Day 319 (Saturday)

Went for a nice morning walk with wifey and Rosie (Dog), after the walk did weekly shopping and had lunch at the supermarket.

I had planed a nice ride into Bath then onto the cycle way and into Bristol then return via Tormarton and Castle Combe (Route here...)

I downloaded the route plan onto the mobile and started RunGPS, the verbal commands worked very well but without the visual display of the route and expected direction it was a bit awkward to make the correct turns.

Actually finding the start of the Bath - Bristol cycleway was my first problem! I went round in a few ever decreasing circles before I found the start! Once on the cycleway it was very smooth and very fast!


The old rail sidings had some old steam engines parked up.


Unfortunately I didn't find the right turning of the cycleway for the return home stretch and I ended up carrying on into Bristol a little to far, I opted to turn around and return home the way I got there.

The actual route should be available below....

The cycle computer had the ride as 54.36 miles in 3 hours 34 minutes with an average speed of 15.2 mph.

When I got back home, I showered and changed then went out for a fantastic evening meal, on return home I set about making a handlebar phone mount for the Merida.



Well actually I just drilled some holes in the metal case I already had and fitted it to the stem with tie raps.

Ohhhhh today I have done over 5000 miles!!!!!

Day 318

Picked up wifey on the way home and went on to Calne for a swim :-)

Due to my snail like swimming speed I managed 14 lengths to wifey's 20.

Day 317

Wifey bought me loads of goodies today from the lidl cycle stuff sale :-)

When I got home I had tea then got changed into new shorts,top and socks and did 20 miles on the turbo trainer :-)

The session was 1 mile easy spin, 18 miles of high gear high cadence followed by 1 mile of easy spin.

After getting showered and changed I brought the Dawes indoors and fitted it to the turbo trainer, I adjusted the cable on the rear dérailleur (Since fitting the new chain the gears started jumping - not like last time where the chain was jumping over worn teeth, this was just out of adjustment), after adjusting the gears I removed the handlebar bag bracket and fitted a seat mounted bag and tool kit.

The cycle computer had today's session as 20 miles in 53 minutes with and average speed of 22.3 mph

Day 316

Worked from home today :-)
Got up early and took Rosie (Dog) for a walk...and I dont care what people say spring has sprung!

Even the first wild primrose was in flower...

After the nice fresh early morning walk I settled down and did some work :-(

At 11:30 I set of on a bike ride, stopping at Peddlers in Calne to pick up and fit the new mudguards on the Dawes. I eventually continued on for my 'Normal 25' ish.

On the ride I tried out and eventualy bought some new phone tracking/training /navigation software called 'RunGPS' that actualy seems to work! (Although battery life may become an issue!)

The cycle computer had today's ride as...25.96 miles with an average speed of 14.3 mph.

I have updated the blog with a realtime tracker from rungps, hopefully it will show where I am in realtime when I am out on the bike.

Day 315

Night Off.....

Played computer games :-)

Day 314

Got home, changed then went straight on the Turbo Trainer.

Did 10 miles, 1 mile easy spin, 8 miles high gear - high cadence, 1 mile easy spin.

Computer had the session as 10 miles in 26 minutes with an average speed of 22.4 mph.

Day 313 (Sunday)

Got up early, did normal house tidy up chores then set of at 10:30 ish towards Calne, Marlborough and Wootton Bassett.

It was a really good fast ride to Marlborough :-) then the long uphill ride from Marlborough to the white horse at Hackpen was really slow, it is quite a climb and there was a 15+ mph wind in my face!

Although it was worth it to go down the other side :-)



When I got to Wootton Basset I stopped at the mother in laws, met up with wifey who had brought some clothes to put over the cycle kit and some tools for me :-) and I set about fixing the fence and cutting down a tree (I always enjoy using the chain saw)

After a 2 hour stop I set on towards Dauntsey, Sutton Benger, Wick Hill, Stanley Lane and finally Chippenham. (Route Here...)

On Sutton Lane I managed to stop and take a picture of some deer :-)

Seeing wildlife is one of the things I really enjoy about cycling, I hardly ever manage to take a photo as the things are nearly always running or flying away from me.

