Hello Blog lovers!
Just a short ride......yesterday! Which was just under 10 miles. We kept it short as we wanted to go out to a new fav restaurant, Uskudar in Pettswood. It was quite a flat type of route, apart from one hill, a hill that I have always flew down and never actually rode up it. Well yesterday the Old Boy led me that way! I was quite surprised actually, that the whole laborious hill went quite quickly! I was up the top before the first 'When is this bloomin hill gonna finish!" escaped from my lips. The Old Boy even said "Well done Old Girl"
But todays ride, talk about two extremes! He said we are going up Cudham North Lane, as he has not been up that way for a while. I said "But we was up here last Saturday" and then he said "No you did the hill, I came from the other end" Guess what,? We rode up the hill.
I was rather over dressed, I had on my new super duper bright orange rainproof, breathable (NOT) jacket on, my running wick the sweat away long sleeve top, and a fleece! Not in that order obviously! So just after we got to Cudham North Lane I had to stop about 10 15 metres to take of my jacket. But that time the moisture really had built up!
From there though there was no stopping. All the way to the top and the left turn towards halstead. Towards the end of this little hilly section a bus heading in the opposite direction pulled behind a parked car to let me and the OB get passed, without having to break our pace, just as two Lycra clad cyclists 'buzzed' us and said "Hello" as they rode passed me, the OB and the bus. The Old Boy was in his element then, he had his little race ahead of him and he took off after the two dudes! As I slowly crept by the bus, blowing at from every orifice, the driver came me great encouragement with a cherrie "Go on, keep going!"
The Old Boy was just a bit ahead of me. Well, I couldn't see him on the few twists and turns that there was left to do. In fact, I was actually wondering if I had missed the turning altogether, because I felt sure it wasn't that far from the Blacksmiths, where me and Nagging sister met the Old Boy on Saturday!
I kept on going. If I had gone to far ahead then the OB would be flying up behind me, laughing and telling me to go back. But there he was, just up ahead waiting for me, "Did you manage to catch up to those cycling dudes" I said "I kept up with them" he said with a little smile on his face!
We turned left to go to Knockholt and Halstead, and then we were going through to Orpington and the by pass. And all this without stopping! It had just started to rain slightly and I put on my new jacket, its a fairly downhill part of our route so it was good to put it back on just for the wind chill factor.
We rode quite quickly through the next sections, the rain just about holding off, just a little drizzle. we did have a refreshment stop, all the way to Chislehurst and the Tigers!
A nice little 20+ mile route today, hilly, very challenging, but enjoyable!
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Monday, 14 May 2012
20 miles or so! Smug Look!
Hello blog lovers.
Just a little spin out today. On the Old Boys Garmin it shows just under 22 miles. On mine it shows 18 ish. I forgot to start my Garmin after our pit stop before home!
It was raining all this afternoon, and weathermen predicted it was going to be the same all day, so it was some what of a bonus to get out for a bike ride! I was half expecting the Old Boy to say, if it was raining, to go for a run of about 3 miles!
It was still a tad chilly, so I put my fleece under my new, water proof, breathable (NOT!) orange super duper, expensive! jacket, full gloves on and my hat, and we set off. We were going to do the, now, normal route, up to Halstead via the A21 and on through to Biggin Hill and on to Keston.
There was no stopping on this route, just straight through to Keston. Oh actually, tell a lie (or two) we stopped at the Spinning wheel to switch our lights on and then another stop in Biggin hill, the Off license, to get something to eat, I was feeling a little fatigued!
From there we just flew down the road. All the way the way to the Greyhound. Just a couple more bumps to get over, just ask Nagging Sister about the bumps on this supposedly, 90% all down hill section!
So my geeky stats, minus the last couple of miles home from the Greyhound. The Old Boys geeky stats read better than mine, considering he has the auto stop function on his, where as mine carried on recording when we stopped to sort out the fatigue, and for traffic lights etc.
P.s, there is no smug look on my face really, just a pained and tired look!
Just a little spin out today. On the Old Boys Garmin it shows just under 22 miles. On mine it shows 18 ish. I forgot to start my Garmin after our pit stop before home!
