A Breeze Of A Ride

Brenda, Yvonne and
Charlene, Normans Park

Hello blog lovers.

I saw on line that Yvonne, a Breeze Champion, was starting a ride from my neck of the woods!  I thought this would be brilliant for Charlene, she can pick Yvonnes brains for info at the coffee stop (because there is always coffee on a Breeze ride!). Charlene loves her trail ride, and mountain bike still riding, all down hill, heading head long into trees and bushes! Not my sort of thing, way to scary, give me lorries and buses any day!  But she also likes organised rides, and also learning confidence in group riding on roads (albeit very quiet roads) is always a welcome bonus.

So we both signed up the same night.  My bike ride that I had planned for Monday had been cancelled due to the weather, and this mornings weather was planned for some rain too, but we woke up to blue sky and sunshine!  Well that's a bonus, so much nicer riding in the sunshine!  We were there early, and I had a go on Charlen's bike. I sat on it, and I felt like I was on my grandsons bike!  She had the saddle so low, my knees were hitting my chin when I pedalled.  I thought maybe this is the way mountain bikers do it! Maybe they are so much up on their feet that a saddle is probably a nuisance anyway!

But for todays ride, a nice sedate ride around some quite roads and through parks and stopping for tea she needs to be comfortable.  She raised her seat and she rode around the car park at Normans Park (Hayes end) and she said "Oh wow, yes that feels so much better!"

Soon Yvonne turned up and we waited for two other ladies, Brenda was next but the other lady just didn't make a show.  After a brief outline of what Breeze is all about, specifically for our Charlene, and then we were off!  Yvonne did give a brief out line of our route, and it seems we are going ........ home!

The parks and routes that Yvonne had planned will be taking me and Charlene back to our estate! Just goes to show, we do have some lovely parks near by! We are so fortunate!  Through Normans park we rode towards Hook Farm Road, and then we turned left and road along the cycle path for just a couple of meters before crossing over and heading for our second park, Whitehall Rec.  It's a bit like De Ja'Vue as so far it's also like my Marathon training I did, only in reverse!

We followed a path all the way to a cul de sac!  Some where here, there is another path! It seems to have disappeared!  But then it was spotted a car had parked in front and we just couldn't see it! From there we carried on to Blackbrook Lane, (sound familiar?) and then through Jubilee park!  It was then I tried to take another picture but my silly phone said storage full!  So Yvonne took a brilliant selfie! See..

L to r   Yvonne, Brenda Charlene and me

We carried on with our ride as we came out of Tent Peg Lane, I was trying to figure out what little park was next, when she gave a brief outline earlier she said something about a park down Southborough lane, and it was until we were heading down there that I suddenly remembered about the little park, the Dump as the Old Boy and his generation called it, Scarborough Rec was what Charlene her generation no it as! Of course, how could I forget this little park.  It is one that I hardly use actually, is probably why, I don't even use it as a cut through, or short cut, because the way it's situated it just isn't!

We were on our way back now to have our tea, so through our local park and then up the path to Princes Plain, out at Church road and down Oakley road.  The only busy part of today's ride was this end!  We turned right into Barnet Wood Lane and then right and right again to finish our ride at the Village Cafe!  One bacon and egg sandwich and a cuppa and scintillating conversation!

What more can you want from a Breeze Ride!

Geeky stats, oh and I kept my Garmin going from home, along to Halfords after our ride and then back home again.

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Fresh Air!

Hello blog lovers!

I am getting a new 'lid' on my pad!  Scaffolding went up on Friday, so no cycling, I had planned to join Panagua ladies only ride this morning, (apparently it was a very lovely sun shining ride!) not that I am a bit Jel! but the New Lid men were coming today! I was not pleased!  Of course I am pleased I am getting a new roof, but still, when life interrupts your running or cycling it is a pretty damn inconvenience!

You could imagine that I was looking forward to getting out from these four walls and to get my heart rate up a bit.  As you know, since becoming a fair weather rider of late, my saddle ass and bike fitness has somewhat disappeared, so our route was one that we always do, up to Downe village.  At least I know I can get up there without getting off my bike, it is a bit of a work out, well it would be with those hills! And besides, it is a lovely scenic route.

