Day 77 - Route Barrée

Well, we have another hole in the road and a route barrée for all traffic, including me and my steed. That said, I was not looking to travel far down this road, the main thoroughfare to Axminster, I was there to see the hole!

So what of this hole? Earlier in the week, heavy rain running through the culvert under one of the busiest roads in the area washed a large section down stream. Being out at the crack of dawn this morning gave me the idea of getting a good look at the damage. You can see my steed and I (behind the camera) taking a closer look from behind the council's cordon. We know how to live dangerously!

Back on the 'open' road, I promised yesterday a shot of the old Colyford post office, sans butcher's van. Well here it is. Note in particular how the white of its walls stand out against the cloudless sky .. it's going to be a gloriously sunny day today! 

Apart from the excursion to see the hole - which had all but been filled in - my circuit was a pretty uneventful glide through Colyford and Axmouth and all too short for the time I had available, so to eat up the miles, I decided to run 5 laps of the Esplanade which doubled up my morning's total to a little over 10 miles, see the 5-10 mile markers in the map below. This ride today gave me a new distance record of 10 miles in 51m 19s and the greatest distance travelled in a week of 39.8 miles, unless I add to this tomorrow of course. 

I'm pleased to be back in the groove and am very much looking forward to the Axminster road opening again, as I have a cunning plan for another longer route. Watch this space. As for the route art, spongebob squarepants is all I have to say! 

Stats: 10.46 mi, 55m 15s, Avg 11.4 mph, Max 21.0 mph, 612 kcal

Day 76 - Return to the Three Hills

After what seems an age, I decided this morning that I could not put off including the Three Hills in my circuit any longer. These are the short but steep Seaton Down, Bunts and Beer, and they were, when taken together, as tough as ever. Every morning I've ventured out this week I've been shocked by the coolness of the air and today was no exception. Out of the sun the temperatures reminded me of my icy circuits back at the start of March. Unfortunately the long stretch of road which follows the estuary into Axmouth was very much in the shade and the wind whipping up over the water was turning my exposed fingers blue and numb. I think this just pushed me along faster in an attempt to build up some warmth, hence my new average speed record of 11.4 mph, which considering this included my Three Hills was amazing.

Once past the 1940s gun emplacements, pill boxes and over the tram lines at Colyford station you know you are on the home stretch. The Colyford post office is the turning in point and I stopped to capture a picture of this old white building bathed in sun but the butcher decided at that moment to go and park his van right in my field of view! I'll try again on my next outing. In the meantime here's a snap of the approach to the Colyford tram crossing. 

I feel I am now back in the zone, my legs have returned to their old complaining self and I'm looking forward to getting out into the saddle again tomorrow.

And the route art today .. the running gnome takes a rest.

Stats: 6.99 mi, 36m 43s, Avg 11.4 mph, Max 28.2 mph, 407 kcal

Day 75 - Here Comes the Sun

Wow! What a beautiful morning to be out on my bike .. but goodness there is still a cold wind!

To be honest I was going to have a rest day today but seeing the sun, I just had to make the effort. I headed out up hill as usual but decided against my 3 hills favouring the new hidden single track, discovered a few weeks ago, of Barnards Hill Lane past allotments and out to join Harepath Hill. This gave me an exhilarating drop down into Colyford at a new maximum top speed of 29 mph!

Once through Colyford, I was making such good progress, at one point averaging upwards of 15 mph, that I decided on returning through Axmouth where the view of the estuary and the marina was spectacular. Just shows what a bit of sun can do.

Meanwhile, at the Giro d'Italia, Wiggins is now suffering from a chest infection and the next rest day is not until Monday. I think sun or no sun, that would have kept me in the warm this morning.

Back in Seaton, a trip along the seafront concluded my circuit. All in all it was a successful ride, with a new speed record and something I noticed yesterday but forgot to mention, I have also reached another distance milestone, we've now crossed the 200 mile mark since starting this 'adventure' 75 days ago. I think I need to keep a totals / league table for these type of stats; something to look at doing later - watch this space.

As for the route art today .. how about a gnome on the run!

Stats: 6.56 mi, 36m 05s, Avg 10.9 mph, Max 29.0 mph, 400 kcal

Day 74 - Giro d'Seaton

While the wind seems to have blown yesterday's torrential rain away, cycling this morning against 30mph+ gusts was a bit of a challenge! I headed out early aiming to tackle my 3 hills but at the top of the first it was clear that the other two would have to wait, after all they'll still be there tomorrow.

It also sounds like Wiggins, competing in the Giro d'Italia, is not on the form of last year and he too appears to be suffering in the bad weather and with the hills .. it's great to be in such good company!

Stats: 4.84 mi, 27m 29s, Avg 10.6 mph, Max 22.5 mph, 305 kcal

Day 73 - When the Rain Comes

You know the song?  .. "rain, I don't mind", well I don't know about that but what I could do with, when caught out in the rain, is windscreen wipers on my glasses as a twinkling soft focus is not the best vision selection for when out dodging cars.

