frankkinlan – Page 24 – Frank Kinlan's Blog

Bob Clift Memorial Ride 2008 (Cheshire Cycleway)

Ride write up to appear in a day or two. Been without Internet for yesterday and today and the site went down to boot. Thanks to Paul for getting it sorted.

Don’t know if it is a sign of the times but I turned up to sign on for the event and wondered where everyone was. 37 had signed up and there probably 10 like me that signed up on the day. A fair bit down on last year. I don’t know if it is the CTC becoming more of a political being and disaffecting the members that just want to go out and ride a bloody bike.

A rain shower had us huddling under a bit of shelter but it eased off and we were on our way. We ended up at the back of the field as Adelle was having a nap in the car and then forgot her water bottle.

Usual suspects for this ride, with the odd one or two that joined us as we all seem to want to do the ride at a similar pace.

The Sunlight passed us early on and we did see them at most of the early control points. A couple of miles past the Steps at Delamere we saw Big Phil of the Sunlight coming the opposite way. ” Short Ride Phil” was the retort.

First section is basically as ride up to the Steps at Delamere.
Now I was off the back as it was time to take off an outer layer, but once on the Steps I went to the front to some comments only to be acknowledged once I got the camera out.

Great Budworth is one of those Cheshire Life villages, still spectacular the second time around. Dropped back to get the shots, turned out quite well.

Once through the village the first stop was the Ice cream farm.

This was a control point but a bit quirky. No scones today as they are for customers. What am I a scone afficinado? They’ve run out but seeing as we are the only ones in sight it is a lame excuse. Felt suffered more than welcome.

The next section finds us riding along waiting for the climb to “The Wizard of Edge” . Phil goes past so isn’t in the shot at the top. This was a great photo opportunity last year but this year due to the popularity of the pub cars all littered the front of it.

Here we lost Graham, only realising we had lost him at the next control. We had had a short stop at the Wizard and then set off thinking we were all up. Unfortunatley Graham went left instead of right and went further off the back. Luckily another group of three riders also made the same mistake and brought him back on course.

The next control is starting to become a bit of a legend. If you mention the ride, this stop always comes up.” We had a control point at someones garage”, preceding it is a climb that is “Engage a low gear” warning stuff. Hurst Lane at Bollington, Ray had overshot by a few yards but this is what we call “Lumpy” , steep but short as are a lot of the UK climbs.

Once leaving the control it is left at the end of the road( to continue climbing) or if you were on Rays route start going downhill. This is the bit that looks worse than it is, partly beause cars coming down it make it look really steep and you get the profile side on.
Going past the terrraced houses is bad enough as it is so narrow with parked cars.

As it was we only had to wait for Graham who was really starting to suffer on the steep stuff. The picture above is at the top of the climb by some sort of memorial or folley before it descends into Macclesfield.

It all got a bit snarled up shortly after this as Ray stopped on the steepest point which was a few yards short of the turn. I was off the back looking for a good shot, very easy to jump to conclusions when planning a ride on a Google map.

The next stop at Eaton is held in the village school this year as the memorial hall is geting rebuilt. At this point we are second to last on the road. Dropped back to get some more pictures as we are on the final leg of the ride.

The last two pictures are my attempts at getting Beeston Castle in the frame it just about comes off, pity about the cloud overhead.

This is the turnoff for Beeston Castle, places like this really make the ride. Past the castle we turn off and go downhill to the humpback bridge over the canal. Addelle stall as she is in way too high a gear for steep side of the bridge. This is easy flat riding now but the wind has picked up and shortly after the Tee junction that takes you to the Ice Cream Farm one way and back to Waverton the other there is a decision to take.
Follow the route along the road by the canal into a headwind or head back past the Crocky Trail. Crocky Trail it was.

More later, but that’s it for the picture uploads.
This post is not finished…until it is finished.

Weekending 15 Jun 08

Monday: Sorted the car out finally. Didn’t feel too good in the afternoon so no ride despite the good weather. Doing a time trial Tuesday night after work so drove the route and Waypointed the start and the OLD finnish. The CTT site doesn’t have the new finish on Roughlyn Crescent. Still feeling the effects of Friday too so no Gym.
Tuesday: Work. Time Trial from Pulford. Put some air in the tubs as you can never have enough and fitted the carbonfibre wheels to the Trek and loaded it up.

