Oh, it's been a while

But I'm back!

I've even been riding my bike(s).

Ashton Court a couple of times with the Junior Cheddar Valley Cyclist. Still insisting that we stick to made trail centres, just wait, I'll take him to Dartmoor and get him lost, that'll learn him.

Anyway, I was probably conspicuous by my absence at the Annual 2nd Ride in January ACG meet last week, but I haven't been idle..... far from it, I have been inducting (inducing sounds far too obstetric for me) new riders into the world of cycling. JrCVC has a mate who got a road bike for Christmas. His Dad has recently taken ownership of a nice Trek on the C2W scheme, so for the last couple of weeks we have been out and exploring the lanes around Wedmore and Stone Allerton. So, a cast iron reason for missing the ride, maybe.


Here are the JrCVC, his mate and his mates Dad. Apologies for the German national cycling jersey, but for £1.99 from e-bay for a pure wool, Nike cycling jersey it could have been any national flag................... well except Wales obviously, there is limits!

I have entered the Dunkery Dash Audax in March, so will need to grow a beard, get a silly cap and somehow procure a Carradice saddlebag by then, but 104km, self-navigated from North Petherton to Dunkery Beacon and back in the freezing bloody cold sounds like a hoot I'm sure you'll agree. I think I have rashly agreed to do the Merry Monk and another one over the Solstice weekend. ooeerr!

Mileage this year so far then..... actually, I'll have to go and look (I'll edit this later)

It's Fenny how things always turn out Sweet

Saturday morning, bright, crisp, as my old drill instructor used to shout at us, "It's a fine Grenadier morning, too fine for a bunch of useless bloody tossers like you. Now get in step and get it f'ing together" He was a bit of a git to be honest, typical Guardsman, 6' 2" tall, steep peaked cap and with the type of personality that if he hadn't joined the Army, he could have made a fine career as a cat strangler or going through peoples bins looking for old copies of Warlord or Smash Hits.

But he was right, the morning was a fine one, and we managed to get it together. Well, I say together, we were together in an elasticy type of way. I had a go at the front for a while, but the responsibility was too much and I decided that I couldn't be responsible for any navigational carnage, so I regained my place, and carried on getting covered in mud.

The nice flat route was headed towards Fenny Castle tea rooms. By all accounts a very decent tea-room, with a welcoming host and large portions. Ideal. The ride leader, The Roleur Himself, had done his research. What could possibly go wrong eh? Well, they could advertise themselves as being open, but be closed I suppose, that would rather stuff up the 9 hungry and thirsty cyclists wouldn't it? What made the situation even more troublesome was the desire to not retrace any roads we had already used, this was obviously not going to possible though. Besides we all needed some cake or a sarni.

You can see a pictue of the cake that was consumed on the Mayors blog, 'twas luverly.

There was a bit of a split in the group after Wedmore, so I took the opportunity to sulk off home alone, there seemed little point in going to Axbridge, only to turn around and come home again.

Another very enjoyable ride, with plenty of laughs and some quality banter. I am off to get some hill practice now ready for the 22nd, I can feel a series of increasing disances and gradients looming over the horizon!

One ride down.....

So then, a heady start to the New Year, I had my stuff ready to go out with the ACG, but at the last minute, well about 20 past nine on New Years Eve, I toppled over the edge of the 'Sod it, one more then' rubicon. You know how it goes, one more turns into a bottle of mulled cider and bingo....you're arsed!

Redemption was needed, so I went and put 45 miles in today. I wouldn't have, but I needed to pick the car up from Nailsea as it wasn't going to drive itself home.

I am back at work tomorrow, so the daily commute begins again, that'll be 24 miles a day, I would say without trying, but I mean without having to go out specially. I am going to try and find a mileage widget for this blog, there must be one somewhere on t'internet, I just need to find one. If anyone knows a decent one, then please forward me the link. I Googled 'Cycle Widget' earlier, and nearly wound up including an ovulation calendar widget on here!

Miles this year 45