Blazing saddles.

Several years ago, as you'll know if you have read this blog from the beggining, I lived in the lovely city of Torino in the North of Italy. I still maintain that my love of cycling was born in Turin because (as described at length in my first post!) that is where I got my first bike as an adult, saw the Giro D'Italia and spent countless hours cycling around the city. It was also where I first heard of a remarkable man named Gino Bartali.

  

Bartali won the Giro three times in his career and the Tour De France once. Bartali's feat of winning three consecutive mountain stages (13, 14 and 15) in the 1948 Tour de France has never been equaled. If that wasn't enough reason to fall in love with someone then know this: during World War II Bartali used his fame as a cyclist as a cover to deliver messages and documents in order to save Jewish people. Pretending to train, he would ride miles and miles to take documents back and forth and also is said to have hidden a Jewish family in his cellar. What a man.

 

For anyone interested I would strongly recommend reading Road to Valour or if you're up for an emotional rollercoaster you should watch the Rai Television TV adaptation 'Bartali - L'Intramontabile' (Bartali - Timeless) although I can't find it anywhere with English subtitles. It does star Pierfrancesco Favino as Bartali - and there are a lot of action shots of Pierfrancesco riding - and what a sight that is - highly recommended even if you do not speak Italian. It's worth it for Favino and his thighs. Anyway.

 

Here's a small taste of the glory

                                           

The reason I have been thinking about Bartali, other than just because he was brilliant, is because I think I have started to enjoy cycling up hills. I am not sure that I can explain exactly how this strange development has come about but there's a real difference now when I'm on a hill. I stay in the saddle, just like our man Bartali who often stayed in the saddle throughout a 15km climb. Now, I don't think I would like (or be able) to take on a 15km climb, and if I did I am sure I would not enjoy it. Small, steep climbs are great fun though. The sense of achievement at the top of the hill is unlike anything I have felt before. Nice that I am riding the same route as when I first started so I can feel the difference on each bit of the route - I can remember struggling to get out of the Dale and now that feels like one of the easier bits (between Wolsingham and Frosterley).

Cycling is just very good for me. I have noticed a change in my physique - my thighs are very toned and I'm losing weight steadily. I have noticed that my confidence on the bike has gone up; not only do I feel better going uphill but I am less scared of the downhill and am less likely to have the brakes firmly on when I'm descending. This is because I feel like I know the bike better and that I am in control.

                                                       

So it's all good. I shall continue to channel my inner Bartali and I shall be the Queen of the Mountains (well, hills).

Kimberley

A secret path & the day I cycled 30 miles on Kendal Mint Cake

Hi there,

Been a while since I have posted. I have been cycling a lot and travelling around a lot. Hence the lack of posts. 

The great news is that I have smashed my cycling targets already and have cycled just under 200 miles so far since 16th January which is a huge achievement. 

I mentioned a while ago that I went to a Cycle Maintenance class at Evans cycles at the Metro Centre. It was a great class, only one other student who was also a novice, and we were both interested in the same things - punctures, brakes, cleaning the chain etc. We were both given an Muc Off Rider Kit  which is a good set (especially when included in the cost of the class!). 

I like the muc-off standard bike wash well enough but the drivechain cleaner is really good. You do have to use quite a lot of it in one cleaning but it's very effective (especially on the cassette).  

So the best thing about this time of year is that I can finally go out on my bike after work - which makes a huge difference to the week. I think doing shorter rides more often will help me to maintain a good level of fitness and take the pressure off of the weekend rides.

I had the most beautiful ride up into Weardale on Easter Monday. It was a warm day (about 16-17c) and it was bright sunshine, I got up and out at 8am and had three wonderful hours on the bike. Loved it. I was given some Kendal Mint Cake and that works an absolute treat in combination with ice cold water. A great 30 mile ride was had. I had lost my gloves so that wasn't ideal but overall a great ride - the hills couldn't slow me and it was my fastest ride yet!

I met a fellow cyclist at work who told me about a secret path that runs parallel to the A689 and avoids some of the worst bends on that road. It's a one track lane right beside the river and its glorious. Made my rides even better. There are a few very steep but short hills on that section of path as well which is good to keep my hill game up.

Not much else to report other than that I still love my bike and it still loves me.

Kimberley