I will probably do separate posts on some of these activities but just as a quick summary these have been the highlights of my summer :
MAY
Richmond Five Dales Sportive
Actually mine was the Richmond Four Dales as I only did the 80 mile option rather than the full 100 miles.
A tough cyclosportive through the Yorkshire Dales that started and finished in Richmond, North Yorkshire. The Stang and Tan Hill took strength out of my legs so "sadly" I missed the cut off to allow me to go up Fleet Moss (from the Hawes) and Park Rash (from Kettlewell). What a relief!
The Richmond Sportive was part of a bank holiday weekend of cycling in Yorkshire.
The trip started in Leeds from where I made my way to the Yorkshire Dales via Thirsk, with a stopover in Masham for a pint of Black Sheep.
The day ended with a very tough climb over some lost and lonely moors which was actually the edge of the military firing range. I just had the sound of gun shots for company as I sauntered over to the Youth Hostel at Grinton Lodge.
After my exploits at the cyclosportive I made my way over to the Lake District where I enjoyed a lovely evening meal with my friend Lois, on the edge of Lake Windermere, in the shadow of the mountains. The following day I wended my way back into Yorkshire to pick up my train. This involved riding across the Forest of Bowland - and guess what, it doesn't have any trees at all!
JUNE
Quebrantahuesos cyclosportive. It was amazing to see how to small villages in the foothills of the Pyrenees - Jaca and Sabinanigo could just be completed invaded by cyclists. At lunchtime in Jaca you couldn't get into a restaurant for love nor money. Every single table in the town was taken up with what appeared to be every cyclist in Spain - well apart from the ones who were in all the restaurants in Sabinanigo!
The event was a real festival of cycling and the climb up the col de Marie Blanque was a killer!
JULY
Ride to Paris - from Wallington to Bastille (via Arc de Triomphe) was all done on two wheels (apart from the bit between Newhaven and Dieppe). The ride was done almost exclusively on country lanes all the way to the Western suburbs of Paris. Our first view of Paris was from the top of a hill just outside Poissy. The sight of the whole metropolis with the landmarks of Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Montparnasse Tower were real sites to behold. It felt really emotional when we finally emerged from the Bois de Boulogne onto Avenue de la Grande Armee and saw the Arc de Triomphe come into view.
Grimpeur des Wolds - Riding this cyclosportive with a nice group of guys and girls from Hull Thursday Club cycling club made for a very pleasant day out. We rode at a leisurely pace and it was all very social and civilised. We were even blessed with wall to wall sunshine.
AUGUST
Ride to Canterbury - One of the guys in my club organised a ride to Canterbury. The route was done via country lanes and it was very scenic. It's one place I'd never ridden to before. It was a very pleasant day out. We also stopped at Rochester, where there's another well known cathedral. Once in Canterbury we all had a well earned pint of Shepherd Neame.
Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford cyclosportive - A great weekend away. We even got to eat in one of Ireland's top restaurants, the Tannery at Dungarvan. As ever, I suffered twoards the end of this cyclosportive, but I still enjoyed it. The folks were friendly and very chatty. It was a well organised event with loads to eat, and also a chance to socialise at the indoor feedstations. It was great meeting Sean Kelly as well.
Monday, 7 September 2009
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Out of Estivation!
Hello, I'm back.
So I am back from my summer sleep. I would love to say that I was taking it easy protecting myself from the extreme heat and arid conditions experienced here in South London, but sadly that was not the case. (We didn't have any heatwave but in fairness this summer has been drier then those of last year and of 2007.)
I just got busy with other matters, and before I knew it, life was getting in the way and my blog was off the radar.
So, apologies for the silence on the airwaves. The blog is getting up and will be running with tales, musings, gossip and other bits that you care to read.
Keep watching this space!
I hope you have enjoyed a good summer and have had lots fun on two wheels.
So I am back from my summer sleep. I would love to say that I was taking it easy protecting myself from the extreme heat and arid conditions experienced here in South London, but sadly that was not the case. (We didn't have any heatwave but in fairness this summer has been drier then those of last year and of 2007.)
I just got busy with other matters, and before I knew it, life was getting in the way and my blog was off the radar.
So, apologies for the silence on the airwaves. The blog is getting up and will be running with tales, musings, gossip and other bits that you care to read.
Keep watching this space!
