...on a cold and misty morning....

Since I did the Cheddar sportive back in September I've had a bit of a mind shift when it comes to my cycling and my attitude towards it. I was getting too wrapped up in my speed and stats and getting annoyed with myself for being fat and slow. After some kind words from a couple of friends I kind of realised I was doing okay, getting quicker slowly but surely and the weight was coming off to. I now try and enjoy my cycling more, relax and just go with the flow, still try my best but chill a bit as my eldest often tells me to.

I'd planned a route, the weather was misty and the lazy rain started as I got the bike out of the shed. It's only a bit of weather, I'd wrapped up and was feeling good so why not, I'll only get wet and cold, character building. Out towards Porlock and my glasses were soon in my back pocket with the drizzle and low cloud making it impossible to see anything through them. Grey, just a blanket of grey everywhere, no panoramic views today just mist and a bit more mist. Toll road again, no racing today, no chasing others, just me and the squirrels, a buzzard and even a stoat or is it a weasel and a little old man out for stroll but just me. Nice as ever, autumn colours, falling leaves, misty air, can't beat it, I'm very lucky ;)

I got up onto the moors and the air was a bit colder and after the sticky hill from Whitstone Post I was feeling a bit chilly. I thought I'd better take my glasses off because they were misting up then I realised they were in my pocket still and it was just the mist getting thicker ! It was eerily quiet on the moor and apart from my puffing all you could here was birdsong, at this point I did question my sanity. To get off the moor a bit quicker I decided to head down the Wellshead Road which wasn't as bad as I thought it might be and then onto Exford.

Exmoor...it's there honest...

A stop for a drink and a snack at the bus shelter and to readjust layers then up the hill and route decisions. I was warm again after puffing up the hill out of the village so decided to stick with plan A and head to Winsford which is a nice quick and quiet road to head along. Onto the valley road and a new climb to try, Quarme lane, about two miles of unknown ascent. It starts off steady, then a steep bit,then steady, then another longer steeper bit you get the idea. It took me a couple of go's but I didn't walk but the visibility didn't help because I couldn't see the crest of the steep bits, well that's my excuse. After that it was downhill time, the last downhill of the beast which I like heading down, see, method to the uphill madness.

..up it is then....

I was a good boy today and took it steadier than I did last time but still had fun on what was a very wet and muddy descent. A steady spin back towards home but I swerved the last little hill around the back of Dunster as my legs were feeling it a bit. I was cold and wet by the time I got home but I quite enjoyed being out in the murkiness probably because it was so quiet and peaceful ;)

....all downhill from here...trust me....

Here's the Strava bit....http://app.strava.com/activities/27939499