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115 miles mostly solo from Taplow to Thetford, met a friend for a bit, lovely day!
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Also, I braked too late on a downhill turn and cycled into a hedge. I didn't have the presence of mind to take a hedge selfie before extracting myself, so you'll have to use your imagination. Sorry.
That's not good enough, go back and do it again. This is the Internet, after all.
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What's the thinking behind an Epic distance ride each month? Are you training for something or just a challenge?
A bit of both: https://www.lfgss.com/thread2602-7.html#post4014875
It seemed like such a good idea at the time.
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15.5mph avg is really good for that distance on such a big and porky bike.
Was averaging 17.5mph (28kmh) for the first 100k, then I slowed right down. You can see on the Analysis tab that pre 100k the line is floating above the average, then after it dips below and stays there.
The Surly is a great bike. Hard to push uphill due to the weight, but the drivetrain is super smooth and it fits well, so not hard to go fast.
The benefit of comfort and fit outweighs straight up stiffness/aeroness/light wheels in this scenario I think.
Zero wrist pain today, compared to last time, where I rode half the distance on the Somec and was in a little more pain!!!
And 39.4mph top speed...how did that feel?
Super stable! so much so that I felt like I was 'oversteering' on some sharp bends. Not sure if that is related, but yeah, worlds apart from the Somec.
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It was suddenly very warm here on Sunday. A good friends daughter had a birthday party. So I took that as an excuse to send the Family away and disappear on a 2 1/2 hour ride.
Mostly rolling Coastal roads before dipping into the Mountains. Didnt have time to do a 'proper' climb up Ørskogfjell unfortunately. But I had a load more sunny Coastal roads to look forward to.
On a short Sharp Climb my right leg cramped up intensely. Its a recurring problem I hoped had disappeared. Starts at the point the hamstring joins my bum. Then spreads quickly over the whole of my leg. I'm writing it off as lack of riding due to my parents visiting. Really dont fancey running/walking up Dalsnibbe with a fecked hamstring again.
Anyway. Twas a beautiful day to be in the saddle.
http://www.strava.com/activities/142741271
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Was doing 17.5mph (avg) for the first 100k
Fixed.
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I rode from Berlin to Potsdam and back which isn't very far. It was a good ride for me though and fun to ride a bit without stopping at lights or wondering if I was lost. It was raining and cold as I left but got warmer and sunnier as the day progressed.
Things I thought about doing but didn't do:
-mid ride mcdonald's cheeseburger
-mid ride burger king whopper
-mid ride massage in PotsdamProbably any of those things would have ended my day, more or less.
Other notable things:
-I did an "oakie blow*" while descending into Potsdam and the snot flew directly into my eye. I almost crashed.
-I saw a number of either rabbits or hares.
-I saw a beaver that just hung out and looked at me on the edge of a small lake. It was cool.All in all, short ride, went slow, was super pleasant, body hurts today.
- I know everyone doesn't call this an 'oakie blow' mainly because everyone doesn't have an Oklahoma. So whatever that thing where you hold one nostril closed and shoot snot out of the other one is called in your lands.
- I know everyone doesn't call this an 'oakie blow' mainly because everyone doesn't have an Oklahoma. So whatever that thing where you hold one nostril closed and shoot snot out of the other one is called in your lands.
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Friday: 110k with avg. cadence 50rpm (87") [slowcycling moodfood with music on cargobikes].
Saturday afternoon: Track racing on the velodrome in Aarhus.
Saturday evening: Alleycat in the hilly city Aarhus (compared to Cph).
Sunday: 35k moodfood cycling again avg. 55rpm (87")Muscles feels funny after all that low effort slow cadence.
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Saturday to Sunday evening, 627km done and dusted, fantastic ride.
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Whoah.
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Saturday to Sunday evening, 627km done and dusted, fantastic ride.
'Mazing, chapeau
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Photos from Ghent
We hired our bikes from the train station which has a massive bike parking facility
Then we made our way to the Scheldt where we passed many training rides including a young guy being paced very swiftly by a motorbike. The authorities have tried to slow down the speeding pelotons by adding very small rumble strips which are of no use at all.
We stopped off at the café by the Wouter Weylandt memorial and parked our crappy city bikes next to some flashy ones.
These young guns were enjoying a brew after their morning club ride
We cycled as far as Gavere and decided to head back for lunch and to get our bikes back in time. Once back in Ghent we went to the only brewery in town, Gruut. They use spices instead of hops in their beers. Great weather, fun times, almost 40k of car free riding.
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Saturday to Sunday evening, 627km done and dusted, fantastic ride.
This is truly the thread that keeps on giving. Just when you think you've done a long ride, there's always others crazier than you.
Chapeau Ed, looks like a great ride!
