Audax and Sportive Reports

211 kms from Dunmow to Grantchester to Hawstead to Mistley to Dunmow.  My target was to get beyond the Hawstead control before the rain came.  If I had still been at the cafe when the real weather hit us I would probably have stayed there.  I managed to clear the control but within 10 mins I was in torrential, freezing rain\hail with added thunder and lightning for company.  Roads soon became rivers.  And of course at that point there was no shelter.  It can be quite surprising how much hail can hurt when you are follicly challenged in the upstairs department!  This all lasted for about twe

Due to injury & stupidity I'd run out of September calendar events, so I had to do another DIY effort.  I needed this in order to maintain my charge towards a double RRTY this year.  So from Hertford I took a wind-assisted trip north to Godmanchester where I turned eastwards towards St Ives and the cycle\busway that eventually arrives at Milton, Cambridge.  This bit was a bit more arduous due to the buffeting from the crosswind.  From Cambridge I then headed towards Braintree and thence back to Hertford.  Overall the weather was good - it didn't rain and the wind was only a problem in t

06:00 start from Dunmow with 40 hours to complete.  What could go wrong?  Well, not a lot actually.

A fast 200.  With the westerly wind behind us Alex & I made fast progress which did not slow down too significantly when we turned westwards.  A good tour which saw us visit Holt & Wells before heading towards Sandringham via Holkham Hall, and thence a return to Swaffham.  Good weather, flat course and not too much interference from the wind.  Got back well inside 10 hours.  PW.

I think that the R&R stands for Rivers & Reservoirs judging by the number that we came across.  A circular(ish) route from Witham via Stock, Burnham-on-Crouch, Abberton Reservoir, Sudbury, Finchinfield & back to Witham.  It turned out to be a very hot afternoon, which slowed me down a bit, so I invested in various ice-creams but there were no mechanicals and was back in just over 11 hours for the 215kms route.  PW.

This year's National was run by the Peak Audax, so hills were never going to be far away.  With a 07:00 start, within minutes the route went NW to the A53.  And into a raging headwind.  On the A53 it was a short downhill to Buxton and then onto the Monsal Trail.  This is a old (disused) railway line running W to E with wonderful views although it was still difficult to make up some of the lost time.  I got through the first 100km (to Anslow) in nearly six hours, at many places thinking that I would be outside of the cut-off time.  On the upside the scenery was fantastic and the Monsal Trail

An early morning train to Green Lanes for an 08:00 start.  An uncomplicated trip out of London to St Margarets, and then on to Ickleton (72kms) via Much Hadham.  After a brief feed it was on to Cambridge (132kms) by which time it was getting a bit hot.  The route then returned to London via Puckeridge.  At the finish it was necessary to ride another 100 yards to the organiser's house where he had laid on a BBQ and lots of beer!  PW.

16 Wheelers and friends ride through the night to Dunwich and a great time was had by all!

What a way to prepare for the Dunwich Dynamo!  Off to exhaustionland and beyond!

Before you can break out, you must break in.  So I cycled down to Fortis Hill into a pig of a wind with matching rain.  Then it was a case of retracing my steps back to Puckeridge via Brookmans Park and Watton.  And still it rained.  Then all the way back down to Fortis Hill to the finish whereupon a warm and dry return to Hertford.  I've probably made it sound more boring than it was, as it was a good fun ride with good company.  With the toing & froing the 65 mile audax became a 105 mile day out.  Good event, no problems.  PW.

Needed this one to get Super Randonneur 2016 recognition.  I started from Dunmow at 11:00 on Saturday.  A not too rapid westerly ride into the wind until Reed (40kms).  Then east to Harwich Docks, via Clare (156kms).  This bit was worth waiting for as the wind blew me along.  However the feeling of flying was mitigated by the showers and storms around us.  Still it's not too difficult coping with getting soaked when you have the knowledge that you'll soon dry out.  After Harwich and on to Clacton.  By now the clouds were black and the lightening was horizontal but we were all treated to the

Got the routesheet and prepared a GPS of it.  From that I made it less than a forty-five miler.  Then the route was further abridged on the day as there had been some flooding.  So the 50 miler turned out to be about 38 miles.  However I didn't begrudge the £16.00 entry fee to ride on roads that I mainly ride on.  There were a few HW stalwarts out on the ride and we had to weave our way through the easies peloton at Lt Hadham.  As we returned through Puckeridge we came across the same group gazing wistfully out of the cafe window.  Well organised ride that prepared us well for the HW BBQ in

Never did find out who Alan Furley is\was, but took myself down to High Beech (south of Reading) where I met up with Alex & John.  This was for a 106kms loop in the countryside around Newbury.  Et quelle horreurs - I got a puncture.  Being that I don't usually suffer from these nowadays, as when audaxing I'm usually on bulletproof tyres, this presented a minor problem further exacerbated by the driving rain.  Got back about half an hour after the other two as I was already dropping off their ferocious pace-setting.  A not unpleasant day out, bit of rain, few hills (nothing major), one p

Graham K rode this sportive in the Pyrenees

Down to Bethersden for the San Fairy Ann CC 300 starting at 02:00.  Soon we were "flying" southeast towards Sandgate where we turned and "flew" west along the coast.  There was no wind and it wasn't cold until we crossed the marshes at about 04:00 at which point it did get a tad chilly.  Got back to the HQ at 102kms before 06:00 - a remarkably quick time that included a roadside refreshment stop soon after Dymchurch.  I'd averaged 17mph.

I started soon after 08:30 and before long it was raining.  With some confusion with the route, and the route markers, I got to Tewin and started to retrace my steps when I came across someone in the same state of confusion as myself (and for the same reasons).  We eventually got ourselves sorted and rode the rest of the journey together.  The weather was a mixed bag.  During one unpleasant downpour my riding companion punctured, and then punctured again a few minutes later in the dry.  This time I fixed it properly.  Back to Hertford Town FC by 14:30, and home.  PW.

Did this as a Helper's Ride after the main event.  Met up with Alex after 10km and we remained together until the thought of domestic duties made him stop as we passed nearby his house (140kms).  It took a bit longer than I expected but it is a deceptively arduous tour.  PW. 

After a sleepless Friday night in a Macclesfield hotel, I got up at 04:00 and left at 05:00 for an 06:00 start two miles away.  A wind assisted journey through Prees, Newtown (migraine), Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells to Llandovery at 228kms.  Was watching the storm clouds for the last few miles but was happy to get to the cafe where there was an almighty crash (thunder) and someone rushed in to say that there was torrential rain.  A good time to stay in the cafe.

Mark T led 8 Wheelers around the 100k route

The forecast was for a cool start with the sun scheduled to appear at 10:00. In the event we had to wait until 2:30 for our first, brief sunny interval. We were mostly under-dressed, so the chill wind from the north made the first half of the ride tougher than expected. Eventually the sun appeared properly which cheered us along our way.