Sunday - it's got to be the Tatsfield Bus Stop!

A general fatigue appears to have fallen on the NoVisibleLycra team, although I hate to use the word 'team' as it implies we might be Lycra Monkeys – we're not.

Yours truly in the pre-blog days, standing outside the Co-op.

Anyway, we met at the green early (7am instead of 7.30am, it's becoming a habit) and while we had discussed the possibility of going to Westerham, I don't think either of us wanted to go so far. It was cold, but not as cold as on Saturday, but still, the very idea of going 'all that way' put us both off. We ended up at the Tatsfield Bus Stop having debated a trip to the village and Godstone (although the hill coming out of Godstone was enough to put us both off).

Andy said he didn't know where time was going and that he felt he had less and less of it. Well, yes and no. In the old days we used to leave early and meet early, but we never indulged in tea and cereal bars. Our rides were very utilitarian; it was a case of reaching the destination, standing up outside the Co-op in Westerham (we rode to Westerham twice over the weekend, clocking up a cool 44 miles) and then cycling back home again.

In many ways you could say that these days we tend to make a mountain out of a molehill as far as cycling is concerned. The very fact that we have this blog is testament to that and the blog's been going for over three years. We talk about a book and it might happen, but right now I've had enough of books, what with my novel (completed a few months ago) and my dad's family history (recently finished). But it will happen.

The Tatsfield Bus Stop

Having said that we make a mountain out of a cycling molehill, I don't think either of us would have it any other way. The blog, I think, is really good as it documents our lives, what's been going on in the world and, of course, the weather. In fact, as I've said before, cycling at the weekend has become part of my life and I don't think I could live without it, especially at this time of year when the leaves hit the ground, the sky darkens and the temperature drops. October – and it's the last day of October today – is, for me, the defining month for our cycling.

We're talking about leaving even earlier, ie meeting at the green at 6.30am instead of 7am. Now that's a tall order, but it's scheduled in for this coming Saturday. We'll see how it goes. Personally, I don't think we've lost time in any way. We've probably just got too much to do at the weekends and need to be back for it. Longer runs to Chevening Church or Merstham/Redhill have been off the cards for both of us of late and for good reason as they normally involve returning home mid-morning, losing half the day.

This discussion comes up occasionally and I think the other thing about it is this: we enjoy cycling, yes, but the other main reason for going is the exercise, so we shouldn't be ashamed if we visit the Tatsfield Bus Stop once too often. After all, it's still a good 15-miler and if we go twice it's 30 miles.