The forecast was bad, very bad, but Simon, Steve and Chris ventured out in the heavy rain and strong winds. In the end it was better than expected but other things took their toll on this week's small group.
The route took us out towards Hannington for the first climbs of the day and then turned west to, Overton and St Mary Bourne and our now favourite Stoke Hill before heading to The Chutes and then turning north to arrive home via Linkenholt and Faccombe.
As usual the sign sprints got going early, Steve sneaked away to get the Old Burgclere sign and then there was a full sprint for Sydmonton, won by Chris. His last showing of the day apart from the Stoke sign as he was complaining of feeling energy-less after a "bad" chili con carne the night before. The same chili had also affected Steve and Simon, but was clearly brushed off by Steve who remained strong throughout the ride.
Simon had shown good form in the sprints after Overton and towards St Mary Bourne as he pushed the pace to drop the other two as he practiced the speed he needs for an event next weekend. Sadly though, shortly after Stoke Hill he had to make a dash for home and apparently descended into Hurstbourne Tarrant at 45mph such was his need! No more details, but in the end his wife was called to the rescue!
Chris and Steve soldiered on and made a wrong turn adding a few miles and another climb to the route. At the highest point, Chute Causeway, Chris punctured. The wind was cold and the tube was swapped quickly but not before both of them lost the feeling in their hands.
There was a resolve to push on homeward after this unfortunate event and Steve pedalled away from Chris on the climbs only to take a wrong turn and be beaten home by him. Chris had assumed he had been (quite rightly!) left to fend for himself in view of his suffering.
The route felt like over 60 miles but was only 55 and 2500 feet of climbing.
Next week the group go their separate ways; Chris and Simon to a two-up team time trial in Southam and Steve to the Evans Wallingford Sportive. Pete is now out for a few weeks after keyhole surgery on his knee. All were Amazed he had walked into the pub unaided on the Friday night - you can't keep Pete from his beer!
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Sunday 21st February
On Saturday night the group was promising to be our biggest ever at 7 cyclists. By Sunday morning we were down to only 5. Simon had to stay at home decorating and Pete was still recovering from a stomach bug picked up in Barcelona, missing his last ride before knee surgery tomorrow.
We headed off towards the west in light rain. After only 3 miles or so we were down to a group of 4 - Mark, the new boy last week, punctured and after a quick replacement of a tube and two blasts with CO2 canisters the tyre went down again. He suggested we carried on without him and so we did!
The pace was our quickest ever over the first three hours as we stuck to "B" roads in view of the sporadic icy patches. It was great to cruise along at over 18mph, sharing the work and all of four of those remaining; Chris, Fran, Steve and Stuart were up for contesting the village signs. There was an equal spread of "wins"around the group and the pace often quickened a substantial distance from the signs which certainly took it toll on the legs later on.
The route passed through Hungerford and onto to Chilton Foliat then turning at Liddington Crossroads to head over to Uffington, up the tough climb over the ridgeway to Lambourn and then down the valley to Boxford, with signs coming thick and fast. At Boxford we turned north to Winterbourne to add in a little more climbing and then down the narrow lane to Bagnor. After Bagnor, it was to Stockcross, Marsh Benham and home via East End.
The pace slowed considerably over the last few miles as we waited for Fran and Stuart. Poor Fran certainly paid for his early forcing of the pace and the fact it was his first ride with the group for many weeks. The sun came out towards the end but we all were all covered in mud from the wet conditions of earlier and received some interesting looks from pedestrians at the roadside.
A good ride without the big hills of recent weeks but still over 2,500 feet of ascent in 56 miles and lots of fast and furious village sign sprinting.
We headed off towards the west in light rain. After only 3 miles or so we were down to a group of 4 - Mark, the new boy last week, punctured and after a quick replacement of a tube and two blasts with CO2 canisters the tyre went down again. He suggested we carried on without him and so we did!
The pace was our quickest ever over the first three hours as we stuck to "B" roads in view of the sporadic icy patches. It was great to cruise along at over 18mph, sharing the work and all of four of those remaining; Chris, Fran, Steve and Stuart were up for contesting the village signs. There was an equal spread of "wins"around the group and the pace often quickened a substantial distance from the signs which certainly took it toll on the legs later on.
