Badger cooling and the Stroud 5 Valleys

Started the week by going for a blast around the AM SR 1 route. Had been ages since I last cycled this route and it re-reminded me what a great loop it was. Kay-O, my single-speed road bike was my weapon of choice. I had almost forgotten how awesome she was too - even better now she is equipped with a dynamo hub and front light.

My next adventure was a blast around the Stroud 5 Valleys 50k audax. I have cycled this many times - it's a great, relatively short ride, that awards a single AAA (hilly) point. (In fact, it now awards 1.25 AAA points). I only need to cycle this route 1 more time next month to complete my AAARTY award.

Another reason I like to cycle this audax is because I recently made friends with a set of badgers. They kindly asked me to do some promotional work for them least time we met. I obliged and added stuff to both my blog and FaceBook. The poor badgers keep facing a cull. I met with a whole bunch of them again on this ride and was hoping one would cycle a short stretch with me.

 All these friendly badgers. Do you think I could find just one that might like a cycle? Well, guess what ...

Sure enough, I found one willing badger. Granted, he didn't cycle long or far but he cycled none the less. He left me at the next control and went in search of mashed potato. I really do hope I meet the entire badger family on my next cycle out here. If like me, you wish to become a badger supporter, please check out the flyer below.

During the course of the week, I managed 1 work-and-back commute. Used my single-speed road bike again, as my Genesis single-speed cyclo-cross bike is still awaiting repairs. I wish I could get solid rubber tyres for my commute bike.

I was hoping to take my own badger cub (Lunar) out for her first cycle this week. A bike seat was acquired and fitted but I couldn't find a helmet small enough for her. I've ordered a Specialized small fry helmet and will just have to wait until she grows into it.

Brevet 5000 at last

The picture above featured in one of my work-related magazines. No matter where I look, I seem to get subliminal messages instructing me to cycle. Or, perhaps it's a taunt...

All was not well for me on the cycling front this past week. Jenny my Genesis commute bike punctured for the 4th time (1st time since fitting new tyres). Like every other puncture, this was a rear tyre menace. Such a hassle fixing a rear tyre puncture on a single-speed bike (and remains not fixed at present time). To top that, the front wheel has suffered a loose (not quite broken) spoke which made the wheel look seriously buckled. My work-and-back commute using Jenny wasn't the best. Evans Cycles are gonna charge £14 to fix this wheel and it won't be fixed before 31 August. Wished I'd gone to Specsavers somewhere else.

My second work-and-back commute was trouble free. I used Kay-O, my single-speed road bike. She was a light and fast ride but not designed to go cross-country. For this reason I kept her away from the tow-paths and used the busy roads instead (which are less busy currently because of the summer holidays). Is starting to get cold on my commutes, I think I will soon swap my cap for my buff!

This week, I also received my Brevet 5000 medal. This medal was awarded because I managed to complete a randonnee of 1200k (PBP), an SR series, 1000k event (used LEL which was 1400k), a 24 hour Team Arrow event and other events totalling 5000k, all BR(M) and ridden within a 4 year period. I am listed as rider no. 129 on the hall of fame (where currently only 130 riders are listed).

'All creatures contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways'.

Over the Moon

Soon my cycling adventures will have to seriously start to wind down. We are coming to the end of this years cycling season and next year I will, God willing, have another mouth to feed. Necessity dictates that I slow down.

With my cycling challenges being somewhat dampened, I'm sure I'll have other challenges to face. Crying babies, sleepless nights, and the likes all come to mind. Stuff that I'm sure no-one will really care to read about. With that in mind, I thought I'd create a sister daughter site and record challenges that my little one faces as she toddles through life. The blog site is entitled 'Over the Moon' and can be found by following this link: Over the Moon

Below is a sample (3rd post) from the 'Over the Moon' blog.

Daddy saw the National Trust (NT) website had a 'thing' on it called '50 things to do before you're 11 & 3/4'. Before I could say 'over the moon', he had signed me up for it. What was I in for?!

Wild blackberries growing at the top of Doo Little drive

The first challenge I completed was challenge #21 'pick blackberries growing in the wild'. Daddy walked me to the top of our drive, armed me with a little pot and instructed me to pick.

Before long, I had filled my little pot with lots of fat delicious blackberries. I wasn't allowed to eat any until the pot was full. Once the pot was full, daddy made me wash them too.

Mmmm, they really were delicious. I think I am going to enjoy my challenges that lay ahead!

Windsor-Chester-Windsor 600

Last weekend saw me complete my third Super Randonneur (SR) series! In the audax world of cycling, an SR series is considered the 'gold standard'. It consists of the BR(M) series - 200k, 300k 400k and 600k events, all completed in the same Randonneur year. I completed my SR series by riding a 600k event, namely the Windsor-Chester-Windsor 600.

