Good Day Out

I love the continuity of riding bikes -- the way that, no matter how fancy or sophisticated your equipment, you still have to use your legs to turn the wheels on the roads and the hills don't get any less steep.  

And many of the roads where you train have felt the treads of a million previous riders, especially in the South of England,  where cycle-friendly tarmac is at a premium.

120k yesterday on a route that would have been familiar to my father and his clubmates in the 1930's.  Richmond Park, Kingston, the Esher Road,  Cobham, Ockham, Leith Hill, Pitts Hill, Ranmore Common, Shere, Ewhurst, Whitedown, Abinger Hammer, Box Hill -- a roll-call of Sunday club runs, time trials and tea-stops.

And when things get really tough,  you can put aside your energy drinks, gels and recovery bars -- and just revel in a pot of English tea and a toasted teacake.