Alresford Groupetta is revived.

Several of my local friends have been getting back on their bikes once more, so I thought it would be a good idea to revive this local group. The object is to ride together on an informal basis. Obviously, at present we are restricted to a group of 6.  

Our policy is to keep the rides at a level that all can enjoy and not feel having to "keep up". If you wish to join the group please let us by email to me at gridironman76@gmail.com.

Here is the link to our FB page. https://www.facebook.com/groups/858262090955878/

My garden is still open to visitors as café à vélos no: 5 so on occasion that might be linked to a Groupetta ride.

On Thursday 27th August I was unable to get anyone to join me for a quick ride before that very heavy rain set in. Here is my report:- 

On Saturday I made a last-minute decision to ride to West Meon to meet the Alton Cycling UK group.

Sunday 30th August the revived Alresford Groupetta of six riders enjoyed our first ride since lockdown.

The weather has been a very variable over the week so I was pleased to be able to manage to have 3 rides totalling 66.9 miles.

Gridironman.

My Recovery Continues.

With showers around on many days and with the garden needing serious attention, my rides were restricted this week. However, one unplanned and welcome event was being able to meet up with the Alton CTC riders in Alresford. They were split into three groups at The Swan, The Station & The Courtyard Cafe. Dave Mackenzie rang me to see if I was at home, I told him I would join them at The Swan and did so a few minutes later. After a chat with that group, I moved on to The Station to see the others. I asked if I could join them, keeping safe distances, on their ride back to Alton. It was so good to see them all especially Janice who chatted to me as we rode along. I didn't see Frank who was in the third group until we were in Alton when he passed me going the other way!

The Station Group at Medstead.

On Saturday we took our chances with the weather and four of us got together to test our little legs over the downs and back. Paddy, Simon and I were able to welcome our new cycling pal Reg. Ashe to join us.

It all went pretty well despite a couple of heavy showers, from which we were able to shelter under the trees. We got so little wet that we dried out as we rode.

`

The Three Megawatts.

After having had a bad night's sleep on Friday night I was a little sleepy and after a tasty home-cooked lunch with a glass of beer and halfway through the rugby match between London Irish and The Saints I started to nod off. Went and laid on the bed, the next thing it was two hours later and time for tea.

A good week achieving my target of at least 50 miles per week. The hands are so much better, but far from fully normal. My left ankle still playing up a bit too. 

Thank you all for your support, especially Paddy who is keeping a watchful eye on me.

Till next week, CHEERS!

Gridironman

Weather

After a very hot day on Tuesday, the weather broke bringing lots of loose gravel and mud onto the roads making it hazardous riding on Thursday. Later in the week, I was distracted from cycling by trying to keep my garden under control and because I was taking delivery of a "new" car.

MaxZe, My new toy.

 I have yet to determine how well my bikes will fit inside it. I have measured the available space before buying it and am hopeful that there will be no problems. The rear seats can be folded in two ways or completely removed. I need some nice weather before starting to fiddle about checking what option is best. Just as I started today it began raining so I gave up.

Before all that excitement I did enjoy a ride on the rather warm day on Tuesday. Here are the data:-

Today Sunday 16th August I had a ride with my friend paddy. Details as follows:-

Best wishes to you all in this difficult time, take care,

Gridironman.

Txiki is Back!

After a good first week back riding again, it was time to arrange for Txiki to come home so I could have a ride on him. Steve brought him over and I soon repaired the scuffed and torn black bar tape with some insulating tape. Can hardly tell it has been damaged. There are scratches on the left brake/gear lever and left pedal but they are not immediately obvious.

I arranged with Paddy to have a ride together. Here is my report of the ride:-

 

No, I don't have a white beard, that's just sunshine!

My second E-Bike ride was one of necessity. I had an appointment to view a car in Droxford and needed to get there in an hour, with Beacon Hill in between I felt it was justifiable to use Txiki. I got there in just 52 minutes without getting too hot and sweaty.

As it was a hot day on Saturday I decided to have a ride in the evening. This worked well as I was invited to go to my daughter's for a Chinese Meal.  As she only lives six miles away I went a long way round via East Stratton. It was good to see the Northbrook Arms was open once more and advertising food. There were a lot of customers on the open space opposite, all well spaced out. 

Here is my ride report.

On Sunday Paddy and I decided to get out early to avoid the heat. The conditions were just about perfect. Temp only about 20 with a nice breeze. 

We noticed that the pub in Bighton is open again now renamed with its previous name "The Three Horseshoes". 

When we got back to de Lucy Avenue we had coffee and cake at the café à vélos no: 5. What a perfect way to end a good ride.