Well I’ll cut to the chase 25 minutes 48 seconds, so room for some improvement. Barry took over 2 1/2 minutes out of me and was flying. Looks like I need to invest in a pair of aero bars and spend more time on the bike.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177838
Wednesday: Work. Gym after work, ran for 1 km, rowing, crosstrainer, weight machines. Shower and home for 9pm it’s a long day. Still playing around with multiple route on the 705.
Thursday: Work. Northend clubnight reverted to Seven Stars as barmaid at rugby club was on holiday.
Friday: Work. Blog, bed.
Saturday: Off. Something cropped up so no ride despite the weather. Watched Dauphine Libre on Eurosport and sorted the route out for tommorows ride.
Just got it under 100 waypoints. Good job I found last years route sheet in time. Had a look at last years post and it was a great day, all the pictures coming out really well.
Went to Tesco as they have SIS energy drinks down to £6, bike got the once over, rear tyre starting to square off but it’s a dual compound tyre so the centre tread should be harder wearing.
Sunday: Bob Clift Memorial Ride. 100 miles of the Cheshire Cycleway. Nice ride includes The Wizard of Edge and a climb around Macclesfield that looks worse than it is.

Weekending 08 June 08

Monday: Work.
Tuesday: Work followed by a trip past the new Liverpool One centre. It resembled a scene from the Italian Job. Total gridlock with every traffic light on red. Did a bit more on the Audax post and installed Tracklogs back on the IBM. No support for the 705 yet but the map looked good.
Wednesday: Work. More on the blog, think I’ve finished the Aqueduct post. Think I missed a Lifestyle and Weight Management followup class.
Thursday: Work. Home, blog.
Friday: First day off, must get the gym.Turned up thinking I was going to the gym then a spinning class for the cardio only to find no morning class. Weightmachines, side stepper stepper, crosstrainer and a run later I was done. Thought I had really lost the plot as the bib tights were loose around the leg. I’d either lost leg muscle because I hadn’t been doing anything for a few days or the Nike kit was stretching in the wash. It gets washed a lot.

As it turned out it was neither. I’d picked up a pair of XXL Discovery bibshorts that I’d bought when I bought the Toy. What a relief.

Went out and bought Cycling Plus for the Edge 705 review. I eventually found it in the Road Tested section. They give it 9 out of 10 but what a dissapointment the article was. Just over half a page they haven’t done their homework as they would like to see OS maps on the thing.

Spinning class. Good weather meant a few didn’t turnup so I got a bike.
Saturday: Ride day I hope. Late to the Eureka meant there were only three of us in the cafe and in walks Keith Boardman from the Northend Club weekend. Found himself out of breath going up the Green past Northop. I’m panting away on this climb but Keith reckons it is not normal for him. Saw the route and it covers sections of last Saturdays Audax. Set out on a ride only to find Northenders coming back the other way and others I knew.
Now I’m starting to reflect from where I’ve come in the last 2 years. Looking back at the weightloss diary I was 104.7 Kg Eu or 230 pounds American or 16.5 stone British 2 years ago and as a treat I bought myself the Toy. This morning I was 85 Kg, 3 kg above my best which was last year. So today,s ride was about going back two years to when I set the site up and started writing about easy rides for the overweight.

Nothing hilly but I did do Rest Hill to see if I’ve lost that much form as I think I have. Then on to Woodside to see the U Boat that they have moved there. They have cut it in two and it gives you a good level of detail as to what it’s like inside from the outside.
There is an aircraft carrier docked at Liverpool but it a fraction of the size of the old Arc Royal. Seacombe has been refurbed but at least 4 people carriers went past me despite the new signs. The tunnel vent shaft is not for parking on now being completley flat.

Pity that part of the ride was missing as someone had pinched part of the block pavement out of sight of the video cameras.

The ride from Seacombe was easy enough as it is totally flat but once you reach the prom and Harrison drive the kites were in abundance. I’d had a stop at the Cafe in the park and thought I saw Sasha with her new baby as I was leaving.
Liquid stop at Lidl on Leasowe Road and onto the sea defences by the lighthouse.
Caught up and passed a chap who grabbed the wheel until we hit the road at Hoylake.
Then onto West Kirby for a stop at the seating by the bowling green by the lake.
A drink and flapjack later it is the final leg to Caldy opting to take the route up Thurstaton cutting.
I remember stopping on this before but now it is not a problem and past the Cottage Loaf I opt for cycle path.

I’ve had agro from idiot car driver for not using the path and seen it dished out to others too. There is central reservation painted on the road that gives them miles of room to pass unhindered. Stay off the path when there is hedge cutting as you will get punctures.
Sunday: Jack day at the Kite festival. Caught the Sun and came home a little after 1 as streams of cars were heading out that way.

Spinning class at West Kirby still has me hurting from Fridays Gym session so that is me done for the week.

Site is coming up to 2 years old, looked back at the first month and boy it seems like eons ago. Another birthday party coming up by the look of things.

