And a sunset ride

And the second ride of the day - a drab sunrise this morning, a drab sunset this evening.
22 miles to a meeting to form a committee regarding aiming to get a new greenway sorted out in the area. It will be a lot of work and will be a slow process, but if we're successful it will be really wonderful.

10 miles to the meeting then 12 off-road dark miles to mums and home. Felt great, although my legs were feeling it after the recent spate of rides, but that's what it's all about; no pain, no return to cycling fitness gain. And I had the first stitch I've had since PE lessons at secondary school... a loonnng time ago. Had forgotten how much they hurt.

Good morning bicycle, good morning world

 

Dawn chorus. Baby's fed
Short ride to catch the sunrise
It did not blossom

 

I'm back on the bicycle in full force... as much as I can be with a 7 week old. I've managed a whole 63 miles in the last fortnight. Wow. Unimpressive. But it's not about mileage targets, more the wind in my hair and enjoying the countryside. And trying to maintain some cardiovascular fitness since motherhood seems to mean I'm largely confined to a chair underneath a baby.

I ventured out with the ctc last week for the first time. About half way round I was starting to feel it, but then a road club ride is a different beast to a RSF ride or even a solo ride. My thighs and forearms have dwindled away somewhat which affected climbing the hills. But I didn't dismount and perseverance is the key. 

Since then I've just had very short rides of a handful of miles each since I can fit them in around feeding times and Stephen's working day most easily. Evening blasts and this morning's chilly ride to try and catch a good sunrise - turns out I was about 20mins early- as I got back into bed the sun did in fact bloom into a glowing fireball.

We managed a lovely walk to the pub for tea last weekend and Frank was very well behaved indeed.

He's starting to have a bit more time where he's happy to quietly take things in and do a bit of chatting to us. 

And we're getting plenty of lovely smiles now too. 

This weekend is due to consist of three more rides although the weather forecast is a bit bobbins, but these are rides to places (a meeting and a pub gig) and a club ride I'm leading, so back to cycling business as well as cycling pleasure. Time to reproof my rain gear and dub my boots. Pennine weather as usual.

Oh the joy of a bike ride

Six weeks after my last ride, today I finally was back on the saddle. It was a tiny, easy canal ride with some walking at the end to meet up with the guys from my cycling club for lunch who were on their ride going up Weets Hill & Thornton Moor.
This stretch of canal is actually quite pretty, but I ride it so often, I realise that I've become blase` about it. Today I was reminded of how lovely it is, and I had that wonderful experience when you've not been able to enjoy your favourite past time for a while, that renewed excitement about every aspect you love of that thing.

Compared to most of my rides, today was a short, easy, pedestrian route, but having the sun on my back, the self-generated breeze on my skin and getting outside when the last few weeks have been mainly confined to a chair or settee, it was marvelous. And it reset my mood too. Tonight's mother duties felt much less tedious and had some joys to them, when lately I've been feeling like they're a millstone grinding my spirit down.

Bike rides make everything better!


And someone has done some serious growing over the last couple of weeks.


No wonder since he mostly does nothing but eat!