It was raining all this afternoon, and weathermen predicted it was going to be the same all day, so it was some what of a bonus to get out for a bike ride! I was half expecting the Old Boy to say, if it was raining, to go for a run of about 3 miles!
It was still a tad chilly, so I put my fleece under my new, water proof, breathable (NOT!) orange super duper, expensive! jacket, full gloves on and my hat, and we set off. We were going to do the, now, normal route, up to Halstead via the A21 and on through to Biggin Hill and on to Keston.
There was no stopping on this route, just straight through to Keston. Oh actually, tell a lie (or two) we stopped at the Spinning wheel to switch our lights on and then another stop in Biggin hill, the Off license, to get something to eat, I was feeling a little fatigued!
From there we just flew down the road. All the way the way to the Greyhound. Just a couple more bumps to get over, just ask Nagging Sister about the bumps on this supposedly, 90% all down hill section!
So my geeky stats, minus the last couple of miles home from the Greyhound. The Old Boys geeky stats read better than mine, considering he has the auto stop function on his, where as mine carried on recording when we stopped to sort out the fatigue, and for traffic lights etc.
P.s, there is no smug look on my face really, just a pained and tired look!
Sunday, 13 May 2012
New Bike For Nagging Sister!
Hello Blog lovers.
This is the second half of yesterdays blogging. First half was about my mob match, a 5k run! A PB was reached! Which I am very pleased with.
But after the park run I took Nagging Sister for breakfast at one of my fave cafes. I know! It looks a huge breakfast, but sometimes you just gotta do it!
Then I just took her along to the local bike shop, next door, just to show her what proper bikes look like, not the thing that I had to ride to her house the day before, and what is parked outside the cafe!! Her eye immediately fell on to a lovely second hand Trek. Guess what! She bought it! She rode the old one home to get some cash, while I rode home to get my car, to pick her up so that she could go and get her new bike. Once it was all ready to leave the shop then we just had to test it out.
The OB was out on his travels today, a bike ride, done at his own pace, without me keeping him from blasting up hills. I told him what NS had bought. He suggested that I meet him up at the Blacksmiths Arms! I mentioned it to NS, and she was well up for it. So as she rode her bike to my house so that I could get my bike.
That is when I told her that the Blacksmiths Arms is at the top of Cudham North Lane! She had a super duper new bike, with this mega gear thing at the back which is supposed to help with hills, so its a baptism of fire for her. Thrown in at the deep end! And why not.
She was ahead of me as we rode down the A21, so far so good. Then it was 'THE DREADED HILL' She wasn't looked forward to it, I wasn't looking forward to it! I am a total hill dodger! but again, she was flying up ahead of me, in fact she was so far ahead of me that I could no longer see her on the winding road. So again, as in the park run earlier, I did my own thing. I got a tune in my head and made up some words to go with it as I struggled and pushed and puffed up the road.
Towards the top, however, I saw NS pulled over! She had her phone in her hand with the 'pretence of ringing me' to find out where I was! I just carried on past her, I didn't want to stop, and just said "Come on NS, get your legs going again" She was back on her saddle, and immediately over took me.
The pub was a welcome site. It was a very pleasant, warm afternoon, and sitting outside, looking totally bored by now, (he has been there for about an hour and twenty minutes) was the Old Boy! We had a break there, the OB looking over NS's new bike. Then it was back to it. NS was expecting to go back down the way we came! Oh if only. The Old Boy very rarely likes to take the same road twice in a ride, (apart from today, because of where we were meeting him) He told nagging sister that we are heading up again, and then shooting across to go to Biggin hill. "Where" he assures NS "its nearly 90% down hill all the way home"
Now I agreed with the Old Boy. But I have been cycling now for 16 months, and I had forgotten what it was like going up Grays road. There are a few hills, but then its all down hill. NS seemed to enjoy it more, once we reached Biggin Hill and those lovely downhill coasting sections. But then I heard her moaning, "Oh! I thought you said there were no more hills" And she moaned like that from Biggnin Hill airport, to the right turn for Keston. To be honest, I had forgotten the little hills, and slopes that was on here this particular stretch of road. They don't seem to bother me any more, apart from one that is, the last bit before the turnoff for Keston. NS moaned and swore, and lagged behind, just as I used to do. I couldn't help smiling and giggling as she reminded me so much of me, this time last year!