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exactly this^
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Pffft, he didn't even do any miles, just kilometres. :)
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Went for a short trip in Kent from Swanley following Valley of Vision route from Lost Lanes, this Sunday. Lovely weather.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anidel/sets/72157644333374388/
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Saturday to Sunday evening, 627km done and dusted, fantastic ride.
Time for a write up.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/bcm-600k-2014
Bryan Chapman Memorial.
The most amazing part is that I've finally gotten the geographical sense of Wales for once, there's a lots more hill than mountains, and somehow the Gods managed to drop a piece of Scotland in the northwest part of Wales
Ever notice how Wales shaped like the face of a wild boar?
Grandparent live nearby in Ponthir, very handy, pop round the day before, woke up, went to start and begun, just as we rode out of the first control at 6am, two Rapha-cladded gentleman in white exploded through the corner, whom I recognised to be Señor Bear and his companion being quite late to get their Brevet card.
Stage One.
I never liked the first section of the ride, for the main reason of warming up to rid the morning chill as well as getting to the next control ASAP to buy enough time on hands for the next day, everyone and their mum's on tow was all up in arms, bantering as the noise of the luggage clattered against their bicycles, and the loud noise of the Hope free hubs of course (they're pretty popular).Lots of UKIP signage about.
Had the loveliest climb through the Brecon Beacons that make you thrived for more before descending into the first control at the Honey Cafe in Bronlly. Had breakfast, and receipt obtain for the brevet card, just as I was about to leave, the Rapha-cladded gentlemen arrived, quick hello and goodbye (Cielo look well suited to audax now with the dented mudguard and bizarre luggage system that's a common sign on such ride).
Stage Two.
Now all fuelled up, arms and legs warmer removed, the next part is all climbing alongside the River Wye, I also got my first taste of those notorious motorcyclists whom have a habit of blasting close past you, eventually saw yellow signpost aiming toward them to take care.Nothing much to report, same wide smooth road passing scenic Tarenig with an equally awesome descent that you can ride no handed with 20mm tyres while eating a crispy taco, that how smooth it is, sailing all the way down to Tre'r Ddoll, and my feet predictably start to hurt again, that's pretty much the only problem I have, that also affect my knees due to trying to reduced pressure on my feet.
Stage Three.
Kept seeing a lots of rally cars about, from the common Subaru to the unique Renaultto him smell the higher octane fuel miles away before you hear the guttural sound of the engines.A passenger on a white 106 ralley shouted "WHERE'S YOER HELMET?" at me, follow by I shouting "ON YOUR COCK!" back to him.
Had a spectacular climb after Upper Corris, the higher traffic that route generate doesn't deterred me from the scenery which have gotten a little more rocky and less woody, with amass pocket of bluebells around Wales, much more common the further north I go.
May is perfect timing with the sun in it's glory burning every fibre of your body, with no cloud getting in the way, the climb was almost Pyrenees-like with a gentle rise all the way to the top before a hastily descent to Kings Youth Hostel.
Was warned about that part, "gear down" they said* "that'll be nasty"*, no touring gear? you've done gone fucked up son, it's less a corkscrew, more of a handful of makeshift ramp that's covered with tarmac to get to the hostel, saw a bloke almost fell over at the sudden surprised as he veer into the junction forgetting to drop the chain from the big ring.
Brevet card stamped, pasta, rice, fruit, and off we go, to the Menai Bridge! 105km doesn't seemed too jarring, something I really shouldn't have taken lightly, as my feet were in bad shape, and my body somehow no longer attach to my person.
Stage Four.
Crossing the pedestrian bridge with wooden platform that run parallel to the railway toward Barmouth, I cannot imaging how that is for the other, even with 40mm tyres, it was rather jarring that you'd have more comfort if you just carry the bike on your back, and probably be slightly quicker too.That town does not feel like Wales, just a typical British seaside town, not sure what I was expecting since Wales was annexed almost 600 years ago, the best part about that coastal route is the severe lack of headwind, have not been to the Atlantic for a while, it was a glorious legs only to end up pushing too hard and exacerbate the pain on my feet, now have to pull over every half hours to reduced the pressure, feck.
Massive detour due to bridge out of order, long wait in traffic light, head to Penrhyndeuraeth, climb wall, descent into the wild toward the village of Beddgelert, no sight of the narrow gauge train going by, shame really, would have look awesome in the backdrop of the rocky valley.
Sun is setting the whole landscaped is baked in a cool orange glow, I really enjoyed that, passing and getting passed by other audaxers muttering a quick hullo and goodbye.
Fuck the gods the moment I saw Snowdonia, and managed to glimpse the route on the other side of the mountain, "that look like a tough little climb… hang on a fucking minut-", quickly check the GPS and route sheet, yup, turn out I have to turn at some point to climb what known as the Llanberis Pass, with 300km already in my legs.
