... And this is how it should have been done!

Start the day with an enormous breakfast!  Things are bound to go well after that!  We followed a recommendation and went to Moose Coffee, a Canadaian themed cafe, for brunch.  We weren't disappointed!

Next stop - the ferry of course!  Unfortunately, the 10am ferry had been cancelled.  We decided to wait for the 11am ferry, it would have been a shame to miss the trip after yesterday's misadventures!

Finally!  A ferry across the Mersey!

Once we arrived at Seacombe we began our return journey home.  First we headed north around the headland, and the journey was a delight.  Spring sunshine and everyone in a good mood!  The views were gorgeous and we took plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy.

Although the ride was very picturesque, it wasn't without its hazards.  Hundreds of people and their randomly roaming children and puppies were also making their way round the headland.  We rode with care and there were no accidents.  The dogs were having a whale of a time playing in the water.  

Eventually we reached the lifeboat station at Hoylake.

It was to this point that Stuart's Grandpa used make Stuart and his brother and sister walk (from Seacombe)  A fair distance on little legs, and they didn't even get a ice cream at the end!

Stuart still didn't get an ice cream today!

The marsh lands were lovely and well worth sparing a few minutes to sit and enjoy.  Apparently in Victorian times this was a beach, that got lost to marshlands when a huge channel was dug to Wales so that ships could make it direct to Wales.  Not entirely sure why they wanted to do that, Wales has enough coastline of its own, but anyway the marshlands were fab.

A common refrain that we heard from the locals today was that the tide had never been so high. Fortunately, they didn't flood the bike paths, but they got pretty close occasionally.

Last weekend I was honestly wondering why I cycled.

This weekend was probably one of the best weekends cycling in my life!  Loved it!

Major navigational errors

First I'd like to introduce my brand new photo chromatic air vented oaklies. I'm very excited about this purchase, as I have been suffering from watering eyes and not being able to see very well as I speed down hills.  Not ideal!

Now I need to explain how an important navigational error occurred!

Stuart planned a route on his garmin that began at Station Lane in Chester.  He then told me that we were starting from Station Road in Chester, which I duly programmed into the Sat Nav!

To be fair I should have double checked when I was given a choice of Station Road or Station Lane on the Sat Nav, so it is partly my fault.  However, Stuart said Station Road so confidently, that I feel we must conclude that it was mainly his fault!

The two potential start points are pretty far apart, and so began the navigational woes.

We were also unfortunate in that there was a bike path 56 right next to our parking spot, so it felt like we were in the right place.

We knew that we needed to head North, but the garmin kept telling us to go South.

  

So we ended up heading due West and found ourselves in Wales.

My welsh colleague at work tells me this sign says "cyclists dismount - you have reached God's country" but I think she is fibbing!

After receiving advice from the nice people in the cycle shop (we needed to buy a replacement inner tube after having had to fix a puncture, it was all going wrong today!), we navigated our way onto a superb cycle track.

Soon we were back in sunny England.

We found a lovely cafe stop  at Neston for lunch and even managed to eat outside!

We checked the time of the last ferry (4pm!) and realised that we had already missed it!  It was a late lunch!

We now needed to make some radical adjustments to the plan.  People at the cafe suggested cycling back to Hooton and taking the train from there.  This was a full 6 miles from our original start point.  That would have been just wrong.  Instead we pushed on to West Kirby and picked the train up there.

Bikes safely loaded onto the train, we had time to say hello to a couple of lovely pugs.  

Exiting the station I watched nervously as Stuart navigated a fully laden bike up some escalators.  Last time this was attempted it didn't end well, with Stuart, bicycle and panniers being deposited in a tangled heap at the top, after doing a couple of backward revolutions, down the stairs.  Fortunately, this time there were no disasters.

We arrived as the sun was setting and were able to take some lovely pictures of Liverpool.  Who would have thought if you start a 30 mile bike ride at noon you have to start worrying about whether you have lights!

A fantastic day, even if it didn't go entirely to plan!

