/sentiment, but not necessarily competent enough to ride the distance.Our day started with 0600 reveille. Breakfast of porridge & double espresso. I made up my own concoction of electrolyte drink (glucose, sugar, salt, fruit juice & water) for us both. Some last minute pumping up of tyres, an early morning filming session, and a swift (Bloody cold) cycle 5 miles into Winchester Rail station to catch the 0723. We only just made the train, it was waiting on the platform. Managed to get on whilst the guard was gesticulating for us to move further up the platform. Once on we met Nick from Eastleigh, another L2B biker and 2 year veteran. He managed to fill us in on a few stories about the event.
Once at Clapham Junction, I programmed the trusty Sat Nav, and navigated to the start line on Clapham Common via a lovely coffee shop for a pain Au chocolat and Americano coffee. For reasons of cycle security I managed to persuade my cold sensitive lil' bro to sit outside and enjoy our second breakfast (I've never seen anyone down a baguette, and coffee so fast, so he could get on his way- out of the cold)! 10 Min's later we set off for the start line, and were in situ by 0910, for our official start time of 0930. We were still bloody cold, and wishing we had an extra layer (or my Gucci arm warmer thingies). A lot of queuing, peeing and brave talk later (0950), and we were off. Slowly, but surely we meandered out of London, stopping just before Reigate as we went under the M25, as some nutter had
come off their bike going too fast downhill.
I myself managed to get just over 41 MPH down the same hill (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37594649) cleverly avoiding the amateurs on Raleigh's. We eventually made Nutfield near Merstham for our first stop. I thought it most important to re-fuel with 2 bacon butties and a cup of tea, Kiff thought it important to set up a mobile cycle workshop for exotic females in trouble! Cycles sorted, energy level re-charged we set off again. We had a slightly longer run with not so many cyclists zig-zagging accross the road for about 10 miles, so we got up a head of steam, and bumped the average speed up from 9.2 to 10.6 MPH (wow).
We made steady headway to Haywards Heath, where we were stopped again. Later we learned some poor soul had been casevac'd off the mountain (Ditchling Beacon Hill ) after a heart attack. He later died in hospital. Our condolences, thoughts and best wishes to his poor family.
And so the slow slog toward the Ditchling Beacon Hill. We had heard tales en route that it was a 33% monster. My wife had driven it the night before and told me it seemed like a 1/10, knowing her propensity for underestimating all things numerical ('how much was that love'? 'oh only a couple of quid'), i thought that it would likely be approx 15% (It's not known in cycling circles as much of a climb). That said, when we got to the bottom everybody, but everybody was walking it with no opportunity to attempt to ride it. After a few hundred meters of walking a few brave souls shouted for the walkers to pull over to the left, and let the riders go through. That was it. Shoes clipped in up I went at all of 2 MPH, in fact so slow that at one point I lost my balance and was unable to unclip from the pedals, so fell off. Oh the ignominy. Posh bike, posh wheels, posh shoes lying sideways on the tarmac whilst a Raleigh rust-bucket goes screaming past. I actually think that I have managed t o fracture my elbow. It's damn sore now (2 days later). Fortunately there is no photographic evidence. Anyway, once over the top of Ditchling it was a quick 15 mins into Brighton seafront, and the adoring Masses (well my kids, wife 2 Nephews, and niece). Yet another queue to pass the finish line. Stamp the completion card, free bottle of water, and the coveted finishers gold effect medal (my son is now the proud owner).
A double 99' on the seafront, followed by fish & chips from Harry Ramsdens finished off a memorable day.
Would I ride it again? Not for me, but I would if my son or wife wanted to do it. For a cyclist, there was just too much stopping, and walking (my cleats are a real mess). That and the thought that somebody might recognise me as the flash git who fell of on Ditchling Beacon hill would be too much to bear.
Great to be out with my lil' bro though, just Etape Hibernia to go in August. But we have promised a self organised excursion in North Wales in July (the Horseshoe Pass around Llangollen)? Maybe join us for that one?
come off their bike going too fast downhill.I myself managed to get just over 41 MPH down the same hill (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37594649) cleverly avoiding the amateurs on Raleigh's. We eventually made Nutfield near Merstham for our first stop. I thought it most important to re-fuel with 2 bacon butties and a cup of tea, Kiff thought it important to set up a mobile cycle workshop for exotic females in trouble! Cycles sorted, energy level re-charged we set off again. We had a slightly longer run with not so many cyclists zig-zagging accross the road for about 10 miles, so we got up a head of steam, and bumped the average speed up from 9.2 to 10.6 MPH (wow).
We made steady headway to Haywards Heath, where we were stopped again. Later we learned some poor soul had been casevac'd off the mountain (Ditchling Beacon Hill ) after a heart attack. He later died in hospital. Our condolences, thoughts and best wishes to his poor family.
And so the slow slog toward the Ditchling Beacon Hill. We had heard tales en route that it was a 33% monster. My wife had driven it the night before and told me it seemed like a 1/10, knowing her propensity for underestimating all things numerical ('how much was that love'? 'oh only a couple of quid'), i thought that it would likely be approx 15% (It's not known in cycling circles as much of a climb). That said, when we got to the bottom everybody, but everybody was walking it with no opportunity to attempt to ride it. After a few hundred meters of walking a few brave souls shouted for the walkers to pull over to the left, and let the riders go through. That was it. Shoes clipped in up I went at all of 2 MPH, in fact so slow that at one point I lost my balance and was unable to unclip from the pedals, so fell off. Oh the ignominy. Posh bike, posh wheels, posh shoes lying sideways on the tarmac whilst a Raleigh rust-bucket goes screaming past. I actually think that I have managed t o fracture my elbow. It's damn sore now (2 days later). Fortunately there is no photographic evidence. Anyway, once over the top of Ditchling it was a quick 15 mins into Brighton seafront, and the adoring Masses (well my kids, wife 2 Nephews, and niece). Yet another queue to pass the finish line. Stamp the completion card, free bottle of water, and the coveted finishers gold effect medal (my son is now the proud owner).A double 99' on the seafront, followed by fish & chips from Harry Ramsdens finished off a memorable day.
Would I ride it again? Not for me, but I would if my son or wife wanted to do it. For a cyclist, there was just too much stopping, and walking (my cleats are a real mess). That and the thought that somebody might recognise me as the flash git who fell of on Ditchling Beacon hill would be too much to bear.
Great to be out with my lil' bro though, just Etape Hibernia to go in August. But we have promised a self organised excursion in North Wales in July (the Horseshoe Pass around Llangollen)? Maybe join us for that one?
