Trying To Kill The Nerves!

 Hello blog readers

Forgot to photograph
my bike, but I
did dress for the
occasion!

Another blog for today!  It's been a while since I looked at my bike blog, but here it is.  I was talking to Naggy today about when it was I had my accident, I thought it was in August, but actually it was early than that!  I can't understand why I'm still nervous and anxious about getting back on it!  Still, I did it!

My daughter has been talking to be about getting her kids bikes all ready and serviced, going out for a bike ride.  I had been thinking the same, although I kept on surpressing the thoughts!  I have such a beautiful bike, she is gorgeous!  All black with some cool pink flashes.  I love her really!  But I am still a little bit afraid.  I was even at one point thinking I would never get back on this particular bike.  Maybe just stick to my Giant.  But I have to give it another go.

I went to our shed, got my bike out, tested the tyres.....flat of course!  Open the other shed to get the bike pump out and then the heavens opened! Ok, ok, so it didn't rain so much as just sprinkled for a few seconds.  But I put my bike back again and the pump and locked up the sheds!

I paced about a bit indoors, I kept looking at the sky, willing for it to pour down, my mind all the time, telling me to just 'Go get your bike!'  I have to tell someone that I am going out for a bike ride. Just in case.  All these thoughts going through my head until at last I just went out and dragged my bike out again and pumped up the tyres.  A ran like mad across the garden and into my house to get changed before I changed my mind!  Still I hadn't told anyone that I was going for a ride.  I really should do, but then why, I didn't before.  Whoever I tell, they might panic!  Then I remembered that Naggy wasn't going to work today, I quickly called her and asked if she wanted to come with me!

She had just come back from shopping and needed just about half hour or so but, to stop me from getting changed again she suggested I sat in her garden with my bike ready to go!  She knows me too well!   I told her I was only planning on going to Normans Park and then back home!  I need to get rid of the fear of dogs running out on me.  It's weird by I do feel safer on the road. But the sensible part of my brain (yes there is a tiny bit in there) says that there could also be dogs walking on pavements that can suddenly just run out!  I have to just go for 'aversion therapy!'  Go immerse myself in the very situation that is worrying me!  I am sure it can only do me good!  Learn to look out for things like that, look out for kids wobbling about on skates, or scooting along on there no pedal push bikes!  Why don't kids look in the direction they are moving!

There are so many lovely routes that both pedestrians and cyclists share, I don't want to not ever ride on them again.  Todays little ride went someway to helping cope with that.  I am sure the more I do it, the more I will get used to it!  But I don't think I will ever be complacent again about shared routes.  Mind you, the path that I had my accident on was for cyclists, the pedestrian path was on the other side of the stream.....only saying!

A tale of Two Bike Rides

A learning Swerve...... Curve

Hello readers.

Guys, I was busy writing up my report about me and Naggy going out for our bike ride, but then I was distracted and it never got as far as the second sentence!  Anyway, it was all about how I was going to bite the bullet and go and do another solo bike ride, but then, as it happened I saw Naggy as she came out of her house and asked her to come along with me.  We had a great time!  Weather was great and we did the nice route through the parks, away from traffic, the one I had done with Bims and then again by myself!  Perfect, I thought. Naggy hadn't been on her bike at all this year, well, not outside that is, she has got one of her bikes up on a torture and tormenter machine, for inside biking thing, the turbo training thing!  So it was just perfect, for her and me! I didn't have to do a solo ride, even though I did it before, it's still much nicer with at least one other person and Naggy can get her first bike ride in for the this year.

We had a fab time, it showed me that Naggys is still much fitter and stronger than me, but then I am older than her!   For the first few miles Naggy was behind me, now I understand it's because she wasn't quite sure of where we were going, I was just going to say 'Turn left' or 'Turn right' when we were nearing the turns. The riding through the parks was fairly easy and gentle as there were quite a few people there, especially Normans park, so we just took it easy,  but once we were through and back on the roads and with the knowledge of where we were heading Naggy found her form.   And that was it!  She was in front for the rest of the way.  I did kind of get in front of her by Crown Lane Spur, she was waiting for me, as I caught up with her I decided not to stop but just carry on riding by!  It wasn't that long that she caught me up and said "Come on, get up that hill"  Hmm, yup, deffo more fitter than me!

