tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24398352491212259822024-03-08T13:07:18.503+00:00SuffolkatingCycling around Suffolk - slowly!Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439835249121225982.post-86207369135596328092014-03-25T23:14:00.001+00:002014-03-25T23:14:44.290+00:00End of Snooze 100km
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was my second
attempt at this ride. In 2013 I didn’t start, as the morning of the
ride there was a foot of snow on the ground outside my house. I didn’t
even get out of bed. All was well this year until I got off the train
in Cambridge to a cold, heavy drizzle; I decided to ride to the start
and see if the weather improved.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I got to Hauxton
village hall with half an hour to spare, and the rain had stopped. Things were looking up. The organisers had laid on
toast and other breakfasty things, so I had some of those, and then
we set off. The first section was a nice ride through little
villages: Shelford, Whittlesford, Strethall, Duxford....By the time
we got to Whittlesford (about 2km in), the rest of the field had
vanished ahead of me, and I was in my usual place – at the back. </span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Right Way to
Thaxted</b></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The first challenge was
the (in)famous Coploe Road, a steep, single lane that goes over the
chalk ridge that separates the fens from the rest of the land. This hill feels
like it has been transplanted from Yorkshire – it is steep, and
there is a proper sweeping view from halfway up. I hauled myself up
there, very slowly. Eventually I made it, and continued on past Audley End House to the first control. This was an
Info control, where riders have to note down the answer to a question
that is on their card. There had been dire warnings at the beginning
that if this wasn’t filled in there would be no validation of the
ride! I met another rider here who had had some mechanical problems,
and we figured out what we had to write down. That done I headed off
through Thaxted (of course) and the Bardfields to Finchingfield. This
road was much nicer to ride than it was on the Shaftesbury Spring
ride as today I had the wind behind me!</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bolts from the Blue</b></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I didn’t stop at this
control, and carried straight on. Up until now, the weather had been
alright – a bit of a breeze but nothing too worrying. But at this
point the clouds started to become darker and more threatening. As
soon as the sun disappeared the temperature would drop ten degrees,
and the wind would whip up a little, and this seemed to coincide
exactly with the bottoms of steep hills. I began to think the clouds
must be <i>stuck</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> to the hills,
hovering there to catch the unwary cyclist. As the route took me back
over the chalk ridge at Hundon, hail started flying sideways towards
me from one of those lowering storm clouds. I stopped to put on some
waterproofs and eat some chocolate.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Crawling
the next few kms, I started to have some of the odd thoughts that
are sometimes created in your mind when you’re out riding alone. For example: one instruction on the route sheet that led me up a particularly steep incline was 0.6km in length. Usian Bolt, I
reasoned, could run this very quickly. In 60 seconds, in fact. Or, as I decided to call it, <i>6
Bolts</i>. So a long section of 3.4km could be described in terms of <i>34 Bolts</i>, i.e. not very far at
all. He could do it in about 3 minutes (maths is not my strongest
subject). I think I was in dire need of food by this point – the <i>24
Bolt</i> (2.4km) stage up to the next control at Adam’s Cafe nearly
finished me off. I got there and ate a huge piece of cake just in
time!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></h3>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-style: normal;">Race
to the (Six Mile) Bottom</span></b></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
next stage defies reasonable description. It started well enough,
through some nice little villages and past names like ‘Trotting
Horse Lane’. All very nice. But over my shoulder was another
towering storm cloud, and ahead of me was the road to Six Mile
Bottom, through Brinkley, a winding, hilly, windy tortuous route over
the top of an exposed hillside. Dead trees bunch together for warmth
like inmates of the gulag. That cloud was perched on the hill, off to
the northwest, and the wind was howling out from it across the tops,
throwing needles of sleet into my eyes. This was 10km (<i>100 Bolts</i>: too bloody many) of hell on
wheels, it felt like it would never end. At one point I was
grovelling along downhill at 5mph, yelling something incomprehensible
at the weather goddess.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Reaching
the Six Mile Bottom junction I had a decision to make, as if I
couldn’t speed up, I was going to be out of time. This would be a
good bail-out point, if I was going to quit. I didn't want to quit. I decided to press on, braced
for the continuing wind....but it had vanished. Here, it was still, it was
calm, it was warm. The storm really was waiting on the hills, and it
didn’t follow me down to the flatlands. Riding swiftly through the
Wilbrahams (<i>55 Bolts</i>) and Fulbourn (<i>35 Bolts</i>) and back up to the
Shelfords, I realised that I should be in time. A last gratuitous hill and a nail-biting wait at
the level crossing (why does it close when the train has stopped?!)
