Paddington Express 400km audax 22nd-23rd April 2023

I took Paddington to meet Paddington. The legs took the strain from Bristol to London and back again. It was more Cross Country in style than Express in nature. There were delays due to unscheduled stops, equipment and driver failure and not much coffee nor cake. It was one heck of an adventure to the Big Smoke and back in just less than 27 hours on a bike. If there had been an easy way to scratch, I would have taken it.

Paddington Jnr on his way to meet Paddington snr Photo: B Hafford

I have completed 2x Randonneur Round the Year’s (RRtY) They keep me fitter, in the zone and dissuade couch potato like tendencies. It’s easier to thrash out a monthly 200 than starting over at my age. During my first RRtY in 2019, I offered to help Will out and stamp brevet cards on the 400km Paddington Express, at the first control in Swindon, still in shock I had managed 4 monthly 200km rides at that point, through winter, I didn’t think I was able to cope with much night riding. Riding a 400 was for proper audax cyclists, an achievement way off my radar, entering never crossed my mind. Imposter syndrome off the scale.

Riders appeared at The Swindon and Cricklade Railway centre in Blunsdon, I was encouraging Audax Club Bristol (ACB) friends who were taking part. Whilst taking care of Brevet Card admin, I computed they were 60km in to a 200km ride to Paddington Station. That’s doable. Why did I not just enter and ride to London contemplate the unknown on the return, or catch the post train home if need be? I did not realise at the time that Paddington Express is only on the calendar for Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) qualification years, so every 4 years. Next one was scheduled for 2023. A lot has happened since then, but I never forgot that deluded romantic notion I could possibly have a go.

Riding to the capital is a satisfying aim. Although I’m not keen on London and I rarely go there. It’s been 18 months since I rode my first 300, an overnight 300, in November 2021, because I’d forgotten I’d entered the previous year and the entry was carried over. Why not make life hard for myself? I somehow got round Moonrakers and Sunseekers in 2021 with a 22.30 depart and somewhat dispelled the myth that I could not cope with night riding. Totally on the wire and I was Lanterne Rouge. Moonrakers kicked off my second RRtY, finished in October 2022. I then fell off the wagon and didn’t restart a new RRtY this winter, a string of viruses, weather, other commitments, holiday, I made all the excuses.

I needed another goal. PBP chatter started up and I saw Paddington Express was back on the audax agenda in April. I had not ridden a 200km audax in 4 months. A mad plan was hatched for the next three weekends to ride 2 x200s and then my second ever 300, GWR Railway Connections, in mid-March. After all I had said after Moonrakers that "I'd do some training beforehand next time." 

My legs felt much better by the 300. It was quite tough as an early 6am start to fly out to Didcot and loop through the Cotswolds (snow on the ground) and then into the dark and fog after Tewkesbury to conquer all the hills in Forest of Dean through Ross and back to Chepstow and a return to Bristol over the Severn Bridge at midnight. A long day, cold, wet and windy at times, but I made the arrivée by the skin of my teeth at 1.45am. As ever I felt my best later and finished strongly. I was not last. I should imagine a proper sports coach may not have approved of my logic, but it worked for me. 

I felt happier to contemplate entering Paddington Express, my first 400. I had 5 weeks to consolidate before departure on the audax train. I ticked off Butt Buster 200 and then spent Easter in Cornwall, so plenty of stabby hills were thrashed. I carefully did not ride a 200 in April to give me extra motivation to finish my 400 and rest the old body. Real sports people call this "tapering." A sports psychologist would have a field day with my sports science theory.

Audax snacking preparation

Nervous but very happy that Paddington Express, organised by Will Pomeroy of Great Western Randonnées (GWR) and ACB, was a mid-afternoon departure. I’m better at staying up late than early starts. I rode the 9 km into Bristol, after a substantial lunch, to calm my nerves, check everything was ok, and loaded my first ride of seven onto my Garmin. A pre-ride coffee and pastry at The Bakehouse was the plan but my stomach was far too twitchy to risk it. I told myself it was a 60km ride to Swindon after collecting my Brevet card and greeting fellow audax friends from Bristol and beyond. Will sent us off with cheery waves and a very British “see you later” as if we were meeting at the pub in an hour or two for a “normal” Saturday night. The precise familiar metallic snap-clack of all the clipless pedals being attached to cycling shoes swirled into the reassuring whirl of freehubs, accompanied by the sing-song of bike computers being released joyfully into the wild. We were off.

Picking up brevet cards at the "Depart"

As someone said "did you bring your own bike stand?" He was looking forward to a peaceful weekend and counting down to my "off"

The first three hours were fairly none descript. Concentration on the city roads towards Bath and once the first climb was over groups formed, and most had passed me, but I was swishing into the early evening with others still around. Some chat was in evidence as we relaxed whilst establishing that rhythm required to propel us into and through the night. I pulled into Blunsdon Station and smiled, here I was riding and not stamping. Will was stamping and I deftly ordered my jacket potato and tea before getting my card stamp. Ablutions were completed whilst my order was prepared. I am very aware that a good strategy as a full value rider is to reduce faff time.

This was the point at which it was easy for me to ride home, have a shower and go to bed like a normal person. I loaded up my second route that was the longest (at 99km) of the 7, all the way to Eton/Windsor. It was very comforting to be riding in a three with two ACB club mates. We were all quite contemplative, but we automatically took turns into the headwind aiming for Didcot, we’d been here on Railway Connections a few weeks earlier. I knew there was a McDonalds but didn’t want to risk losing too much time early on. However, not eating sufficiently can cause problems and perhaps I should have “jumped” eating at Blunsdon and waited to the 100km milestone at Didcot for my audax supper. I was beginning to doubt my fuelling strategy. Our peloton of three had dissolved and I paused outside the railway station to eat a cheese roll, turn off my daytime flashing usb lights and swap to dynamo lights as dusk was falling. People were milling in groups off to the pub and I slunk off into the other audax world, the parallel detached universe. My Garmin was in night mode, switching off when not required and I was hoping that a 20 minute charge at Paddington would keep it navigating for the night until I could swap back to the dynamo to charge it by morning. I had a chuckle to myself that who did I think I was to make it to Paddington and out of London by the time the real world was waking up again, never mind worrying about charging my Garmin.

