Look around, around - out in the city its just you and me

If you recognise the redacted lyrics you're sadder than me!

So, here I am, a bit less battered but certainly not mended yet. I posted Monday about getting back on 2 wheels, well yesterday I returned to the bike bouyed by Mondays experience. It was to be my 100th bike ride this year and on the back of Monday thought that a 100km ride to celebrate was doable, I had a lunch stop in mind, the village green at Ham.

I set off in the sunshine, picking roads without too much ascent to coddle my shoulder, lack of descent doing the same for my braking hand. Progress to Ham was quicker than I'd hoped so instead of stopping as planned I looped through Berkeley to get to Sharpness, the point where the Gloucester ship canal joins the Severn. There's a little picnic area so I stopped there for my sandwiches, sat in the sunshine, the hurts were, well not being an issue and with just shy of 50km clocked, my target for the day was pretty much assured.

After eating and before heading back, I thought I'd take a look at the canal and found myself watching bridges being opened for a yacht to pass through. The surprising thing was that one of the bridges required two men and a capstan to open and close, I guess its not economical to motorise, its on a private lane and doesn't need to be opened very often. 'What the heck', I thought, lets ride up the canal path a ways then loop back, no extra miles and a new trail to ride.

And so it was, the sunshine though gave way to increasingly grey and as I turned southwards I realised that the wind had got up too, making my progress somewhat more difficult. The A38 was the route of least resistance but its quite exposed, my shoulder started to get a bit uncomfortable, well more uncomfortable to be truthful. A turn into the lanes gave some relief from the headwind but the less good road surfaces started to play havoc with my hand - grr!

I made it back, the 100km completed, injuries complaining but that was to be expected. Maybe 100km was a bit ambitious for just the second post crash ride, but I have a yardstick with which to temper expectations on my next outings.

The expected rain has yet to manifest itself today, I always feel a bit fraudulent sat indoors when its dry outside, there is just so much that I could be doing. Anyhoo, I have posted new Gaby, Over the edge lays some foundation for Book 3, The Visitors with a bit of Drewbie introspection mixed in.

Well its my lunchtime so i'll waffle no more, i'll be back at the weekend,

Tschussie
Madeline Anafrid