June 12th – Just found this from a few weeks ago.
Riding out of the Galton Valley canal cutting in one go up on to Galton Bridge. Real time, no stopping.
For a tubby old bloke, I still have me moments.
Music ‘Forest Dance’ by Jethro Tull.
August 7th – A great day – sunny. warm, still – great Indian Summer stuff. After around 6 weeks of nursing a foot injury, it was time to push it again – a long ride and some strenuous climbing was in order.
For too long, I’v been doing only work rides, or short stuff; dropping gears to climb hills and generally riding like an old man.
I utterly punished myself on and off road; sharp climbs, speed, and plenty of honking (pedalling stood up). I was surprised at my energy. I seem to be losing weight at the moment, too, and was pleasantly surprised at my stamina considering.
Hopefully, this isn’t summer’s last yahoo and I can get some decent riding in at last before summer’s last breath.
Today, I fell back in love with it.
May 14th – Shire Oak Hill is a very old adversary. There’s no real, practical way around it, and it’s got an awful profile – it gets steeper as you get towards the top. Going down is usually fun, but that climb comes need the end of many rides, and can be a killer. Today, it was OK as I had the wind behind me. I looked back as I reached the top and noticed the greenery, the blossom, the copper beech, and a fuzzy outline of Lichfield Cathedral, still visible in the continuous drizzle.
It’s a view I know well, yet still surprises me.
February 25th – Stopping to make a quick mechanical adjustment on the Chester Road near Shire Oak, I took time to take a quick shot of the descent into town. I must have done that hundreds, if not thousands of times. Shire Oak is a very unkind hill: climb it from any direction and it’s a long, slow grind. Sadly, the only decent descents are towards Lichfield and Sutton, the one to Brownhills is constantly interrupted by junctions and hazards, and ends far too quickly. But I still enjoy it. No more so than when I’m going home on a cold, windy, dark night.
August 28th – Afternoon saw me again investigating national cycle route five, cycling into Walsall to see what the marketplace looked like without the Overstrand, then down through the Sandwell Valley and onto the canals through Brum. For a lark, thought I’d try my hand cycling up the treacherous cobbles of Church Hill to St. Matthews. Hardly Paris – Roubaix, but I was fairly pleased with myself…
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