Sunday morning and oot on the bike; I headed towards Kholo, haven’t been out this road for a long time. When I came here last I was riding a bike that was too small for me and then I got a puncture.

It’s been over ten years since then, the roads are steep and turn into dirt after only a short time. Just before the dirt road the hill I climbed stopped me in my tracks, breathing very heavily I took a few minutes to recover but otherwise felt fine.

I turned onto Leslie Road which is a gravel road before you hit a dead end and it turns into a bush trail. One last climb to reach the end, wheels slipping as I push hard on the pedals. The sweat is running off me and there is not a breath of wind. My breathing is hard and I begin to feel sick. I sit down and remove one of the layers I’m wearing and drink water. The breeze arrives just on cue and chills my body, sweat lowering my body temperature. A dry boak but I keep my breakfast in place but I feel like shit, weak and hot.

After five minutes or more things are beginning to feel normal once more and with the breeze still coming up the hill I get back on the bike and ride down the fire trail. It’s very rough but worth the effort. The remains of an old car just off to the side, no idea what it used to be.

Back to the main gravel road which soon turns into tarmac once more. I’m getting back to civilisation because I can hear the motorway. Time to head home, thankfully the ride home will be easier, I’ve done all the hard hill work on the way to the fire trail.

I’m feeling OK on the way back but I’ve gone over my two hour window and so I can feel that my body needs fuel and I have a pot full of pasta waiting for me when I return. Incentive enough.

After lunch I retire to the hammock, my legs are feeling very heavy and my body needs to rest. All those other jobs I had planned for today will just have to wait until tomorrow. A few more carbs and I’ll be hunky dory.