The Dean 300 - 29 March

The Dean 300 can be described as a 'Wales and back' ride.  It starts in Oxford (where you'll find oxes), goes west to the Forest of Dean (where you'll find wild pigs), takes you to the half way point at Chepstow (where you'll find Wales), goes to the most southerly point of Marlborough (where you'll find white horses) and then back north to Oxford.

I spent yesterday afternoon audaxifying my bike, which had me thinking about the highlights from previous years:

• sunrise as we cycle out of Oxford into the country side
• skylarks and daffodils
• Cotswolds
• hearing the wild pigs in the Forest of Dean
• the chalk horses in Wiltshire - when I'm quick enough to get there in daylight
• lunch in Chepstow's Aslan's cafe (yes this list is in a random order)
• Severn Bridge
• the climb to Somerset monument
• the magnificent Membury services, only audaxers would note that as a highlight!

In good conditions, this is a fabulous ride showing off some great British countryside.  Weather forecast for next weekend is promising.  I need to be mindful of headwind on way back and the temperature dropping after dark.   Looking forward to it.

Forest of Dean on previous ride.

The Steam Ride 200

I was steaming at the end of this ride!  It was very hot, and all day I was wearing the layers I would need after sunset.   But no one complained , we're all on the same train.

What a great theme for a ride: the Steam Ride.   The route touches  on all the steam train venues in the south east: Ruislip, Quainton, Didcot,  Cholsey and Southall.

The Steam Ride 200

Toy and steam trains at Quainton

I dread it and love it at the same time, when I haven't done a 200 for a while.  All was going well till the first control at Quainton.  I was slow, but having fun taking pictures, enjoying the pre-spring country side.  Daffodils are out, and the trees are just about to pop their buds.  Happy days, it's all coming back to me, I do still love cycling.

I must visit Waddeson Manor and grounds

Then the dreaded happened.  My GPS shut down and rebooted with nothing to show.   Back to the olden days with paper route sheet, which, thankfully, I always bring with me as backup.  I rigged up the folded papers with elastic bands, which, thankfully, I always bring with me in a you-never-know-way.

I tried not to worry ahead of the dark section when reading route sheets and navigation becomes more challenging.   I find it challenging enough without darkness, but there is always silver lining.   For example, although I was on the right way to Wallingford on the Hithercroft Road, I started to doubt and retraced.  I went the Church Road way instead.  This takes you over part of the North Wessex Downs.  I was treated to a great 360 view!  I'd recommend Tim to detour that way for the next edition.  There was a local cyclist taking a breather ... or smoking a cigarette.  I stopped for directions.  'Nice view, he?', he said.  'Oh yes, beautiful, it's worth the climb', I replied.  He then gave me directions consistent with going the wrong way.

The guys wouldn't have realised it, but the group of riders in the photo below, gave me great support.  They were upbeat, having fun, very friendly.  Seeing them at controls and on the road on and off boosted my spirits every time.

A big thank you to Michael for riding with me from Chinnor onwards.  I would have got lost ending up back in Oxford if it hadn't been for him.  We arrived back at headquarters just in time for the BRM cut off, which added to the steam effect once inside 'The Water's Edge' pub.

Many thanks to Tim and team of volunteers for setting up this day of steam rides.

Photos are here: MyPhotos

Other thoughts:

• Cleaning my bike on the Saturday, the chain looked like a scarecrow
• Brilliant to have another local audax
• Spotted Chequers this time
• Controller hats and whistles were a nice touch
• Big field of riders on multiple events
• Red kites flying high and low

Thank you to all controllers!

The Steam Ride 200 - 9th March

"If you weren't a Steam enthusiast at the beginning of the ride, you're sure to return one."

What a promise!  I hope I'll have enough time to stop and look at the Mallards and Bitterns of this world.  I know those trains because they can sometimes be seen at Southall Train station.  

The route going through Southall makes this my most local audax on the calendar.  It's a brand new event also.  I feel one has to ride ones local randonnee.

The most western control is Oxford and we 'visit' steam venues like Ruislip Lido, Didcot, Buckinghamshire, Southall, Chinnor & Princes Risborough, Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Centres.  

Click on image to see detail of route.

Saturday will be dedicated to pre-audax rituals such as cleaning the bike, breaking something on the bike, getting tape and cable ties out, shopping for audax food, going to bed early which usually results in a disturbed sleep ... but ... it's the ritual.  

