Saturday 29 October 2011

A Saturday Saunter!


Hello Blogees!

Now I thought our time for sitting outside pubs was at an end. I am expecting the weather to really do its worse, and give us our winter at any time now. But today was yet another glorious Saturday. Somebody must have had a word with Him upstairs.

The Old Boy had plenty of time and sunlight and dry weather to do some work on the bike, the one with the engine. Oh By the way Mr. S, its beginning to look like it is just going to fire into life any day now! As soon as OB had done all he could for the old Japanese girl, then we got our selves ready for just a nice leisurely ride through our woods and Pettswood and up to the Tigers, for a glass of sherbet.

When we got there the weather looked really 'iffy' as it it was about to throw cats and dogs down any minute. The wind had picked up and the big umbrella at the put was 'complaining' like mad as it tried to spin in the wind. We decided to just have one pint here, and then go straight home, no trekking on wards to another establishment.

We decided to go virtually the same way that we came here, but then the OB took off at different paths, just take a look at the geeky stats map, it look like a drunk snail has crawled across the floor! (I say snail, because no doubt the OB thinks I ride as slow as one!) Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. Its lovely just cycling through these woods. We even rode passed the place where I did my marshaling duties for my clubs' 10k race.

When we popped out of 'Dog Poo' ally and headed for home via our woods. These are the woods the OB grew up in. We had a reminiscence ride through them. He was telling me of the places where he used to pitch a tent and camp out for the night, and the places he used to do his pigeon shooting, and so many other stories. The paths that I remember strolling along with the kids so many years ago seem to be getting smaller and over grown! But they are still such lovely woods. It was like riding through 'mother natures veins, as they reach out in all sorts of directions. Wonderful trees that look so inviting to climb, and plants and foliage. As well as the brambles and holly bushes that were reaching out and scratching me at every occasion!

My goodness, is this the same old townie girl writing this blog!! Enjoying all of Gods creation, (well except the brambles and holly) I definitely think the old townie girl is finally leaving me, it gives me so much hope that the Old Couch potato me will finally be gone as well!

So Geeky stats, and that look at our 'snail trail' route through the woods and to Hayes.

Leisurely Bike ride by moosh001 at Garmin Connect - Details

Sunday 23 October 2011

Hello My Little Sparrow!

Hi blog readers.

Today I needed to run! I wanted to run from my house. No taking the car, just out the door and run. The woods on my door step were calling to me. I gave the Old Boy a call and told him I wanted to run into them, and he said he will come along on his bike, and tinkle his bell at me.

I decided to put my IPOD on, just get lost in the music and run and run. It was tough going for me, I felt totally drained to begin with, but I needed to run.

I thought I wouldn't know my way to the path at the end of the woods, but if you just run and run, not veering off the path then its easy going! We soon got to the path, it felt like I had run for 2 miles, but we hadn't even run for a mile! And I had had a banana and everything!

I was only heading for the park, then once round it and back the same way! The Old Boy was on his bike, and of course his bike as that darn bell. He used it to death! "come on, get going" was what filtered through my music. I kept having to remove my ear phones just to check what he said! In the end I gave my IPOD to him so that I can listen to his encouragement instead.

Back through the woods to go home. Not exactly the same way, but a little bit more of running through the woods before we got back on the tarmac path. I was looking for the 'fenced' walk over bridge, because that is the path that we take to get back home. That is just less than a mile before I run up to my house again.

It felt like hard run today, but less than 3 miles! I guess some runs are like that, I'm sure I can remember a run where I felt I could run forever! So now I have felt both extremes.

Todays geeky stats

Short run by moosh001 at Garmin Connect - Details

Saturday 22 October 2011

Two Woods, Three Stop End Of Summer Ride!



Hello blog lovers!

After a very stressful Friday, what with one thing and the other, today started off with breakfast in Hayes. No we didn't ride our bikes, we took our grandson and his mum, and big son along.

After that we tinkered on the bike with the engine. I am getting to know all about solenoids!!

So eventually we got on our man powered bikes and headed for......... Hayes! The same area we started this morning with breakfast. Only this time we stop off for a lovely lager before heading on up to keston, and beyond. The Old Boy mentioned cockles, so we carried on up to Greenstree Green. A stop there for a glass of ....refreshment and cockles, then on and upwards.......literally. Because after the ride to Orpington it was up the hill, Knoll Rise. That was the first hill I attempted that was steeper than a .... I don't know..... a slope! and I failed, but today I kept on and on. I wasn't go to let it get me. I was hoping the cold wouldn't get to me, (I knew I should have put on my top rain coat as well) I just kept on it. Then the Old Boy said that we are going to Chislehurst, just to pop into the Tigers there, and then ride home through the woods.............. two woods!

Petts Wood I could almost navigate now, blind folded, well, maybe not blind folded, but when you have pound the paths over and over, then you do tend to get to know each nook and cranny. But the woods near my house. Well, thats a different matter. When I started running by myself all those months and months ago, or is it years now, anyway, I never thought about running through our woods. Mainly because I hate getting lost! Although I have lived next to these woods for over 20 years now, I have never walked through them by myself, always with the Old Boy!

It is quite excited riding through the woods at night, I'm sure I have mentioned this once or twice before, and I have decided that I will try and run this way the next time I run by myself during the day, or maybe even with one of the other running buddies!

So geeky stats for our LONG (in time only) bike ride.

Bike Ride with Alan by moosh001 at Garmin Connect - Details

Thursday 20 October 2011

Winter Is Back, And Now We Go Riding?!


Hello bloggees,

Can you believe that we are back to riding our bikes, don't get me wrong, I love riding my bike, and through the cold winter months early on in the year, we were riding our bikes then too! The Old Boy lost 3 stone doing that! But still, brrrr. I know I will get used to it, just like riding a bike!

My Garmin had gone an used up all its battery again. I'm sure there is something not quite right with it. But still, I do love my geeky stats, so, its back to map my run, to find out all the nitty gritty.

I wasn't up to heading up huge hills today, nor heading into the deepest country side just yet. I wanted to stay close to buildings and heat! But there was still enough of the remnants of warmth left in the air to contemplate a public house stop en route! We decided it would be in Chislehurst, so of course we head off in the opposite direction to where we were going to patronise for a glass of the amber nectar and a bowl of olives.

I was feeling a little like I had never been on a bike before on the roads. I'm guessing the dark and cold night had something to do with that. But I was well wrapped up, and my blinking new dazzling lights will alert all drivers that I am on the road.

We went through Hayes, via Coney Hall, then headed to Bromley, and through the high street to Sundridge Park, and then to Chislehurst. That is where we had a well deserved pint of lager! (And some Olives)

I just tried to map it on Map my run, but the stupid computer froze up on me, and the site is just so slow anyway, but I got up to Chislehurst and the distance read 12.68 miles. So just another 2 and half miles from there makes it about 15 miles!

Not bad. Its good to be back on my bike

Monday 3 October 2011

Just A quickie!


Hello blog lovers,

Me and the OB went for a short bike ride today. I wasn't feeling up for a run, besides I had done a back to back over the weekend! But I felt in the need for some sort of exercise.

We decided to enjoy the last of the summer warmth and head on through Hayes common and enoy a pint in the George. On the way, and this is why I am writing this, on the way there, through the common we saw some deer. It still amazes me that this gentle creatures are living this close to us.

Just amazing!