Its the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of our glorious Queen! And guess what I had to do? Fix my car! We were planning on getting up early to do some miles in the saddle, but I showed my car to the Old Boy, because of the awful fumey smell and the breather pipe had gone....again......second time in three years! So we had to sort that out today, and then we did a bit of shoe shopping. Not for running shoes or cycling shoes, but for 'hanging out' trainers.
We eventually got our gear on and went for just a short ride, just over 20 miles. But there is always a bit of hill training thrown in! "Let's do Cudham North Lane, pop into the Blacksmiths for a pint" So that's where we headed. It was either that or up to Downe Village! So for some strange reason I agreed to Cudham North Lane.
The Old Boy has been trying to teach me to use the gears properly when on the hills, and I also read a blog about gear changing, when and where and how, to while riding! Both the article and the OB were virtually saying the same thing, so I am guessing that I have been doing it wrong all this time.
And also the OB has been saying things like "Just keep your legs 'spinning', don't push too hard" I am sure someone told me to be a 'spinner' not a 'grinder'. I think that was the terminology used. I think I am beginning to understand what he meant!
It had been overcast for the whole morning and most of the afternoon. But when the OB fixed on the new bit of pipe on my car the sun had come out. So we decided on short sleeves and shorts for our bike ride. But when we got to the ally way, 'Bug Ally' as we call it, we noticed that it was just a tad chilly, with a chilly head wind! Too late to go and change.
I was in the lead, its the only way the OB can stay with me, he would be halfway around by the time I get to the end of 'Bug Alley'! As I knew the route I just concentrated on the whole 'spinning' thing, up and down the small hills, practising for the long hill up to the Blacksmiths!
I think I am getting the hang of it! We were soon on Cudham Lane and I just put my head down, and did the fast on the fast bits and the slow on the slow bits, spinning my legs, trying to keep my legs spinning at the same pace all the way up the hill. I was quite surprised to see the put come into view! 38.35 minutes from leaving the house!! I think that must be PB from my house to this point here!
After our pint we carried on up the hill to Grays Road. We were going to head for Hayes. A couple of more hills to practise the new way of peddling and gear changing! But he wanted to go through to Jail Lane. We took a right turn just after the Spinning wheel. I can remember going down this road last year. We got to the bottom of the hill, at a junction, and chose the 'none hilly road' to use. Little did we know that this road was a huge hill and it took us back to the pub that we had left not half hour or so before hand!
We started up this hill, I told the OB that "I will be stopping on this hill, so don't ride to close to me" But he said, "Just keep going, you can do it, it's just a short hill" I kept going as best as I could as the hill got steeper. "I can't do it, I'm gonna stop" I cried. "Keep going, look, there is the top of the hill, I told you its just a short hill" I was just so pleased to have got to the top without stopping. So far on this ride there hasn't been a hill that has stopped me! I had managed to conquer every hill! By this time I knew where I was, and I also knew there were not any other hills that I couldn't manage!
A nice ride today, a little bit of hill training, and my car is all better. A successful first day of the jubilee celebrations!! What does tomorrow hold?
Oh yes, and just because we are allowed to show these pictures now, here is a picture of me after a club run, straight into our AGM meeting where we had a lovely surprise! The Olympic Torch, which will be run through our town, was bought in for us all to be photographed with! A little bit of history in our hands!
And now for the geeky stats
Geeky stats will be added soon, as the Garmin Site is washing its hair!, or something!
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