LVRC/MKCA Handicap Round 13

Mleh my first DNF at the MK Bowl. All due to a severely twisted bollock.

The quintessential Southern Shandy drinkers XC ride

Not sure what the distance of this little 'Old Skool' XC loop is, but it takes about four to five hours to complete. And to be honest I'm only posting this because I've been asked so many times about it. The ride starts for me from my front door, I just cross the road and I'm already on a bridleway on the Rothchilds land heading towards Woburn. It's just gone 8am and I'm getting hot already. Off the Rothchilds land and into Blue Bell Woods, I descend towards the Grand Union and I get soaked by the early morning dew being thrown up from the close cut grass, wasn't expecting that.
Once across the canal it's a short spin on the road to Rushmere, a fantastic hilly country park and the scene of much cycle way building, including downhill runs. Rushmere is a great stop for coffee, but I'm too early this time.

Nice views overlooking  the park and lake

I'm now heading towards Woburn, and the trails turn from deciduous woodland to coniferous forest. I'm on the Greensand Ridge and the sand is deep and dry and has to be taken at speed just to stay upright. This whole area is one of my favourites. I tear through the Pines, drop down to Woburns 'play area', through the ancient sand pits and out towards Lidlington.
I have a long arrow straight exposed path to ride, it's so firm I'm reminded of my trip to the Arenberg earlier this year - I realise my suspension is locked out!
On the tarmac again and riding past the mahoosive Amazon warehouse. I take advantage of the cycle lanes which oddly just become natural trails once past the huge building. I tear arse down the path praying no one is out for an early stroll. More road, and I can see the next section of off road looming 'Up' in the distance. From Lidlington I climb a nasty loose ascent towards the Millbrook testing ground, it's a bit surreal up here, I'm riding typical English singletrack, but a glance to my left I see what looks like a mini Switzerland that is Millbrook. I have a very steep loose descent that seriously caught me out in pre disc brake days, I don't get it wrong today. It starts to undulate so much I can feel each little climb sapping my strength, riding in the 'granny' I have my nose over the front wheel trying desperately to keep the front wheel planted. I top the last little hill and plummet down towards the site of the latest Center Parcs.
I'm now on the return leg and on another great little sandy trail. This one is shared with proper 4X4 enthusiasts and on a bike it's fast and furious. The key is to stay on the sides of the path, hit the middle and you fall mercy to the deep sand and once in it, it's hard to get out without ending up on your arse. I then exit the sandy forest and continue on field side paths that take me almost back to Woburn.
My next section of trail follows a stream, I'm pretty confident I won't be getting a 'booty' today. I exit the creek and pootle through Woburn Safari park.
As I pass through the park I notice the sign that tells me only 3 deer have been killed this year, that's low IIRC.
I'm back in Woburn woods and I can't avoid the climb or any climbing, I slowly climb up onto the ridge and once on top I know it's all downhill, well mentally anyway. The Brickhills are still standing in my way. At this point I should be almost home, but I noticed two roadies about to take the hilly Brickhill route, and foolishly I decide to chase. I catch them, but they're not proper roadies just sports riders (one day I'll write about my snobbery) oh well it's a few extra miles.
It's shortly after this that I rejoin my outward leg, feeling pretty good and still carrying a bit of fluid I decide to up my pace. I take care as I hoon along as it's getting to Sunday walk time. I exit Rushmere without upsetting a soul and start my ascent of Blue Bell Woods. Passing through here earlier I was soaked by the morning dew, now my arms and legs are glistening with sweat under the afternoon sun.
I exit the woods and roll down the road to my house, job done. Four hours it's taken, come winter that'll be closer to five.

Brambles were a pain today

LVRC/MKCA Circuit Races Round 12

Consistently inconsistent! that's me. Another fine night and another full field, about fifty plus. It should have been the ideal race to hide and pop out of in the dying laps, but it wasn't to be. The race started slowly, I waited patiently virtually tapping my fingers, but we were still going pretty slow. I was beginning to get panicky about a fall in the huge slow moving bunch. So I thought I'd up the pace to get things going. I shot off, made a huge gap, but no one came across and it was far too early for a solo break. I sat up and waited to be joined by the bunch.
That marshal looks familiar!
Once back in the tempo rose on the only accent each lap, but it was having minimal effect. I went off again, again I got a decent gap, but again no one came and it was only halfway through the race. I sat up and awaited the bunch so I could sit in and recover. When they caught me they didn't pass leaving me hanging out to dry. We got the shout to announce the opening of the gates extending the circuit.
Yep she does look familiar that marshal.
As we came up to the gate exit  for the first time all and sundry came past me, I dropped a gear and rode up the inside to regain a position. Though even at this early stage my legs started to feel heavy. Every week I tell myself to stay back, let others do the work and every week I shoot off and kill myself. I thought I was okay, but the pace really picked up, it wasn't like other weeks, this was really fast, we even overtook the younger A/B race. Usually when it gets going riders fall off the back and form little groups, but this week the bunch was shelling them out one by one and no second group was ever going to form.
Yeah, red hair, a little thinner, but it is her isn't it that marshal?
Then it was my turn, caught napping behind a slowing E/F rider. By the time I realised the bunch had a few metres on me. I chased and got on and was promptly shelled out again. I was tired. I checked my watch, it wasn't worth bailing out so I pressed on. The car park was full of retired racers packing up their kit. I finished the race last man, I was 7th last week. The field had been decimated, I estimated that about only fifteen riders finished, and as one bunch. So next week THINK.
That marshal 'Don't go breaking my heart' Kiki Dee.
Kiki Dee marshaling a Vets race! not something you see every day.