Aqueduct Audax

Truly great day ( for 30 of us). Got confirmation of my entry last night from Stan and finally sorted my route out. The first climb done in the car did scare me but at least it sorted out a few discrepancies when trying to plot a GPS route.
Got to the Aqueduct car park in good time, so good that I was nearly first there. Peter was there from the Presidents CTC ride last year and A.N.Other.

One thing that quickly became apparent was that this was a serious ride. You only had to look at the equipment being unloaded off or out of the cars to see that you don’t take on a ride like this lightly. Carbon was everywhere, a year or so it unusual but not anymore. I used to get asked if my Trek was carbon with various remarks about it.
There was a chap with a nice new shiny Rourke in I think 953. The AAA points mark it out as a serious ride and looking by the low entry numbers I think it scares a lot of people off. Call it a Sportife, charge 3 or 4 times the entry fee, put a start finish banner up and there would be hundreds here.

You can talk about gearing all day and by enlarge we did. You need some low gearing for an event like this, the lower the better and then your still likely to find it not low enough. I’m riding 30×27 which is quite a popular combination for a triple once you’ve found 25 a struggle on some of the steep stuff. Compacts usually come in 34×27 and there were plenty here using that gearing. It’s the trade off for not putting a triple on a bling carbon bike. It all comes into focus within 2 Km of the start.

Once we had been set off it was a spectacular ride over the canal and a descent to the River Dee. Here we got to see the aqueduct in all it’s glory. No time for a picture yet as the is a small climb up past the finish and then on to the first dish of the day.

Methodist Hill and a no swearing clause in the route. Marked down as 18% and the Garmin Edge 705 proved it true. This was seriously steep and had me maxxed out along with most of the field on their carbonfibre exotica. Don’t forget all those Compact chainsets.

Now I’m struggling along with the rest of the Lycra clad brigade when this chap on an old nail of a bike just spins past us. Not only that he has a saddle bag across the back that could deliver mail to a small postal district.

He just disappeared into the distance, I’m pretty sure it was Stan the organiser. I voiced the opinion that this guy was taking the piss only to have it confirmed further up the climb. He was gone and we were left floundering in his wake. 7 km in the first checkpoint, name on the silo which I got and the others of Phil and Peter missed. What goes up comes down and it was a steep descent onto the A road leading to the Chain Bridge Hotel.

There is a bit of history here, 27 years ago I spent my honeymoon there and went back for my 25th Wedding anniversary. Spent a couple of days on Brian’s trail bike that I managed to set fire to after the wedding reception. Just Married, bike on fire, a great start. The place was on the up when I went back and I’ve got to admit the scrambled egg with salmon for breakfast is one of the finest things I have tasted. It was superb.
Cooked to perfection, memorable for the rest of a lifetime.

Caught up with Peter and Phil and then it was on to another highlight of the day, the Horseshoe Pass. Phil was off the front and I went up chatting to Peter. In the granny at a few steep bits but it’s not the worst thing on god’s earth. I think it’s reputation comes from it being an A road. Stop at the top for a photo shoot and then on past the Ponderosa.

The next bit has me going downhill on the drops, I ease up for the cattle grid as I don’t want to puncture as Guy did on another ride. Next thing this chap on the Rourke is having a go at me, No Fear with this guy, he has taken lots of yards out of me by not slowing for the cattlegrid but stops for his mates at the roundabout up the hill.

Further on I’m on the front but the dreaded Cateye rear light bracket comes into play. The road is that rough that the bracket slides down the seatstay and starts rubbing on the cassette. Phil and Peter stop twice but Rhyll CC are gone. The light gets put in the pocket. A wheel is always handy on a ride, you’ve just got to get on the right one. The first control is the cafe car park by the river in Ruthin and gives us a chance to regroup.

The next section out of Ruthin is really nice with a gradual climb along a valley through Clocaenog Forest. What goes up must come down and there is a steep descent to Pentre-llyn-cymmer. Don’t ask how you pronounce it even the simple stuff is hard enough.

The control at Llyn Brenig is a chance to grab a bite to eat and fill a bottle from Stan,s van and a chance to mingle again with other riders. Rhyl CC were really good to us on this ride, pointing out danger points and warning us of what was to come.

Climbing out of Llyn Brenig the scenery changes to rolling moorland with no trees for miles. For some reason we have lost the Rhyll CC wheel, Peter falls back on the fast descents as he is on a flat bar bike. The descent to the next info point is big ring stuff with me getting up to 40 MPH. I was going great guns until a car overtook me and a startled sheep ran across the road.

