[When I started writing this rambling post, London was under Tier 3 COVID restrictions]
So London goes into Tier Three restrictions and I'm wondering what it all means for cycling. Will riding from where I live in a Tier Three location out into the sticks where I'm sure they're all Tier Two, be illegal? Even if I'm not really stopping or socialising with anybody from the Tier Two location? Who knows? Perhaps we'll see what happens. I mean, will the police be on the look-out for for cyclists crossing the border? Or will things be like there were during the summer lockdown? And by that I mean I rode everywhere: to the lakes, to Westerham, to Tatsfield, and sat there drinking weird teas in fields and just chilling in the heat of an amazing summer. Surely I won't be denied that pleasure? I'm not sure what the deal is with Andy, and by that I mean is he in Tier Three or Tier Two and will the situation affect our Sunday meetings? I hope not.
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| Max in Westerham, 27 December |
And let's not forget Brexit. From 2016 to the present day it's hung over everybody like a bad smell and presided over by that obese arse Boris Johnson, a buffoon with a stupid haircut who is basically messing up the country at every step he takes. Whenever I see him standing next to European politicians he looks such a mess in his ill-fitting suit when compared, say, to Barnier, whose suit at least fits him and he looks the part. Johnson not only doesn't look the part, he isn't the part, he's an imposter, a career politician who is in it for himself and nobody else. I don't think I hate anybody more than I hate Johnson. He lies and lies and doesn't really care about the people he's supposed to be looking after. I hate his voice, his appearance, his politics, everything and I have to keep reminding myself that we, the British people, voted him into a position of power. He who lied to us all about giving £350 million a week to the NHS - I can't remember the details - but it was definitely a lie designed to make people feel inclined to vote Brexit. And just over half of us did and now, while I suspected we were about to engineer a so-called 'no deal' Brexit, an 11th hour deal has been agreed, although UK fishermen are not happy. Is a going to be a good deal for the UK? Of course not. For the British people? No, why would you think that? New roaming charges on mobile phones anybody? More red tape anyone? Arsehole in charge of the country? You bet!
It's just gone 0600hrs and I've been up since around 0530hrs, having woken up at 0400hrs. Why stay in bed? So I'm listening to BBC 6 Music, Chris Hawkins, on my new digital radio. Isn't he the guy from The Darkness? I've just eaten a bowl of Alpen and a sliced pear plus a cup of Yorkshire Tea and now I'm thinking about a boiled egg, although if I make one I must remember it's on the hob. The other day I got carried away with other stuff when I heard an explosion in the kitchen, it was one of two boiled eggs and when I got out there there was no water in the pan. However, a major disaster was averted: I didn't burn the saucepan, although I must point out that exploding boiled eggs are a good example of how absent-minded and 'off in another world' I've been of late, preoccupied, millions of thoughts twirling around in my head at the same time. The other day I inadvertently used chicken gravy as an accompaniment to cottage pie. We had beef gravy, but the packages are identical and, again, I didn't think, my mind was elsewhere, I wasn't on the ball and I need to get my act together.
It's now the 22nd December, the day after the winter solstice, which means that, from now on, it's getting lighter every day and we're under 10 days from 2021. I'm listening to Chris Hawkins again. London is now under Tier 4 restrictions and for many, Christmas is now ruined and everybody is blaming Boris Johnson. Well, not everybody, but he's getting some stick from the media. I don't want to get back on the subject of Johnson, because everybody knows I think he's an arse and there's nothing much else to say about him.
Tuesday 22nd December 2020
I love being off work for the Christmas period. I still get up early, like now, and sit downstairs listening to the radio and writing the blog, or writing other stuff. Sometimes I listen to BBC Radio 3, in fact, I might switch over as the Pretenders are on and I can't stand them for some reason. Oh, alright, I'll stick with them, but perhaps later a switch to classical music would be good. The other day I sat in the conservatory, reading The Fall by Albert Camus, and listening to Radio 3. The light faded and soon I was sitting in the darkness, nodding in and out of sleep and feeling, I don't know, so relaxed, it was fantastic. The Fall is a bit of a handful, but there you have it. I've got other books to read, like a brand new copy of Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, a book that has shimmered in my head ever since I first read it back in the mid-seventies, there's something about Diggory Venn, the reddleman, and the whole atmosphere of the book that means I have to re-read it. So that's next for me.
A ride to Westerham
Around 1045hrs I headed for Westerham on the bike. I rode via Pilgrims Lane, past Velo Barn and into the centre of town where I enjoyed a large cappuccino and a Bakewell tart. Have I mentioned my crap iphone 5? If not, just to say that the battery went flat when I arrived in Westerham so I couldn't accurately monitor the mileage. I reckon it was roughly 23 miles as I rode back through Woldingham, there was no rain and it was a very pleasant day (still is as I write this at 1402hrs). It's cloudy out there, but warm, albeit grey. and it was one of those days when I could have carried on riding all day. I was considering riding to Dunton Green or Riverhead or even Otford (now there's a new destination). But I settled for Westerham where, incidentally, they have a decent Christmas tree on the green, which adds to the festive spirit.
