So here we are, at last!

Well firstly, one part of the reason for missing last nights update was not being able to get onto BC, i've had the same issue today – I hope its nothing too serious at BC central.

So first lets catch up with the week – well Monday was a wash out – not weatherwise but my feet were still feeling Sundays hike so instead of a run and shopping, it was just the latter which allowed me to write a new Gaby chapter.

Tuesday then, with a mid 20's forecast was always gonna be a decentish ride and my destination was to be Ross on Wye, at the top corner of the Forest of Dean. I had toyed with several route scenarios but decided in the end to keep things simple so I set off for the first 50km leg straight up the A38 which these days is almost devoid of traffic. Once there I joined the cross country A40, the map promised some climbing before dropping to the Wye valley so I stopped to fortify myself with a bacon sarnie and cuppa before pushing on.

The road wasn't too busy, less so after the Monmouth turn which marked the start of the climbing. It wasn't overly steep or too many metres gained but for several kilometres the road twisted about through the trees to reach the 150m contour then bobbled about around that before dropping to Ross. I can't recall ever having been before, it seems a nice little place and I ended up taking my lunch break down by the river.

It was getting warm by now so I broke from my shady bower and started the return trip, initially down the Wye valley then climbing up into the Forest through the curiously named English Bicknor (there is a Welsh Bicknor too which is in England as well but across the river). Over the top to Cinderford then the long ride down the western fringe of the Forest to Chepstow and my recrossing of the Severn.

The GPS had @ 120km clocked and I was feeling quite tired so I took the line of least resistance rather than the slightly longer route i'd planned on using. Even so, by the time I stopped I had 157km recorded and was exhausted from the wind, heat and the effort. Yup not just long but 1360m climbed and the average speed was still 26kph!

My exhaustion then, is the other half of the non posting excuse!

And to today, i've uploaded the Book 2 chapter, Girls will be Girls as well as the usual current book offering, today being Boris The Bad.

As for the pictures – well here are a few from Sundays perambulation into the countryside.

And a couple from yesterdays bike ride