It was properly dark by Henley on Thames and after navigating theatre goers and crossing an illuminated bridge a long climb ensued. I buckled down and plodded up, felling quite nauseous but religiously taking something form my snack bag and eating every 20 minutes. At some point, as I’d been following lights in the distance, I noticed my Garmin wasn’t illuminating to navigate. I stopped and pressed everything, swiped the screen in all directions and a little flutter of terror shot through my stomach. It was dead. Some other riders passed and said to ride with them. We swerved into an express supermarket at 22.10. I remember the time as the door was being locked, the assistant did not want to be delayed by any more cyclists raiding the shelves! I googled “Garmin hard reboot” as I could not remember the process. Depressing the power button for 10 seconds worked, it sprung back to life, recovered navigation and had just lost about 10km that had not recorded. My back up Strava recording had stopped itself 15 km earlier. No worries, it meant I could continue. I am not fast enough to rely on being in a group with others.

Now I was solo, presumed last and determined to keep an eye on the time and procrastinate no more. Once through Maidenhead and the count down to the information control at Eton. I never did see Windsor Castle but the reassuring figures of others finding the trivia to record on our brevet cards was comforting.  I loaded course 3 of 7. Less than 40km to Paddington Station and the halfway point. I thought I might make it in 2 hours by 1am and was overjoyed, cut off time was 4.20 and realistically I’d hoped for 3am when planning.

The road surfaces in Buckinghamshire had been dire, potholes to drown in, rough jarring surfaces and the killer longitudinal slits that you can wedge a tyre in. Rain had set in. I was riding a relatively smooth back road near Heathrow when my front wheel crashed through a rogue pothole. I just about managed to stand up, but the back wheel thumped down hard and immediately deflated. My utter worst nightmare. I walked back to a couple of lampposts (very lucky) and got my bike upside down removed the wheel and started extracting the blown tube. Un beknown to me a couple of heroes were not far behind and stopped to help. I got the tube in but reseating the tyre is my nemesis even in a warm kitchen, my hands seize and I invariably pinch the inner using tyre levers. They managed to prise the tyre back on using strong fingers and we took turns to pump it. I thanked them profusely and sent them on their way whilst I rehung my pannier, ate something and calmed down. I did not want to jeopardise others’ rides. A food delivery scooter appeared and slowed down. He checked I was ok too, lovely humans are everywhere. Kindness lurking in Hounslow at 1am.

I was low on water and quite worried that if the water refill station at Paddington was out of order I’d be stuck. I stopped at a garage and had a surreal chat with a group of lads who had obviously escaped parental clutches whilst celebrating Eid, so smartly dressed and they apologised profusely for holding me up whilst deliberating on their purchases. I stashed the rest of my 2 litre bottle of still water after refilling bidons bid the lads a good night and eventually started rolling through London Town. This was the part I had dreaded, presumed route finding in the city would be impossible. Naturally, every light pretty much turns red as you get there, an out-of-control jeep roared at stupid speed up Chiswick High Street but other than that all very quiet. The London Marathon was due to start in a few hours. After what seemed an eternity of clipping in and out at traffic lights, and the tail end of the riders ahead passing over the other side already on their return leg, I arrived at Paddington. I remembered Platform 1 and scooted left along the platform only to be shouted at for not dismounting properly, whoops!

Just before departure of the slow train home in the middle of the night

I knew Chris would be there with marmalade sandwiches. A familiar face, with a calm reassuring manner. Turns out I’m not the last in and it’s just gone 2am so I have 2 hours 20 in reserve. I am managing myself ok except for my stomach. I cannot face sweet stuff so eat more rolls and drink the coke I bought at the garage. The Platform 1 toilets shut at midnight so I walk over to Platform 12 and have the standard conversation with the cleaner, he asks if it’s a charity ride and I say no, he then says, “why are you doing it then?” I couldn’t give a rational answer. I’m lucky and privileged that I can have a go.

Paddington meeting Paddington, the marmalade was already there

 A snatched photo with the bronze Paddington statue that was smaller than I expected, and I leave into the fluorescent night. More traffic lights and gyratory systems and eventually I realise I am back towards Heathrow and onwards to the Wessex downs. The fluid movement of time has washed over my brain and I try to eat and drink regularly. I’m not being very rational and know there is no way to get home easily. The quickest way is to keep on going. I’m crawling now feeling very sick. I passed Ascot Race course and start climbing into the dawn. Just me and the birds tweeting.

I turn into the scout hut complex for the breakfast control and proceed to take several minutes finding the correct hut in my delirious state. I was so surprised to see so many bikes outside still. I wasn’t making much sense, but beans on toast and a mug of tea were placed before me by Will again, he’s on his third control! I can’t work out how, I thought he was cutting cross country on his bike from Swindon. Another lovely controller tries to encourage me to go and sleep for 20 minutes. She assures me she will wake me up, but I had no problems missing a night’s sleep on Moonrakers and know I can’t “nap” to order so I decline. She was right. I contemplated pro plus I was carrying, I’ve never taken them and have no idea why when they were needed that I didn’t take them.

