Short Sunday Solo:

Tired after yesterdays ride I decided to ride alone today, to avoid the cafe race! This also gave the chance for a bit of a lie in. I did set off with a 100km ride in mind but it was a route that left plenty of options for a bail out should I not feel up to it or if the weather turned..

As it turns out I felt resonably O.K. but my HR was very low, hope it's just tiredness from yesterday, & the weather started to turn.

I decided to keep it shorter & by the time I got home it had been drizzling for the last 5km or so.

Guess I made the right decision today then...

Short Sunday Solo:

Over Cannock Chase, Club Run:

Today we had a longer than normal club ride planned. Eleven guys turned up at the meeting place in Heather, three of whom needed to get back in reasonable time so they turned off to take a different route soon after we set off. The rest of us continued thro' to Melboure where a quick comfort stop was taken before we crossed over Swarkstone Causeway. Once over the Causeway & onto the next stretch, 10 miles flat along the flood planes of the River Trent & into the wind, we tried to work like a team, constantly rotating with only a short turn on the front. This could have worked better, a few of the newer guys seemed to think that as they 'went thro' they should accelerate, not so, so the pace was increasing & the group started to split, regroup, split etc.

Once we'd completed this long flat section we turned thro' Tutbury & on the climb out the back of the town one of the rider split his chain. This resulted in a 20mins stop for repairs, aided by the loan of tools from a local resident, there are nice people out there!

Onwards again & a quick stop at Abbots Bromley for a water top up at a local store. Then onto a shortish cafe stop at Milford for a warm cup of tea & a teacake. It's a great place for a stop but probably better if you're going the other way as from the cafe it's upwards for a few miles! Over the Chase & back down into Rugeley, the fastest section of the route. As we made the descent we passed a couple of guys in on MTB's in Team Raleigh kit & I thought one looked like Dan Fleeman, a quick tweet once home & he confirmed it had been him.

After Rugeley it's pretty much pan flat again with some long straight sections & now the wind was helping us along. This resulted in the pace going up again! Oh only 25mph & it was just the one guy on the front for most of the way, Hugh, a 20year old ex GB rower & powerhouse. Encouraged by Nigel this pace continued but it meant that the group split up & arrived at the BeeHive cafe fragmented.

Despite this being a longer ride & getting back to the BeeHive later, I still got my magnificent poached eggs & beans on toast, ACE!

Now off for a nice soak in the bath & a relaxing evening.

Over Cannock Chase, Club Run:

Back onto UK roads:

A lovely afternoon & a reasonable finish meant at last I could get a descent ride in. And considering that I have done something untoward to my back today & wasn't sure if I'd be able to ride I'm more than pleased with the output. After all this may have been the last ride this year on my best bike before it gets tucked up for the winter months.

Back onto UK roads:

I was surprised to get this tweet today!

Congratulations to @carbonrider_595 for winning our Cervelo competition. There'll be more soon, thanks for entering.

Here's a link to the prize on the Cyclosport site.

Cyclosport Competition:

New Winter Bike:

Today was the day to collect my new Winter Bike! Up & out by 7.30am for the drive over to Epic Cycles. Arrived shortly after 9.00am to be presented with the new bike for a test ride. The fit is great, replicated from the Look 595 & first feeling is that it is very close, just what I wanted. Once back home I had to have a little fettle & tinker & of course by the time I'd finished doing that the rain came so I fettered & tinkered some more whilst I waited for the rain to ease & it obliged so I did get out for a short ride around home on it today. All seems fine, time will tell when I've spent more time in the saddle but I don't think I'm going to be disappointed..

Thanks to Epic Cycles

Racelight Gran Fondo

First Ride:

La last Limousin circuit:

One final ride thro' the magnificent lanes of the Limousin:

La last Limousin circuit:

Chateau tour:

Weather still not good for cycling so we spent the day driving from chateau to chateau from Rochechouart, Brie-Montbrun, (my fav), Chalus, Jumilhac-le-Grand St Yriex-le-Perche, Coussac-Bonneval & finally Lubersac. Quite some drive!

Pont de Senoueix:

A really lazy day with a late afternoon drive to Pont de Senoueix.

Day out in Tulle:

Raining today so we took a trip down to Tulle for a wander around the old part of town & a nice Plat de Jour, Poullet noti, Frites et Salad Verte. Then we came home via a trek around the cascades at Gimel-les-Cascades, we had the place to ourselves, great.

Wandering around Tulle.

Rain stopped play!

Set out this morning for a 60+ km ride with Julie planning to take in col de Lestards. Sadly the threatening weather got the better of us, & after about 25km there were a few drops of rain so we decided to cut straight back to Treigniac. As the weather worsened we went into town & had a bite of lunch whilst the rain passed. Then on the way back, about 3km, we had another downpour. We took shelter for a while whilst it passed then dashed home to the dry!

Rain stopped play!

Home from the Lac:

Another day pedals by...

After a circuit of the Lac Vassivierie with Julie I rode back to the gite whilst Julie drove.

Round the Lac with Julie:

Home from the Lac:

Off to the Lac again:

Another fantastic day in the saddle, after yesterdays easier ride with Julie my legs felt really strong today. The weather remains great & Julie decided to follow me round in the car with her new camera, hopefully she's got some good pic's. A quick coffee stop together at Lac de Vassiviere & onwards for another planned stop at Bugeat but the Cafe was closed. So onto the final planned stop in Treignac which was stop was taken with Tare au Myrtilles, fantastic! Then just a few km to spin home.

Off to the Lac again:

To Masseret for lunch with Big Chris:

Great day out, riding with Julie over to Masseret to meet up with the Big Man for lunch, what a treat! Got a pastry & a coffee on the way back as well. Well done to Julie too, her longest ride since Feb in Portugal & with more climbing. The day finished off with a great casserole & the compulsory glass or three of vin rouge.

To Masseret for lunch with Big Chris:

30km & home via the Boulangerie:

Just a quick, ish, blast this morning for an hour, collecting pastries on the way back.... They cannot be resisted! Then a car tour with a nice lunch stop, another lovely day...

30km & home via the Boulangerie: