Hard Day in January '24

Careful what you ask for

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North(ish) ride was a success. Dipped into Wales for a km or so. Managed to wreck the front flap somewhere along the way and cranks started loosening off early on in the ride, so they're probably toast.

The section between Elton and Frodsham was grim, the first part stinks and the bridleway was full SFAB mixed with Olymipic-length pothole puddles. Binned it in a really greasy spot. Thick drizzle for the last 20km washed most of the mud off me though, silver lining and that...

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/143151163

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No other photos from me I'm afraid - I was too busy suffering.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10550628808

I've not been riding very much over the last year or so - since Covid my usual 100 miles a week traipsing up and down the A10 has reduced to just 10, which is not enough to stay fit.

Add to that a dwindling number of ThNRC rides as people do inconsiderate things like have families or move to nice parts of the country and I've turned into a bit of a slob.

My only real efforts have been the DunRun last year and Fixed Beers Tour De Fixed which does not a comprehensive training program make.

Right, excuses in early, what about today? I don't know how many normally show up but it seemed like a good turnout - around 10? Everyone looking fit, lean and fast which it turned out was definitely not a charade. The first 18 miles were uneventful until I punctured both tyres on some tiny flints.

The weather was good, but the roads were still covered in that classic grimy gritty winter gunk, with the odd bit of field runoff. Thankfully @youramericanlover's frame pump made fairly short work of getting me back up to 120psi and we pressed on.

After just 25 miles or so I started to flag (hence the excuses). Perhaps 48x15 was foolish and at 30 I decided enough was enough and told everyone to press on and I'd see them at the cafe in Rye - it was only another 20 miles or so and with a bit of luck they'd still be analysing the menu by the time I rolled in.

Then the cramps set in. Ended up walking most of the remaining climbs and myself and someone else (sorry, I have already forgotten all names but thanks for the extra spare tube!) decided to form a more leisurely chasing group - it's always a relief to have a wheel to sit on. Suddenly a road sign - 6 miles to Rye, although it turned out we were on the scenic route, via Winchelsea.

That turned out to be a ride through flat marshland with what I think were a pair of marsh harriers flying overhead, soon followed by a couple of miles along the shoreline with Rye Harbour nature reserve on the left and the beach and sea to the right. At this point I was truly flagging even on the flat and I started to drop back, praying to the gods of the Garmin purple line that the cafe was right around the corner (narrator: it wasn't).

Finally we made it into Rye and found the promised cafe which just happened to have an empty table right by a fan heater. Everyone else was there, looking like they were on a cafe ride and wondering when it was going to start getting difficult.

I ordered the largest full english they had and declared my day done. Rye station had the world's least effective fan heater and when I got to Kings Cross, engineering works meant no trains going north so I just rode back to Enfield, summiting the cols of Finsbury Park and Wood Green albeit rather unwillingly.

All in all, pretty much exactly how I'd expected the day would go. 10/10 would suffer again.

Oh and the less said about my bib shorts with no-longer-elastic leg grippers that wouldn't hold my knee warmers up the better.

Sounds epic! And a v good effort, well done

Did YAL even break a sweat?

That man's a machine

He was literally riding rings around the group, coming back to see me then heading back to the front

I'm cooked. Why did I make it so hilly, oh god why. So stupid. Anyway glad you're back safely @rhowe!

Why did I make it so hilly

Starting and finishing in a town perched on the top of a steep hill did strike me as a bit curious tbh.

Starting and finishing in a town perched on the top of a steep hill

I was cursing his name for this on the way to the start.

Photo dump.

4:41AM train
Somewhere in Kent
The scenic Rye harbour path. Would’ve been very pleasant if it weren’t for, you know, other people.
Return train picnic

Huge props to YAL for organising once again. He shepherded the group all the way round and had even reserved a table at the cafe. Don’t say we’re not taken care of!
Special shoutout to Josh, who switched from 66GI to 84 for the return leg. There was some discussion at the cafe about whether this was advisable. He then proceeded to make it look easy and dangled off the front for most of the way home. Legend.

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shoutout to Josh for switching from 66GI to 84

84 is what I was on and I was far from leading at the front. Strong work

In January's grip, a hard day unfolds,
A tale of cyclists, their stories untold.
YAL, the captain, the RZA to the crew,
Guiding with wisdom, as leaders often do.

Clubman, adorned with a cool car's grace,Wish he would join us on an e-bike, a new kind of race.
Cagihama, brave, found the ride tough,
Yet took big turns on the front, never feeling enough.

Ruserius, devourer of kilometers vast,
Bunny hops and skids, a daredevil blast.
Whitleyjay, a newcomer, fixed gear in hand,
Hill climbing aficionado, conquering the land.

GLWS, a solo breakaway's dream,
Pedaling freely, like a flowing stream.
Po, from London's streets to the countryside,
Chasing value in miles, his expensive train tickets his guide.
Dave [forum name not known] a helper, a friend to poor Russ, his care's a must.