The stragglers had mostly left. Beans on toast and tea would normally revive me but not today. I was riding into the headwind and it was lumpy terrain again. No rain and the sun did start to peep out but I never did take my leg warmers off, there was a nip in the air. I kept blanking, exhaustion was making me cold. I didn’t fall off but was seriously worried. I hallucinated slightly and it was light. It was 67km to Great Bedwyn Post Office and the chance of a latte. I spied a bench by a post box in a little village called Brimpton. I stopped and tried to eat something and laid down and shut my eyes. Probably 15 minutes, without actually sleeping, but it was just enough to risk continuing without crashing.

Then I passed over Greenham Common, remembering vividly the decade of demonstrating camps when I was a student in the 80s. Another place I’ve never been to before. My motivation was picking up very slightly. I had managed to work out that the Post Office was over 300km. I’d be into the last 100km. I saw a sign for Great Bedwyn which had a red railway sign on it. Befuddled brain cheered, I can get a train home and not make the call of shame for a lift now I’m close enough and it’s morning. Comically, around the next bend, a rail replacement coach passed me and dashed my cunning plan. No bikes allowed on rail replacement coaches.

I prop my bike up at the post office, another sleep deprived soul is there. I was momentarily gutted to see it wasn’t a café too, as I had presumed. However, they had a coffee machine, and I bought a latte, spooned in some sugar and had my card stamped. These wonderful people had opened very early to cater to the pointy end, audax heroes. A lovely array of pastries were on offer but I couldn’t face them and ate another half roll. I remembered my green gunge smoothie I had carried since the start. Easily absorbed calories. I downed that too on the bench outside. I was back in a normal functioning world at 11am. Route number 6 is 54km to Corsham. Perhaps I can do this?

Bluebells can't fail to lift the spirits

My brain is fizzy, but my legs start working and my speed is improving. I haven’t had to walk anything and I am pushing uphill steadily. The Pewsey area is lovely, feels like big sky prairie and the rape seed is blinding. I’m riding amongst 3-4 others, we hop each other at intervals and life is less lonely again. I fall into a rhythm with one of the guys and we are very evenly matched. He stopped in Corsham village, and I climbed up to the co-op garage that I’d used as my end of route marker. Another coffee and a timed receipt stowed and I sat on the forecourt floor eating my food and messaged home. ETA 5-5.30 cut off time was 18.00. Messaged my daughter that I was sitting on a garage forecourt floor and she presumed that meant I’d given up. I felt the best I had since early evening and as I got back on my bike the same guy is just approaching. He’d stopped in the village and with the final 38km route loaded we rode on together in good spirits, I was confident we could coax each other home.

Box Hill down. Wow, such fun. I was aware now, through gritted teeth, that punctures and accidents had to be avoided so was reasonably careful but what a rush. I’d never ridden the A4 back through Bath to Bristol so was none the wiser. A few more #wills_hills to conquer and a lot of Saturday traffic plus more traffic lights. My middle three left toes were cramping from the unclipping for the London lights and were suddenly very painful. Eventually my Garmin pushes us out onto the Bristol to Bath Path for just the last mile. The Bakehouse café arrivée had shut at 16.00 and moved to the Brewery tap around the corner for the last 2 hours. 

Blitzed but still standing after cider!

I was mightily pleased with 16.50 as my finish time all things considered. Somehow Will was there again! Far better to celebrate with a pint of cider after all. It was lovely camaraderie with earlier finishers. We had passed my two puncture rescuers in Bath who were charging a Garmin, so we were also not last back. We finally exchanged names and started chatting freely. In answer to the cheerful night cleaner at Paddington I did it because I can. I am very lucky that I can. I do remember saying “no way though am I ever attempting a 600………”

About 10 out of 79 Pad Ex finishers were not men. I’ve contacted some of them “up the road from me”, for their perspective of Paddington Express.

“Hearing the familiar beep from my Garmin I glance down to register my 320^th kilometre: an invisible finish line in a series of invisible finish lines, but one to be celebrated with a snack, all the same.  Like clockwork I eat every 20 km, so in a well-rehearsed and robotic routine I unzip my top tube bag and reach for the Kendal Mint Cake I’d been looking forward to since I’d set out from Bristol, 15 hours earlier.  I bite off a large chunk, but not before an even larger chunk flies straight from my hand and into a puddle.  RIP, there’s no rescuing that. I had plenty more with me, but that’s not the point.  I’d spend the remaining hours back to Bristol thinking about that lost square…gone but never forgotten.

Those final hours passed in a blur of sleep-deprived nonsensical conversation, as I linked up with some others and rolled into the Arivée feeling satisfied in a way only possible through physical exhaustion.  Now with only one ride left to get my Super Randonneur, I made a mental note to bring plenty more Kendal Mint Cake with me on that one.”

- Vic

“It was a tale of two rides. The first 200k was fast, with fresh legs and impending rain clouds speeding me into London, but the second half was a slow grind. The views on this route are not spectacular, and apart from a dry chain, I didn’t have any memorable mechanicals either. This meant I had a lot of time to overthink – about my week and life – until all conscious thought was replaced by autopilot, and I must have reached a meditative state of being comfortable with discomfort.

Now I was thinking about it, it was the easiest night ride I’ve done despite the nausea. Because much of it was through London, which was still lively, I never had to deal with my 2am demons on some lonely country lanes. And it wasn’t cold. I think after PBP I won’t do night rides anymore – I don’t enjoy them.”

-Dulce

“After a few years of certainty that 300km was the longest distance I would ever want - or be able - to ride, I finally threw caution to the wind and signed myself up to the Bryan Chapman 600. The Paddington Express seemed like a fairly safe option for some 400 practice in the lead up. Propelled by a healthy tailwind and tucked in behind my partner, Nick, the ride to Paddington was hugely enjoyable. Hurtling along lanes in better-than-expected weather, we flew to the outskirts of London.

