Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Stroud 5 Valleys 50 (permanent audax, March 2013) and other short stories
What an awesome week on the cycling front. Managed to complete 3 rides before the weekend. The first route was a trip around 'The Deer Route' with Ron. Since being equipped with my Garmin 800 it has made it possible for me to add maps to this blog, so a map of said route is presented below. This was a 'clean' version of the route as we did not stray off road at all. During our ride we saw a deer (how appropriate), a badger and possibly a bat. Sweet.
My second trip was a route I named the 'CS Stolen Route 1'. This route was so named because I stole it from a Strava user whose initials were CS, and 1 because it was the 1st route I stole. (My plan is to steal several routes from Strava users that are close to my area as I have few of my own and don't mind being un-original). This was a short route, just under 30k and had an elevation of 450 metres. Gordon (my virtual partner) became a 'dopple' (in fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person) of CS and raced against me. Luckily, Gordon cycled at the same speed CS did when they rode the route - on a mountain bike. As I cycled using 'Florence', my single speed road bike, I was able to leave Gordon left for dead!
My third cycle was the 'Stroud 5 Valleys' 50k audax. This was a permanent audax event, that I had cycled 4 times already this season. This event was a relatively short affair (53k) but had plenty of hills - an elevation of 1,183 metres (and scored 1 AAA point). The map presented towards the end of this blog clearly shows the hills encountered. On one occasion that I cycled this event I was stopped by cows in the roadside. No cows stopped me this time around, however, wild horses blocked one summit (hence the long face).
The horses were peering over the wall, gazing at other horses. How sweet?! The weather was fine too and way better than last time I cycled (where it was snowing) and I think this is why I had my quickest completion time of 3 hours and 21 minutes.
Cycled 126k thus far this week. Hope to further this total and cycle 'The Dean', a 300k event over the weekend. The weather folk are forecasting snow, so I'll guess I'll just have to let you know if I go or no....
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Getting the miles in! Weekend is looking like a stinker
ReplyDeleteYeah, crazy weather man! How did the Vale of Belvoir go?!
ReplyDeleteDNS! Got to Lichfield and my mojo went, too cold, too much snow - looked grim, so went back and felt guilty! Did the lechlade perm last weekend, great ride, but took ages to find the cycle path in Stratford, quite a few flooded roads to wade across too, wouldn't mind doing it again in the summer! Are you doing The Dean? If so good luck, looks like it might be a bit snowy!
DeleteDean is no go I thinks! Yeah, the menace cycle path (does it exist? - I took an alternative route, and offered to be your guide) in the Lechlade perm. Good perm though - did you cycle it with Trevor?
ReplyDeleteWe found the path! It was just before the first roundabout into Stratford. I cycled it with my friend Andy (whose on LEL as well), it was a bit of a spur of the moment jobbie as we didn't do the belvoir. How is the 800 working out? I plotted the lechlade out and it worked a treat (apart from I need to find a mapping site that lets you plot cycle paths). Here's hoping for better weather soon :)
ReplyDeleteAhh, good stuff Jamie. I love the 800 and completely rate it! Do you use STRAVA? - is a great site to track bike adventures and copy/steal others' gpx files etc
ReplyDeleteWell the weather is as predicted, Dean no go?. I am on Strava, will hunt you down on it and follow! Have a safe ride if you do go out!
ReplyDeleteUnable to get section 17 signed for the Lechlade Tim, but looked like Jamie and Andy had a top day, am gutted I missed the banter with the lads, so next time! On Strava too so will give you a follow! And watch out for stray equine stragglers!!!
ReplyDeleteArgh menace weather. The Dean is too mean despite me being keen. Ha ha Trev - bad luck, maybe next time (and maybe I'll join you guys). See you guys on Strava (have only just joined).
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