Woke up this morning to clear blue shies and
Our idea was to head for the beach to get some rays and maybe and ice cream or 2 and forget anything about bikes.
Then....
I had a brainwave
why not get the bikes in the car and drive up to North somerset and The Strawberry Line, an old railway line running fom Yatton to Cheddar. So that is what myself and Mrs Aud did. It was, depending on how you view it, either a total disaster, or an unremitting success
!!!
I should say Mrs Aud likes her old hybrid bike, but last year bought a spesh Dolce road bike. Although she is happy with it, it has never really got to her. However, as my new road bike has disc brakes, my old (8 months old approx) Pro Lite Bracciano wheels had been put on her bike. To add to the issues, she has had major knee surgery and has to pedal with her heel, she is also quite self conscious of herself.
So, off we headed.
Parked up at Yatton train station (£1.40 all day) got the bikes out and set off
First off, the surface isnt that good for road bikes, it is ok for everything else though. Secondly, busy wasn't the word, so many bikes, kids, dogs, walker and fwits milling about.
Once out of the mass it did thin out a bit but some parts were muddy. We had agreed if she felt tired then we would turn back, and as it is uphill to Cheddar i didn't see any problems.
At the 8 mile mark we stopped to enjoy the view and to have a snack. Mrs Aud then said we would turn here, rather than going into cheddar as she didnt want to overdo it, that was fine with me and so we turned back. This is where it got interesting!!!
After a mile or so she said, "I thought it was uphill on the way back".
When i explained that we had in fact been going uphill and since turning round it was all downhill she said "but we went downhill to get here".
Now she knows what a decent set of wheels does
We got back to the car all to quickly, with Mrs Aud shooting through the narrow metal posts that are meant to slow people down, got dripped on in the tunnel and really started to like the bike. She has said its been transformed and even said she is going to sell the hybrid
So, as a bike ride for distance, effort, etc, not very good.
As a ride of revelation, well it can't get any better.
16 miles all in.
I have now been given the task of planning a flat 25 miler across the somerset Levels for when the sun is out next.
Through the orchard.
The Tunnel.
Above Axbridge/
Blue sky.
Nice view for a stop and a snack.
What a nice day.
Most of the route is road free, this is about the only bit you do on tarmac.
My buddy is off to cycle around Morocco on Tuesday... I'm not jealous 
A picture says a thousand words and this just about sums it up.
Folks at the cafe thought my Banoffe Tart was a little small so they piled on a box of coconut cookies. Which was a good job as the sun came out and my mate suggested we should go for a longer ride; counting the slow trundle through town it was a 130miles day.
