Not me, Gaby!

So, apologies for being a bit late posting, but hasn't it just been a splendid day in Blighty?

With at least three more weeks of restrictions here, most people have settled into living in limbo, there really do seem to be fewer people running and cycling regularly, the novelty factor has run out so its really only hardened exercisers pounding the tarmac. Except of course on a warm and sunny Sunday, honestly, in a few locations I passed today you'd think there was a day off from SD/SI!

What has yours truly been up to?

Well Thursday, with a south easterly breeze locally, I headed out with the intention of looping the main Mendip massif but, and not for the first time, the route I set out on didn't go exactly where I thought which added around 20km to my route. So instead of reaching Shepton Mallet and turning west I found myself at Frome but at least it was warm and dry, my legs fairly fresh. My stop was eventually on a bit of disused railway outside Wells, my plan now was to follow that same Strawberry Line west towards the coast before heading back to Brizzle.

Another navigational 'error' had me on another km adding diversion before I picked up the trail again at Cheddar. One thing with railways, they mostly avoid steep inclines which is quite nice on a bike too and I made good time along the trail then once back on tarmac at Congresbury, started a laney route back to the airport (full of parked planes) and into Brizzle. A smidge over 130km and 1100m of going up.

Friday was allocated as running and writing, the run went quite well, the writing not so well, I ended up going for a shopping trip but my muse was having none of it.

Yesterday, Saturday, should have been bike day but the forecast was wet so instead I did get some writing done, a good lump of Trixie in fact, before taking a nice 9km walk in the now dry evening.

And so to today. This weekend should have been my regular trip to ride the Spreewald radmarathon south of Berlin which of course was cancelled. As my fitness level seems to be right up there atm, I set off to do a little more distance, not 200km but maybe 130km, most of which would be on a couple of very quiet trunk roads and still just about ticking the 'local' box. So it was into the wind along the A38 up to Gloucester before climbing up to Painswick where I stopped for my sandwich.

Then it was a nice drop to Stroud before climbing again, through Nailsworth back onto the Cotswolds. In theory the wind was on my shoulder now, it didn't always feel like it but a detour through Badminton put me on a road where it was, back to the A46 before a wiggly route to miss Bath city then back into Brizzle. I made my target, 140km and 1300m of up in a whisker under five and a half hours of saddle time.

Which is why this is so late. The last few rides have been, for me, quite fast, over 25kph average which considering I'm not on the best bike or even out of thermals completely, isn't bad for an old git. To put it into context, its not far off one of Gaby's solo training rides (you always ride faster in company) so whilst my list of aches and pains is still far too long, I'm pretty chuffed, its just a pity I can't turn this 'form' into 'competitive' results atm. Plans are in place to improve to summer clothing options this week, race shoes and pedals, summer bib shorts and hopefully no need to wear a hat which has given me an unsightly tan line!

What next? well more writing and running tomorrow - I'm hoping to get The Canterbury Tales finished this week which will clear the decks to get on with some new Gaby. The response to the posting of the short Trixie chapter last week is amazing, 2000 reads in a week, thank you, it really is nice to know a story is liked that much. I'm also hoping to get the 2nd edition of Gaby book 11 ready this week, busy, busy.

Oops, nearly forgot, there's a new Gaby chapter, Un Raced, Gaby sees the other side of the race scene first hand for a change.

Until next time,
Tschussie
Madeline Anafrid