The joys of just........cycling.

MAP of Ride

So its 9am. I've had no sleep since 3pm yesterday, I've got no energy from yesterday and I'm aching all over. What do I decide to do? Go on a bike ride. This was going to be a very easy ride and to stop me from getting stupid ideas I took Vanquish, if you remember has no computer, so I didn't know what speed/distance etc I would be going at. Just as long as my legs or lungs weren't screaming in agony I would be fine, so I thought.

The sun was out playing with my cat. 'I'm really going to try and enjoy this ride' I thought to myself as I placed my Oakleys over my eyes. Just to Edenfield and back or I might see how I get on. I swigged 2 cans of asda cheapo diet cranberry redbull stuff and set off on my merry way, on an empty stomach. (read somet on cycle chat/bikeradar about it dropping lots of weight so I gave it a go).

Woah, I can take it easy and I was loving evey minute of it. I had almost forgotton how enjoyable cycling can be. ( the sun did help). I was taking in the fresh air and scenery instead of tarmac and potholes. So what if I felt like crap and I couldn't cope with a gradient greater than +0.00001 I went out to enjoy myself and that I did so I extended the run to Burnley. Just passing the killer hill that is Brunshaw road (20% +) taking it very easy I kept seeing and smelling spam butties. Usually I go home via Walsden and stop at the garden centre where there is a snack van that sells Spam butties! That was my target. I knew there was a Morrisons on the way too so I was going to get a couple of bananas too. On the way past Todmordon, the market was on so I stopped for a rest and to have a look around. Not many stalls but there were many people about in a very nice neighbourly way all greeting each other. Suppose thats what happens where inbreeding takes place. There was a fruit and veg stall, every thing looked so sweet and juicy, even the wasps circling the strawberries would have tasted good. 3 bananas 57p, not bad and a couple of handfuls of cherries £3.50 robbing bastards, no wonder there was no price on it but they looked sooo good I had to have them. Noooo my change was less than a quid, NO SPAM BUTTY! I was devastated. I ate all my fruit next to some aging bikers when some gypsy came round and showed me a handful of gold shite. I swatted her away like a fly and she disappeared into the nearest pub. The biker dude followed her and came out saying the most she was offered was £3 hehe.

I wouldn't usually stop and take time out to experience such trivialities but it was a welcome change. Set off again making sure I didn't go past the spam butty shop so headed to Mytholmroyd and up Cragg Vale, which is an easier climb than I thought, and down into Littleborough. Saw an MTB'er eating a butty on a wall halfway up cragg. I was going to stop but I dont hink my legs would have carried on afterwards. Most of the ride I had that feeling of 'no energy' but I stood up and rode like that for about a mile up Cragg Vale and wasn't bothered by it. I dont usually stand up, it has to be an extremlely steep hill when I am tired. Usually lose acouple of mph by standing but I had no computer so what the heck? Hills suddenly looked easy again, any incline and I was up off my arse.

Eventually made it home with 1 MTB overtake, hmmm. Surprised I wasn't overtaken, I was going slower than normal. My legs are currently in hibernation mode as they cant stand the pain much longer. Feels like 'DOMS' (delayed onset of muscle soreness) but I've been excercsing them lots at a very low intensity. I even started getting cramp in my buttock. I know I need a few days, maybe a week total rest but I can't bring myself to do it. I did the route in some time close to 4 hrs, 60 miles, whats that in mph? 15 isn't it, ughgh.