What the hell am I doing????
I sign up and actually pay for this form of torture.
It's the 8th of June and my cycling weekend with complete strangers is looming. I haven't been on my bike much at all this year. This is partly due to the lack of good weather, walking activities, laziness and the fear of my SPD's.
I have been to spin classes. I'm not sure how much that will prepare me for 50 miles per day, of the Shropshire roads though... I may never walk properly again after a weekend of cycling that far each day. You don't know until you try and I would never push myself to do 50 miles on my own, so fingers crossed that I don't make a completel pillock of myself or worse, die from exhaustion!!!
Date: 11 June 2010 to 13 June 2010
Forecast: dry on Saturday, showers on Sunday
Actual: dry but cold on Saturday, cold with torrential downpour on Sunday
Team: Lead by Denzi, supported by Tim, consisted of Sandra, Judith, Helen, Alice, Stephen, Will, Jamie and myself.
Met up in the Green Dragon in Little Stretton for dinner on Fri.
141Km over the 2 days. 73 on the Saturday.
Set off Saturday morning:
I forgot to switch it back on after climbing to top of the massive hill so I lost about an hour of recording and approx 6 miles of info on the map. Hey ho. Must also remember to next time take the charger....
The massive hill was called The Burway. It was very steep and long and great fun coming down. It was a shame to share with cars and potholes. If either were guaranteed not to be there it would have been more fun on descent.
At the top of the hill, we had a stop for snacks and one girl (Helen) had come a cropper courtesy of her spd's.
The weather was warming up nicely and we set off for the next stop. Coming down the hill, I was mostly alone. I got to a cattle grid and decided not to cycle over it. My feet would not release from pedals and I fell sideways. Luckily for me, this was into the grit box so a relatively soft landing and also one I could recover from quickly before someone came around the corner and caught me. At the bottom of this hill was the first time I noticed white arrows marking the road. It did cross my mind that they were there for us, but I decided that bit much to spray paint the road.
The journey continued winding around lanes and the arrows were always there. At the next stop (a YHA with toilets - useful) it was pointed out that the arrows were for us. I didn't like to ask how they were painted on the road though.
At the lunch stop (the square patch of grass in Clun just after the posh toilets with classical music playing), I did notice one of the guides filling a water bottle with flour. Apparently, the flour arrows do last quite well even in torrential downpours.
My mind now at ease with the road marking we got back on our bikes. I was stuffed. I had eaten too much of the basic buffet and eaten it too quickly. My bum also hurt getting back on the bike. I hadn't noticed it hurting prior to lunch but now it was throbbing.
The rest of the hills and snack stops were all quite relaxed and I was shattered as we cycled up to the pub. We pre ordered our meal for later on that evening (steak and chips mmmmm) and went back to the B&B for shower and a nap.
I didn't dare lie down incase I didn't want to get back up. It was the night of our first match for the 2010 World Cup. I expected the pub to be packed. We drew 1:1 against USA - pants. The pub wasn't as busy as expected, but our meal was very late. I was starving. I followed it with pudding but was ready for bed by 10.
We all had a good laugh and were all set for Sunday's ride, though my bum did really hurt.
Sunday morning arrived far too quickly for my liking.
I woke up, went down for brekkie. Again the girls were dressed ready to go with stuff in tow. The men had come down in their jeans. Most odd for a quick get away.
Today was intended to be a shorter ride due to people having trains to catch back to London.
It still ended up being 41 miles though.
We got ready to set off and today I had the radio cable tied to my seat post. It started to rain, but soon passed. My bum was very sore on the saddle but I tried to forget about it.
The first stretches of the ride were lovely. Great views, a big hill requiring the pushing of the bike yet again, and a nice stop at the top where I took a few group pictures.
The stretch up to lunch seemed to drag on forever. It was a slight incline that went on for miles. The road was a 'B' road but people were swerving around me. I was riding wider than I normally would due to horrendous pot holes, but there was still plenty of space for people to pass, but they still seemed to feel the urge to scare the living daylights out of me.
The lunch stop just didn't seem to get any closer. Eventually, I reached it on a side road. I wasn't hungry for the wholemeal rolls left over from the previous day (clearly everyone like myself, had opted for white on the Saturday). I ate about half. Knowing that I should be eating but not feeling like it was not good. Also today's rides didn't have the toilets stops that the previous days had.
I needed the loo but there were no decent opportunities. Hey ho.
After lunch, I got my oomph back and we set off again.
The last stop with the support vehicle was 3 miles from the B&B. It had threatened rain all day but nothing serious had happened, so with everyone else, I opted to leave waterproofs in the support vehicle. He literally set off and the heavens opened. A few of us sheltered for a few minutes under the trees hoping it would pass, but it wasn't looking good.
We set off. The rain had increased my oomph, but the downhill bits were a bit scary and slippery. My hybrid bike seemed like the far superior option now.
I got back before 3 other girls which I was surprised about and very pleased about.
I was soaked through. A car had overtaken me and also drowned me. I was not only soaked with rain water, but drenched with muddy water also. Nice. My shoes had given up when the car drenched me.
I have put that bike in and out of that car a billion times. Would it go in now during the rain????
I shoved it in and went to the room to shower hoping that they others would be almost done. Somehow I ended up at the end of the queue. I was too tired to argue, showered, and drove home.
I was shattered, but overall had really enjoyed the entire experience.
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