This is our geeky stats for that ride, it's a lovely route, off road but on cycle paths, quiteish roads, especially due to this Covid shit going on, but one that we can do again as we gain our confidence and strength back!

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/5007586653' title='The not a solo ride' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

Sunday 31st May!

There will be some graphic pictures at the end of this blog, if you don't want to see them just scroll up slowly!

Me and Naggy had decided to go for another bike ride, the same route as we did a couple of days before, just a bit later on in the day, so hopefully less people about.  I got myself ready, my shoes, gloves, my bike, then went over to Naggys house.  The weather, again was just lovely, I forgot to bring my water, but it's only going to be less than an hour, so it's all ok. 

We rode along our road, then Farringdon, side by side, it is nice and quiet down our roads and we can get away with that, we were on to Southborough lane next heading up the hill.  Naggy was in front as  we rode up and took the left hand turning called Crestview, Naggy seemed to whizz up there.  The roads were lovely and and peaceful, the very small incline of a hill that is Southborough, giving me a little workout, before the rest of the ride, which is just nice and flat (ish) to enjoy.

We turned into Tentpeg Lane, I rode along the road to go on to the cycle path and then......I saw it......just as quick as anything, a big husky dog ran in front of my bike!  Then......nothing! Absolutely nothing!  I don't know if I hit the dog, or swerved or what, I just don't know!  My next memory was of Naggy, my friend Karin, my very calm but very concerned friend,  holding my head telling me to stay with her!  I couldn't understand what was going on, I looked down at my hands and saw blood, I heard voices.  The next memory I was on the ambulance trolly, I saw the dog and the dog owner across the other side of the car park "There, that's the dog" I said pointing.  

Why couldn't I remember anything else? It was all just bits of stuff, I couldn't remember getting to where I was or anything. Why? What's wrong?  Well I shall tell you what was wrong!  I was not wearing a cycle helmet! I had on a cap, a running cap, a hanging around cap!  I had all the other gear on but nothing to protect my head!  What an absolute nutter!  Ok, so it's a route I've done before, many times before now!  But on this particular occasion, a dog not a leash, which they should be apparantly during this shit corona times,  was doing what dogs do, contributed to me coming off my bike. I contributed to the fact that I didn't protect my head with a helmet and ended up with a head injury!  

At the hospital they stitched my head up, I have six stitches in my head and I also had to have a CT scan to make sure I didn't do any other damage!  Since then I have head from my next door neighbour,  about someone he knew who went riding on his bike but on the one occasion went out he didn't put his helmet on, which he always did before, crashed his bike and is now in a wheel chair!  I also head from another friend saying that she came off her bike, wearing a helmet which broke, she still needed stitches but doctors told her that the helmet protected her from even more damage!

The thing is, you hear about these things, you read about them, your friends tell you about them, but until it happens to you, you always think "I am going to be ok, I don't go that fast, I stay in cycle lanes etc"  but it can and does happen!

SO PEOPLE, PLEASE, PLEASE WEAR A HELMET, DON'T BE VAIN, DON'T BE "IT WON'T HAPPEN TO ME"     DON'T BE LIKE ME!

That's all I can say really!  Don't be like me!  I am lucky that I can still write this blog. Am I being over dramatic?  Feck no I am not, as you can see from the picture below, I am lucky it wasn't any worse than that!  What if......just what if.......?

And now, I am going to have to try and get back on that bike!......Shit!

Not a pretty sight!

Brain is still there!

6 stitches!

First Solo ride!

Hello blog readers.

Well yesterday I decided I needed to stop being silly and get out and do something by myself.  So I decided on a bike ride, rather than a run.  I had a busy day ahead anyway, but I just 'nagged' myself that I need to break the solo thing, make a start at finding my confidence to do things by myself!  It's ridiculous, isn't it!  But I do miss having people with me, it's one of the reasons I went live doing my exercises.  but with my cycling I had the added pressure of gaining my confidence back on my bike, with the clipless and dealing with the roads.  There will be more cars around now as the lockdown slowly starts to lift!

