To Biggin Hill...

I left the house shortly after 0730hrs. Compared with yesterday, the weather was good. Outside it was bright and most importantly it was dry. But there had been rain, a considerable amount of it. Cycling down Lusted Hall Lane en route to my chosen destination there was a huge expanse of rain water spanning the road. I slowed down and rode through it very slowly, trying my best not to get wet.

Earlier, I had been in two minds about where to go; should I ride to Oxted, Biggin Hill, Carshalton, Westerham or even Tatsfield Village for a cup of tea over at Sheree's. I had an errand. "Can you get some Fairy washing up liquid, the green one?" Not a problem. There's a Waitrose in Oxted and Biggin Hill and in all the other places there are other stores, like Sainsbury's Local, Tesco Express, Nisa Today, you name it. I could have gone anywhere, but of course I wasn't riding just to get washing up liquid. I was out because there was exercise to do and I didn't get out yesterday because of the poor weather. As I said to Andy on the text, it was a wash-out.

Biggin Hill where I turn left into Sunningdale...

Andy couldn't make it today so I didn't go to Westerham. I did consider riding there, but I wasn't too keen on the ride out, never have been. I don't know what it is, but there are some routes where I don't like certain bits of the journey. The one I hate the most is the ride through the golf course, normally en route to Godstone and just prior to riding down Ganger's Hill, now there's a ride we haven't done for a while. With Westerham the entire return journey isn't good. For a start, most of the first half of the ride is uphill and it also hangs on which way I leave town. If I head out on Clarks Lane (the way I come in) there's something, I'm not sure what, that depresses me or that makes me feel weary. Not to put too finer word on it, I fucking hate it.

That said, I suppose you could say that all these routes have their bad bits. Oxted has Titsey Hill, but for some reason it doesn't bother me. Biggin Hill has Ricketts Hill Road coming out and Stock Hill going in, but again, it's not a bother, it's certainly not in any way depressing. Tatsfield's alright and so is Carshalton, although on the latter, I hate the return trip. As urban rides go, the outward bound journey is best, probably because there's less traffic, but coming out of Carshalton there are options, ie go out towards Woodmansterne and then back along Croydon Lane or cut through Wallington and the Stafford Road. 

Looking down Stock Hill on the return ride...

So I'm riding along thinking I could head over to mum's if I hang a right on Slines Oak, head through Woldingham on to the A22 and then through Purley, Foxley Lane and down through the Beeches, past the Windsor Castle and hey presto! Mum's gaff.

In the end Biggin Hill won the day. I rode along the 269 towards Botley, hung a left at the roundabout and then a left into Approach Road and down Lusted Hall Lane. It's a short downhill coast to Biggin Hill, probably no more than 10 minutes and then I found myself on Sunningdale Road, which is flanked on either side with modern houses, sixties or seventies built properties all a bit too close together for my liking. Some are nice, some aren't, but for some strange reason I like Biggin Hill, even if it is a little depressing. I can't put my finger on it. The last time I was here the Spitfire Cafe was closed, today it was open but I wanted the familiarity of the Costa Coffee, and besides, I have a Costa Card and after so many purchases I get a free drink. Unfortunately, the card didn't work in their machine so my purchase counted for nothing. I sat outside with a pot of tea and a couple of ginger biscuits. There was a man with his daughter, both on mountain bikes, Forme mountain bikes. They sat there chatting, the girl on her mobile phone checking her exam results. I simply sat there looking at passing cars and then decided it was time to get that Fairy washing up liquid. Waitrose didn't open until 1000hrs so I popped into the Tesco Express and bought what I needed, then I unpadlocked the bike and embarked upon the ride home. Left at the lights, down Stock Hill, but not before taking a photo and then left into Sunningdale, up Ricketts Hill Lane and through Tatsfield Village. I hung a right out of Approach Road, on to Clarks Lane heading for the Botley Roundabout. I turned right and rode along the 269. I'm always cautious on the 269 because there are nutters on the road, but soon I was on the Limpsfield Road, which technically is still the 269 but a little more suburban. Past Sainsbury's, round Warlingham Green, Hamsey, Sanderstead high street, Church Way and home. I must have reached home around 1030hrs and then I lay down on the wicker chair in the garden room. I've never felt so rested and I think I must have nodded off. I drifted in and out of sleep loving every second of it because I felt great. I felt rested and deliciously tired and weary. It was nice and it was past lunch time when I got up and headed towards the municipal rubbish dump. I had some olive oil to dispose of, like a whole bag of it. When we got there I was directed to a tank with a yellow hatch that needed to be opened before I could dispense with the oil. Then I drove to mum's. We helped her out into the garden and sat there for half an hour or so chatting in the pleasant breeze, talking about plants and trees whilst sipping tea and munching on two bar KitKats. I might have had three of them. And then, as we drove back, we decided to eat out rather than cook something at home. Fine, we don't do it often so why not?

Ricketts Hill Road takes me back to Tatsfield Village

It's now 2239hrs. I'm watching the second of two movies, both on Prime. The first was Red with Brian Cox, a good movie; and then The World We Knew, a crime movie, quite atmospheric. I'll probably go to bed in a minute as the camomile tea is kicking in. I didn't ride yesterday, but I got one in today, just over 21 miles, not bad.

