I think I can safely say that the last six months have been the most mile-busy months I have ever had on a bike. On Saturday afternoon I managed to reach my 12 000 mile mark, and what’s more, I still have a month of training until the main ride begins.
This total has been reached principally through solo riding, which despite enabling me to ride where and when I like, readily becomes lonely and I find myself riding the same routes time and time again. Needless to say, I now know the roads between Bath and Taunton like the back of my hand. All this solo riding means that I am over the moon when someone else jumps forward and offers to ride! Company on a bike is so important. So rather than tell you about those solo rides where I am left with just me and my meandering thoughts, I will instead mention those rides where I have been lucky to score some company.
Tony
Friday’s ride saw Tony and I take on the hills of the Cotswolds, in an attempt to discover new hamlets and see if all these road signs would actually take you to the places they proudly point toward. According to Tony, you can follow these signs and never actually arrive… So we followed directions for West Kington and after a short ride we arrived in West Kington. This is not to say they always work. I mean, shortly after, we picked up signs for Tormarton. Sure as eggs are eggs, after a little more pedalling we arrived in Tormarton. Maybe it’s an Irish thing?! However, when you see where Tony’s detours tend to go (picture to the left), you’ll maybe see why he has this opinion about Wiltshire road signs.
Anyway, Tony and I were out making the most of the early morning spin, with Tony assuming the position of Chris Carmichael, barking orders whenever I dared get out the saddle. My legs were working faster than they’ve ever moved before, and still they were being made to go faster! Perhaps I’m just lazy?! One thing I do know, is not to disobey this Irish Ox. After our hours riding around the picturesque villages, we planned our descent back into the driving gridlock which is Bath on a weekday or weekend. We took on the favourite – Bannerdown, turning it into something of a sprint. After a ‘I’ve given up’ fake, thrown by the Ox, the speed dropped. Suddenly an over-joyed Tony arrives at the roundabout at approximately 40mph screaming victory. My victory was giving way to the car on the right.
Like almost everything that we do, there has to be an end. Tony, being a respectable business man had to get back and work. Now that I am cycling all day, every day, I forget that there is another side to life! So I was left to head out and ride some more miles alone. Having learrned my lesson that the road signs often point to the places they suggest, I followed the roads out to the Chew Valley and Cheddar where I was able to take in the climb of Britain’s deepest gorge, and also the faster paced flat lands around the Chew Lake. What a great place to ride!
Ending in the River
So then on Saturday I was lucky to be joined by Simon Williams from Bath. We decided to head out and complete a century ride (the biggest offer of company that I have had this year!). The weather was absolutely blistering and we made the most of it by starting nice and early in the morning. We planned the ride in a similar fashion to how I plan all my rides – around food! We headed down into the deeper parts of the county, taking in the climbs of the Mendip Hills initially. I, foolishly, set off without any food which meant I was very keen to reach food at the 50 mile point. I also forgot to carry a spare inner tube (which I kept quiet about), but thankfully survived without having to scrounge or steal one. Due to setting off sharp to time, we were lucky to escape the majority of the heavy traffic, but we did meet our fair share of ‘dodgy drivers’. Thankfully there was little more than a few surges of adrenalin to report.
After the first 50 miles the sun really started to beam down. The next 50 miles resembled an oven, especially at the times when the breeze passed and there was nothing but still, hot air. At no time was this more noticeable than climbing out of Wells up the brutally long hill to the Mendip transmitter at Blue Doors. We were glad of the Hartley’s Jelly that was packed for emergency energy. Having supped through all our water, it was a welcome sight to be back in Bath. Where else, on a really hot day, would you like to finish a ride…? We decided on the river; It was a very good decision.
Heading home from this century ride with wet cycling kit was something of a luxury – it was the first time the bike had felt cool since getting on first thing in the morning. In what I can only describe as a Forrest Gump moment, I decided that since I had already gone that far, I might as well keep on going, so I headed out again (with food AND an inner tube this time) for another 50 miles. These miles were great as I cycled them so slowly. It was lovely to get some super slow riding done.
Dan and I
My slow riding ended when I met with Dan Tudge. It was turning out to be a weekend full of company! Dan and I met in Taunton after I had spent the morning riding around the Blackdown hills. Dan was making the decisions with regards to the route. I could only smile when he decided to turn off the Wellington bypass and head up Monument Hill. For me, this is one of the most challenging climbs. Not being a particularly big fan of the hills, this sharp and very steep hill is one which I often ride extra miles to avoid. Nonetheless, we headed up it, as per Dan’s wish. Between abuse and heavily laden breathing, we discussed our way home. Dan was keen to be welcomed into the Giant jersey team, so we headed to Taunton where we were able to kit him out. Tea with recovery sugar and plenty of cakes set us up for the next ride: getting Dan home.
No sooner had I left Dan, than I was riding to meet Ben Allen and to head about again. This time we took an extremely scenic route through the lanes to the South, seeking out places and roads which we had never encountered before. The best part of any ride with Ben Allen is learning so much about the countryside. Everything we pass has so much more than meets the eye, and Ben seems able to make every ride an educational experience. He did, however, tell me on story which must be shared with everyone.
Last week, while riding across the Levels, Ben hit a stone and picked up a puncture. Ben didn’t have a spare inner tube and had only recently bought brand new, posh shoes. So he wasn’t keen to ride back (and damage the wheel) or walk back (and damage his shoes). So in his widom, Ben removed the shoes and ran bare feet to get home! Now this might sound like a resonable thing to do, but not when you consider that Ben ran along the road for two miles, then along the Taunton – Bridgwater canal path (which is gravel!) for three miles and then back on the road for another mile to get home. He said “my feet were filthy dirty and they hurt so much I had to put them up for a while. There were brusies and blisters and lots of blood. But I made it back. So is it alright to pinch an inner tube from you please?” Ben Allen – support crew member!!!