The route today was an erratic one to say the least. My main aim was to stay out of the cold driving wind as I'm not putting my winter layers back on. It is May after all! I am, however, feeling better to be back in the saddle again, so weather permitting .. because I really do mind the rain .. I'll be out again tomorrow.

Stats: 5.40 mi, 33m 06s, Avg 9.8 mph, Max 20.6 mph, 367 kcal

Day 72 - Lost My Mojo

It's been 10 days since my last cycle ride and I can't help feeling I've somehow lost my mojo! The reason, well, the combination of a bank holiday away, a leaking roof and a DIY purge is my excuse for avoiding my morning excursion. I could also add to this, the return of the cold damp weather, the familiarity of the routes I'd previously had the enjoyment of exploring, the annoying rattle that I've now pinned down to the mudguards, the wet roads which without mudguards (removed because of the annoying rattle) would cover me in filthy spray and the lack of a good audio book, being in that trough of despair having finished my last thrilling read and not wanting to start another - not just yet anyway. Yes I have definitely lost my mojo.

That was, however, until I came across the World Triathlon Series from Yokohama Japan on the BBC.  I caught the start of the women's event and found myself transfixed, these are some courageous athletes.  This was particularly born out just short of mid way through the race, when after the first of 9 laps of Yokohama harbour, Maakie Caelers from the Netherlands collided and fell from her bike and slid for some distance along the road. I'll have to ask my good friend who does this, why they don't keep their wet suits on after the swimming, as bear arms and legs offer no protection for a fall like that! Ouch!

If I needed anything to inspire me to get back on the bike, this was it! So, with mudguards reattached - as naff as they look, they do a great job - I headed out again this morning for a gentle 5 mile circuit. It's amazing how quickly my stamina has tailed off as it was not as easy as I had hoped; even more reason to keep at it. I think a day or two's break between circuits is probably not a bad idea, but ten days is too long in my book.

Finally, the route art today is a bubble being blown through one of those plastic hoops or may be a pig looking into a shaving mirror ... see anything else?

Stats: 5.56 mi, 29m 08s, Avg 11.04 mph, Max 22.2 mph, 323 kcal

Day 64 - Bank Holiday Weekend

I'm away from my steed this Bank Holiday weekend and while a foldaway bike may look a bit naff and not ride well, I can now see the attraction when it comes to having limited space in the car. On my recent travels, I've been eyeing up the available car transportation systems - bikes unceremoniously strapped to rear bars or mounted proud on the roof - but I just can't get over how precarious they look.

So, for the time being I'm having to remove the front wheel and fill the rear passenger area and boot space leaving little room for anything else, hence us being separated for the weekend.

The first few days of May have been beautiful and perfect for getting out on the bike. I've also been able to shed yet another layer as the Day-Glo wind cheater is no longer required to protect me from sub zero temperatures and car drivers struggling to spot me in the misty morning gloom. The new month started for me on Thursday, Wednesday having been a rest day. For the morning run, I was not feeling my best and so decided to use it to explore a new and so far uncharted circuit, taking in the single track of Barnards Hill Lane, past allotments I never knew existed, to join Harepath Hill. This is a route my neighbour shared with me over a beer the night before and one I can see will appear in future circuits.

Stats: 2.68 mi, 15m 15s, Avg 10.5 mph, Max 27.9 mph, 169 kcal

Later that evening, I joined up with my neighbour for a 7 mile duo ride out across the northern and more extensive area of wetlands that I'd not covered before, an interesting cycle ride over rough ground and along wooden duckboards, avoiding the marshy water below. Great fun, although in the evening I did find a higher volume of flying things in the air than during the cooler morning circuits; keeping my mouth shut to avoid an unpalatable meal of insects was a real challenge!

And now for the route art .. can you see Yogi Bear walking from east to west along the coast to Beer?

Stats: 6.90 mi, 1h 06m 22s, Avg 6.21 mph, Max 20.0 mph, 736 kcal

As I was going to be away for the Bank Holiday weekend, Friday morning was to be the last ride for 3 days so I thought I'd make the most of it with a circuit including my three hills, the promenade, wetlands and the length of Harepath Road.

Stats: 4.96 mi, 29m 27s, Avg 10.01 mph, Max 26.0 mph, 326 kcal

For Sunday, it was time for something different ... a walk! What an idilic walk in the sun it was too. Rutland Water, once a valley containing a village which in 1976 it was flooded to form a massive reservoir and popular water park, has a number of beautiful walks and cycle tracks and today it was swinging with all manor of cycles and water craft.

If only I'd remembered to power Endomono on at the start, as I missed a good half mile + of the route, but still pleased with the result!

Stats: 4.96 mi, 29m 27s, Avg 10.01 mph, Max 26.0 mph, 326 kcal