Thank you to Tim Sollesse and team for putting on the Steam Ride day.  I'm looking forward to it!

FNRttC XMas Tourette

Tourette?  Only the grandest tour of the best buildings in London you could ever have missed.   If I was pointed out just one of those buildings a month, I'd be happy for all of 2014.  Maybe there is a calendar idea in there for mmmartin.

It's not only what you see, it's what it makes you see that gets me shaking my head.  For example the building on the corner of Bethnal Green Road was not part of the tour but caught my eye.

The old Swan Tavern incorporated into a new building.
I like the first floor windows.

Other moments, nothing to do with architecture, made this a bit of a magical tour in itself.  There were the mounted House Guards coming through Wellington Arch.  There was archery going on in Kensington Gardens.  There were star stalkers, a wheel walker, a gutter guy and a white wedding.  Also the 'why a goat?' sculpture in Spitalfields and the street art in the east end generally.

Why use a pavement when there is an empty gutter.

I did quite a bit of post-ride internet searching.  It's easy to get carried away with tenuous links.  Try googling Arne Jacobsen.  You will not find a building, but images of chairs and cutlery.  Arne shares the same birthday with me.  But back to the Danish Embassy building - would I have stopped to look if it hadn't been pointed out to me?

No such question comes to mind when seeing the Blue House.

It reminded me of a photo I had taken earlier in the day.

And round the corner was a little surprise.

Corner of Garner Street

What a treat this modest Tourette was.  Thank you Simon!

Photos are here: MyPhotos

The Winter Boat Trip 200

It's OK to count down the miles at the end of a ride.  But at the beginning of a ride?  We were only 5km in and I was already implementing my 'always get to the first control' rule.   I was counting down the miles to Quainton.  I had forgotten my lock, my gps was not behaving like it normally does, I couldn't find the info control, it just wasn't going to be my day for cycling.  There were plenty of things I could be doing at home, like writing up my Russian ride.  Do bear with me on that, it's not that I haven't started.  In fact I've started a couple of times …

I got to the first control and everything fell into place.

First control at Quainton

It was a great day out.  I feel I haven't lost too much form after several months off audaxing, I'm still slow.  That doesn't matter.  You get to enjoy the ride for longer.   You can see all of the long sunset we had.  In fact sunrise was long also.

Sunrise in the country

A lot seemed to be happening in the sky.  A biplane overflew me.  I was gazing too much to get my camera ready.  But I got a few photos of the kites which were over and across, up and down all around us at some stage.

Kites in the sky

I was riding on my own most of the time, apart from a section with Mel.  After Stoke Bruerne, I waited and waited for the lunchers to catch up with me.  But nobody did.  At the last control,  two riders finally turned up.   I ended up doing the dark hours with one of them, I appreciated his company.

Company at the Co-op shop

I enjoyed cycling through Waddesdon and the Waddesdon Manor grounds.  I must visit, it's in cycling distance!  Plenty to see and do with a house, gardens, aviary, art collection and restaurant.  The place sounds fascinating.  Although I knew about the Rothschilds through banking and wine, I didn't know there is so much Rothschild history right here.

Spotted in the grounds of Waddesdon Manor

The cut through Towcester Racecourse was also good.  They give you glimpses of other worlds.

Towcester Racecourse

Thanks to Manotea and helpers for organising.

Photos are here: MyPhotos

Other thoughts:

• Route is Hillingdon, Quainton, Stoke Bruerne, Tring and Ickenham, see Auk event
• A little bit of rain
• Temperatures dropped after dark, but it was a mild day overall
• Seeing Father Christmas
• Arabella hinting at an Easter Arrow 2014
• I need a new headlight
• Victoria Sponge at Quainton was excellent.
• Should I make my 'I love my velo' tattoo permanent?

FNRttC - Whitstable

I found myself at the back of the net.  You might think this is a footballing term, but not when you know that the net of 'tail end charlies' and 'allupper' doesn't let anybody through.  I was loving our exit out of London, taking a few photos on the way.  When we passed the Shard I realised that I had never taken a photo of that building.  So I made a deliberate stop.   It made me nervous, because the thought of being caught faffing and holding up the ride is one thing, but to do this whilst barely across the Thames is another!  I was already putting away my camera, but still, the net was closing in on me.  Susie's call of 'we'll wait for you', didn't make me feel any better.  It's as good as a telling off.