The first to reach Paddington, we didn't stop for long. Bits of rain started to fall as we left the city lights behind, and the roads became lumpier. Reaching Pinewood Scout Hut just before 1am, I realised tiredness and disorientation had crept up on me. After a welcome warm up and beans on toast, we carried on our way.

Now blasting Abba into the night, my pace began to slow. Not long after, breathing became more difficult and nausea set in. A quarter of a cereal bar fuelled the rest of my ride, which slowed to a stop and a fairly major meltdown with 70km still to go. It being 4.45am on a Sunday, the only choice was to carry on, and we crawled home as the sun rose. Rolling downhill along the Bristol and Bath Railway Path to Bakehouse, the arrivée, I thought I might burst into tears at the end. Instead, a restorative croissant was placed into my hands, and I promptly fell asleep. 17 hours and 18 minutes after setting off, we were the first back. Next stop, the Bryan…”

-Katherine

And finally, from Will, the organiser:

“It was a joy seeing everyone get round especially for those challenging their limits and doing their first 400 or through the night ride.” 

 

My original “railway journey” style notes for context from IG:

Depart Bristol: Sat 22nd April 2023 15:00 @bakehousebs2

Swindon -jacket and beans/cheese

Didcot

Henley on Thames -Garmin fail

Maidenhead

Windsor

Hounslow for LHR -pot hole puncture

Kew

Chiswick

Shepherd’s Bush

Paddington Station -marmalade sandwiches

Hammersmith

Hounslow for LHR

Ascot -baked beans on toast for Ladies' Day

Brimpton -driver fail village bench for 15 mins attempted zzz

Greenham Common

Great Bedwyn -1st coffee

Corsham -2nd coffee

Box Hill -wheeeeeee

Bath

Hanham

Arrivée Bristol: Sun 23rd April 2023 16:50 @lhgtaproom Brewery CIDER 🍏🍎🍏

410km 🚴‍♀️

3000m 🏔️

20hrs 30mins 🚴‍♀️

25hrs 45 mins ⏰

🐻 2

Adventure Level 10/10

Thank you @gwraudax for one heck of an adventure that I’m still processing. 80 minutes inside cut-off and didn’t keep you waiting as not quite last!

My longest ride to date. Super Randonneur or SR progress:

200km ✅

300km ✅

400km ✅

600km ❎

#parisbrestparis2023 pre qualification

3/12 for my third #rrty

Missing 10km and another 300m climbing!

A few weeks later my ratified brevet card appeared in the post. I had not noticed the Paddington Bear stamp!

Moonrakers and Sunseekers 309km audax 19th November 2021

Next time I’ll do some training.

My first 300km audax and first time riding over night (and into the next night!) Jelly baby reflux is a thing. What did you do on Friday night?

Spoiler alert - my completed brevet card

Why? I was not certain I could do it. I was very certain 300km as a daytime distance in summer was a possibility back in 2019. That was the year I pushed myself way beyond what I thought my limits were and completed my first RRtY (12 consecutive monthly 200km rides.) I signed up for Moonrakers and Sunseekers in 2020 after a reasonable summer of pushing myself on longer multi day solo camping trips. A 300km in November is mad. For reference I have a 14 yo right knee replacement that I want to last as long as possible. There is also the slight problem of being partially sighted which makes night riding extremely hard (almost impossible in rain) and slows me even more as I can't let go downhill. I'm slow enough anyway. We all know Moonrakers wasn't held last November as we were in national lockdown (I had covid, we forget it was lockdown everywhere as we didn't leave the house for nearly 3 weeks) and that was the start of my fitness flight. I totally forgot about Moonrakers until I realised it was on my Audax UK list in September. I had let my second RRtY "go" in July so my last 200 was June and I'd ridden one 100km ride in the previous six weeks. I would not be starting unless the weather conditions were as-perfect-as-you-can-get in November. No rain, ice nor wind could be mentioned on the forecast.

The weather forecast was perfect, very low chance of rain and 9-12 degrees for the whole of Friday night and into Saturday evening. After backing out of an overnighter earlier this year when the weather conditions were also good, I had to go for it. 

I packed my disabled rail card and battery bank. Jelly babies were stashed along with cheese rolls, cheddars, marzipan, cereal bars and salted peanuts in my bar bag. There were 3 overnight controls with food available but as ever I made sure I had enough to survive. Imagining all the worst case scenarios I had a padded jacket, ski gloves and commuting rain jacket in one small pannier. If my night was to be spent in a ditch or the colder weather forecast for Sunday moved in early, I would survive.

I volunteered Steve to help at the depart/start, mainly so I had no excuses to bottle. We rode slowly into Bristol for 9pm to settle my nerves, following the last 10km of the route I'd be doing tomorrow and know well. I would be riding past home at 298km. After all the hardest part is starting. It was great to see a few familiar faces and collect my brevet card, knock back a mug of tea and munch a banana to calm the nerves.

21.40 group start aka the fast ones (my start was an hour later)

I started in the last bunch to be let loose (170 starts in 4 groups from 21.40-22.40) so already I'm an hour down. In theory it doesn't matter, it's not a race, but when you know you will be riding full value on the limit of the audax time limits it is a demotivating fog to wade through. Immediately I was phased by flashing rear lights of some of the other riders and I didn’t jump a red light to stay with the bunch, so that was it, at the back after 5 minutes and still in Bristol. I resigned myself for a steady warm up to Devizes, not caring about resorting to the granniest of granny gears for the big pull out of Bath. Conditions were very good and warm. An occasional late starter wafted by and eased off into the distance. 