Too weak to resist biscuits, cakes and cappuccinos...but I've been on the trim wheel!

I've been sleeping well and I put it down to Celestial tea, which I purchased back in May at a CVS in Detroit. I included in my purchase some Sleepy Time tea (known by me as Sleepy Time Bear tea because there's an illustration of a bear sitting in front of a real fire making himself cosy and warm). Not that you'd want to be 'cosy and warm' on a summer's day. Anyhow I bought the tea and I've almost finished the lot. The Sleepy Time Bear tea ran out about three to four weeks ago (I used to have one around 2200hrs and then hit the sack - and it worked!) Then there was a box of Celestial tea, a kind of assortment pack including a few sachets of Sleepy Time Bear and now they've gone except for around two, possibly three camomile teas (which are really potent). These past few weeks I've been sleeping well. Hitting the sack around 2300hrs and not waking up until around 0600hrs. That's good enough for me; an unbroken sleep, that's what counts, and it makes me feel better generally. So I'm going to buy some more of these great teas. Yeah, I know, I could simply go to the supermarket and buy some Pukka teas, but they're not as good and now I'm of the opinion that stuff in the US (and I'll include over-the-counter drugs like Nurofen and other painkillers) is a little more potent, a bit stronger than what you get over here. Anyway, that's for later on. I'll sneak on to Amazon and load up with Sleepy Time Bear teas. I might also get myself some of the camomile tea as it's great and there's nowt better than getting a good night's sleep.

"Number three crop, please!"

I woke up this morning around 0600hrs and then must have drifted off again because I awoke again around 0649hrs. Alright, that 0649 was such a precise time that I'll admit the word 'around' doesn't come into it, not one bit. I woke up at 0649hrs. The only way 'around' could have come into would have been if I awoke 'around' 0650hrs. You can be vague and precise at the same time, it's either around 0650 or it's bang on the nail 'I woke up at 0649hrs', one minute before 0650hrs. How much more precise would you want me to be?

I'll admit that sometimes when I wake up and make my way downstairs to the kitchen that I start to want some kind of change. I think it's the breakfast I eat. Every morning I have the same thing and sometimes I can't face it: Alpen with sliced bananas, a mug of tea (either green or black), an orange cut into segments, a glass of warm water and two slices of bread and marmalade (or honey). My big problem at present is bread. I've gone from eating three slices a day to eight: two in the morning, two with sandwiches at lunch time, two when I get in from work and possibly another two if I'm still feeling hungry. At the moment I seem to be hungry all the time, so much so that in addition to my sandwiches, grapes and an apple at noon, I then go out and have a large English breakfast tea and two ginger biscuits in Costa or...a large (albeit 'regular') cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake with orange icing in Busy Beans (an artisan coffee shop). Then there's always the M&S cafe where a cappuccino and an iced bun always go well together. And let's not forget the caff where I go for a cup of tea if it's raining and this week it has rained a bit so the walk was cancelled and the Pop Inn came into play. Sometimes, in addition to the mug of tea I might have a slice or two of toast with marmalade, but not this week, it was just the tea. And just when I thought it was safe to go back in the water, what about those Grenade bars? What about them? Well, first there's the cost, which varies depending on where you buy them, they appear to range from £2.85 to £3.00 per bar but they certainly do the trick. Eat one of them and your hunger will disappear. On one day last week I had a custard Danish instead of the Grenade and ever since I've been trying to work out what is best, the pastry or the Grenade? Certainly where cost is concerned, the pastry (at £1) is best, but you know what? I prefer the Grenade even if I could have three pastries for the price of one Grenade.

Coughlans Oxted... it's not a bad place. Note bike on right

With all this eating going on, I console myself with the fact that I take the bus home for nothing, reducing my weekly fares by £25/week AND I have a good walk (every night) when I get off the bus (around 1.6 miles). If there's torrential rain, as there was earlier in the week, I'll call home and see if I can get a lift.The other day, the heavens opened and I mean opened. Let's just say it was torrential. It was so bad that the bus sent waves of rain water from the gutters on to the pavements, proper breaking waves, it was unbelievable. On that day I asked for a lift and was glad when it came even if I was thinking it had calmed down enough to make completing the walk feasible. So, I've been doing the 1.6-mile walk every week day now for some time, possibly for one month and when I get home the first thing I do is make that toast and marmalade in the kitchen and then take a seat in the living room where I watch either the One Show or the early evening news on the television. Last week I restarted watching Detectorists. I reckon I've seen all series at least four, possibly five times.

Something else I've started up is a trim wheel. I've been rolling backwards and forwards on my Gold's gym trim wheel on and off all week, although I have missed a couple days too, but not today. I'm going to keep it up and I'm also considering swimming too (if I can get my act together to sign up for monthly membership. I just hope I don't have to use the app to book a slot like I had to during the pandemic, which basically meant I never bothered going. That said, a few weeks back I went to a leisure centre and they said the app thing was still the only way to get a swim, which annoyed me, so perhaps I'll stay away. 

