September fun....before the Winter arrives....

2nd September   ...a tale of three punctures...

Contacted by young Hamish baxter over the road (I went to med School way back when with his Dad! - and he is now a neighbour) about a ride. So we set off on a nice circular route taking us down to Sywell, accross and up through Yelvertoft and home via Market Harborough! In the latter part Hamish punctured 3 timmes and we used up all our tubes...but got home safely
56.4 3h48m @14.8mph 2664ft
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1660128

9th September MACRIDE 2012

Warmer weather & I met up with Michiel at the start for my third time on this well organised ride. No Toby (away) or Thorpy (bike nicked!) this year... Out in the rolling countryside on a slightly flatter course we whizzed around at good pace, overtaking group after group in the sunshine. Perfect cycling weather. Another one to do again.
We passed through Studley & called round at TTT's but he was away!  Never mind a lovely pint was had in Long Marsden (no Hobgoblin but an equally nice pint of IPA) - before a fast wind assisted sprint to the finish!

I'm closing in on 2000 miles in 2012!
58.4 3h34m @16.3mph 2177ft
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1657804

23rd September CYCLE4CYNTHIA
On a slightly cool & grey day with rain in the last few miles I met up with Michiel & we set out on the amended route. This was slightly harder work than the Macride. Sterting in the grounds of Althorpe house we went out past Great Brington Church (rumour has it that this is Diana's final resting place...not the island) & northwards picking up part of my harrington loop route and back via Naseby & Cold Ashby. In West Hadden there was an almighty 'CRACK!!' ...I had a front blow out...the inner tube had split...good thing it didn't happen on a fast descent!  I think it's my first puncture of the year! Good old Continetal FOUR SEASON tyres! The rain steadily increased from then on and we were pretty soggy at the end. Another well organised ride for a great cause. A group were wearing snazzy bespoke CYCLE4CYNTHIA 2013 shirts...Why 2013? I asked...some bugger got the date wrong..me admitted a redfaced cyclist...they'll be good for next year!
49.1 3h9m @15.8mph 3267ft
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1746242

30th September  THE CYCLE SHOW TOUR-RIDE

Michiel was busy so I set out alone to the NEC to do the British Cycling 96k.
Grey & cold...feels like winter is coming...I had missed the group start and got a bit lost trying to get out of the NEC complex. Eventually I set the garmin for Meriden and picked up the route from there. I was interested to see the cross claiming that Meriden is the centre of England...and a magnificent memorial to 'All cyclists killed in WWII'. I paused for a couple of minutes...thinking of how lucky I am.
Then out through Kenilworth (interesting castle) and called in on Toby in Cubbington.

The stretch along the fosse way was into the wind but I soon turned up into Leamington past Whitnah GC and the Leamington FC. Soon I was in warwick looking at the magnificent castle sitting proudly by the river. It's a terrific castle, and not a ruin - a great day out!
The stretch to Henley-in-Arden was into wind and a bit lonely but once I turned north I picked up the wind and some company to stimulate the old legs! Again a bit confused around the NEC but eventually picked up the arrows andfound my car again. For some reason a particularily knackering ride but some great scenery.
57.6m 3h52m @15mph 2466ft
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1719157
TOTAL FOR 2012 (1st 9 months) 1997miles!

August 2012

August started wet & horrible as the rest of the summer but things did get slightly better once the Olympics got going.
I met up with Andy (L2P 2011) in Stratford for the Gr8 Shakespear 100k ride on 12/8/12. Last year there was 800...this year there must have been 1200+ on the mass rolling start out into the wonderful warwickshire countryside. The route was the same as 2011 but this time I did tackle the big final hill..and what a lovely fast decent on the other side! A great ride & I hope to return next year (as long as it doen't clash with RideLondon100)
64.8m 4h13m @ 15.3mph 3926ft

Teneriffe
Whilst staying in Playas Las Americas I hired a crappy old 'Rockrider' cast iron girder gear slipping non-existing brakes banger of a bike!  Nice to get out & explore but hard work at 40degC!
About 70 miles @ about 10mph!

