Trip 1
Well, not exactly trip one, but my first big adventure in that I decided to go even further and attempt the real hill. Got to the bottom of the slope, went down in to a low gear and pressed on. Managed to get two-thirds of the way up before I had to get off and walk. Well, I thought it was two-thirds up, when I got to where I thought the top was, it wasn't the top, you know how it is with hills. However, I got back on the bike and carried on my way. Once I really had got to the top it was flat all the way, along the main road for a bit, only a couple of cars went past, turned by the ironworks and then round the back of the tip and beyond. I've been along the road that goes beyond the tip a couple of times before and I knew I'd be fine because it was a gentle downhill slope all the way. So I'm pootling along, a bit of light peddling, feeling quite pleased although a bit tired, and turned the corner. Who the hell put that hill there then? Bloody hell, it was small, but unfortunately steep. It was hard work but eventually I made it to the top. Mind you, it was well worth it, the view was lovely. No time to stop though, luckily it really was downhill next and then mostly flat until home.
Trip 2
Repeated the above trip and did the whole lot by bike, even the first big hill which I didn't have to walk up, but I did have to stop momentarily at the top to allow burning pain in legs to subside, 40mins whole trip, even added an extra detour. Well chuffed. Couldn't sit down though when I got back due to cocyx pain.
Trip 3
Today. On a high from last trip, decide to do same trip, but in reverse. Adrian bought me a helmet today, I am grateful, but was not entirely pleased as I feel like a right tit in it. However, on relection, I decided that a 40 year old red-faced, puffed-out fat bird on a bike with pasty legs and cycle shorts looks a bit of a tit anyway, so what difference was the helmet making? One car came past me on my trip, unfortunately a parent from school. I put my head down and pretended not to notice. Anyway, this trip started out with the usual 'flat, but not flat road' and then flatish for a long way until the hills start. Well, I thought this might be a better trip to make because it's mostly flat to start with so that will give my legs time to warm-up before the hills start, so getting up them should be easier. However, as I now had the right headgear, I had also decided in my wisdom that I should wear my trainers and not my pumps as these would protect my feet better in case of an accident. Did you know that trainers add several kilograms of weight to each foot and therefore make the going a lot harder, especially when combined with riding head-on into the wind?
So by the time I reached the junction where the hill starts I was already half-knackered. But I perservered, I've done steep hills before, how bad could it be? I think I managed about 10 metres. Walked the rest of the way to the top where I stopped, purely to admire the view and have a drink. Carried on and eventually reached the junction beyond the tip. Here I had two choices, either go right, downhill immediately, but face a small hill at the bottom, which I knew I just couldn't handle. Or go left, a longer trip, but all flat until the decsent. I went left. I nearly died. Into the wind most of the way and a good part of it along the main road where I didn't want to stop. Well actually I did want to stop, I just thought it best not to. Eventually reached my turn-off where I pulled in and found myself using language that would get me a part in a porn movie. (F*** yeah. Oh. My. God. etc etc. It was the relief of making it to the junction). Carried on a bit more, wind behind me now, stopped by the wind turbines (purely for more water and to admire turbines of course). Tractor starts coming along road behind me so I decide to set off in front of it, although with hindsight, once I'd set off I thought that may have been a bad idea - tractors are slow when you're stuck behind them in a car, but probably not when they're behind you on two wheels and pedals. Anyway, just a 100 metres or so of light pedalling and then it was downhill all the way home, and not once did I pedal again! It was just reward for my efforts I think. Just one more vital piece of equipment needed - sports bra. It's funny how going at speed on a bike can make you aware of just how bad the road surface is.
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