It was too early for lunch...

Despite the lack of cycling today and the fact that it's raining and that August looks as if it's going to be just as bad as July, it's turning out to be a really nice day in other respects...although that is partly because, again, I've gone and over-indulged on the cakes. Well, an almond croissant. This morning I noticed that there was a huge Starbucks next door to and M&S Food store so I convinced my wife, pal and saviour (that's just one person by the way) that we should pay a visit, which we did. And while I should have ordered a tea and nothing more I decided to order a cappuccino and the aforementioned almond croissant. It's as if I can't help myself. In fact, less of the 'as if', it's purely a case of I can't help myself. But, forget the croissant and the coffee, it was all about the chat and relaxing and starting to feel good about things in general and now I'm home having 'done the shopping' and I'm sitting at the dining room table, lap top in front of me, another cup of tea and (dare I even mention it) a slice of walnut cake and I'm thinking about nothing in particular. While in M&S I picked up a copy of the Economist only to discover that it was their 'summer special' and cost a ridiculous £9.99. Remember 'Summer Specials'? I'll always remember the Beano and the Dandy summer specials: twice the size of the conventional comics, they invariably featured an illustration on the front cover of a Punch & Judy show on a beach with bright yellow sand and a star fish somewhere to be seen and I loved them because it always meant that the summer holidays were coming and we were off to the beach somewhere on the south coast. Happy days!

I'm hoping tomorrow will be better weather. I think it will be. The plan (as always on a Sunday) is to meet Andy in Westerham. Unfortunately, Andy has aborted the ride so it's to me to motivate myself. Let's see (let's hope). Last week I managed two rides. The first was an interesting one because it started off as just a ride around the block, but extended itself as it went along. So instead of doing the Nobbler I continued up Church Way with a view to doing a Washpond Weeble in reverse. I turned left into Ledgers Road from the 269 but instead of turning left again and heading back home I turned right on Washpond Road and then right again on to Beech Farm Road, travelled the length of it and then hung a left on the 269 riding towards Botley Hill where a stark choice lay before me: do I hang a right on to The Ridge and ride home very Woldingham OR do I go straight ahead and down the hill into Oxted? I chose the latter as I needed a haircut and figured I could kill two birds with one stone. Titsey Hill was fine but when I reached the bottom I found the road to be closed. Fortunately, it was really only closed to cars so I managed to edge past the roadworks and sail safely into to Oxted where, once again, I was tempted by Coughlans bakery and a coconut Bakewell and a cup of tea. Across the road was Oxted Barbers so I nipped in for a quick number three crop and then finished off with another cup of tea (I felt that elated!). The barber only accepted cash and the haircut was £17 - that's up £7 from what it was just a year or two ago. With the remaining three pound coins I decided upon another tea, but not another cake. Unfortunately for me, the only newspaper in the racks was the Daily Mail (exposing the political leanings of Coughlans customers) so I sat in the sunshine reading the awful Boris Johnson's rubbish column in which he stated "Get Rwanda Done" - it was an old copy.

The ride home took me up the very steep Chalkpit Lane. Once at the top I turned left, rode into Woldingham and down Slines Oak Road to the 269 where I turned left and followed the road into Warlingham and then Sanderstead.

On Sunday Andy and I rode to Tatsfield Village and sat outside chatting for over an hour drinking tea and coffee and munching some Biscoff creams (if that's what they're called). Again, I fell at the first fence and went and bought myself a packet. I munched half of it before we rode home and spent the rest of the day feeling slightly guilty.

Last Sunday I rode into Tatsfield Village to meet Andy. He had met with an accident whilst on a short cycling break to the Isle of Wight, but nothing stops Andy, which is good. Thankfully, it was only cuts and bruises, but I don't like it when he meets with an accident especially after his broken hip just over a year ago. Still, he seems fine, which is all that matters.

My exercise during the week was just walking. On one day (I think it was Monday) I walked over six miles but for the rest of the week it was the 1.6-mile walk from the bus stop to home, but that has been a regular fixture for around a month now. 

I drove to Tunbridge Wells this afternoon along a rain-sodden A21. Once there I strolled from the shopping mall down the hill to a music shop close to the station. There was a persistent, drizzling rain, but fortunately it was only around 10 minutes' walk. When I reached the store there were no bass guitars to look at; I've always had a desire to learn how to play one, but (as with everything I want to do) I simply never get around to it or have other things to spend the money on. Other frustrations include the purchase of a Harley Davidson 883 Hugger, although, admittedly, I'm rather glad that little hobby, make that obsession, eluded me as I'd probably be dead now, not that I ever had the spare cash to buy one.

Today's rain was both persistent and sporadic. As I made my way back up the hill towards the mall, the sun was shining, but later, as I drove along the A21 heading home the rain was heavy, so heavy that I had to slow right down. 

Now home I've been listening to BBC Radio London and Gary Crowley's show, all fairly chilled. I need to be chilled now and then as I spend all week working and it's good to be on the stepping stones of Saturday and Sunday before wading back into the maelstrom on Monday. And on that note, I'll sign off.