Driving miss daisy or help the aged

I had two very contrasting days of cycling this weekend in terms of weather and challenges. The weather on Saturday was pretty miserable with poor conditions but this didn’t deter me to strap on the helmet and go for a spin. Wanting to unite the Landrovers cycle group I sent out the bat signal and had a response from the member with the most life experience.

Early morning at Hollyhock and Mr Hatt arrived on his shiny new purchase. This is what I envisaged before he turned up…..

I couldn’t have been more wrong though as he was sporting a very fancy, top of the range new road bike - work cycle schemes pay well these days! Not knowing what to expect from our first outing together I thought I would at least try and drive the old fella around a pre-determined route I had marked out on Strava. However, it was obvious after the first few hundred yards I needed to play nice and be gentle as forcing this matter wasn’t going to help any of us. Respect your elders and all that. The route I had mapped out covers 15 miles and should usually take an hour to complete so we had a good barometer to aim for. The scenery on the ride is fantastic as it covers a lot of woodland, old historic buildings and nature is always ever present.

Three stops on the circuit for cramp, banana break and some weird finger action suggest a little more time in the saddle is needed for the soon to be 56 year old. Riding position and set up of his new toy could do with a look at as well. It took nearly an hour and a half to complete whilst I “drove miss daisy” around the loop. It could have been a care in the community or a help the aged charity ride for any onlookers. Having said all that I have a lot admiration for a good friend and I know that more training will build up his stamina and experience. I respect him a lot for saddling up when others would rather be indoors slouching on the sofa. I tip my hat sir.

More to follow on the my second ride of the weekend shortly…….