Oh what a week!!

After messing up my gears on Tuesday and not being able to ride into work at all so i had to catch the bus in this weren't very good preporation for the big cycle event on Sunday a mammoth 92 miles. So the first time i got back on my bike was Friday after Geoff had fixed them for me, but that was only for about 4 miles so all in all i rode about 15 miles for the week normally i'm up to about 50 miles on Friday so i was really miffed off. So i was eating as lots of pasta, fruit, drinking loads of water i felt good approaching Sunday. Sunday came i woke at 5-40 am had 2 pieces of toast with jam and a cup of coffee before Geoff picked me up at 6-15am. So i wheeled my bike down and we set off everything running ok smooth in fact. About an hour later we arrived in Worcester ready for a "different" sunday ride. We got dressed munching on the last bannana or chocolate bar, sipping on the last bits of water before we drank out of our bottle for the next 92 mile. So we set off about our business in the normal way and we tried to get into a group but no-one was about untill we turned the corner and at the traffic lights there was a group of about 10 other cyclists. So we got in our "peloton" and there were hand signals lots of pointing and we were cruising along the road at a nice easy pace aswell i didn't feel as if i was pedalling. Where was the first major climb? I was looking for the first climb of 19 It was in Great Malvern and what a climb it was climbing upto 865 feet after just 12.5 miles i was feeling good, better than good actually awesome after the climb came a long descent and it was the best descent i've been down. So as we progressed down the narrow and slippy country lanes of Old Colwall and through a little village by the name of Stony Cross, and we were riding comfortably into Acton Green and Linley Green we were closing in on the next climb "Ankerdine hill" with a great warning sign of "17% keep in low gear" well by the looks of things i won't be going in any other gear!!! After this long and tiring climb we descended through Hipplecote and Berrow Green, we then made progress to the first feed station we stopped and got water aswell as a banana or in Geoff case some Fruit cake. So we set off towards Tenbury Wells another 12 mile from the feed station to Tenbury but between us was a climb into Stanford Bridge and then we passed Stanford on Teme and Stanford with Orleton. When then turned right into Broadheath by this time my back was in so much pain i felt like crying it was agony and the only person to get me through was Geoff he was patient waiting for me if i was lagging behind, gave me encouragement when i was low. So we were in Upper Rochford now and we progressed through the small town of Tenbury wells. I'd been here on a couple of family outings but never rode this far but the pain was really hurting by now but Geoff motored us along through Mamble, Bayton and clows top before the unbearable "Wyniatte's way" i managed to climb the start but once i got to what i thought was the end of the climb i looked to my right and there was more people were walking up it trying to cycle so i set about walikng up it otherwise my back and legs would of caved in i think i got half way and a little bit of a flat so i got back in the saddle and started to motor my legs in the easiest gear i was struggling and i managed to reach the top of it and there was a man taking photos of our faces showing pain of this climb. So we had a little break after reaching the next feed point we filled our bottles up and had a quick snack and i lead again. After riding about 2 miles down the flat a stupid foreigner came within inches of knocking me and Geoff of our bikes as we both swore at the meancing driver, riding towards the great descent i was clutching my brakes constantly my arms were hurting but what awaited us at the bottom was shocking a ford so we dismounted our bikes and trouged over the tiny bridge and the next accent awaited us, we both walked up it. It was dangerous narrow thorny and gravelly road, at the top a man fixing a puncture, i'm glad i didn't climb it plus i don't think my back would of held me up, up it. So we come through Noutard's Green, Frog's pool and Shrawley the next long climb was up on us it was Holt Heath into Ombersley. As Geoff awaited me at the turning he gave me a little gee up saying " not far to go". So we went on through the countryside of Hadley, North Claines and Claines, we were getting nearer to the finish i could sense it we was going through housing estates and the signs was getting close together now, i got a bit motivated as we flew through the park and i could see the finish line. What a journey this was not a great week but i got to thank Geoff so much for what he done for me, my back was in real pain and he got me through it. It was my first 90 miles i done on my bike but all in all not great preporation for the ride having got no miles in but some of those hills i think you needed a rocket up your arse to get you up it.

Thanks Geoff for the support that you gave me on this incredible ride i hope i'll be better next time.