Sunday morning and it was one of those unfortunate moments of hesitation. I should have got out of bed immediately, enjoyed a quick cup of tea and then headed out to mum's for breakfast. That was the plan. But no. I hesitated and soon I was having breakfast at home and not riding the bike. A missed opportunity on what was the best day ever with temperatures supposedly higher than they were in Ibiza. Oh well, a lesson learnt.
But all was not over. After a day enjoying the weather I resolved to ride out in the evening, at 1815hrs and I thought it was about time I rode the Woodland Trek again – it's a shortish ride combining on- and off-road. I was back at home by1845hrs.
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| I stopped briefly in the woods to take this photograph... |
What is the Woodland Trek? Well, I've written about it before, but in a nutshell I leave my house, turn left on to West Hill, left on to Ridgeway, right into Hook Hill, straight up Briton Hill Road, left on Church Way to Morley, right at the roundabout and back up Church Way but turning left into Norfolk Avenue and following the road round to Ridge Langley where another left turn is needed. One circuit of Ridge Langley is followed by a short ride up an alleyway, emerging on the Upper Selsdon Road, cycling a few yards before turning right towards the golf course and on to the off-road element of the ride. It's fantastic. The woods look great and it's quite a ride, keeping to the outskirts of the woods rather than venturing into them (there is another version that takes the rider to the very top of the woods and then back down again, adding about 15 minutes). But not today! Back on the road again I rode around the woods and soon found myself back on the Upper Selsdon Road, turning right on to West Hill and then home.
It was a high-energy 30-minute ride and when I reached home I had dinner, a glass of water and then hit the sack around 2000hrs. I was out for the count, waking up around midnight and then drifting in and out of sleep until morning. Either I wore myself out on the ride or I simply needed an early night – probably a bit of both.