Setting the baseline

Speed is an issue.  I cannot ride at an average of 11.8 mph, the speed needed for the London Ride 100.

I have decided a new training regime is needed.  There is a nice short route near home,that turns out to be 6.6 miles.  I need to do this route as often as possible and focus on reducing the time taken.  So today Sat 14th March I rode that route for the first time and it took 31.32 minutes.

Now to work on improving this time!

28 March 

31 mins 41 sec. Av speed 12.5mph

11Apr

30 mins 41 sec. Av speed 12.9mph

11 June

31 mins 42 sec Av speed 12.6mph

I may only have done the standard route, but I feel pretty epic!

After last week's disastrous ride and a week of winter bugs (most likely the real reason for the bad ride), I am more than a little anxious about today.

We are doing another Wiggle sportive, this time in the South of England near Ashdown forest. At the start of the ride we are given a briefing and told to look out for the signs that direct us along the correct route, epic or standard.  

Stuart and I have chosen the standard ride, 51 miles and climbing of 3,500 feet. Three thousand five hundred feet! I have never done that much climbing in my life and I feel poorly.  It's a figure of 8 route, so I tell Stuart that I will do my very best, but may have to dip out after 1 loop.

The first 5km as ever is the toughest, and once again it is very windy.  However, pretty soon, as I haven't fallen off in exhaustion, I start to actually enjoy the ride.  It starts to warm up, which is a first for this season and even the top layer of jackets are shed.

The snowdrops are still glorious, the daffodils are only just starting to peak through, and we see some lovely catkins in the sunshine.

My photo stops are not helping with my speed issues and when we arrive at the first feed station we are pretty much the last arrivals.  However, the feed station is just past the half way mark, the day is lovely and I decide to attempt the whole route.

We have now adopted a default riding position, me always in front.  This is for two reasons.  1 - if I am riding at the back, the psychological effect of believing I'm starting to get behind really kicks in and I start to slow down.  2 - Stuart always knows where I am and that I haven't stopped to take a photo of sheep or something.

Part of the route goes through Ashdown Forest, but I think this is a misnomer as there don't appear to be many trees left.

Just 5km short of the finish line, other riders, who are probably second from last now, offer to take our photo, (we may well have stopped here so I could take photos of sheep). It has been an absolutely fabulous ride, we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

When we arrive back at the car park, most people have gone home, but we reward ourselves with my mum's homemade fruitcake.  

I may well have been one of the last riders to complete the course, but I finished the ride that I had set out to do, and feel that now I have got hills fairly sorted.  It's speed and distance to work on next!

All the excuses

After last week's "No Excuses" sportive ride, it turns out that this week I need lots of excuses.

Although the morning is bright and sunny and everything looks set for a good ride, I'm dropped within the first 10 miles.  I knew straight away that I was struggling, and Stuart could see that too, so he stayed at the back to keep me company.  It doesn't take long before the Sociables group is far out of sight.  Does this happn to everyone when they start, or is it just me?  Am I ever going to get fitter and stronger?  Now it's just Stuart and me and we can ride a bit slower, I have plenty of time to mull over reasons why I'm dropped so quickly.

Although, it's lovely and sunny, it is tremendously windy today.  Wind is probably the toughest weather to cycle in, so that definitely didn't help

Could it be the 31 mile ride that I did yesterday?  I didn't think that would be a problem, but just as we set off on this morning's ride, one of the other rider's commented that I must have strong legs if I had already done a long ride this weekend.  I know my legs aren't strong yet, so the seed of doubt is sown.

Could it be the cold?  It's March 1st, but it doesn't feel like it is ever going to warm up.  Although the plus side to this is that the snowdrops are still in full bloom.

I have to admit that recent cake consumption may well not have helped.  Here's a little montage of cakes from the last couple of days.  Cake in the office, cake at home and cakes out cycling

In reality, it probably all boils down to the need to get more miles in my legs.  Fortunately, we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and plenty of opportunities to clock up the miles, and today I have the chance to stop and take a picture of one of my favourite views.

We also have our cup of tea at Emily's in Whitwell, and there may well have been more cake!