Can't put any maps up, laptop won't copy them in a screen shot.
Last Sunday the 2nd September, just went out for a little 10 miler to get to the 100 for the week. Never did make it, the derailleur hanger snapped and left me stranded with 4 miles to go. Couldn't fix it by the roadside so had to call a breakdown out, thank you Mrs Ken! Photos below show the gears nearly mashed up in the wheel. Also lucky was the fact that this 'mechanical' happened adjacent to a huge blackberry bust, positively bursting with sweet succulent blackberries. Munched quite a few before the cavalry arrived.
Tue 4th September
Old Gits day today with a difference. First Tuesday in the month, it should be over the Levels to Burnham on Sea for refs at The Reeds Hotel. My bike was still not repaired. too technical for me so another Old Git lent me his spare hybrid bike. This was a Giant bike, not bad at all fitted me OK and the gears were just the job for the hills we did.This year it coincides with Stage 3 of the men's Tour of Britain cycle race which today, runs from Bristol, through some nearby Villages and over the Mendips via Cheddar Gorge, and back to Bristol. 168 km. Some Old Gits including myself elected to miss the Burnham trip and head into the hills to watch the riders at Shipham. This promised to be a longer time out and mileage than usual so we stopped halfway at Winscombe foe a cup of tea at Charlotte's Tea in the centre of the village. This is the happy 10 waiting for the tea to arrive
Village Green Shipham
Having checked this location on the previously we thought on the edge of the village green would be a good vantage point to both see the riders and see them coming from a distance. W hat we hadn't banked on was everybody else had the same idea. We got to the village with about an hour to spare before they shot through bur we were entertained by two musicians, a saxaphonist and an accordion player. Oh yes and the nearby cafe had a tremendous display of cakes outside with extra chairs and tables set out and the butchers over the road had bacon butties, hot dogs and burgers on offer. Most of us stuck with tea and cake.
Nearly time.
Some of the escorting motorcyclists had gone through and we could see a live streaming of the riders via mobile phones. §this is most of us in position just before the riders case through. It was at this point my phone battery died so no camera and no record of the return journey could be made. "Golly gosh" I said. When the riders did come through, despite our location being at the top of a hill and close to the end of a 'King of the mountain' stage they were still a blur and it was difficult to pick out any individual rider. Still worth the effort for the experience. our Old Gits shirts attracted a bit of attention with a few queries about where we were from, our history etc. The crowds soon dispersed after the event and we made our way back the same way to Winscombe and back to Weston via Sandford and Puxton.
a good day, different for the Old Gits and clocked up 33 miles in the process.
Wed. 5th Sept. Watched the Stage 4 of the race on TV today after taking my bike to a local repair. After the race, which was along a lot of my old cycling routes around Leamington. I took the loan bike back to its owner just a little 5 mile jaunt to the next village. Hope to get my road bike back tomorrow.
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