24th April - SQUIRES & SHIRES RIDE Naseby.

I remember 2 years ago this was only my second big ride at the start of my LEJOG training, and 1st time >60 miles!
Met up with Michiel and we shivered as we waited to start. The day before had been blisteringly hot for April! 29 degrees!!
Once we got going things warmed up and the opening few miles are fast furious & downhill!
Up round the Swinford Hall route (no massive VW rally today!) and down towards Daventry.
This year due to time constraints we parted at the split & I completed the 51m at good speed - managing to get up the severe Haselbach Hill at the end. This was a nasty suprise in 2009!
Michiel completed the 78m main loop at nearly 17mph! An epic ride at great speed over a hilly course (>400ft climb) Well Done mate!

Sat 23rd & Mon 25th April - Harrington loop x 2 with Finn

Luke away so out with Finn both times as he got adjusted to lightweight road bike riding....and he loved it!
1st one at 1h8m, the second time despite a brisk NE wind @ 1h6m..
..I'm sure we can get <1h in near future!

Sat 23/4/11 Bought another Race Bike for the boys!

Hunted high and low & eventually picked up a 2010 GT series 3 from Evans Cycles for £599!
Had minimum spec Aluminium frame/carbon forks/brake gear shifts & TIAGRA & above changers.
Handsome looking bike! One to go to Paris on....Note XL! My boys both >6ft!

17th April Warwicks 100k (in fact 110k)

Back from my hols early on Sat & weather looked fine so last minute decision to pop over to Warwick for the 110k ride.
Beautiful perfect cycling day - slightly chilly at first but warmed up - but still enough coolness to be comfortable.
Heading west then north I was racing long in a peloton led by a Mark Cavendish 'clone' in an HTC shirt...in fact I think it was Mark himself and we flew along in his wake.
Eventually I realised I had to slow down a bit & eased down into the tea break at Great Alne - same villlage hall as used on the MacRide last year - an interesting golfy converstion was enjoyed up to this point.
I didn't stop long & sped off & caught another peloton. Here I met Andrew who is on the same L2P route as me in July! We discussed insurance & other medical issues as we sped along.
Then came the 100m/100k split...two of us carried on, the other 18 going on the 100m!!
Quick chat with a young fella on his first ride...lunch in Long Manton and headed home.
A slight breeze had now developed, and as usual was a slight head wind (Devils breath!!)
Anyway I powered on largely on my own but overtaking a few stragglers getting back to the Racecourse (must go to a race meeting there...) in an incredible (for me) average speed of 17.2 mph! The early pace was 18mph+.
Great ride, great countryside and great to be back on lightweight sleek 'Belle' after being on the old Tractor last week!!
Looking at the map I've just realised I wasn't far from old DooGood's village of Studley! Must get over for a (road bike) ride with you & Ron sometime soon mate!
Squires & Shires next week!

Need to get the sponsorship stuff going now...if you are reading this & feel you can sponsor Luke & me we'd be eternally grateful!
Link http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/clivetoparis2011

68.9m 3h59m @ 17.2(!)mph 3033ft climb

10-16th April Canal towpaths/locks etc

Been on the Black Country Ring! (ouch!)

Through Wolverhampton, Birmingham and back to Great Haywood past Tamworth!

Took the old tractor (10 tone Raleigh) so most mornings I was up early & heading off down the towpath or out into the nearby countryside.

Quite a few miles done (past 500m mark) at slow speed due to terrain & machine!

59m 5h41m @ 10.4mph 2578ft climb

6th April Whizzy windy ride with Michiel...Naseby & back!

Beautiful warm sunny day and brisk SW wind. Out to Harrington then along to Clipston and left to Naseby. Passing through the famous battle ground I thought ofthose that died there >350 years ago! Then on to Haselbech to descend the bastard hill (which we will climb at the end of the Squires & Shires ride in 3 weeks.) A puncture in Michiels rear wheel was quickly fixed & we continued into the wind through Brixworth, Pittsford, & Overstone. Picking up the strong tail wind we flew along the fast road at 25-30mph for mile after mile in the warm afternoon sun, past Sywell Aerodrome. It felt great not to be wrapped up against the cold..can winter be over? Arriving back in Kettering we both felt the buzz, the endorphins & serotonin was flowing...but our moths were dry so an ice cold pint was required. Appropriate polite(?) feedback was given to the dickhead in a white van who decided to stop dead outside 'Royal' Pytchley GC as we flew down into Kettering. A great ride...one of the best... 41.5m 2h44m @15.2mph 2185ft climb 2011 total - 446m 30h51m

2nd April chilly windy ride with Luke

Off we went round through Harrington Lamport & back through Old. A blustery wind made things hard but good speed with Luke's heavy bike....a road bike is needed here.
21m 1h36m @13mph 852 ft climb