25th March THE CHESHIRE CAT...AT LAST!!

This has been on my radar for a couple of years - Michiel & I had been keen to tackle the Mow Cop KILLER MILE. With the clocks going forward & an early start I decided to drive up in Ruby the night before. Strangley (!) Crewe doesn't have many campsites so I snuck into a quiet corner of the station Car Park - pulled the curtains round and fell to sleep (easy as I'd done the Friday night shift zzzZZZZZ!!!
Woke to a beautful morning as fellow cyclists arrived & unpacked their bikes. When Michiel arived I had tea bacon & sausages ready. Once registered (at Crewe Alex. FC) we even had time to return to Ruby for a cuppa before the off.
What a fantastic day - cool & bright without a cloud in the sky & light breeze only...perfect cycling weather!!
We sped out of Crewe and within 15miles the Mow Cop Folly castle came into view. I'd heard about the killer mile with it's leg sapping climb leading to the viscious 25% section past the pub. I kept as much reserve as I could & Michiel sped on ahead. With 2/3 of the riders stopping to walk I gritted my teeth and with much gurning wheezing panting gasping & groaning I MADE IT!! For a minute or two I just couldn't get enoug air in my lungs but I recovered quickly & soon we were over thge top and whizzing down the other side. My rear brake was closing but not opening so I kept the speed down as we zoomed over genarally crappy roads with rough surfaces & lethal pot holes galore. There were 3 more hills to climb so at the 37m halfway point we had climbed 3600ft. The second half was a magnificent fast journy back around to Crewe and a welcome cup of tea - and the MOW COP MEDAL!
77.1m 5h27m @14.1mph 4995ft 483m for 2012
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/564684

18th march 'no excuses' wiggle series ride

The opening wiggle event is free to enter, but if a no show then £25 goes to Charity
I got there early & being Mothers day put my foot down a bit getting back by 11 & home by 12!
Was grey dull cold and slightly drizzly - but it's a good route & one I'll do again..
44.2m 2h45m @ 16mph 2690ft climb

18th Feb 2012 after the big freeze - THE SNOWDROP

(spot the product placement!!!!!) click picture to enlarge...

Late Jan early Feb some crazy low temperatures kept me off the road and into the Gym...(deadly boring+++).
Club run 22/1/12 up into the Welland Valley on a mild if cloudy day.
30.2m 2h02m @14.8mph 1475ft climb

Then a drive over to Harbury to meet up with the lads for the, now, annual Snowdrop AUDAX, including the, now, annual 'Doc short cut'!
We set off in fine weather with rain forecast and headed down aver familiar roads past Droitwich and as the others (TTT, tractor, Ron, Chris, Sarah (not TTT's Sarah!) & Andy) headed off to the Upton cake stop I headed off to Evesham, suprising the first of the clockwise group who looked puzzled about the wheezing old fella who seemed to be ahead of all the anti-clockwise group!!
Getting to the cafe at 1140 I sat down for peacefull beans o toast and tea. The first group came in 15mins after me - a great effort as they'd done 12 miles more than me.
Around 1230 the others arrived looking rather miserable and wet as the heavens had opened!
I set off for the 30 miles home, in the heavy cold rain, trying to stay ahead of TTT & Tractor but thet caught me with a few miles to go. My toes had 'died' in the cold but overall it's a lovely ride.
Will do again in 2013 (Michiel unable to ride today due to a pesky ureteric calculus...) Note to self....short cut good idea...65 miles enough to start the season off...
64.9m 4h53m @ 13.4mph 2731ft climb

Harrington Loop & Club Run

Had time on my birthday to do a quick Harrington loop (wed 11/1/12). Legs felt heavy but got warmed up & made reasonable time. Got nice appetite for a celebratory mixed grill.
15/1/12 - club run with Tom Tom & Roger. Frosty cold day but the countryside looked superb. Thrapston Denford & back through Great Addington.

8th Jan - The kilotogo.com MERCIA RIDEOUT

click to enlarge
I'v ridden the cat'n'Fiddle & Wild Edric (run by kilotogo) and we plan to ride the Cheshire Cat in March, and the monster 154mile Flat out in the Fens in June.
These free 'rideouts' are test events over a simplified part of the main course.
Up early in the dark & loaded Belle up. Driving through Brum as the sun rose in clear skies was quite special as I listened to 'War Horse' audio book - a pleasant uplifting & sad WW1 story.
Arrived same time as Michiel and we were off in the first group at 0900.
I was chatting to a fella from Stoke who said he was along with his 63y old F-in-Law. Talk about commentators curse...we were just talking about falls & helmets when behind us..CRASH...said F-in-law came off as the 30 strong pleton slowed to a junction. he was ok & I agreed to change the subject! A mile further on some twat in a Focus came at us with great speed forcing us to move sharply left - his ugly grimace of 'cycle hatred' was clear to see. Then CRASH2 as the said old gentleman came off again as the nutter came straight at him. The driver got out all guilty & sheepish..if I was a tough guy (!) I'd have hit the prick. Unfortunately the old chap had twisted his ankle & decided to head back to the start.
The first half to the 'turn' at Brockton (nice pub on the corner THE FEATHERS) was hilly...Shropshire hilly...ie big bastard hills and the peloton got away from this puffing (53y next Wed) bloke but I caught up on the fast descending downwind section to Morville.
earlier we had crossed the famous Iron Bridge (I spotted a Sunday lunch pub alongside for the future..The Woodbridge Inn.)
The climb out of Bridgenorth was long & hard and again the peleton sped off. I got in 6 mins after Michiel who had raced the GIANT-BIKE chaps from Warrington. Quick coffe & home a really nice ride in a new bit of England for me! Good time considering the hard early climbs
50.6 3h11m @15.9mph 2930ft climb

NEW YEAR!! It's Olympic Year!! 1st ride with Michiel

What a strange mild winter we are having.
Between storms Monday 2nd jan was a sunny mild day with light winds.
Michiel & I headed off through Rothwell/Harrington to Naseby, down to harlestone past Althorpe House (childhood home of Diana Spencer) and back via Moulton, far point & fast through Loddington & home. terrific ride to start the year off. A big one for Michiel as he's vommitted to LEJOG in early May.
47m 3h05m @14.2 2331ft climb

26/12/11 to rugby

Finally had an opportunity to do this run. Main aim to check out Rugby GC (looked pretty useless!!) Headwind out over Holly Hill past Cold Ashby...and back...over Holly Hill!
Nice ride
53m 3h35m @15.3mph 2412ft climb

TOTAL FOR 2011 2845 miles