First long ride – 25 miles

I had to go to a hastily scheduled meeting in Leicester today, but I had also promised myself I’d do my first 20 miler to see how I coped.  So I thought what the hell, I’ll cycle in.

It didn’t pose me any fitness problems, somewhat to my surprise. The only thing I did find was that I was *STARVING* on the way back – too much energy out, not enough energy in, so I bought a big bag of Jelly Babies (one of my completely OK kidneyman treats – nothing bad in them except sugar, and I’m using a lot of energy) from a garage and did this:

Just as I was leaving the house I realised my rear light was broken, so I knew I’d have to buy one on the way home. The round trip would have been 33 miles – but I bought a cheap light from Halfords in Leicester on the way back, and it needed a screw to tighten it. I had foolishly left my bike tool at home (lesson learned) so it fell off and smashed on the floor. That’s £11 I’ll not see again. So, as a result, it was going to be dark by the time I got home – so I got my wife and son to pick me up in my car from my mum’s house in Barrow, and we got fish and chips on the way home. Yay!

Here’s the Garmin data for the ride (I only managed to turn it on about a mile and a half away from home, because I am an idiot). And it’s not as slow as it looks – the average SPEED is 7.8mph, but the average *moving* speed is 12.2 mph. There was a half hour meeting in the middle of it, me stopping at a halfords, then a garage, then trying to fix the broken light!

And here’s some slightly better than previous video – I bought a cheap go Pro knockoff (this one) and it’s actually pretty good. The video would be even better, but I was riding into the sun most of the time which isn’t ideal.

There’s a few cuts (I wasn’t sure how long the battery would last) – the longest stretch is from 0:44 onwards – that’s continuous video going from just outside Cossington right into the centre of Leicester. It’s a strangely great ride that – through Watermead Park and down canal paths and suchlike. You pop up in the city and it feels quite strange. You can actually go right through leicester and out the other side on canals this way – Andy and I have done it on many occasions.

Anyway – the video – supply your own Benny Hill music:

So, all in all I’m optimistic. If I can do this with no problems now, in a couple of months I think I’ll be OK to cycle to THE MOON.