The route I planned wasn't any different to that I have been doing with Bims.  Through Jubilee, head to the dump, through the park, Normans park, a couple of loops and back home.  Only 8 miles but it'll do the job.  So as soon as I had walked the dog I got changed and got my bike ready.  I got out of the door before I changed my mind.  The weather was just lovely, not to warm, but I wasn't worried about that as I had my water with me, the wind had dropped.  My hayfever was playing up, with my eyes itching like crazy so I didn't put my contacts in, I had to cycle with my ordinary glasses, but thankfully they do go dark in the sunlight! 

Since Boris has said that people can meet one other person from another household outside in parks people really have taken that to heart!  It was quite busy, I had to slow down, stop and carefully ride around people and kids on bikes!  I think the roads are a lot safer!  The next park, Whitehall Rec, was busy too, I almost talked myself out of doing the whole park, but I still went for it, I only had to carely ride around a little dude on his bike......he looked like he was going for me! 

After those too parks I thought to myself that if Normans park was just as busy then I wouldn't do the laps, I would just ride all the way through it and head on into Hayes, and then go home from there.  Of course when I got there it was busy!  A ride on up to Hayes it was then!  I had forgotten how I used to love this little ride.  We used to stop at the George and enjoy a pint in the garde, whether it was coming from Normans park way or the other way from Keson.  They do a lovely cool refreshing Amstel at The George.

Of course no stopping this time, nothing was opened anyway!  I carried on to Barnet Wood Road just off Five elms lane.  I was smiling as I rode along, remembering all the lovely rides down this road, either heading for the pub or coming home from a long ride, both smile inducing thoughts though!  I decided when had got to the end and turned left onto Oakly road then I would turn left again on to the A21 and ride all the way do to the roundabout before turning right to go home.  Might as well, it will build up the miles and my confidence!

I got back feeling rather pleased with myself.  I enjoyed that ride, I just need to keep it going now.  Make the time, build it into my day.  Even if I only ride and hour each time, it's better than nothing.  My next ride is on Friday, with Bims!  Maybe we can do that route again, it is rather nice!

A Very Warm Ride

Hello blog readers

After my workout this morning, Bims (aka Naggingsister) really lived up to her aka!  She rang me straight away, while I was still saying goodbye to the people that were left watching me on live feed Facebook (don't ask, it's a long story!) she was calling my phone!  "We going for a bike ride, I shall be round in a sec" I was still dripping in sweat, even though todays workout was kind of gentle, I needed to get changed, get my bike ready, let the dog out, I decided not to take him for a walk, it was way to warm for him, so a nice play in his garden with the hose pipe.  There was I thinking it was too warm for a pooch to go for a walk, yet Bims want's us to go for a bike ride! Hmm, make sure I have plenty of water, maybe today is not the day to tackle hills!  Anyway, I really wanted to go through Normans park today, John D was was doing a mega run around this park, which is just over a mile loop. He's doing it for a charity, 100k run, looping around Normans park!  In this heat!

Eventually, I was ready, with all the things I had to do, Bims was waiting when I came back from doggies house and we set off, more or less straight away.  I was on my Spesh, I felt good on my Spesh.  Clipping in and clipping out doesn't phase me to much now, although I still pretty much stay focused on it.  I did have a little wobble coming through the gate of Jubilee park.  I am not sure if the things in your shoes wear out or not, whether you have to replace them.  I sure you do, everything wears out.  My shoes are perfectly fine, but maybe I should look into getting some new clippy things for my shoes and replace them.

I am sure we are getting through the parks quicker than we have been, at least it felt like it.  It was just so lovely being out, getting the sunshine on my face, it's all good for you, vitamins giving for free, just for being out side in the sunshine!  You just have to take it!

