Saturday 14 July 2007

Biking in the rain

Hi,

I'm biking in the rain
Just biking in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm biking again"

Well it rained and rained and rained for over 8 hours as I cycled. I got pretty wet, bike shoes, socks, 3/4 cycling shorts, even a bit wet inside my banana coloured cycle jacket. I definitely need some over shoes and to use my waterproof trousers when it rains.

It was raining a bit when I left home, I hesitated but Sheila said it would be good practice for when it might rain on my LEJOG trip. For some reason I felt amazingly bouyant all day!

I did my usual Alderley Edge trip complete with some lovely warm sausages rolls in Alderley on the way out and toasted sandwich and a coffee in a cafe in Alderley on the way back - the only dry moment all day.

To make up my mileage I added on the complete Withington cycle loop at the end (no chance of me cycling on the canal bank this time!) Using my newish mileometer it read 64.6 miles, in the rain I wasn't fussed to ride around the street to add the extra 5.4 miles to make 70.

So in just over 8 hours I was averaging about 8 miles per hour, a bit slower than last time which no doubt reflects the rain. My knees hardly ached at all this time and I felt better than before at the end of the day (yesterday) and today, although I do feel tired. So I am hoping to fit in a another 2 rides before I got to Norfolk - prior to LEJOG trip and there I will some daily rides of about 15-20 miles.

Sheila decided that with all this rain about camping would not be a bright idea to say the least so I have been frantically seeking out and contacting B and Bs on my route. I now only have one unaccounted for and this should sort in the next couple of days, I hope.

The upside is that with not camping I should sleep better as should Grace and Sheila and it will also mean I should get off on the road a bit earlier. Yesterday I had done 40 miles by the time I stopped for lunch at just after one so that feels a good plan to me - cycling from 8ish to 1ish and then a quick lunch and cycling again until 4 or 5 should do it.

Best to all,

Bill on bike

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