FSoTM rides from MK 2011

Start at 10am from Elizabeth Square Bandstand.

Bletchley.

Rides are approx 20 miles.

Unless stated otherwise.

Jan 2nd. ~ Ride to Cranfield via Newport Pagnell (25 miles)

Feb 6th. ~ Ride to Stewkley via Swanbourne and Dunton.

Mar 6th. ~ Ride to Stony via Whaddon.

April 3th. ~ Ride to Woburn via Great Brickhill (a few hills).

May 1st. ~ Ride to Salcey Forest café. (30 miles).

June 5th. ~ Ride around the Millennium cycle route, (Parks Trust)

13 miles starts at Furzton lake (At the bridge by the bowl).

Jul 3rd. ~ Ride around the lakes of MK. (Parks Trust)

Aug 7th. ~ Ride to Winslow using Sustrans Route 51 (Parks Trust)

18 Miles starts at Furzton lake, (at the bridge by the Bowl).

Sept 4th. ~ Ride around the back of Linford lakes and via Newport. (Parks Trust)

Oct 2nd. ~ Ride to Stockgrove park café via Leighton Buzzard (a few Hills).

Nov 6th. ~ Ride to Stockgrove via Wing (30 miles).

Dec 4th ~ Ride to Woburn via Wavendon. (A few hills).

(Parks Trust) listed rides are rides put on in conjunction with

The Parks Trust as part of their Easy Rider rides programme.

These rides were started to get more people out on their bikes,

And to show how easy it is to get around MK

And the surrounding areas.

All the rides are taken at a pace to suit the slowest

With plenty of stops if needed.

Children are welcome

But under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The rides will use a mixture of surfaces so robust tyres are advisable.

The rides use the redways, shared use paths and quiet roads where possible.

You are advised to

Ensure that your bicycle is in a roadworthy condition.

Carry a puncture repair kit or spare inner tube.

Bring along a drink or some money to get something at the stop.

(Which is usually about half way or so).

Helmets are a personal choice,

(I’m not going to stop you riding if you’re not wearing one).

Note:-

This ride is not a race or trial of speed.

The route is on open public shared-route paths and roads.

You are expected to follow the rules of the road and

show consideration to other road/path users.

Although lead, the route is not waymarked or marshalled.

The organiser provides no rescue service.

You are responsible for your own safety/conduct.

For more info on any of the rides

Contact

Rich Forrest

bletchleycyclerides@tesco.net

End of another audax year and the start of another.

Well that was an interesting year and as of yesterday (1.11.10) the new season has started.
I finished with a points total of 80 this year managing to get the recumbent points championship and the record along with it. Are you coming out of retirement now MrL?

For a while I wasn't sure that I would win it this time as I had a good challenger which helped to motivate me to get out a few times. So thanks Tim and I look forward to doing it again this season.

The blogging side of this fell a bit by the wayside recently as I just didn't find the time to add stuff on here.

Since my last update I've still been cycling, no surprise there really!
First was my local FSoTM ride, a 30 mile ride over to Marston Vale forest centre and cafe.
A good group of us went up through Little Brickhill, through Woburn park and onto the cafe in the rain (it rained last year too) for a coffee stop.
After which I got my tools out (tools not tool!!) to spin the forks around on a bike brought from Asda. It had been put together at the shop and had them in back to front!! after raising the saddle for the lady also she found it was much better to ride.
The next one is this coming weekend 7.11.10 with a big 30 mile loop around Leighton Buzzard and back via the cafe at Stockgrove park. All are welcome to join us as usual.

The second weekend saw me up and away early for a ride over to Chalfont for the start of a planned 300km ride. This was shortened to a 200 as I'd got an invite to a wedding that evening instead.
The ride over went well and I got to the start with an hr to spare, I had coffee and watched the 200km riders depart and waited for the 100km riders to arrive.
It was a good ride over to Benson for breakfast, I was still going well and got there while a lot of the 200km riders were still there.
The ride back through the chilterns was a bit harder, as I've still not sorted my gears out and was having trouble getting the front changer to drop into the small ring. I walked a couple of hills on the way back and was back at the start at 13.00
After more coffee and too long chatting I was away again for the ride home.