It's working, it's is slowly working. I am getting faster, and I am getting stronger. Ok, so the faster bit is when I'm running, but the stronger bit is definitely on the bike, I am riding up hills now, hills that I used to dread, and some of the slopes that I used to moan about, just pass by as if they were just a slight inconvenience.
Geeky stats for Saturday Ride.
And so for todays little ride. Me and NS was planning on doing a LSR today, but we thought we would do a short bike ride instead.
She rode over to me, and then we hit the trail. Well the roads anyway! I tried to keep it as a fairly flat route for her, with a stop for refreshments before going back to mine for lunch. A nice Greek salad! And it was a fairly flat nice easy paced, easy on the bum, pleasurable ride.
When we reached the Red Lion NS wanted to know how many miles we would do. I told her it would be about 8 miles. She wanted to do about 10. "We could always go up to....... No, no" I said and she said "Go on what?" "We could always go up to the tigers, give the OB a call to see if he is home and he could meet us there before going home for lunch" I could see she was interested in this. "That would make it about 10 miles" I said.
"Yeah, go on, lets do it" Says NS, and then I told her it would involve going up summer Hill! ARGGGGGHHHH says nagging sister!
As it happened we took a slightly different route up to the Tigers, we rode down Sundrige Avenue and then up Yester hill. While we were riding up here, there was a female cyclists there, putting on her gloves outside her gate. She smiled at us as we struggled on up the hill! But then she was on her bike and overtaking us "Show off" Says NS jokingly to the female cyclists. I heard NS cry out in pain as she stopped. I was quite pleased she had stopped. I didn't want to be the first one to give up on this hill. We took a quick breather, no walking up, just waiting till we were ready to get on up, and then we were back at it!
We struggled up the hill only to see the female cyclist with her cycling gear, and her Specialized racing bike being pushed up the hill with her walking along!! We did feel a tad smug as we cycled on past, and she called out to us, "Good on you girls, well done, total respect" as we both cycled on past! It was a short lived lead though as she caught us up at the very top of the road at the lights. From there her bike came into its own as she sped off with a cheery good bye!
The Tigers was not far now. We arrived before the Old boy. We sat in the Garden with the sunshine beating down on us, ok, it was shining, but still just a tad chilly when the wind blew. After a pint there we went home to the lovely salad I had prepared earlier.
A very pleasant just over 10 mile ride!
Geeky stats for todays bike ride.
This is the second half of yesterdays blogging. First half was about my mob match, a 5k run! A PB was reached! Which I am very pleased with.
Then I just took her along to the local bike shop, next door, just to show her what proper bikes look like, not the thing that I had to ride to her house the day before, and what is parked outside the cafe!! Her eye immediately fell on to a lovely second hand Trek. Guess what! She bought it! She rode the old one home to get some cash, while I rode home to get my car, to pick her up so that she could go and get her new bike. Once it was all ready to leave the shop then we just had to test it out.
The OB was out on his travels today, a bike ride, done at his own pace, without me keeping him from blasting up hills. I told him what NS had bought. He suggested that I meet him up at the Blacksmiths Arms! I mentioned it to NS, and she was well up for it. So as she rode her bike to my house so that I could get my bike.
That is when I told her that the Blacksmiths Arms is at the top of Cudham North Lane! She had a super duper new bike, with this mega gear thing at the back which is supposed to help with hills, so its a baptism of fire for her. Thrown in at the deep end! And why not.
She was ahead of me as we rode down the A21, so far so good. Then it was 'THE DREADED HILL' She wasn't looked forward to it, I wasn't looking forward to it! I am a total hill dodger! but again, she was flying up ahead of me, in fact she was so far ahead of me that I could no longer see her on the winding road. So again, as in the park run earlier, I did my own thing. I got a tune in my head and made up some words to go with it as I struggled and pushed and puffed up the road.