meant that I really did have to do the last few kilometres at
Bolt-speed, but I made it, last of the 100km riders to make it back,
with nine minutes to spare.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">That’s about 54 Bolts.</span></span></span></div>
Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439835249121225982.post-44946128702683552072014-03-17T16:08:00.003+00:002014-03-17T16:08:29.729+00:00Shaftesbury Spring 100km
<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Shaftesbury Spring
100km - a journey through heaven and hell</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">New year, new attempt
at minor audacity. This year I want to get my name in the AUK
Handbook, and the most modest way to achieve this is by completing a
‘Brevet 500’, five 100km rides organised under the Audax UK
umbrella.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This was the first.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></h3>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A Fine Beginning</span></i></span></h3>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The ride began with a
run to the beginning from Audley End station, with enough time at the
first control for a cup of tea and a confirmation of the joke that in
audax, no one makes eye contact. The weather was warm, such a
contrast from last year’s hyper-extended winter, so I left a fleece
in the clubhouse and changed into my summer gloves. The club house
itself was packed, and a large group set off at 10am heading out
towards Great Dunmow.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was off the back of
the main group after about 5km, but this always happens and I am now
resigned to it. After successfully negotiating Brick End and only one
minor double-back due to a missing signpost, I reached the first
control, ate a macaroon, and carried on. My plan for this ride was to
eat something at every control, rather than stopping for a big lunch
in the middle of the ride. A good plan, <i>in theory</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The</span>
sun was shining. It was a beautiful day. Another rider came past me,
so I wasn’t last after all! And next was another nice run, to Great
Bardfield and Shalford. A tailwind helped me fly past the airfield
and into the village, where I passed the second control, ate a cheese
roll, and carried on.</span></span></div>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The West Wind</i></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The route sheet
instructed me to ‘keep left at 2 triangles sp GT BARDFIELD’. All
very clear, expect that the <i>first</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
triangle had no signpost. I dutifully kept left anyway, only to be
led down a farm track that was clearly going nowhere. Back to the
main road thinking I’ve gone wrong much earlier – no trace of
anywhere else to go. I lost half an hour here trying to find the
right route, not helped by the absolutely dreadful state of the
lanes. So much mud and debris on all of them that it was hard to
distinguish the farm roads from the road that actually led to
Thaxted.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I
know that eventually all roads lead to Thaxted. But this one took </span><i>a
very long time </i><span style="font-style: normal;">because of the
headwind</span><i>.</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Oh, that
wind. Dead-on into my face for the whole of this section of the ride.
I knew I had been having too much fun on the first two stages. Now
(as every cyclist knows) I would have to pay for it, and the price
exacted was high.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I
bounced the next control, only stopping to eat another sandwich and
have a drink of water (not enough). I knew the next section would be
fast as it was basically the route back to Audley End, and I was
right – another nice ride past the posh house and the lake and then
into Littlebury.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Where
it all went to hell.</span></span></span></div>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i> </i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i>The Price Exacted </i></span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
next 20km were absolutely dreadful. The headwind was back, stronger
than ever, the sun was beating down (I actually got sunburn on one
side of my face, in March!) and the road was a nightmare of potholes,
huge gaping trenches and pools of muddy sludge, and </span><i>hills</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
Hills I had trouble walking up – I didn’t even attempt to ride
them. Desolate landscape (as desolate as you can get in the home
counties, anyway).It crossed my mind that a mechanical out here could
be quite serious. It’s fairly deserted. I had seen perhaps two
cars.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">‘<span style="font-style: normal;">Royston
Lane – very poor surface’, the routesheet said, and boy, were
they right about that. Gaps between the broken slabs of tarmac that
