Proper training stuff

I finally gave up on the heinous exercise bike.  Not only did it clank noisily and the distance dial was impossible to read, but the 6 levels of resistance went something like this:

Level 1 - dead easy.
Level 2 - quite a hard ride.
Level 3 - can't turn the pedals
Levels 4, 5 and 6 - who knows?

The last straw was when I realised that, even with glasses, I couldn't see my how far I'd gone.  So I hit Ebay, found a nice exercise bike within 20 miles, bid successfully and collected it on Monday evening.

It's smooth, it's quiet and I can even turn the pedals on all the levels of resistance.  If it gets too easy, I can change the whole resistance setting.  Apparently.

I've been hammering it every morning since - I think I'm getting addicted...  We're now figuring out how to make a stand for my laptop so I can retreat to the shed and watch 'Strictly: It Takes Two' every weekday night* while pedalling for an extra half an hour.  Except that raises a question - how do people pedal on an exercise bike and watch telly in their living rooms?  Do they not get, um, sweaty?  Are they doing it very politely?  Does that even count as exercise?

*The Melodeon Master has banished me if it involves 'dancing' and 'ballroom'.

And this morning the Melodeon Master and I went out on the MTBs for a couple of hours around the local lanes and tracks.  The Melodeon Master waited while I added an attempted ascent of Cake Hill (so called since the wedding cake fell over going up it) - and I am delighted to report I happily sailed all the way up and back down (the training is paying off!) and then we carried on through tracks and a rather rubbish small stony path (yes, my idea) and home via Rudry Common.

Beautiful sunshine, fab biking, muscles improving and hardly a car in sight.

Bliss!