Towards the top, however, I saw NS pulled over! She had her phone in her hand with the 'pretence of ringing me' to find out where I was! I just carried on past her, I didn't want to stop, and just said "Come on NS, get your legs going again" She was back on her saddle, and immediately over took me.
The pub was a welcome site. It was a very pleasant, warm afternoon, and sitting outside, looking totally bored by now, (he has been there for about an hour and twenty minutes) was the Old Boy! We had a break there, the OB looking over NS's new bike. Then it was back to it. NS was expecting to go back down the way we came! Oh if only. The Old Boy very rarely likes to take the same road twice in a ride, (apart from today, because of where we were meeting him) He told nagging sister that we are heading up again, and then shooting across to go to Biggin hill. "Where" he assures NS "its nearly 90% down hill all the way home"
Now I agreed with the Old Boy. But I have been cycling now for 16 months, and I had forgotten what it was like going up Grays road. There are a few hills, but then its all down hill. NS seemed to enjoy it more, once we reached Biggin Hill and those lovely downhill coasting sections. But then I heard her moaning, "Oh! I thought you said there were no more hills" And she moaned like that from Biggnin Hill airport, to the right turn for Keston. To be honest, I had forgotten the little hills, and slopes that was on here this particular stretch of road. They don't seem to bother me any more, apart from one that is, the last bit before the turnoff for Keston. NS moaned and swore, and lagged behind, just as I used to do. I couldn't help smiling and giggling as she reminded me so much of me, this time last year!
It's working, it's is slowly working. I am getting faster, and I am getting stronger. Ok, so the faster bit is when I'm running, but the stronger bit is definitely on the bike, I am riding up hills now, hills that I used to dread, and some of the slopes that I used to moan about, just pass by as if they were just a slight inconvenience.
Geeky stats for Saturday Ride.
And so for todays little ride. Me and NS was planning on doing a LSR today, but we thought we would do a short bike ride instead.
She rode over to me, and then we hit the trail. Well the roads anyway! I tried to keep it as a fairly flat route for her, with a stop for refreshments before going back to mine for lunch. A nice Greek salad! And it was a fairly flat nice easy paced, easy on the bum, pleasurable ride.
When we reached the Red Lion NS wanted to know how many miles we would do. I told her it would be about 8 miles. She wanted to do about 10. "We could always go up to....... No, no" I said and she said "Go on what?" "We could always go up to the tigers, give the OB a call to see if he is home and he could meet us there before going home for lunch" I could see she was interested in this. "That would make it about 10 miles" I said.
"Yeah, go on, lets do it" Says NS, and then I told her it would involve going up summer Hill! ARGGGGGHHHH says nagging sister!
As it happened we took a slightly different route up to the Tigers, we rode down Sundrige Avenue and then up Yester hill. While we were riding up here, there was a female cyclists there, putting on her gloves outside her gate. She smiled at us as we struggled on up the hill! But then she was on her bike and overtaking us "Show off" Says NS jokingly to the female cyclists. I heard NS cry out in pain as she stopped. I was quite pleased she had stopped. I didn't want to be the first one to give up on this hill. We took a quick breather, no walking up, just waiting till we were ready to get on up, and then we were back at it!
We struggled up the hill only to see the female cyclist with her cycling gear, and her Specialized racing bike being pushed up the hill with her walking along!! We did feel a tad smug as we cycled on past, and she called out to us, "Good on you girls, well done, total respect" as we both cycled on past! It was a short lived lead though as she caught us up at the very top of the road at the lights. From there her bike came into its own as she sped off with a cheery good bye!
The Tigers was not far now. We arrived before the Old boy. We sat in the Garden with the sunshine beating down on us, ok, it was shining, but still just a tad chilly when the wind blew. After a pint there we went home to the lovely salad I had prepared earlier.
A very pleasant just over 10 mile ride!
Geeky stats for todays bike ride.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Shall We, What the Heck!
Hello blog lovers.
Its wet out there, but its warm! And according to the weathermen, its gonna be raining for quite some time to come, so its either get out or veg! Guess what we did?
