My lungs feel like they've expanded and contracted beyond the limits of my rib cage. My hands hurt. My shoulders ache. I have chilblains on two toes. Every muscle around my waist and abdomen feels tender. And I'm permanently hungry and thirsty.
Last night, after yesterday's 75 miles, I went out for dinner and ate ham and parsley terrine to start, followed by steak and chips with parsnips and carrots. For dessert I ate most people's leftovers. It was a hideous display of consumption.
I ate with friends at Graze, the new Bath Ales steakhouse in the centre of Bristol. Decent portion sizes, a menu that's heavy on meat, well presented food and good beer make it a winner in my book. Hopefully I'll go there to eat after every long ride.
However, as nice as the food was, on the way home I was very close to getting a kebab.
Today I rode 91 miles in just under 5 hours. I stopped for lunch outside an Esso petrol station in Wotton Bassett and ate a lemon chicken baguette, a danish pastry and a banana. Now that I'm home I've just eaten a bowl of lamb stew. It barely made a dent in my hunger. Some jam roly poly is currently in the oven. I think tonight will be a long night of eating. The things I'm craving most right now: a McFlurry and a milkshake.
Today's ride took me north to Wotton Under Edge, then east to Tetbury, Malmesbury and Wotton Bassett. Tetbury and Malmesbury looked like lovely market towns (for the two minutes I spent cycling through them). Malmesbury has a fine looking church and adjacent hotel that I'd love to have stopped at for Sunday lunch.
Halfway to Wotton Under Edge I came across this fantastically named town (see the photo below). These English town names are much more imaginative than Welsh town names that don't mean a thing to a non-Welsh speaker.
By the time I got to Wotton Bassett I'd ridden 45 miles. A man in the petrol station asked where I'd been. He couldn't quite believe it when I said Bristol. The thought of 45 miles to get home suddenly seemed pretty daunting. Still, the countryside kept me interested. The ride to Wotton Bassett seemed to be along a ridge overlooking a lovely valley of green fields and recently ploughed furrows on my left hand side. Then, after a climb up from Wotton Bassett towards Calne and Chippenham I appeared on the other side of the valley with the view on my right hand side. Plus it was gloriously sunny today. I wore shorts for the first time. I think I may have even got a tan. No, wait, sorry, it's just dirt.
Heading back home I passed through the centre of Bath then back into south Bristol through Brislington. I can't say that the end of the ride was quite so pretty but it was quick. Had the wind died down, was I sheltered from the wind by the cities' buildings, or was I just feeling strong because I knew the end was in sight? Possibly all three.
I cycle with an ipod playing on shuffle mode. Each song is a nice surprise. Today's most motivating song was Song 2 by Blur, coming as a climbed an ugly looking hill into Wotton Under Edge. Thank you Albarn et al.
So, all in all, a really encouraging weekend. According to my training manual I need to be able to ride two-thirds of the daily distance for three consecutive days before my ride. I've done two this weekend. I'm on track. Plus my sponsorship page is looking a lot healthier (thanks if you've chipped in).
Right now I'm going to eat some more, drink some more, lie down some and then sleep a lot. Getting up this morning was hard enough. Getting up for work tomorrow won't be pleasant. I've ridden 260 miles this week, riding every day except Thursday. Tomorrow I'm taking a rest day.
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