Another Glorious Day In The Lanes.

After an utterly rubbish winter both for riding and the weather, the rides are coming thick and fast at the moment. 

The past couple of rides have proved a real tonic, lifting the spirit considerably and helping keep things on an even keel. I also want to improve my fitness, not just for riding but for better health too, both physically and mentally. I've done all the counselling with professional listeners, I've read a ton of books on depression and anxiety, and more than a few web sites too. Plus of course, I'm on the happy tablets. But whilst those pills do help a bit, a good ride on the bike is still the best thing I know for calming things down and straightening things out. It's the best therapy there is.

There are times of course when no matter how good the weather or whatever, I can barely summon up the will to get out of bed, let alone indulge in a physical activity, but at the moment, things aren't going too badly, so I plan to try and make the most of the good weather and get out as much as I can.

So once again I headed out, this time on the Voodoo, with the intention of only really doing one of my short loops, a ride of no more than four miles or so. But... almost as soon as I got my knees in the breeze and nose out into the sunshine, I knew I'd probably end up going a bit further. 

Riding round the edge of the village up towards the church.

This blog is all about reflecting on a good ride.

I started off by mooching up the lane to the church in the village, just to see what's occurring like (answer - nothing much) before heading off along my beloved Tregassow Lane once more. 

It's not hard to see why a bike ride can be so good for the health, it's good exercise of course and that alone lifts the spirit as endorphins get released, but tuning in to the ride - listening to all the sounds around you such as the birds, a lone tractor in the distance working away in a field, and the crackle of tyres on gravel coupled with a nice rhythmic cadence really make for a relaxing time. 

I've also found when I'm in a proper bimbling mood, really ambling along slowly, I can allow my mind to tune in to all those things and let the autopilot ride the bike. When this happens, great things do occur! There I was, pottering along the far end of Tregassow Lane, thinking about all sorts and just looking around, and the next thing I knew I was at the top of the hill... a hill that used to see me bale out every time, and took ages for me to conquer when I first got back to riding. Today, I barely even noticed it.

Looking this way and that at what I know as Four Turnings Junction.

Almost the same thing happened nearer the end of the ride, when I also rode all the way up the beast that is the hill out of Lanner Mill. Once again I just got into the granny gear early on and let my mind wander. I did need to put in a bit more effort near the top as my legs started to protest a bit, but once again, an ugly hill that I used to dread was ridden up and over relatively easily. At other times, when I concentrate on what I'm doing, I seem to suffer more on these climbs - looking at the top to see how much further I have to go (blinking miles usually!) to the summit and so on. Other times I can just concentrate on the front tyre and keeping it moving, that works too, but the best by far is just switching my brain onto another channel while the legs are left to just get on with it.

Up near Ventonleague, just west of Carland Cross, there are apparently more than 30 Bronze Age Barrows. This one (the lump in the field behind) I believe is the biggest, and is known as Warren's Barrow.

The sunshine was a lot hazier than on Sunday, and also there was a light easterly breeze that added a chill to the air, but it really was just great being out and about in the peace and quiet. It soon became another of those rides where I didn't want to come home so kept adding bits as I went along, but all good things have to come to an end, and I found myself heading back towards home, regretting not making a right turn earlier in the ride and extending it even further.

Climbing the bad ass hill out of Lanner Mill. It doesn't look much but it is a long 'un, and just around that bend things gets really ugly as the road tips up even more. But, with the right frame of mind, it can be done! (Please note: Other hills are available. Other riders who are fitter, won't even register this as a hill, probably, but it's my personal Mt Ventoux, so there!)

So despite that small regret, it was a very relaxed Back Road Bimbler that arrived home in time for lunch. So good was my mood that I decided to eschew (good word) my daily bowl of Chicken Noodle simmer soup in favour of Sardines on toast topped with two poached eggs. By crikey I like to live life recklessly sometimes!

 A splendid display of Daffs at Lanner Barton farm

Arriving back in the village, I still wasn't quite ready to go home so had a quick blat up the old A39, but this time the westerly section towards Truro, that I rarely use. That's tarmac beneath the dirt, on what used to be a very busy main road.

So that's the good news - It's been good weather, I've enjoyed some good riding time and even had a healthy (ish) lunch. The bad news is I have to start spring cleaning the house in readiness for it being decorated. Oh joy. Expect some more diversionary rides soon!

A good old trundle about, with the bigger map available Here  The details accompanying the bigger map only show 912 feet of Ascent - clearly some mistake there... ahem...