So, after the Old Boy showed me how to repair a puncture on my bike. acquired some time on the last bike ride, fortunately at the very end of the ride, because I hadn't noticed until we got home! We set off for our short ride.
Now I thought it might be quite cold out, I had my fleece on under my rain coat, and I was quite toasty all wrapped up. The Old Boy did mention something about heading up to the Tigers, but going through Jubilee park first. That only leaves one way up to the Tigers, and that's via Summer Hill! But then the Old Boy headed towards Bromley instead. So, that's settled then, its The Red Lion!
And I know that we was going to be heading down to Hayes after, and then home. It really is not nice riding in the rain, but at least its not cold as well! In fact, again, I am cycling along feeling very good, feeling happy and smiling! It's great to be able to do this with my Old Boy!
Only cycled for about 8 miles all in all, at a very leisurely pace, I didn't even take my Garmin as this was a total pleasure ride!
Its wet out there, but its warm! And according to the weathermen, its gonna be raining for quite some time to come, so its either get out or veg! Guess what we did?
So, after the Old Boy showed me how to repair a puncture on my bike. acquired some time on the last bike ride, fortunately at the very end of the ride, because I hadn't noticed until we got home! We set off for our short ride.
Now I thought it might be quite cold out, I had my fleece on under my rain coat, and I was quite toasty all wrapped up. The Old Boy did mention something about heading up to the Tigers, but going through Jubilee park first. That only leaves one way up to the Tigers, and that's via Summer Hill! But then the Old Boy headed towards Bromley instead. So, that's settled then, its The Red Lion!
And I know that we was going to be heading down to Hayes after, and then home. It really is not nice riding in the rain, but at least its not cold as well! In fact, again, I am cycling along feeling very good, feeling happy and smiling! It's great to be able to do this with my Old Boy!
Only cycled for about 8 miles all in all, at a very leisurely pace, I didn't even take my Garmin as this was a total pleasure ride!
Monday, 7 May 2012
Locksbottom To Hastings Motorbikes
Hello Blog lovers.
Another bank holiday, another rainy day! Typical then. But evenutually got the Old Boy to get out, put on the bike rack on the car and get out. ...... Oh, did you all think that we had gone over to the 'dark side' and got on a motor bike? Well, we didn't, not yet anyway, (the old boys 400/4 is still require delicate bike surgery)
The weather, of course, was dismal. As we were driving towards our bike ride start point the rain came. But I told the OB that this is what we was going to do anyway, no matter what, rain or shine, we were getting the bikes out for an airing!
We arrived at Bexley on Sea and the rain had stopped! Well, that was a good start, I was just hoping it was going to stay that way. But it didn't matter to me, I was glad to be out, putting some miles on my bike. We were going to be riding to Hastings, a route we have done before, but today, with the added number of people that will be there, its going to be a much slower ride. Just looking at all the bikes on the way will take some time!
I had forgotten about the big hill, called Gally Hill, just about 10 minutes into the ride. So I was attempting this, with cold, lazy legs and the OB's comments "Can she make it up the hill, will she be getting off her bike, is she going to be lazy" Well I shall tell you, and as the OB always says, its a blame culture we live in, because I was listening to him, and not concentrating on what I was doing, I was in totally the wrong gear, I was struggling, and it was bloody hard! So I got off my bike!
But from here it's down hill, with just another slight bump to contend with, but this time, I didn't listen to the OB and just did my own thing, and got up the hill in one.
When we got to Hastings, there were just so many motorbikes about, a few scooters, and a few trikes as well. There was one trike that looked absolutely fantastic, scary, with rats and skeletons all over it, I didn't feel as if I could take a picture, it probably wouldn't have come out anyway, the trike was called Dracula! I was looking for the Harleys, I do love the Harley Davidsons. These bikes are just sooooo lush, they sound so lush, and if you get someone that really loves their bike, everything is chromed to the hilt! I was quite impressed that I saw quite a few girl riding bikes, an not just your little tiny 50cc buzzy bee type machines. We saw this tiny little girl riding a ducati, about a 750! It definitely has me thinking that maybe....... maybe, one day!
