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Big ride: Friday 3rd Sept
I'll be doing a big ride Fri 3rd Sept - all in prep for Belgium.
Haven't yet decided the route and will make a call with the weather forecast closer to the time.
Steady pace, all inclusive, no fireworks. It'd be nice to go around with anyone else who fancies a shorter working week...
Might make a break for Wells-next-the-sea. Get the train back.
Martin
PS I've just considered you could play New Order's Blue Monday in its entirety in the time between my TT record and Ashley's time. Amazing!
Haven't yet decided the route and will make a call with the weather forecast closer to the time.
Steady pace, all inclusive, no fireworks. It'd be nice to go around with anyone else who fancies a shorter working week...
Might make a break for Wells-next-the-sea. Get the train back.
Martin
PS I've just considered you could play New Order's Blue Monday in its entirety in the time between my TT record and Ashley's time. Amazing!
Comments
96 mile dash to Wells-next-the-Sea. Steady as she goes pace. Feed stops at Ely and Great Massingham.
Weather forecast so far good.
Thinking of an 8am start at the cemetery.
There is a 28 mile dawdle to Kings Lynn train station after a battered haddock at Wells. Trains run to Royston and Letchworth. I guess we'd be getting back 5-6pm ish?
Make your short working week even shorter and see you there!
8am @ the cemetery.
Me, Peter G, Mark C - are in. And Geoff - you still up for it? Would that be two 100 milers in a week? 'Ardcore!
Anyone else want to jump in last minute - no problemo - see you there.
Norfolk here we come!
A ride of three halves. The first 40 miles are a blast downhill to Ely once over Arrington Hill [the cathedral lying 80ft beneath lofty Ashwell - weird...]. At the cathedral, the minister put straight our argument whether Ely was in Norfolk or Suffolk... Cambridgeshire.
The next 25 miles simulate Belgium very well. Glorious weather, a slight headwind but nothing to write home about, canal and river side lanes and lots of lonely places to live. We stopped off at the one-horse town of Narborough for a break. More like a one egg-and-cress bap town. Literally. We sipped our warm Pepsis and got the hell out of Dodge.
Then for the last 30 miles, it actually, surprisingly, starts to roll and get quite lumpy. We were treated to a cracking looping display by RAF tornados as we passed RAF Swaffham. Pete's brilliant Garmin worked well with my laminated map notes. Mark kept us giggling with his tales of nights out in Kings Lynn. We were glad to arrive in bustling Wells for fish, chips and peas feeling a bit toasted and worn out. 95 miles from Ashwell @ about 17.2mph av.
Admittedly, it was quite hard to muster the strength for the 30 miles to Kings Lynn. But at least we had a tailwind and knowledge that it was generally downhill once we'd grinned and beared the first few miles. There is a brilliant flat section - maybe 10 miles or more - on glass-smooth roads on the edge of KL. We bombed along - until I hit the front - where I'd just about had it on any incline by now. Still, we got to Kings Lynn train station with an average 17.3mph for the 17:36 train - direct to Ashwell & Morden station. Note: the station cafe does proper coffee. And sells cans of Kronenberg - for that extra bit of Belgian training we'll need.
Have just read the Verenti Magnificat sproutive review in Cycling Weekly. At 126 miles - we'd covered the same big distance. But only 2/5 the climb. So I think this is a rewarding ride that's very doable by many CCA members. And a right laugh. It's good to have a destination on a big ride - and Wells makes for a good one. A repeat run in 2011?
I'd never been to Wells before so therefore enjoyed this destination greatly. Also after checking the upcoming Tour of Britain stage 6 route I see we have preceded the wheel tracks of the cycling giants.
Thanks for the organisation of a great day and a ride to remember, one that I for one will look forward to riding again next season.