After a short optional tour of Devizes, I found the Moonraker pub at 51km which was the first control. More friendly encouraging kind people stamped my card and handed me a kilo of flapjack. A couple of other late starters caught up. David left the control with me and we rode all night together, we were total strangers at that point. It was awesome. I was extremely close to just turning right and heading home. Thanks to David I didn't.

I watched David power up the inclines on his fixed gear, obviously capable of powering off into the night and being back in Bristol for lunchtime. We talked about many of our cycling experiences. Tales of iconic ultra distance races; Trans Continental Race, Pan Celtic, Pyrenees (David) and All Points North (both of us) The stuff of cycling dreams. A quick stop at an audax hotel to bolt some carbs but no time to sleep.

Audax Hotel

Salisbury control at 91km was a wonderfully random gazebo set up next to a roundabout with Will and helpers reappearing and the best mug of tea ever (and more flapjack) Surreal at 3.30am or whatever. The only traffic had been perturbing blue lights of the emergency services looking after everyone and the odd very considerate lorry passing wide and slow. 

A couple of hours evaporated in exciting bike chat and we rode the whole length from Christchurch illuminated by a watery sun rise through Bournemouth to Poole. A lot of seafront bike path next to a glassy and slightly foggy sea with beach huts like paint charts. I was flagging big time. Halfway welcome 153km in at the Lilliput Sea Scout hut by another army of intrepid lovely volunteers who had been preparing and cooking all night. I was the last of 150+ breakfasts served at 8am. It was epic.

Audax breakfast in Poole

I needed a good break as my Garmin needed to recharge as well as me, it was on 20%. I waved David off and was honoured to meet the legendary Mike Sheldrake who gave me a massive hug and sent me on my way at 9am with encouraging wisdom. It was chilly and the drizzle very persistent in the never ending rolling hills to Podimore services at 227km. Totally solo, no sign of audax life. My legs worked but only at one speed, setting 1 on the food mixer. I'm still riding to time limits but needing to boost my Garmin charge, I allowed myself a latte to wash down more of my cheese rolls. The server helpfully pointed out that everyone else passed through hours ago. 

Glastonbury was where I believed I might make it, all familiar ground now. I was held up by cattle droving near Godney with a queue of cars. It was dusk at the start of the gravelly Strawberry Line in Axbridge with dog walkers dressed in black with black dogs and a huge struggle to see where the path was as everything was covered in pretty leaves. I've no idea how I survived the horrific mud slide at Thatchers' new diversion but somehow I stayed upright. I should have been back on the road to avoid that section but hadn't paid my Garmin much attention as I know the Strawberry Line. 

I totally crawled in the pitch black and eventually made The Strawberry Line Cafe in Yatton 15 mins after closing at 5.15 although technically on time, just. I flashed off a quick pic for evidence, and a quick message to arrivée to say where I was and to apologise for keeping them waiting. Thank goodness for no punctures.

Strawberry Line Cafe Yatton 5.15pm

Now the thrash to get back "on time" fuelled by jelly babies, as they were all I could manage on the go. Local knowledge helped for the ride through Nailsea but not rarely dipped car lights dazzling me on the lanes. Riding past home at 298km was torture. A final fling of navigational ineptitude getting the route onto the B2B Railway path wrong having ridden the section last night and losing another 5 valuable minutes.

I made it back by the skin of my teeth to cheers from Will, Holly and Steve, embarrassingly my moving speed of 19km/hr at Poole had dropped off to 17.7km/hr by the finish. Audax allows about 15km/hr including stop time. A plate of fantastic dahl was handed to me and tales of the day were told. Given my fitness levels and circumstances a full fat value ride was plenty good enough for me. Who am I kidding? I should have been back by 5pm. 

Bristol Somerset Wiltshire Hampshire Dorset - 5 counties in one day

Epic organisation and control teams by Great Western Randonées. I'm regretting not picking up a Strawberry line stick to whittle into my wooden spoon. I was the person who spent the longest time by far in the saddle. Another "lanterne rouge" for my collection. The jelly baby reflux lasted several days. I was staggered that the lack of sleep for 36 hours didn't impact me until I was in the bath later that evening.

Am I imagining things? Did I say "next time I’ll do some training" rather than "never again...?"

My first RRtY - Randonneur Round the Year Award - Audax UK Jan-Dec 2019

I didn't really mean to do an RRtY.

My RRtY patch arrived on about the only stunning but chilly day in January 2020

An RRtY, or "Randonneur Round the Year" according to Audax UK, is awarded to those riding a Randonneur (200km audax) event in each month of any consecutive 12 month period.

A Randonneur event can either be a 200km+ "calendar" event organised on a specific day with others riding too, or a self routed DIY event that is pre approved and then compared to a submitted 'gpx file from your Garmin or Strava or Wahoo GPS device. There are a couple of other options like ECE (Extended Calendar Event ie stretching a 100km brevet) or following a Permanent or Perm route. Audax terminology is littered with acronyms and abbreviations!

It sounds quite straightforward really.

It sort of accidentally happened, after rashly entering a winter 200km randonnée almost exactly a year ago.

I had completed two 200km audax previously in July 2017 GWR Plains Trains and no more Automobiles 200km and in July 2018 the Raglan Castle 200km starting in Bath. In the midst of a heatwave summer that day was a storm. I was nearly blown off my bike on the Old Severn Bridge, was practically hypothermic by the time I got as far as Raglan and with the support of a good friend (my Garmin packed up after 100km) I did just mange to get back to Bath, in audax time, just. Audax time" is 15km/hr including stopped time. About 13 1/2 hours for a 200.

