Challenging ride

Goldfish was keen to do a longer ride as part of his South Downs Way prep (he's planning on doing it in 2 days). He proposed doing 2 rides from the same starting point - good call as it meant that those who didn't fancy doing the full day could just do one of the two. I was trying to decide whether to do 2 or one - but I've been conscious that I've been a bit lazy of late & figured that 2 would push me. I was threatened with whipping if I didn't keep up (how motivational...).

Ride 1 was the HCC Winchester route that we'd done a couple of weeks ago. Ride 2 was the HCC Cheesefoot Head route which was the first off road (excluding New Forest tracks) route that Husband & I did a few years ago with shiny new Specialized Hardrock Sports.

Ride 1 was done by Goldfish, M, C, Husband, me and Husband's manager D. Beautiful sunny day and the tracks were quick as it hasn't rained in anger for a while. Heard skylarks, saw violets, primroses & cowslips. Husband wasn't feeling great and as the ride progressed, he found it more difficult to get up hills - his legs were spent - but he did complete the ride. Good to have another girl to natter to - very glad that C came! Halfway point and all went home except Goldfish, M and me.

I didn't feel too fresh at the outset and was trailing at the back, but didn't feel that I was holding the boys up too much. No whips appeared, so I guess I wasn't too bad! There was just one really muddy bit - close to what Husband calls the "impossible hill" when approaching the other way - a sumpy bit of the track that's either a mini lake or quagmire. And just afterwards, at our muddiest, M got a puncture - and a lovely person in a 4X4 made us move off the path mid repair and didn't say thank - charming. My legs were feeling a little like Husband's were on ride 1 towards the end. Resorted to counting downstrokes in my head to keep going!

75.08km completed in 5 hours 20 mins of riding. I'm saddle sore!