Phil

My first outing for a while. A busy life has meant I've been relegated to the turbo trainer and home gym. A pretty and peaceful ride today in the countryside with some decent hill work 🚴🏼‍♂️

I've been so busy with life that I've been relegated to the turbo trainer recently, so it was great to get out today in the winter sun, albeit just for a quickie! 🚴🏼‍♂️

Amazing how much energy one wakes up with after a decent break from work and plenty o' sleep! I felt well rested and began the day with toasted crumpets with butter and Marks and Spencer Apricot Jam, complimented by strong hot coffee ☕️ Temperatures were minus degrees, with much of the ground being frozen ice 🧊 I was determined to get out for my first ride of 2026 though, as I'm back to work this week and will have less time on my hands. Sensible to take precautions though due to the weather. Electric heated socks ✔️ Plenty of water ✔️ First aid kit ✔️ Tyres pumped ✔️ Food ✔️ Tool kit ✔️ All ready and with my crank fixed, after my disaster a few days ago, I decided to return to the Ivinghoe Hills. After only partial success last time out, I wanted to complete the ride without incident. I set out along the disused railway and sure enough, large stretches were sheet ice! Important to cycle not too fast, with a steady straight line through the ice and slow down significantly into the bends, to prevent ending up in a crumpled heap! This is something I learned very early back in the 1970s when I was cycling to school on my racer. Lethal black ice on a bend = you and the bike parting company and sliding across the road on your backside 😅 I made steady progress though onto the busway and then into Dunstable, where the roads had been gritted by the council. As I passed beneath the Dunstable Downs the sun was low in the sky and I felt something that I haven't experienced for months ... the warmth of the sun on my face ☀️ Lovely ☺️ A perfect place to stop and eat a wholemeal roll filled with the last of my homemade Christmas marmalade. I must have made a paradoxical sight sun bathing in minus temperatures by the roadside. I also wolfed down a kit kat chunky for energy 😋 and headed for the Ivinghoe Hills. Fortunately, the ascents had been gritted, and I was able to pump my way up the hills with gusto! I reached the top and savoured the frosty views for a bit before heading for the downhill country lanes to Redbourne. To my surprise they hadn't been gritted and it was pretty much downhill sheet ice all the way. Good job I hadn't come outwardbound this way I thought to myself, as it would have been impossible, as evidenced by a single mountain biker I saw walking his steed up the hills. I usually take great delight hammering my way down these hills like an excited kid. Not today. Caution was the better part of valour and I proceeded gingerly, only gathering pace in sections where the sun had melted the ice. When I arrived at Redbourne, I changed my planned route, and took the main roads into Harpenden, as trying to cycle uphill on the sheet ice of the lanes would be like trying to skate up hill on an ice rink. I made good progress and arrived home more than ready for some hot tea 😊🍵

