Today Took Me Right Back...

Today's ride in the gorgeous April sunshine was reminiscent of last September's Paris to Venice ride, not least because 24 miles seemed to have the same effect today as 60 or 70 miles did back then!

But it was wonderful to be out on the quiet lanes and feeling the warm air and sun on my bare skin.

The bike felt heavy, almost as heavy as it did last year with all the luggage, but no matter. I took my usual route south and this time I held it together rather better on Hartest hill. Once at the top I decide to do the extra couple of miles to Stanstead village.

Once there, I decided to give myself one more little test by continuing to the main road. The short climb back to my usual picnic spot is one of those 'between gears' hills - I seem to find a lot of those when I'm unfit!

Even so, and despite feeling very stiff in recent days, I felt suprisingly good at halfway. A short break and a bite to eat and I was ready for the return. It made sense to restart in a lower gear than I have in the past and I was soon in a decent rhythm, if not at a great pace.

As usual, though, the home leg was faster than the outward one, but just by a few minutes this time. Overall, my outward leg was around 14 mph, and the home leg almost exactly 15 mph, which I'm always happy with.

It's just over six weeks to the St Edmunds Wheel...

Roy