February's ride for food

[Tynan]

Tynan - That would be Frank not Martin. Both our usual Martins were not man enough to join us today

christ, thanks, fixed

Bathed now and some left over special fried noodles scoffed, a litre of OJ and a cup of tea

I'm so fatgued I'm ging to bed now, I could drink a beer no probs but I can't face getting dressed and going to the offie

That ride was hard work, even on the way there, the way back needed lots of mental fortitude to make a good thing, but as ever, once you;re home and clean, there's a certain heroic feeling ( the parts played by those that got me round will sink to supporting roles)

Early ko tomorrow so hello Black Lion barmaids at 11.15, I'll catch up then

 

[HaloJ]

I would have cycled back, had Abs had stuck to her original more westerly route for going back, but as she'd decided to take a different way, it would have meant too big a detour. So I got the train, and cycled home from Hitchin, with just over 90 miles on the clock.

Yeah instead of going Steve's Westerly route we motored down the B roads heading for Ware. Myself and Frank then made a break for Hertfrod and came back via the B158 through Potter's Bar.

Gruelling weather on the outward journey. So bad that we lost the entire Hertford contingent before Cambridge. We skipped the outbound stop due to time wasted on punctures. Here I must apologies as whilst the ride was achievable in the time space I did forget to factor in repair times. The Hertfordshore back roads were disgustingly filthy. We kept getting wiffs of manuer, which at one point I did worry was actually coming from myself. A scratch and sniff at a stop convinced me that it was, luckily, just mud.

The return leg was wonderful. Clear skies and we soon dried out. I set a pace spinning at a sustainable 85/90 rpm. Remus then pulled along side some time later and complimented me on the pace which at that point with dread I looked past him to see that it was now just us two. I dialed it back for the others to catch up and lost Remus in the process. Luckily I'd said to all earlier we were heading for Standon, where we found him waiting for us to catch up. Splitting the group shortly after as Remus and Tynan heading South whilst me and Frank broke West soon finding ourselves on a dark and busy B road. We made good time though and walked through my front door for a cuppa tea about 8.

128 glorious miles for me. Wonderful ride with great company. In rather adverse conditions. The wind was brutal for us all.

Thanks all for a great day.

Gramin data here : http://connect.garmi...tivity/70241277

Abs

EDIT : May I also thank Frank for giving me his fancy chemical toe warmers so that I was able to do the return journey and also say that it was lovely to see Becs who was so tall in her civvies and heeled boots.

 

[martint235]

The clue is in the thread name Davy

Tynan - That would be Frank not Martin. Both our usual Martins were not man enough to join us today

[QUOTE 1308115"]
Hope you get better Steve.

Thanks for the beer Becs.

Thanks for organising the ride and using your (now probably eternally unflushable loo) Abs.

Martin before the ride:

"User. Go on the ride. You'll be home in time for the rugby. That's what I'm doing. That's what real men do. That's what I'm doing."

Martin the day before the ride.


"I've decided to take no chances with the rugby and the weather is going to be shite. Upside that for a game of dunces. It's going to be wet and windy so my apologies, folks."

So there he was. Martin. In a nice warm crowded pub, drinking beer, pinching the cheeks of rosy busty barmaids, guffawing with his mates as the roar of the Twickenham crowd increased in proportion to French Misery.

[/quote]

Wasn't in a pub or drinking beer but was watching the game(s). I'd like to say I'm saving myself for the Hilly 50 but I don't really have any excuse other than I got soaked on Weds and didn't want to do it again for fun.

 

[frank9755]

I'm back now. 140 miles altogether. Feeling quite stiff, tired, happy and hungry - but dinner will be ready soon!

Thanks Abs for organising and planning and, in particular, for that big steaming mug of tea to warm me up for my final leg back home!

Steve - sorry I missed you guys leaving (we had our heads down for the warmth and dryness of the pub at that point) but sounds like you did well to recognise things weren't quite right and get home.

As others have said, it was a miserable morning for riding without mudguards as the lanes were wet and dirty. I was certainly thankful for mine. The return journey was better as we stuck to cleaner roads, there was no more rain and we were rewarded wtih a beautiful sunset and a reasonable amount of tailwind. Within half an hour of leaving the pub my clothes were dry for the first time in several hours.

Particularly well done to Tynan. I was a bit worried by some of the heavy breathing I could hear behind me on the hills on the way back, but you seemed to get more comfortable as we neared home.

Looking forward to next time,

Frank

Edit - I hadn't intended to have a beer at lunchtime, having had rather too many at Susie's party in Balham last night, but it was quite spooky how the words 'Pint of Abbot' just came out automatically. Tasted good!

 

[Aperitif]

Yes - get well soon and I hope that you get to the bottom of your problem Steve - keep us posted eh? Well done you riders - it may have been tough, but I bet you all feel good today!

