Cycle Sportives

my highlight was being overtaken by some dude on a planetX full carbon tri bike about 15 miles in, only to catch him up about 5miles later on the first climb. i didn't see him again until the end (when he finished about an hour after me!). i bet my bike cost 10% what his did. :)

Got to be one of the best feelings you can have on a bike :)

I came in 33rd out of 390 finishers.
Time of 4:43:45. Fastest time was 4:26:16.
I was expecting torrential rain so rode the Ribble.
Woulda knock years off that time with the S-Works. :)
Ended up with awesome weather and the ride itself was fantastic.
Highly recommenddededededed!

i was 322 of 390.

:|

woulda knocked years off with a freewheel :)

I came in 33rd out of 390 finishers.
Time of 4:43:45. Fastest time was 4:26:16.
I was expecting torrential rain so rode the Ribble.
Woulda knock years off that time with the S-Works. :)
Ended up with awesome weather and the ride itself was fantastic.
Highly recommenddededededed!

Blimey, very well done. Who cares about the s-works, that's a top time for a bike with a fucked derailleur.

The Ribble is repaired man.. no way it was rideable with that derrailer.

Hope you enjoied it there is some lovely scenery around there in my opinion.

it was really nice. really really nice. every little town we went through had an 'arkell's' pub, and every one tempted me. especially near the end.

Props to the B&B we stayed in: http://www.breweryfarmhouse.co.uk/

They let us stay in the room late so that I could get back from the ride and clean up before leaving Swindon.

I also ended up carrying around the bacon butty she'd made for me for the whole ride after I said "no thanks, a full english breakfast might do more harm than good before the ride". Cool.

Also La Carbonara, Italian place that was RAMMED with people. The owner guy was really nice and found us a table amidst the carnage. Stuffed myself silly there. Good stuff!

well done hippy, that is some really good going.
an even bigger chapeau, clocking up his first ever century, and on a proper ride like that. well done dude.

Finally finished my Whitehorse RR: http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=1067

nice shot on the climb. looked convincing that you were moving forward ;)

I took off from the front of the bunch. I was just doing it so I didn't get left behind, but then I saw the photographer and made like I was attacking or something. I'm such an actress..

Nice write up, hippy.

While I'm here I might as well say that I'm probably out of the Chiltern 100 following my crash on Friday. Off to Florida on Thursday, by then I'd planned to do a 75 mile charity ride on the Monday just gone, and all holiday I'd planned to swim, run, play tennis, and cycle on a stationary bike in the gym. Not chance of that now for the first week at least.

The 100 is 2 days after I get back by the way!

Got my dates wrong, I'm back for a week before the 100. So maybe. I'll try to get out on my bike the day after I'm back to work out my fitness.

Hippy, Des, have you heard any more from the organisers? I haven't heard a thing!

Most of the sportives are pretty 'relaxed' when it comes to emailing info out, I've found.
You can often email the organisers with specific questions but check the website over first.
What you need to know Sam, perhaps I can enlighten? :)

Errr, like where and when!

It's all on the website dude..

http://www.chiltern-hundred.org.uk/

'Corto' Fondo from the HQ 09:30 to 10:00
'Medio' Fondo from the HQ 09:00 to 09:30
'Gran' Fondo from the HQ 08:00 to 09:00
Please note: THE HQ OPENS AT 07:15 and CLOSES AT 17:00

Misbourne School/HQ

So I assume turn up and roll out when you're ready. If so, give me 2 hours headstart please!

I'm riding out from Ealing with Ed from Willesden CC. So we are giving you a 40k head start.
After that it's every man for himself as far as I'm concerned mwuahahaha
Actually, I'll still be groveling after Wessex so will be hugging wheel like you wouldn't believe.

Don't hug mine (if I actually turn up). After 3 days you'll start to get bored. Seriously.

for hippy. only cos you said you "didnt want to look at that profile cos it scares the sht out of you"

first day is undulating from the off. third day looks fckd (good thing im not doing that!). all have steep climbs to finish. :S

I can't wait..

hippy, are you taking the s-works to Wessex? Weather looks a bit cold and wet unfortunately. Wouldn't want all that carbon to go rusty.

im going carbon (dont have a choice)

which day you doin illy? where you stayin? driving down tomorrow. looking forward to it. weather's lookin shty tho...wet and windy but warm

hippy, are you taking the s-works to Wessex? Weather looks a bit cold and wet unfortunately. Wouldn't want all that carbon to go rusty.

Yeah.. fuck it.. it's not as shiny as it was before and there's no way I'm lugging the Rubble over 3 days. Plus I'm addicted to collecting power data now.. MUST HAVES ITS!!!

Anyway, the weather will be awesome. Just like Whitehorse when they said it would be torrential downpours and I ended up with a tan..