"Ankle Bloody Ankle"

Check out my Medic-Alert bracelet on my right arm.........fortunately, I didn't need it today.....but I do think it makes me go faster;)


Another boring cycling post? You betcha!

Sponge; A material used for it's massive water holding capabilities. Also known for it's uncanny knack for holding onto a relatively small amount of water and slowly but surely relieving itself all down the side of a hill or hills or a large mound or mounds for the entire, non-stop, sun-shiny length of the whole bloody goddamn day......without fail! Me thinks it may have rained in the previous night.....just an itsy-witsy bit perhaps;)

I name that hill or hills; Holmbury Hill, Pitch Hill & Winterfold Woods Hill! I should know! I cycled over the bastard things today......twice! And at the furthest point away from the car, about 9 miles, I was cycling back up a stream that I had come down not just ten minutes before......thats right, an actual stream that is sign posted as a public right of way (the only thing missing were a line of fishermen telling me to bugger off)......And decided to try my luck over what looked like a more shallow section of the stream than the rest and ended up sinking front wheel first in over two feet of freezing cold water! It certainly didn't look that deep. In fact I could see that the bottom of the river looked like compacted sand and was about six inches under the waters surface. But what I quickly found out was that the compacted sand was in actual fact......as soft and as liquid as the water above it! Down I went......almost head first in the cold water! If it wasn't for my front wheel getting stuck the deeper it went in the silt, I would have gone in head first! I wasn't cycling fast thank goodness, as it was up hill. With the wheel stuck in the silty bottom meant I had quite a good grip on the bars to stop myself from taking a dive. Instead, I naturally put my right leg out and into the same deep water.........right up to the middle of my thigh! It totally surprised me as I really thought it was quite shallow. But as I started to cycle away back up the downwards flowing stream (more like a brook really), I looked down and saw that there was a little blood seeping from the inside of my right ankle! It was soon soaking into my sock and shoe. I didn't even feel it as the water was so cold! I stopped to investigate the wound to see how deep it was. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that it wasn't very deep at all and after taking a few photos of it, I continued back up to the top and made my way back to Pitch Hill and then Holmbury Hill. Basically back the same way that I had come by earlier. All I can think is that there was something hidden under the surface of the silt, maybe an old branch or a small rock or even a just slightly lost Pirhana! I stopped briefly at the tiny village of Peaslake right outside the General Store they have there and had a well deserved drink whilst I watched the young woman who works in there taking what looked like a freshly baked tray of suasage rolls & pastys:) Two other mountain bikers were sat there too, resting from a day of hard days slog by the look of their bikes and faces. They were the only other cyclists I saw in four hours of riding (unlike at the weekend when you can come across about thirty or so in an hour or two. I remember looking at my watch to see what the time was and as soon as I looked away from it, one of the cyclists asked me if they didn't mind telling them the time. I had looked just seconds before and could not for the life of me remember what it said! I had to look again......nearly 16:45pm. I had been out cycling since 13:15. But according to my computer, I had rested or stopped for photographs & ate etc for approximately 1hr 20 mins. It was a tough one today and I got lost.....took the wrong turning should I say;).....a couple of times and had to back track a few times too. Some of the route today was new to me and I was just getting my bearings;) It was fun though, as usual. But I think it would be better to wait a little while before I go back......until the hills that seem to be permenantly bloated with rain has drained away. Unless of course I feel like a little water and a lot of mud again;)
The sun was beginning to set now and I still had the whole of Holmbury Hill to conquer for the second time but in reverse. I made my way up the side of BKB (on the road), having cycled down it properly earlier, to the covered reservoir and up to the top of Telegraph Row. I had already been up it right at the beginning of my ride, and I eventually came out just before the youth hostel in Holmbury St Mary and took a sharp right down an interesting steepish piece of single track, being careful to avoid the roots and eventually came out by my car. Phew! What a long day......& I only did 18 miles! Thats an hour and ten minutes longer than my total cycling time (without stops) compared to 18 miles around Richmond Park near where Iive. It just goes to show the difference in terrain.
A typical 18 mile ride around RP takes me 1hr 20 mins (2hrs 35 today). Total time in RP 1hr 27mins (3hrs 50 mins today). Average speed in RP 13mph (7mph today). And I much prefer the hills and the mud and the steep ups and the steep downs and the roots and the puddles and the........dare I say it......the blood too;) Of course I would have much prefered not to have bled, but at least the mud kept it clean.....ish.
I stopped by the the car for several minutes and washed down my leg with a whole bottle of mineral water. It had changed from a beautiful bright red colour to a rather mucky mass of clotted dark red goo! I was surprised to see that underneath the filth were two smallish wounds in the shape of an upside down V. I will spare you the horrific sight of my ankle and thought I would just add this pic I took of myself (see above) right before I washed the wound and drove the 20 miles back home to a nice hot bath. But if you are a vampire......look at my right ankle and enjoy;)

Ankle Bloody Ankle? It was nice to have a problem with it and not be in pain for once. Ok, it did sting a bit when I got into the bath, but I assure you that it is fine now;)



Jason






(C) JPT 2007.........631.36 miles.