 

[Tynan]

I was indeed puffing like a steam engine but as terrible as it sounded, I was just about ok

Despite Remus's advice I chose a heavy lunch which I suspect bogged me down, but I did feel better as we rode, huge piece of pie finally being absorbed I suspect, thank-you for sticking with me, the two pints might have slowed me down too
<br><br>Steve, scary stuff, doctor?

 

[frank9755]

I was indeed puffinf like a steam engine but as terrible as it sounded, I wasn't just about ok

Despite Remus's advice I chose a heavy lunch which I suspect bogged me down, but I did feel better as we rode, huge pice of pie finally being absorbed I suspect, thank-you for sticking with me, the two pints might have slowed me down too

Yes Steve, scary stuff, doctor?

I fell into the 'heavy lunch' trap too and it does make a difference. But alas there wasn't a cheese salad on the menu. I don't think those two pints impeded your progress though as from what I remember it wasn't until you were half way through the second one that you decided to ride back!

 

[zigzag]

it was a great day out although the weather tried to convince us otherwise. after some faffing in london we eventually started making progress and met Steve & co en route. after quiet roads of hertfordshire we went up and down the lanes where i was very glad to have full mudguards and marathon+ tyres. we also did a part of lel'09 route which brought me some memories. after another puncture break Frank and Ian decided it's too cold to ride at moderate pace and gave it some stick. i've hung at the back keeping the distance from the roadspray.

Becs greeted us at the pub in Cambridge and the rest of the group joined us not long after for a hearty lunch (where i took Adam's burger in mistake - apologies ). hertford team was missing though, they decided it's better to go back at some point for valid reasons - i hope you are feeling well and back to normal Steve.

it was after 3pm and time to go back, some headed for the station, Frank, Tynan and myself chose to follow our stoic leader Abs. the clouds cleared, the roads almost dried and we were rewarded with another beautiful sunset. blue/orange/pink sky, slight tailwind, smooth roads, half-wheeling my shadow on the hedgerows - an absolute bliss. later we waived good bye to Abs and Frank who veered right for nw london. Tynan was looking for excuses to avoid riding with me, but we stuck together and he showed a great determination to complete the ride.

i carried on going down south via unavoidable not-so-nice parts of london and reached home by 20:20, with 131mi/211km on the clock, but feeling surprisingly fresh. thank you all for a good company and will hopefully see you at the hilly50 next saturday!

Rimas

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've just remembered something else.

As we came into Cambridge, I was amused to see Davey Field, which was closely followed by Walnut Drive, and thought of absent friends.

 

[Tynan]

I always meant to finish the ride but it took some time to get over the first leg, beer is a great soother and healer

 

[Davywalnuts]

I've just remembered something else.

As we came into Cambridge, I was amused to see Davey Field, which was closely followed by Walnut Drive, and thought of absent friends.

Awwwww, what a shame.. and there was I, tinkering with the bike looking at the bad weather outside, thinking how nice the weather would be for the ride tomorrow (sunday), and I wasnt there through my stupidity...

There was also a Walnut Road on the Cookham Ride last year, but we detoured past it, photo opportunity, gone... i am still sorry...

 

[Tynan]

Tynan was desperate not to left all alone in the dark with minimal idea of how to get home but I had no earthly chance of keeping up with Remus, I was trying to be very polite and let him shoot off into the distance

He was however clearly able to see how insincere/desperate I was and did the very decent thing, I was just about capable of the last few miles on my own that I knew very well, just

Literally the moment I let go his hand which I was shaking, he shot off with alarming acceleration and energy while I plodded gently in the other direction

 

[Flying Dodo]

As a salutary warning to you all, yesterday I got round to inspecting my tyres. I usually go over them once a week or so, removing all the bits of flint and glass embedded in them.

I'd cleaned up the tyres before the Cambridge ride but afterwards, the front tyre especially was completely splattered in flint fragments and slivers of glass. It was like a mini lunar surface with literally hundreds of bits sticking out. I got a quarter of the way round, and then decided to ditch the whole tyre, as it was clear the surface was way too damaged to make it viable for future puncture free rides.

 

[redjedi]

Seconded
I dug out 2 or 3 very large pieces of flint from my front tyre on Friday. Unfortunately the hole left by one was the cause of me getting 2 punctures yesterday.
I don't want to scrap yet another tyre so soon after getting it for the sake of one hole, so I'm going to try and patch it some how.

 

[frank9755]

Thirded!


After the Cambridge ride I dug out 8 or so little bits of flint and a couple of pieces of glass. It was only the second time I'd used the tyres and, judging by what I saw, I was very lucky not to have punctured.

I checked them earlier following yesterday's ride and no more bits to dig out but my rear one, which has only done three rides / 300 miles, is looking distinctly cut up and may need early replacement.