Zaphod
New Member
Right, so last Tuesday I cycled from near Bath to Watford and stayed there for the week - I would have posted this earlier but I couldn't!
It started off well, left at 4am so as to get there in the early afternoon, which I did! Had a bit of a crash about 25 minutes into the ride where I went down a hill, my light went wonky and I couldn't see so I rode into the pavement and fell off! Not a great start but I was ok apart from a slight graze on my elbow.
I reached Bath, and took the A4 east and managed to reach Chippenham just before sunrise. I carried on to Marlborough at which point I had some food, and bought some too. I tried to ride up the hill out of Marlborough but my legs aren't used to cycling long distances and got cramp at the bottom, so I took off my shoes and walked up. I also made the observation whilst cycling that West Kennet smells like frozen peas.
The ride went very smoothly along to Reading, with no real hills, meaning I was going along at a steady pace. I knew I wasn't going to be very quick so if i was doing around on a slight downhill 15 I'd just let myself freewheel until I dropped to 10 and then I'd get back going again.
I got to Reading at about 11am, and stopped for a while for some food. I didn't get as lost as I thought I would in the centre of Reading, I found the A4 again quite easily and went on to Slough. I had my first ever clipless moment on the way to Slough, forgot to clip out and luckily was able to use the car next to me to support myself whilst I flailed around with my feet. I turned around to apologise to the driver, to see her smiling at me, trying not to laugh, but I think she did when she saw me laughing too! It was all fine until Slough, at which point I got somewhat confused at since Google had done their street view, they decided to change round the centre of the town! I also had my first proper clipless moment; I unclipped on my left side to find my balance shifting me towards my right. I slowly toppled towards the floor infront of another seemingly well-natured driver, asking if I was ok. The lights had just turned green so I decided it would just be easier get off the road and let the cars get on with not falling over.
I wasn't damaged, but I landed on my phone and now the screen is a lovely array of multicoloured lines and black spots!
I eventually got onto the A412 and it all went well on that road, apart from me getting slightly nervous having to be in the rightmost lane of a 4-lane junction, and me thinking I was in Watford, asking for the directions to the station because I'd gotten lost, and going to the station to find I was in Rickmansworth! At least it was next to the right road! Well, I got to Watford eventually, and in the town centre I got overtaken by another road bike rider, only he was wearing lycra and looking rather speedy. It was at this point, rather foolishly, that I decided to partake in my first session of silly racing. I kept up with him well, I think we were going around 15-20mph most of the time, for what seemed like ages, until I realised I was so concentrated on keeping up with said cyclist that I missed my turning and had to turn back again. A lesson learned: don't try to keep up with someone else on a much fancier bike than yours, with fancy clothing and much better-looking legs after doing 115 miles. It hurts.
I arrived there at 3pm, after doing 118 miles, feeling very happy with myself and not as achey as I thought I would do!
Thanks for reading, I hope I haven't bored you much. Doing this ride has made me want to do more long distances, and also realise what silly people the TDF riders are!
Jake
It started off well, left at 4am so as to get there in the early afternoon, which I did! Had a bit of a crash about 25 minutes into the ride where I went down a hill, my light went wonky and I couldn't see so I rode into the pavement and fell off! Not a great start but I was ok apart from a slight graze on my elbow.
I reached Bath, and took the A4 east and managed to reach Chippenham just before sunrise. I carried on to Marlborough at which point I had some food, and bought some too. I tried to ride up the hill out of Marlborough but my legs aren't used to cycling long distances and got cramp at the bottom, so I took off my shoes and walked up. I also made the observation whilst cycling that West Kennet smells like frozen peas.
I got to Reading at about 11am, and stopped for a while for some food. I didn't get as lost as I thought I would in the centre of Reading, I found the A4 again quite easily and went on to Slough. I had my first ever clipless moment on the way to Slough, forgot to clip out and luckily was able to use the car next to me to support myself whilst I flailed around with my feet. I turned around to apologise to the driver, to see her smiling at me, trying not to laugh, but I think she did when she saw me laughing too! It was all fine until Slough, at which point I got somewhat confused at since Google had done their street view, they decided to change round the centre of the town! I also had my first proper clipless moment; I unclipped on my left side to find my balance shifting me towards my right. I slowly toppled towards the floor infront of another seemingly well-natured driver, asking if I was ok. The lights had just turned green so I decided it would just be easier get off the road and let the cars get on with not falling over.
I eventually got onto the A412 and it all went well on that road, apart from me getting slightly nervous having to be in the rightmost lane of a 4-lane junction, and me thinking I was in Watford, asking for the directions to the station because I'd gotten lost, and going to the station to find I was in Rickmansworth! At least it was next to the right road! Well, I got to Watford eventually, and in the town centre I got overtaken by another road bike rider, only he was wearing lycra and looking rather speedy. It was at this point, rather foolishly, that I decided to partake in my first session of silly racing. I kept up with him well, I think we were going around 15-20mph most of the time, for what seemed like ages, until I realised I was so concentrated on keeping up with said cyclist that I missed my turning and had to turn back again. A lesson learned: don't try to keep up with someone else on a much fancier bike than yours, with fancy clothing and much better-looking legs after doing 115 miles. It hurts.
I arrived there at 3pm, after doing 118 miles, feeling very happy with myself and not as achey as I thought I would do!
Thanks for reading, I hope I haven't bored you much. Doing this ride has made me want to do more long distances, and also realise what silly people the TDF riders are!
Jake