were wide enough to fall into. All uphill (obviously) and still into
that godawful wind (it goes without saying). I was actually glad to
reach the A505 and turn off....but the wind was </span><i>still</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
right in my face. Finally, </span><i>finally </i><span style="font-style: normal;">I
reached the next control and a turn away from the wind....uphill. I
could hardly drag the bike forward. I was in the lowest gear, still
struggling for any momentum. I walked a bit. I swore a lot. I was
passed by another audaxer who looked much too cheerful.</span></span></span></div>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i> </i></span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><i>The True Nature of the Soul </i></span></span></span></h3>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It
has been said (probably) that doing audax rides reveals the true
nature of your soul, and I am sorry to say that on this ride, the
true nature of my soul was that of a quitter. I came to the junction
for Brent Pelham, glanced up at the hill that followed, and carried
on along the straight road to Newport. I just couldn’t face it. I
got the map out and saw that actually, I would be covering roughly
the same distance as the official route, barely going one side of the
village of Manuden instead of the other, but, crucially, I would be
riding </span><i>mostly downhill</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">So, weasel that I am, that’s what I did. Oh, it was good,
wickedly so, freewheeling <i>down</i> through Clavering, <i>down</i> into Newport and then back up to
rejoin the route for the last 10km or so back to the clubhouse. I
made it back with four minutes to spare, and the light bleeding from
the sky, so I did make the right choice out there on the road.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">But...have I done the ride? Can I really claim it? I got my stamp, and the
good people of Shaftesbury CC accepted my explanation and put my card
in for validation, but....did I do it? I did the </span><i>distance</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
but is that enough? Did I keep the </span><i>spirit</i><span style="font-style: normal;">?
Am I sufficiently....audacious?</span></span></span></div>
Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439835249121225982.post-54155300209718179712013-10-15T21:25:00.000+01:002013-10-15T21:25:09.991+01:00Two Rides Around Essex - Chris Negus 100km and a YACF Saturday Ride<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All Essex rides lead to Thaxted, with its really big hill.
It’s The Law. There’s even a picture of the Thaxted windmill on the front of
the OS map of the area. One of these rides was no exception. The other...let’s
just say, I would have rather gone to Thaxted than bloody Tilty.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These two rides covered almost exactly the same ground, just
in reverse order. Almost everything else about them is reversed as well. The
second ride was a great day out, good company, good food, good weather and good
roads. The first one...wasn’t.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>1. Audley End to
Henham</i></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The train timetable means that if I want to do one of the
audaxes from ‘The ‘Uts’ (a group of cycling club houses in Essex clustered
around Elsenham and Henham), I either have a long wait, or a long ride to the
start. This time I chose the long ride to the start, alighting the train at
Audley End and riding the six miles or so into the wind to the Shaftesbury
clubhouse. This was my first mistake. Getting to the start of the ride with
only five minutes to spare, I had no time for a cup of tea or a bacon roll, or
even to really sort out my stuff.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. HQ to High Roding</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The usual thing happened in that within ten minutes I had
lost sight of the field and was plodding along off the back of the group. This
is a little dispiriting; I don’t feel I am that slow a rider, but I am slower
than most on audax rides. So I was quickly on my own, but I followed the route
sheet through and reached the first control – and two other riders arrived
behind me! So not last after all, and I hadn’t yet taken a wrong turning.
Things were looking promising.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. High Roding to Pleshey</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was only a very short stage, through two villages. One
of my tail-ender friends caught up with me again here. I stopped to eat some
Haribo, and then sailed on down a lovely big hill – the right direction!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Pleshey to Lindsell</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is where it all started to go a bit wrong. The weather
was much colder than forecast – I had chosen to wear little ankle socks and
summer shoes so my feet were cold, and I started to get cramp in my toes.
