Punctures: 1
Accidents: 1
Wrong turns: several!
Day three and the legs were starting to feel it. With 120 miles to cover today, the group split into two. Hannah, Gary, Neil Walton and Tony left around 6.30 with the aim of getting a head start on the slightly quicker second group. Once again the sun was shining and both groups made good time in the cooler early morning. The roads were gently rolling and the enormity of the day's feat had yet to sink in.
Having had no breakfast (there were no facilities at Bath Uni), we desperately looked for somewhere that might provide us with the needed fuel. After 30 miles we decided to settle on the 'Golden Arches' of MacDonalds - hardly the food of champions but it would have to do. After a breakfast of slightly greasy McMuffins and coffee we were once again on the road heading for Gloucester. Looking at the map, navigating through Gloucester would be a challenge but we were confident that the Garmin GPS would guide us through. Big mistake and rule number 1: Don't rely on technology!
So there we are, riding through the suburbs of Gloucester trying to avoid cycling on the busy A40 and make our way to Ledbury. This went on for some 45 minutes before we came across signs for Ledbury and the realisation that we were on the wrong side of town and would have to ride an additional 15 miles to get back on track - no laughing matter as we didn't need the extra miles, not today of all days. Deciding to head for Tewksbury and then Ledbury we pressed on at a good pace, despite having said goodbye to Marek and Matt who had turned back to meet their wives in Bath. Along the way we met some other cyclists who gave us advice and directions. This included a couple on old steel road bikes who proudly told us they were in their 90s.
We finally reached Ledbury at 1.30pm. 4 hours in the saddle and less than half the distance covered. Despite our poor progress we stopped for some food and decided that whatever happened we would keep smiling in the face of adversity. We all knew this was going to be a long day. We heard that the slower group were some 10 miles ahead of us and there was still some talk of catching them before the day was over.
Sadly, that wasn't to be. The next ten miles were tough with plenty of climbing. We struggled to make good time not helped by a puncture and another wrong turn from one member of the team (ok it was me). We pressed on knowing that every pedal stroke took us closer to our final destination. In an act of desperation, we got ourselves organised. Working together to maintain a good pace in the hope of eating up the remaining 50 miles. The terrain changed and although hills towered over us on those remaining miles, we meandered around them with no major climbs to mention.
12 hours from when we started we finally (finally!) arrived at our accommodation in Shrewsbury. 134 miles covered. The day had been character building to say the least! We were so tired that we were laughing at all and anything in an effort to keep our spirits high. I think this camaraderie had been a big driver in getting us there and for me, at least, there was a real sense of achievement in covering such a huge distance in one day. We shook hands and congratulated each other on making it before heading inside for well deserved showers and food. The other group had experienced similar challenges with a wrong turn here and there but had also made back in one piece.
Tomorrow, Shrewsbury to Preston and only 103 miles. Easy :-)
UPDATE: Apparently, Hannah had another fall on day 3. More details as soon as I know them.
Accidents: 1
Wrong turns: several!
Day three and the legs were starting to feel it. With 120 miles to cover today, the group split into two. Hannah, Gary, Neil Walton and Tony left around 6.30 with the aim of getting a head start on the slightly quicker second group. Once again the sun was shining and both groups made good time in the cooler early morning. The roads were gently rolling and the enormity of the day's feat had yet to sink in.
Having had no breakfast (there were no facilities at Bath Uni), we desperately looked for somewhere that might provide us with the needed fuel. After 30 miles we decided to settle on the 'Golden Arches' of MacDonalds - hardly the food of champions but it would have to do. After a breakfast of slightly greasy McMuffins and coffee we were once again on the road heading for Gloucester. Looking at the map, navigating through Gloucester would be a challenge but we were confident that the Garmin GPS would guide us through. Big mistake and rule number 1: Don't rely on technology!
So there we are, riding through the suburbs of Gloucester trying to avoid cycling on the busy A40 and make our way to Ledbury. This went on for some 45 minutes before we came across signs for Ledbury and the realisation that we were on the wrong side of town and would have to ride an additional 15 miles to get back on track - no laughing matter as we didn't need the extra miles, not today of all days. Deciding to head for Tewksbury and then Ledbury we pressed on at a good pace, despite having said goodbye to Marek and Matt who had turned back to meet their wives in Bath. Along the way we met some other cyclists who gave us advice and directions. This included a couple on old steel road bikes who proudly told us they were in their 90s.