The car braked heavily, there was another car coming the other way to compound things with this sheep and it’s lamb darting all over the road. I’ve mentioned before about descending on the drops because of the better braking leverage and boy did it come into play here. Grabbing the brakes at 40mph had the rear lock up and step out on me in an adrenalin filled moment. The sheep and lamb darted back onto the moor and Peter and Phil drew up having watched the antics from behind.

Regaining a bit of composure I wasn’t going to waste the rest of the descent so gave it another go to the next info point at 100 Km. ” Distance to Bala on the signpost” , well it didn’t have one. There was a note on it but I didn’t see it, but what did catch my eye was all these familiar bikes outside this Cafe in the middle of nowhere.

It used to be the highest petrol station in Wales but is now a cafe. It turned out to be a worthwhile stop . Scone for me, I don’t remember what cake Phil had but it looked and was really good. Peter missed out and was to regret it later. The others were on the leather sofa,s and it was another of those places that you wouldn’t want to leave but had to, to make the finnish. Junction of the B5391 and B4407

This place wants making into a control point next year if it runs. Tea at 75p in the middle of nowhere isn’t going to break the bank.

Next up was the run into Bala going from 1200 to 550ft in the car park. It’s virtually all downhill to Corwen and we nearly have a run in with a boyracer in his Subaru Imprezza. The road was really potholed forcing us to come out. Others had passed OK but this lad wants to gun it as close as possible. I was expecting we would see each other again as what else is there to do but drive around in circles when you are out in the sticks.

Sure enough he trundles by when we are stopped as Peter is starting to suffer a bit. The ride back to Llangollen is a bit lumpy with a small climbs that went up to 17% gradient on the Edge. The road takes us past the Horseshoe Falls and we join the route out to the bottom of the Horseshoe Pass.

Word from Stan is the second left past the motor museum is the easier way up to the Panorama. The first left looked really steep and would have been a struggle. We stop at the next left for a discussion about going up that one. Peter doesn’t feel up to it, Phil doesn’t see the point with 2,600 plus metres under our belt so the road it was, turned out most had opted for the same thing. I think maybe a few of the solo riders did the last climb as you know your own pace and ride with that in mind.

The turn in to Trevor can’t come soon enough. I’ve got to get a picture of the aqueduct from the bottom and Peter has to get some food in him even though the finish is about 300 yards away. A drink awaited at the finish and bought some excellent Bara Brith from the village hall. Chatted with some of the other finishers and then we had to decide the way back to the carpark.
Stan suggested walking over the aqueduct and it proved to be a sound suggestion. It was quite busy even though it had gone 6. Canal boats running bridge tours and the one that you can see with Phil who I think were on holiday. Their holiday just got a bit more interesting as their engine cut out right in the middle.
Phil and I are hobbling across on Look cleats and they still hadn’t got it going when I parked up the Toy for the final shot. There is a canal boat full of people on a trip backed up behind them.
Pack the bike into the car and head home until the next one.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148408

Stunning detail when you zoom in, even where Phil and I walked across the Aqueduct.
There is a lot that hasn’t made it into the post but I have to stop somewhere and this it it. Another great day.

Colnago Carbitubo

This was my first roadbike, offered to me by my brother as a triathlete was too stingy to come up with the goods and prefered to do the cycling on a mountainbike, I kid you not. £400 wetsuit no problem. Pushbike, no problem, I’ll do it on a mountainbike.
Just confirms my oppinion of a few Triathletes are totally nutz.

Not suggesting that all Triathletes are nutz but why on earth would you ride an MTB when even like something of the above is considered a leisure position. Now I broke my first Carbitubo. I didn’t realise what it was, the Ferrari of cycles at the time. Mine was a Khazahstan team bike in the Tour of Britain. It had seen good use but wasn’t up to a 19 stone pounding. Not over the roads I was riding.

This is my second and it feels very relaxed, probably because it a size too big for me. It has been fitted out with all my surplus gear so hasn’t cost me anything other than what it cost me on Ebay.

It is fitted out in my surplus Sora Groupset, much to many of you’s disgust. Now I love my Trek Madone and the Iceni is still worth riding but going out on a classic bike like this still gives you that buzz. It must be the two down tubes as there is nothing out there like it.

Another thing is the quality of the workmanship pantagraphed cloverleaf logo’s decorate all the lugs and it really does make the bike an eye catcher. This was before the likes of the superb paintwork styles of some of the later bikes.

Use of carbon fibre was in it’s infancy when this bike was released and Colnago went down the road to Ferrari to borrow some of their expertise. With my first one coming apart at the seams it opened my eyes up to how versatile carbonfibre is.

