Spokeshirts Blog

Easy. No, that’s not true at all. We set off at about 9.30am along the coast road heading, um, south, and to be honest anything could have happened and we wouldn’t have minded, we were just so pleased to get going. We were passed by 2 vintage tractors which we saw again at about 2pm parked in a layby, with the drivers sat in a camper van. We were invited in for very welcome food and drinks – thanks tractor boys. We might just follow the camper van to LE. Up Berridale was not fun, but not as bad as hills we’ve trained on. Last 10 miles were against a harsh headwind, got to B&B at 5.30, tired but happy. Missing wife and kids lots. Full version will be written up on return. Probably.

After a lazy weekend Mel and I seem ready to go. Went out for an hour and a half with Phil on the mountain bike yesterday, just to keep the legs working. Knee was a bit sore but the magic stretches soon sorted that out. Plane leaves tomorrow at 12ish. Tally ho.

The couriers put the cat amongst the pigeons by telling us they wanted to despatch the bikes to John O’Groats today, not Friday as planned. Mel swore. I would never do such a thing.

So, with the courier booked at 3pm, Mel arrived at 2.40pm with a wild look in his eye, and a pannier in his hand. We weren’t really prepared, so just chucked everything we could find in the two bike boxes. I’ve already written to the B&B (who are receiving the bikes) to apologise in advance. We’ve also written a list of things we’ve forgotten to pack. It’s quite long.

With only a couple of weeks to go, Mel and I got together last Sunday for a loop of South Gloucestershire and Bath, just skirting Bradford on Avon. I didn’ t really know where we were going  – just did a quick GPS route the night before. Mel, however has PUBGPS and can navigate between drinking establishments with his eyes shut. Even when he said he didn’t know where we were he seemed to know that there was a pub around the next corner. He’s not very economical – about 10miles per pint he reckons, which is about 95 pints on the JOGLE.

He also warned me about riding behind him when he’s eaten lentils. I can hardly wait. On the plus side he wore bib shorts for the first time and got a sore arse.

My left knee started twinging at 35 miles, and kept hurting for the remaining 20. I couldn’t walk Sunday night and Mel made me go to the physio the next day. Oh how they laughed. Apparently my right leg is all over the place, and the left one fine. Have Ibuprofen for breakfast and do some stretching, and it’s all fine.

The ride was lovely though. Seeing all those poor sods frying away in their cars trying to get home from Badminton Horse Trials made it especially worthwhile.

Gorgeous pub somewhere outside Bath – only people in the pub garden – what a waste.

You can only wonder just how many more medals Chris Hoy would have won if he’d had Mel as a coach. His log from this weekend.

“I did cycle back from Taunton last Sunday, took a lanes route, direct route
is about 70, the route I took was 83 miles. Nice ride, Glastonbury, Wells,
over the Mendips – bloody huge hill – Bath – straight up the otherside to
Lansdowne and the Race Course – bloody huge hill – then pleasant country
lanes dyrham/pucklechurch/chipping
sodbury/wickwar/charfield/damery/wick/stinchcombe/home – phew.
I took care of myself the day before by not drinking and eating lots of
pasta – not.
Walked to a pub for lunch, then to a BBQ with two barrels of beer and a late
night and hangover – did it ok though, knees ached a bit on the Bath hill
and tired a bit going through wickwar, only to be expected though with no
ends to my candle.

See ya
Mel”