LVRC/MKCA Circuit Races Round 11

A pretty good nights racing last night. Conditions were good, little wind and numbers were pretty high. All the usual suspects were there including LBRCCs Andy, Dave and Vince. Though sadly due to the lack of marshals we were confined to in inner circuit for the whole race. Usually the opening of the gates to extend the circuit at the halfway mark is a game changer. Tonight it would be very hard to split the bunch.

Back in the bunch with Andy after a failed breakaway

For the first half hour the racing was pretty uneventful, a few too many changes of line and the odd rider getting out of the saddle were enough to keep you on your toes.
Then all of a sudden there's a touch of wheels, to my left riders go down - not sure how many, but there's a bike and red lycra coming my way. I hit the brakes and get ready to bunny hop my way out of trouble. I slide to a halt and survive, there's carnage behind and all I can see are the lime green shoulders of Vince flying through the air.
The bunch are up the road so I chase and get back on before the next incline. When we pass the accident site again Vince is lying down grasping his shoulder with medics in attendance.
We press on increasing the pace on the only incline, but only a few riders are getting dropped. We then up the pace and attack the incline, that strings it out and we lap the younger A/B race as a result.

Taking a breather with Andy

There then follows an almost neutralisation of the race as we let the E/F/Gs go. At this point I assume we are a complete bunch and make sure Andy and Dave are ahead of me and in sight at all times. As we approach the final laps I move to the front, too near the front in fact. I know I stand no chance as second wheel, but I can't drop back. I listen carefully for the tell tale noise of the bunch on the attack...nothing. I even think about going for it on my own, but it only takes a few yards in top flight to suffer and die. I sit and wait. I'm still second wheel when the bell goes, Then as we climb for the flag they go past. Five go clear including Dave and Andy gets me on the line for 6th leaving me 7th, the wheel I was on has dropped right off. When I look over my shoulder there's no one about, we had split. So overall a pretty good effort on a circuit were breaking away was always going to be difficult.

Vince (think the medication has kicked in)

LVRC/MKCA Circuit Races Round 10

Where Red Kites Fly

This is 'the' classic XC ride, 32 miles in length, a good few 1000' climbs and all off road, and today's bonus - near thirty degree dry dusty trails. And joining me for the ride were an eclectic mix of friends on an equally eclectic mix of bikes. Sixty six year old Phil on a stunning and totally original Ridgeback fully rigid hardtail dating back to the early nineties. Phil is a tester and aficionado of dual carriageways, today would be a very different test for him!. Then we have Nick, purveyor of fine bicycles and the baby of the group. Nick was on the 'bike de jour' an early top spec Giant Trance, with it's maestro system the terrain would be smoothed into submission. And myself on a new fangled 29'er hardtail.
The route today started at Cowlease sculpture park which sits at about 1000' and the first part of the ride or job of the day is to immediately plummet off the top, down what seems like never ending double track and into the the Getty mansion grounds. When you get to the bottom you find yourself in XC heaven, blue skies full of Red Kites, swooping dusty trails, hills all about and the dust hasn't even settled from your high speed descent.
You just have time to catch your breath before the second hill or job of the day, that is to climb the near 1000' all over again. First though is a short sweet single/double track flat trail past 'Vicar of Dibly puddle' yes the actual hole.

Move it French...rider coming through

The climb is a peach with a deep V cut into it's centre, I've never failed on this one before, but today I was drawn into the gully and couldn't get out without dabbing. trying to fight my way out had me gasping at the top. We pass through Northend and follow a few miles of fast sweeping naturally bermed trail to Pishill and climb again to Russell's Water. From here the trail undulates wildly on top of dry chalk, flint hardpack and sapping loam all the way to Nettlebed. Here we cross the A4130 and have to hold Phil back from darting off for a quick PB. The next bit of trail is my favourite, I can't put my finger on the reason why, it's just so sweet, sadly the Rhododendrons aren't in flower, when they are the place is doubly stunning.

