Me and my mate Stephen!

Life is good. It's been a very hectic and unexpectedly eventful 24 hours. The highlight was riding this morning with Stephen Roche, winner of the Tour de France in 1987! It seems so long since I watched him win that race, and he's had such a presence in the sport in the 25 years since, that it's hard for me to get my head around the fact that he's 3 years younger than me!

I can confirm that he remains extremely fit and has the same classic form in the saddle that I remember from watching him on television. I ride a bike like a runner. I'm all over it, bobbing and bouncing about, but Stephen barely moves in the saddle, smooth and seemingly effortless. I guess that's not surprising considering his pedigree.

I actually met him last night at the pub for a brief chat with a few mates, having got an introduction from a friend who has helped him write his autobiography. He's a lovely guy, thoroughly engaging and full of stories and opinions. But what struck me most was his simple love of cycling. He showed us a short video from an event he'd just attended where hundreds of young children were riding in a closed road event. It looked like some of the kids were as young as three or four years old. He was so enthusiastic about getting youngsters involved in the sport and expressed some sadness that we were doing a much better job of that here in the UK than back home in his native Ireland.

We enjoyed stunningly beautiful weather for our ride this morning, although it was very cold at the start with a bit of frost around even. The only trouble for me was that the ride was so full on I never had a chance to take any layers off once the sun was up and it started getting warm. I was soaked from sweat after our quick and hilly 43 miles to Kettlewell! Not having ridden out with a group all summer it was a bit of shock to the system, but it was such a buzz. I wasn't able to appreciate the scenery as much as usual, nor take any photos, but that didn't really matter. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy the adrenaline rush of riding at speed with a bunch of people, especially when it includes one of your all-time sporting heroes!

One little story I have to record here. Towards the end of the ride there is a steep descent followed by a steep climb just before Bolton Abbey. Knowing the road well I got a bit of run on the hill and ended up sprinting past Stephen to the crest. We shared a bit of banter and turned right through a little gate to the bridge at the Cavendish Pavilion. I gestured for Stephen to go first, but he waved me through and I somehow contrived to ride straight into a wooden post and fall off! I got my comeuppance! That will go down as one of the most embarrassing moments of my life - and I've had quite a few!

The weather this afternoon continued to be quite wonderful. There was no wind and the sun felt really very warm. I can't remember many days all summer which were quite as pleasant to be out in as today. I took a lovely gentle walk on the moor to ease the aching legs and take a few nice photographs. That's presented me with a bit of a dilemma. Last year I would have posted one of those, but as my blipping has become more about the journal I've been persuaded to post this shot. I need this one for posterity!