July 2012 Rides

Weather been pretty shit so not many evening rides for the time of year.
5th - harrington loop - 16.52m 58m14s @ 17mph
11th Harrington Loop - 16.52m 59m05s @ 16.8mph
15th A rare sunny Sunday am - Medbourne/Foxton/Market Harborough

41.6m 2h45 @ 15.1 1995ft

With fine weather forecast I thought I'd honour Wiggo's magnificent TdF win with consecutive evening rides.
23rd Harrington Loop - 16.52m 56m49s @ 17.4mph
24th South loop to Finedon/Addingtons/Woodford 24.5m 1h36m @ 15.3mph 1204ft
25th Up to Brigstock/Deene/Weldon (pausing at the US Army Air Force memorial at Deenethorpe, & fast back along the A43 through Geddington
26m 1h37m @ 16mph 982ft

26th Shorter ride to Rothwell - Cut short to brewing stomach upset! think I'll rest tomorrow!

10.9m 41m @ 15.9mph 598ft

28th Watched the GB Road race team get shafted by the 'non trying' german's & Aussies - they should be ashamed of themselves. Our boys did an amazing job to limit the breakaway to 5 mins, and bring it down to under a minute in the run in, but they needed Greipal & Goss's team-mates to at least try & give their men a chance. They didn't...obviously ensuring Cavendish didn't win was the priority. I'd be interested to hear the opinion fof said Goss & Greipal.
I am proud of the GB boys efforts - they gave all, and could have given no more.

29th - the inaugural Titchmarsh Castle Cycle Ride (www.titchmarsh.info)
Sunny morning before the showers & around 100 riders at this well organised event. It covered many roads I have cycled on at various times & as it was a shorter distance I pushed on, attempting to race some of the younger riders! A nice circuit & one to do again next year. Afterwards a fellow cyclist was recommending the BHF night London to brighton cycle...maybe another one for 2013?
45.2m 2h43m @ 16.7mph 1779ft
197 miles for the month and 1562m for 2012 in 101.3 hours pedalling!

17th June 'Flat out on the Fens' 152 miles

From Peterborough at 0700, anti clockwise I passed my previous furtjest of 118 miles.
SW wind so fast start, cery fast section, then a tough run in into the stiff wind on those long straight soul destrying Fens roads...more later...need sleep.
Don't think I'll do 150m+ again...would do this ride (112m) version) as it was terrific to avoid any serious hills & keep the speed up. Some excisting pelloton riding! There was a clip of wheels & crash behind us (I heard later no serious injury..)
152.9m  8h45m @ 16.3mph (1st 50m 2h40, 2nd 2h57, third 50 3h25)

10th June 2012 - nice clockwise circumnavigation of leicester

Met up at Michiels on a lovely sunday morning (not been many this 'so called' Summer).
Twice before we've done an anticlockwise route so we thought we'd go clockwise.
We breezed around enjoying the descent eastwards down into Rothley (where a WWII re-enactment was taking place  - lots of German Officers marching about in the lovely sunshine)
47m @ 2h55

5th June cycle to HULL

Just about to set off to see my daughter in Hull. (0815)
Polly finishes her three years at Hull University & time is running out for me to take on this cycle. She & Emma will be (weather permitting) doing a skydive on Wed 6/6/12..and with the Jubilee I have Tuesday off. So I decided to go for it. The route mainly on back roads had been in my garmin for over a year.
The planned route takes me through Oakham to Grantham,,,then flatter terrain through Lincoln to Hull.
the first part was spent on the main road to oakham, then keeping to B roads to Grantham which was only 42 miles away. Too early for lunc so I pressed on to Lincoln. There was a nice southerly wind helping me & soon Lincoln cathedral was spotted on the horizon. I decided to fuel up on a big mac meal with milk shake, and somehow managed to get up the hill out of Lincoln after this. The B1398 kept along the top of a ridge with terrific views to the left. Soon I was passing Forest Pines Golf course. I chuckled as I remembered how far north it felt when we drove there on golf tour....I had got there in 5 hours!!!
I carried on along Ermine Street thinking of the Roman Legions who would have marched along this road 2000 years ago.
I kept scanning the horizon..and there it was..Humber Bridge. I knew there was one last stiff hill out of South Ferriby & once over thatI was soon at the bridge. Going over the Severn Bridge in 2009 was very tough with a side-gale. On this bridge I was gently blown over by the southerly wind.
Down into town my route took me through the park with the Football ground in and soon I was at Polly's house. Tired but still with some legs left the large steak & a few pints went down very nicely.
Soon Ali Luke & Finley joined us in the Jazz pub round the corner.
Next day Polly & Emma did the skydive - brave girls! www.justgiving.com/pollyshackleton
116miles 7h5m @ a good 16.5mph 3300ft climb(pretty flat for the distance

Cycles in May

Been cycling but not blogging...will update later