Tour of Hampshire CC Ride - 4th April

[Peter]

Well that's sorted now - swapped dates with Auntie Helen.
I'm choosing Fleet as the start as it's accessible from Waterloo - trains running every 30 minutes. I was thinking of a 10:45 start unless everyone wants to get here earlier.
A bit lumpy around this way but I'll try to avoid the big ones. Doesn't really matter anyway as we all cycle to the pace of the slowest rider.

Here is the suggested route - 95% rural country roads (watch out for those horses ). The pub stop will be around the 25 mile mark.

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=4366

http://www.thefoxinnellisfield.com
Apparently cycle friendly

47 country miles - unlike the infamous Kingston one way system
There is parking at Fleet station £2.00 all day but looks a bit busy on Saturdays. There is loads more parking in the town not far away £3.00 all day.

Bailout points - this will be difficult as most of the ride will be in the middle of nowhere - I'll see what I can come up with.

One word of warning - we will have to keep together as there are numerous turns and it's very easy to get lost - I should know

Just let me know closer to the time - who can make it?

So far we (possibly) have on the ride:

Peter
Auntie Helen
User1314
Ianrauk
MacBludgeon
Stevevw
Aperitif
Radius
Davywalnuts
djtheglove
Redjedi
Pottsy
Bollo
Origamist
tdr1nka

 

[Auntie Helen]

Well I'll be coming along (assuming, when the route appears, it has no mountains)!

If anyone wants to bring a towrope to hoist me up the hills, I promise to tow you down the descents at extra speed. Except I won't promise that to djtheglove who was impolite enough to overtake me on EVERY hill on our ride this week (even though he cheated).

As I'll be coming by car and it's a 2.5 hour drive I'd appreciate a start no earlier than 10:45am, and directions to some (hopefully free, or at least cheap!) parking.

Looking forward to it.

 

[Peter]

Just uploaded the proposed route for this ride. Take a look and let me know what you all think?

 

[ianrauk]

Will deffo try make this too

 

[MacB]

I'd like to try and make this, my wife says ok, I'll see how my fitness and speed come on Start and end points are 1.5miles from my house, I can accomodate a couple of cars if anyone wants to save on parking fees...cheers....Al

What sort of average mph would you folks be realistically looking at, I don't want to be way too slow?

 

[Peter]

[quote name=']What sort of average mph would you folks be realistically looking at' date=' I don't want to be way too slow?[/QUOTE']

Hard to tell....... The ride in London averaged about 12 mph. The group is made up of different abilities, some much faster than others. Don't forget riding in a group will drag you along anyway. It will be crutial that we all ride close together on this ride as even experienced riders have got lost.
So if you think you can cope with that average speed - welcome!

 

[MacB]

hmmm currently got up to 11.7mph on my 40 mile round trip commute, done it 6 times in last 3 weeks. First weigh in was Monday and have lost 9lbs. So, no panniers, no work that day, later start, 2 months of training between now and then and XXlbs more lost.....yeah....count me in gives me a target to aim at

 

[Auntie Helen]

Scary hills Peter! Are you willing to wait for me as I trundle up them (of course whizzing past you all on the downhills, but overall losing time over everyone)?

 

[MacB]

How do you see the hills, is it just the elevation bit in the top right, or is there a more detailed bit? The only part I know is near the end, climbing up from Eversley to the A30. Just before the A30 you join Cricket Hill Lane which I cycle up each night, from Yately, on the way home. That's just over a mile climbing and the road up from Eversley looks to double that After that the route cuts right where I'd normally shoot down the A327 Minley Road, you can get seriously fast going down there, but it's generally downhill to the finish

I'll be prepared, my wife will be on standy with the people carrier and rear seats removed

 

[Auntie Helen]

It's the elevation clicky bit on the RHS of the bikehike page (which replaces the OS map with an elevation diagram). 2000ft of climbing over all, although it seems like the max climb in one hit is about 200ft which is... well... possibly manageable, with a tow-rope and some chocolate at the top to aim for.

Peter's familiar with my hill speed so he can tell me nearer the time if he thinks I'll be too slow...

 

[Peter]

Hmm....
Looks like I'm scaring everyone with those lumpy bits.
The steepest is around Well (that's that 200 footer), I know there is a less steeper route, just can't picture it on the map.
I'll see what I can do to reduce the climbing

 

[stevevw]

Peter how do the climbs compare to the hill we all rode in Richmond Park. Just so people can judge if they can cope.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Yes, that Richmond Park hill was OK because it was a one-off and everyone waited... but if there were several like that, or they were that but three times as long, I might end up with apoplexy!

 

[MacB]

Well I'm going to ride the route at least once in advance just to make sure it's doable for me. If I start early enough I hope to finish in daylight if nothing else it will mean we have a slow rider who knows the route as well as the leader.

 

[stevevw]

When are you planning to do the ride? I may be interested to tag along.