One week to go!

Went out today to complete the Tour de France challenge I've been chasing for the last year. The challenge was to compete the original TdF milage. Now that's over, it's a week until the London Edinburgh Lobdon ride. So a week of reducing the milage and eating enough food to make nursey blow a gasket.

 

Gravel and Mr Michael

 Yesterday saw a bit of an epic. After a wet weekend, I decided that it was time to get Lance (Specialized) the gravel bike out. Partly because he has mudguards, also it meant I could cross the Severn Valley and not have to come back via Ironbridge (Jiggers) and the increasing number of traffic lights and roadworks. Or risk the by-pass which I didn't fancy after an earlier encounter with a fire engine. 

Going south of Bridgnorth means hills and they're particularly horrid. Navigation is also an issues, with intermittent phone signals and hidden or missing road signs. At one point I nearly missed a turning as the sign was buried in a hedge. Not wanting to descend and then re-climb a hill I got off and found the sign in a hedge - only readable from the uphill direction.

Perhaps that's the attraction of south Shropshire. It is like being in the middle of no-where. Once back on the road I headed for Bridgnorth. The road down Oldbury has been a favourite since my school days. It now has one of those smiley face signs to regulate traffic speed. I felt a sense of achievement when it turned red. Not bad for an aging diabetic on a gravel bike.

I then followed the Severn Way and Silkin Way home. Might not have been step, but the unsurfaced path was a pain in the butt - literally.

Today saw me back out of Herman-the-German-flying-machine with Michael. An old friend and yoga teacher. Michael has just started to emerge from lockdown. This is in part due to his wife needing serious surgery and follow-up treatment. In normal circumstances she would have needed to isolate to avoid colds and flu, but the Covid situation has made matters worse.

Michael can still hold his own on a bike, despite his advancing years. However, not having ridden any hills for over two years we managed to find a gentle route (if such a thing exists) around the Wrekin. Only issue with living on top of a hill, it is always hard work getting home.

The new wheels for Herman still haven't arrived and I hope to get something sorted soon. Bad news from the London-Edinburgh-London organisers is that Yad Moss is off due to road works. So they have found a steeper and longer detour. Great!

Fund raising and Willey

 The fund raising side took pride of place last weekend (2/7/22) when we held our afternoon tea. A fantastic effort from Pam and Auntie Pattie saw funds pass the £700 mark. So many people contributed to the day, not just in cash, but also in the kind gifts for bring and buy etc.

We still have Miriam's handcrafted lucky dip envelopes  if anyone fancies a punt at £1 each. Not only do you get the chance to win a random prize (badges and various bits that include the odd £5 note), but every envelope comes with it's own handcrafted cycle paperclip. A unique prize for any cyclist.

The last week saw my mileage plummet when I was forced to take time off work and the bike to deal with a sickness bug. Only advantage is it stripped me of 1.5Kg of weight and any sense of dignity, as my stomach deposited its content and lining down the pan at regular intervals. This has now cleared and yesterday I was back out on the road.

I went out to the village of Willey.

Last time I was here I was on an Audax and didn't have time to take the obligatory schoolboy photographs. It caused some amusement on Facebook. In addition to the village hall there are a few spinoffs, such as the Willey Wanderers Football Club.

 I'm not obsessing with the place, but Pam's family (through mother) are related to the local estate owner, through the marriage of Lord Forester of Willey's sister to a Mr Keay around 200 years ago.

After Willey it was onto Bridgnorth. The ride was not without incident. The drug dealing motorised teenagers of Telford now see trying to knock cyclists off as a new sport. I'm so glad I did some race training a few years back with Newport CC. I'm well equipped to delivering a Mark Renshaw type response should they get too close. Why our wonderful intelligence lead police forced haven't made the link between expensive e scooters and drugs beggars belief.

My wheels are also becoming an issue. After having a new set fitted following the destruction of my freewheel, the new set had loose spokes and lost true after only 200 miles. The bike shop sorted this, but now the bearings are rattling. The response to this one will be interesting. I may have to bite the bullet and just get a decent set that will last the 1500 Km. 

If you haven't donated, but like to. Then please follow the link below. You will change a life.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andrew-rudge4