Just spent 10 days visiting Otherhalf's family in rural northern
Ireland. Couldn't take my own bike due to lack of space but got to
borrow his sister's little-used mountain bike. It was about the right
size for me but the big knobbly tyres made for hard going (and my
not-so-subtle hints about changing them were ignored).
His parents live in a rather hilly area, in fact they live at the top
of a very big hill I really didn't fancy cycling up. For my first
ride, I headed downhill towards the nice flat reclaimed land near
Limavady. Did about 20 miles, wimped out of going back up the big
hill and rang Otherhalf to pick me up.
Later in the week, we were due to visit some relatives a few miles
away. NCN route 93 runs practically from where we were to where we
were going, and the blurb promised it ran "between the low lying
hills", so I decided to give it a go. And, unfamiliar bike with
knobbly tyres and a big gel 'comfort' saddle and gears needing
attention not withstanding, I really enjoyed it. There was lots of
down to carry me up much of the up, and it was a lovely day for
whizzing along country lanes. I did 22 miles, took me about 3 hours
including stops for drinks and snacks and looking at the view, avg
speed 9 mph. I had to get off and push in some places, particularly
towards the end, but next time I hope to be pedalling all the way.
Did a few shorter rides too, and seeing as how the lanes are so quiet
and one set of relatives lived a couple of miles away along a mostly
flat road, decided to let 5 year old have his first ride on real roads
(he had insisted on taking his own bike with us, to ride on the little
tracks on the farm). He loved it, and coped really well with the
occasional traffic.
Otherhalf's family most bemused by my behaviour, and now think I am
slightly mad, but were gratifyingly impressed by my feats of cycling.
I can feel how much fitter I am than when Steph and I started our
weekly rides together - I felt much less stiff the day after my
22-miles-with-hills, than the day after our first ride. And I got
back in time to get some Lidl cycling bargains too.