I was planning to go out again mid month but couldn't be asked to get out of bed after a longish week at work so the last ride I did was an extended calendar event adding 100km to a 100 km ride Starting at Stevenage.

It was a late start at 07.15 as the ride didn't start until 10.00 and the ride over went without problems. Apart from the front gear changer!!
There was about 350 other people riding this event and they were being sent away at 5 minute intervals.
My start time was 10.15 so there were a few people ahead of me on the road.
It was the usual recumbent ride rolling along at 30+kph on the flat, silly speeds on the downhills and crawling up them at walking pace.
Being a well organised event catering for all types of rider the controls were only 25km apart. There was a huge queue at the first couple of places but the village hall stop at Therfield was good with excellent cakes and sandwiches from the local WI. It also happened to coincide with the worst of the rain so too long was again spent there.
Away again and the ride still seemed to keep on rolling up and down the hills a quick blast through Stevenage main roads got me back a bit quicker than the using the cycle tracks like last year.
The ride home was again non-eventful and I got back at 19.00 for a leisurely 12hrs out with 4hrs off the bike!!

The new season starts as I mean to go on with the Upper Thames 200km ride from Cholsey (nr Didcot). An excellent ride which was my first 200km audax and now my 4th time of doing it.
I will be riding the 70km there and back of course :-D but this will mean a 4am start and I do have the day before booked off work.
This will definitely slow me down for the local Sunday ride though.

See you on the road
Rich

It's that time of year again

These last 3 weeks I've been doing early shift meaning I've been getting up at 04.00 to be out of the door at 05.00 for the cycle in to work.
As the Summer finishes (was it here?) the morning temperatures are starting to drop the ride in is now in the dark and it will soon be getting darker in the evenings too.
It's this time of year when you can be cycling along in silence with just the hiss of tyres on the tarmac enjoying the ride when you start to hear a faint squeak.
As you cycle along the noise starts to get louder, you start to wonder what part of your bike is rubbing?
Next thing you see is a flash of a reflector in your lights as you nearly take out the bike in front of you with no lights as he wobbles into view!!
Bloody ninja cyclists!!!

How hard is it to buy a set of lights from Tesco (other shops are available ;-) ) for the measly sum of about £2, I try and make the point of saying "nice lights bud" as I pass but the comment usually goes in one ear and out the other at the same speed that I'm cycling at.
Around here they all also seem to wear Hi-Vis jackets thinking that they are safe using just them. Hi-Vis clothing is ok for being seen as long as the vehicle lights are pointing at you. If the riders cross your path you don't see anything until they are right in front of you and collision is imminent.
Perhaps I should oil my bike less so they can hear me coming, but you'd think that a bright light illuminating the path for meters ahead would show there was something else coming along, but no they still ride into your path.... Perhaps I ought to just spear them with the front chain ring and be done with it.
Trouble is I'd then have to bury the body and clean the bike of course. That sounds too much like hard work though :-D

and breath..........................

More ramblings

Still not managed a long ride this month due to Steph going back into hospital, having the kids and 2 x 6 day weeks on early shift.
Luckily I'll be out on a 600km ride next weekend up to Yorkshire and back with a bunch of others so my RRTY (200km+ ride a month) will still be in place.
The combination of no riding, no gym, long hours and eating and drinking too much feels like I've put on a couple of pounds. I'll be glad when I can get back to normal again with work and family life so I can think about next years rides already :-D

All rides next year will be in prep for PBP (Paris - Brest - Paris) a 1200km ride that has about 6000 riders from all over the world coming to ride it.
I hope to qualify and ride it and with enough rides under my belt to make it a bit easier. Rides of that distance will never be easy but with the right training it might be easier!!

I still have a few rides left to do this season so might get the trophy for top recumbent rider at the AGM although that's not a given as I've been chased all year by another Bacchetta rider,Tim Edwards up in Scotland who has around the same amount as I have.
It's been good to have another recumbent rider out doing audax, it's a shame we've not met up and rode together yet though, he was going to do the Dutch 1200 earlier but never managed to get over to it in the end.