This bike now about 17 years old looks like a normal bike for the period. The chainstay where it first came apart looks like a normal aluminium or steel chainstay. The material is very very thin. It is about 2mm thick at max, more like 1.5mm and the more I read up on epoxies to fix it the more I was convinced what a wonder material carbonfibre was.

I didn’t know it was carbonfibre at the time when I bought it, just that it was a bike I had to have. The ride was electric when I tried it out, razor sharp, responding to every pedal input, even at 19 stone. It needed a new set of wheels as one was black and one was silver. So upgrade time it was, the ride to Wheelbase was an eyeopener I just couldn’t hack downtube shifters, I was all over the place. Dangerously so, so it was an upgrade to STI,s.

Now the general consensus is an Italian bike needs a Campag groupset but when you haven’t a clue about groupsets or STI’s pounds shillings and pence start to come into it. Sora it was as the upgrade was going to cost what I paid for the bike. For that I got a set of Mavic MA3 rims on 105 hubs, Shimano Sora 8 speed double shifters and a decent job on the bar tape. Setup was faultless. Clearly a case of using your local bike shop until you learn some core skills.

19 stone on a double is hard work at times when you have no concept of what fitness is. The ride home had me in 39×25 on a gentle climb and I mean gentle. Town Lane, Bebington, hardly a climb at all. Back to Wheelbase for the next upgrade.

A triple on a Colnago surely some mistake. But a triple it was, I’m still trying to get any cycling clothes to fit me at this stage. Mixing with other cyclists and sharing knowledge was not even a concept in my mind. What did I have to offer?

Now the Colnago name on the bike had me as a marked man, everybody and I mean everybody had me in their sights. There wasn’t a club or rider at one time that hadn’t passed me or dropped me. I’m sure the bike used to spur them on, ” I’ve just passed some fat bastard on a Colnago” used to readily spring to mind.

It all ended when I separated the chainstay from the dropout on a ride going over Montgomery Hill, Caldy. Picked up the mobile to Val and asked to be picked up. It was a bleak moment in my fledgling cycling career.

More later when I take some pictures of the detail that makes this a fine bike. 01 jun 08
More later when I start living the dream.

Weekending 01 June 08

Monday: Work. Home but spend too long on net searching for the Polo suspension knock problem. Should have done some exercise of any sort but blew it, didn’t even put the pedals back on the bike.
Tuesday: Work. Put the pedals back on the Trek. Blog.
Wednesday: Work. Spinning class at West Kirby to blow the cobwebs off. Haven’t done much for nearly a week and I thought it was beginning to show. Solid class with 29.30 minutes firmly in zone 4 on the HRM and 8.26 minutes in zone 5.
Uploaded the class to GarminConnect and TrainingCentre just by plugging in the USB ANT stick no problem.

Snapshot of last weeks rides.
Thursday: Booked in for a Morning Spinning class and will go the gym. Buy the Comic. Route to sort out for the Audax, plus a load of other stuff. Giro live to catch up on.Wishfull thinking about the 10 in view of Saturdays ride.
Early session in the gym followed by a decent spinning session. Feel good and I’m going to take it easy now as there are a few climbs that I haven’t done on Saturday like the Horseshoe Pass for one.
Car next to me was getting a ticket when I came out, an expensive 30p.
Aldi on the way home for some fruit and berries, it does appear to be a lot cheaper than Tesco,s as I seem to spend a fortune on fresh berries for my breakfast. Quaker Oat Granola was 2 for 1 at Tesco last week so I stocked up.

Couldn’t get to grips with the Aqueduct route so drove to the start and tried following it to Ruthin. Went wrong twice and Methodist Hill is going to be hard even in the granny ring. It has all the making of a Killer Climb. It’s REALLY steep and narrow.
Friday: Work. Home early to sort out the route. The first part is tricky as you can’t see the roadsigns from a satellite. Sort the Trek out and add a few more points later.
There is a hell of a lot of climbing in this ride and is going to be a real test.
The toy has had a once over and the bag packed. Route is as good as its going to get.
Only 30 riders according to Stan so the CTC points comp could be interesting.
Definitely a 2 bottle ride. Steve Cummings 4th on todays Giro stage.
Saturday: Aqueduct 175 Audax. Signed up online following Janets email about the event. CTC points comp qualifier. 2540 metres of climbing for 1.25 AAA points.
Nice day, car all loaded up, all the makings of a great ride.
A really great day, perfect weather a challenging route and stunning scenery made it a day to remember. Settled down to write it up only to have Anon loose the plot and post two comments on the Colnago post above.
Sunday: Jack day. Had a go of Paul’s Wii-Fit and although the initial thought was sceptical I was turned around after having ago. It is no wonder they have sold out.
I was holding imaginary poles on the skiing game, worked a sweat up on 6 minutes of the hula hoop and the whole thing just opened my eyes as to they way home exercising is going to take off.
Basically wireless load sensors for each foot or arm it relies on you using your own body weight. About twice the size of a set of scales, worthy of a post of its own.
Watched Alberto Contador win the Giro on Eurosport, a fitting end to a hectic week.
Still getting over yesterdays ride but I could have gone out before breakfast but as it was rain stopped play later on, only highlighting what such a good day yesterday was.

