....these words are not my own they only come when I'm alone.....

I'm constantly dismayed with certain commentary on the Tour De France when people are described as "Former Mountain Biker" and it appears to be a big shock that they're a good rider on a road bike. Surely  it's down to the ability of the individual and the type of bike is irrelevant ? I'm not a roadie, I'm not a mountain biker I'm just a cyclist who rides different bikes, a skinny plastic one and a big green chunky one. People may disagree but I think both disciplines compliment each other. A couple of years ago I went on an organised mtb ride with the local bike shop and to cut a long story short and to quote me at the time they beasted the fat lad. That put me on my long steady road to get fitter and convinced me that I should consider getting a skinny bike. I can't explain it but the road bike makes me try harder, the harder gearing compared to the mtb which then gives you a bit of power when riding rough bumpy climbs on the mtb. Both disciplines give you the same highs though, getting up the climbs and nailing that downhill.

A ride out on the big green chunky bike today with my good friend Bonus who hasn't been out for a spin for a while. Bonus has never been up to Dunkery Beacon so I suggested we'd head up that way and hope the forecast rain held off. I've already ridden this way a couple of times this year and blogged about it so I won't bore you with the detail. It involved going up a lot which I seem to quite like doing and a two mile rocky downhill which Bonus likes doing.

Cows lying down, does that mean something?

Bonus 'enjoying' the climb 

It was a bit breezy up at the beacon and we could see the rain heading our way us so we headed down the rocky descent which seems to get rockier every time I ride down it. A thoroughly enjoyable ride out and I particularly enjoyed the climbs which is slightly worrying !

Here's the Strava bit.....