Day 294 - Christmas Lights

My cycling this month has slowed to a crawl and this is before I take on too many calories through over indulgence and feasting that is sure to consume me over the festive season. 21 days into the month and I've been out just 4 times and have covered short of 50 miles, that's only 25% of my average monthly activity. The reason .. shorter days, dark mornings, persistent rain and a job which keeps me in the office when it's dry and light! On Tuesday this week, I was so pleased to finally see the sun that I missed lunch to get out on the Crosstrail for a blast up some hills. I climbed Seaton Down Hill to the tower, dropped down into Colyford, and back up Colyton Hill past Colyton Grammar School and onto Old Sidmouth Road to circle round to Beer before returning to Seaton. The 1100 ft of climbing made me feel a little better anyway.



During Wednesday and Thursday the rain returned. The plan on Thursday was to join the Axe Valley Pedallers for a Christmas Lights ride, a tour of Seaton and Beer to view the best they have to offer in Christmas light displays! I was determined to go, rain or no rain. As luck would have it, the sky miraculously cleared as the sun set and perhaps 10 hardy riders, I did not think to count, met up under a starry night for the final AVP Thursday ride. We were led out by Ketchup and accompanied by a number of our members I'd not seen since summer; I guess there are certain occasions not to be missed. It was a slow ride and I'd not dressed sufficiently well for a ride requiring so little exertion. It is amazing how much heat one generates when exercising and how little clothing is then needed. As we moved out of Seaton into the lanes en route to Beer, I had to hit the climbs hard to raise my core temperature and get some warm blood flowing into my now frozen fingers and toes.

AVP Christmas Lights Ride

The lights, meanwhile, were quite spectacular. It is amazing the amount of work people go to to dress their houses with vivid illuminations, coloured lights, cascading icicles, jolly snowmen and father Christmases. Perhaps the best lights were to be found in Park Road and Clapp's Lane in Beer. It was as if Vegas had come to Devon! After a much needed warm up stop at Quiff & Bar Bunny's, where mulled Cider and home made mice pies were eagerly consumed, we cycled on to close the ride at the Dolphin. I think the locals were a little put out by the arrival of 10-20 lycra clad cyclists, having by then been joined by the muddy off roaders, as it was not long before we had the place to ourselves. It made a change to visit another venue for our apres cycling refreshments, but I did miss the warm welcome of our Seaton and Colyford pubs and the overflowing bowls of complementary cheesy chips !



I am hoping to get another ride or two in before the year closes and although I've not yet completed a full year in the saddle yet, I will probably return in the next week to post a calendar year end report.

In the meantime, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and leave you with a fun and festive Christmas video from the Team GB Cycling team :)