A Nice Gentle Ride - Not!

Hello blog lovers.

We was on our bikes today. I love my bike! It seems long waits between our rides, but it is well worth the wait.

The OB decided that he wanted to do just about 10 miles. He gave me the route, verbally, which is bloomin useless to me, because my memory is like 'Dory' from 'Finding Nemo' But as we were riding along he had changed the route slightly anyway!

I thought it was just going to be a stretch of the legs, with a pint of lager when we get back to Pettswood, then a slow meander home to cook dinner.

Well it started off something like that. And then we got to Bromley. Up Bromely high street which the OB said that we wouldn't be doing, but he is not pleased with my lights. Did I tell you that some nasty little low life swiped my front light while I was on the sky ride!! Well anyway, I have ordered some new lights now, but in the mean time I have this other light and a head light, so I am ok ish and can be seen!

From here it was straight through the high street, but with some window shopping, and entertainment shopping. (seeing what is on at the local theatre!) It was a bit like it was in the winter and spring, because we stopped off at a 'forward supply depot' cunningly disguised as a mini mart. We stocked up on our chocolate, very important when you do more than five miles! Check out the geeky stats, all those calories, they need replacing!

This is where it changed again. We were not going to go to PettsWood from here, we were going for a pint at the Tigers. They do some lovely olives in there. But that does mean choosing to do one of those rather awful hills. Either Summer Hill, or Old Hill. We opted for Old Hill. It was that hill way back in January that had me walking up from almost the bottom to the top. In fact, I have not yet ridden up the whole hill, not even in chunks. I have always walked up quite a bit of it.

Today I was determined, determined to do my utmost best to get to the top of this bloody hill! I started off ok, I tried not to think about it as it starts off with just a slight incline. Then the pressure on the peddles start as it gets steeper. I dig down deep, change down to another lower gear and try again to keep my pace going. It gets steep fairly quickly after that, I changed down as quickly as I can to keep my pace going. "Get out of that seat" the OB says. I tried, but my backside stayed firmly glued to the seat. My hands gripping on to the handle bars. "Dig deep Old Girl, come on, get your arse of the seat" I think to my self, then the Old boy says again, "Come on, stand up on those peddles" I tried it, I stood up, I pushed down on my legs to get up this awful hill. My Goodness! The pain, it was only for a split second, but I just couldn't do it, my feet came of the peddles as I pulled over to the side. "I can't do it" I said.

The last thing that I wanted to do was to walk, I am not going to let this hill beat me again. I rest up for a few minutes and then back onto the saddle for another attempt to reach the top. There was a narrow part of the road, there were cars behind me waiting for me to get up, and there was cars in front of me, waiting for the cars behind me to go so that they could go. The pressure was just to much, I felt all those pairs of eyes in the traffic behind and in front of me, watching, daring me to get off my bike and walk so that they could drive off.

I did as they wished! The Old Boy rode on up the hill with a pitiful tut tut directed at me. As I stood on the pavement watching his lights go on up the hill, I took ten steps up. "Darn it woman, get back on there and ride, ride ride. Not stop now till the top" I did it! it bloody hurt, but I did it!

Riding that much of Old hill is a step in the right direction for me! I know I am getting stronger! Its obvious to me! I could never have done that much of the hill at the beginning of the year, and who knows, by the end of it maybe I can ride the whole of it!

I was well in need of my pint of lager and olives now, just to rehydrate myself, I was rather sweaty by the time I got to the top. We got to the pub and enjoyed our beer.

But it was getting late, and we still had dinner to cook! So the OB said "Ok, a direct route home, no going through the park" And that's what we did. But we did push it! I peddled as hard as I could, well as hard as was needed to keep a good pace going. I think we did ok on the last 3 miles back home!

Anyway geeky stats for you.

Cycle Ride With Alan by moosh001 at Garmin Connect - Details

Yeah! I'm on my Bike!

Hello blog lovers.

Well, I wasn't going to do any sort of exertion until Saturday, but I thought a nice little short bike ride to 'The George' would be nice.

