Month: April 2017 Page 1 of 2

Leading up to any event,  whether it’s one or one hundred miles,  whether it’s a run or bike ride or whatever your sport  is – there will always be niggles and doubts – have I trained enough;  have I done enough miles;  have I done enough hills;  should I have a day off;  should I squeeze in one more training session;  should I have had that pint of cider last night;  etc etc.   Last weekend I got in a 40 and 45 mile bike ride – had hoped to do more on the Saturday but tired legs from the previous days run and a strong headwind I decided to cut things short – on the Sunday I was faring not bad but not far from home Bertie decided he’d had enough!   And whether I wanted to or not there was going to be no mid week cycling this week!

Dr Nige was away for the weekend but I messaged to see if he could diagnose the problem and could he fix it?    Message went along lines of “chain looks fine; gears working fine but as soon as I stop pedalling chain feels as if it is jumping all over the place as if it’s going to come off”.   Message back – “aye – I can probably fix it”   Dr Nige didn’t get home until after 11pm on Monday night – a quick look at bike diagnosed a “rear freehub failure” – plan:  order one online asap so that bike can be fixed before I head North on Thursday but plan failed – there does not seem to be any stock except in Germany and they won’t arrive in time – plan 2:  take bike to local bike shop who confirm diagnosis but do not have a spare part and also can not get one in time – plan 3:  contact the bike shop in Dingwall where I will be spending the weekend – they are almost certain that they have the right part but someone has already opened the packet and they can’t be 100% sure until they see the bike – Bertie is pushed to the train station on Thursday night and we take the 3 trains from Stirling to Dingwall and we had a high speed run between platforms at Inverness so that we could make our connection – Friday morning bike is dropped off at Dryburgh Cyles in Dingwall – a phonecall mid afternoon confirrms that Bertie is all fixed and ready to go having had the rear freehub replaced and a new derailleur fitted – not able to collect Bertie until Saturday morning but a wee bike ride confirms that he is all ready for the Loch Ness Etape the following day (and hoping that I am as well).

6.35am see’s me and a now fixed Bertie at the start line of the Loch Ness Etape – no expectations of time – I find it impossible to judge but reckon I should make it ok.   The first 33 miles lure you into a false sense of security – 33 miles of gently undulating terrain with beautiful scenery – the scenery continues but we hit the King of the Mountain section – I was expecting hills but not sure when or how much – sometimes it better not to know.   Oh my word the first one is a beast – a fair number of folks are having to push there bikes – I’m on a mission I’m determined that I won’t be one of the them – puff,  puff, f..k,  puff,  puff,  shit – I wasn’t the only one swearing under their breath on the way up – it was tough keeping the momentum;  trying to pass the slower cyclists and those pushing their steeds and at the same time trying not to get in the way of the faster riders – me and Bertie made it and relax on the other side but in quick succession came hills 2 and 3 – neither as long or as steep but still tough on legs that haven’t had time to recover – but a welcoming sound as the Piper plays to let us know we have conquered the King of the Mountain section – easier cycling now but I’m on a mission – still another 20 miles to go but I’m determined to maintain my pace and push myself on, barely stopping to eat or drink – I’m one of the few not on a road bike and I get a few (friendly) comments about my steed and why I’ve got a pannier – I had meant to leave the pannier behind but paranoia about not having enough food or extra layers I opted to take it – I should have left it behind.   Another pull about 10 miles before the homeward stretch and finish line and a well desreved (I think) “Harry Gow Dream Ring” doughnut – boy that went down well.

A big thank you to Team Support (aka Mum and Dad) for looking after me and driving me between Dingwall and Inverness and a huge thanks to Dryburgh Cycles for fixing Bertie at very late notice.

“Freehub” – the thingy in the middle of your back wheel that stops your chain spinning round – I now know a little more about bike maintenance!

Other half has been (and still is) trying to get me to rely on gadgetry for my navigation across America – and it does make sense in terms of minimising what I need to take with me and I do you use my phone for navigation at home – but I neither trust myself or the gadgetry enough to rely on it for 3 months (3 hours could be pushing it) – a lot could wrong – losing phone;  phone dying;  battery dying;  phone getting wet (paper maps getting wet isn’t good either of course) and then what if I press the wrong button and delete 3 months worth of maps – it is all possible!

So paper maps it is and except for one,  I think I now have a map for each state I will be cycling through.   I’ve been out with the highlighter marking my route – still got a lot to do – but now I think I need to starting cutting up the maps and getting rid of the bits I don’t need.   But ……………….. I’m struggling to get the scissors out of the kitchen drawer……………common sense is telling me it needs to be done but ……………it seems like complete destruction to start chopping up brand new maps though…………………what a dilemma.

Tonight’s initial plan was to get a bike ride in that included hills (for training purposes) and put my new Garmin (cycle computer) to the test.   However runny nose all day so opted for shorter bike ride and NO hills but still put the Garmin to the test.   Good wee 16 mile bike ride – strong headwind on the way out – really strong side winds at about the half way mark where I turned right – for those that are paying attention do you remember my analogy of side winds from a couple of days ago – strong winds / car with no shell,  etc – now add “muck spreading” into the equation – I’m travelling roughly North – the wind is blowing West to East,  and I’m struggling to keep from blowing to the middle of the road – there is a muck spreader in the field on my right (West of me) and the smell is driven right at me and oh my word what a smell – think my sinuses got a good (bad) clear out,  but I’ve still got a runny nose!

As to the Garmin – so far so good – recorded speed,  distance,  route,  etc.   Fun and games started when I got gadget geek other half to show me how to sync it to my phone,  etc – as with most people I learn best if I get my hands on something and somebody shows me what to do – most instruction manuals are designed for someone who already knows how to operate the dam thing in the first place – anyway frustration ensued;  Nige rapidly pressed lots of buttons but didn’t actually tell me what he was doing – Garmin now doing what I want it to do (I think) but I am still none the wiser if I ever need to reset it myself – fingers crossed I don’t.   I will take the Garmin (maybe I should give him name – Garry the Garmin??) for another test ride tomorrow.

Slowly getting to grips with the States of America – thank you to Linda for my jigsaw puzzle which is helping.