I hope you have enjoyed a good summer and have had lots fun on two wheels.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Are you going to Scarborough Fai....Beach
I found a very pleasant bike route from York to Scarborough. As I had panniers I wasn't too keen to take on too many tough climbs in the North York Moors so I took what I believed to be the least hilly route - basically stay away from the seriously hilly stuff in the North York Moors and keep to the "easier" Yorkshire Wolds and the Howardian Hills.
The Vale of York was, as expected pretty flat, but the rest was surprising untaxing too. The only stiff climb I had to face before reaching Dalby Forest was the 16% gradient of Terrington Bank.
Dalby Forest is quite undulating - not surprising as it's one of the main mountain bike trail centres in Yorkshire. There are a few 15% ramps to negotiate in there. What goes up, must come down though, and I really enjoyed the speedy car free descents.
Once out of Dalby Forest I was only 10 miles from the seaside, but I couldn't see any sign of coastline or hear any sea gulls. Well, because there was a high ridge right in front of me, and all I had was a feeling of dread at the realisation that I would have to climb over that before I could reach the sea.
I made the most of the sweeping descent into Langdale End, and then tackled the succession of lumps between there and Scalby. It was pretty quad busting stuff, especially as I couldn't get out of the saddle because of the load that was on my bike.
I eventually made it to Scarborough after 60 miles and I'm not sure how many hours. Ok, so the ride hadn't been a complete breeze, but it was still the least arduous route that I could have taken - both in terms of gradient, and the quietness of the roads.
Once in Scarborough I very quickly able to enjoy the beautiful coastline with its lovely traditions - the amusement parks, the tacky souvenir shops, the all-day karaoke, the Harry Ramsdens, the donkeys...etc. I rewarded myself with chips and ice cream on the sea front at Marine Drive, before getting the train home. The ride had been pretty and I'd had wall to wall sunshine, so I couldn't complain. A very pleasant trip!
View York - Scarborough in a larger map
Related article Yorkshire biking on my mind
The Vale of York was, as expected pretty flat, but the rest was surprising untaxing too. The only stiff climb I had to face before reaching Dalby Forest was the 16% gradient of Terrington Bank.
Dalby Forest is quite undulating - not surprising as it's one of the main mountain bike trail centres in Yorkshire. There are a few 15% ramps to negotiate in there. What goes up, must come down though, and I really enjoyed the speedy car free descents.
Once out of Dalby Forest I was only 10 miles from the seaside, but I couldn't see any sign of coastline or hear any sea gulls. Well, because there was a high ridge right in front of me, and all I had was a feeling of dread at the realisation that I would have to climb over that before I could reach the sea.
I made the most of the sweeping descent into Langdale End, and then tackled the succession of lumps between there and Scalby. It was pretty quad busting stuff, especially as I couldn't get out of the saddle because of the load that was on my bike.
I eventually made it to Scarborough after 60 miles and I'm not sure how many hours. Ok, so the ride hadn't been a complete breeze, but it was still the least arduous route that I could have taken - both in terms of gradient, and the quietness of the roads.
Once in Scarborough I very quickly able to enjoy the beautiful coastline with its lovely traditions - the amusement parks, the tacky souvenir shops, the all-day karaoke, the Harry Ramsdens, the donkeys...etc. I rewarded myself with chips and ice cream on the sea front at Marine Drive, before getting the train home. The ride had been pretty and I'd had wall to wall sunshine, so I couldn't complain. A very pleasant trip!
View York - Scarborough in a larger map
Related article Yorkshire biking on my mind
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
100 Years of Passion
2.53am on 13th May 1909 outside Hotel Loreto, in Milan. A crowd gathered as riders wheeled out their bikes to start the first Giro d'Italia. The race, just like the Tour de France, under the direction of Armando Cougnet who wanted to increase the circulation of the Italian sports newspaper, La Gazetta dello Sport.
More than a hundred brave souls rolled out over the start line in front of a few hundred fans, ready to face 2,448km over 8 stages. Among them were the local heroes of the day - Giovanni Rossignoli, Giovanni Gerbi (The Red Devil), the French star Lucien Petit-Breton, and the eventual winner Luigi Ganna.
The race was a real adventure for many and was a real test of survival. 127 riders began the race, but only 49 finished. In fact Giovanni Gerbi, one of the main contenders, very quickly saw his hopes dashed when a crash just 1500m into the first stage (397km from Milan to Bologna) damaged his bike. Sadly, there was no immediate mechanical support available for him so he had to hang around for 3 hours while the mechanic repaired the wheel and the frame.