We finally reached Ledbury at 1.30pm. 4 hours in the saddle and less than half the distance covered. Despite our poor progress we stopped for some food and decided that whatever happened we would keep smiling in the face of adversity. We all knew this was going to be a long day. We heard that the slower group were some 10 miles ahead of us and there was still some talk of catching them before the day was over.Sadly, that wasn't to be. The next ten miles were tough with plenty of climbing. We struggled to make good time not helped by a puncture and another wrong turn from one member of the team (ok it was me). We pressed on knowing that every pedal stroke took us closer to our final destination. In an act of desperation, we got ourselves organised. Working together to maintain a good pace in the hope of eating up the remaining 50 miles. The terrain changed and although hills towered over us on those remaining miles, we meandered around them with no major climbs to mention.
12 hours from when we started we finally (finally!) arrived at our accommodation in Shrewsbury. 134 miles covered. The day had been character building to say the least! We were so tired that we were laughing at all and anything in an effort to keep our spirits high. I think this camaraderie had been a big driver in getting us there and for me, at least, there was a real sense of achievement in covering such a huge distance in one day. We shook hands and congratulated each other on making it before heading inside for well deserved showers and food. The other group had experienced similar challenges with a wrong turn here and there but had also made back in one piece.
Tomorrow, Shrewsbury to Preston and only 103 miles. Easy :-)
UPDATE: Apparently, Hannah had another fall on day 3. More details as soon as I know them.
Comments by Marek Siwicki:
ReplyDeleteMy highlights:
- Sitting at Paddington with a coffee and muffin waiting for the train to go to Penzance for a pigeon to pooh from great height straight onto my muffin plate. A good luck omen no doubt.
- Standing in the pouring rain just before departing to lands end and Matt from Watson Wyatt indicates 'I will just be a minute, I have to put my cleats on my shoes'. 20 miles into the ride, cleats are loose and screws have fallen out. Remember when I said make sure everything is set up and used beforehand, well now you know why.
- Riding at 30mph behind a cute scooter driver, even better watching Matt Pumo suffer and get dropped as we go up a small rise. Definetly one to be talked about in the bar for years to come.
- Watching the sun come out over the bay of St Ives for it to then stay with us for the next few days. Fantastic.
- Watching Garrie Lette depart Newquay with a confident swagger that we will see him later when we catch him up. We are all sitting down for dinner at 8pm in the evening after getting showered and changed for Garrie to then arrive with a huge grin on his face indicating he went wrong somewhere on the way and did an extra 40km, making it 230km for the day. Ouch.
- The look on James Poole's face as he realises he cannot get out of his big ring in time to carry on momentum when he hits a 25% climb.
- Humanshu sitting in a dip having lunch with no phone reception whilst one of our hardy group sits on the side of the road with a puncture and nothing to repair it with. 'Its his own fault, he should have taken another tube' too right. Although rumour is that the hill he was going up was far too steep and he punctured the tube himself on purpose to avoid the remainder of the climb.
- The look of shock on Matt Pumo's face when we annouce we are going to stop at MacDonalds for breakfast. 'You what, we are cyclists, we can't eat in there'. Yes we can, double sausage and bacon mcmuffins all round, Craig Brown even managed two.
- Looking at Garrie Lette in his short shorts and Paul Black in his long shorts and theorising as to whether or not they had managed to get each others wardrobes mixed up in the morning.
- Craig Brown showing Crawford Taylor the intricate methodology of applying udderly smooth to his derriere, you had to be there to believe the conversation.
- The look on Craig Brown and Matt Pumos face when Humanchu sheepishly exited the pub with his coffee in hand to open the van so we could get some drinks just before Bath.
- The crab and crayfish pasta Matt Pumo and I devoured just outside of Stroud on our way back to Bath, awesome and the service was great as well.
Excellent fun guys, I really enjoyed the 3 days and would have been great to stay for longer. Hope the weather stays with you.
hannah!?mcdonalds?!?nooooooooooooooo
ReplyDeletethe haute cuisine aside han you're doing magnificently as u all are!your mother says she's very proud of u hannah
ReplyDelete