Cycling Legs

It always shocks me to return to my 'main' journal and discover just how many days have passed since I last posted. I'm putting this image up on Tuesday, July 9th, taken ten days ago. Since then we have a new government, the England football team have somehow won two knock-out games, all during which time my life has gone from madly busy to insanely busy, my company suddenly called  upon to get involved in a big European tender around post-pandemic preparedness. That wasn't what I was expecting after my retirement a few years ago. I think I'm enjoying myself. I've always relished challenges in my life.

Today's was a cycling challenge - what has proved to be Forrest's only long training ride before we head off to the Pyrenees tomorrow, to ride a bit of the TdF route, over the Tourmalet. I was gratified to have finally found my cycling legs. It was a great ride on a fairly cool, breezy, cloudy day when the forecast showers held off. Forrest cycled over from Bramley so it was nearly 80 miles for him, 65 miles for me. With a bit of wind on our backs, we enjoyed a brisk ride back from the hilly loop that passes through Litton, Halton Gill and back via Arncliffe. I had wanted to introduce Forrest to the wonderful ribbon of tarmac (super-smooth, laid during Covid) across Malham Moor, only to discover that they've recently gritted it. Why do they do that? I was almost in tears. The best section of road in the Dales has been turned into the worst. It was awful to ride. Coming into Arncliffe, a 40 mph sweeping descent was turned into a 5mph struggle to stay upright on loose chippings. It gave me a perspective on what the TdF riders had to handle on Sunday's 'White Road' stage. That was one of the best day's racing I've ever watched. This TdF has been thrilling every single day. Forrest had to stop in Arncliffe to extract, with some difficulty, stones that had got caught in various places, causing very strange noises. I escaped that but discovered later that I had a slow puncture.

Anyway, it was still a fun ride. Forrest had no energy (thankfully) at the end to get frisky up the last climb home and was happy to stay on my wheel. That was a result. I doubt I'm going to get too many more of those.

Most important thing was that we both found some cycling legs today. We're going to be fine in the Pyrenees.