Well you can imaging my surprise, when I was in my own little world, automatic pilot, to turn right into Church Lane and the Old Boy went straight on, heading towards the bus garage. "I thought you were just going for a quick pint before dinner" I yell at the OB, "No, I said I was going for a ride then a pint" he corrects me! Oh yes! he did say something like that. I am just glad that I did change into the right sort of attire, i.e. no flapping jeans and nice brightly coloured top on!

We headed off up the A21, boy have I missed this hill...........NOT, well strangely as it seems, I have really. The long rides me an the Ob used to have, rides that got our heart rates up, the muscles working in our legs, and knowing that we had done good ride worth of a pint or two.! I wished I had put my Garmin on! I have become so blaze` about the bike riding, and the tiny little 5 mile rides, I have not been documenting! But as this was way over twice that far I thought I had better blog it!

Our first stop (apart from regrouping at GST) was the tigers head in Chislehurst. Where a well deserved pint of lager was to be consumed, and then we would head on home................Oh blimey, I forgot to say, as we were leaving the house today, checking on whether we had everything, patches for punctures, pump and canisters, lights....... well there was the problem. My front light was missing!! Now I can't remember whether I had it after the Sky Ride in London a couple of weeks ago, as I have not been on my bike since then, but I cannot find my front light! I can only think that it has gone missing either on the Sky ride, or when I went for breakfast, Oh well, it just shows, that there is no solidarity where anyway really, if somebody wants something they will have it..... ok.....moan over.

Any way from the pub at chislehurst I had this headlight on. I just hoped the car drivers would know that I was a cyclist on the road!

To be fairly safe we decided to go through the woods. WOW, what great fun that is! Its Scary, and frightening and fun and exciting. All I could see was what my head light was showing me, so I had to look where I wanted to go! Every so often I looked up so I could see the red 'Kit' light of the OB back light, and the look at the ground again to see where I was riding, and to avoid, rocks, roots and bits or tree!!

Needless to say we got through the woods safely, (although I kind of lost the path just before 'Dog poo' ally,) ....... in fact so did the Old Boy!. We stopped off at Bradleys for one last pint (and half) before heading off home for dinner!

A very nice ride this evening, and we even spotted another friend of ours cycling the other way, who was totally oblivious to us going in the opposite direction! I guess the difference between pleasure rides and commuting rides maybe?

so geeky stats, according to the OB bike gizmo.



12 miles in 1.00 average of about 12 miles an hour!

Sky Ride 2011!

Hello bloggees,

Another Sunday of missing church, but being out in His creation is good also. Mind you, the streets of London I think 'man' had a hand in building.

Yes it is that time of year again. The Mayor of London sky Ride! Big son is coming again. Getting him out of bed was a mission! Bags packed, Garmin strapped on and off we go.

We were going to use the led ride to London again, as I said last year, this is just so much fun, and we all met up at Bromley South. I did say to Big Son last year, that we didn't actually have do the whole ride around London, we could just find a nice spot to chill and relax and wait for the ride home. But I had my Garmin, I wanted to know how much of London was covered by the no cars signs, he was not impressed!

I am not good at judging how many people there are in a group, but here, take a look a just some of them behind me,






We were soon on our way. Up the road towards London Town! And I know that the ride leader knows how to flatten out the roads, a kind of serpentine effect, but I will know for sure when I upload the geeky stats, which so far I still not done.

Pushing through the traffic, stopping the cars from going along their merry way, with all their pollution pouring out of their exhausts. Some of the drivers did get irate, but most waved and smiled and just sat patiently.

There were a couple of incidents on the way there, a little girl kind of toppled over her handle bars, and got a grazed knee. But after a plaster a hug from mum she was soon back to riding. Then at the other end of the age scale, one of the more mature ladies fell off her bike, but she was ok as well. And then just to top it off, and to show its not just females that fall off their bikes an elderly gentleman had a bit of a topple as well.

We met up with the Crystal Palace led ride and converged into an even bigger group, we continued our ride into London Town. There were all sorts of bikes, little ones, big ones, trikes 'bents and one with a box of kids in the front!

We arrived in London, and after some congrats all round, and a reminder of what time we shall be all leaving it was time to explore London. But Big Son could only think of his tummy, and to be honest that was all I thought of too. We decided not to join in the Sky ride just yet, but to go and hunt down some grub.