On another note I've taken over the reins of DIY audax organiser for the Midlands, North and Mid Wales from Danial Webb. He has loads of other stuff to do for the club and has no time to do it, so after he put a request in on yacf I was the first of a few to reply and got the job :-D
Details can be found on my other blog page

Rich

Another long time...

..since I last posted, I've been busy with family life most of the last 3 weeks due to my youngest 3 kids mother having an accident while horse riding, breaking 6 ribs and spending almost 3 weeks in hospital.
Plans for long rides went out of the window as I had them overnight at the weekends.

I still managed to get up to Derby to borrow the Greenspeed Glyde velomobile from Rob who kindly let me have it.
It was great fun and if you think you get a lot of attention riding a recumbent, you should try riding one of these. It stops traffic :-D
The plan on having it was to use it for work and then ride over to the Mildenhall cycle rally, do a long audax in it on the Saturday, spend Sunday with it on Kevins pitch chatting about it and recumbents. Then ride it back and do a 600km ride on it the following week while off work.

The ride over took a bit longer than expected due to a puncture on the way through Bedford, tube changed and found it wouldn't inflate due to dodgy valve. Another tube later it was up to pressure and I was away again.
Dragging the 80+lb velo and my 200+lb up over the Greensand ridge after Sandy was slow work but the mountain drive worked well and it was a bottom gear spin up and away.
On the flat the machine went well and could be kept above 40kph fairly easily. It was a bit warm inside and I had to make sure I had plenty of water along the way as I was soaked in sweat.
The next fun bit was after a food stop and I'd got it wound up to 45kph again when the n/s wheel hit a stone and the tyre went with a bang!!
Unload all the camping gear and luggage to get to the spare that Rob had kindly left inside.
More time lost fixing that and it was away again through Cambridge and onto the rally arriving at after 21.00.

I'd found out on the way there that long rides in it were not that comfortable for me as I needed more reach on the steering as it was making my shoulders ache.
The seat could go back another notch and the bars would move forward slightly but this would mean adjusting the pedals and maybe the chain so I didn't bother with it.
It was fine over the distance I was doing in it but it just meant I decided to not start the audax ride. Again this was no problem as I went out on the 65km cake and beer ride instead :-D
Great fun around the lanes of Suffolk and more fun overtaking 3 cars and a TT rider at 65kph

As said above on Sunday I helped out on Kevins (D-Tek recumbents nr Ely) pitch with all his recumbent bikes chatting to all that would listen about the benefits of them.
Beer fest on the Sat/Sun evening was also fun, less so the Thai restaurant that was expensive with tiny portions and rude staff. So bad it was funny!

Monday morning was again spent chatting and catching up with friends before I hit the road for the journey home. Uneventful ride back but a bit slow due to too much drink and food.

As Steph was still in hospital I'd cancelled my weeks holiday as I'd not be able to do what I'd planned, so it was another week of commuting and 12 - 14hr night shifts.
The Glyde had to go back on Friday but I'm hopefully going to try out a Quest later in the year and Rob has also said his new one Glyde will be here in a couple of months and I could have a go in that also for comparison. The one I borrowed was a prototype hence the new one being a lot lighter. Maybe I should make a trip over to the Netherlands again and take up some other offers of rides over there.

It's just a shame I can't afford the price tag on these machines at the moment, but the time will come when one will be mine and I'll be riding about the country with a big grin again:-D :-D

More photo's can be found in various replies on this thread on yacf.

Long time - no blog!

Not updated this for a few weeks, but I've still been getting the miles in.
The week after Coming back from the Netherlands I decided to cycle over to the coast at Dunwich to meet up with friends who were doing the Dunwich Dynamo, a yearly ride out of London to the coast that gets bigger each year. Pic's from various people here.
I left at 13.00 thinking that at my normal speed I'd get there at about the same time as the first riders up from London.
My route took me across to Biggleswade up to Spalding and then an almost straight line to the coast.
I had a headwind for most of the way to Spalding which made the going tough but as I turned eastwards I got the benefit of it being behind me and I arrived ahead of schedule at 01.45 to an empty beach and an over 30kph avg!!
After food, drink and a laugh with friends (more pics and write-ups can be found here on yacf) I set off back for home by the most direct route available.
It was hot again and with the lack of sleep I was finding it hard, the ride home was 212 in total and it took me the same amount of time as the ride out. I got home at just before 01.00 for a total of 550km for the 2 days.