Those riders who managed to stay in the race had to continue through various hazards such as racing alongside galopping horses, or having to weave around herds of cattle.
Of course the roads were a big problem too. The surface was completely churned up by rain and other adverse weather conditions, and there were many trenches that riders had to dodge around.
The stages were so long that riders would be racing through the night, with the headlights from the following car as their only guide. It was not uncommon for riders to lose their way along the course.
Furthermore, as if all this wasn't a challenge enough there were the bikes. Luigi Ganna romped through the course on a 15kg Bicci Atala bicycle which carried two large bottles in a bar bag. It was a fixed wheel bike that had 5.17 metres development. (I'm not au fait with these things but It's equivalent to riding 42 x 19on a modern bike.)
Needless to say this gearing was not enough to get over mountains. At that time the main "mountain stages" were in the foothills of the Appenines, with the biggest climbs being of around 650m high. Most riders had to walk up the climbs, and only the formidable Gerbi (The Red Devil), and the impressive Giovanni Rossignoli being the only riders to cycling up these peaks.
With all the passion and avid following that the Giro was receiving in those days the organisers still had to pay attention to safety, and on one of the stages the organisers had to move the finish line 3 times - so much was the interest from the masses.
Finally, after 8 stages and 17 days Luigi Ganna won after a thrilling final stage, ahead of Carlo Galletto in the first Giro d'Italia bike race in 1909. Had the race been based on accumulated time, as it is today, Giovanni Rossignoli would have won. However, back then the winner was decided by the racer with the lowest cumulative number of points. After Ganna crossed the finish line, when asked how he felt about the win, all he could say was - "Crikey, I've got a sore bum!"
So nowadays the format may have changed significantly, and the riders are blessed with more relibale, high tech equipment to use over much "shorter" stages.
What hasn't changed though is the sponsor of the event - Gazzetta dello Sport, the avidness of the tifosi, and of course the passion of everyone involved.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Women's Race at the Smithfield Nocturne
Great news! We will have a women's race at the Smithfield Nocturne in London on June 6th. Yay! It's a big deal for us racing chicks as it's been a while since there was a women's criterium race in the heart of London. These series of evening crits, Sponsored by Rapha, have been running for a couple of years now. They attract large crowds, especially at this Central London location, where there is a packed programme of fun events. They are all quite different, but they all provide for exhilarating, rip-roaring action and a great evening out. With lots of trendy City bars in this historic part of London, spectators have a lot to keep themselves busy with in between the races.
It's always great to race in Central London, where you have not just the cycling community out watching you, but a whole manner of passers-by. Many don't know much about bike racing, but with all the fanfare it's difficult to ignore what's going on, and the sport even acquires new fans.
Women's racing has never been on the agenda at these events. But this year, the organisers are trying something different. For us, it's once again a great opportunity to show off our side of the sport, and hopefully people will come away with a very favourable opinion of women's criterium racing.
So I'm off to get my entry in - as well as a bit of training!
Hey, Let's Be Careful Out there
I used to love watching Hill Street Blues on a late Friday or Saturday night during the '80s. My favourite part was the pre-credits when Sergeant Phil uttered that phrase as all the officers were dashing out after the 5.30am roll call: "Hey, Let's be careful out there."
Nowadays that phrase has so much more meaning, especially when riding around London. It's more like London Cyclist Street Blues - even tragedies.
Although the number of cycling accidents and fatalities in London is down compared to to 4 or 5 years ago, there is still no room for complacency. Thirteen cyclists were killed in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in London last year - nine of them involved heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). So far this year four cyclists have been killed on London's roads. All of them involved HGVs.
Last month was particularly tragic when two cyclists were killed within the space of a week - one at Old Street, and the other at Elephant and Castle.
There was a horrible story of a guy taking part on a cycling forum reading about how a serious accident had occurred in West London. He later discovered that it was his girlfriend who was the fatality.
Look at this photo.
That's how my club-mate's bicycle ended up when a lorry suddenly turned across his path. Miraculously he had the reflexes to literally jump off his bike and save his skin. He's now nursing a badly cut leg and a very bruised ankle.
Another club mate of mine is also recovering after being knocked off her bike while on her way to work.
What's happening to our cyclists in London?
The statistics show that the majority of fatal accidents are as a result of cyclists being crushed by HGVs while turning left. The drivers failed to see the cyclist that was on the inside lane to them.
Various organisations including the CTC (UK's national cycling body), and the London Cycling Campaign have launched awareness campaigns so that HGV drivers pay special attention to cyclists. These organisations recommend the use of improved safety mirrors on lorries.
