....when the wind blows.....

First big ride of the year today, Minehead Cycling club's Spring Audax, sixty hilly miles across Exmoor, I even ventured into Devon at several points too. The event started in Porlock which is about six miles away so I decided to ride there to warm the legs and lungs up. Conditions were not too bad down at sea level and the car park was busy with riders preparing and registering. The ACG (Beard Section) were already there, Steve, Martyn and Trevor but Trevor was just slightly unshaven and hadn't gone dodgy beard like the other two.

ACG Beard Section preparing and Axl Rose?

Up the Toll road, nothing like starting an event with a four mile climb from the off, it is a nice climb though but once at the top of the moors the wind had arrived. A bit of cyclo cross at the top and along the top to Exford, this is where I lost the beards, too strong for me in the wind so it was head down and set my own pace. A long climb out of Exford, I was hanging onto someone's wheel but he went straight on at the turn, I wonder if he had downloaded Mr Steep's original directions? Along and down to Withypool and the first checkpoint, in a pub, with a roaring fire and lots of food and...get a grip! Didn't hang about and cracked on as it was soon up again and onto the moors, as I was on my own I took the opportunity to take a couple of pics on the way.

It was up, down and over the moors with spectacular views, I've been this way before on last years Exmoor Beauty with a raging head wind and had it again but this time in the opposite direction, must be me?

A brilliant descent down to Dulverton and a nice ride along the river to the town and the next checkpoint, in a pub, you get the idea. I stopped and ate and a nice lad in the pub filled my bottle but I soon set off again along the river to Exebridge then onto the valley road and back towards Minehead. I seemed to be struggling with what felt like lactic acid and or cramp for most of the ride. I've been trying to lose weight lately so I don't know if it's reducing my calorie intake or I'm missing something in my diet but I didn't feel totally happy with myself. I stopped at Wheddon Cross to take some Ventolin, its prescribed ! The lungs haven't been at full working order lately with all this cold air and the medicine certainly helped me feel a bit better. All downhill to Dunster and the last few miles of lumpy bits past Minehead and back to Porlock to finish, cup of tea and some lovely scones, then ride home ;)

The wind was a constant pain whilst out on the moors but the views were outstanding, the roads were quiet and the route was excellent even if I didn't feel great. As usual after sitting down and looking at my stats I wasn't doing as badly as I thought I was. I even managed to catch up with the ACG, at the finish and they even left enough scones for me.

Here's the Strava bit....

.......search your heart, search your soul.......

I was kindly invited by Steve who I finally met in February and is a keen mountain biker for a ride around the Quantock Hills. It's kind of half way between us so a short a drive was needed along a very quiet A39 which is a bit of novelty. I was slightly worried I had deeply upset him with the revelation to him that Canadian rock star Bryan Adams had once made a music video in Holford, our meeting point. After speaking to him once he had arrived he eased my worries, something about weddings, embarrassing Page boy outfits, I think the tune sometimes triggers some dark memories ;)

I've ridden the Quantocks a couple of times before and usually ended up taking the wrong route option (okay okay, got lost). Steve knows the area well and also has one those fancy Dan GPS things with maps on which also helps. Sheltered and sunny at the green in Holford as we set off up the first climb of the day a rough and rocky steady ascent at the bottom leading up to the exposed Moor and the biting wind once at the top. We headed towards a beacon to admire the view, if you looked carefully you probably could see my house...possibly.

After the up it was down, Smiths Combe started again rough and rocky but turned into a cracking stream crossing descent but alas what goes down must go up or something along those lines. Another long drag back to where we started basically and then down again, Weacombe or has Steve described it Weeeacombe and he wasn't far wrong. A gentle spin along a low path for a bit, dodging walkers and sheep before you guessed it up again, Bicknoller Combe another drag back up to the moor, but a very scenic one at that with added lambs and deer. Once I'd finally made it up to the top it was steady ride into the howling wind along the top for a couple of miles. The wind did make me think of another dodgy wedding tune though as I struggled along. I think I saw more vehicles up here than I did on the A39 earlier, no wonder the tracks are as knackered as they are. It was all downhill (ish) from here back down to the green in Holford and a bit of a relief to be out of the wind. A great ride with a thoroughly nice man he ain't half as grumpy as he makes out, hope I wasn't too slow company and apparently we only did half, other half next time.

