As ever my cycling blog starts with a run! Not much to see here, just another standard 5k to add to my May Covid marathon challenge.
Not wanting to risk my escape artist wahoo from getting lost I stayed home and did rollers on Wednesday. As I got off I discovered the postie had been and my new bracket and tether had arrived. Thanks to Mark for the advice on getting a tether, things should be a lot less risky from now on.
safe as houses
On Friday I went for my usual run again. I was planning to do 10k but the queen of cakes questioned the wisdom of this. She stated that 10k followed by riding all weekend would not be wise! So I listened!!!
This is the main event of today's blog. C&D Cycles CC had planned to have a day out in the peaks this weekend. Because we couldn't (I think we can now,) do that Marcus Bird prepared this monster of a route to get a similar amount of climbing into a local ride. The whole ride is actually more than I did but I started out from home and just hoped to complete the 100km needed for a fondo.
Comparatively two rides from my past come to mind. The first is peaks ride I have done with C&D and the second is last year's Dartmoor classic.
There's the peaks ride. 6217ft in just over 52 miles!
Dartmoor classic, very very hilly ride. 6338ft in 71 miles!
With those two reference points in mind I think Marcus absolutely nailed his quest to find a comparatively hilly route starting and finishing in Kettering!
Some people are not coping with Covid...too much time on their hands in Braybrooke!
Who is that in the distance...it's Mike Corbett!
Hello mate...social distancing observed
Straight out of the blocks it was obvious how Marcus had created this ride. We went up and down every hill possible. I'm really not much of a climber but thanks to Newton, what goes up must come down. The downhills were glorious! Heading from Braybrooke to Dingley I spotted a blue C&D jersey in the distance. So I caught up with and greeted Mike Corbett. After a quick chat I went on and Mike followed from a safe distance.
Church at Sutton Bassett
I'm a bit obsessed with churches at the moment. Not in a religious way I'm just intrigued. We have all these magnificent buildings that were constructed centuries ago...sometimes they've been added to over the centuries. How did they get there without power tools or cranes? Who built them? Who decided on the designs. I know things like the floor layout is a cross. Why have some got a spire and others a tower? Was there like a top church designer that everyone wanted? More research required I think! Anyway whilst I took a picture of this Mike came back past me. I then overtook Mike again in Weston on Welland.
At a cross roads my Wahoo clearly indicated I was to go straight on. The road was called field road! Wahoo indeed! It was great to do a bit of Paris-Roubaix/Rutland Cicle/CX style riding, I was just grateful to be running tubeless on strong wheels!
I made it into Medbourne in one piece following the off road fun. The church obsession continues and I just love the bridge to get there! Again, who thought...we need a lovely bridge? Then it was up the monster that is Neville Holt for the first time! As usual I had an earworm and this reflects how much fun I was having. Stereophonics - I wouldn't believe your radio!
Covid conditions on a beautiful day for riding!
Stunning view across the Welland Valley
The duck pond at Hallaton
Steve Minney
After Hallaton I bumped into Steve Minney. He'd decided to do the route in reverse so he would see more club mates! I heard that Andy pendred was out on the route and I told Steve that Mike was behind me. "Oh no he isn't," said Steve, he's about a mile in front of you! This was most confusing. Steve warned me it was proper hilly ahead...he did not lie. At Launde Abbey I caught up with Mike again! He revealed that he had opted out of field road so had got to Medbourne by a more direct route! I don't blame him at all and no shame in that he would do more miles than me from Kettering anyway. It was glorious down the hill towards the Abbey and then there was indeed a lot more uphill. We did a loop around and back past the Abbey and of course back up the hill. On the following descent I saw Pete Rowbotham and then I though Hans van Nierop but it turns out it wasn't him and most likely it was Rob Moore (They look similar in Welland CC kit!) Descent of the day for me was down to Eyebrook reservoir. The place was packed. Lockdown easing has led to countryside recreation en masse! I knew what Marcus had planned though...we were heading back round to Drayton and another climb up Neville Holt. I was ruined by this point and the urge to walk was massive...but I did resist and pedalled all the way up it.
I've mentioned before that drag from Ashley to Desborough is top quality hill training...it wasn't what I needed after 50 ish miles of a lot of hills! In Stoke Albany I got cramp for the first time so after that I was a bit tentative! On the route went and I made it round to Harrington...cue another church picture. At the Tollemarche Arms the official route took a right. However as I was on target for 100km I turned left and headed home to Rothwell.
Harrington Church
I have to thank Marcus for this wonderous creation of a route. I very much doubt I shall make it a 'regular,' as one C&D regular, John Mackay, declared. Even more impressive was that Andy Pendred turned this into a 100 miler! It was a day for big rides as another good cycling mate, Chris Perry from Brixworth MTB did a 9 hour epic off road 100 miler. Kudos to all!!!
Recovery food by the Queen of Cakes!
On Saturday evening we had another Corby Capers cycling quiz. This time our host was Dean Barnett. After the usual technical issues we had a great time. Despite some inhibiting Ribena the Wilsons' father and son team spanked all our butts with their superior knowledge. Dean very kindly chucked in a Sven Nys question (well Thibau but anyway his Dad was in the picture.) Then the last question was: "can you name this popular rider?" Dean had obscured the face. I looked at it and thought...no idea...so I answered Sven Nys! Then I saw the hint of Kettering CC down the side of the jersey and a glimpse of lime green Kasc helmet. It was me!!! Only one person got it right because no one can spell Lindsley. A lovely touch...thank you Dean. Sean is doing the quiz next week. I can't wait. This is becoming a highlight of lockdown. I will take my turn as quizmaster but not next week due to work stuff.
On Sunday I decided that my stiff legs from the day before needed to do some more sporteering. This one starts and finishes on the Market Square in Rothwell so is ideal for me. I'd done some planning this time and tried to programme a route into my Wahoo. The route I planned was ridiculous and I realised it wasn't possible for me to cover the distance off road and do the stop and start control point hunting. Here's the ridiculous route below...it would be a great off road group ride...especially now I know where I went wrong!
Once again, sporteering was good fun. I did learn some good new bridleways and single track. The bridleway between Ashley and Wilbarston is particularly good. On that...I missed control point 11 because I was having too much fun on a lovely downhill section! I'd already had to double back twice for similar mistakes. I also had to use the road around Corby because I completely lost the bridleway from Pipewell to Middleton. Not many pictures because I was focused on the challenge. However here's one where I clearly went wrong in Rushton!
I was right that I had no chance of getting all 24 control points in three hours. I can only see an absolute legend of cycling fitness and navigation getting this done in the time limit. I made it back to the start ten minutes over. It really isn't worth going over time because you lose a point a minute and a control point is worth 10-40 points. The bottom of my score sheet is below. You get this by email.
Okay that's it for another week. I probably won't blog next week because I know I can't ride much over the bank holiday weekend. Unlike the song stuck in my head; you can't actually have it all!!!
Happy Pedalling!
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