Story 29: A first, and last, Ride the Night training cycle with Gemma

It's been a gloriously sunny Easter Weekend in my neck of the woods. My daughter Gemma couldn't have chosen a better weekend for a visit home and we couldn't have had a better weekend for our first (and probably last) cycle together before we take part in the 100km Women V Cancer Ride the Night event at the end of May.

Gemma's, em, a bit behind in her training as she's busy with many other things, but she's as determined as I am to manage the 100km and I have absolutely no doubt that she'll rise to the challenge.

I'm delighted to report that I coped OK with the toe-clips and managed not to fall off (it's early days though...) We all thoroughly enjoyed our 22 mile cycle and our bit of Jam Jar breakfast thrown in for good measure.

The next time Gemma and I cycle alongside each other will probably be on the 31st of May when we head off from Windsor Race Course into the night to ride 100km round London with 2000 other women. It'll be an incredible tour de force against cancer and it'll be brilliant to be part of it with my daughter by my side.

All we need to do now is get more cycling in so that we're fit enough to meet the challenge. Me up here in Scotland and Gemma down south in London.

Geographically apart but determined together.

Story 24: Getting on my bike, no matter the weather

Well, we managed to make it out today for only the second ride on our bikes since the start of 2014. And a lovely ride it was too. The twenty two mile route we followed was one that we've cycled a fair few times now, taking the back road from our house to Bridge of Allan and back again, but I don't think we'll ever tire of it. We don't have to venture much on to the main roads, the surrounding scenery is gorgeous and the half way point is marked by one of our favourite munch stops, Jam Jar in Bridge of Allan. What more could a pair of leisurely Sunday cyclists ask for?

 It was raining when we set off this morning, and it was very cold, but we'd promised ourselves that, no matter the weather, we were getting back into our Sunday cycles by the beginning of March - and I'm so very glad that we kept that promise. Alex and I have decided that we're definitely fair weather cyclists. There have been a few Sundays, since our last jaunt out on the bikes in January, that we didn't have anything planned and we could easily have wrapped up and set off for a cycle. But we didn't. It was either too wet, too cold or too windy and a morning with our feet up in front of the fire instead was always too appealing. 

Thankfully though, the rain wan't too heavy today and didn't last too long. In fact, the sun popped out just a few miles in. It was still bitterly cold, but we were so well wrapped up in our balaclavas, waterproof socks, thermal gloves and umpteen layers that it was really only the tips of our fingers and toes that were numb. In fact, I was having a bit of a hot flush by the time we reached the cafe and I had to head off to the loo to strip a few layers off (and, as usual, fix my helmet hair so that I looked at least a wee bit more presentable for sitting on a Sunday morning in amongst many of Bridge of Allan's finest...!) 

So, hopefully today marks the start of getting out more regularly for a cycle, whatever the weather. Having said that, we've been toying with the idea of buying these roller thingy's or a turbo trainer that you can set your bike up on for a cycle inside the house. Then we could cycle whatever the weather! 

Hm, a Sunday cycle at home in front of the fire when it's p*****g down outside...? Now, that just might be my kind of rainy day ride! Watch this space for 'Stories from the saddle of a not-so-serious-cyclist-who-sometimes-stays-at-home-to-cycle', possibly coming soon!

Story 19: Appreciating what's on my doorstep

One of the things I love most about our cycling trips is that we're always moving along slowly enough to take in and appreciate the scenery round about us. And we're extremely lucky in that we don't have to travel very far to find some of the most scenic routes. Today we decided to leave from home and head into Stirling for breakfast (in a wee place called Toast, where Claudia - the lovely owner - and her staff make the best French toast with bacon and maple syrup I've ever tasted!) before deciding where to go from there. But before we'd even left the house, I was appreciating the view in front of me. We're very lucky to live in an ordinary house with an extraordinary view, and I never take it for granted:


After pulling on my gloves and pulling up my balaclava, we set off along one of the quiet back roads to Stirling, nestled in between the fields and the hills all the way:



After breakfast - did I mention that Toast make the best French toast with bacon and maple syrup I've ever tasted...

- we decided to cycle through the Riverside area of Stirling, across to Cambuskenneth then on towards Bridge of Allan. Looking resplendent as ever, The Wallace Monument sat on the crag ahead of us. I see the Wallace Monument most days and it's a sight I never grow tired of (the same could be said about the legs and the rear of the cyclist who's peddling along in front of me...):

From Bridge of Allan it was quite a hard cycle - uphill and in to the wind most of the way - on the main road to Dunblane. That road's also surrounded by lovely scenery, but I was panting like an old wifey with my head down all the way to Dunblane so, the view of the tarmac below me had to suffice for this wee section! Coming out of Dunblane, we carried on towards the village of Kinbuck. Fortunately for us cyclists (but not so much so for folks in their cars) this road's closed to vehicles at the moment as there are some stone repairs being carried out on the Kinbuck Bridge. It's a quiet road anyway, but it was lovely being able to cycle along without having to take the usual precautions for traffic. From Kinbuck we headed over the scaffolded bridge to head back towards Dunblane on another of the quiet back roads. Yet again, the surroundings were glorious:

I absolutely loved the downhill-most-of-the-way next few miles back to Bridge of Allan and the cows and sheep would've heard a fair few Wheee's and Woo Hoo's along the way! A welcome cup of coffee while sitting outside Jam Jar (al fresco style in almost mid-October!) set us up nicely for the last leg home. We took the quiet back road again and enjoyed being blown along it for most of the way.

We cycled about 37 miles today and we were enveloped in greenery and gorgeous scenery for almost every one of those miles. How very, very lucky we are to live where we do, and to have found the perfect way to soak up the scenery that's right on our doorstep. And, how very lucky we are to have had so much sunshine - even when it's baltic - since I became hooked on cycling! Yup, if you'd told me a few months ago that I'd be leaving my house - in full sight of my neighbours - wearing a balaclava to keep me warm whilst riding 37 miles on a road bike I'd have laughed out loud and told you not to be so silly! Three months on from our first cycle I'm still loving every trip as much as the last, and today was a brilliant reminder that we don't have to travel far from home to find the perfect way to spend a Sunday.