Usually this happens after about 40 miles so I was worried they was already
doing it at mile 20. I stopped, I got off the bike, I stretched my leg muscles
out – nothing worked. Every time I had to put any weight on the pedal at all,
my foot seized up. I made it through Felsted past the <i>very</i> posh school,
and limped through Stebbing into Lindsell, where I saw my friend again,
studying a map. I wondered why, since he was obviously following me!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Lindsell to HQ via Tilty</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I soon found out. He had obviously been looking for a way to
avoid <i>Tilty</i>. Tilty of the endless hill, which I was reduced to walking
up after my foot completely seized at the bottom. Tilty of the sideways rain,
which soaked me in seconds and was completely unforecast – I was in totally the
wrong clothes, and had already been cold. Tilty of the crows standing by the
side of the road waiting for the weary cyclists to stop moving. Tilty of the
swivel-eyed old man with a flat cap and a whippet muttering to himself as I
crawled past. Tilty. That’s all the sign says. Just: Tilty. No ‘welcome’, no
‘please drive carefully’. Just: Tilty. I reckoned it should add: Now piss off!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Cake</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, I packed at the halfway point. Apparently there were
quite a number of quitters, mainly because of the weather. After handing over
my unfinished brevet card, I went in for a cup of tea and a bit of cake. The
Shaftesbury CC do some fantastic food, which went some way to thawing me out –
including the biggest chocolate muffin I have ever seen.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">All this meant that I had unfinished business with The Tilty
Area.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Audley End to Thaxted Poppy Tea Room</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This ride actually started in Audley End, so already it was
looking up. In addition, the weather forecast had been rubbish all week – heavy
rain, high winds – but it was actually sunny, quite warm and with a light
breeze. A group of ten of us set off towards Thaxted, and we all stayed
together – this was a <i>social</i> ride. A few stiff hills here at the
beginning, and we were soon at Thaxted just in time for the tea room to open
and feed us cake, cream teas and cinnamon crumpets!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Thaxted to High Roding</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This ride was almost an exact reverse of the Chris Negus
ride. This direction was much more cycle-friendly! The hills we rode <i>down</i>
seemed to outnumber the hills we rode <i>up</i>, which is always the right way
around. The sun came out for a while. Past Pleshley with a brief stop to fix a
p******e, and then slightly off-route to find the Black Lion in High Roding for
lunch. This is a 14<sup>th</sup> century pub (many of the villages around this
area of Essex are fairly ancient, boasting 500-600 year old buildings and pubs.
I imagine the history of the names alone is very interesting) where we had some
lovely baguettes and chips. Slightly depressing that we were the only
customers, although the landlady said that more people would be in later. But
these places, if they close, are lost forever, or turned into ‘executive
dwellings’ for stockbrokers to buy (spit), which is a terrible fate!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. High Roding to Audley End, via Henham</span></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After lunch we got a bit faster, as it was almost 3pm and we
wanted to get back in daylight, before the weather turned. The brief window of
warmth had gone and it was getting colder so we powered through towards Takely
where there was another p******e to fix. The roads were covered in several
places by stones and washout – there had been some serious rain the day before
the ride. I do have a slight dread of this happening to me on a group ride – I
can fix a p******e but I can’t do it quickly!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tyre repaired, we then made fast time back to Audley End,
past the ‘Uts and through Newport, where a large deer ran across the road right
in front of one of our riders, less than 10m away! A rather hairy moment.
Disaster averted we got back to Audley End just in time for my train.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span><div class="Standard">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A much better ride!!</span></span></div>
Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439835249121225982.post-78978658074773916632013-09-17T22:47:00.001+01:002013-09-17T22:48:56.734+01:00Full-On Cycle Commuting<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I am a cycle-commuter</span></span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I ride 16 miles each way through the Suffolk/Cambs border country. Most of
the time. When the Weather Goddess is <i>really</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
taking the mick I do a bike-train-bike variant with a folding bike –
I’m not </span><i>that</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
masochistic.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">My
motivation for the cycle-commuting was the late, unlamented National
Express East Anglia, who when they weren’t on strike didn’t send
any trains anyway just in case you got used to them. One day in
August 2010 my season ticket ended, and I just didn’t renew it. I
did a bike repair course, bought some new (and, obviously, very
attractive) lycra items, and went for ‘the big commute’ four days
a week. </span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
YACF cycle forum was a terrific help with this venture. Before
starting, I put out a request for advice, and I got it in spades.