Another week of cycling to work and the next weekend was my local ride.
This route was one of the first rides I put on 8yrs ago and it always gets good support.
This year was a bit quieter than normal but we still had 13 riders turn up including a 6yr old ("nearly 7") with his brother in a child seat on his dad's bike.

The route took us on the mostly off road paths out to Winslow and back using Sustrans route 51. It is a bit potholed in places but that's the trouble when cars are allowed to use it.
On arrival at Winslow we were a bit early for the pub so a few riders had coffee in the pub and some went to the cafe.
There was also a farmers market going on there so we all had a look around purchasing various things. I have to say the ostrich burger was lovely :-)

Forward another week and plans for another long ride were sorted and I was planning to leave after dropping the kids home at 19.00.
All good plans and all that meant it didn't happen but I went to bed early and was up again at 03.00 and away at 04.15 for a 400km diy ride.

The route this time was Northwards to Northampton, turn right for Oundle and then a mostly Northwards route again up to Lincoln and Market Rasen. Then south through Boston, St Ives and turn right for home.
The roads at that time on a Sunday morning were empty and I was making good time over the rolling hills looking down onto the Ouse valley as the sun came up.
Through the picturesque villages around Oundle and onto the Long never ending A15 through Bourne and up to Lincoln.
This road is always said to be too busy and dangerous to cycle on, I've never had a problem with riding on it myself as it's a lot less busier than cycling through a town like Lincoln.

A missed turning coming out of Lincoln, too busy racing traffic to look at my GPS :-D had me doing a few extra bonus km's, again I used the main A46 out of town to get to Market Rasen as it was probably quicker than a lanesy route having to slow for corners and junctions!!

Market Rasen was about the halfway mark and I had got there in 9hrs, going well despite the N/Westerly almost headwind. I was hoping that on turning Southwards I'd get the benefit from it but on the next section it started to slow. Boston came and went all be it with a long stop at a garage. Then continuing southwards the wind has changed to an Easterly as I came past the wash and was again hard work to pedal against. This was probably more to do with my legs being tired after 300km than the wind. I seemed to be slowing as I got to St Ives but had still averaged 27.3kph.

Food was brought and I sat on the grass eating pasta and cakes as the sun set. Sounds great but it was only a garage forecourt by a roundabout!
I put on my long sleeve jersey for the evening section but as I got going it was still to warm and I took it off again. A good pace still held across to Bedford and the usual route through the town was fun racing the cars. I was expecting abuse from a chaved up Nova that came alongside of me.
But all I got was thumbs up and asked "how the F### do you get on that thing!"
" Put my feet up and pedal :-D" was my reply before they raced off.
The hill at Cranfield is not too big but always a bugger at the end of a long ride and it had me puffing like a steam engine by the time I got to the top, but as you pass the village the lights of MK come into sight and you know your heading downhill to home.

I managed to get round in just under 20hrs with an avg of 27.3kph and as I was on my own I'm happy with that.

I'm thinking of going out again this weekend overnight on Sunday, Will depend on if I start drinking on Sunday first!!

The following weekend I'll be having fun though as I'm borrowing this from Rob at West Country Recumbents for a couple of weeks.

My Dutch trip - The ride itself Pt 2 - 3

Day 2
After eating, getting showered and having just over 4hrs sleep we were woken up for the 2nd day.
Bleary eyed and with tired legs me and Adam were off heading north out of Maastricht for day 2.
The route headed into Germany for a short while then followed the Maas up through the Netherlands before going back into Germany again and skirting around the Dusseldorf area before crossing the Rhine and riding through the Naturpark Hohe Mark.