Weekending 25 May 08 (Spanish Edition Part II)

Monday: Rain stopped play but it was a chance to update the blog and answer a few Garmin questions. A 5AM start for Valencia Airport meant it was going to be a long day. Looked for an English newspaper for an hour or so as I´ve been cut off from the outside world for a week. Toured a few ghost towns, sorry Spanish beach resorts, heavens opened, returned to Barx and it was sunny and light til past 9. Should have gone down to Simat for the climb.
Tuesday: Thought I would do Geddes´s loop to Simat. Had to get off on the bend at Puig Mola as the chain jumped sprocket at the Restaurant. Tightened the lever and it was OK for the rest of the climb. Managed to hit the pothole that Geddes showed me the other day and puncture.

Thought I would patch it only to find I had brought all my 10 speed chain spares but no glue for the patches.
So a tube went in and ultimately alters the course of the day. I´m down to 1 spare tube so take things easier. Stop for a few pictures to update the site next week.
Nice ride down to Simat after climbing up from Pla de Corralls. Ride isn´t finished yet but it looks like a trip to Tavernes for a puncture outfit. Went to Tavernes and picked up some patches. Rode down to Xeraco Beach, stopped at a supermarket for a drink and should have took a picture of the street as it was deserted.
Garmin locked up and didn’t notice until I was in the backstreets of Tavernes. Rode up to Simat.
This was the highlight of the week, looks a bit worse than it is. Double click to enlarge then enlarge again.

Took a picture of the climb from the bottom of the mountain and settled on the start line and turn on the Forerunner 50 and the 705 for a time.
As luck would have it two guys from Gandia cycling club are tackling the climb and as this is their backyard I thought I would see how long I could stick with them.
We all know it’s undeclared war out there on climbs like this and I held on dropping off 20 yards or so in places to get it back when they eased up on the straights.
I’m maxed out at a steady 170 BPM which then goes up to 185 BPM on a decent push.
Near the summit I haven’t been dropped and this is where I make my move, out the saddle and drop a gear with a sprint to the finish. Not sure if it went down too well with the guys from the Gandia cycling club especially when you see the bike I’m on. Six speed with 42 on the inner ring but 32 on the back. I’ll have to work it out in inches but the gaps are large.

The time 18:49.91
Wednesday: Ride day, out with Geddes from 9 AM with 70-80 km pencilled in. Geddes managed to hit the pothole that I punctured on at Puig Mola and then we got stuck behind a line of lorries going to a chicken farm. after that it was all down hill to Barxetta with Frederico leading the was picking up a Spanish Champion along the way. Destination is a Col out of Xativa which has a Medieval Castle overlooking it.
Geddes wins the points competition on the climb narrowly from Frederico and then it was a fast descent to Belus. It would have been quicker but the chain had come off the front chainwheel and I had to stop. More to follow. Including the route of the ride.
Lost the Edge 705 off the handlebars on what proved to be a worrying 20 minutes or so until it was found. It fell of the bars at about 25 mph and marked the case but other than that it was fine. A rider stopped to help find it and was amazed to see it getting put on a 15 year old bike. It being worth more than the bike.

Stopped for a Coke at Simat before climbing the mountain to Barx for the last time.
Another great days riding.

Route to follow when I sort the TrainingCentre out, GarminConnect doesn’t like 5 Mb of ride data loading into it.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113316

Thursday: Last full day. Had a quiet day ,had thought about a quick lap up from Simat but it was just a feverish imagination.
Friday: Return home. Garmin Nuvi 250W sorted us out at Alicante airport by finding the filling station to sort out the hire car. This was not easy as the station is on the wrong side of a dual carriage way. You can see it but not reach it. Spanish road signs are not lit at night and I’ve missed a turn as I couldn’t make the turn in time.
SatNav in a foreign country does work just have the most recent maps as countries like Spain are changing all the time.
Saturday: Nothing planned but you never know. Had one of those days where I’m glad it was sorted once it was over.
I’m going to write a guide on how not to change a stoplight on a Polo, it was that bad and had to be done today no matter what. No ride but there there is so much to catch up on. Caught up on the Giro de Italia so all was not lost.
Sunday: Work.