I am very pleased with how well I have been getting on. It seems that riding my bikes and using my hands has helped with my recovery. I have been following advice given by a hand therapist and doing exercises suggested by her.

I hope you are all managing in this warm weather. I have adapted to it quite well. Reminds me of when I lived in the tropics when it was like this for months on end. I think your blood gets thinner with time in that climate.

Gridironman.

Recovery Rides.

Following my first trial ride on Tuesday 28th, I have managed another four rides. They have all been fairly short and I have chosen routes where I felt I could manage to climb the gentle slopes without getting too much out of puff!

I have been very pleased with how well I have managed. In fact I think the activity has actually helped the healing process. I had a telephone consultation with a therapist last Monday and have a follow-up tomorrow. She encouraged me to start riding again provided it didn't cause either of my hands any distress.

It has been great to get mobile once more, enjoying the countryside. The flower of the week award is shared by Great Willowherb, Purple Loosestrife and Meadow Sweet.

Purple Loosestrife.

Great Willowherb.

Meadowsweet.

To complete an excellent week of recovery I enjoyed a visit at "Café à vélos n°5" by Jo Halford. It was good to see her and hear her news.

Best wishes to you all, Gridironman.

Back on my bike!

I am pleased to report that after a prolonged period of recovery I have finally managed to get fit enough to try a bike ride. So today I took a very gentle ride to the nearby village of Cheriton. All went well. I had some problems with getting on and off of the bike and with stopping safely and getting started after a brief stop. Both hands were a little bit tender, funnily enough, the right thumb being more so than the left hand which was the one most severely damaged in my crash. 

Of course, after 2 months with no riding, I am very unfit despite my regular walks, so I got puffed very easily. The plan is now to ride daily for short spells and see how I progress.

Over the last few week I have been able to welcome friends to enjoy tea or coffee with cake on my back lawn at :-

"Le Café à vélos n°5".

I have changed my plans for the future in the light of restrictions caused by both Covid-19 and my injuries and have parted with TeeTee my motor-caravan. I got a reasonable price for it and happily, I have also managed to realise over another £500 from the sale of some of the accessories and with refunds on my road licence, rescue insurance and motor insurance.

Now I need to find some new form of motorised transport. Preferable with the ability to carry a bicycle.

Here are the details of today's ride:-

If all goes well I will resume my weekly reports next Sunday.

For now, hoping for the best,

Good wishes to you all, 

Gridironman.

Final Rides in May.

I have now made good progress in recovering from my catastrophic tumble on May 24th and am able to work on my computer to complete the details of that week and report on my progress since.

Before that fateful Sunday ride I had completed two other rides on the Friday and Saturday so here are the details of those, both on the same map.

Before the accident, I had ridden with Jo from Alresford to the "party"  where we had joined in the celebrations for Bel's 90th Birthday. Here is our route:-

I have no recollection of the cause of my tumble. I remember going into the curve around the mini roundabout the next moment I was laying on the floor hurting very badly. Fortunately, I was with Jo, Paul & Margaret who looked after me, called the emergency services and kept me protected from passing traffic as I was laying in the middle of the road.

On Tuesday 26th I was allowed to leave the hospital after two nights being well looked after by the doctors and nursing staff. My injuries were multiple grazes (road rash), broken bones and two bad lacerations in my left hand and a broken thumb in my right hand. I think I probably had cracked ribs too as they have been very painful and are still troubling me a bit. For three weeks I could only sleep half-sitting up in bed.

I had to have stitches for the two lacerations which were done under full anesthetic. I remember coming round as the nurse whizzed me down the corridor back from theatre and not understanding what she was saying. I thought I was watching a video and tried to rewind then realized it was real life!!!!

 

All of the staff were brilliant, looking after me extremely well and kindly and in a strange way, I enjoyed my stay there. (Being the centre of attention). I was particularly moved by the kindness of two Polish nursing assistants, one male & the other female, and by the visit of the paramedic who had driven me to the hospital to see if I was OK.

I am now at home after three visits to the Royal South Hants Hospital for dressings and plaster cast to be changed and nearly three weeks of being cared for by my daughter Sarah. I was very well looked after by her and the others in the family.

It was a good job I was wearing a helmet as I would have been more seriously hurt or even dead had I not been doing so.

 

What a way to end a week in which I rode over 160 miles!

It will be another 10 days before my plaster cast is removed from my right hand and the last dressing removed from my left elbow. The grazes and other injuries are healing well. I can use my left hand quite a lot now and I am doing regular exercises with it so that it doesn't go stiff and prevent me from making a tight fist.

On the whole, apart from the first two very painful days, part of which I was on morphine, I have not had to resort much to pain killers only taking paracetamol at night to enable me to sleep more easily.