We got to Normans park, I was on the look out for for John D.  I didn't know what time he started, but we were there in the afternoon, he could well be on his last few laps.  We managed to see him when we got to the other side of the park, the Track end of the park, the play park end.  He was looking pretty strong, I called to him and he stopped for a few minutes.  He had done well over half of his challenge, "Only about a marathon to do now" he said! ONLY!  That's truly amazing, and just going round and round the park!  John had plenty of visitors and people joining him for a lap or two of the park to support him!  Me and Bims were going in the opposite direction to John, so we will be able to cheer him on again.  It's an amazing accomplishment! By the way he is doing it for charity and his page is Here, it explains who he is raising money for and why. You can donate too!  Well done John, amazing!

We left the park after two laps, cheering on John a further two times!  And that was it, a very warm, very lovely, very inspiring (thinking about John here) and after the now traditional selfie we said our goodbyes!

Here's our selfies by the way

And here is my geeky stats!
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/4966391350' title='Bromley Cycling' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

Getting More Confidence!

Hello readers

Bike riding is slowly coming back to me!  It's just like riding a bike really! Groan!!! I am still only doing very short distances with Bims.  I was using my white bike, as it has those duel use pedals, the ones where you can clip in if you want or not! Just what ever you please!  The second bike ride with Bims was a lot, lot.....lot better than the first one this year!  Mainly because I pumped up the tyres! 

I never really understood about have a really good hard pumped up tyre! Not until my second ride this year!  My bike felt totally different, it almost glided on the roads.  I got up the slope a bit better, I went down the slopes so much quicker!  Even Bims said that I also seemed to go faster while free wheeling than she did!  I think it's because of the bike......either that or it's the whole weight to slope ratio......I am heavier so I will roll faster!  So yes, my second bike ride with Bims, a total different experience, plus I remember now why I love my bikes!  I am not rushing to get back and do all those miles and hills just yet, I am just poodling around enjoying the ride!

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/4920687014' title='Bike ride (with social distance) with Dawn' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

My third bike ride was with my sons girlfriend.  She said that she loved riding her bike when she had one, and she enjoyed her time in Amersterdam when her and her friend hired a couple of bikes.  So, I loaned her my white bike and I got out my spesh!  Oh she looked lovely, My son had cleaned my bike only a couple of weeks ago, and only now I was going out on it!  The confidence is growing all the time, I just want to get back to truly loving the ride!

Tash hasn't been on a bike for a while so I thought we would keep it to the same little route than Bims and I did last week, it's only 8 miles, and we can only do just 1 lap of Normans Park.  I think she underestimated how just how un-use to a bike you can get! Un-use, is that even a word?  We did the first park, crossed over the road and headed for the second park.  It was quite busy, well the sun was out and Boris said that people can meet 1 person from another household whiles upholding the social distancing of course.  So the park was really busy, I decided not to do the loop around it and just head straight through it and out. 

Unfortunately Tash was really feeling tired! So we decided not to do the next park but just head on home!  We covered about 4 and half miles in about 30 minutes, so not bad for a first time out!  Cycling is just like running, no bike ride is rubbish (unless there is some really shitty steep, steep hill in the mix) Just getting out and doing it (and if you have to walk up the hill, don't worry about it!)

So, up to date with my cycling blog!  Sorted!

Oh My Giddy Aunt!

Hello blog readers.

I can't believe it's been over a year since I last wrote anything on my cycling blog!  I mean......wow! It's not wonder I was a bit worried and anxious.  Putting on my cycling shoes, I just wasn't ready in my head really!  But NaggingSister aka Bims, would not let up!  Yup, shes back, long gone is that still quiet voice. Boom, nag nag nag nag from Bims!  She started nagging from Thursday, "Lets go on a bike ride tomorrow" she says, all fecking smiley after our workout in the morning!  "Come on, a nice social distance ride, any route you want" she says, as if that is going to encourage me!  I said "I needed my white Giant, it has duel pedals so that I can choose to clip in on not" I informed her, "Yeah and, use it then" she said.  "But I haven't got it, my daughter has it" I said smugly. "Then use your other bike, you'll be fine, come on, get it ready" "I need to pump the tires, it's all cleaned and ready to go" I said.  My son cleaned my bike and oiled it for me only last week!  But I still need the tyres pumped up. "Sigh AND!" she said shaking her head in disbelief and my next excuse!  "Ok, well, go on Monday, Monday for sure, I will get it ready!!" I said.