Weekending 18 May 08 (Spanish Edition)

Monday: Work, pack bags including cycling kit and Edge 705 for Spain. I’ve loaded the 705 with Valencia Provence so I should be alright. There aren’t that many road to get lost on from what I can tell. Every day out is going to mean a Mountain top finish. Should be a good break. Factor 50 in the bag.
Tuesday: Early departure……

Normal service suspended for the next couple of days.

Wednesday: Geddes has been kind enough to lend me his old bike and take me out for a ride of his local loop. Last time I tackled the first part to Puig Mola I ended up stopping but I´m a good 5 stone lighter now so it it was dooable. From then on it´s narrow and downhill with the occasion pothole. It emerges on the Simat to Barxetta road which means a bit of climbing to get a great run into Simat.

It´s all logged on the 705 and I even managed to get a few pictures on the way down before it got too fast.
Once in Simat we stop at the pedestrian crossing at the foot of the climb to Barx.
This climb has been one of my goals for a few years now, so this is it.
Geddes warns me about it being a drag up to the bridge and he is right, from then on there are 8 alpine turns along the 8 Km to the summit.
It´s hard work and I am maxing out as the gradient is around the 8% mark in places with you needing to use the outer of the bends to make it easier for yourself.

I ended up with a time of 19 minutes plus which was just over a minute up on Geddes.
Geddes by the way is 62/63 and goes really well.

Did an afternoon trip to Gandia and a loop to Tavernes up to Simat and the climb again.
Stopped for a few pictures but you are looking at 25+ minutes.
Thursday: Rode down to Gandia and along the coast to Cullera back via Sueca dreaded N332 and the Simat to Barx climb. Still harder after about 50 miles.

Friday: La Font breakfast, already legendary and organised by Mike. The legend had a whole new chapter added today.
Saturday: Rest and recovery day.
Sunday: Great day out with Geddes and a few of the Barx cycling club. A 15 Km 2000ft climb out of Pego.

Denia cycling club passed us on the way up and we all grabed a wheel but all got shelled off the back including me with a Km to go. Actually they had turned around at about 1500 ft in the village and went back down to a Cafe.

When we were descending back to Pego we picked them up as they were leaving and boy was it fast, I fell off the back as I lost the tow. Geddes was still in there for a good while. The boys with the deep section carbon wheels had moved to the front and were dragging everybody along. I was loosing up to 10 mph on them solo.
Then on to the highlight of the ride for me Gandia to La Drova. A steady climb out of Gandia until about 2.5 km from the summit. This is my first go at it and I´ve been wanting to tackle it for at least 2 years.
I´ve already had a good ride in the legs and at the bottom of the twisty bits I´m already in 44/ 32 (32 tooth dinner plate on the back) then it´s 1.5 km of 10/11% straight up. The night before there were two cars in the ditch when it rained.
This ranks in the top ten of the hardest things I have done. I´m trying to take it easy but there is no such thing, the heartrate is gradually creeping up from 141 BPM to 171 BPM and there it stays. Not quite in the same league as the Bylch Y Groes but who could ride the Bylch everyday.

A moody picture of Geddes reaching the summit of the Gandia to La Drova climb. It is tough but do-able.
Glad to have done it a fitting end to a great day.

Northend ride to Worlds End.

Double click on pictures at least twice to see the full screen version.

This turned out to be a classic club ride. Arranged the night before after the Time Trial I nearly missed it. I’d sauntered down to the Eureka after going back for my saddlebag.
Got there early to get Frank’s Breakfast down me and spoke with few about my rides going backwards including Ray and Keith Boardman.

I’d backed off, not given 100% and was beating myself up over it.

It was short sleeves and bib short weather and I ended up chasing the bunch down to Woodbank. Things were going good we all got down to the lights at the A5117 got across them fine and then got held up by a set of lights at the sliproad. Here we met up with our irate motorist of the day, sounding his horn at us.
Over what I don’t know but considering the number of waves we got for waving cars and vans past when we saw it was clear it was the only incident. We had another around Wrexham when a car came up real close on JJ’s wheel because of oncoming traffic but that was it.

Didn’t get dropped this week going along the Dee or on the road through Saltney so things are looking up. In fact things are going OK until the back of Kinnerton where I start to fall off the back on some of the climbs. Barry is dishing out the pace but there is always a fresh guy on your wheel when you begin to falter. Paul stops and the group wait for first me to catch up but Paul never shows as we had made two turns out of his sight.

Supposedly we are going out to the Mountain Bike Centre but Northend rides are fluid. We are going up the Steps but before then we have to get back on the group, we get together at a set of traffic lights but it is clear we have two sets of abilities on the ride and I’m clearly in the second set.

