Encouragement

Rapha Festive 500



I finished the challenge today! Six pedals over eight days, riding through rain and wind, sometimes in the dark, on lanes in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire.

How do I feel? I'm relieved to have finished, proud to have completed the challenge, knackered and hugely grateful to my family for their support. 

The most essential thing throughout the challenge has been the encouragement and support from my family.

I have no idea what this is.

 

The Willington dovecote built in 1540.

 

Where it all started at the beginning of the year.

 

Embrocation

Rapha Festive 500



Yesterday's ride hurt and my legs ached this morning, so it was a relief to see the weather was good with gusts of only 24mph.  I wasn't going to make the same mistake as yesterday so my planned route today was out into the wind with fresh legs and a return with a good tail wind.

Since it was going to be a dry day I decided to save the bib-longs until tomorrow and wore my Rapha bib-shorts, knee warmers, jersey and soft-shell jacket.  The most effective piece of kit today: embrocation, specifically chamois cream.  I planned to ride another 70 miles and (let's be honest) you should look after your contact points.



Shaw's corner

My ride initially followed the route from Christmas eve but at Codicote I continued to Welwyn village and then climbed up to the Ayots and Shaw's corner, the home of George Bernard Shaw until his death in 1950.

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” - George Bernard Shaw.

From the Ayots I cycled up Wheathampstead hill to No Man's Land common and across to Harpenden.  My destination for today's pedal was Simon Barnes' superb cyclists' cafe, The Hub, in Redbourn.

The Hub was suprisingly quiet today and whilst sitting enjoying my double shot latte with a slice of coffee & walnut cake I perused the selection of books and spotted The Cycling Anthology.  I had seen the 5* reviews of this before Christmas and, since I knew Lionel Birnie (the joint editor of the book) frequented The Hub, I had emailed Simon to ask if he planned to arrange a book signing event.  I mentioned my email to be told that Simon was out cycling with Lionel that morning and that he'd signed a copy of his book for me earlier. Result!

My return cycle route took me over Dunstable Downs and then home via Leighton Buzzard and Woburn deer park.

 A topiary Christmas pudding. Excellent!

 

39 miles left for tomorrow to complete the 500km challenge. And the weather forecast - more rain :-(

Hedgerows are your friend

Rapha Festive 500

Today's weather forecast: 50mph winds, dry until 12pm.  So, the plan was to be out on the bike at 8:30am with a scenic route up to Grafham Water, cross the A1 and then wind my way back via Biggleswade to do a 70 miler, with a chance of getting wet by the end.

Why Biggleswade? I spent a bit of time researching the Ivel bicycle works that were based there in the 1880's and, although the factory has been long gone, I was hopeful of finding some place marker or the Ongley Arms where the founder, Dan Albone, set up his business.

Dan Albone

 

Me! Photographed and edited by my daughter after I returned from yesterday's pedal

True to forecast the weather was windy and I realised that it was going to be hard work on the return leg.  Riding my titanium bike with deep section wheels would not be wise so I chose my full carbon Wilier with C24 wheels.

The ride out with a strong tail wind was fast. I stopped to take a photograph of the magnificent hangers at Cardington, but I had to hold the bicycle as it kept getting blown over leaning against a post.

Cardington airship hangers - might be recognisable to those who have seen the opening scene in the latest Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises 

The lanes to Grafham Water are some of the best cycling roads in the area, with very little traffic and only a few junctions to traverse.  I reached the huge lake with an average speed approaching my personal best courtesy of the tail wind but that was all to change as soon as my route passed through Buckden and I turned into the wind.

I have never ridden for so long on the drops of my handlebars but it was necessary to make any headway into the relentless wind.  I crouched as low as I could, my chin almost resting on the bars with my head strained back just to see more than ten feet ahead.  My average speed dropped dramatically.

Then it started to rain, just a shower to start with and then harder, much harder.  The rain stung as it hit my face and it was a relief when the road turned and the hedgerows offered some shelter from the wind. 

I'm saddened to report I didn't spot a blue sign or equivalent for Dan Albone in Biggleswade.  There are cycle shaped road furniture but I didn't spot the Ongley Arms or anything else acknowledging the cycle works.  I need to explore and investigate further.

Essential kit today? My wrap around prescription Oakleys protecting my eyes from the lashing rain, but even so the rain stung the side of my eyes when hit by a sidewind between the breaks in the hedgerow. 

71 miles completed today totaling 323km since Christmas Eve and two days remaining to complete the full 500km.