We ended up in Convent Garden. We were crossing bridges that were not free from traffic, and boy was it busy! We had a lovely Sandwich in a pub, I believe its called the Punch and Judy, (bloody expensive though) I only bought out £25 pounds, and Big Son had already tucked into some of that at Bromley for an energy drink! We had both missed out on breakfast.

After being suitable refreshed we tried to find our way to join in on the sky ride. It didn't take that long. We started to ride towards the bridges and tunnels, and Tower of London. But by now it was raining! (Just as well we didn't want to chill in the sun) We got to Tower of London, and it was getting harder. I managed to persuade Big Son to take a picture, here take a look.



So after this we hid under some bridges, and then decided to spend the last of our cash on a cappuccino, we nursed that for about 2 hours before our ride home.

Anyway, I am going on and on again. (as usual) The ride back was just as good as the ride there, the marshalling was brilliant, the atmosphere fantastic and a few irate car drivers to make us smile.

Geeky stats for you. I did my usual 'forgetting to turn it off and on' but I think I have most of our moving time recorded.

Oh My Goodness!

Hello bloggers,

Just a shortie, after the park run and after buying new shoes, me and the OB decided to go for a bike ride to the pub on the other side of Hayes common. It's a great pub, and what better way to relax, after getting a PB, paying a small fortune on running shoes, and a quick bit of house work!

We had a couple of pints here and then decided to go home, but via the local pub to us. On the way tho, I needed to.... well......fluid retention is not a good look, shall we say. I thought I may be able to make it to the pub, but after attempting to ride down and up the other side of this little hill, I caught my bike peddles in the dirt and fell off my bike!! The Old Boy was laughing his head off, I was laughing, and I just needed to go there and then. So I abandoned the bike and walked down to the river, and, well I'm sure I don't have to explain. In the meantime the OB had similar thoughts as well. I could see him laughing at me, but I just carried on. Until that is, a jogger ran passed at the top of the path. In my embarrassment and slightly inebriated state, I thought to my self "Oh please don't look" Which had the OB in complete stitches by now, and the jogger laughing his head off as he continued his run.

To my horror I realised I hadn't said those words in my head, I had actually called out!! But the jogger was a gentleman and he didn't look! Thankfully.

So, lesson learned, use loo before continuing to next pub, or home! Which ever is on route!!

On My Bike Again!

Hello bike blog lovers!

It has been a while hasn't it. Well, to be truthful, I have been on the bike several times, but it has only been for around 5 miles at a time! With a stop half way round, several beverages sunk, and then back home.

Today, ......albeit similar, it was a longer ride. Total round trip was about 11 miles, with an average mph of about 11 mph. Just a plod along really, but with a couple of nasty hills!

I had forgotten to take my Garmin, so all those geeky stats from from the Old Boys bike gizmo, which seems to work only when it wants to at the mo. Put it this way, it told me I was doing 4 mph! 4 mph! I don't blooming think so! I was doing far more than that!

The Old Boy, I'm sure, is getting ready for the much cooler and winter months. His encouragement (and of course I mean nagging) wasn't as bad has in the first couple of months this year, but you can tell, he is getting ready.

Already you feel the difference in the air in the morning, although this evening it was rather warm and muggy. I have decided that the Old Boy only nags me ooops sorry, encourages me to go faster, just to get home quicker! Which quite frankly I don't blame him!

I can't believe that we went riding through January, February and March. Obviously when the snow was think of the floor then we didn't go, I went for runs instead, with my club!!

But the route today was a fairly simple route, up the lane to the A21, left to GSG, then on to Orpi'. We didn't go up the by pass. It would have made me sad and crazy, and all vigilante-fied if I had seen the looters out again! Instead, we rode up Knoll Rise. A bloomin steep hill!! But I did it.

The Old Boy came up along side me, I was puffing and panting, and trying very hard not to grip my handle bars so tightly, and he looked like he was on a down hill Sunday afternoon 'mooch about'. How, why? It seems so impossible for me, right now, to be even thinking of being at that stage! What more do I have to do?

After that is was fairly flat.....ish! Just one last big hill, and that was my other nemesis! after we had turned right from going up Knoll Rise! There is road works on this road, and the lights were red. It gave me a little time to get myself ready for the ascent up this. I managed again to defeat this hill. I was blowing out or every orifice by this time, but I blooming did it. I was so looking forward to getting to the Tigers Head!

