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.