Much of the talk of dynamo systems and gear ratios went over my head, but I
did follow much of it, for instance:</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Buy
a decent front light</span></span></b></i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I got a Hope Vision One, a fantastic bit of kit
that lights up the road like a car headlight even on the lowest
setting.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">You
don’t need to spend silly money on Assos kit</span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The best bit of cycle
clothing I own is a fleece hat, completely waterproof, lovely and
warm, and purple. Five quid. Other good buys include Altura
fleece-lined leggings, a couple of Gore tops (not super cheap but
Evans have sales quite often), and really basic Specialized mitts. I
also wear an H and M fleece which was a brilliant buy at 15 pounds.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Weather
or not</span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It’s always windy on the fens so I’m used to that. But
wind+rain, wind+cold, wind+hail, wind+sleet, and of course, ice –
mean you’ll probably find me on the train. Lashing rain and wind in
the middle of summer? Oh yes please.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Don’t
eat too much cake</span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I ignored this advice completely!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></b></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Selections
from my starting-to-commute diary, September 2010</b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
1</span></i></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Rain. A great start – a total soaking on the way home. Got cramp
in my feet after my shoes soaked through. Lesson learned: pack
waterproof socks in correct bag.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
2</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Wind. Ridiculously windy today, direct westerly all the way in and
freezing cold as well. Averaged a pathetic 9 mph, 25 minutes late for
work. Close to packing in the first 15 minutes but no way am I giving
up in the first week! Lesson learned: leave earlier in bad weather.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
3</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Got the train to take in some clothes. Obviously, the sun came
out!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
4</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Still a gale-force westerly. Wish it would die down a little. As a
fellow yacf-er said, ‘I take it you’re riding in the UK? Good
luck with that.’</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
5</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Warm! No wind! Am I still asleep? No – the weather has actually
improved! Now, of course, I am too hot. Lesson learned: get some baby
wipes (the office has no showers).</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
6</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Thought it was too good to be true. The wind is back...</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
7</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Another train day.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
8</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Felt strong today and did a quick time. Maybe I’m getting
somewhere!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
9</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Knackered. Felt like shit all day at work but still decided to
ride home: a mistake. Headwind didn’t help, as it took ages and I
got cold. Lesson learned: if I don’t feel 100% sitting in the
office, then performance on the bike seems to really suffer.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
10</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Wind again – a northwesterly this time, extra special in that
it is a headwind BOTH ways!Like doing 16 miles uphill. Frustrating to
say the least. And horizontal rain – how does that even happen?? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></span>
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
11</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Cold and dark today. What joy!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
12</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Another train day, so the sun is out again!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
13</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I know that I asked for a cessation of the west wind. I did not
mean for it to be replaced by an equally strong EAST wind!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
14</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Very tired today. Tried out the idea of listening to a little mp3
player as I ride. Music does seem to be good motivation, and I have
it on fairly quietly so I can still hear cars.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
15</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Really good day today. No wind! Finally. Today a colleague
expressed genuine amazement that I could cycle 16 miles to work –
she was actually shocked. Didn’t do the ego any harm at all.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Day
16</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">What a gorgeous day! Clear sunny skies and light winds. Perhaps
one day in fifty is like this, but they make all the rest of the days
worth it. I made it home today in the same door-to-door time as my
bike-train-bike commute. Loving it!!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Of
course that’s not the end of the story. Three years later and
I’m still at it....so it can't be that bad, right?</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span>
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Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2439835249121225982.post-49087571994718709042013-08-29T22:30:00.000+01:002013-08-29T22:30:44.986+01:00Your Mileage May Vary - Mildenhall 100km Audax
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>24/08/2013</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The rain sweeps over
the sodden fields in misty curtains. Every spider’s web is hung
with thousands of droplets, the spiders themselves nowhere to be seen
as they sheltered from the monsoon. Every leaf and branch and petal
softly dripping. Under the trees the sound of raindrops falling on
the summer canopy, an occasional drop reaching through to cool humid
skin and catch in damp strands of hair. The roads, awash with mud and
stones, glisten in the early morning gloom.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The perfect day,
obviously, for a bike ride.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>1. From home to Mildenhall</b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I signed up for the
Mildenhall 100km audax ride planning to ride to and from the start –
I live at Newmarket, which is only ten miles away. I procrastinated
over whether to do the 50 or the 100, finally getting myself to
(wo)man up and enter the 100 just barely two weeks before. I then
started to look at the weather forecasts, which went from the very
promising ‘Big Sun’ to a severe warning for heavy rain within 48
hours! I do wonder if my entering the ride was the one event, the
butterfly flapping its wings, that made that low pressure system
swing around and make its sodden way to rendevouz with Mildenhall.