So what happened on Monday, well it was my daughters birthday, I had a cake to cook and carefully take it to her for a social distance birthday get together!  Oh how I missed my grandkids and daughters.  Just to give them all a big hug, I can't wait for that!  Anyway, of course that put paid to going for a bike ride yesterday.  But blow me down, that same day, yesterday, in the evening, my daughter brought back my white bike! Feck it!  No excuse now, the tyres are even pumped up, even though they could do with a few more pumps!

No excuses, no reason not to go, well none that I could think of anyway, I just had to go! The plan was to go riding today, everything fell into place, my bike, tyres pump (should have done a little bit more in hindsight) everything was perfect.  Even the sun was shining, although there was a bit of a breeze about.

I went up and got ready, here look, this is me in my cycling gear!  Long pants, I am just not ready to get my chunky knees out to all and sundry just yet!  And besides, it's breezy, it will keep me warm.  My NaggyingSister came to my road, already for our social distance ride.  I thought it was going to be easy......easy to keep a 2m distance that is, because I knew she would be well in front of me!  I told her my planned route, it took in just three parks, Jubilee, Kevs park (I've forgotten the name of it) and then Normans park......oo actually I did another park, because I went through my local park on the way home!

When I sat on my bike, I didn't find it entirely uncomfortable, which was a blessing.  Maybe NaggyNeighbours bike is just not comfortable for me, not with my fat arse anyway.  Maybe it's not going to be that bad of a ride after all!  Things you say before you actually do them, right!  Just getting up to first road I realised just how things have deteriorated on the cycling front!  Yeah, yeah, the work out I did the other day with the youtube tabata ladies seemed easier the second time and I'm not puffing too much getting up the stairs!  And thankfully haven't put on too much weight since lockdown started, but blimey, getting back on my bike was an eye opener.  I realised just how much fitter I was when I was riding about more.  I know now that I need to go back to when I first started riding my bike.  That first outing to Farnborough Village, a sandwich at the pub and then ride home!  I thought I was amazing then.  I did that for a few weeks, then branched out to a pub further along the A21, the Royal Oak, having the most delicious sandwich, a bacon and brie! Oh my goodness, that was delicious!  I miss going to the pubs!  I wish there was a pub today!  I would have so stopped to have a nice glass of cool non alcoholic something!

My route wasn't a particularly challenging one, in fact it was the most flattest route I could conjure up.  Along Farringdon, up Southborough and then turn into Crest View to head for our first park! My legs were jelly by the time I got to Southborough and I still had to go up hill for a bit to get to the next road.  I felt really pleased that I had my Giant with the flat/cleat pedals, it just gave me that little bit more confidence!

This cycling lark is going to take agest to get back to where I was, and I need to try and remember what fun I had on my bike too, not now, this felt like a chore, this felt like a bloody hard work out, one where I still had to get home before I could quit!

But at least it's a start!  Small steps, that how I need it to be, NaggingSister to help me stay focused, a couple of understanding riding buddies,....oh did I not mention it.......NaggyNeighbour suggested going for a short ride too!  On Friday! Feck what I have I done!

So geeky stats!  Slow, I know but it's a start!

<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/4885141294' title='First ride for over a year! Social distance of course' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>

First Proper Ride of 2019

Hello readers.

What can I say!?  I am back? Yooo hooo!? Sorry it's been so long!? Well, I am saying nothing.....not until I have spoken to my solicitor!  I don't know what when on, what happened, I just lost my mojo, I wasn't really 'feeling it' for the bike.  Thankfully I still had my running or I would really have transformed back to my old couch potato days! And my cycling mojo is just hanging by a thread too! 

