We're on the road to nowhere ..

What happens generally is that we jump in the car to drive ten miles then sit on a static bike for an hour, sweating, getting nowhere. Unless you do it, it's hard to understand why we don't just cycle to the gym and back. There are many reasons ..
It's dark when we're not at work now and the local roads are narrow with no cycle paths; we live in the commuter belt and it's chuffing busy all the time; we've had a six inches of snow, our economy has ground to a half and we have black ice everywhere; it's cold and damp and my drivetrain needs constant attention that I am unwilling to lavish after every mid week ride; we have nowhere for a hamster wheel, the list goes on.
Spinning is good because it allows someone else to devise an hour's exercise that your body is not expecting and has to adapt to. We may mix it up, may spend an hour out of the saddle, may climb, may sprint - whatever teacher says really. We have the lights out, perhaps some strobes to make it feel like we're going faster than we are. We are also in the company of other sweaty and (very) shapely people :-) Whatever reason people turn up to class for, we would all be less fit (and larger) if we didn't attend so I guess it doesn't matter how hard the individuals are working - the fact that we are there is enough. Indeed, the two 'individuals' above have just finished the same class ! Mmmmmmm

What spin also does is allow me to concentrate on technique, without which I would be on the sofa already. After 30 years playing rugby at a reasonable level, I damaged the medial meniscus on the right knee, had two operations, recovered and then returned to rugby for nearly ten more years before I decided to stop and concentrate on non-impact sports like golf and mountain bikes. My left knee has deteriorated during this summer and I have been on the list to see the specialist since September. I saw him last week, had x-rays, it's the same problem but no bad damage in there and I should be in for an Operation during the first part of 2010. I should be good for skiing in March with luck.

Throughout the four months of limping when i walk, riding the

bike hasn't hurt and hasn't caused any more damage - go figure that one ! A recent circuit class left me nearly crippled for three weeks, I have to play golf with a trolley at the moment because the walking is tricky, but riding the bike has been fine.

I am wearing my winter coat at the moment, a rather cuddly layer of sub cutaneous insulation, but this will reduce as the weather improves and we can get out a bit more (and safely). The results of the spin class generally is that i resemble a large self-basting turkey when I'm done. If I could just cut out those cakes.

We will keep hitting the spin bikes for the next few months and hopefully get back on track with the weekly night rides when this ice melts.

I've just collected the meat for Christmas and we have a house full. We are then off to the New Forest for a few days before the New Year and plan to get out on those bikes all being well.

The West Country

We left Chris & Dave heading up the M4 towards Sussex and we turned west towards Cornwall for the second bit of the holiday.

We checked into the excellent Boscean House (http://www.bosceancoutryhouse.co.uk/ and + 44 1736 788748) early evening and wandered off to the local pub for a quick bite. The local was the Queens Arms at Botallack and turned out to be such good value that we ate there every night. A different crumble every evening for pudding, I couldn't resist (as usual).


We had a good few days enjoying the delightful breakfasts and then wandering the shoreline, sitting in the sun, watching the birds fight the wind and the seals drift around in the swell. We ambled around Bosigran cove but decided not to climb as it was blowing a gale - good decision because it then pi$$ed down. We ate cream teas and explored the old mine workings and coastal paths. We also cycled from Mousehole to St Michael's Mount at Marazion along the coastal path through Penzance and then rewarded ourselves with fish and chips, in the paper and on the sea wall, when we got back.

We had planned to cycle the Coast to Coast trail from Portreath (north coast) to Devoran (south coast) and back. This isn't very far, isn't very hard, but was a good fun half day, especially through the old mine workings in the Poldice valley where there is scope for play !


Most of the trail is very family friendly with very few bits on the road and most of the route following the old Mineral Tramway, once used to ship tin and copper ore to the ancient quays at Devoran and the harbour at Portreath. It has a good cafe and a decent bike shop located along the way (Bissoe Tramways Cycle Hire) with basic bits. If you need something a little more exotic, the main shop is only five minutes off-route on the outskirts of Redruth.

Just before the weekend we moved east to Dartmoor and into the hidden gem that is Burn Cottage (http://www.burncottage.co.uk/ and + 44 1822 820382) where Sheila looked after us as only she can. This place is located inside the National Park at the foot of Gibbett Hill just outside Mary Tavy and you can just get on your bike and go .. unfortunately uphill firstly and mostly.

We had decided on a circular route starting at Princetown car park and following another disused railway to Burrator resevoir, on minor roads through Sheepstor village to Scout Hut Wood and then back over the moor via the bridleway to Princetown.


This route has loads of variations, can be done either way round and is an all round winner. There are plenty of off-piste options to make it a bit more of a challenge - try the bridleway from the woods at Burrator that runs ENE past Crazywell pool if you want a bit of rough. It's very do-able if you're fit but it's easy to dab if you take your eye off the ball.

There was just enough time to catch up with some old friends over a splendid meal, eat the Peter Tavy Inn (http://www.petertavyinn.com/ and + 44 1822 810348) out of food again and fill up with petrol for the drive home.

Bugger, another one over ...