The routesheet and GPS seemed to match on this section and the great weather meant we were flying along deciding to use garage controls along the way for a quicker turn around.
Oirlo - Rhade passed quite quickly and we were just wondering about a garage control when we passed a car in a field, Adam shouted to me as we passed that it was a control.
It wasn't a control but was a stop where we could fill up our bottles and rest for a bit, after a section with a bit of climbing this was most welcome.

Another stop at a garage at Hengelo for more food and clothes for the evening section it was back on the bike for the last section of the day to Zwolle.
The ride through the National park area south east of Zwolle was great, just a shame it was dark and nothing could be seen.
The roads were still good and traffic free but with no moon it was pitch black, we managed to keep a reasonable speed up due to the track on my GPS showing corners and me calling them out to Adam in front. The hills there were slowing me down though and Adam had broken his front gear changer so was on the big ring for the rest of the ride.
The only dodgy section on this part was the recently gravelled surface for what felt like ages (probably only about 1km) that was really hard work to keep the bike upright on. Every false move had the back wheel squirming all over the place.
We were glad to get to the town and the lights of the hall at 02.20 on Friday morning.
Rough calc's showed we had about 35hrs to do 280km, we were quite pleased with that.
Showered, feed and find a mat to sleep on all by 03.00.

Day 3
Another day awake at 07.00 and away for 07.30 to head northwards this time to Groningen.
We'd not gone far when Adam had a puncture, easily fixed and away again through the picturesque villages. Great looking but annoying cobbles!!!
The only way to ride over them was as fast as possible but with 900km in your legs this is easier said than done.
After turning right along another canal we had a stonking tailwind which meant we were cruising along at 40kph with ease finding ourselves at Groningen at lunchtime, again well ahead of schedule.
More food and water and it was then into the wind along a long section of canal. It seemed to go on for ages and the wind didn't let off all the way to Wartena (S/E Leeuwarden)
The control was in a football club and the food was cooked for us when we got there, we even had a shot of some spirit that definitely warmed us up.
We discussed staying there getting drunk, sleeping and still having time to ride in the morning and finish :-)
We thanked the controllers though and pushed on back into the wind for the final section.

Again another tiring section not helped by the deluge we got from another storm as we passed by a huge lake and over another dyke. Nowhere to hide across there we just put our heads down and rode over. The finish was in sight and after another soaking we arrived back at Zwolle at 21.11 on Friday evening.
Just under 17hrs still of the time limit left so we were both happy, I think we may have been the first foreigners (non dutch) to get back and about midfield.
Shower food and sleep was really needed now.

I got up at about 9 on Saturday morning and riders were coming in all morning.
I had a leisurely breakfast and headed for the station for a train south.
A quick call home was made and arrangements for the evening were made with family in Monster about 10km north of Hoek van Holland.
I managed to get out of Den Haag and find my way there with a few phone calls for directions, a great evening of Chinese and red wine was had then it was up and head south for the ferry the next day.

The crossing going well but quite long, we had hoped for a quick departure off the ferry and a sprint to the station for the train. The timings of the ferry and the trains here aren't good and it was an hrs wait for the next one.

Adam headed off to London and me towards Ipswich at Manningtree, another long wait couldhave been on the cards there waiting for the next train to Needham Market but there was one to Stowmarket about to leave.
A short ride from there was better than a long wait so I jumped on.
It wasn't long before I was at a friends having cider and a welcome bed for the night.

Back on the train again the next morning, this time heading for Cambridge and the 75km ride home from there. All uneventful but a bit slower than usual.

Total riding for the week was about 1400km, I was feeling ok the next day so it was back on the bike for a weeks commuting all be it a bit slower.

GPS track 2
GPS track 3



More photo's from my ride companion Adam.

My Dutch trip - The ride itself (pt 1)

After looking at all of the bikes and velomobiles arriving at the start (pics at bottom), dinner was eaten and we were all lined up ready to go.
20.00 was the start time and we had a lead out with cars at either end as we rolled along the dual carriageway ring-road.
It was the best audax start I've ever done probably only second to PBP (next year!)
Once we were out of the town we followed cycle-paths N/westwards around the Ijsselmeer and along the Afsluitdijk a 32km dike stopping the sea flooding the area.
I'd been riding mainly on my own along this part as I'd had a puncture and had lost the group but after leaving one group I joined up with Hector (a Greek lad) and we positively flew along here at about 40kph.