Imagine if I could harness that kind of power – I could bring rain
to the desert, spring to the icefields, sunshine to the
Scottish...all by getting out my bicycle! Actually, just by <i>thinking
about</i> getting out my bicycle. Sadly, I don’t think it’s <i>my
</i>power. The Weather Goddess and I have had altercations before,
culminating in me standing, soaked to the skin, yelling into the
storm that she could do her worst but she would not stop me from
riding. We’ve reached an understanding, now - she does whatever
she wants, and I suck it up.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Anyway, despite the
dire forecast the ride to the start wasn’t too bad. The rain was
steady but light, and it was already warm – extremely humid. The
choice today was between ‘soaking wet’ and ‘boiling hot’,
and I had decided on long leggings and a fleece hat that is the most
waterproof thing I own. I was hot. But the rain seemed to be easing
a little, so maybe I could lose the hat later on.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>2. Start to Andy’s
Cafe (formerly Tubby T’s)</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As I collected my
brevet card from the CTC gazebo (once I’d found it) the rain began
to get heavier. A collection of waterproof-wearing cyclists
appeared, all trying to fill in their cards while still underneath
the tiny gazebo which was the organisers’ only protection from the
elements. I’m not really sure why they couldn’t have the ride
leaving from outside the main school building – closer to the loos
and the chance to buy cups of tea, not to mention less chance of the
whole control floating away.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Anyway, soon we were
off!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The field was fast,
and I was soon right at the back. I know I am a slow rider, but I
did find it a touch depressing that the entire field was out of
sight by the time we’d gone through Worlington, only three kilometres in
to the route! I did catch up with a father-and-son team who were
going at my pace, and rode with them through most of the first
section of the ride. After getting across the four consecutive
roundabouts at Red Lodge (marvelling at how a new, ostensibly
planned development can have such a shocking road layout), we were
into the countryside, silent and misted as it was. Hardly a car was
on the road, and unusually, there was no wind – the only sound was the swish
of tyres on wet tarmac and the steady dripping of soft rain on full
green leaves. Up a few little hills (when Gazeley appears on a route
sheet you know there will be at least one) and through some small
villages, and then there was the first control, the recently-renamed Andy’s Cafe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>3. Andy’s Cafe to
Wally’s Cafe</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I had known when I
first read the route sheet that there was no way I would get around
in time if I stopped for food and drink at all three of the cafe
controls. As it seems a little rude not to spend any money at any of them, my plan had always been to stop at the second one for
lunch. I ‘bounced’ this control - just got my card stamped and left straight away. As I came outside, the last cyclists were just leaving so I knew I
was at the back, but not too far behind, so I rode off confidently.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And then missed a
turn. I rode further on than I should have done looking for the
right turn to Denston, and began to slog uphill into the wind along
the A143 thinking it must be coming up in a minute....but then I
came to a garden centre, and also came to my senses, pulled in and
got out my map to see if I could avoid having to double back. I
probably could have done, but I thought it might be easier to
retrace my steps, which it would have been if I had not gone wrong
<i>again</i>! Eventually I came to the series of steep, sharp hills that
signals the approach to Hawkedon, and I was finally back on route. I
stopped around here for a bit of food and drink and then got going
again. The next bit, to Long Melford, seemed to take a long time. The
rain had stopped, so the hat came off, but I was still rather hot,
and not drinking enough water. I have never mastered the technique
of reaching my water bottle while riding – I’m riding a
small-framed bike to match my own small frame, and it was a tight
fit even getting a bottle and cage to fit in the triangle.
Something to think about for the future - maybe a smaller bottle, or somehow rigging something to handlebars? Anyway, eventually, after a rather hairy mistake nearly turning into the
wrong Acton industrial estate (there are two next to each other), with a car right up my backside as I wobbled about uncertainly, I
made it to the second control.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>4. Wally’s Cafe to
the Cockfield postbox</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My plan had been to
eat here, but once again I arrived as most people seemed to be leaving, so I
decided on just a cup of tea and a loo stop. I ate half a bag of
crisps and some Haribo while packing up again, and left with some
other riders, who soon stretched away into the distance. Shrugging,
I plodded on, through Lavenham (which is very pretty, and also full
of tourists despite the dreadful weather), and to the first ‘info
control’, the Cockfield postbox.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>5. Cockfield postbox
to Lizzie’s Cafe</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The next section
really started to grind me down. The rain had started again, heavier
than before, so the hat had to go back on even though I was already far too
hot. On top of that, it started to get windy, and every instruction
on the route sheet seemed to turn me more into the rising wind, which was
now laced with heavy rain. My waterproof jacket has recently decided
that keeping water out is an over-rated feature, and has stopped
working very well, so my arms were getting soggier by the minute.
