In which Farmer and Tempo learn that it's not summer yet

The top loop of the Dragon Ride. Here it is.

Top Loop Two - Sunday's Hangover Cure

A proposed route for Sunday. Starts at Storey Arms thus taking out a big climb, which feels a little bit like cheating, but makes it manageable for those of us with proper jobs (which one of us is that again?). 8am start. Drive to Storey Arms - 5hrs ish?

Cross border trip

Another trip to Herefordshire on a beautiful day, although a head wind down the Golden Valley preceeded by some brand new chippings on the Cusop Rd out of Hay hindered progress somewhat. Nearly as bad as a volcanic ash cloud, but I battled on. I was joined by Special Phil, LTB and LTB junior to Hay who then left me for some sufferfest climbing up Hay Bluff which was rewarded with a Mr Whippy (must be a Northern thing). Tempo didn't join us as he was in the pub celebrating his 45th birthday with Cal whilst wearing his new Whiter than White kit.......

Here it is:http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2375574

Farmer

Best laid plans.....

Unfortunately the top loop of the Dragon will have to wait for another day and Farmer did a Pengenffordd loop to stretch the legs. Nothing remarkable, but Roast Pork, gardening and playing with the kids beckoned!!

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2319893

F

onlytheorangeone.com

Despite the recent team "divide", I have non-selfishly battled on through illness, loneliness and the pressures of having a proper job and managed to get some solo training under my belt:

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2294757

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2294770

The latter was quite respectable although nothoing on a par with the elite riders of course....

I even went out on the MTB last night (alone, of course as the elite team had gone out for a 120 miler earlier that day due to not having to work)....and I have to say I have missed the little orange beauty...a quick 10 mile loop (via some secret onlytheorangeone.com trail routes) was had and felt good. Didn't track it. Well not on this blog anyway....

The sub 50 club ...

The light was getting dim, I hadn't ridden since Tenerifgate...decided to just do the loop
Started quite well, the feeling was coming back and this happened.

Belated Tales of Tenerife

Hard to believe that i've been back a week already. Managed to survive the Easter frenzy and finally have a chance to update my warm weather training exploits.

It was a complete chance and suprise that whilst enjoying a cool San Miguel one evening (beer not the man!) that good old Tempo announced he was in the hood. This is my version of the ride which ended rather messily for me but at least I have a benchmark for pain thresholds now.

Where i was based although lovely meant i had to repeat my rides quite often - so i rang the changes as much as possible and heres the rest.

Climbing through the banana plantations

Along the coast road and back

Steady 25 mile climb to Santiago del Teide

10 mile leg crusher

Tenerifegate

Some warm weather training which, as it happens, was perfectly timed to coincide with the return of winter to the British Isles. Cycling in Tenerife is superb: great roads, great climbs, ace weather and motorists who not only respect cyclists, but actually give little 'toots' of support as you are battling your way up the volcano!

In a seven day holiday I only managed to climb on the bike three times but each trip was worth it. The first up to the little town of San Miguel was more or less just to see what the roads were like and to stretch the legs after the flight.

The second was the big one. Meeting LTB on the coast road we wound our way up through the banana plantations, through the town of Guia de Isora and up into the forest. It soon became clear that LTB was the victim of a dodgy piece of Monkfish Carpaccio and was struggling. 'Chapeau' to him though, as he ploughed on with a Lance-like 'death stare' to an altitude of 1500m before being forced to pack it in, head back to the hotel and, it later materialised, throw up on the way down.

I struggled on, and after some 5 hours of climbing, reached the summit. Which wasn't really a summit at all, but a plateau, which resulted in me cycling about for quite a bit just to make sure that I had reached the highest point and couldn't be accused of doing only half a job!

Great descent to the villa, reaching speeds of over 50mph and overtaking the odd car or two!

Third trip was a shorter run but along wonderful twisting hairpins to the village of Vilaflor.

Abandoned.....

Despite my comrades selfishly taking themselves away to warm weather training venues, the Breconshire low altitude, cold weather training went well.....up until Wednesday. When it snowed.... and hailed and snowed and blew a gale. I am not bitter at all. In fact I admire my teams mates logistical skills to cunningly end up on the same island. Brilliant. I am looking forward to the "cooling" off period of 4 weeks of non-communication and solo training.

A reverse tumble, that bailed out due to fatigue, doom, weather and some sort of strange cycling dead leg syndrome. This could be directly linked to fitness or bitterness.

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2243915

Loop. When there was a 59 minute break in the weather. Yes, this is sub-1 hour. This was achieved by anger alone.

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=2253642