Here's the Strava bit.....

I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a pic of the spot where this was filmed....

....I am one of those melodramatic fools....

I blame the weather but then again I blame a lot of things and have a cracking list of crap excuses but at the end of the day it's all down to me. After making some particularly childish and pathetic comments to someone I hopefully can still call a friend and their subsequent metaphorical slap in the face I woke up and smelt the coffee ;)

Many years ago I remember doing some management training thing and being told about reaching your level of incompetence, basically promoting people into jobs until they become no longer competent at their job hence reaching your level of incompetence. It was recently suggested to me that's where I've got to in terms of cycling and my general fitness and weight but I don't accept that. I don't feel like I'm getting any quicker and after losing about a stone in the year or so I seem to have ground to halt. I basically need to get my arse in gear and start working harder, stop blaming other things and crack on. I've had some great advice from some people who know what they are talking about, done it, still doing it and got the Rapha pro team jersey ;)

I've decided to try and do more exercise in addition to the cycling, I've bought some running gear and even the kids have volunteered to come out with me for moral support. I'm trying to be positive but I'll need some encouragement because if I don't see instant results it tends to have a negative effect on me. I also tend to worry about what other people think of me but a wise person told me life's too short and that I should seize the day, they may have mumbled it in Latin but I'm not that posh ;)

It all starts now but in celebration of me leaving home on April fools day back in 1987 and never going back that's the anniversary date, lets see how I do, should be fun :)

......She's a Star.....

I had the privilege and the pleasure of being invited to the Cycling Mayor's birthday ride, a gathering of like minded individuals to celebrate and cycle in the spring(!) air. I left home in the drizzle, drove along the motorway in the dry and arrived in Swindon with light snow falling. Lycra clad strangers appeared in the car park and gathered in the hotel, greeted, mingled and applied layers. Originally a fifty mile loop south of Swindon but due to the wintry conditions route master Guy devised a slightly shorter but equally good route.

It was actually dry as a dozen or so of us set off through Royal Wootton Bassett and once on the move it was cold but I actually didn't feel too bad. An early puncture caused by one of of the numerous pot holes gave me a chance to get up the big hill of the day ahead of the pack and give me some respite as to be honest everyone else was a bit quick for me. We headed for Marlborough which meant passing through Avebury and a chance to see the megalithic stones and there was lots of them. A welcome stop with a warm welcome to warm up and replenish at the Church and craft centre in Marlborough, coffee and cake was very nice.

After the stop it was an undulating twenty or so miles back to Swindon, I was flagging a bit but I have to thank everyone for waiting for me especially Martyn, Chris and Pete for keeping me company, perhaps I need a testosterone injection, Lance might have some spare ;).

Here's the Strava bit......

It stayed dry, it may have been cold but the company was great and we were all there for someone special.

......and I'm so glad I'm not in school.......

I think my mojo has nipped off for one of those sunshine breaks, kicking back on a Balearic Island, drinking Mojitos and generally living la dolce vita. I've been moping about feeling sorry for myself for no real reason and freezing my bits off especially during one particularly cold and windy night at work. I've been reading with interest the blog of the Velopixie who's story is well worth reading about, losing six stones or eighty five pounds or for you metric lovers about thirty nine kilos in a year ! His last two posts have detailed what he's done to achieve what he has, including the bike, the training, the nutrition and the attitude. He has a plan, a structure and the attitude, I have a bike, no plan and to be honest the attitude of if I ride my bike more I should get better. This has worked up to a point but I'm at the point now where I don't think I'm getting any better and have reached a plateau I can't seem to move on from. As for structure I just tend to go with the flow.......dude.

