calories expended on exercise for the year. So, what if I have eaten more than that to compensate, or slumbered away many a Sunday afternoon, today's 1200-odd calories tipped me over that goal.
It was cold again, a bit icey, worse than boxing day, but not as bad as last week. So I stuck to south-facing back roads and main roads for eat-west bits, as far as I could, and went gingerly down any slopes of any kind. Went north for a change too, out as far as Nailsea, then back via Brockley Coombe and the airport. Down the A38 on Redhill I nearly hit 40 mph, which would have been good considering the weather.
I now have the GSC10 cadence sensor on the Kona working again-it's amazing what reading the instructions can do-so Charlie stats above show how fast my little legs went round all the way. Someone told me that Brockley Coombe has the same profile as the Tourmalet-which I'll be riding up in September-only it's 2 miles instead of 15 miles long. Oh well, I enjoyed the sunshine anyway, it's nice to be able to get outside and roll those wheels!
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Sharp dressed man
Boxing day dawned, a little warmer than the preceding week, so I headed out on the Kona to join JT, her Dad and 4 others (including some real cyclists who effortlessly glided along beside me while I'm busting a gut trying to look nonchalant) for a ride over to Glastonbury.
Because I'm having such a great Christmas, this has to be a short post, suffice to say:
1. It was better than going all the way up congested roads to see West Ham beat Portsmouth, and I got half a day back to watch Back to the Future 2 and 3 (the latter of which has a great appearance from ZZ Top.
2. We got to see KG's new luminous jacket which also has flashing red lights on the back, in fact you can see him in Outer Mongolia
3. There was still ice about, lurking in shady corners waiting to trap the unwary, we nearly had a pretty bad pile up, fortunately no-one hurt
4. 100 Monkeys cafe in Glasto is very nice, but a tad expensive. Still, good of them to open on Boxing Day
5. S (one of said real cyclists) had lovely tinsel on his cycling helmet. He said it was very uncomfortable, but it was very festive
6. The race down the Clewer road was a bit silly Guy, given a. the ice and b. you know both S and GW were being like friendly parents and letting us go on in front.
So a great day, best Christmas ride ever and in fact lifted my mood all through Michael J Fox's meanderings through time. Much of which I slept through, but at least I was there.
Charlie below:
http://connect.garmin.com/player/21072651
Because I'm having such a great Christmas, this has to be a short post, suffice to say:
1. It was better than going all the way up congested roads to see West Ham beat Portsmouth, and I got half a day back to watch Back to the Future 2 and 3 (the latter of which has a great appearance from ZZ Top.
2. We got to see KG's new luminous jacket which also has flashing red lights on the back, in fact you can see him in Outer Mongolia
3. There was still ice about, lurking in shady corners waiting to trap the unwary, we nearly had a pretty bad pile up, fortunately no-one hurt
4. 100 Monkeys cafe in Glasto is very nice, but a tad expensive. Still, good of them to open on Boxing Day
5. S (one of said real cyclists) had lovely tinsel on his cycling helmet. He said it was very uncomfortable, but it was very festive
6. The race down the Clewer road was a bit silly Guy, given a. the ice and b. you know both S and GW were being like friendly parents and letting us go on in front.
So a great day, best Christmas ride ever and in fact lifted my mood all through Michael J Fox's meanderings through time. Much of which I slept through, but at least I was there.
Charlie below:
http://connect.garmin.com/player/21072651
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
These cleats are made for walking......
I bet Mr Shimano never realised that his SPD SL cleats (with 3 degrees of float) make excellent crampons for 2 inch-thick ice on 12% gradients in England in sub-zero temperatures. But they do.
It was a work run today. I wimped yesterday, and really want to make the most of the school holidays to get some miles in. Never mind the 5 degrees below temperature. Never mind that my road looks more like the venue for the Toronto Maple leafs. Never mind that there was a five car pile up in slightly comical (no-one hurt) fashion outside the house. Never mind the dark, the salt, the traffic on the main roads.
