Two cheap-skates go for a ride
Sunday, October 4th, 2009So Daz says, “fancy going for a ride sunday round this route I did the other weekend?”
“Sure!” I say, “How far?”
“Around 100 miles” he replies.
Over to Knighton we head loaded with bannanas, cereal bars & 2 big bottles a piece. In Knighton there’s roadies mincing all over the place & they just so happen to be doing the same route as us, what’s on then? The autumn epic road sportive! Of course we new this, but being cheap-skates we just rode the route without all the gory of official times & free-bees.
The route, Knighton, Dolfor common, Llanbadarn Fynydd, Bwlch y Sarnau, Abbey Cwmhir, Rhayader, Elan Valley, Newbridge on Wye, Glascwm, Newchurch, Gladestry, Walton, Prestiegne, Knighton then back up Stonewall Hill.
The total distance, 104.8 miles, total riding time, 6 hours 20 minutes with 3225m of climbing.
Specialized Roubaix, a lovely bike to ride & loves climbing as much as me! (It told me)
Now the last ride of this length I’d done was from Presteigne to Aberystwyth & back August last year with plenty more miles in my legs before hand. The first road ride after returning from Germany last month was 64 miles from Hereford to Hay & back, I suffered bad having not ridden a bike for a month. Dreading the 100 miler, I really couldn’t make up my mind whether to do it or not, expecting to suffer, bad. As it turns out, I didn’t, by a long way! As I have found in the past with rides of this duration, I feel stronger at around the 90 mile point, admittedly I can hardly feel my legs, but they just keep turning strong rotations! Tidy!
Today was no different, the climbs to Elan Valley, from Glascwm & up Hares Green got progressively better despite the fatigue that increased. Every stroke felt pleasurable as a nimble step forward was made.
The hills of Elan Valley on the Aberystwyth ride last year
It felt fantastic to be climbing like a mountain goat once again & felt like home in the hills once more.
The cycling bug has returned & you can bet that this winter I’ll be training away for next season with one aim, to win!
Dave