There were two reasons why I hadn't done more 200s at that point. I told myself it probably wasn't good for my knee to do more than one a year, I have a 10 year old right total knee replacement (TKR) that I want to last as long as possible. Secondly I have very poor eyesight so I avoid night riding unless it's my very well known commute, I am so slow at night and as soon as the weather is bad I can see nothing. So really 200s at my pace are really only on April-October at the most, which precludes RRtY.

So I entered a January event a week prior on a total whim because:
-I needed to buck up my ideas and obey Velominati rule#5
-I knew the parts of the route I'd have to ride in the dark
-Nowhere was too ridiculously far to call the broomwagon (husband) if everything went pear shaped and the start wasn't too far away either.
-The weather forecast was as good as it gets for January.
-The entry fee was £7, I wasn't going to bankrupt myself if I backed out.
-It was a Great Western Randonnées event, Will Pom is the best audax organiser.

RRtY 1 Sat 12th January 2019 Calendar: GWR Chalke and Cheese

I have already blogged about the GWR Chalke and Cheese experience.

7am depart at Warmley on the Chalke and Cheese Audax

So I'm up and running.

RRtY 2a Sat 9th February 2019 DIY: Born to be Wild 

The next calendar event I wanted to do was Efengyl/Gospel Pass towards the end of February. The weather could easily preclude the highest Welsh road pass at this time of year so I planned a DIY to "make sure." I asked an audax friend and borrowed his route and adapted it slightly before submitting for approval. Steve was coming for the first hilly half (following me as no drafting/support allowed) and then heading home and I planned to continue around the levels and the coast and the last (thankfully familiar) chunk would be ridden in the dark.

We managed to leave around 7am to maximise my daylight riding time. Second breakfast was in Bath at 8.30 (first ever McDs visit on a bike, I avoid in regular life) after the Bristol-Bath Railway Path stint, at just 30km.

First ever McDs on an audax

It was slow and draining progress up to Mendip via Kilmersden into the headwind.

I'd done less than half of the route by 1pm as I had to stop at Cafe Gorge in Cheddar after 83km to thaw out after wind rain and hail hammered me down Cheddar Gorge from the tail end of Storm Erik. Steve had gone home via Burrington Combe to watch the Six Nations rugby as planned, he racked up a solid 100km, all the ascent and the delightful hail. 

So the easier second half wasn't easy. Glastonbury at 100km to Weston super Mare at 150km was very hard work into that headwind still.

Highbridge

It was snail like, but once it got to dusk the heavens opened and somehow I survived the very scary A370 to Congrebusry in torrential rain and pitch black but finally I had a tailwind! Once I turned off the main road in Congresbury, I began to think perhaps I would make it and was much happier. I was so relieved to get to Clevedon and have an impromptu "stuff-my-face-with-salted-peanuts-and-jelly-babies-to-get-me-home-picnic" under the bandstand, the rain eased off and I got back in exactly 12 hrs door to door. Chilli had been made for me on my return! It took an hour to thaw out, I had not felt my feet since Cheddar. That was supposed to be an easier 200km to bank.

RRtY 2b Sat 23rd February 2019 Calendar: Efengyl / Gospel Pass

So of course the forecast for the calendar Gospel Pass audax was perfect. I didn't have to do this one now for my RRtY but who doesn't want to ride a glorious part of Wales in glorious weather? Wales never fails.

I could not have had better weather in February, clear skies and a gentle breeze. It was glorious and thankfully no ice. After a benign crossing of the Old Severn Bridge the route headed west to near Newport. A quick coffee/control stop in Usk at 40km.

River Usk just before Bwlch Climb

I rode mostly on my own, and was round to Hay on Wye for lunch. Then the most glorious ascent of Gospel Pass, I always worry about that lower bit but I made it out of the valley knowing the road opens up and the steepest bit is conquered.  

Looking back up to the summit of Gospel Pass or Efengyl

Gospel Pass. Happy because it's downhill to Abergavenney now.

It all went swimmingly until the final section from Abergavenny, I was riding solo still and in the dark. The route turned me off the main road (that I was fairly certain carried on back to Chepstow) onto a vertical grass lane in pitch black, I walked it all, muttering somewhat. I should have stayed on the main road to Chepstow (the route was only advisory between controls) my instinct was right, but I was worried about getting horribly lost in the dark. Once I rejoined the main road I knew it was straightforward back although I still had to ride back to England and not just Chepstow. I spent the whole day pretty much on my own but I was not last. I managed fuelling better as the controls were sensibly spaced, although I hit the wall at arrivée. The last 25% was in the dark I lost 1km/hr average speed even though the riding was much easier after that vertical lane, because I have to be so cautious in the dark. 

I was short on food by the time I arrived at the arrivée back in Almondsbury, but I think it was one of the easier 200s of the year, perhaps psychological as if I failed I still had the February tick for RRtY from the DIY earlier in the month.

RRtY 3 Sat 9th March 2019 Calendar: GWR Wells Mells and Broader

I had ridden the 100km version of Wells, Mells and Broader before (the upper loop) in 2017, Wells and Mells and Old Rail Trail St Alfreds Monument is horrible, but the 200km version has a secondary loop down to well past Yeovil.

The wind was brutal, my stomach played up all day. I had a lift to Whitchurch Garden Centre depart and it was familiar riding down past Chew Valley and up the first of four significant ascents, West Harptree. I ran into Laura again, we realised we were both attempting an RRtY by now. After a quick coffee at the market stall in Wells I pushed on, I had to resort to walking some of St Alfred's Monument again, unfortunately riding alone into that brutal headwind, all the way to Yeovil and the second control at the station. I was out on my feet. It was a relief to see the friendly faces of Blair, Russ, Laura etc but the service here was extremely slow. I actually considered going to the station platform and getting a train back. I was only half way.

