Bromley - 27 or 28 Feb: Solo 100km seeks buddy)

[arallsopp]

Howdo,

My training buddy for LEL got a little affectionate with a pothole last week, and is out the saddle until May. Boo sucks.

So... Andy is training on his lonesome for a while. I'm headed out this weekend for a 60 miler, from Hayes (Kent). I'll be leaving early Saturday morning, or maybe early Sunday depending on who can do what. If you fancy joining, please let me know.

My average pace is just shy of 13mph, and I've a couple of routes in mind.

Option 1 is around 60 miles.
Out from Hayes via Titsey Hill (down) > Limpsfield > Edenbridge > Cowden > Hartfield.
Across the bottom via Withyham > Groombridge
Back up via Fordcombe, Penshurst, Chiddingstone Causeway, Bough Beech, Four Elms
Up and over Toys Hill, Brasted Hill
Home via Downe (if I can find it) or failing that Pratts Bottom (all roads go there).

Option 2 swaps out the "across the bottom" bit for the BLUEBELL RAILWAY, who are apparently running two hourly services every weekend in Feb. Its maybe 10 miles further, but hey, you get to see a steam train

Probably something like this (googlemaps)

Route and plans are flexible. Just a bit bored with riding on my own, and can't find a club run that can accommodate my seemingly unique combination of low velocity climbs with intermediate mileages.

Oh, and incase it puts any of you off, I'm on a recumbent.

What say you?

 

[ianrauk]

Looks a great ride, have done most of that route...
Unfortunately I can't make those days, however young ilovebikes of this parish may be keen. little whippet that he is... I will drop him a pm pointing him to your post.
He lives in orpington also.

And of course you are always more then wlecome to join us on our Bromley Cyclists rides. I posted one here for the 7th March
Ian.

 

[Tynan]

a 13mph recumbant ride ...

 

[Auntie Helen]

If you were nearer my part of the world, Arallsopp, I'd come along. "Low velocity climbs with intermediate mileages" rather sums me up.

 

[dellzeqq]

I should be up for this on the Sunday. I crashed last night, and I'm limping around going 'ouch, oooh, ouch', but I'm going out on the Brompton tonight, and that should let me know if I'll be ok.

 

[arallsopp]

Cheers all.

Ianrauk: I did see your approaching ride, but its going to be quite awkward for me regards timings. To keep my mileage up, I'd be riding back with Ian A afterwards, and suspect this would take me out of the house from pre 0900 to post 1700hrs. Looks like a good route though, so if I can get down for the middle bit, I will.

Auntie Helen: Its very much the recumbent way I'm afraid. My average speed is very tightly linked to the direction of the gradient. Going up, I'm pretty much parked. Coming down, I'm just off the sound barrier.

I'm getting better at the hills now, as a daily commute sees me climb 700m (mostly concentrated in an evil pair of hills, half way, around the 9 mile mark). Doing that twice a day is helping a lot, but I'm still very much in the bottom gear and spin like fury brigade. Used to be a bit embarrassing passing bus-stops, being overtaken by ladybirds, etc, but have you seen how fast a car engine revs to do the same?

 

[arallsopp]

I should be up for this on the Sunday. I crashed last night, and I'm limping around going 'ouch, oooh, ouch', but I'm going out on the Brompton tonight, and that should let me know if I'll be ok.

Hope its a swift recovery mate. Hmmm... You're just off Streatham Hill... I was minutes from you this morning, sliding down from the masts to Tooting Bec. If nobody else joins, we should maybe change the start point to somewhere closer to you. I don't mind setting off early, and it'll save you 10 less than pleasant miles through Anerley and Penge.

 

[arallsopp]

Right. Its now almost the weekend, so anyone hoping to join, please PM me.

dellzeqq: You got PM.

 

[dellzeqq]

that was sweet. About 56 miles, and back just in time to see the Babe off in here Virgin limo. Thanks, Alan, for a good morning out.

 

[arallsopp]

Ride report.
It was indeed sweet. Well, if 'sweet' means 50+ miles chasing the incredibly fit Dellzeqq up and down hills, through lanes, over humps, all the while wondering if he'd ever break pace, eat, drink, or make a cursory nod towards his possibly human origins. I suspect it must have been fairly demoralising for him to have me drafting him all the way, but rest assured, it was less by design, partly necessity, and often because I was simply caught in the slipstream!

A singular comfort stop around the 45 mile mark (at my request) gave a hint that he may have been biological on the inside, but I suspect this was subterfuge. Its possible he's some kind of super-efficient diesel hybrid. Certainly generates a lot of torque, and lord alone knows what he breakfasted on. I'm guessing ethanol

So, yes. A very good training ride indeed. Decidedly out of my comfort zone, but (just about) within possibility for me. Our average (whilst together) was just over 15mph, which is 20% over my usual best. (12.7 vs 15.2mph). I tried as hard as possible not to let that average slide on my way back up Titsey Hill, but as I finally closed on the 100km, I must admit I was struggling to keep it over 15. (A 16% mile at <6mph didn't help me )

My wife was enchanted to see me roll onto the driveway in time to help plan an afternoon (I'd given an ETA of 1230~1300hrs, and stumbled in at a few mins past 11) and thanks you for your help in getting me round so fast. I kept the grins on from the top of Titsey for the remainder of the day, and didn't seem to hurt as I headed back over Crystal Palace en route to Chiswick early this morning.

Looking forward to the next time, and recommend Dellzeqq to all. He's very good value, as you get 2 rides in 1. Despite my experiences, it seems he was actually on a pre-breakfast warm up jaunt around the countryside.

 

[dellzeqq]

very flattering. Now is probably not the time to mention that the 17 miles home from that A25/A22 roundabout took 58 minutes in traffic....

I think our respective bikes might have had something to do with who was drafting who.

 

[arallsopp]

Pah! I've done it in less, using nothing but my own ingenuity, 875kgs of Audi, and 15 litres of fuel.

You're right about the bikes though. It wasn't really a fair contest as mine has a knackered engine. I'm also looking to upgrade the spindly meaty things that clip into the pedals, as mine don't seem to go round very fast.

 

[dellzeqq]

...well, I've pinched a bit of your post for my sig line - it should scare those puny specimens in P+L