I started this blog with full expectations of being able to write a post every week and get all my inner most cycling though out there into the ether.
That has not happened at all, things got crazy at home and work. Weeks passed like they were mere blinks of an eye and so I find myself 14 days from Christmas!
But I digress this is however a blog for cycling!
Last week I had a wedding to go to, we were traveling down the day before which may I add I was not impressed with as the weather conditions were idyllic for cycling! Sadly I couldn’t not get out.
We packed the car and the wife suggested I take the bike as during the day there was nothing to do. No sooner had the words left her mouth I darted to the shed pulled out the bike rack and bike. Got it all set up and attached the car in record time. A secondary bag was packed with all my cycling necessities, it also meant I could wear my new oneprocycling kit! Mega bonus.
The hotel staff were most accommodating to me bringing a bike in and keeping it in the room. Saturday comes and the wife goes off to the wedding. I sit in the hotel eagerly waiting her return!!
I keep an eye on the weather and it looks dreary but dry and not too cold. Where we were staying the Internet access was poor so I could not Google the weather (I wish I had!)
I set off full of excitement, I am cycling a new area that consists of mostly rural countryside! What more could you want a peaceful ride with beautiful views.
My first stop was this gem


After a quick stop at woodhenge I carried on across rolling countryside lots of farms and woodland.
I even passed a building I remember have a quick rest and coffee in whilst out rambling many moons ago. It was surreal that it just sparked a memory as I rode passed.
I was flying down the tarmac at 37/40kmph something which I should have reckonised as abnormal, but the weekend before I had changed my drive train from 105 to ultegra. So I just put it down to that!!!
I get to my halfway point in good time thinking I could do that all over again the legs felt fresh

A quick bit of water intake and I set off on the home leg of the loop.
This is where it got emotional, I hit a massive 40mph crosswind, I swear I was cycling at 45° and for as far as the eye could see there was no cover from it. I pushed on at a slow 17kmph for what seemed forever. 5 wind fraught miles later I reached a little village/town. This gave me some brief relief from he wind and some big hills which killed me because it had taken all my strength to stay upright in the wind.
I had recently changed what shows on the garmin page it now included direction of travel. So I knew by now any direction that is not near as dammit North I was in for trouble. So imagine the shear heartache when I clocked myself doing south! And what would be the next 15 miles until I got back to the hotel.
It was totally self inflicted because 1. I was ding more distance than I should and 2. I did not check the weather!!!
But with 10 miles to go my pace had slowed to a crawl I was exposed to the elements in all directions. I seriously contemplated getting off the bike and calling the wife to pick me up but that would have meant I failed. All I craved whilst riding was to see some sort of life but it was bleak open fields for miles something which in the summertime I can imagine is fantastic.
Finally I reached the last 5km but this meant riding along the A303 a road which is busy in off peak times! But if I wanted to make it back to a hot shower and chocolate milk I had to brave it. One last hill and with whatever energy I had I pushed up it. Headed to the roundabout turned right and got back into Amesbury. I found it weird like all the weight had been lifted or I had just set out but passing that sign gave me a new lease of life!!!
I get back and off the bike, to some dodgy looks as if to say why have you been cycling and especially in this weather!!
I don’t regret my ride. Because it was almost 3 hours on the bike. But next time I will better prepare!!