We left our house a bit earlier than usual, and got all the way to the ally......and came back!  I had a puncture! We came back and the Old Boy quickly changed it and we started again!  Through the ally and up the A21 and through Farnborough Village.  Already I felt as if I was a tad quicker than the last time I was with the Old Boy, but it's too soon to tell, and besides, it doesn't matter.  I was getting that 'I must get quicker than last time' moment, and quite frankly, for me, it doesn't matter!

I am sure I will get quicker again as time goes one, I did last time, but I was trying to, and beating myself up if I wasn't as quick as last time.  Always pushing harder and harder, instead of having fun.  I pushed a little harder today, but it was fun!  I thought to myself "Just see, see if you can give it a little bit up this hill, doesn't matter if you can't"  Until I download the Old Boys Garmin I won't know if I was or wasn't.  But the thing is.....I don't care!

I really had fun this evening, pushing a little when I wanted to, slowing down when I couldn't.  Now that is what its all about!  At one point I really thought "I want to stop getting up this hill now" but after a saw the road on the right, which I just can't remember what it is called right now, I knew that there wasn't far to go.  It was a bit of a struggle today, but I have come to expect things like that.  All days are different, whether I am running or cycling!

Something I have learned over the few years I have been doing physical exercise is that, Monday may follow Tuesday, followed by Wednesday etc, but things that happen in those days are different.  You may have not eaten as much, or eaten too much!  You may have had an awful night sleep, being slightly off colour, or your partner may have kept you awake, snoring! The weather deffo can affect you!

Anything, anything can have an adverse effect on your day, whether running, cycling or even doing a days work!  Which in my mind, every ride, ParkRun, fave Solo run, race, well it can only mean a PB! I feel as if I have spoken about nothing, but these are the things that went through my mind today, on my way round this course, and after I got back, feeling bloody brilliant!  A most pleasant ride indeed!

Geeky stats.

These will have to wait!  As the Old Boy used his Garmin today I will have to wait until he uploads them!

Bike, Coffee and Cake!

Hello blog lovers.

A friend of mine has just bought herself a bike, she has the week off, I am free, so that makes for a perfect opportunity to take it out for its maiden voyage!...well ride!  As it's been a while since she been on a bike I decided that a trip to Farnborough Village would be just perfect.  It was my first destination when I started getting on my bike, my old Raleigh Jaguar!

There are several ways to get there, and I was trying to figure out which way would be best.  The short sharp steeper hills, or the long steady climb, which is just one road, the A21.  The plus for that route is it does have the cycle path and after the hospital we could use the shared path.

I arrived at her house about 10 ish.  The weather had take a turn for the worse!  The wind had picked up and the rain had started to come down again.  I was hoping that it wouldn't get any worse, and maybe even the sun would come out, it had tried earlier!

I had thought that the long straight road would be the best way to get to Farnborough.  I took her through our local park, and we chatted all the way through, We then turned on to Magpie Hall lane and we cycled along in silence, well this is quite a busy little road. The drivers use it for a short cut. I cycled along towards the A21, thinking that Denise was behind me. Oh Denise is my friend by the way.  I looked behind me and she wasn't there!  I stopped and got on the pavement and waited.  I could see her as she cycled up to me!  I think I must have forgotten the first time I was on a bike.  Must remember to take it easy! Probably explains the riding along in silence too!

We walked the rest of the way to the A21 while she caught her breath.  I told her that this time she should go in front so that I can keep an eye on me.  I told her that we are going to ride all the way to Starts Hill and then we shall take a right.  She started riding along the cycle path, looking quite confident even with the traffic going past.

We got to the hill and Denise had to walk.  When I rode up this road I had to do it in 3 sections!  Although I didn't walk, I did have to stop, catch my breath and then get going.  We got to the crest of the hill and then we started again.  If she can get the speed right she should zip up the other side of the smaller hill and probably not even notice it!  I kept well behind her, I didn't want to put any pressure on her and just let her do it at her own pace.