Today's ride (22nd December) brings my weekly total to roughly 39 miles, but overall I've been riding fairly frequently: I rode to Tatsfield village to meet Andy on Sunday (16 miles); the previous Saturday I rode the Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles) and I did the same ride on Friday (another 15.34 miles). The previous Sunday I rode 18.03 miles to Tatsfield, also to meet Andy, and the mileage was higher because I rode home via Woldingham. The Saturday before that I rode to Sevenoaks (something like 34 miles, making me a hero on Strava) and then my ride prior to that was the Sunday before when I rode 18.03 miles to Tatsfield. So, reduced riding due to bad weather mainly, but I'm still getting up to around 50 miles a week. So far this week (and remember my week starts on a Sunday) I've riden around 39 miles. I'll probably do another 20-odd miles this week, taking me to around 59/60 miles and then a ride on Boxing Day to Tatsfield, taking my weekly mileage (hopefully) to roughly 78 miles, which ain't bad. It all depends on the weather.
Here's the past week's mileage to date:-
1. Sunday 20th December, ride to Tatsfield, back the fast way: 16 + miles.
2. Tuesday 22nd December, ride to Westerham, via Woldingham: 23 miles. Cumulative total 39 miles.
3. Saturday (Boxing Day) to Tatsfield Village via Slines Oak: 18.03 miles.
4. Sunday (27th December) to Westerham (the slow way) via Tatsfield Village with Max and then back along The Ridge (26 miles).
5. Tuesday 29th December, The Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles).
Total: 57 miles.
Christmas was pleasant, it always is, and now it's Boxing Day and I've been on a ride to meet Andy at Tatsfield Village (see above). The weather was overcast and slightly on the cold side, but it was fine and I wore the balaclava, which was probably overkill on my part. Andy and I enjoyed Christmas cake, mince pies, a fantastic protein bar and, of course, a cup of tea, well, two cups. We talked about movies on Prime and then rode back together via Woldingham and, for me, the steep hill at the end of Slines Oak Road.
A ride with my son Max
On Sunday 27th December my son Max and I rode the long way to Tatsfield Village to meet Andy and I made a right nob of myself on the road leading to St Leonard's Church. A cyclist en route advised me to seek another route as the road ahead was flooded, he meant well. "Not a problem, mate," said I with bravado and, to be fair, Andy and I have rode through the flooded section of road before, I wasn't anticipating a problem. But I was mistaken. When we reached the water, two cyclists on the other side were working out a way of getting across without getting wet, but I steamed in and got stuck half way. The water must have been around a foot and a half deep. The bike came to a standstill and I knew that within a second or so I would have to wade out, pretending there wasn't a problem (when clearly there was). Max played it safe and found a way around the water and so did the two cyclists waiting on the other side. Only yours truly rushed in and received a soaking in return. The water was cold and I had the whole ride ahead of me. Fortunately, the weather was mild and warm and in all honesty it never really bothered me. I kind of accepted it and got on with the ride. When we reached Tatsfield Village we munched on Andy's protein bars, which are seriously good, and then, after chatting about our bikes and Andy's London to Paris ride in 2011, we rode with Andy towards the Tatsfield Bus Stop and turned left on to Clarks Lane, heading for Westerham. Andy turned right and headed home along The Ridge. There was so much water on the roads (after the havoc wreaked by Storm Bella) and there was a raging torrent blasting its way along a roadside gulley as we entered Westerham. There was a masked queue for the Costa so we decided to ride home. It was tough coming back up the hill, but we pressed on, turning left on The Ridge and riding through Woldingham. Once we had tackled the Slines Oak hill it was just a case of riding along the Limpsfield Road to reach home, a ride of 26 miles, and the perfect way to start my cycling week.
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| Same flooded road, but less water and a different day |
It's Monday and there's a whole week of not being at work ahead of me. If I can get a couple of rides in before next Sunday that would bump up my mileage.
29th December - The Slines Oak Sloth
At lunch time I decided to hit the road and was going to do a Ledgers Double Loop (12 miles) but decided instead to ride the Slines Oak Sloth (15.34 miles). The weather was grey but pleasant and I was out for 90 minutes. I left at noon and was home around 1.30pm, just in time for jacket potato, tuna and sweetcorn!
And now it's a day later, 30th December, Max has gone home and we're all wishing he was still here. It's 0835hrs, I've had breakfast and I'm thinking about another ride, possibly another Slines Oak Sloth. So far this week I've covered around 41 miles (26 + 15 = 41) so another 15 would be excellent for midweek.
New Year's Eve 2020
It's always an uneventful day and I've never liked it. I can't stand the false bonhomie of New Year and the anticlimax of the whole thing. The fireworks go off and I'm always thinking so what? Sometimes I go to bed before midnight and these days, because I don't drink, I tend to wake up feeling fine, which is far better than a hangover. I should have gone out for a ride, but didn't.
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