and all that

Well maybe that's overstating things a little but things have improved a little, i'm feeling a little more positive and i know i made a quick post on Friday but lets go back a day.

Anyone who knows me or reads these missives will know that i ride bikes - a lot, I bought my first 'racer' when i was 13 and started racing later the same year. Since then my 'passion' has often dominated my life becoming my go to transport mode, given me friendships, employment and adventure. There have been times when, for medical or other reasons i've not been able to ride which has driven me crazy. Don't get me wrong, there have been times when the thought of riding has been 'sod that' but generally that's wet related and not bike.

So the last month has been quite a trial, after my German adventure at the beginning of December, a series of punctures followed by weeks of cold weather hasn't stopped my rides but they've been short and a bit unfulfilling. The problem was that i just couldn't get the enthusiasm to go further even when the weather has been a bit more clement, both frustrating and not good for my mental health, i couldn't even be bothered to fit the new tyre when it arrived. Something had to change and soon.

Thursday was the day, i was determined to break the cycle, a forecast promising 5c didn't mention the fog hanging around but i set off with a plan and having got past Aquae Sulis, headed onto roads i'd not seen for a month or more. Lunch stop at Chippenham, chips and sausage, then with lights still blazing it was back across the Cotswold massif to end the ride with 86km and @ 550m of up. Not a huge day but i felt pretty good and had enjoyed it despite the low visibility.

Then, for reasons known only to my strange thought processes, i ended up booking a trip to the German Weihnachtsmarkt in December. I'm not doing my own thing as such this time, its an organised coach 'tour', to be honest a cheap deposit and everything arranged for me is about half what it cost me this last time. I shall still do some extra to itinerary side trips, the benefit of lots of local knowledge, but a better quality hotel and pretty much door to door service can't be faulted.

Friday i allocated to writing, if you read my Friday missive you'll know that i completed a new short story which is currently only available to my Patreon supporters but will be posted here at BC shortly. Once that was done i had a short walk to the shops, a bit of retail therapy even if it was only food!

And so to Saturday, a grey but dry forecast suggested a good riding day for January so i struck out north, aiming for a lunch stop at Stroud. It felt a little cooler than i was hoping for but it was dry, even under wheel and i made good time to my stop where i decided on a bigger meal than i usually have to ensure i had enough calories to get back. The return involved climbing onto the Cotswold lump, it didn't feel freezing but it certainly wasn't warm.

I was chuffed to see a small flock of egrets, i even got a poor picture but wildlife was a bit short the rest of the day. A hundred and ten kilometres, 998m of up, a harder day for sure and when i checked, the temperature reached a high of 0c and not even that through the afternoon! I need to get back to the longer rides even if a cold five hour stint in the saddle is quite tiring.

Today then, well, once i finish here i'll go for a bit of a walk, it won't be far but it'll keep my legs moving and continue my almost five year run of at least a short walk every single day, rain or shine. Then for tea, Aunty Bev fancied steak so i'll be sorting that out, pepper sauce, fried onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, newish potatoes and followed by German marble cake with cream, the big meal of the week.

I bet you thought i'd forgotten, yes its Sunday which can mean only one thing, its Gaby day! Today its Routine, part 24 of Smell of the Crowd, there is some exciting news for the band ahead of the next gig.

Enough then for today, more from Brizzle on Wednesday,
Ciao,
Madeline Anafrid

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