Von Trapp?

Well, more water has been passed since I last graced these pages, and many miles covered.....I don't know if it's cheating to add the totals up over the last few weeks despite having failed to blog them individually....
So it was with these thoughts and many others that I pointed the front wheel onto the National Cycleway this morning, starting at the village of Kilbarchan and headed south west towards Irvine and the Western shoreline. A strong headwind greeted me, along with lots of walkers, and a game of dodge the dog walker ensued, but it was al good humoured, with lots of smiles and shouts of "Aaargh! Get oot of tha Waar!"

With the screams still echoing in my ears, I attempted to make myself as small as possible to cut down on resistance and settled into a rhythm. I had an amusing pause at Kilbirnie to figure out the map, and then joined the local 'B' roads for the rest of the journey. I hit some great inclines, and some steep descents, twisty, turny, wooded back roads, and some lovely scenery, despite the inclement weather. The further I went, the wetter and windier it got, but I persevered, and was rewarded with the sort of country roads and little fields that reminded me of my youth, as I cycled along, I hummed long forgotten tunes and reminisced about walks with my Father and his dogs, childhood movies, favourite books.

I was suddenly in a "Sound of Music" moment, and shuddering, put such thoughts out of my head.... carry on like this my boy, I told myself, and you'll be sporting an outfit made from curtains and comtemplating a sing song everytime it thunders.

At Kilwinning, I reached my destination, and paused in the now torrential rain to put on my raintop, and check my texts, before heading back the way I came. With the wind behind me I kept up a steady pace, but found stopping a challenge on the downhills, as the saturated wheels and road reduced friction to an alarming level. I returned to my car, having completed a 39 mile round trip in 2hrs 50, which wasn't the fastest, but was a steady pace, and I didn't pause the stopwatch when i stopped for directions or rainjacket application.

My three previous trips out were a little more local, and were filled with the excitement of almost being wiped out by a Mini who failed to look when turning right, being completely outpaced by a fellow cyclist who, with his far superior fitness, co-ordination and use of timing left me wallowing in his wake, as he tore up the asphalt on the infamous Crow Road hill climb behind Lennoxtown... and the time I stopped completely in awe as the Arab Emirates 777 superjet banked overhead, looking like a spectacular paperknife tearing across the sky..... of course there was also the incident of the wasp getting caught in the helmet airvent, and the encounter involving the stoat, a garden gnome and the banana milkshake, but those will have to wait.

So, I can confirm a total mileage of 116.4 over the last couple of weeks, but feel that in the up and coming "Time Trial" this will not stand me in good stead, as a certain Ironman has now purchased a superior machine, the type thing upon which legends are made and records broken...... perhaps I could just make the tea?

Have fun folks.

Dark Knight