I’m off the back before we reach the Steps. This is granny ring stuff for me or at least the bottom ring on a compact. The granny always wins for me as I catch Dave Newbie on the final step, he’s on 39×25 and I’m on 30×27. 39×25 is still a big ring for this sort of steep climb. A 53/39 chain ring is designed for Racers not mere mortals like me who struggle when I come to something steep.

There are enough Northenders for at least 3 ability rides on a Wednesday may I suggest Elite, Club and Social. I’d class myself a club/social. Like a Cafe stop but ain’t good enough to do a big loop without a stop. Now for me this is a two bottle ride, from experience I know if I don’t have two bottles of water or SIS I am going to be in trouble.

Going up the Steps sweat is pouring out of me, I ‘ve got my Discovery cap on and it is dripping off the peak. All over my £271 Garmin 705. The sweat evaporates to leave a salt stain. I’m not King of the Mountains but the Lantern Rouge. Once over the top Dave regains his pride and I can’t get into the granny ring for the next climb so we are in the same boat. No real time to recover and we are off again.

The next section fills me with doubt , Andy Walsh (club champion) says “See the house up there, that’s where we are going” and sure enough we do. The real test is the climb up from Minera. There are three of us at the back, Moi, Dave Newbie and Barry. The rest have flown. Andy goes around and I have to stop to put the chain on the granny ring. Dave said I need to get in my lowest gear as it just gets steeper later on around the first bend. don’t know why it wouldn’t go in to the granny ring now as it was alright going up the steps.
I catch up we Dave and basically we discuss the meaning of life and how we’ve got it back.

It is agreed we stop at the Prospect Cafe come what may. Now last year the Northend got knocked back at the Prospect but no problems this year (It is involved but the service is relaxed).
Wear a set of brake blocks out on the descent to Worlds End Ford, walkers on the wrong line but it is steep. Opt to take the steps across the ford as I nearly came off riding it last year. Barry has some great pictures.

Club photo opportunity at the ford and then we head off down hill towards Panorama.

Along the lane two escaped sheep are trying to outrun the group. Just when you thought it was going to the side it would dart back across your wheel. It gets sorted but they are a fair way from where they started.

I’ve been shelled of the back on this section as I can’t get into the granny ring on the climb near the abbey and saw the group climbing this section and from where I was it looked steep, when I actually came to it it wasn’t that bad. Found that magic gear and caught Dave Newbie up. Dave had managed to get another concussion puncture and we had agreed to stop at the Cafe whatever the others were doing.

Five of us opt to take the cake stop at the “Prospect Cafe ” as Dave has two punctures. The rest ride on. There is a bit of history with this place , last year the club got knocked back, a week later the Seamons Audax was here in force including me having 3 scones.

We spend a good hour at the cafe before we refill with water and head back to the Eureka. Dave had his two punctures sorted by the time the tea and scones came.

The ride back to the Eureka is big ring stuff with only a stop for Dave to put more air in his tyre as it was rolling off the rim on the bends. There is no picture of Barry on the Dee cycleway as he zoomed off at 34 mph with the wind behind him, were we had an easy 20mph. Barry makes a few breaks during the ride my effort on the Saltney rail bridge is thwarted by a red traffic light.
Barry has another go up Woodbank with Andy Walsh taking off after him, don’t know who made it to the junction first but we were well down.

Soup at the Eureka looked good. I’d had the usual oat bar and Lucozade Sport. Rode back via the Missing link with Barry and Andy.
77 miles and a great day.
Link to GarminConnect Map to follow.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/73434

Astana at the Giro

I’m glad to see Astana invited to the Giro at the last minute. I followed Steve Cummings in his Giro ride last year.
Can they pull something off with next to no time for preparatrion I don’t know but they have a lot of good riders. Contador must be chomping at the bit to prove himself following his TDF victory and not getting invited back.
The loyalties are now split between BarlowWorld and Astana. I’ve got a wardrobe full of Disco kit and it is really good stuff.
As I’m only playing at this I do like to have the full kit rather than just a jersey and shorts.

I’ve just seen the rider entry list, Barloworld and Steve Cummings behind Astana.

Just read the the Andy Hampsten story in Pro Cycling and he was the first and up to now last American to win a Giro stage. Must have felt like I felt on the Audax last month but with a few thousand metres on me. Tough guy, I’m a wimp in comparison.

Ongoing…..

Just watched Giro leader Alberto Contador go up the 12 Km Mountain Time Trial in 34×30, I always knew I needed lower gearing when going up a 1 in 4 climb !!!

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