Liz Randall's Cycling Blog - a life behind bars

"With ordinary talents and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable"



Tuesday 5 August 2008

Well, at least its not cold

....grrrh!

Its been pretty wet since my race on Saturday. I did manage to take part in a club ride on Sunday..3 hrs thereof + the time spent sheltering under a tree struggling to put on the rain gear.

The club is a somewhat exclusive one of friends..you have to be invited to join. I was therefore privileged to be a part of this ride especially as it was a memorial ride. The meeting place was a pub (natch..this is England for heaven's sake) and as the group drove/rode up and the numbers swelled to 22, I realised I recognised one of them..it was Phil Liggett. I put in a big effort not to appear the total twat and banished all thoughts of pix or autographs...sad really.


Anyhow the ride started off with a fast down hill followed by a right turn into Robbery Bottom Lane (!!!!!!)..damn..got the camera but couldn't stop for a photo ..pinched this one from google images instead. Apparently it was Dick Turpin's (highwayman) old stamping ground. The group was a very mixed bunch fitness-wise and that plus the inclement weather resulted in only 11 of us making the cafe at the turn around. There I was saddened by the fact that the brie and grapes sandwich was not available..sulked actually..rather fancied that. I ended up with a tuna sandwich instead..which I continued to enjoy for a lo-o-o-o-n-g time....and tea...I've learned enough to know NOT to go for coffee in UK caffs..they really haven't a clue....

The ride back was a bit quicker...3hrs in total and I felt strong and could have gone much faster, gone off the front in fact but was being the polite guest...not wanting to "do the wrong thing".

Since then..its rained and rained and rained. I went to Cambridge yesterday.being a tourist, but I also took the opportunity to do some shopping and in particular to buy some underwear..something I mysteriously managed to avoid packing much of.

Today my coach was s'posed to be racing a duathlon and I was up for a trial around Thursday's TT race circuit...however I have a strong suspicion its going to be the ergo for both of us..what with the continuous leak from the clouds.

Later today we're off to a bike shop in a town called Milton Keynes..the shop owner is a Phil Corley and since Corley is my maiden name and its a very unusual surname...I just have to go and see if he's a relation....plus check out the shop for goodies.....

More anon.......

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