I had to ride today!
Except I couldn't. At least for the first mile, because of said road. So I had to walk, all Geri Halliwell-like (think about it) all the way to the main road at the bottom of the hill. And actually, despite, or maybe because of the cleats, it was OK. I then rode all the way up the A38, past the airport, with my various lights, reflectors and high-visibility clothing doing their jobs very well. And of course all the various layers of clothing, if anything I was slightly on the hot side.
Except for when I had to go down the other side. I think the airport is about 600 feet above Bristol, and it is one long, cold, 8% descent, at least the first mile is. This was the scarey bit, what happens if you hit a patch of black ice at 35 mph on 25mm tyres? I tried really hard not to brake, and even harder not to think about it. But of course I did both, and crawled down the hill, almost as slowly as I had crawled up it.
Coming home I went via Long Ashton, fewer hills, but alas more ice. So back to the A370, which was its usual grind, until the moment came. I thought the Exmoor Beast was scarey. This was different league. The hill from Cleeve into Congresbury on the A370 isn't even graded. If I could have seen Charlie I think he would have said about 7%, if that. But there were huge patches of black ice all over the slope, how I didn't fall off I will never know. I couldn't stop because I would have needed to brake too hard, which would have sent me into a skid and a definite tumble.
If only my lights weren't so good, I could have gone faster because i would have been blissfully unaware!
At least coming home through Churchill, Sandford and Winscombe I had the sense to get to the end of my road closest to my house. So the day ended as it had begun, with a walk, but this time only half a mile. The police have actually closed the road, but idiots are still driving down it. And they aren't gritting lorries either.
Charlie stats below:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20870370
Painfully slow because of all that walking, being scared and the urban nightmare that is Bristol traffic. Still it was 38 miles I wouldn't have done otherwise.....
It was a work run today. I wimped yesterday, and really want to make the most of the school holidays to get some miles in. Never mind the 5 degrees below temperature. Never mind that my road looks more like the venue for the Toronto Maple leafs. Never mind that there was a five car pile up in slightly comical (no-one hurt) fashion outside the house. Never mind the dark, the salt, the traffic on the main roads.
I had to ride today!
Except I couldn't. At least for the first mile, because of said road. So I had to walk, all Geri Halliwell-like (think about it) all the way to the main road at the bottom of the hill. And actually, despite, or maybe because of the cleats, it was OK. I then rode all the way up the A38, past the airport, with my various lights, reflectors and high-visibility clothing doing their jobs very well. And of course all the various layers of clothing, if anything I was slightly on the hot side.
Except for when I had to go down the other side. I think the airport is about 600 feet above Bristol, and it is one long, cold, 8% descent, at least the first mile is. This was the scarey bit, what happens if you hit a patch of black ice at 35 mph on 25mm tyres? I tried really hard not to brake, and even harder not to think about it. But of course I did both, and crawled down the hill, almost as slowly as I had crawled up it.
Coming home I went via Long Ashton, fewer hills, but alas more ice. So back to the A370, which was its usual grind, until the moment came. I thought the Exmoor Beast was scarey. This was different league. The hill from Cleeve into Congresbury on the A370 isn't even graded. If I could have seen Charlie I think he would have said about 7%, if that. But there were huge patches of black ice all over the slope, how I didn't fall off I will never know. I couldn't stop because I would have needed to brake too hard, which would have sent me into a skid and a definite tumble.
If only my lights weren't so good, I could have gone faster because i would have been blissfully unaware!
At least coming home through Churchill, Sandford and Winscombe I had the sense to get to the end of my road closest to my house. So the day ended as it had begun, with a walk, but this time only half a mile. The police have actually closed the road, but idiots are still driving down it. And they aren't gritting lorries either.
Charlie stats below:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/20870370
Painfully slow because of all that walking, being scared and the urban nightmare that is Bristol traffic. Still it was 38 miles I wouldn't have done otherwise.....
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