Laura and I and a couple of others carried on, I had to walk Bannerdown Hill too and eventually made it to Sturminster Newton. I was solo again, and stopped for a roadside picnic on the memorial when Laura shot past, the control was the pub where the CTC had formed.

Laura Sturminster Newton

I managed to get back to the final control at Kilmington but already it was 17.15. Chris was stamping and he gave me a lovely pep talk, filled my water bottles for me and generally cheered me up. I knew I was pretty much last. I set off half an hour later and had someone tack along who was trying to navigate with a paper route. This makes me very uneasy as I have enough difficulty looking after myself. The long flog through Radstock hills and the last horrible pull up Woollard Lane which involved walking. Blair passed me returning home, he had already finished and was riding back home. Due to walking and phoning for a lift home from the arrivée I was last back to Whitchurch Garden Centre. I made the official cut off time by the skin of my teeth, the garden centre was shut. I was Lanterne Rouge aka last. Never again. That was the hardest and hilliest of them all.

RRtY 4a Sat 13th April 2019 DIY: Ballbuster Big Fat Fail

I was on holiday when the LVIS Ballbuster, that starts just 500m from home,  was scheduled. The organisers kindly let me ride the route as a DIY a week late. I have completed the two 100km versions before but not the Ballbuster itself which is a combination of the two. These audax are famous for the cake catering. I got none. If only there had been those huge fluffy meringues at Hill WI! 

Not a hill in sight nor a meringue at Hill

I even had to walk up to Somerset Monument, which hasn't happened in a long time. My got up and go had got up and went.

Somerset Monument

A roadside picnic in Queen Charlton didn't work on my energy levels and by the time my order came in for a late lunch at Chew Magna it was mid afternoon and I'd lost the will, so I just trugged up to Winford and headed home. 

Audax picnic at Queen Charlton

The loop was supposed to continue south over West Harptree down Wookey to Glastonbury across to Clevedon up to Clapton and over Portbury. It was the best light so far this year and the weather was not as onerous as the other four 200s I’ve completed successfully since January. Yet it turned out to be a big fat fail.

RRtY 4b Weds 17th April 2019 DIY: LVIS Ballbuster-Balls finally busted

   

So 4 days later (after cramming work into 2) I have another go at busting balls, on a Wednesday. I didn't leave home until gone 7.30 and waltzed over the Suspension Bridge, up n over Clifton Downs and back up north to Hill. Still no meringues! However I had found out about a nice tea shop in Chipping Sodbury, so the promise of that saw me up to Somerset Monument with no walking this time. I felt like a new person today.

Somerset Monument again

Having been tipped off about the nice café in Chipping Sodbury a coffee and a cake had the desired effect of keeping me buoyant and the pedals turning. Through Keynsham and past the point my morale and energy had all gone flat on Saturday at Queen Charlton.

I curtseyed to the Queen and continued this time

No problem climbing West Harptree as I had planned a picnic at Charterhouse.

Charterhouse Church for audax picnic lunch

I had a lovely view from my pew, a bit hazy but dry.

Descending to Wooky Hole

It was all quite straightforward after that, descent to Wooky Hole, round to Glastonbury and up through the Somerset Levels to Clevedon. Instead of going the easy way home I stuck to the official route and finished with an ascent of Portbury and passed my BRCC club mates out for a Wednesday evening ride in the fading sun. They hailed and waved at me but no-one turned around to pace me up my last hill. That's not allowed on audax anyway but still, they could have offered!

What a difference three days makes. balls finally busted. I think this RRtY thing may be possible.

RRtY 5 Sat 11th May 2019 ECE: South Glos 100

I have company for this one, I'm going to try the Extended Calendar Event or ECE and meet Steve and BRCC buddies at the start of the 100km event in Alveston. Which menas 50km before 8.45, so I left at the early hour of 6.30am, hard when the car is going to the start much later anyway! I also had to ride in the wrong direction to make up the distance, across Avonmouth bridge and the rendez vous before 9 was all good. I even had time for a banana.

We've done this scenic route before round the Cotswolds, Pete had a puncture early on. Good café stop in Tetbury.

Tetbury for cake

Steve, Lynette and Pete enjoying refreshments at Daneway Inn before we turned around and chugged back up that hill we had just descended.

Daneway Inn for beers

It was just a great day out, good weather and back to Alveston for cider. Well not for me, that was the problem. Instead of sociable post audax ciders with ride buddies I had to go back out and get back on my bike again, I wasn't keen. I retraced my route passing home and all the way back to Clevedon before turning round and finally heading for home. It wasn't physically difficult just a big mental hurdle. I've gone off the idea of ECEing for RRtY!

RRtY 6 Sat 1st June 2019 Calendar: BS Sam Weller’s Day Trip to Wochma

We're off on our two week Puffing Puffins Tour of the Inner and Outer Hebrides  in a week and luckily there was a really appealing calendar event from Tewkesbury before. A very nice scenic 50km square symmetrical route.

I had to catch the first train out of Bristol to hopefully just make the 7.30am start by the skin of my teeth. Best laid plans and all that!

The train bit was a disaster, my train was blocked in at Bristol Temple Meads so the 20 mins connection time at Gloucester had already gone but they did hold the connection but I had to change at Cheltenham instead. I got off the train 5 minutes after the start time. After the ride into Tewkesbury I couldn’t find Mark at the Hop Pole then when I finally had my brevet card I spent half an hour touring western Tewkesbury housing estates swearing at my Garmin trying to follow the return route. So I nearly went back to station to get the train home but I didn’t.

