Welland Wonder

A rather leisurely week on the cycling front. However, Scotty was ridden for the first time in what seeems like an age. This week also saw me complete my 7th audax event.


Took Scotty out on a solo trip as John was busy with work and Ron had become a fair weather cyclist (ha!). I cycled a familiar training route that took me to where the cart used to be, through Coughton and back home through Sambourne. The ride was slippery but the rain held off. It was nice to get out on a mountain bike after so long. The ride was a little eerie, as I was alone and it was dark. But darkness means super awesome ay-up lights. I passed a deer in Sambourne, and I swear I was that close to it that I could have slapped it's backside (I refrained).

The Welland Wonder 50k audax was great. Weather was fine, the sun shining bright. Only about 9 people opted for this short event (longer distances were being ran at the same venue). I chose to do this short event just so I could add a 50k medal to my collection (now I have all distances from 50 - 300k).


Almost as soon as the event started, I joined 3 cyclists in a splinter group and stuck with these guys throughout. These guys were new to the audax scene and cycled at a leisurely pace. The trek to the first control was real easy. We only had to cycle 13 miles to the first control and it was mostly downhill. The control was in a pub and they handed out free juice and biscuits (I would have opted for a beer given the choice).


The second (and last) leg did not prove too difficult either. It was a little more hilly but nothing major. A random deer crossed our path as we were cycling and we passed a badger who had been victim of road kill. Almost before we began, we had finished. A 50k audax is a seriously silly distance to cycle! Cycled this 32.80 mile event at an average speed of 14.6 mph.


Weekly totals: Cycled a distance of 45 miles.