There is a gentle incline from about here, to the tigers, and I was feeling every cm that we climbed up. (I am such wimp) but at least I did it, non stop, all the way to the Tigers.

After a beverage or two, we headed off home. It was dark now, so we decided to stay on the roads rather than go through the woods. It had been raining a bit earlier, so it would have been quite muddy and slippery as well. But The way we were going was out of the Tigers, and turning left! Heading for Summer hill!

I almost managed to get to the top this time round. The long ride down was easy peasy obviously, but I have got to learn which gear I should be in by the time I get to the ride up. I tried staying in a high gear for as long as possible, but then I got tired very quickly when I got on the up section, and I could work out which way I should be changing gears..................yes I know that I needed to change down.......but due to the suddenness of the ascent, I just I flapped and kept changing up instead of down!

So this time I Thought I would change down first, after all, I go faster than my peddles can peddle, when I am going down hill. But this wasn't right right. Because I just didn't have the power there to get up the hill! So what is the right way. Obviously, something in between those two scenarios.

Anyway, we got home safe and sound, no looters/thieving little toe rags about, and no getting arrested for imitating a cyclist (The Old Boys little joke!) and a lovely delicious chilli con carne sitting on the stove!!! MMMM, wonderful!

There a nice short blog!! (ish)

Cudham North Lane? Enjoy? Is It Possible!

Hello Blog readers.

I haven't been on a bike ride for ages it seems, well, I have had the odd trip out to the pub and back with the Old Boy, but nothing to write home about (Or blog about) So today, as I have no children I decided to test myself, see how far I can get before I cry off and say "I can't do it"

My route today was Cudham North Lane, here after known as CNL! A horrible long, laborious climbing hill. Not Only that but I had decided to go to Biggin Hill, then to Keston, and see How I felt after that!

But before all that took place, I had to put a hose on to my bike, I had run through something awful on the last 'pub ride' and it was stinking the whole shed out! I didn't fancy having that as a go faster stripe on my nice yellow top!

The weather was quite warm but a bit windy, I put on my fleece because it did seem that there might be a rain cloud up above, I can always tie it around my waist later, which no doubt I will definitely be doing!

The first few hills seemed horrible, and that was just going up the A21, you can tell I have not been on a 'proper' ride for a while, so I just tried to ignore the hills, knowing that I have some awful hills to climb up soon helped me to visualise these tiny pimples of hills as just specks of dust! Ok, slight exaggeration, but you get my drift.

I have plans to make this ride a non stop all the way to at least Biggin Hill, where I will buy myself a nice cool cola, (I had forgotten to put my water bottle on my bike) luckily I had cash on me, and maybe even enough for a choccie bar there too! It seemed the turn off to CNL, came all too quickly, and I still had on my fleece, so the the next flat drive way I shall get myself comfy and in that special place in my head and just spin all the way to the top.

I was doing really well, at least I thought I was, until another cyclists came up the side of me and overtook me! She looked very comfortable, and just kind of casually riding along, unlike me, puffing out of my..... But she looks as if she has been doing this for years! Skinny thing, and so was she! The tyres on her bike were as thin as a hair band!

But I just kept on plodding away, kept my legs spinning, no stopping, just kept on keeping on! So you can imagine my surprise when I caught up with her again! But when I tell you that she had actually stopped to chat to another cyclist, then you wont be that surprised! But they said to me "Well done for getting up the hill!" I knew I still had loads more to do, but I was.....quite.....enjoying it! Strangely enough! I know, I find myself thinking back to that place, and trying to remember if, in fact, enjoyment was the emotion I was feeling. And it was! Just the fact that I was doing this non stop so far, and I wasn't even thinking about pulling over to stop for a rest.

Just then the girl on her skinny bike came past me, and we had a quick chat as she told me the other chap she was speaking to was a chap from her cycle club, and he was riding in the opposite direction, down hill! The she continue on her way, overtaking me up the road.

Onwards and upwards. I am sure I should have taken a right turn somewhere. It seems to go on forever this road, I had already passed the pub. It seems different when I am on my own, I am in control of route today! But then Grays Road soon showed itself, and I headed on up there.