The route passed through Hungerford and onto to Chilton Foliat then turning at Liddington Crossroads to head over to Uffington, up the tough climb over the ridgeway to Lambourn and then down the valley to Boxford, with signs coming thick and fast. At Boxford we turned north to Winterbourne to add in a little more climbing and then down the narrow lane to Bagnor. After Bagnor, it was to Stockcross, Marsh Benham and home via East End.
The pace slowed considerably over the last few miles as we waited for Fran and Stuart. Poor Fran certainly paid for his early forcing of the pace and the fact it was his first ride with the group for many weeks. The sun came out towards the end but we all were all covered in mud from the wet conditions of earlier and received some interesting looks from pedestrians at the roadside.
A good ride without the big hills of recent weeks but still over 2,500 feet of ascent in 56 miles and lots of fast and furious village sign sprinting.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Sunday 14th February
Only four out today. Pete had left for a week on business in Barcelona(although he squeezed out with Chris for an "easy" ride the day before - it was a far from easy 2 hours!) and Steve on a half term break in the Trossachs. Although Albert was back from school for half-term he preferred a lie in! So it was left to Simon and Chris, joined by Stuart and new boy, Mark.We had agreed on the same route as three weeks previously - Wantage, Lambourn, Hungerford and home. At our meeting point the weather looked grim with sleet falling under grey skies. All agreed it was probably going to be a wet one!
We headed out through the lanes to Marsh Benham, onto Bagnor and Winterbourne then Chieveley, Stammore and Farnorough before the long descent to Wantage. This wasn't as much fun as three weeks earlier, with a north wind blowing hard and requiring us to pedal on everything but the steeper sections. There was a brief pause to regroup at Wantage and then we turned for home via Letcombe Regis and up over the 10% gradient hill to Lambourn.
Our route then made its way to the village of Eastbury for our last climb of the day up to Lambourn Woodlands. We were then back on lanes everyone knew and Stuart obviousl
y got his "second wind" pushing the pace up to 31mph briefly with us all strung out behind. The pace then remained well over 20mph for the next few miles until a sharp right turn took us up a short but steep climb. Mark impressively powered up this in the big ring with the rest of us, nursing tired legs, going more slowly.
y got his "second wind" pushing the pace up to 31mph briefly with us all strung out behind. The pace then remained well over 20mph for the next few miles until a sharp right turn took us up a short but steep climb. Mark impressively powered up this in the big ring with the rest of us, nursing tired legs, going more slowly.Soon after we were at Hungerford Common and looking to complete probably our fastest ride this year until Simon punctured. A quick turn 
around followed and we made our way back to Highclere at a fair pace.
around followed and we made our way back to Highclere at a fair pace. Not mentioned yet are the village sign sprints; these got off to a slow start with Chris and Simon making a note of the new Bagnor sign for future rides. Overall it was probably an equal contest between both of them, with new boy Mark soon getting into the swing of things after an explanation by Chris of the folklore of Sunday club run village sign sprints!
Yet another great workout, nearly 60 miles in just over 4 hours and over 3500ft of climbing.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Sunday 7th February
The four man Tourmalet team set off this morning in the cold and murky conditions. A decision had been made in the pub on Friday night that we would have another crack at finishing all the climbs on our own version of the Hampshire Hilly Sportive. It was not to be!
The pace was quite quick and Steve and Chris contested the Sydmonton sign, "won" by Chris. Then it was up over the Wayfarers Way towards St Mary Bourne. As usual, the group split up, Simon and Steve benefiting from their compact gears. Pete and Chris pushing something slightly higher. At the top there was a brief re-group so Steve could adjust his rubbing rear brake - it hadn't slowed him down up the climb!
On the descent, Simon and Chris pulled away working effectively together down the valley at speeds in excess of 23mph, practicing for their first event of the season, a 2-up Team Time Trial on 7th March. Steve caught them up as they slowed and it was then it was noticed Pete wasn't with us. Two weeks ago Pete had punctured at the same place and we had gone back, so this time Chris set off as before., he reached the bottom of the final steep section of the descent with no Pete in sight. As mobile phones weren't working it was assumed he had turned around and gone home. This was confirmed a little while later when text messages finally came through saying "handlebars loose have turned back" We were now down to three.
