The lonely road

Hopefully in a weeks time I will have at least some of my stuff packed. In reality I probably won’t.
Moving is a hassle. No doubt about it. Previously it’s been a few minutes down the road. Then half an hour or so. This time it’s a few hours (depending on traffic).

Don’t worry! I hear you say. Yeah. We’ll keep in contact! Highly unlikely. Come for a visit! Er, with the hours I’ll be working? Not likely.

Still I have my friends, the ones who helped me get through that shitty ordeal in France. The ones who say actually you did well riding that (mere) seven miles on your bike. The ones who told me to get out of where I am because it’s bringing me down.

Those friends have existed through social media. Without some of you I would not have had the strength to do this. I would not have had a place to bounce ideas around. I wouldn’t have met some great people.

I worry too much. I know that. I know some of you think me a fool! Lol, more fool you.

Some of you will read this from a Facebook link. Most likely you think you know me. Most likely you don’t. If you mattered to me I would contact you. If I mattered to you, oh yeah I don’t.

To those who read this from Twitter, thank you for your support. It has been invaluable.

I can’t wait to get out on my bike down there. Dorking Cycle Club, in their emails, has been most helpful and welcoming. Still I expect I will be riding alone for a while!

And I must not forget Ma. I know mum reads my blog on occasion (slightly embarrassing and filed under please dont say anything!!) so again I want to say how supportive and loving they have both been.

Suppose I should say I’ll be living near my brother, but to him I’m just a silly little sister…

That’s all for now…

Off to Le Tour!

First of all a massive apology for not posting anything for ages! I haven’t done much on the bike recently, as you know how shit the weather has been here in the UK!

I was going to post a bit about watching Le Tour, but kept getting sidetracked by stuff that needed doing in preparation for going to France! And the fact that I was probably too busy tweeting!

So I think we have everything sorted out. I pick Melissa up from Heathrow tomorrow morning, we drive to Folkestone and go via the Eurotunnel to Calais. Then the long drive starts! And we are only going for the last week of it, for those who don’t know, it started 2 weeks ago in Liege…

I really can’t wait. This will be the first time I’ve been away for ages, even if it includes massive amounts of driving! I’m going to see a sport I love watching and meet people I only know via Twitter or Facebook!

I’ve had a go at the cycling fantasy teams for Le Tour, and as per usual I’m about mid div – although I’ve had Peter Sagan from the start, as well as Chris Froome!

I’ve got to say going to France wouldn’t be possible without massive help from friends and especially my parents (thanks ma and dad!). Some of you have been so helpful with loads of different stuff, from borrowing a sat nav (thanks Conor you legend!) to a stranger giving me 50 euros for no reason whatsoever!

I’ve had the past week off work, and although I haven’t done much, it’s been great for getting final bits sorted – having a cigarette lighter put back in my car so I can charge the sat nav and my phone. Sorting out a new mobile – sorry for those of you received loads of random calls. And most of all watching some majorly  impressive riding on the Tour! (Yeah I had Pierre Rolland from the start as well! Ha!!).

Not sure I’ll be able to blog much, if at all, as I only have mmy phone, but will be tweeting/fbooking when I can. Hopefully I’ll get some epic pictures!

For the first time in my life I have bought a British flag. Although I did buy a Welsh one first! Those who know me, will know how unpatriotic I am! But sod it!

When we finally get to Paris, Verity – my best friend for the last 24 years – is meeting me in Paris. I. Can’t. Wait. Yeah, if you are there and see us behaving like lunatics (in a good way), just cope with it! A’ite?!

This might be my last post for a few days, so anyone who wants to join me next year better join the list – about 10 people on it! One thing, I ain’t driving next year!

So tweet or fb me!