This is another quite hilly road, with some little steep bits that kind of jump out and surprise you. I remember the first time I went up here they showed them selves that quick that I got confused with my gears and was changing up instead of down! But I was ready for it today.

I got to the top of this road and then turned right towards Biggin hill. I had decided that I will get myself a diet cola and a bit of choccie at the next sweetie shop that comes up. And I also decided that I am going to Keston, then on to Bromley, and then see how I feel from there as to which way I shall take to go home.

Biggin Hill road is lovely, I am sure its newly laid! No potholes there at all as I cycle past the airport! I got quite a bit of speed on this part of the route, it sure coolde me down.

More hills as I start to look out for the road that will take me to Keston. I can feel my muscles start to complain a bit now. But I have no time for that, Bromley was my destination so I just have to ignore the aches and get on with it.

The turn off for Keston. It all seems to be happening quick. That CNL is certainly a long boring road! So much more interesting having to turn left and right, look for signs as to which way to go! At Keston now! So soon, I must have been speeding or something! I knew there was roundabout which I knew I had to make sure I took the right exit which will take me towards Hayes, or else I would end up at West Wickeham, I think!

Passing the pub on the right, The George! I wonder if the Old Boy wants to make a visit there later! He is having a rest day, but sometimes his rest days include a short bike ride for a swift pint!

Bromley is in spitting distance now, and I am still feeling quite good. Maybe I could make Chislehurst, I shall see when I get through Bromley. The little hill that takes you to the High street really hurt my legs now, but there was still no stopping for me, only at traffic lights. I was feeling a little tired now, and I was thinking maybe from the other side of Bromley I shall make my way home.

Through the high street and up towards Old Bromley before I turn right in the direction of home. I decided that Chislehurst will have to wait until next time!

A few more hills to get up before I get home. I feel pretty happy with my ride today. 23 miles! And for the fact that I didn't get lost!!

Geeky stats

I Was Stiched Up!

Hello blog readers.

Today me and the Old Boy dusted off our bikes for a quick ride. He is feeling pretty achy today, (he went jogging yesterday and the day before, doing about 2 or so miles each time) He said to me "Lets just go for a very short ride to the George and back" he says, "I don't think I can do much more than that"

Well, I do like the George, and its only about 3 miles away, so that makes about a six mile round trip if I done my sums right! so we set off for the George. Have a lager there, packet of crisps and some olives! A regular little feast really, and the The old Boy informs me that we are not going through the farm, but straight up, and either to Keston or Locksbottom.

As it turned out we did both! But after we go through Locksbottom, he says to me "Do you fancy just one more pint?" Well, how can I resist. I love my lager! So I said "Yes, love another" But then he continued, "Yes, I was thinking of the Bull, in Chislehurst"

Now the Bull in Chislehurst is a little further then Pettswood is from our current position! And Pettswood is so much nearer to our home than Chislehurst! But, being the biker that I am, and feeling fairly fit (ish) I agreed.

Of course we had already done some hills, and then there was some more hills to get up to Chislehurst, but I had the Old Boy giving me encouraging noises from behind! And plus the songs that he was singing out loud, 'The Push bike song' by the Mixtures! circa 1969 (I shall have to check on that tho!) Of course I wouldn't remember I was still so very very young! (Well its true!)

I was so very ready for this pint. But as we were enjoying it I asked the question "Which way we going home, through the woods?" It was then the he gave me emthe look/em> It was the look that says 'Oh dear, poor you!' The he said "It will be very muddy through the woods, what with the rain, so we are going down and up Summer hill"

I should ave guessed really! Its a hilly ride, so why not add one of the biggest to to! But there is one good thing about it, at least we are going the easier way, down the longest part of the hill and up the shortest part.

The Old Boy breezed it up there, I struggled. I got confused with my gears again as I hit the upward part of the hill, and I was in too high a gear, and I tried to change down, but just came to a complete stop as I started to change up! But after a quick rest, I was back up on the peddles, ass off the seat and peddle up to the top to see the Old Boy there waiting for me

It was quite late note, so a quick stop off for a bag of chips to go with our salad, and I shall slap a bit of ham on the plate, and voila, a meal fit for a queen!

Geeky stats