There are also various cycle training courses for people who wish to commute by bicycle. Furthermore, Mayor Boris Johnson (who is a cyclist) has put forward a proposal to the Department for Transport, for a pilot scheme in which cyclists are allowed to turn left at a red light provided there are no pedestrians crossing. This is a fairly contentious proposal, though in a way I can see his logic. By cyclists getting a head start from the lights, this will avoid the risk of being hit by other heavier vehicles moving off at the same time. The idea needs to be properly thought through though, as that will also increase the risk of being hit by other vehicles that have right of way in the cross-wise lanes.
Anyway, whatever measures are put in place it is ultimately still going to be down to ourselves as cyclists to be alert and keep our eyes and ears open to all that's around us at all times.
And hey, hey, hey - Let's be very careful out there.
Photo by Mark Parsons of Dulwich Paragon CC
Nowadays that phrase has so much more meaning, especially when riding around London. It's more like London Cyclist Street Blues - even tragedies.
Although the number of cycling accidents and fatalities in London is down compared to to 4 or 5 years ago, there is still no room for complacency. Thirteen cyclists were killed in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in London last year - nine of them involved heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). So far this year four cyclists have been killed on London's roads. All of them involved HGVs.
Last month was particularly tragic when two cyclists were killed within the space of a week - one at Old Street, and the other at Elephant and Castle.
There was a horrible story of a guy taking part on a cycling forum reading about how a serious accident had occurred in West London. He later discovered that it was his girlfriend who was the fatality.
Look at this photo.
That's how my club-mate's bicycle ended up when a lorry suddenly turned across his path. Miraculously he had the reflexes to literally jump off his bike and save his skin. He's now nursing a badly cut leg and a very bruised ankle.
Another club mate of mine is also recovering after being knocked off her bike while on her way to work.
What's happening to our cyclists in London?
The statistics show that the majority of fatal accidents are as a result of cyclists being crushed by HGVs while turning left. The drivers failed to see the cyclist that was on the inside lane to them.
Various organisations including the CTC (UK's national cycling body), and the London Cycling Campaign have launched awareness campaigns so that HGV drivers pay special attention to cyclists. These organisations recommend the use of improved safety mirrors on lorries.
There are also various cycle training courses for people who wish to commute by bicycle. Furthermore, Mayor Boris Johnson (who is a cyclist) has put forward a proposal to the Department for Transport, for a pilot scheme in which cyclists are allowed to turn left at a red light provided there are no pedestrians crossing. This is a fairly contentious proposal, though in a way I can see his logic. By cyclists getting a head start from the lights, this will avoid the risk of being hit by other heavier vehicles moving off at the same time. The idea needs to be properly thought through though, as that will also increase the risk of being hit by other vehicles that have right of way in the cross-wise lanes.
Anyway, whatever measures are put in place it is ultimately still going to be down to ourselves as cyclists to be alert and keep our eyes and ears open to all that's around us at all times.
And hey, hey, hey - Let's be very careful out there.
Photo by Mark Parsons of Dulwich Paragon CC
Monday, 27 April 2009
Enjoying a little more Springtime
I decided yesterday that the day's ride would be more about fun than serious training.
Fred and I, along with a few club-mates, took the mountain bikes out through Farthing Down and out to Reigate. Then we went across to Tadworth, back to Banstead and then home. It was a pedestrian paced ride, but just what I needed given my poor mountain biking skills and my need to take things easy.
Coming back through Banstead the woods looked beautiful and we found the chance for photo opportunity too difficult to resit.
We stopped, admired the bluebells and then Fred took a few snatched photos. I must admit I am actually happy with this one. Nothing to do with the rider! For me, it just represents what a spring day is about - moving around at a leisurely pace, smiling in the sun, and admiring the scenery around you.
photo by Fred
Fred and I, along with a few club-mates, took the mountain bikes out through Farthing Down and out to Reigate. Then we went across to Tadworth, back to Banstead and then home. It was a pedestrian paced ride, but just what I needed given my poor mountain biking skills and my need to take things easy.
Coming back through Banstead the woods looked beautiful and we found the chance for photo opportunity too difficult to resit.
We stopped, admired the bluebells and then Fred took a few snatched photos. I must admit I am actually happy with this one. Nothing to do with the rider! For me, it just represents what a spring day is about - moving around at a leisurely pace, smiling in the sun, and admiring the scenery around you.
photo by Fred
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