After a rather pleasant wander around in the sunshine(!) looking at the bikes, and some Harleys, we had lunch, fish and chips, again in the sunshine, we took a slow ride back. We had our pudding at the other end of the ride, in a rather nice Italian place, tiramisu, very nice. shared of course, 1 pudding, and 2 spoons.
Then it was back to the car, strap the bikes back on the rack and head off home, via the Hay Wagon.......and the Wheatsheaf! Oh, the Wheatsheaf had their log fire burning, and sitting by it, drinking a lovely pint of numbers, and all sorts of memories were evoked! The coal men filling up our coal bunker, the funny marble effect the fire had on my skin when I sat to close, cooking crumpets, and also all the other memories of keeping warm during those winter months. Who remembers, the Esso blue song, the blue and pink paraffin? Oh those were there days, when your net curtains were frozen to the panes of class in the windows!
It was just a very short bike ride, and a very slow bike ride, but a very enjoyable day out. We rode for only about 12 miles or less, and the time, well does it matter when it was a pleasant day out?
Just a couple of pictures from todays outing.
Another bank holiday, another rainy day! Typical then. But evenutually got the Old Boy to get out, put on the bike rack on the car and get out. ...... Oh, did you all think that we had gone over to the 'dark side' and got on a motor bike? Well, we didn't, not yet anyway, (the old boys 400/4 is still require delicate bike surgery)
The weather, of course, was dismal. As we were driving towards our bike ride start point the rain came. But I told the OB that this is what we was going to do anyway, no matter what, rain or shine, we were getting the bikes out for an airing!
We arrived at Bexley on Sea and the rain had stopped! Well, that was a good start, I was just hoping it was going to stay that way. But it didn't matter to me, I was glad to be out, putting some miles on my bike. We were going to be riding to Hastings, a route we have done before, but today, with the added number of people that will be there, its going to be a much slower ride. Just looking at all the bikes on the way will take some time!
I had forgotten about the big hill, called Gally Hill, just about 10 minutes into the ride. So I was attempting this, with cold, lazy legs and the OB's comments "Can she make it up the hill, will she be getting off her bike, is she going to be lazy" Well I shall tell you, and as the OB always says, its a blame culture we live in, because I was listening to him, and not concentrating on what I was doing, I was in totally the wrong gear, I was struggling, and it was bloody hard! So I got off my bike!
But from here it's down hill, with just another slight bump to contend with, but this time, I didn't listen to the OB and just did my own thing, and got up the hill in one.
When we got to Hastings, there were just so many motorbikes about, a few scooters, and a few trikes as well. There was one trike that looked absolutely fantastic, scary, with rats and skeletons all over it, I didn't feel as if I could take a picture, it probably wouldn't have come out anyway, the trike was called Dracula! I was looking for the Harleys, I do love the Harley Davidsons. These bikes are just sooooo lush, they sound so lush, and if you get someone that really loves their bike, everything is chromed to the hilt! I was quite impressed that I saw quite a few girl riding bikes, an not just your little tiny 50cc buzzy bee type machines. We saw this tiny little girl riding a ducati, about a 750! It definitely has me thinking that maybe....... maybe, one day!
After a rather pleasant wander around in the sunshine(!) looking at the bikes, and some Harleys, we had lunch, fish and chips, again in the sunshine, we took a slow ride back. We had our pudding at the other end of the ride, in a rather nice Italian place, tiramisu, very nice. shared of course, 1 pudding, and 2 spoons.
Then it was back to the car, strap the bikes back on the rack and head off home, via the Hay Wagon.......and the Wheatsheaf! Oh, the Wheatsheaf had their log fire burning, and sitting by it, drinking a lovely pint of numbers, and all sorts of memories were evoked! The coal men filling up our coal bunker, the funny marble effect the fire had on my skin when I sat to close, cooking crumpets, and also all the other memories of keeping warm during those winter months. Who remembers, the Esso blue song, the blue and pink paraffin? Oh those were there days, when your net curtains were frozen to the panes of class in the windows!