Thanks for all the messages so far anyways…

#ALLEZROLLAND
#BRITSBEHINDSKY

Ciao
Keep Smiling!!! 🙂

 

losing confidence

Yeah it happens, especially when I pretty much bike on my own, eat on my own, live on my own (sorry to my landlady here, who is an absolute legend and a good friend).
I have the internet, Twitter has given me some amazing friends, Facebook bores me rigid (and no doubt I bore my FB ‘friends’ rigid), and sometimes the only escape I have is my blog, oh yeah and a book or two (maybe 10).

I have this Sportif (LadyCat at Newbury Racecourse) on Sunday. I have no idea of anyone who is doing this – in fact some people have turned their noses up (fellow cyclists) – ‘oh well if I was there I would be doing the Magnificat, not the LadyCat.’ Er yeah, thanks for that, I’ve only just got started in the expensive lycra clad world of road cycling. I don’t have ‘kit’ that matches my bike – and to be frank I don’t care. I don’t have cleats – can’t afford them. I’m quite frankly a bit worried – I’m not overly fit, I’m kinda hoping I can get through it!

And it’s not just the cycling, I’m fair worried about doing this TdF thing. I don’t actually know if I can afford to do it, although the hotel in Paris is booked, as are the hotels in Pau.

Maybe it comes down to money, I don’t earn very much at all, and I don’t care who knows that. Working with racehorses pays a shitty weekly wage that barely covers the cost of living. Wonder how I afford my TdF trip? Pool Money. Please don’t tell me to move back to Andover unless you can give me the months rent upfront (mostly in excess of £400).

So for those of you sporting brand new, up to date kit/bikes/cars, lucky aren’t you! Please don’t shove it in my face – I do a more dangerous job than any of you!

A rant is a rant I suppose, but I’m still under confident about this Sportif issue! I doubt it really matters in the long term…

Somewhere I’m smiling 😛
Ciao

No Dutch Corner

I thought I’d better add that there is no Dutch Corner this year, but I’m sure we’ll find the equivalent in the mountains somewhere! Whether its up the Colombier, the Col de la Madeleine or in the Pyrenees! We’ll try and find it!

By the way, if you are going for any of the mountain stages, let me know via Twitter (@elzrocks) or Facebook!

cheers for now!

warning sportif ahead!!

Those who follow me on twitter may be aware that a while ago I signed up for the http://velove.tv/cotswold-casual-sportif/ only the 25 mile ride, but hey, technically I’m only a ‘beginner’ lol. At the time I didn’t know anyone doing it, so invited my dad along as company (he can do 30+ miles on his road bike easily).
Now I have barely been out on my bike recently, but having done a 23+ mile ride on my 3rd outing on my bike (with @jawsrogers) I’m pretty confidant that my legs can handle it, although seeing me going up hills – yeah, I’ll be the gasping one who everyone is laughing at…

Well at least I get to meet some of the ‘twitterarti’ and friends I have made on twitter, although most of them are doing the 50 mile/ 75mile route 🙂 I’ve also heard the weather might be pretty decent as well!

So hopefully (barring any disasters) i should meet the lovely @BevSmerklo, @helsbels1272, @broomwagonblog and @Velocentric. Anyone else doing this? tweet me (@elzrocks) or facebook me to let me know if you’re going to be there!

The good news is I have Saturday morning off work, and then the entire following week, so I might just get a few more miles in on my Lexa.

In other news, I took one of the racehorses I look after to Aintree (Liverpool) yesterday. He finished 4th, and I’m proud of him! I know he didn’t win, but it was a higher grade race than the last one he ran in and they went a fair bit quicker! He was very tired, but seemed fine afterwards. I also took another horse that unfortunately pulled up (a DNF), but it was some trip! It was the first time I’d been to Aintree – home of the Grand National – and I’d never realised what a bleak course it was!
It was an evening meeting, so the last of the horses I took, ran at 8.15, this meant leaving the racecourse at 9.15 – and with a 4 and a half hour journey home, I finally got back to the yard at 1.45ish (I think). By the time I’d got home, it was 2.35 and needless to say I’m still a bit tired!

Anyway, thanks for reading this 🙂

Ciao