Thursday 17 May 2012

Styal - Alderley Edge taking in the Wizard and Artists Lane

Start 18.23
Time sent riding 1h 48
Mileage 28.42
Climbing 1529 ft
Average speed 15.7 mph
Max speed 40.9 mph AT LAST I HAVE GONE OVER 40mph

Beautiful evening after a busy day at work. Met Niki and Kirsty at Styal - they had already ridden from the centre of Manchester and I was fresh legged in the car. I had changed in the car outside a lady's house and at the EXACT moment I took my work top off to put my cycling top on, the lady appeared at my driver's window to ask me to move my car so that she could park there. Well, I had inadvertently chosen to get undressed in a residents parking bay. Having exchanged pleasantries and offered apologies as I tried to hide my skin, I moved the car.

The girls arrived and off we went. I felt strong. I had lots of energy. I was pushing it. I would never have identified myself as a hill climber but tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I was a hill climber. I loved every moment of the ride, the exertion and the pain. At the top of the Wizard in Alderley Edge we turned into Artists Lane for the descent. At the bottom, Niki suggested we turn round and go back to the top of Artists Lane and then descend the Wizard. I had thought my climbing was done when I got to the top of the Wizard the first time round - in fact I had pulled so much out to beat the girls up there, that I was almost sick at the top.

So anyway, reluctantly I went back up Artists Lane and then straight down the Wizard. And how glad am I that I did. Since my records began (since I bought my Garmin in April) I had wanted to exceed 40mph (on an uphill ideally but a downhill works too). And today was the day. YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Such a great feeling.

And then a flat, fast train of 3 back to Styal for my car. Then home. Glowing and giddy.