'Er indoors told me it was icy as I hid under the duvet but after a stroll with my retired friend to check out the conditions I decided to head out, I even wore shades, it was sunny! Wind in my face as I headed out today so should get a brownie point off teach for that when I see her again*grin* Up the Toll road again, it was like my own private little road today, I didn't see a soul all the way and actually felt stronger as I neared the top and tried to put a bit more effort in. Over the moors in the sunshine, still icy in the shade and still the remnants of snow in the verges, I even did the steep kicker bit at the bridge, I like that bit.

Down to Exford again but this time out to Winsford, a chance to turn the big gears on a welcome flat bit and then up the rough valley road to Wheddon Cross. I thought I'd chuck in the climb over Dunkery for good measure, it was nice, why not ?

The legs hurt but after 4000ft of climbing perhaps they should, this must be one of my favourite loops, its got the ups and the downs and good bits in the middle.

Here's the Strava bit.....

...keep your head up...keep your heart strong....

The Cycling Mayor  (Jennifer, Jenny, Jen) visited today to join me on a spin around Exmoor, to take in the sights and the hills. She always enjoys visiting the area, especially the scenic drive along the A39 from Bridgwater and back again ;) I thought we'd do one of my regular routes, a quick spin to Porlock, up the Toll road and over the moors to Exford then home with a great descent from Wheddon Cross.

Unusually it wasn't raining but it was a bit misty on the moors, but the wind was behind us on the way out to which I was told off for having in our faces on the way home. Some of you may remember my idea to write a book about crap excuses, well I think I added some more to the mental list today. My legs didn't seem to want to work today for whatever reason and I struggled up the Toll road as the Mayor disappeared into the distance. Just to rub it in she popped back to check I was actually moving on a couple of occasions and was thoroughly enjoying herself on what must be one of the best bits of black stuff around these parts.

A quick blast through the moving mist down to Exford were my gears decided to stop working for some reason but then started working again, sort of,  just as quickly. When I say sort of they started working like an automatic car, changing for me at random moments as I pedalled along, bit of fettling needed I think. A quick stop at the Bus stop in Exford to fiddle with gears and take pics only to find the battery was flat on my camera. Up the hill out of the village and onto Wheddon Cross and down the hill, always a blast and then some flat stuff, into the wind and home.

It was great to get out and ride with Jennifer again, always a laugh even if it's at my expense :)

Just one of those days for me today, legs felt heavy, I felt heavy which resulted in any incline being a struggle, heavy bones, that's what it is  !

Here's the Strava bit....

...in your head....in your head....

Apparently keeping low doesn't make no sense and after some late night alcohol induced bravado I thought I'd tackle some particularly not very nice climbs today to see how I got on. Up grades someone wrote t'other day and I read that the gearing on my bike will allow me to ride up the side of a house, well that house would have to have a very shallow sloped wall for me to get up. First climb, a steep drag through Dunster woods from Nutcombe Bottom (no gags please), I think I got further than I did last time out this way but had to stop half way to get my breathing under control then slowly plod on. After that it was a muddy lumpy spin to Luxbrough and then a blast along the valley to Roadwater to attempt my second climb beyond my ability. As I stopped for a quick breather a woman who lived nearby asked if I was going to ride up the lane, yes I replied, it's hard enough walking up it she said, don't worry I said , I'll be walking by half way ;)

Don't go round the bend......

Well, I didn't walk but had to stop for a breather again, steep and me don't get on, I baled too quickly but got further again and set a marker for next time. I then decided to head a home along some roads I've not ridden before to make a change and a spin along the seafront on the flat for the novelty factor.

My times were slower than when I went this way with the club but I definitely got further up the hills and didn't walk ? Perhaps I walk quicker than I ride ? Who said it was a good idea to ride up grades anyway.....

Strava bit....