Elgonzo's bike with wide tyre rim brake,
Distributing treats, stickers in his wake.
South American sweets, a flavorful delight,
Spreading joy and radness, day and night.
Jmg412, on his single speed glides,
Spreading good vibes on the January ride.

Falconvitesse, in the dark he rode alone,
Meritorious grit, a tale to be known.

Through wind and cold, they forged their way,
A symphony of pedals, in January's gray.
Each rider, a chapter in this hard day's song,
A testament to strength, where they all belong.

I don't know this area, it seemed like a fun idea (and elgonzo's idea!)

The only worthwhile shots I took

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Sweet baby Jaysus that was a proper hard day out. Well done everyone, textbook Type 2.

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Logistically it works for people to convene, but yeah I forgot about it being on top of a hill. If you're gonna blame me for that at least balance it with credit for the cafe!

What an epic day, it had been months since i did a long ride and i am feeling it.

From green belt central Sevenoaks to the real housewives of Rye and back. It is my second HdiJ and what we lost in minus zero degrees we gained in an unhealthy amount of bergs (or islands in kentish slang)
The choice of stops was rewarding (proper cozy) imo. CX on TV could have been nice but YAL does enough wonders already. Looking forward to The Ride Report.

Thanks for the pics and thanks to @clubman for scansing the ride

Great writes up, thanks for sharing.
YAL your legendary status grows with each year..

Big group for a fixed ride like this. Rolling on way out. Bit along the seaside started off ok, anyone else hear that woman shout "Nice bikes, NICE BUMS!!"? But I always get the vibe that locals hate people riding bikes down those parts. Toasty cafe was welcome, I should have eaten something more substantial and bonked for the next couple hours. Flat section before dusk was for me one of those experiences that don't come round very often and need a lot to come together. Fast flowing lanes riding fixies in a tight pack, like what happens in the last hour heading back into Staines. But then the hill. Overheard Leo ask someone if it was time for a strategic bocadillo ahead of the hill at the end, and it was then that I knew I'd squandered mine earlier on in the day.
Some pics of when it brightened up:

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chapeau to all who attempted HDIJ this year

and LOVE the posts about sister rides in far-off lands

Proper job, well done everyone.

A View from the Driver’s Seat

I was shocked to realise this was the 65th anniversary of the original ride, and it was this that finally decided me to go out by car to offer any help I could.

It was striking that, by my count, out of twelve riders we had nine who had ridden last year (doubtless it would have been ten if Lucy Bee had not just given birth – Congratulations!). With this year’s thread having had 6,860 views so far, it does make one wonder how many of those were from the actual riders and how many were from spectators?

The Riding

A hard day indeed, and although the weather wasn’t much of a problem, the geography made up for it – see the pictures of the first post lunch climb below. From what I could tell some people expended unnecessary effort by not keeping together; YAL did excellent work pacing stragglers back to the group, but I think there was just too much difference between the strongest and the weakest. A perennial problem, but for this ride in the future perhaps the ‘mountain goat’ climbers could go a bit easier after crossing the summits to allow regrouping. There are two possible strategies for this type of ride – one is the pure training run with no mercy and no waiting, the other is the club run style where the aim is to keep together and with a distance like this it may need a strong man at the back to look after any stragglers. I think we should aim at the second type.

Racing

I hope I’m not labouring this point too much, and I do realise times have changed, but I would like to mention that our run leader in 1959 went on to ride the Tour of Britain later that year, and on the 2009 ride we had Paul who was still a serious contender and Jeff who had been an excellent roadman (old sense) and time triallist who took his last victory two years later at the age of seventy (The Redmon Grand Prix des Gentlemen two up, paced by Wouter Sybrandy). The forum contributed Illy who gained his second category road licence later in the year. Anyone who can do the HDiJ must have racing potential.

Most Meritorious Ride

Went to Falcon Vitesse. He was probably the oldest finisher and if the age of his bike is added it would certainly be the biggest bike plus rider age. Back at the White Hart he was inclined to wonder if his trusty Gillott had been a hindrance, but I believe it’s much more likely that any suffering he endured was caused by the after effects of a recent cold.

Photos

I’m not pleased with these, and it’s my own fault. The pics on that climb might have been really good if they’d been sharp. Sorry, I’ll try to do better next time. Trophy presentation next post. First pic is the leaders, second general mayhem, third Cagimaha

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Falcon Vitesse receives the trophy from YAL

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stragglers

I didn't mind being left behind. I went into this fully aware I was in no way prepared and would do well to make it to Rye. I even had a list of possible exits along the way and a Bluetooth speaker loaded up with the finest 90s jpop for company! Everyone waited up at the tops of the climbs where I'd dropped back so we largely stayed together.

With a more sensible ratio and warmer legs I'd like to think I'd have made the distance, just about. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I can remember being really pleased that I'd been left behind and no one had come to drag me back to the bunch I'd been struggling to keep up with. This sort of ride needs preparation.