It was just a very short bike ride, and a very slow bike ride, but a very enjoyable day out. We rode for only about 12 miles or less, and the time, well does it matter when it was a pleasant day out?
Just a couple of pictures from todays outing.
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Rest Day Was Yesterday!
Hello blog lovers.
Now, usually, I do have this thing that happens, its called a rest day. Its where I kind of chill, after work, cook dinner, and veg in front of the t.v. Maybe even go to the pictures, see the latest films. But the Old Boy said that was yesterday. Chill day, rest day, veg in front of the t.v. day was yesterday.
The weather is not good. We are having that horrible drizzly rain, that is neither mist nor rain, just a bloomin nuisance when you are trying to ride in it. And it is quite chilly as well, I am glad that I am quite warmly wrapped up.
When the OB told me the route, the only bit that I could remember was, first stop at the Greyhound in Keston, for a pint and poppadoms. He did expect me to lead the way, just so that his geeky stats could actually apply to me. He would be riding at my pace, but with him giving careful instruction as to how fast I should be going!
Just as we were about to join the A21 we saw a girl cyclist just poodling along. "Go on, catch her, buzz her, get her on the hill" were the instructions from the Old Boy. I do like a challenge, so I got my head down and started to peddle like mad. I started to gain on her, as we were going up the hill, I was quite impressed with myself, to be fair, I didn't think I would! So you can imagine how smug I felt when I passed her!, I settled back in to a pace that I thought would be ok, we were still going up the hill, but then she rode passed me again! I expect she felt quite smug. She started to pull away from me as we were approaching Locksbottom. "Go on, do her, get passed her" he ordered. I was hoping that the traffic lights would stop her in her tracks, just so that I could catch up to her and then try again to get in front.
There was quite a lot of traffic about, and we were going up hill again, so I just stayed on her back wheel, pushing quite hard to stay there as well, she was doing really well. I wonder if she knew that I was 'racing' her. I could feel the OB wanted me to keep peddling harder, but then on the next driveway she rode onto and started to use the cycle path. I did overtake her as I stayed on the road. I just didn't know whether she ran out of stamina, or whether she will be turning into a road soon.
We kept on the A21 up to the Halstead turn off, and rode up there. On this bit of road we saw other cyclists zoom passed us. They all had numbers on them, and some of the had those weird shaped alien type hats on. I am not sure what their route was, but it seemed they were heading up past Polhill and then coming back down again because we saw some other riders coming back round the roundabout.
I was really feeling tired. I knew where we were going. We are going to Biggin Hill there is still more hills to do. More orders to take from the OB and more of the lactic acid thing happening in my legs! Still, From the top of Grays Road it is all down hill!
I kept on spinning though, orders from the OB! Even on the down hills, which was nearly all the way to Keston. I was just so glad to get to the pub, I was really looking forward to my pint, I felt I had earned it!
The Old Boys geeky stats says that I was riding at an average moving speed of 12.1 and the maximum speed was 29.5 mph.
So my Geeky stats, as I remembered to take my Garmin today.
Now, usually, I do have this thing that happens, its called a rest day. Its where I kind of chill, after work, cook dinner, and veg in front of the t.v. Maybe even go to the pictures, see the latest films. But the Old Boy said that was yesterday. Chill day, rest day, veg in front of the t.v. day was yesterday.
The weather is not good. We are having that horrible drizzly rain, that is neither mist nor rain, just a bloomin nuisance when you are trying to ride in it. And it is quite chilly as well, I am glad that I am quite warmly wrapped up.
When the OB told me the route, the only bit that I could remember was, first stop at the Greyhound in Keston, for a pint and poppadoms. He did expect me to lead the way, just so that his geeky stats could actually apply to me. He would be riding at my pace, but with him giving careful instruction as to how fast I should be going!