I have a half marathon planned for a couple of weeks time, believe me when I say I really have been trying to train properly for it but life, as usual, just takes over the bits of yourself that you need to dedicate to running.  Anyway, Naggy, neighbour from over the green, suggested on Saturday that we should try for a twenty miler for Sunday afternoon!  Twenty miles!!! I should be lucky if I could get twenty feet without falling off, complaining of a sore arse or having a huge panic attack!  But I said yes anyway, and then she said "You know the pubs, just chose a route and we'll go for it"  Oh my goodness, thank fuck for that!  If I had tried to follow her on a route that she had made I don't think I would have made it!  She is really doing well with her cycling because of her whole Tri-athlon thing!  Yeah,  see, now you understand my relief, right!

The Old Boy suggested the Eynsford route.....nah......no way......I did consider it for maybe more minutes than I really should have........(thats when the anxiety issues came in)  "What if I forget which way to go" and "What if those hills are just too much" and "What if I fall off my bike because I am going so slow up hill on that road"  No, no way, Otford and Eynsford is not going to happen.  So, I needed to put something in place for Naggy to enjoy and not get bored, but  I also wanted a nice route, not too much traffic which ends up at a pub not far from where we live.  I came up with the Downe route! Shit!  This is going to hurt!  But, cars, traffic will be less, I will have plenty of places to stop, grab my breath, take a drink, puke, stop the shaky legs or what ever I need to do, on that bit of road from Shire Lane to Downe Village that I know Naggy will enjoy!

I got back from church and went and got my bike out from the shed.  I checked the tyres, tried the brakes, filled my saddle bag with stuff and then went and got changed into my cycling gear.   The nerves were really kicking in now, "What if I have forgotten how to click in and out of my pedals, what if I forget to click out of my pedals, what if I ride along the road like a fecking snake!"  All these thoughts were going through my mind as I knocked on Naggys door that I had forgotten to send a message to Naggy. I looked at my phone and I saw the text message from her to ask if we were riding!  She was still in her 'civvies'!  So I had to wait for just a few minutes while she got changed.  All the while, anxiety building up!

We set off, "Where we going?" she says to me, I told her the route.  "Downe Village first, so go on the path, the A21 is our first main road"  I said to her. I followed behind as she rode up the path towards 'Turn Around Lamppost".  I directed her to go along the quiet road first before we took the right hand turn that will take us on to the A21.  Just to give me more time to get used to being on the bike, sort out my gears, I had so forgotten how they worked.  In fact I think my gears even forgot how they worked as the kept on 'clunking' and not doing what I wanted them to do!  That was all I needed, something else to add to the anxiety!  I was hoping it was because I wasn't 'in tune' with my bike and that it was all just a bit stiff as well.  I felt my bike just needed to blow off the cobwebs! Just shows you how technical I am!

It's only going to be a 12-15 miles ride, I could try and stretch it out to a 20 miles but I totally got a 'cut it short' route!  The first challenge, getting up the slope of the A21 to Locksbottom!  Oh my goodness!  I didn't quite make it!  That really reinforced my doubts in my self that getting up to Downe Village in one go is just not going to happen!  I had to take a break.  It was then that I realised that I had forgotten to start my Garmin, at least I could justify that little break!  Once I started again though I did manage to get to the traffic lights, Naggy was waiting for me just at the top.  I didn't want to stop as the lights were green so I just called out to her "Straight over, we are going up to Farnborough" I called out.  I passed the lights and then my phone started ringing.  I pulled over just by the hospital entrance and answered it, it was my middle child!  That dealt with I carried on after Naggy had caught up with me......yeah, she had got caught by the lights after I had ridden by her!

She was soon in front of me again though and I told her that we would be turning right to go to Farnborough! There is a lovely down hill that we take, I remember I used to almost free wheel all the way down, but I just wanted confident enough.  The road was in awful condition anyway plus there seemed to be quite a few cars coming up!  I guess the gorgeous weather brought out the walkers who were parking their cars or getting into cars, after  a lovely walk by St Giles church. It is a lovely walk around there.  So there was noway was I going to free wheel down there,  I put the brakes on and tootled down.  Naggy was at the bottom of the hill waiting for the next direction.  I told her......right then left.....all the way up and up to the top, the Village of Downe. Totally ironic isn't it, to get to Downe you have to go up!

