2011-01-09 Sun - 100k Audax "Watership Down", nr Winchester

The view looking north as you leave Linkenholt and then descend (which sounds like it might have been the ice covered descent) is better in my opinion, that's one of my favourite spots in the country.

Talking of wildlife. Dose anyone remember the buzzerd swooping out a tree and across Shoots path? I though it was going to carry him off!

Great ride. Not as saw today as I was yesterday (my brused knee will now let me walk down stairs) I my legs feel tired in a long ride way.

The pace was good when we were moving. The climbs were fun (other than when half the group overtook me at the top of comb, that felt like I was going backwards) and watership down wich was just pain. There were some nice hairpins that made it feel like climbing in le tour.

Even the rough roads after watership down were fun. We were going at quite a pace so there wasnt really time to shout out the holes in the ground as they were upon you before you could shout. It was a bit spring classic.

Looking forward to the next ride.

Shoots, I hate you, you go up hills faster ever ride! Haha.

Talking of wildlife. Dose anyone remember the buzzerd swooping out a tree and across Shoots path? I though it was going to carry him off!

Shoots, I hate you, you go up hills faster ever ride! Haha.

I never heard the cry of Buzzard up ?
Certainly never saw it, but if this was an attempt to thwart my KOM pts... it was a nice try.

andy - It's all in the pre-ride rides ; )

@damo - still won't allow me to upload.
@andyp - all makes sense now

@Andy + Shoots: Sounds like the one. It was worth it.

At the top of Combe. Bloody pretty up there! And yeah, the other side of that was very icy. Walking down that was sketchy. I periodically checked behind me for sliding cars. You know, just in case...

BOOM!

I think Coombe was where I nearly spilled again. And told Gus that I was still concentrating. I think it was the bit where Smiff saw his rear wheel coming round the front of him....

Yup.
My picture looks similar.
But a little better ; )

Ever the competitor.

Is it because it has my screaming Olmo in it?

Euph?

At the top of Combe. Bloody pretty up there! And yeah, the other side of that was very icy. Walking down that was sketchy. I periodically checked behind me for sliding cars. You know, just in case...

That photograph is brilliant wools; self-portrait with skully and balmain?

Damo, you rode down that?? After Des had his spill (hope you're ok by the way, Des) I lost my bottle and walked down the icier descents.

Yup, self-portrait, Ludwig. Des to my left and Skully to my right. Wig was wandering around looking for a coke can I think...

we can see that your shadows are a good bit longer than in the photos we took ;)

sam, that was the same spot for sure. you will note the Olmo is on the little ring - was grateful for the compact dude!

we can see that your shadows are a good bit longer than in the photos we took ;)

Ha! :)

we can see that your shadows are a good bit longer than in the photos we took ;)

sam, that was the same spot for sure. you will note the Olmo is on the little ring - was grateful for the compact dude!

I would hereby like it noted that it's actually a 36T and not a 34.....

that's cool sam, i feel a little better about that now.

will pm re. drop off tomorrow dude.

I would hereby like it noted that it's actually a 36T and not a 34.....

I'd expect nothing less, Sam.

Following the trackback from YACK, I found that there's an excellent Audax FAQ here:

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1201.0

I never heard the cry of Buzzard up ?
Certainly never saw it, but if this was an attempt to thwart my KOM pts... it was a nice try.

andy - It's all in the pre-ride rides ; )

@damo - still won't allow me to upload.
@andyp - all makes sense now

That buzzard isnt getting the three rabbits I promised it now!

I think I will start some hill training now. Haha.

andy - It's all in the pre-ride rides ; )

Pre-ride rides are an urban myth.

So I hear.

A few from my phone

Long shadows always look best - great pic wools.
Brilliant day out; bikes, blue sky and countryside - haven't seen that since the last Brighton run. Superb route and good banter in the leisurely trailing group. Excellent work on the navigational front skully - you didn't have much competition in our group. Looking forward to the the summer fraudax version. Cycling bits felt surprisingly good today, not so my ribs which the extremely cheerful A&E person told me have a neat fracture. Admitting that I wasn't wearing a helmet either was probably a mistake. Top notch pain killing cocktail dispensed though, so could have been worse.

shit des, hope those ribs heal quick dude. glad the rest of you took this spin in its stride.

Oh, Des. Get well soon mate.