After 2 weeks out of the saddle due to twisting my back and chipping my ankle playing cricket I decided this morning would be a good morning to go out for my usual Saturday morning ride around the Cambridgeshire countryside. We only ever do 20 miles and the pace is never too harsh so thought it a great way to get back in the saddle.
Anyway I roll up at 07:00 to find nobody there, as I am about to leave one of the regular 'quicks' turns up and we wait a few more minutes still nobody else is around so we head off, a mile down the road we pick up one more of the quicks who is flying along to get there as he is running late.
So there are 3 of us in total, me, 2 weeks out of the saddle and still nursing some minor injuries and 2 of our little groups quicker riders, this could be interesting. We have a quick chat and decide on a flattish route and head off towards newton. Fantastic morning for it this morning, sun is out and very little wind so we are making a reasonable pace but nothing that feels like its going to be too painful. We wind through the country lanes out through fowlmere, then shepreth, its then that its hits me that we are heading straight towards Barrington hill. I had not ridden this hill since I was a much younger man living in Harlton and I remember it being horrible back then, but with a bit of encouragement and my new clipless peddles I made the summit without too much effort. At the top we stopped and had a little chat and it was then my turn to lead out the way home.
Down the other side of Barrington hill, having to be careful as I remembered that the bottom creeps up on you very fast and if you misjudge it you are straight into a church wall, then a gentle wind through Haslingfield, Harston, back through Newton, Whittlesford and then home. All in all a very enjoyable ride and im not sure why I was so worried about it today, back and ankle have held up fine, just need them to get through cricket this afternoon.
The best suprise of the lot was when I looked at my stopwatch when I got off the bike, just over an hour and I hadnt stopped the clock either of the times we had had a little chat, average speed just shy of 19mph, cant wait for another one tomorrow. Ive added a link to the map of the ride for anyone that is interested
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37130638
Anyway I roll up at 07:00 to find nobody there, as I am about to leave one of the regular 'quicks' turns up and we wait a few more minutes still nobody else is around so we head off, a mile down the road we pick up one more of the quicks who is flying along to get there as he is running late.
So there are 3 of us in total, me, 2 weeks out of the saddle and still nursing some minor injuries and 2 of our little groups quicker riders, this could be interesting. We have a quick chat and decide on a flattish route and head off towards newton. Fantastic morning for it this morning, sun is out and very little wind so we are making a reasonable pace but nothing that feels like its going to be too painful. We wind through the country lanes out through fowlmere, then shepreth, its then that its hits me that we are heading straight towards Barrington hill. I had not ridden this hill since I was a much younger man living in Harlton and I remember it being horrible back then, but with a bit of encouragement and my new clipless peddles I made the summit without too much effort. At the top we stopped and had a little chat and it was then my turn to lead out the way home.
Down the other side of Barrington hill, having to be careful as I remembered that the bottom creeps up on you very fast and if you misjudge it you are straight into a church wall, then a gentle wind through Haslingfield, Harston, back through Newton, Whittlesford and then home. All in all a very enjoyable ride and im not sure why I was so worried about it today, back and ankle have held up fine, just need them to get through cricket this afternoon.
The best suprise of the lot was when I looked at my stopwatch when I got off the bike, just over an hour and I hadnt stopped the clock either of the times we had had a little chat, average speed just shy of 19mph, cant wait for another one tomorrow. Ive added a link to the map of the ride for anyone that is interested
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37130638