Following my visit to Redbournebury Watermill, a friend of mine told me of another Watermill at Ivinghoe. I knew it would be closed on New Year's Eve, but decided to head out and take a look in any case. Not so much for the Mill, but because I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but in recent months, I have come to enjoy cycling up hills! And Ivinghoe means hills. I programmed the ride into Komoot and sure enough, 'hard' status came up. There would be some tough climbs. I had a hearty breakfast of seeded wholemeal bread, with butter and homemade Christmas marmalade 😋 All washed down with some freshly squeezed orange juice and hot coffee ☕️ I popped my electric heated socks on and wrapped up warm. It was bitterly cold 🥶 I made a mental note to beware of ice patches, particularly in shaded areas. I headed along the disused railway line and then took the Bus way to Dunstable. As I went North and closer to the countryside, it became windier, colder and foggy in places. I took the main national speed limit road from Dunstable to Ivinghoe. It was busy. Cyclists should be mindful along here, although most motorists are decent and give the recommended 2 metres when passing, there are always those who pass dangerously close. However, there was no denying the beauty of the surrounding Chilterns. Then, I did something I haven't done for a long time ... I came off my bike. I totally misjudged some braking and fell into what was fortunately a soft grass verge. Apart from jarring my operated shoulder, there seemed to be no major harm done (apart from to my pride of course 😅), so all part of the fun. My bike hit the ground with a bit of a thud, but thankfully also seemed to be OK. I arrived in Ivinghoe a short while later. As expected, the Mill was closed. Nevertheless I was able to get close enough for a pic 📸 Now for the BIG steep hill leading up towards Ivinghoe Beacon. I needed an energy boost and found a nearby post office where I bought a Galaxy Milk Chocolate Milkshake. Just the job! 😋 I started making my way up the hill. The scenery became more and more stunning the further I climbed. As a bonus, the sun came out, shining brightly and giving the placebo effect of warmth! It was one of those crazy days where the sun and the moon were out at the same time. Each time I climb a hill these days, I am always pleasantly surprised that it is no longer an agonising experience. The years of cycling are finally paying off. Up, up, up I went, not particularly quickly, but with consistent power and momentum, enjoying the view. Lovely. I reached the top and continued on ... then, disaster struck. The arm of my left pedal came off! I examined it to identify the problem and the entire retaining bolt had fallen out. Whether this had happened during my earlier fall, or it had just worked its way out from the hill work I have been doing in recent months, I'm not sure 🤔 Whatever the case, it was nowhere to be seen. I carry a tool kit, but not replacement bolts. What to do?? I was still about 17 miles from home in the middle of the Chilterns! As luck would have it, I'd at least reached the crest of the main ascent, so the next few miles were largely down hill if I plotted a route to Redbourne. I re-attached the pedal, albeit without the retaining bolt, so it was bound to fall off again. I carried on, with a mixture of coasting downhill, whilst on the flats, doing one rotation, kicking the pedal bar back into position with my left foot, then another rotation, and so on! On the remaining ascents, no chance, I'd have to walk! It was slow progress, but in such fashion, I finally limped home. It was a challenging, what turned out to be, the best part of a whole day, but strangely enjoyable in its own way 😅 It's always nice to overcome a problem! I was definitely ready for a nice cuppa tea 🍵 Well, that's my last ride (and unplanned hike!!!) of 2025. Sounds like it will be a little while before the next, as I need to get my bike repaired. Wishing everyone on here a very enjoyable New Year's Eve and a Happy New Year! May we all be blessed with good health in 2026, for more hiking and biking 🚴🏽‍♂️

I was super excited about today's ride as it represented the opportunity to try out my new heated socks!! Frozen feet in winer have been a big issue for me! but like all recent years, I am determined to keep cycling through the cold season for a number of reasons. I've worked hard to build the hill climbing strength in my legs and I want to keep it. I have a 5 day cycling tour planned in Normandy in 2026 and I want to enjoy being on my bike, not spending the whole time gasping for breath!! Apart from a few short-lived and failed attempts, I've never been able to diet. I like my food and hope to keep doing so 😅 Therefore exercise is a crucial requirement! Due to Christmas dinner and Christmas cake, today needed to be tougher than usual! I began the day with delicious home made Christmas cake for breakfast, washed down with super strong and super hot coffee. I reversed my fav Dunstable Downs route. I first rode this reversed route after seeing it on my feed in 2019. I wasn't as 'bike fit' then and I was knackered by the end, I haven't attempted it since. I remember thinking, whoever has put this route together is someone who enjoys inflicting torture on others! 😅 Today was the day. The batteries 🔋 for my heated socks had been charging overnight. I unplugged them and carefully placed them into the pockets of my new socks. I set the heat to 'medium' as the instructions said this helped to preserve battery life. I set off, past one of my new fav places, Ivy Hawkins' Watermill, the last lady Miller in England (see my last ride if you are interested in details). I soon reached Gaddesden Lane and began the ascent. This was effectively the beginning of a steady 10 mile up hill ride to the Downs. It was bitterly cold, but my heated socks were doing their thing, sending warmth up my legs and into my body. Huzzah! Frozen feet are a thing of the past for me. It's the little things in life, but this was a beautiful moment 🤩 The years of cycling have paid off. Despite being an (getting) old man, I was able to power my way, up, up, up, through Gaddesden and Studham. The tortuous ride of 2019, a distant memory. My internal stokers shovelled heaps of Christmas cake into my veins and I surged forward, not particularly quickly, but strong and steady, enjoying the ride. A red kite soured above me and I was able to snap it's finely honed hunting silhouette. I reached Whipsnade Road, the steepest and hardest part of the ascent. Encouraged by my earlier success and feet still warm, I pumped my way to the stunning views at the top. I stopped at The View Cafe for a hearty cheeseburger, at a very reasonable £6, and a cup o' tea 🍵 My toes were feeling very slightly chilly, so I tuned the temperature in my socks to max. Mmmmm lovely 😍 Thus refreshed I set off on the downhill section, mightily happy with today's ride 🚴🏽‍♂️