15 September, 2023

And now my final ride out in France this year before we hit the road for home later today. Out nice and erly for a short ride down to Fayence and back via the old railway line. What a view. connect.garmin.com/activity/12026711185

13 September, 2023

Kay’s last ride out in France this year and a great effort pacing me up to Col de Saint Arnoux from Seillans. Unfortunately I couldn’t hold her wheel, she dropped me, and I finished a distant second. Enough said. connect.garmin.com/activity/12012539188

12 September, 2023

Thought I’d have a ride out on Kay’s eBike today to get a perspective of what it’s like for her to ride around here. Also my knees are beginning to feel the big increase in mileage this month.

I picked a route that I rode last week and tried to keep the intensity at the same level, averaging just under 130 bpm for the ride. I maxed out a little higher last week, 168 bpm, but not a great deal more than today’s 161 bpm.

Given the amount of climbing – around 600m gain over 24 miles – I wasn’t surprised to find the eBike completed the route a full 14 minutes quicker than my road bike, about 3 mph faster.

10 September, 2023

Another big ride out for Kay this morning. Last week it was out to Les Adrets, today it was up to Tanneron with a lap of Lac de Saint-Cassien to get there. After close to 50 miles of riding, and with 1,000m of climbing, I think she found today’s ride a tough one. connect.garmin.com/activity/11989706702

9 September, 2023

Well, it’s taken 3 weeks and close to 500 miles but finally I’m beginning to feel like my old self on the bike. So much more fun when you’re not pedalling squares. Still way off pace but content with not struggling and happy just cruising around.

A favourite early morning weekend route today. Down to Frejus through Bagnols-en-Foret and up to Les Adrets de l’Esterel. Then around Lac de Saint-Cassien to Fayence and up the old railway line back to Claviers.

The trick to really enjoying this ride is getting out early to avoid the traffic and heat of the day. Frejus and the road around the lake can get very busy, and the ride up to Les Adrets can get very hot.

7 September, 2023

An early lunch ride to Callian with Kay except without the lunch, or even a coffee for that matter, in the end. Another great effort by Kay on a 40 mile loop which included 1,000m of climbing over Col de Saint Arnoux and Col d’Avaye. A nice lunch when we got back home though. connect.garmin.com/activity/11966897001

5 September, 2023

Out of the house and on the road by 7:20am this morning. Wasn’t going to ride today but was up early and made a snap decision to head out. Been a while since I’ve done an early morning ride and glad I made the effort.

4 September, 2023

Heart said a long, slow hilly ride today but head said be sensible and keep it local and up the pace a bit to somewhere between endurance and threshold.

3 September, 2023

Morning coffee ride to Les Adrets de l’Esterel with Kay today and I’m not sure which impressed me more, Kay or her bike for managing the 50 mile distance. Actually 46 miles but I added a 4 mile loop on to the end of the ride to round us up to 50. connect.garmin.com/activity/11935984969

1 September, 2023

Unbelievable that we’re now in September and it’s taken me until today to complete my first 50 mile ride of the year. A ride of two halves today up to Col de Valferriere. From Seillans the climb is pretty much 15 miles, climbing a little over 3,000ft – or 24km and 900m. Not a hard climb by any stretch but nevertheless still 80 minutes of almost constant climbing.

But once I was on the Route Napoleon it was virtually downhill all the way home, bar a few short climbs up to Col de Clavel, Comps-sur-Artuby and finally Claviers.