GPX track log of WCW 600

• I cycled this event with Chris Hodge, who just happened to live in Windsor.
• This was Chris's furthest bike ride to date.
• Chris and I are both Super Randonneurs!
• Chris lives near Maidenhead. We passed Maidenhead Aquatics on route. Maidenhead Aquatics was nowhere near Maidenhead.
• I am from Studley village. We passed Studley Wood golf course on route. Studley Wood golf course is nowhere near Studley.
• Dr Phillip Whiteman manned a control in Belbroughton. He remembered me from the Snowdrop audax.
• I felt quite rough for the first 100k. It was like I was on a drug and alcohol detox.
• We cycled through torrential rain. The rain started at about the 200-300k mark. The 300 - 500k mark was sincerely vile weather-wise!
• We saw no badgers despite passing a sign-post indicating 'badger'.
• We were not the last to finish.
• Some folk did not start and some folk did not finish.
• Event was well organised.
• We sleep for about 2 hours max in one of the controls.
• Chris was snacked up and made sure we both ate every 25k! 

• We finished the event with just under an hour to spare.
• I punctured once.
• My tyre deflated after being filled with gas.
• I don't think any women cycled this event.
• I doubt I will cycle this 600k event again.
• We did not push our bikes up any hills.
• I took Chris out of his comfort zone and insisted we sleep (power nap) inside the entrance of a church. We both slept. The prayer cushions made ideal pillows. On awakening, I noticed we were sharing this entrance with a nest of birds. I thought the birds were house martins, Chris reckoned swallows.
• My poor bike's bottom bracket was as dry as a bone and my saddle had no flex. Chris's bike was all good except for a dry chain (he used dry lube instead of wet).
• We were treated with some fast descents, long roads and a tail wind during the last 100k.
• My knee hurt some, on 2 occasions during this adventure. Neurofen eased pains.
• Post event and my thighs hurt some.
• My Mavic shorts fared as well as my Assoss.
• Mud-guards would have been a good idea!
• Cycling caps are the way forward.
• We missed being 'pulled along' by Ron on this event.
• This was not an overly hilly event, though some hills got me out of puff! We cycled over 4,300 metres of climb.

  

  Hilliness profile for the WCW 600
  
  

  
  

  Completed the week by cycling another work and back commute.  Have now cycled 6,139k thus far this year. I guess it's time to start winding down... Or planning my next big adventure... Ha!

Badgers and the Stroud 5 Valleys 50 audax

This week saw me complete a couple of work-and-back commutes and another Stroud 5 Valleys 50 audax. Have blogged about this audax a number of times, so will keep this entry short. It was a hilly event as demonstrated by the picture below.

Hilliness profile of the Stroud 5 Valleys 50

Weather-wise and the event wasn't too bad. Bright sun throughout all but the last 10 minutes. The very last couple of k and the heavens opened big time. Bike-wise, the event wasn't great. Scotty creaked like crazy and sounds like she's on her way out. I really can't afford to service this bike just yet. Compared to other times I've rode this event, there wasn't an awful lot of change. I'm sure the parked bike at Painswick had been replaced for a new model though.

New bike? If Scotty keep creaking', perhaps I should cycle this?!

Just like the last time I rode this event, I saw lots of badgers. Badger, badger, badger.... Mushroom!

Audaxing really is a great way of seeing wildlife! I hope to visit more of this badger set on future rides. I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Rural South 300

Last week saw me complete 3 there-and-back work commutes and an epic audax adventure. The audax was the Rural South 300. This audax was in the South, rural and 300 (and 4) k's long! To top that, this was my 100th completed audax to date. I thought a 100k audax would be nice to mark my 100th audax, but, oh no, I had to be extra! My buddy, Chris Hodge, joined me on this adventure. Below are a collection of thoughts, remarks, ponders, etc...

GPX Track Log of my route

Super nice country lanes

At one juncture, I reached speeds of 50 mph. Zoomy! It was mega hilly in places!

Hilliness profile for Rural South 300

It was a beautiful day with lots of long roads, often winding and undulating in nature.

We rolled on this

My buddy Chris was cycling with me. This was to be his second 300k audax. Both of us just need to complete a 600k event this season to qualify as Super Randonneurs. We are mighty!

Chris facing the towers of doom

There seemed to be a M.O.D theme to this ride. We passed funny towers, forts and egg shaped satellite dishes. Bizarre!

Check out my gun!

Both our bikes were creaking and had chain ring related problems. I am too poor to get my bike fixed just yet.

Timmy Top Gun!