As usually happens the pace picked up and we worked well together up the Bourne Valley. The St Mary Bourne sign couldn't be contested due to traffic but Chris took the Stoke sign, which he immediately regretted as the route then turned sharp left up the prolonged Stoke Hill.
We then made our way over the A343 and on to the various Chute villages with some tough climbs and all three of us "mixing it" pushing the pace. Little did we know it, but this would take its toll on all of our legs and make the last few miles very tough!
The road undulated over the Hampshire/Wiltshire border and then after a fast descent into Shalbourne it was back over the ridge again from Ham up to Buttermere. It was after this climb and Chris's first puncture for nearly 3 months that all three of us decided we weren't going to last the whole course yet again and that we would truncate the route after Linkenholt by climbing up to Faccombe and then again to Ashmansworth and home. The long dragged out climb to Faccombe took it out of our tired legs. Steve kept on trying to come past Chris who forced the pace each time but after 5 attempts let him go and Simon, unusually out of form brought up the rear.
The last descent into Highclere was pleasant and all agreed it had been a tough but necessary workout. 56 miles and 4150 ft of climbing.
The pace was quite quick and Steve and Chris contested the Sydmonton sign, "won" by Chris. Then it was up over the Wayfarers Way towards St Mary Bourne. As usual, the group split up, Simon and Steve benefiting from their compact gears. Pete and Chris pushing something slightly higher. At the top there was a brief re-group so Steve could adjust his rubbing rear brake - it hadn't slowed him down up the climb!
On the descent, Simon and Chris pulled away working effectively together down the valley at speeds in excess of 23mph, practicing for their first event of the season, a 2-up Team Time Trial on 7th March. Steve caught them up as they slowed and it was then it was noticed Pete wasn't with us. Two weeks ago Pete had punctured at the same place and we had gone back, so this time Chris set off as before., he reached the bottom of the final steep section of the descent with no Pete in sight. As mobile phones weren't working it was assumed he had turned around and gone home. This was confirmed a little while later when text messages finally came through saying "handlebars loose have turned back" We were now down to three.
As usually happens the pace picked up and we worked well together up the Bourne Valley. The St Mary Bourne sign couldn't be contested due to traffic but Chris took the Stoke sign, which he immediately regretted as the route then turned sharp left up the prolonged Stoke Hill.
We then made our way over the A343 and on to the various Chute villages with some tough climbs and all three of us "mixing it" pushing the pace. Little did we know it, but this would take its toll on all of our legs and make the last few miles very tough!
The road undulated over the Hampshire/Wiltshire border and then after a fast descent into Shalbourne it was back over the ridge again from Ham up to Buttermere. It was after this climb and Chris's first puncture for nearly 3 months that all three of us decided we weren't going to last the whole course yet again and that we would truncate the route after Linkenholt by climbing up to Faccombe and then again to Ashmansworth and home. The long dragged out climb to Faccombe took it out of our tired legs. Steve kept on trying to come past Chris who forced the pace each time but after 5 attempts let him go and Simon, unusually out of form brought up the rear.
The last descent into Highclere was pleasant and all agreed it had been a tough but necessary workout. 56 miles and 4150 ft of climbing.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Weekend of 30/31st January
No bike rides this weekend. The team and 8 others were in Argentiere in the Chamonix valley, skiing.Fun was had by all and the efforts should add to fitness. Everyone was certain that the cycling had helped develop strong legs for off-piste skiing and our guide, Mark Seaton was impressed.
It wasn't all down hill too, we had to go uphill on skis(called skinning) to reach a valley to ski down and Chris sneaked off for more of this on Sunday morning. Here is a picture of the group putting skins on their skis.
No injuries although Pete did manage to ski off a cliff and land on his head and Simon ended up in a deep gully, pictured.
Great news on the sponsorship front, Stuart and his business, Cache Media have agreed to sponsor the Wayfarers Wheelers team jerseys and shorts.
We also had a good article on us in our local paper, The Newbury Weekly News.
Back to getting the miles in next weekend.
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