Today MrsGreyPea and I decided on a ride together up the Black Mountain, but she didn't fancy the full 30miler with the climb. So we hit on a cunning plan where I drove her and her bike 7 miles to start of lower slopes of the climb. From there, she'd start upwards and I'd drive back to the farm to get on my bike. This would give her 7 miles headstart and the time it took me to drive back.
This was an excellent plan. All the time I was cycling back to the drop-off point to try to catch her, it felt like I was somehow chasing down an escapee. Pace was high (by my standards) and when I started the climb I was rolling along at 19-20mph. Further up the climb I was expecting to see her ahead, but as every corner revealed an open road ahead, I was starting to think that she'd thumbed a lift to the top. I was slowing in the heat, and soon reached the cattle grid which marked the open roads over the top section. And luckily for me, there she was, pulled over having a rest roadside. I reckon she was thoughtfully waiting for her old man to catch up, but still insists she was taking a well earned breather under the hot sun. It was bloody hot up there today.
My average was 16.5mph when we met (or when she graciously allowed me to catch up) and I was starting to burn up. I was really grateful of the slower pace from there on up. We reached the summit, stopped for a few photos and then headed for home. I've noticed her descending speeds have improved too after the trip down the mountain :)
So there you are. If you're gonna give your wife a head-start, never underestimate the power of a little pair of legs.
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