A Century of Rides.

So Christmas has been and gone, but we're still in Crimbo Limbo, or Twixtmas as I think it is actually called – the odd period between Christmas and the New Year. Nobody ever seems to quite know what to do with themselves at Twixtmas. Some are working, others not. The transport networks seem undecided as to what level of service to operate and the TV schedules are all to cock too. You switch on the magic lantern expecting to see the news and find talking cartoon animals instead. There seems to be a mood among most folk that they feel that something should be happening, that they should be doing something, but don't know quite what.

I did have one mission to complete though before 2016 starts – I needed one more ride to hit the century for rides this year, and with the forecast looking good ahead of yesterday, I knew I had to get out on a bike, even if it was only up the road and back. Besides, I've got large quantities of Sausage Rolls, Pork Pies and of course, lots of luscious Mince Pies to shift from around my waist, so burning off a few calories wouldn't go amiss either.

I don't know if it's just me, but sometimes just moving, or holding one of my bikes, stirs up so many emotions. Just looking at a bike seldom does it, it seems to have to involve the laying on of hands, but thinking about it, when riding, a bike is in the hands all the time, hopefully. But it's when you take hold of a bike and move it that it comes, well, alive. My word that sounds like arty farty romantic twaddle, (just what exactly, was in those Mince Pies?) but that's how it feels.

Monday afternoon saw me going into the shed for something, can't remember what now, and having to move the Jamis out of the way. Ah yes, the Jamis, the black 29er that was my first new bike in a couple of decades. Only a cheap entry level jobbie, and fitted with a lamentably poor excuse for a suspension fork, but despite the pogo stick front end, the bike rides smoothly and comfortably and most crucially, very enjoyably. But for a variety of reasons I suppose, I hadn't ridden it much this year, about 200 miles worth, that's all. So I looked it over to check everything was still tickety boo and it wasn't corroding or mice hadn't eaten the seat or anything daft. Then, satisfied all was peachy, I grabbed it to wheel it out of the way and all those thoughts and emotions were immediately triggered. Taking hold of it instantly reminded me of how it feels, how it rides and responds, the pace lurking in the big wheels and the comfort of the roomy frame. On a ride, we're either, well, riding, or handling the bike while off it, moving it about, walking it, parking it and posing it for photos and so on, so that's why I think actually holding the bike triggers the feelings I'm prattling on about, it acts as a physical reminder of good times I suppose. Memories of actual rides and places are also instantly rekindled of course, and it was quickly decided, if I was going to have my 100^th bimble of 2015, it was going to be on the Jamis.

Bike for the ride decided on, preparations made (no big dinner the night before – don't want stomach cramps on a ride, or having to jump over any hedges due to sudden bowel related urges... most undignified that would be...) it just left the weather to be as promised and my ride would be in the bag.

Yesterday morning turned out as the forecasts said it would – sunny, and still a bit windy, but it was still hard wrenching myself out of a warm bed, as it was also slightly chillier than of late.

Climbing on the Jamis again felt very weird after my three rides so far on the Fat Bike. My word those tyres looked skinny... and setting off was odd too, it all felt a bit twitchy, balancey and tall. That feeling soon fizzled out as the Jamis (I call it Battersby sometimes, after the soap character Janice Battersby...) and I got pedaling and knees hit the breeze.

I did  get slightly wet though, so it wasn't a 100% success for the forecast, but rather than the wind blown downpour I suffered on my previous ride that soaked parts of me that really shouldn't be soaked, this was just a light shower, and delightful it was too. Under trees at the time, I actually paused just to listen to the rain pitter – pattering through the leaves, just like on those relaxation videos on youtube where you can play all sorts of calming noises to yourself. It was all rather splendid to be out in the rain for a change, I must admit.

As I was fannying about taking this photo, two young women came flying down this hill on bikes. The first of many fellow cyclists I saw out and about yesterday.

The lanes of course, were still a mess, with plenty of mud and rain washed gravel to negotiate, as well as all the streams of muddy water flowing across the tarmac off the fields. But all was very peaceful and quiet, just the occasional car encountered here and there, and they were vastly outnumbered by the usual unruly and hap hazard Pheasants blundering about, and also by the Grey Squirrels I encountered. Squirrels were everywhere it seemed, darting here and there, and on one occasion, right across my front wheel. How he didn't end up getting knobblied I don't know, as I was surprised, not to mention relieved, to see him dart across to the other side of the road when I had thought he was a gonner for sure just a nano second previously.

I just love riding the lanes. Peace, tranquility and the road - all to myself. Well... and the chaotic Pheasants, and Squirrels. Lots of Squirrels.

Unusually for me, I didn't take many photos, preferring instead to just carry on plodding my way round the lanes rather than stopping every few minutes to look around for a photo opportunity as I normally do. I did take some though, obviously, so the century ride didn't go entirely unrecorded.

So that was my last ride of 2015, at least it looks that way, as I doubt I'll get out again now before the New Year starts, and a very enjoyable 15 miles of going nowhere much it turned out to be too.

Climbing the hill out of Mitchell I passed several roadies coming the other way, and all but the leader waved, smiled, nodded or shouted 'mornin!'. This was the chap running 'Lantern Rouge', or tail end Charlie, just before we exchanged waves. Despite showing a healthy (by my standards) 8 mph on the computer, I was blowing out of my ears at this point. It's not the hill you're on necessarily that is the problem, but the hills that came before it... That's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it! I'd just slogged my way up one hill side, and now was plodding and gasping my way straight up another, with little flat road or Jelly Babies, in between to recharge the legs and lungs.

I have to be pleased with managing 100 rides, though I still feel that I didn't get out half as much as I wanted to, or get as far from home as I planned, in 2015. But, we start again in a couple of days, so hopefully I can carry on riding in 2016 as much, and more, because it really helps with all the health crap I've got going on. Riding, photographing, and thinking about riding is what keeps me going at times, and the mental and physical benefits really do make one heck of a difference to me, so I fully intend to make the most of riding my bikes while I still can – roll on 2016, as it were!

Edit - Thanks to Dave Miles for the idea of using maps to illustrate my potterings, I have come up with this (I don't have a Smart Phone or fancy GPS type bike computer so can't do Strava).

It's not very detailed, but will give an idea. Start and finish point on the map is the financial and retailing district of Trispen (The Post Office) which is close to home but without giving it away. This ride was 15.3 miles.