For one reason or another (work, weather, illness) I had not ridden my bicycle all month until this morning. As always after enforced layoffs therefore I approached today’s ride with a mixture of dread and delight. The pleasure of being on the road again mixed with the thoughts of just how painful it might be... Well, despite my body complaining just a wee bit, I felt fine. In fact I rode the exact same route on the exact same day last year and it took me ten minutes longer then (and ten minutes difference over sixty kilometres is quite a hefty chunk of time). Result! I’m sure the fact that this has been the first festive season for years that I have actually lost weight was a factor, as was the distinct lack of snow and cold... Whatever, here’s another picture of Dawlish to celebrate.
Then this afternoon we took a trip to Sidmouth. Of course I had already seen the sea once today but C wanted to hear the crash of waves on the beach, so off we went. As we wandered up to Jacob’s Ladder it occurred to me that the last time I was on the road through Sidmouth was during the Tour Ride of September 2010 when I laboured up Peak Hill with a host of other ill advised cyclists. I recalled too that it must be getting on for twenty five years since I first visited the place, on a trip to see The Visitors. Heady days. In celebration of that fact then, here’s my good friend The Pinefox doing a marvellous cover of The Visitors’ ‘Bliss’.
And it's (nearly)always 'bliss' when you get back on the bike after an enforced break - you just seem to zip away. I presume the 'Road to Dawlish' involved a tailwind home as it was very blowy round here!
Posted by: rob | January 02, 2012 at 11:55
As long as it's only a short break, yes, it's always a delight. Longer lay-offs are much more painful to come back from! Dawlish ride a mix of head, tail and side both ways. Nice to mix it up a bit :)
Posted by: alistair | January 02, 2012 at 12:21