July 2013

21st July

Third organised ride of the year.  The Great Weston Ride.  This being a local ride Stephen had fancied we signed up and arranged to ride together.  We had checked out the weather forecast and as it was in the middle of the heatwave decided that we would get off as early as possible to avoid the forecast searing heat, it still got up to 28 dec C and we were finished around 11am.

I picked Stephen up and headed out to the park and ride at Bristol for the depart.  Are plan worked a treat and we set off in the first group,  this was a result for heat avoidance but did cause us a slight problem as the first feed station at the foot of Burrington Combe was not open by the time we had passed it.  Maybe this was just as well as when we reached the second feed station we got distracted by the great coffee, the really nice bacon sandwiches and the cracking home made cake.  As you might have guessed we stopped there longer than we might have if it hadn't been as good. 

After our prolonged stop we pressed on to the end at the sea front at Weston super Mare.  Cracking Ride :D

Ride Data here  

9th July

Nice ride out across the levels to Wells, not much else to say.

Ride Data here

1st July

Proper climbing day today.  Well this was the big test our first alpine pass so after testing the van out by driving to the alps via Belgium, France and Switzerland and recovering for a day we set off on a beautiful sunny day to tackle the col de Joux Plane.  We left Morzine and climbed up to Les Gets, dropped down to the valley and cruised gently along the valley to Samones at the foot of the pass.  We stopped at a cafe and had a drink and some cake and then headed off to take on the col.  

Within 500m of leaving the cafe we hit the bottom of the climb and within 750m we hit  a wall which felt ridiculously steep. Fortunately we rounded a bend and it levelled out enabling me to get into a tempo after being instructed in no uncertain terms to press on and leave Lucy to ride at her own speed I got into my stride and pressed on.  I had a couple of little stops on the way up, partially to see if I could see Lucy and partly just to have a little drink and rest but I really enjoyed it and didn't find it as difficult as I expected too.  I was getting concerned with the heat and the fact that looking down the mountain I couldn't see Lucy.

When I got tot the top I rolled into the cafe and ordered a coke as a treat,  I took my coke to the place where I could see as much road a possible and waited for Lucy.  When I had finished my coke I filled up my water bottles at the tap provided and headed down to find Lucy.  I found her 2 km from the summit pushing her bike up but in great spirits.  We headed up to the summit and had a break at the cafe before pressing on. 

We pressed on and despite being at the "summit" there was still a little stealth climb for which I got the blame.  We then descended back into Morzine which I thoroughly enjoyed, all those trips down of the gorge behind Stephen have paid off and I am far more confident and now love the speed.  Lucy is not so keen as she finds squeezing the brakes for any prolonged period hurts her little hands, no sarcasm intended she really does have little hands.

Ride data here