Rhododendron forest

We are spat out at Satwell and follow a very complicated trail through Kingwood Common. Next stop is Stoke Row. Actually this is going to be a proper stop. We've been riding this route for years now, and not once have we ever stopped at Stoke Rows famous store with it's bakery selling the legendary sausage rolls. This time though we're not serious 24 hour solo mountain bike athletes so a long overdue stop is on the cards. We get to the store, I see the bakery counter and almost demand my sausage roll.....tragedy, they've sold out, so the legendary sausage roll remains just that - a legend. We make do with sausage baguettes and sit on the village green soaking up the sun and scoffing our make do sausage rolls. After replenishing our drinks bottle we set off. The Baguettes are sitting like concrete on our stomachs when we set off, so we're fortunate that the next section is downhill. Not nice downhill, but a tyre ripping (a previous ride stopping tyre ripping sort of downhill) There is a 'chicken run' but we don't take it, we throw caution to the wind and take the direct route down. We survive. The next few miles to Nuffield are over  gently rising trails. We settle the pace to work of the food and enjoy some banter. I have time to reminisce about the days when these trails have been axle deep in mud, forcing you up into the trees alongside or had you grappling for the fence posts just to stay upright. My food has settled. We grab Phil as we once again cross the A4130 and set off towards the long descent near Park Corner. I signal a left turn that takes us to the top of what on the map looks like a four mile descent. I give Nick a moment so there's clear space between us as we drop, and then I go for it. This descent is just great, there aren't any definitive lines down this trail you just pick and choose. If you pick right you are rewarded with a moment of pure cycling pleasure, get it wrong it's still bloody great. My big wheels are closing in on Nick, he hears me and ups the anté. I close in again, but the trail starts to twist and turn and the clouds of dust that Nick kicks up are lit by the suns rays rendering me blind as to the way down, but I risk my bones and don't grab the levers. We spill out onto Ewelme Downs in tandem, Phil amazingly on his ancient fully rigid is just seconds behind.

Swans Way

We're now out on the downs and the sun is beating down on us, the trail is as open as it gets here, and the sun cream I put on at the start has long been supplemented with a thick layer of dust. Not sure if this has a SPF of any kind? We wave to the Alpacas and head onto the Swans Way part of the Ridgeway long distance path. The path has been forcibly closed to 4X4's now. In the past the way had been destroyed by 4X4's unable to police themselves and wrecking the way for every other user by using it when at it's wettest. It took mechanical intervention to rebuild this ancient way, and now for us it was a pleasure to use again. We're on the home straight now. As we ride in and out of woodland I catch glimpses of our final climb to the finish. The Ridgeway is in great condition, which is good because the finish is a another 1000' climb and no one want's tired legs leading up to that. In the past the trail in the picture above has been axle deep in mud, and on one occasion I've seen Nick disappear through ice! but today its all good.

We arrive at the base of the climb and set off to the top one by one. It's hot and it's going to be slow going and with the rides finish at the top I decide to ride helmetless, something I've not done in several decades, but I consider it safe. The only danger I could for see would be another mountain biker hooning down towards me. I twiddle the hill, which seems to have been a little sanitized the going is easier than I remembered. I recall when it was once full of gullies and you had to bunny hop from side to side to reach the top, we also used to climb it singlespeed.

I remember this when it was r'eet ard

The climb is done and we're back, that went quick and was one of the best days riding I've had in a long time. On the way back home I wonder if I have my priorities right, in a few days I'll be back training, then I'll be racing. Arghh this is hard, a proper 'Catch 22' without the training and racing would rides like these be so pleasurable? Part of me wants to race and part of me want's to sell up, buy a Mercian and just ride. I decide not to make any rash decisions. We get back to Nicks place and lounge in the garden with the Tour on the mac. Somehow I think a Lottery win is in order.

I'd just like to say that I've shamelessly pinched the title of this post from Russ Pinder who posted this great little route on Singletrackworld many years ago. Tragically Russ was paralysed in a mountain biking accident shortly afterwards. Thank you Russ for this classic.

Sub 3 100km at last.

I've been trying to get under the 3 hour mark for ages now. I say trying, more along the lines of if I'm feeling good I'll go for it. The strangest thing is no matter how hard I tried my times were no quicker than my winter reliability trial times? I also never opted to use my race bike, just the old faithful Airborne.
So today was one of those feel good days, and to cap it off it was warm and still. I felt strong as soon as I got going, everywhere from my house is a one mile climb. I concluded that the dreadful week of races I just had, were in a roundabout way and enforced rest. And I'd been working less with HR on the Turbos and more with resistance.
At about two hours in I had a casual glance of my watch, and straightaway I could tell I was ahead on the road. I'll go for it then. I decided to keep it in the 39 and spin away, after all I was getting along swiftly in it so far. Conditions were great, no headwinds anywhere. And to make sure I bagged it I whacked it into the 53 for the last two kilometres. Still it was close at 2 hours 56 minutes.
Okay I know a lot of guys do faster times day in day out, but I just wanted to record the moment, as I ain't getting any younger. I reckon my race bike would have returned a better time.
With the 100kms up I still had 1 1/2 of riding to do, and was was suddenly hit with a raging thirst and a dwindling water supply. It took my fuzzy head ages to work out where the nearest shop was, and by the time I found it I was sucking moist air out of my bottle. Bottle filled and another shoved in my pocket I completed the ride a happy man.
Aren't days off great.