After the food stop at Den Oever we (Me, Hector and Adam) headed south passing close to Amsterdam and Den Haag in the dark so no sightseeing. Crossing the Noordzeekanaal as the sun was rising and eventually arriving at Maasdijk at 9.30 for breakfast.
The day was getting hotter and after food and bottle filling (many times!) and application of suncream we were on our way again for ferry number 2 at Maasluis.

The temps were up in the 30s and it was hard to find water stops filling our bottles up at garages when needed. The ride around the paths and park area was lovely and the cycle tunnel under the Maas with glass lifts was brilliant.
The 400km control came rather quickly at Geertruidenberg at just after 15.00 (19hrs) Still in the middle of the field but making good time.

The sky started to darken a bit after we crossed into Belgium and we hid under an underpass at just the right time as the heavens opened. Apparently the storm was one of the worse the area has had for a number of years with trees being uprooted and caravans being turned over.
This made the ride towards Maastricht slow as all the cyclepaths had branches and trees all over them.
Navigation was a bit dodgy also with the routesheet not matching the gps, the track on the latter sending us across fields and along unpaved canal banks. Hector decided to go along a road that didn't allow cycling, me and Adam found another route to the control.
We eventually got to Maastricht a couple of hours later than expected at 01.00 tired and a bit irritable due to the navigation issues.
I was pleased though with a distance of 564km in 29hrs.

Bikely route part1

Various bike at the start (crappy phone pics)

My Dutch trip Days 1-3

Day 1 (Sun)

Started with me leaving home at about 11.00 and rinding over to Cambridge station. I got there in just over 3hrs with a good tailwind all the way but on arrival I had to wait 1.45hrs for the next train, the first seemingly canceled.

Train journey was without hitch and I got to Harwich with hrs to spare.

I rode around Harwich for a bit, ate fish and chips on the sea front and spent a couple of hrs in the pub before embarking on the ferry and finding my cabin for a shower food and sleep.

Leaving Harwich

Day 2 (Mon)

Disembarking was again without hitch, as cycles were off first and the first train was waiting at the port.

Trains in the Netherlands were rather good for bikes, you have to buy a day ticket for them (6euro) but you can use them on all services without booking a place. It was a bit busy when I was on there but we managed to get on ok. Trains were frequent anyway so it wouldn't have been a hardship to wait for the next one.

Arrived in Zwolle about midday so had plenty of time to kill and after getting the courage to cycle away from the station, I was away and trying to find my way around town.

I found the start location for the ride the next day so it was then around the ring road to find the hotel.

The first storm of the ride got me on the way around and I arrived soaked through. Luckily it was ok to get in the room and get dry clothes on.

As it was still early I decided to have a look around town and get some food, I was amazed at the cycle infrastructure here and must have stood for about 20 minutes watching cyclists going around the roundabout, cars have to give way to cyclists on a lot of roads there and it was amazing to watch from an Englishmans viewpoint.

Cycle lanes along major roads have right of way over all the side roads they cross and cars would stop to let you over even when they were turning into the road you're crossing. It was a bit unnerving to start with but as you got used to it it got a lot easier.

If your cyclepath crossed a main road the traffic on it had right of way but there are cycle crossings next to the pedestrian crossing anyway so you didn't wait for long.

Then it was food, tv and try to get as much sleep as possible for the long day ahead.

Arriving Hoek Van Holland and some Dutch cycle infrastructure.

Day 3 (Tues)

I got up as late as I could before the breakfast closed at the hotel, had breakfast and was out into the town again to await the 20.00 start this evening. I wandered around for a bit and got some food for later at the super market (Ed - all exciting stuff eh!) while waiting outside I spotted an LEL jersey the same time he spotted my yacf one.

Another Brit was in town (Andy Wills) we chatted for a bit and as he was going to a bike shop I went also.

More coffee drank sat in the square looking at all the Dutch ladies cycling about :-) and a ride back to the start location to wait for it to open.

Dutch ladies on recumbent advertising bikes