The Shard - tallest building in the European Union

I had ambitions of doing a bit of way marking, however not once did I find myself in a position to offer my services.   I've lost a bit of condition but this ride was fast!  It was great.  The peloton was often spread out which allows for long stretches of chasing, which I quite like.

We were in Gravesend in no time.  The forecourt of The Call Boy pub is where we normally stop and gather.  I've always liked that stop even though it feels so dead in the night.   When I first spotted the blue star on the pub swing board, back in 2011, I liked the place even more.

Taken in 2011

This time! This time, it didn't feel dead in the night.  There was a lively gathering of people interested in what we were doing.  I saw that the pub was open for business, and then immediately looked up to the swing board.  It wasn't The Call Boy anymore, but ...

Photo by Trickedem - http://cyclingmagic.blogspot.com

... Angels.  Angels, the gayest place in town.

Now back to The Call Boy.  His uniform gives away that this is to do with theatre.  A call boy calls the stars to the stage, saying something like 'You're on in 5 minutes.'  This pub is where there used to be the Grand Theatre of Gravesend.  Have a look at an old photo on this site.

All settled back to usual paces after the magnificent halfway stop in Strood.  I was pleased to be able to take off some layers, it was a very warm evening.   It was my first experience at the English Martyrs Church Hall.  There was a 'volunteer' to rider ratio of about 1:10, which allowed for welcoming and efficient proceedings!  Thank you!

Abundance at the church hall

We took a slightly different route through Faversham, and went along the Market.

Faversham Market

The purpose of the fast pace was to do with beating the rain to the coast.  And it worked.  We were soon able to enjoy breakfast by the seaside.

Whitstable

I had a little wonder after spotting this guy below.  He'd collected some lugworms which are used as fishing bait.  The handful he'd gathered were worth £15.

It was an excellent ride with great company.  I had lovely chats with known and new riders.  Some conversations are unique, and it's great when it happens.

I had arranged to have lunch with my girlfriend at the Sportsman, and that didn't disappoint either.  Stuart had asked: 'You having oysters today?'  We had the tasting menu, which included oysters, oysters like I've never had before, so good.  The cream cheese ice cream dessert was so delicious it almost made me cry.  

Oysters at the Sportsman

Thanks to Simon for organising, and everybody on the ride who made it memorable.  Special thanks to the Strood Eight!

Photos are here: MyPhotos

FNRttC Brighton - August 2013

It's been a while since this ride was on, but I haven't forgotten it.  It was most memorable for seeing Rimas.   He had posted that it's not so much the ride he was looking forward to, but seeing the people on the ride.  I can identify with that.  That he's doing a night ride only one week after finishing 'an extreme' event makes you raise your eyebrows.

Rimas had taken part in the Transcontinental Race from London to Istanbul.  That race has an audax feel about it.  Not many people know about it.  There were only two controls on the way.  Riders choose their own route.  Self-suffiency is so revered that drafting is frowned upon and made into one of only 10 rules.  Cyclechatters were glued to the live tracking screen for at least 11 days 7 hours and 21 seconds.  A few other participants were known to us also.  And Juliana Buhring caught the eye as the only female rider.

Rimas deciding what cake to eat

The ride was great.  The new way out of London was perfect.  Loved it.   There were a few early punctures, so that gave a chance for riding slowly, absorbing the night atmosphere, listening, chatting, taking photos... I was in a very relaxed mood.  The only pressure I put on myself was to ask Rimas to tell me more about the Transcontinental Race.

New way out of London

It was a mild night.  But rain, or even downpours had been promised.  I had checked my tyres.  I replaced them both with less worn ones and still took two spares with me.   I wasn't visited, but many others were.  Great! More opportunity for chats and snaps.

It got wet.

At the middle of the night scout hut stop, our leader caught me napping rather than snapping- oh the humiliation!

Caption competition ...

There are reports of people missing a turning.  I had a few moments of hesitation myself.  So let me share a top tip with budding way markers: stay with your bike and point your bike in the direction of travel.  There is more you can do, but that is a good starter.

Anyhow, I 'd like to thank all way markers, TECs, riders I chatted with, Rimas, and Simon for making it  another memorable ride.

Now, I'm going to read 'Not Without My Sister', a book co-written by Juliana Buhring, about her upbringing and escape from a cult.  Thanks to meim for highlighting that.  And do read Juliana's blog post on the Transcontinental Ride.  It's well written.  Phrases such as 'the second winner' are used.  Beautiful!

Next ride is ... Whitstable!

Rest of the photos are here: MyPhotos

Lindfield