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Went for a ride last night (needed to make amends for Mondays night weigh-in disaster), decided on a short quick blast, along the river bank loop round the field and back along the riverbank and as I had not ridden the Cannondale for a few weeks decided to give it an outing. In my haste to get going I forgot to pick up my sunglasses, it was not particularly sunny evening anyway. I headed of to the river bank and no sooner do I get on the path along the river bank, I am collecting bugs in my eyes and mouth, it was even worse when the path was shady and enclosed by the undergrowth. I soon learn to keep my head down and my mouth shut although one particular bug in the eye nearly had me in the river as I could not keep my eyes open.

I will make sure I wear my sun glasses on on my next ride.

Apart from the bugs the ride was almost uneventful until a mile from home when a visit from the puncture fairy had me pushing the bike home. I had all the bits with me to sort the puncture out but with the dark threatening clouds looming above decided to push the bike home.

I have entered myself into one of those organised rides, this one is organised by Evans Cycles and is being held at Liphook, Hampshire on 21st August. I have entered the 25mile ride although I may ride the 30 milers. This will be my first organised ride, I was going to do one of these rides in January but it was snowed off. Anybody else having a crack at this?

With any luck I might have got my link to Facebook working, will only know when I publish this, so lets find out

It is a week or so since my last blog and with the way thing have been for the past few months I have not really wanted to write anything. But as it stands at the moment, somebody has left the door open at the end of the tunnel so we may be emerging from the bleak darkness soon..

Last Monday weigh in did not go well a small gain and still stagnated around the same weight now for the past couple of months. Not two sure how tomorrow is going to go as I have had a mixed week, had an Indian on Friday night (wife birthday).

Having got the wheel to the Cyclefix on Monday for two new spokes and got the wheel back later that day I was hoping to get a couple of rides in during the week. But due to one thing or another It never happened until I took the day off on Friday. I went for a ride around Moors Valley, found a couple of nice short single track runs and some stroppy workmen laying a water main……….”can’t cross here mate”. I will need to sit down at some point and work all those little single track runs into a nice long ride and hopefully Mr Stroppy will have gone. I also had a visit from the puncture fairy which arrived at exactly the same point I was going to take a break so that was handy, it was also very close to the same area I had a previous puncture again in the rear wheel, never found what caused the puncture. I ended the day with 17.4 miles on the clock.

For Saturday it was a ride with the wife and I had decided to stay local and try some new areas which I thought I might be able to add to existing routes to make them longer. Basically it turned out to be a waste of time, we found one path that had recently been cleared as it must have been fully overgrown judging but the roots and stems (which were still growing in the middle of the track). Give it another couple of weeks and nature will have reclaimed the path again. Other paths I wanted to try just seemed not to exist so pretty much rode 10 miles of tarmac for a 14.5 mile ride.

Sunday morning dawned and as I ventured into the shed to get the bike out I noticed that I had had another visit from the puncture fairy and it was the rear wheel again. This time I found the cause, a large thorn stuck in the tyre. Once fixed I was on my way to do my normal Sunday loop. Only thing to report is I can’t wait to get my new knee pads (see below) to arrive, not to protect my knees if I fall off but they do a good job of protecting my legs from the stinging nettles and brambles that are encroaching onto some of the narrow paths I ride, my shins are still stinging now. Apart from my stinging shins, my knee are aching a bit which I guess is to do with the 26 miles I did today for a total 58 miles over the last three days.

In regards to my knee pads I mentioned above I bought some a couple of months ago and they had like a nylon backed foam with hole in to aid breathing\ventilation around the sides and front. Well in the pair I had these areas had started to tear so I sent them back and got a full refund. I have ordered another style of knee pads but I am still waiting for them to arrive.

Got the enjoyable job of driving up to head office tomorrow so it an early night and an early morning, oh joy………………..