It worked a charm, I saw her fly up the other hill, I called out to her to go straight ahead.  I watch while she turned left!  "Maybe she will get off her bike and cross over the junction on foot.  It can be a bit intimidating going across this junction for the the first time on a bike!  With the left hand lane turning left, you have to keep your line and go straight!  Cars should know that you intend to go ahead and so not try and turn left in front of you.

I took the left hand lane so that I could join her as we crossed over, but I couldn't see her!  I got off my bike and just walked a little further into Locksbottom, and leaned over and looked down the road.  I could see Denise had rode down to a turnoff for the posh houses.  I just stood there and pointed to the way that we should have gone!  She walked back up to me laughing, saying that she though I had said turn left!

With just one more hill to negotiate we were almost there.  Going down the other side was lovely, Denise was flying down.  I told her to stop at the traffic lights and we will cross on foot to go through to the village.  This is where we were going to stop for a coffee and cake.

Here's a picture of Denise, and our coffee and cake,  Most delicious, a raspberry and white chocolate muffin!

Lovely cake!

Denise

After I took her home via Tubbenden lane, with just Tile Farm Road and Newstead Road as our challenging hills on the way back, it was mainly a down hill ride all the way home, with practise to ride along with traffic.

Most enjoyable ride.  Here is Denise with her new bike, the beginnings of many a happy times cycling!

New Bike!

No Geeky stats as i had forgotten to bring it along!

Sunday Meander!

Hello blog lovers.

This is the first Sunday for ages where I haven't had to do a long run, or go to some sort of family do!  The first Sunday I can have a cuppa with church before coming home, the first Sunday which can feel relaxing.  So what do we do....go on a bike ride!

The Old Boy had the Sunday off work too, so while I was at church he prepared our dinner, fixed punctures and pumped up tyres! When I got back from church, and things were all ready, we got changed into our cycling gear and then went out.

It was going to be just a nice pleasant, leisurely fun ride.  The type I like.  Just plodding along, enjoying the sunshine (although that breeze was a bit strong). I chose a route to Farnborough, along the quieter roads, as I am thinking this may be a way I will be taking a friend of mine Tuesday Morning, but we shall see. We then continued up to Downe Village.  As this was a nice leisurely ride we stopped off here for refreshment!  It was a bit breezy sitting outside, and goosebumps appeared on my arms!  I was thinking that maybe I should have had long pants and long sleeves on!

But once we started moving again along Single Street and Jail Lane I soon warmed up again.  I need to work on my bike fitness again, I can definitely tell that I have become slower on my bike than I used to be.  But I am not too bothered, now that I have finished the marathon, I can get back and have some nice fun rides again.

We road all along Jail Lane and then turned right, heading towards Biggin Hill Airport!  Now this really is a fast bit of road, it's mainly downhill!  The Old Boy had his Garmin going and he was behind me, the stats recorded speeds up to 30 miles an hour at one point!  Me!? Going at that speed!

We rode on through Keston and then continued to Hayes where we stopped off at the George for a pint and a bowl of olives!  We were going to go home via Normans Park, and then across Chat and through our local park.  But when we were stopped at the George the Old Boy noticed that my back tyre was a bit soft!  Darn it!  I was hoping it will make it until we got home, where I can attempt to change the tube in the comfort of my own home!

We started our journey home, going through the park, but by the time we got to the other side, just  outside the gates I had to stop, my tyre was just to flat to continue. The Old Boy thought that this was a brilliant opportunity for me to practise changing the tube 'in the field' so to speak.  So there I was, on my knees, taking of my back wheel and changing the inner tube!

I did it, mainly!  I know I could do it if I was by myself or with a group of other ladies!  We could overcome a flat tyre situation!  That was very reassuring to me, but what I would have to practise is doing it faster!  It took about 15 ish minutes to do, which, on a weekday ride could mean I will be pedalling like the clappers to get to school on time!

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