About 23 cyclists took part in this event. Chris and I cycled together and at times were joined by a cyclist we dubbed 'Frankie Moon'. Frankie had helmet hair and looked a bit like a cling-on.

Egg like things in the distance

We were not the last to finish! We had an hour before our time limit was up. We both felt okay the following day.

PS I ate as well as ever and had basil on 2 separate occasions. The first was with tuna - lovely sarnies made by my wonderful sister Jane - many thanks! The second dose of basil was with some tomato soup on the return leg. Jane's basil won!

Not so much

Nearly managed a whole week without even taking a sniff at my bikes. Fortunately, cousin Aid rocked up in the 'eleventh' hour and we managed a short trek before the week ended. Only cycled 24k, but that beats zero!

Sounds like good medicine!

Hope to cycle a wee bit more over the coming week. In fact, will have too... Foolishly agreed to join Chris on a 300k event in the rural South! Oh boy....

Saracen RC 200 (No 2) and other adventures

Started this week by completing my 99th audax event to date! This event was the 'Saracen RC 200 (No 2)' permanent event organised by Sean Barker. This was a great event and a few of my thoughts are presented below.

The ride started (and finished) in Bournville. I parked my car next to the Christadelphian meeting room (where I have attended numerous services) and then used the ATM at the Tesco garage opposite for my start control proof. Less than 10k into the ride and I was following my commute route from work, heading home, speeding down Watery Lane in the Kings Norton area. The weather was just perfect for a bike ride and I had a feeling this was going to be a great day out. Suddenly, at the 30k, the GPX took me off road for about 2k. This off road track was awful for a carbon road bike but would have suited a MTB just fine. Just why this was included as part of the route, I don't know!

Audax - off-road style

Following this brief off-road section, a busy main road had to be crossed. After the crossing, the route went back to being really quite wonderful. Lovely roads and great weather took me to the first control   in Moreton-in-Marsh. I used the ATM for POP purposes and ate some home-made sarnies under George and the Dragon!

A good place to eat one's sarnies

George and the Dragon

From Moreton-in-Marsh, I made my way to Towcester, the next control. The route passed through Banbury, passing the cock horse at Banbury Cross. I also passed a wonderful wooden carving before reaching my control stop at Mc Donald's.

Suitably fuelled and the journey continued. Much of the route was undulating in nature. No real serious hills and hence no AAA points awarded but sure enough, the odd climb would get me out of a puff. The picture below demonstrates the hilliness profile of the ride. The next and penultimate control was Warwick Services. I think I went to North Services instead of South.

Hilliness profile of Saracen RC 200 (No 2) Audax

The last stage essentially returned back to the start in Bournville. The route went through Henley and passed a house my buddy Ron had told me about. This house had 2 bicycles chained to it's outside wall.

This must be what folk do where their garage's can no longer cater for additional bikes. My mother has her bike attached to the garden fence. I now know what I'm going to do with any retired bikes!

The last few k's of the audax once again took me onto my commute route and eventually back to the start. This was a very enjoyable  212k audax with over 2,000 metres of climbing which took me just over 10 hours to complete. Preferred this ride to the No 1 perm, though do not expect I'll ride either again for some time. A GPX track log of complete route is presented below.

Saracen RC 200 (No 2) Audax GPX Track Log

The remainder of my adventures were made up of work and back commutes. The tyres I fitted a short while back have been fine and remained puncture free. Hope I am not tempting the puncture pixie here!

Paynes, family, royalty and yellow sheep!

With the demands of modern life, I haven't posted for a while. All apologies for neglecting this blog. Now where to pick up?!

Oh, yes, that's it. Following my family holiday and 2 week absence from cycling, I am pleased to inform that I got back on the saddle again. I completed some work and back commutes and took my single-speed MTB out for a couple of small rides.

Sadly, my dear Uncle John passed away shortly after our holiday and he will be very sadly missed. Uncle John was a fellow cyclist and took pride in his (electric) cycle. Uncle John's sons are keen cyclists too and both came out for a spin with my brother Robin and I last weekend (this was my second single-speed MTB trek). The company was great but the weather was awful and we all got soaked to the skin! (Andy had borrowed my cycling gear and bike too - much washing and cleaning for me)!

Cousin Andrew and my dear Uncle John

On a brighter note, the Tour de France kicked off during the weekend too. How cool it is that the sport is getting the notice it deserves. Even the Royals were attentive.

Royals at the start of the TDF

Talking of royalty... My own princess is pregnant again! Below is a photo of my new babe, in utero!

Baby Taylor (no. 2)

To conclude this post, I'd like to share a photo of the mad sheep who have gotten into the spirit of the Tour de France!