Evans Gatwick Sportive - 26th March 2017

With the clocks going forward this meant what felt like a very early start for John Mac and me. However it did mean that we had a quick run to Gatwick and were able to make use of the toilets before any queues or other things backed up (anyone going to an early mass start sportive will know what I mean).
It was a cool but sunny start so it was a little disappointing that, following our last outing when Peter W's tyre succumbed, this week a loud explosion came from John's back tyre, shredding it as his tube exploded. This meant a hat-trick of sportive flats as regular readers will have realized.
Luckily it was a sportive starting at an Evans Cycles shop. We were just 4 miles in and a nice man in a van could be fetched by phone with an exact replacement - who's scoffing now at the price of sportives? After the repair man had struggled and stabbed the new tube and tyre with a tyre lever for 5 minutes trying to get it on, I pointed out that we had a "VAR" tyre lever that is damned good at lifting stiff tyres into place. So the man stopped stabbing, used the VAR tyre lever, and we were on our way. It was funny 'cos the repair man had never heard of this wonderful new invention that I had owned for over 10 years and seemed keen to obtain one.
Anyway, John was soon regretting this repair as it meant he had to ride the large number of ups (albeit it lovely weather with pretty scenery) that led to a stiff climb up into the North Downs, followed by narrow, bumpy descents as we then headed back south towards the Kent Weald where the aggregate of ascent rapidly accumulated. The weather was lovely with increasingly pretty vistas. However, the route included a 10 mile stretch on heavily trafficked B roads with cars very close, dangerously squeezing past and overtaking on bends as they got frustrated by slow moving riders in various configurations. This took us to more large ups and downs before the 1 mile 10% ascent of Kidds Hill (AKA "The Wall"). So we arrived at the highest point of the ride at the top of the New Forest which seemed to be imitating Ashdown Forest.
The weather was lovely and warm now and the vistas and quiet roads were pretty - but it was still continuously undulating. A 20% gradient saw John have a slow fall as he ran out of gears then a walk to the top. Luckily he was unhurt. After a feed-stop we started back north towards Gatwick although there was no sign of any flat roads for another 10 miles (it was lovely weather and the vistas were still pretty). Finally we made it back to the flat roads near the start and were able to find the finish. We didn't have any trouble getting out as almost all other riders had kindly finished and taken there cars away. So, despite some difficulties and a very tough route it was another full distance completed (it had been very nice weather and the vistas very pretty).
Alex P