Yep, a Long Hard Rocky Road back to fitness!

Dudes, I have been ill. No really. There’s not much keeps me off my bike, you know that, but it’s been more than three weeks with hardly a pedal turned! Mrs Stratobiker has been ill too. It started off with a sore throat, then got worse, a lot worse. Bad cough, fever, feeling awful. Gotta say there was one night in particular where I was truly scared of how bad it was gonna get. Lying in bed sweating up, chest on fire, breathing hard just lying still. Started to feel a little better after a couple of days, but everything was just such hard work. We didn’t leave the house for close on a week. We were living on the leftovers from our New Years Eve party. By the middle of the second week we managed to get out for a few easy walks, but they wiped us out. I tried a bike ride, just around the block, I felt like shit, it was no fun, and I was coughing up frogs. I gave up. By the third week we were feeling OK, still hacking stuff up, but getting out and about. At just over three weeks I tried the bike again. At last I felt OK, I was actually enjoying it, and felt like I had something in my legs. I didn’t push it though, just rolling along nice and easy.

A message to my French friends…..
Bonjour mes amis
J’ai été malade. Pas de vélo depuis trois semaines. Ca va mieux maintenant, et j’espère vous voir bientôt sur le vélo.

Yesterday I managed and hour and a half on my road bike. Nothing too hard, but a purposeful tempo, it felt great to be back. If the weather is OK tomorrow I’m gonna try and get out with the boys on the Wednesday afternoon bash. But, I’ll be taking it easy, and I’ll pull out after a couple of hours. I’ve been here once before, you try too hard too soon, and it just knocks you back.

So while I’ve been felling a little better I’ve been busying myself on my guitar. I’ve been in the studio doing some recording for a singer-songwriter. I reckon it’s really great stuff, and I’m thrilled to be able to work with her. I can’t let you listen to anything at the moment because it’s not finished. But when it is I’ll let you know.

I’ve also been rehearsing with an ex-pat band from the Bellac area. The idea is to put a set together now to do some gigs through the summer. It’s hard work, but it’s fun, and I get to play my guitar proper loud!!! Rock on!!! 🙂