Just to put the tin hat on it, this entire section seemed to be
uphill. And <i>then</i> there was an instruction of the route sheet which
said to look out for an unsigned left-hand turn with a tractor sign
<i>after </i>the turn. How the hell was I meant to find that?! I stopped
under a tree for some more food, recognising this swing into black
depression coupled with sarcasm and blinding rage as a symptom of low
blood-sugar, and then I rode on. Still, I did miss the turn, only by
pure luck did I glance behind me and see the tractor sign, so
staying on route by the skin of my teeth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The route after this, through
Risby, seemed rather interminable, as the road goes sharply uphill
through an estate (I walked the last bit of this hill – I just
couldn’t get the bike forward after having to stop to let a car
out of a driveway), and then seemingly miles out of the way to avoid
the A14, doubling back on itself at least twice. Earlier I’d been
grinding up a hill and passed a group by the side of the road fixing
a mechanical, and now they caught me up. “Have you got a
couple of spare tyres in that bag?” said the man at the back of the
group as they effortlessly sailed past me. I couldn’t work out if
it was a comment about carrying too much stuff, or going too slowly,
or even being too fat (though I’m not), but whatever he meant, the comment
annoyed me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Oh well – I soon forgot about him as I arrived at the
next control, Lizzie’s cafe, to a resounding cheer from the
controllers, the Boab and ChrisS clan from YACF! They told me I
wasn’t last, which even if it wasn’t true, was sweet of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>6. Lizzie’s Cafe to
Kennett Memorial</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This cafe looked very
inviting, and it was still raining a little bit, so I had sort-of
decided to stop for some cake. But first I went to the loo. Readers
of a nervous disposition may wish to skip the next paragraph. Pick
your euphemism: the cardinal had called, it was ruby Tuesday, the
time of the month, the red flag was flying. And, I have noticed this
phenomenon before: cycling brings on the Blood. I am a little prone
to this anyway, but a long bike ride does something horrible to me in that area, and the result is something Stephen King would describe as a
bit much. Anyway after mopping up (sorry) what could have been
evidence of a grisly King-inspired murder, I was in no mood for cake
and I bounced this control as well, heading straight out again
towards Cavenham, Tuddenham and the weird standing stone in the
middle of road that is the Kennett Memorial. I told myself I would go back another day for some cake, and maybe I even will.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Again this next section
seemed mostly uphill, and the wind was getting stronger, as well. I
stopped at the memorial to note down the (fictional) distance to
Tuddenham (Your Mileage May Vary – never was a truer phrase
uttered than when referring to Suffolk’s road signs) and eat something.
I didn’t want anything I had with me, but I drank some more water
and headed off again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>7. Kennett Memorial
to Mildenhall Rally Field</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This last 10km flew
by, the wind was sort-of behind me, and I didn’t really have to
look at the route sheet apart from when getting over that ridiculous
roundabout collection in Red Lodge. Soon I was swinging into the
Rally field where I then had another hunt about for the
Arrivee...the gazebo had been abandoned at the side of the road, and
all I had was ‘main camping field’ as an instruction. As I
hadn’t actually been camping I didn’t really know where this was, but I
eventually saw a tiny sign saying ‘audax’ and followed it to a
little tent with some tables outside to get my card stamped. As I
was leaving I saw a couple of others arrive, so I wasn’t quite
last after all!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>8. Mildenhall to home</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I still had to get
home, of course, so after a brief rest I set off again back the way
I had come. I was starting to feel the miles now, and I was very
dehydrated. I think the combination of wearing too many clothes for
the temperature (in order to keep dry) and not eating or drinking
enough (in order to keep within time), started to make me feel quite
sick, although I didn’t ‘bonk’ and got home quite fast (for
me). Back at the house I checked my cycle computer
and it claimed I had done 94 miles. If that is true, this is my
longest ride to date, which got me to thinking...maybe a 200 isn’t
completely out of my reach after all....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And then, as I was
sitting in the living room drinking some coke and eating more
Haribo....the sun came out! Of course. The Weather Goddess likes her
little joke, though, because it was still raining....</span></span></div>
Morrisettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597330261121701294noreply@blogger.com0