It will be a while before I can even consider driving or riding again, luckily I am not going anywhere much because of lockdown!

Thankful to have survived, 

Gridironman.

A good start to the week but a terrible end!

Moon Daisies.

As most of you will know by now what had been a great week ended in disaster on Sunday 24th when I had a tumble from my bike resulting in my ending up in hospital. Don't ask me about the bike it is in safe custody with my friends Paul & Margaret along with my Garmin with the record of my last two rides.

So for the moment apart from any updates on my condition, there will be no postings. 

I am at present being looked after by my daughter, 

This is what I'd written before the unfortunate incident:

When  I reviewed my blog for last week I was a bit disappointed that I'd only had two rides with a total mileage of 59 miles, the lowest total since the end of March. So, this morning, I decided to make amends. It was such a beautiful morning and I was up early so I got Txiki out and headed off to make up for it. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do and I headed to one of our normal meeting places for the Pedallers, Crawley Pond. The plan was to continue down the Test valley from there and to loop back to the South of Winchester to clock up, if possible, 50 miles. The plan worked well and the terrain at first was largely benign so I was able to minimise the use of E-power. Apart from my usual plan of looking out for flowers to add to my list, I noted the pubs I rode past. I listed 19 pubs in all, two that closed some time ago, and two that were within a stone's throw of the road on which I was riding. See how many you can guess from examining my map. 

I weaved around a fair bit and in the end, was able to clock up the magic 100km. Do I get a Ton Up Badge for that?

I only used 48% of my E-power by only using it when necessary. The first 25% lasted for 48 miles the next 23% only 14.5 as it was very hilly.

Other flowers and trees.

A field of linseed  (common flax)

Wood Cranes Bill I believe. (Geranium Family)

I believe these are a variety of Ash.

Avenue of Limes in Braishfield.
 (Txiki is hiding behind the seat where I ate my snack).

There is an unusual story connected to this church. Charles Smith was executed for poaching and injuring a gamekeeper. He has two gravestones. Read more details by following this link.

 charles-smith-poacher

St.John the Baptist, Church, North Baddesley

The lovely fine weather continued so on Wednesday 20th May I set off again, this time to the north exploring the hills to Overton and Hannington. Here are some of my pictures, map etc.

A very old Yew tree that gave me a shady spot to pause awhile on Spiers Lane.

My Lockdown Week 9

I am sure all of us have seen the Guys around the area showing support for the NHS. I have been tempted to share some pictures of them but there are so many it has been hard to choose the best. This one seen in Kilmeston was one that appealed to me. A week ago the lady on the horse was sunbathing on a sunbed!

Here is my map and data for my ride on Thursday 13th May.

On my way home I noticed that a plaque had been added to the new avenue of trees on the approach to Bishop'sSutton and smaller signs had been added at the foot of each tree with service men's names on them. Here is the explanation.

The Avenue.

As it was earlier in the year.

On Saturday 16th May on my way to Odiham, I spotted Florence on the hill leading up to Medstead. 

After I had taken the picture I went to set off again and was horrified to hear a loud pop and a hiss from my front tyre. Yes, you have guessed it, a puncture. A lady on a horse I'd just passed told me to pop back down the road to her stable where I could get help from her husband. I then noticed that the hissing had stopped and I found the sealant had done its job. The tyre was still well inflated so I decided to carry on. It was still quite hard when I got home some 35 miles later. 

Apart from my two rides this week I have been getting plenty of exercise and fresh air in the garden either weeding or sitting ready my book and listening to the birds.

Hope you are all keeping well. Take Care!

Gridironman.

More Miles Escaping From Lockdown.

I am really missing riding with my friends and meeting the Fellowship Members at our weekly pub meets. It looks like being a while yet before that will change. However, I have kept in touch with a lot of them through FB, E-mail and Blogging and yesterday two of my besties had refreshments on my front lawn while I sat inside my front door to chat.

I have continued to spot more flowers, one or two haven't really been added to the list as they are obvious escapees. e.g. Aquilegia.

I hope you have all been able to get some meaningful exercise too.

V.E. Day in Soberton.

Here are my usual maps with data and short comments.

My attempts at Brightstone Hill over the years. Note that efforts 1 and 2 don't really count as they were on Txiki, so I am quite pleased with today's effort. When riding this hill in the past with some of my mates I have told them to have a sweepstake at the top to guess how long will elapse before I join them.

I was interested to see that of all my friends who record on Strava Owen Patterson is the best at just under 5 mins. Why not check where you come?

Best wishes to you all, Stay Safe, Take Care & Keep turning those pedals!

Gridironman