Spin and rinse

Rapha Festive 500
Another 50km towards my goal of 500km before New Years day...



I needed a rest and didn't get out on my bike until 8:30am today.  I could hear the rain on the window again which wasn't conducive to leaving the comfort of a warm duvet, but the main reason why I needed a rest was because I drove a 6 hour roundtrip yesterday to see my parents.

Out on the bike it took 9 miles of spinning my legs at over 90rpm before the muscles on the back of my thighs (biceps femoris) began to warm up.  The best thing for stiff legs - a hard climb - and the road up to Sharpenhoe Clappers is one of the local 'ball busters'.

 

I can't be criticised for finding easy, flat routes for the Festive 500 challenge and, despite the hills and remnants of flooding, I noticed my average speed was better than on my previous two rides.  I don't have an explanation other than perhaps I ride slower in the dark.  

 

 

Today's effective piece of kit was the 'Butt Fender' fitted under my saddle.  The rain showers and standing water didn't deter me from taking my titanium bike (sans garde-boue/without mudguards) out again and the fender kept  my backside relatively dry.

 

Stewartby brick works - for sale. Grade 2 listed chimneys and kiln.

 

Back at home and my cycling clothes went straight into the washing maching in preparation for the next three days' planned 100km consecutive pedals.

Sunrise in Beds

Rapha Festive 500



Today's weather couldn't have been more of a contrast to Christmas Eve.  The only signs of flooding were the warning triangles at the road sides and some remnants of puddles. I had already plotted a local route taking me out into the headwind with a favourable tailwind for the return, like a good club man would decide. The route would add a further 50km to my 100km from Monday and take me to 30% of the Festive 500 distance.

7am and as I climbed Long Lane I could see the lights of Toddington service station lit up like a distant Christmas garden illumination.  As the road pitched up to 10% I climbed out of the saddle listening to the rumble of my deep section carbon wheels on the road surface and I realised that not even the birds had woken from their hedgerow roosts. 

It felt great to be on my titanium bike and (I must add) with dry shoes - my preparation 8 hours earlier had established that the bar tape on my Basso was still soaked and my shoes still very damp from Christmas Eve, so it was great to have a spare pair of shoes and another bike at my disposal.

 The top of Long Lane in Toddington

 







 It started to get lighter as I rode passed Milton Bryant and the gateway to Paris House restaurant.

 

 The sunrise over the fields of Bedfordshire

 

Yule be wet

Rapha Festive 500




6:30am and, as I lay in bed listening to the rain hammering on the window, I contemplated the day ahead... Santa is going to get wet whilst delivering the presents tonight... I wonder what sort of technical fabrics are incorporated in his outfit?  Right, less of that nonsense. Time to get out of bed and get out on the bike. 500km to cycle between today and 31-Dec. Man The Santa Up!

To paraprase the Norwegian proverb 'there is no such thing as bad weather...only bad kit', and the essentials for today's wet and dark solo ride: a casquette, a race cape and a good set of lights.

Clearly today's pedal was going to have a water theme; I knew the roads were going to be flooded, with puddles obscuring pot holes so I chose a route and roads I knew well. Especially since it was going to be dark for the first hour of the day's 100km goal.  As I left the street lights behind and dark country lanes beckoned, I reached behind to check my hand was illuminated red, giving me the comfort that the 70 lumens from the light would be seen by 'car-up' drivers.  A similar wave of my hand ahead of my front lights was unnecessary as the heavy rain was illuminated like silver rods. 

Peering out from under the peak of my cap I had a huge grin on my face; no work for over a week, a green-card from the family to take on the 500km challenge and I was on my bike!  Rain, what rain?

'Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow' - from The River God poem by Stevie Smith.  At Whitwell water cress farm on the river Mimram.

 

A brief stop on the bridge over the river Beane in Watton-on-Stone.

 

Nearing the end of the 100km wet ride :-)

The League of Veteran Racing Cyclists

 

I have joined the LVRC to race in 40+ age category groups.

 

The membership is only £20 per year and entry to each race is £10 so I've joined :-)

 

At LVRC races, you can choose which age category you want to race in but you can only score points for places in your own age group. I fall into Group B, the same as another cycling friend who happens to be 2nd Cat (so I'm going to struggle just holding his wheel in a race).  Knowing my luck, I'd go up a few groups and end up on the start line with someone like Malcolm Elliott.

Next steps - which team/club should I ride for?