Just as we were about to join the A21 we saw a girl cyclist just poodling along. "Go on, catch her, buzz her, get her on the hill" were the instructions from the Old Boy. I do like a challenge, so I got my head down and started to peddle like mad. I started to gain on her, as we were going up the hill, I was quite impressed with myself, to be fair, I didn't think I would! So you can imagine how smug I felt when I passed her!, I settled back in to a pace that I thought would be ok, we were still going up the hill, but then she rode passed me again! I expect she felt quite smug. She started to pull away from me as we were approaching Locksbottom. "Go on, do her, get passed her" he ordered. I was hoping that the traffic lights would stop her in her tracks, just so that I could catch up to her and then try again to get in front.
There was quite a lot of traffic about, and we were going up hill again, so I just stayed on her back wheel, pushing quite hard to stay there as well, she was doing really well. I wonder if she knew that I was 'racing' her. I could feel the OB wanted me to keep peddling harder, but then on the next driveway she rode onto and started to use the cycle path. I did overtake her as I stayed on the road. I just didn't know whether she ran out of stamina, or whether she will be turning into a road soon.
We kept on the A21 up to the Halstead turn off, and rode up there. On this bit of road we saw other cyclists zoom passed us. They all had numbers on them, and some of the had those weird shaped alien type hats on. I am not sure what their route was, but it seemed they were heading up past Polhill and then coming back down again because we saw some other riders coming back round the roundabout.
I was really feeling tired. I knew where we were going. We are going to Biggin Hill there is still more hills to do. More orders to take from the OB and more of the lactic acid thing happening in my legs! Still, From the top of Grays Road it is all down hill!
I kept on spinning though, orders from the OB! Even on the down hills, which was nearly all the way to Keston. I was just so glad to get to the pub, I was really looking forward to my pint, I felt I had earned it!
The Old Boys geeky stats says that I was riding at an average moving speed of 12.1 and the maximum speed was 29.5 mph.
So my Geeky stats, as I remembered to take my Garmin today.
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Short and Oh so Sweet!
Hello blog readers.
I know today is/was going to be a rest day, but there is just no sitting us down at the moment. The Old Boy suggest just going for a very pleasant leisurely ride, nothing strenuous, not blasting it and not that far. My kind of riding really. So Off we went.
First port of call was the George in Hayes. See what I mean about a nice pleasant ride? And then on to Bromley, a nice steady pace.
The Old Boy was way ahead of me, but I just plodded along, at my own pace, singing! Yup, singing out and not under my breath. Good practise for my daughters birthday celebrations at the Karaoke Bar on Friday. We stopped again at the Red Lion, and just as we were finishing our pint the rain came down, we moved underneath the umbrella and by the time we left it was virtually over, or so I tried to kid myself.
But as we were riding to our next destination, which is the Uskudar in Pettswood, I started smiling. The rain was coming down, ok, not torrential as it has been, but still enough to warrant an umbrella, yet I was smiling, I was enjoying todays little 'Keep the legs loose' ride. I did put my Garmin on, but of course, all the stopping, I had forgotten to switch it on again.
Todays little leisurely ride was really rather pleasant, in spite of the rain, and it's evenings like this that I am really glad I weaned myself off the soaps on the telly!
Geeky stats, about 10 ish miles, at a very nice plodding along speed of about 9 miles an hour. Fantastic, oh and dinner, by the way, was just delicious!
The Old Boy was way ahead of me, but I just plodded along, at my own pace, singing! Yup, singing out and not under my breath. Good practise for my daughters birthday celebrations at the Karaoke Bar on Friday. We stopped again at the Red Lion, and just as we were finishing our pint the rain came down, we moved underneath the umbrella and by the time we left it was virtually over, or so I tried to kid myself.
But as we were riding to our next destination, which is the Uskudar in Pettswood, I started smiling. The rain was coming down, ok, not torrential as it has been, but still enough to warrant an umbrella, yet I was smiling, I was enjoying todays little 'Keep the legs loose' ride. I did put my Garmin on, but of course, all the stopping, I had forgotten to switch it on again.
Todays little leisurely ride was really rather pleasant, in spite of the rain, and it's evenings like this that I am really glad I weaned myself off the soaps on the telly!
Geeky stats, about 10 ish miles, at a very nice plodding along speed of about 9 miles an hour. Fantastic, oh and dinner, by the way, was just delicious!
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