When I got home I showered and changed, then cooked a fab garlic and rosemary studded roast lamb.

After tea I finaly got around to washing the Dawes and fitting the new chain. It looks like the link I fitted to the Shimano chain had failed :-( The new chain is a KMC chain with a missing link. I think all of my future chains will be KMC the chain seems so much better.

The cycle computer had today's ride as 50.30 miles in a ride time of 3 hours 13 minutes with an average speed of 15.6 mph (Ohhh I think this might actually be my first 100 mile weekend of 2009)

The weather this weekend was perfect :-) Today I didn't wear any thermal gear at all, just cycle trousers, t-shirt and cycle jacket - I am really looking forward to the spring/summer now :-)

Day 312 (Saturday)

Got up early and cycled to Calne on the Merida for it first service.... Wifey picked me up and we went on to the Savernake Forest to take Rosie (dog) for a walk.

On the way back we stopped at Marlborough street market and bought lunch, then parked up on the Ridgeway overlooking the Barrows on Overton Hill and consumed it:-)

We got back to the cycle shop and I picked the bike up at just gone 12....Then I set of on an absolutely brilliant ride :-)

I didn't have any real route in mind, I headed towards Marlborough then decided I would go to Devizes then I headed towards Pottern then I thought it might be a good idea to cycle up Westbury white horse hill...

I must admit I did find it easier this time than I did the last time I tried it!!!

The view at the top is absolutely brilliant and on a clear day like today you can see for miles...

I cycled on over the hill and down the other side towards Westbury then turned back towards Bratton Village and along the road that goes under the white horse.

At Bratton I turned left to Steeple Ashton, and I actually got around to stopping and taking some photo's of some old fuel pumps that have been sitting unused for decades.
Anywhere else they would have been removed long ago, but I actually like them :-)

From Steeple Ashton I cycled to Melksham, Past my old Secondary school at Shaw (Which apparently is now a School that announces itself as a Technology College), Past my old Primary School then Gastard and Home...The route can be seen here...

The cycle computer had the ride as 51.72 miles in 3 hours 23 minutes with an Average speed of 15.2 mph.

I wore to much! it was NOT a winter woollies day, but I did, the weather forecast yesterday was for a cold day 2 deg ish, at 1300 it was 11 degrees.

Day 311

Got in late, children on phone lost in Bristol - we gave up any chance of going for a swim, by the time I finished installing the replacement power supply on the NAS box and restored the power supply into wifeys computer, I didnt feel inclined to go on the Turbo Trainer.

So a night off

Day 310

Ohhhh 100 days to go!!!!

Got home late :-(...Made some healthy burgers with wifey and put them in the fridge to settle.

Fixed my NAS box the PSU decided to go up in smoke during the day...

Cooked and ate tea then went on the Turbo Trainer for 10 miles...

I did 1 mile easy spin warm up, 8 miles high gear - high cadence then 1 mile easy spin cool down

Computer shows I did 10 miles in 26 minutes with an average speed of 22.8 mph.....Metallica is obviously the best band to turbo to!!!!

Day 309

Worked from home today :-)

Set of on the Dawes at about 11:45 only to get about 2 feet when the chain broke :-( I returned back home and departed on the Merida, when I got to Lyneham the heavens opened and I got completely drenched, and the even worse the Merida got dirty!

Because of the delayed start and the rain I opted for just doing the old 20 mile route...

According to the cycle computer I did the 21.71 miles in 1 hour 13 minutes with an average speed of 17.8 mph.

After work I set about cleaning and oiling the Merida, it is booked in for it service on Saturday, I am also picking up a replacement chain and a set of mudguards for the Dawes at the same time.

Day 308

Night Off....Did start playing computer games...But I am very tired, so stopped early.

Day 307

Got in from work,went straight on the Turbo Trainer.

Did 10 miles, 1 mile easy spin, 8 miles High Cadence, 1 mile easy spin.

Computer had the session as 10 miles in 29 minutes.

After the session showered and cooked chicken supreme from yesterdays left over cider roast chicken :-)

Day 306 (Sunday)

Got up, did normal Sunday house tidy chores.