We started the hill, Naggy in front of me, the climb started.  It looked horrendous, it felt horrendous.  I tried to remember the times when I had done this road in one go.  But that was over a year ago!  I had my saddle ass, I had my stamina, my mojo was totally in the zone.  Why did I chose this route!  I stopped riding after what seemed like only a few minutes.  I took a big gulp of my drink and then continued again.  There were cars behind me, I just couldn't remember if I used to pull over and let them go, the road is quite narrow in places, or just keep going.  I decided for my own safety to pull over.  The really steep bit came and I looked at it.  It seemed to get steeper the more I looked at it. "Right, you can do this you silly old mare, just get on and do it"  I clipped in and tried to get up it.  My jelly legs seemed to to turn into tissue paper legs, even worse than jelly legs! I just couldn't get started, I walked, yep, I got off and walked some of that blimmin hill!

When I got to a flatish bit I got back on my bike and slowly rode up some more.  Naggy was waiting just around the next bend, I realised just how far up the hill we actually were, it spurred me on to keep going as we were so close to the end.  Oh my flippin goodness!  I was knackered.  I was grateful for the huge traffic jam that seemed to happening in the middle of the place.  There were cars bumper to bumper, one chap was carefully directing a driver through some very tight spaces to try a relieve some of the jam.  I could see a bus just on the other side of the tree that's in the middle of the village, trying to make it's way down the other road, by the Queens Head. There must be at least twenty to thirty cars all trying to squeeze through the Village at the same time.  There was no room even to try and cycle through.  Me and Naggy had to get off our bikes and make our way through the traffic jam on foot. We turned left and walked for a little bit more  until we got to nearly the end of the queue of cars.  Then we got back on our bikes to ride again. 

I remembered this bit of road.  I was always pleased to get here, I think it's called Single Street, leading to Jail Lane. It still is an uphill road but not half as bad as the one we already had done.  I kept on my bike, I kept clipped in, well for most of the time.  I had to pull over to let this van through, he was good enough to drive behind me, waiting for a space to try and over take me, but I knew this road is to narrow, "Pull over when you can, we need to let this guy go" I called out to Naggy.  The next driveway we pulled in, the driver said "Thank you" very politely as he drove passed us towing his slightly wider trailer behind him!

We were not far off from the Biggin Hill road,  so close to the end of Jail Lane. There were a lot more houses, cars can get by and so the lovely down hill was almost there! We took a breather when we got to the end, then we took the right turn, destination, Keston!  I love going down that road, it's lovely, there are not so many potholes, the cars drivers seemed to give you space and its down hill!  Perfect.  I more or less free wheeled as much as I could, I kept catching up with Naggy.  Now either she was putting her brakes on or.......my bike is faster!  Especially with the weight ratio added in! 

At the bottom of the hill, of course there is a climb up again, chicken farm bends, as me and the Old Boy know them as.  I had psyched myself up as I rode down towards the round about that "I couldn't do it, it was too hard, your legs are jelly, your legs all relaxed after the free wheeling"  Not only but I had remembered there was no walking path along here, so I couldn't pull over if I wanted to!  I was wrong about that!  I was wrong that I couldn't get up the hill without stopping too. But my anxiety made me walk around the roundabout and up to the bus stop where I could start riding again.

Naggy was waiting at the top, just by the new roundabout, we took the left turn and it was a straight roll down to the Grey hound!  That pint of beer at the pub was just so good!  I stopped my Garmin only after I came out of the pub with our drinks and sat down in the lovely sunshine to enjoy them!

We went home via Barnet Wood Lane on to Oakly Road and then back through the path!  A gorgeous day, perfect cycling weather, I just wish I was cycling fit!  All in all I think we did about 13 miles, I had forgotten to switch my Garmin back on after the pub!

Here's my geeky stats anyway, can you check out the max speed!  Not bad for a fat bird at the back, full of doubts and anxiety issues!

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