Tough Cycle Rides

Sometimes, you are just really relieved to get back from a bike ride. You start counting off every junction and hilltop, reducing distance to home.

With the temperature rarely rising above freezing in past few weeks, I went out on Saturday, when I saw temp rise to a heady 2 degrees. I had hot pads in my gloves and feet, and stuck to B roads which I hoped would be free of ice. The first hour was OK, though I had some cheap vest on, and I got quite wet with sweat under the shirt. It is a horrible feeling to have this cold damp layer next to your skin. It might also have been due to having a layer of clothing that wasn’t breathable.

For the last hour of the ride, it started to rain. Cold rain, with an Arctic headwind is pretty demoralising at the best of times. Fortunately, I had two waterproof layers (an Altura jacket and gillet) which combined together stopped the rain getting in top of body. But, it was pretty tough with the cold rain getting in everywhere else. It was only 40 miles, but, it felt liked I’d done a century when I got back.

Sunday, was a better day, bright sun and air temperatures above freezing. I wore a proper thermal wicking layer, and it made a big difference. I went up to Chipping Norton, but, found away from Oxford the temperatures were lower and some back roads looked decidedly icy. Not wanting to take any risks, I took A40 back from Burford. However, the A40 was so busy, I went on to cycle path, which of course had icy patches. It felt like being a rock and a hard place. But, I was glad to get a really good 60 miles in. Making 100 miles for weekend. If I manage 3 hours on the turbo for the rest of the week, I will be pleased.

For some reason, motorists seemed well behaved this weekend, maybe they felt sorry for a cyclist struggling through cold rain, as they were in their heated cars, but I doubt it.