Took Rosie (Dog) for a short walk then went shopping with wifey, had brunch out at the supermarket :-)

When we got back home I set of on a 50 mile ride on the Merida :-) I had to stop at 40 miles to fix a friends computer :-(

The first 40 miles took me to Calne -> Marlborough -> Broad Town -> Wootton Bassett -> Dauntsey the stopped at Sutton Benger.

The stop was actually very useful as the temperature has obviously picked up a little and I ran out of drink! (The first time that has happened since last year!)

It was really good to cycle down the white horse hills instead of up them! (Although the total climb and descent is the same, the horse sides are always steeper)

You can see the continuing road at the bottom of the hill, and yes a steep road goes down the hill!

I travelled along the top of the hills that I could see on my ride yesterday, and the snow was still very much in evidence.

I stopped in Sutton Benger for about 30 minutes, whilst I was there I filled up my water bottle then set of on my normal route home, over Wick Hill and down Bencroft Hill (10 Miles)

It was really happy as I had no problems on the Merida climbing up the 1:6 of Wick Hill :-)

The cycle computer has todays ride as 49.95 miles in 3 hours 9 mins with and average speed of 15.8 mph

Day 305 (Saturday)

Got up at a reasonable time for a change... Didn't rush of out for dog walk as I was waiting for the flower delivery for wifey :-)

Once they arrived we set of on a short dog walk.

After lunch I set of on a nice 39 mile ride, I decided to cycle to Calne then cycle the country lanes to Wootton Bassett, Dauntesy and Chippenham. (Route Here...)

The snow was still very much evident on the hills at Broad Town.

The snow drops are well and truly out now as well


The cycle computer had today's ride as 39.12 miles in 2 hours 44 mins with an Average Speed of 14.2 mph

Day 304

Worked from home today :-)
Managed to get out on the bike at 11:30 for my 'normal 25'.

Cycle computer had the ride as 25.64 miles.

At 6pm managed to get out for a swim, did 20 lengths in about 30 minutes, I actualy feel like I am getting better at swimming!

After the swim we drove back home picked Rosie (dog) up and went out for our evening meal.

Day 303

Turbo Trainer again tonight.

15 miles in 39 minutes, 1 mile warm up, 13 miles blat, 1 mile cool down

Hoping to go out for a real ride tomorrow :-)

...Interestingly I have now cumulatively spent over a day on the turbo trainer!

Day 302

Didnt make it out for a 'real' ride today as I was waiting for some deliveries :-(

After evening meal I assembled a table router that had been delivered during the day, and tried it out :-)

At about 8pm I eventualy made it onto the Turbo Trainer and did a nice short 10 miles.

Computer had the ride as 10 miles, in 29 minutes with an average speed of 21 mph.

Day 301

Night off....Played computer games :-)

Day 300

WOW Day 300!!!! and 4707 miles (Over 5000 if we include the Turbo Trainer)

Today was another Turbo session, I got in at gone 6pm got changed and went straight on the Turbo, I did intend to do 10 miles, but that doesn't seem enough these days, so I ended up doing 15.

1 mile easy spin,13 miles high speed - high cadence, 1 mile easy spin

Cycle computer had the ride as 15 miles in 39 minutes with an average speed of 22.5 mph.

Day 299 (Sunday)

Got up, did normal Sunday chores then cooked cider boiled honey roast ham for mother in laws birthday lunch.

After lunch an evaluation of the outside world showed a thaw had set in :-) so I decided to chance a 20 mile ride around the main road's.

When I set off it started to rain :-( when I got to Lyneham it started to snow!


When I got to Sutton Benger the back roads looked clear so I chanced doing the 'normal 25' :-)
Riding up Wick Hill the snow started again.....Down Bencroft Hill rain again.

The cycle computer had todays ride as 25.65 miles in 1 hour 49 minutes with an average speed of 14 mph

Day 298 (Saturday)

Today was far to dangerous to go out on the road on the bike.

The minor roads were frozen the main roads still had ice down the edges!

We took Rosie for a nice walk in the frozen snow in the morning.

Then walked into town to do some essential shopping and have lunch ;-), when we got back I cleared the paths around the house from snow/slush/ice, I then spent the afternoon in front of the computer.

