It’s been fairly challenging recently. I won’t go into why here – let’s just say that a combination of issues has led to full nights of sleep being conspicuously absent. I’d not been spinning for at least two weeks, so endorphins have been in very short supply. This culminated yesterday in a spinning session that was an exercise in fighting myself, followed by a painful cycle home and a ‘cultural’ event that I should have body-swerved.

Elly has also not been having a good time recently, and we’ve both missed burning up the miles together. So I’m pleased that we were both able to cycle from North Berwick to Servants’ Quarters, taking a longer route than strictly necessary. Here’s the obligatory cyclometer map:

Click to see full-size map on cyclometer website

Good things

• We did 28 miles, double the last jaunt we did together.
• The Costa in Musselburgh sells diet IrnBru. (They probably all do, but this one provided mouth-cleansing when I wanted it.)
• By the time we got to Aberlady, Elly got her endorphins on and left me in her wake.
• I had feared that my left calf would scream at me like it did yesterday. It didn’t. It did occasionally say ‘I’m here – be nice to me’, so I did.
• I didn’t need to have a caffeine-break after only 16 miles (but I certainly didn’t mind doing so).
• I wasn’t poisoned by a manky camel.
• I’m confident that when I get back into spinning regularly and road-training more often, and get Lev Davidovitch sorted, I’ll be able to do at least 50 miles a day while carrying the kit I’ll need on honeymoon.
• I did swear occasionally, but almost only at illiterate motorists.
• There was a blessed absence of head-winds and rain.
• I found this video while writing this blog.

Bad things

• Lev’s not in good shape. Usually he can freewheel and overtake Elly and Fidel downhill. Yesterday I had to pedal to keep up with them on downhill parts of the route home.
• I’m not in good shape – there are some demons above and below the neck-line.
• Shifting to a lower gear and spinning up the cadence to keep up with Elly wasn’t an option. Even if I currently had the legs, I think there are differences between Fidel and Lev that get in the way:
  • When Elly and I cycle at the same speed in the same gear, her cadence is significantly slower than mine. This suggests that Lev has a less ‘roadie’ cassette than Fidel does. (I’m pretty sure that they have the same front gears.)
  • Despite Fidel and Lev both being Edinburgh Bike Co-op touring bikes of the same basic frame-style, I have long been convinced that Lev’s frame is made of heavier metal. (While Lev has a slightly smaller frame, I don’t believe that this accounts for how much heavier he is.)
• Anyway, Elly has always been stronger than me, any way you care to measure this.
• Both of us forgot to apply ‘arse-cream‘, so my puffu-valve is gently waving to me just now, as are my lumbricales (despite wearing brand-new gel mitts).
• From Longniddry to the Edinburgh side of Musselburgh, there are frequent signs telling motorists not to overtake cyclists at central islands. While most motorists we encountered were considerate in this situation, one overtook Elly exactly where he shouldn’t have done, accompanied by horn-sounds to say that she shouldn’t have been on his road. This is tempting!

Next things

• Give Lev the care he needs.
• Maroon myself in Glasgow, and cruise back to Edinburgh towards the middle of this week.
• Repeat today’s jaunt, but carrying the kit I’ll take on honeymoon.