Nearly halfway up, I made the mistake of stopping to take photos, have to wrestle the bike to let me mount the damn thing to get to the summit where most of us regroup and put on wind jacket before embarking on a terrifying descent against the wind, all I can hear is my jacket slapping against my back and the music droning from my iPod.
The Menai Bridge was a great way of marking the halfway point of the Bryan Chapman Memorial, and look glorious at dusk, got Brevet card stamped, quick wash, bite to eat (jacket potatoes with helpful of baked bean and cheddar).
Then I've fallen ill, started with a high temperature before shaking, throat becoming sore and eventually lost my voice, vision a little blurry, nose start running, etc. fucking frustrating, so end up having an hour and a half sleep, at that point I was seriously thinking about quitting and take the train back to Chepstow.
It's very lucky that due to the Beeching cuts, (there's a sheer amount of disused railways there), as it would take me longer to get to Chepstow than to ride it from Menai Bridge, eventually I left at 12:30 into the cool dusk of Snowdonia.
Stage Five.
Feeling better, changed to a long sleeve jersey, gilet, thicker sock and knee warmers, I have quite literally lost my voice, even opening my mouth to mimic a word got me coughing up mucus, having a good solid 1 and a half hour sleep does wonder, for the first time ever I started to enjoy the night ride as the moon look sublime in a slight orange glow that guide me south toward Chepstow, I am much better prepared with 3 inner tube, head torch, and an extra rear light for better visibility in high traffic area, last time I did a night ride, I left my quick release security skewer at home that made for nervous riding.Starting to doze off, pulled over at Beddgelert at 2am, found bus stop bench, put down jacket on, mobile phone on chest set for 25 minutes and slept, woke up feeling very refreshed and cracked into the valleys.
Stage Six.
Had another 30 minutes nap at Kings after arriving at 5:30, it was my fastest 400k yet despite having 2 hours of sleep as oppose to 30 minutes on a previous 400k, that cheer me right up, left at 6:30 to crack toward Aberhafesp passing Mallwyd with a rewarding if short descent on the other side, road were pretty bad, was quite tedious as there's only a couple of turn till I reach the community centre.Stage Seven.
No fucking way, just no, no, nope, nada no, just stop.After leaving Aberhafesp and through Newtown, I made an error in drawing up the route that result in the worst climb I've ever done, instead of taking Dolfor Road that go alongside the hill, I instead went straight up on the old road, it was a ridiculous climb that only a sadistic would enjoyed it, after getting back onto the A483, and then the B4355, it get better.
Dartmoor! least that what it look like, a bleak sheep ridden landscape that managed to retain some colour after the wet winter, it's all down from there, least that what I assumed as the headwind forced me to pedals nearly the entire way to Kingsland before arriving at the lovely village of Weobley, feet again, not thanking me.
Sun's baking me nicely, had tinned fruit, filled water bottle and drenched my cap with water to feel extremely refreshed.
Stage Eight.
A mere 80km back to Chepstow, I spend a large portion of my childhood around there, and was pleasantly surprised to recall certain road and building en route that I would not have remembered at all, the last time I was driven through there was when I was a kid, memories are amazing, sometime you'll never ever going to remember something but the moment you glimpse a part of your childhood, you suddenly got flooded with recognition of your childhood.Why is it that it's always the last stage where I genuinely start to feel really good? lots of hill, but if you keep your speed up enough, you'll glide through them without too much effort, road have gotten bad again, probably cause it's closer to/in England.
Monmouth was a lots smaller than I remember, but then again I was a kid last I visit, onto the Wye Valley was rewarding as the sun shine through the wood bathing the road in flickering spot of lights, lovely.
Stopped at the Old Station Tintern to relieved pressure from feet, the miniature railways line is still there but look like it haven't been used in quite a while, but everything as I remembered is still there, Tintern Abbey still as big and imposing as ever, time to crack onto the last hill to Chepstow only to annoyed the girlfriend by not being able to speak let alone moving my lips for her to read.
It was awesome, got to fix my feet next time.
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Tell us about your weekend ride
Posted by
May 325
My long ride this month turned into a bit of a mess. It was good weather today, so I went for it even though I had to come home to move a car around at midday. I had problems with the new food I was trying out as well, leaving me at home on the sofa, bonked, feeling nauseous and forcing down water and bananas. Then I set off to do the last 85k, armed with all the remaining bananas in the house. It turns out there's a limit to how many bananas you can eat in one go without feeling a bit sick, so then you stop eating and bonk again. Bugger.
Also, I braked too late on a downhill turn and cycled into a hedge. I didn't have the presence of mind to take a hedge selfie before extracting myself, so you'll have to use your imagination. Sorry.
#workupto500 http://app.strava.com/activities/142832087