After cooking and eating the evening meal, I descided to do a 20 mile Turbo Session. I set the fan going, twisted the computer display round and had an Iron Maiden video going.

I did a 1 mile warm up, blated along for 18 miles then a 1 mile cool down.

The cycle computer had the ride as 20 miles in 53 minutes with an average speed of 22.3 mph

Day 297

Heavy snow again today.

I worked right through until 5:15 then cooked tea.

Managed to do 15 miles on the turbo trainer at about 6:20.

I did 15 miles in 38 minutes with an average speed of 23.8 mph

I hope the weather is good enough for me to get out for a real ride at the weekend, but I doubt it!

The snow is still on the ground and the temperature is down to -1.2 so things may take a time to thaw!

Day 296

Woke up early, looked out of bedroom window to see a world full of white, it had snowed quite heavily overnight.

I opted to work at home again, The thought of driving 70 miles at snail speed did not appeal to me!

I managed to tear myself away from work at about 12:20 ish and prepared the mountain bike for a cycle down the Calne branch line to Black Dog Halt :-) I had been thinking it would be fun to cycle in the snow down the cycle way all through the summer, and now my chance had come :-)

Now a couple of things that may seem obvious are, snow is slippery and snow is quite thick, now some less obvious stuff, snow get stuck to bicycle tyres, snow hides ground undulations, you cant see where the track finishes and the grass verge begins, it is difficult to steer a bicycle in snow, when you lean a bike in snow it doesn't!

I managed to make it all the way to Black Dog a mere 5 miles in 30 minutes! It was tougher going than I had thought! Thankfully I didnt fall off

The return journey was simply a case of follow my own wheel ruts :-)

I eventualy made it back home 1 hour and 3 minutes later having covered a massive 10 miles :-)
I didnt fall off :-) It was very hard work! and I think I probably sweated as much as I do on the Turbo Trainer.

It was worth doing, but I dont think I will be rushing out to ride in the snow again for the foreseeable future.

Day 295

Got up early o'clock to go to work, scraped ice of the car drove slowly down the ice packed road, sliding down the hill towards the main road under only the weight of the car - thinking ohh its a side road the main road will be better, it wasn't. I thought its a local town road it will be better on the dual carriage way, it wasn't!, I got to the A429 and it was still to dangerous so I turned around and went on home! Total distance about 10 miles in about 50 minutes!

I got very engrossed in work and eventually stopped as about 6pm.

I decided to do another distance session instead of time (I think this may well be what I do in future - It stops the clock watching!)

I did a 1 mile warm up, then 13 miles of as fast as I could followed by a final mile of easy cool down.

Total distance 15 miles in 39 minutes, 22.8 mph avg speed

Harder work today, I wound the pressure up on the back wheel a little (The trainer is already set to maximum load)

Day 294

Worked from home today...

It was far to cold and icy to go out on the road at lunchtime, so I opted for a Turbo Trainer session instead.

I also decided to go for a distance based session instead of a time based session.

I set my sights on 15 miles, which I completed in a staggering 38 minutes at 20.4 mph, that was including a 5 minute easy spin warm up and cool down.

Day 293

Night off, Sons 18th Birthday......

Day 292 (Sunday)

Had a very busy morning, managed to get out on the bike at about 2 pm.

I fancied cycling somewhere a bit different so I headed towards Calne then instead of going towards Avebury or on to Lyneham I turned right towards Bushton - Right in to a 24 mph wind (Gusting to 36), I slogged along averaging about 10 mph!!! at Wooton Basset I followed the signposted cycle route towards Chippenham.....with the wind behind me :-) Now that was fun!

Todays route can be found here....

The cycle computer shows...30.47 miles in 2 hours 12 minutes with an average speed of 13.7 mph, Lyneham Met office showed 24 mph ENE Gusting to 36 mph with a temperature of 1.4 Deg C (However I was working so hard I didn't notice!!!!)

Did just notice a flaw in the Calorie Calculator, It doesn't take into account Hills and Wind speed, I am completely knackered, but because the average speed was only 13.7 mph it thinks I was out for a Sunday ride.....ummmmmm I suppose I was, however I was working very hard!