Hello blog readers
Yes it's me, I'm back! Well, technically I didn't go anywhere, I have been here at home. But I have been suffering, and, may I add, still suffering from man flu.......ok.....it's a cold! But it has knocked the stuffing out of me slightly.
But I really missed not going out, jogging or riding. And I was so jealous of the Old Boys efforts yesterday! 20 miles in 1 hour 38 minutes!! I want to be able to do that!! So I said to him that I am going to go out just for a nice gentle ride, just to stretch the legs. He said that I could choose my own route, at least that way I won't get lost! I decided to do the Greenstreet Green route. Down the A21, around the pub where I used to stop, and on through Orpington high street. I wanted to see how far I can get up my nemesis, Perry hall Road! How I hate that hill. I want to get as far as I can today, at least to the bloomin round about, and hopefully beyond if there is no traffic coming over it!
I set up the Garmin, it better not go loopy loo on my routes! The Old Boy kept saying "You wait to it wipes out all your data and you feel you have done a goon one" I just hope it don't! I will probably throw it against the wall or something! But it seems to be all in working order. It's counting out the seconds and we go on our way.
We head off through the path, towards turn around lamppost, and up the A21. This road now don't seem that bad. Not like the first time I tried to get up here. I had to stop! Several times, if I remember rightly, I shall have to go back and take a look at my blogs to check it out! I do seem to find this route easy now. Is it because I have this super douper fast light weight bike, or is it because I am getting fitter. There is only one way to find out, and that is to ride my old bike up here and test it out! Just after the second roundabout, the Old Boy noticed that my shoelace was undone, I carried on till we got to the pub and then pulled over to do it up.
"Whats the time lapsed?" says the Old Boy "It says 23 minutes" I said. "Oh, well that's 6 minutes slower than what I done yesterday" he says. Tut, well I do have man flu, I chose not to comment on that.
Heading off now to Orpington. Heading off to my nemesis, that darn hill, that bit that I have not yet gone all the way up!! It's on my mind! Lets see how I do. That will be the telling of whether its me getting fitter, or whether it's the bike that is making me faster. I am going on the understanding, that no matter what bike you are sitting on, if there is a steep hill, its you that has to do all the hard work to get up it. Whether you have a light weight bike or just your happy shopper bike, its still going to be hard, hard work!
Going through the high street now. It seems to be quite a quick time today, or maybe that is just me. I shall have to try and find one of similar distance to compare. Well, now its time. Lets see how far this Old Girl can get up this hill today! With my cold, energy levels in my boots, inactive since Saturday!
It's dark out, The lights of the cars coming down the hill reminding me how steep it is. The road stretching up and up. I can just 'feel' it saying to me "Come on Old Girl, lets see what you're made off" Head down, just look at the bit of road in front of me, concentrate, knock it down to a gear that is comfortable to peddle, .....ok, its the lowest gear now. Just keep going, keep on peddling, keep on peddling. I'm grunting and moaning, and blowing out my ears trying to get as far as I can. I look up, Oh wow, the round about, I can see it. Get to there Old Girl, come on you can do it. Ok, its there, the roundabout just up ahead, "Please, please let it be clear, I need to get further now" I said in silent prayer. "Agghhhh" I shout out, "Go on Old Girl" says the Old Boy, I look up, the round about is clear, "Oh wow, thank you Lord" I am shouting and moaning out, the Old Boy is behind me "Keep going, keep going" he is shouting out at me now "AGGHHH" I managed to ride pass the bollards this time, before I jump off my bike. I wanted to kick it, or shout at it, for letting me down...... I know, I know, it's not the bikes fault, it's that darn hill!.... OK, it's my fault But look, oh wow, furthest I have ever got so far! Next time, you darn hill.
"Why did you stop" The Old Boy says to me, "50 yards, that was you had to do, then you were at the time" he continued "I was in 11th gear" He boasts "Well your so ........clever" I called back to him. The ride home from here was relatively easy, compared to that hill. But I was feeling ok with my effort today. Next time I know I am going to do it. Next time all the way to the top!
We decided to ride through the Fairway at Petts Wood, then through the High street and on down Southborough Lane. Not only that but I still had a little left in me to go down as far as the first pub, and then go through the park.
Yup, I'm feeling pretty good with this ride today. A brilliant effort. And I didn't get lost, mind you the Old Boy was behind for most of the ride! But now, Going up Whitebeam and down our round he puts a speed on. Get his heart rate going a little. I know mine was, getting up that darn hill!!
Even with a cold I did pretty well I thought!!
Today's geeky stats for you. Showing just the one stop on my nemesis, up past the roundabout this time On Perry Hall!!
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