Bristol Temple Meads to Tewkesbury stress

I was solo all day. I tried to sprint across Herefordshire to the first control at Wormelow. I couldn't find the designated shop so I stopped at a strange furniture showroom cafe in the middle of nowhere, no cake. Then I passed the shop. 

We had camped here om our Mini tour in May

Crossing the Wye

The second side of the square was a very hot pull up the lovely Wye Valley with tough climbing round the Tintern diversions. The second free control was a full on audax picnic with the skateboarding yoof at Chepstow Budgens. I slapped on another layer of suncream onto my salt encrusted face with no idea how white I was. I was utterly parched; I’m not good in heat.

The third side of the square over the Old Severn Bridge towards Malmesbury did go up sodding Somerset Monument (remember the Ballbusters in April?!), I needed a water stop but didn’t walk. Almond butter and marmite white baps would be an anathema in real life but kept me going. 

Somerset Monument again!

Finally I made Malmesbury just before café closing time, and I saw Kirsty who was just finishing up and departing, there were others on this audax. I needed that cup of tea and my first toilet stop in 100km, it was hot, did I say?

Having lived in the Stroud area I had driven most of the roads back to Tewkesbury, it was beautiful cruising through the Birdlip woods and coming back into Cheltenham. I knew I was going to miss the last train at 7ish so I phoned Steve and he very kindly started the hour drive up to Tewkesbury to fetch me. Lanterne rouge and broom wagon rescue from arrivée again, the shame. I knew I was too exhausted to ride back down to Cheltenham to get a train from there. Through Churchdown and the lovely evening light through the fields back to the Hop Pole where I eventually managed to find Mark, Kirsty and a couple of other stragglers. 

I didn’t lose any receipts and I was back over an hour inside cut off time. It will take a lot to get me to travel to a calendar event by train getting up at 5am again. Early starts make me sick. All in all a great character forming day, still not getting easier or faster but so glad I didn't cave in and give up.

A hot and hard won completed WOCHMA set of stamps.

RRtY 6 Sat 27th July 2019 DIY: New Forest

I was planning another solo DIY but Blair kindly let me tag along on his planned last minute DIY to the New Forest

July gave me the collywobbles all year. You can’t really prioritise RRtY over your eldest daughter’s wedding celebrations, in two different countries over two weekends. So on Saturday 27th I set off with my audax buddy, Blair, for a DIY he had devised as an out and back to the New Forest. 

We started from Radstock, down Collier's Way through Longleat and the first stop was Ginny's at Boyton, a favourite audax café, Ginny was not quite open but let us gatecrash before 10 for the first coffee and cake stop, she always remembers me as I'm usually on my last legs when I make it to her café on a calendar audax but she's always encouraging. 

Longleat on the way out

Longleat House and Estate panorama

New Forest Ponies

The New Forest was a totally new destination for me, some gravel off road adventure to avoid a dual carriageway was fun and it was stunning riding with the ponies. There was a huge jam od cars coming into Brockenhurst, the half way/lunch stop. Lovely to sail past all the cars and as all the pub gardens were jammed we opted for a Thai lunch, very good tasty fuel it was!

Afternoon tea in Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral

This was the easiest one as I had good company all day, we were exploring somewhere new and we had three proper full value stops including a Thai lunch as the pubs were so busy. The heavens opened an hour from home on Collier's Way but I’m back on RRtY track.

Dodging lions

Here is Blair's excellent Go Pro account of the day, complete with me wittering in a very embarrassing manner. 

RRtY 7 Sat 3rd Aug 2019 Calendar: Rollin' and Tumblin'

It is not wise leaving your RRtY to the last possible Saturday of the month like July. For August I was looking forward to the new Rollin’ and Tumblin’ calendar starting this side of the Severn Bridge but mainly out in Wales and up “The Tumble”, a first for me, conveniently scheduled for the first weekend of the month.

Laura and I loosely arranged to ride together but she wasn’t at the start so rather than being left behind again I set off, apparently she was there and I hadn’t seen her. It was a shame there were only about 20 entered, everyone else missed a cracking day out.

A flamingo marks the control

It was a gorgeous ride out into Wales and it didn't seem long until I was at the foot of the famous "Tumble" outside Abergavenney. I hadn't ridden it before and I set off slow and steady, but there was no danger of needing to walk and soon I was at the summit with a proper summit marker like the Alpine cols! wish I'd pushed it a bit more now.

The Tumble Summit a Top 100 climb

Downhill to the Pit Museum cafe

Laura caught up at the National pit museum and we had a stunning ride to the utterly gorgeous Tallybont on Usk area. It was wild and quiet and glorious.

After the control cafe was a lumpy ride out to Monmouth but we worked well together and cranked it out steadily. Another free control in Monmouth so we  enjoyed an audax picnic outside M&S, my sushi went down well, upmarket audax snacks! That was the last receipt, now back over the bridge to Alveston.

Laura's victory salute back at the arrivée

The flamingo had a nice day out round Wales

We decided we were getting better at this RRtY malarkey, nearly 3000m of climbing today.

RRtY 9a Sat 21st Sept 2019 Calendar: GWR Plains Trains and no more automobiles

September had both GWR Plains and Trains and no more Automobiles (PTNA) which had been my first 200 two years previously. The following week was Borders and Castles (B&C), a route I had based a mini bank holiday camping tour on back in May and wanted to ride as a whole. 

Plains n trains was my first ever 200km audax in July 2017 so it had to be done again! For an added challenge I decided to ride to the start at Warmley and back as well. If I manage that it will be my longest ride to date, I rode 238km down to Lyme Regis and back with my club back in June.

So of course I messed up riding to the depart, leaving home at 6am I got horribly lost in the station roadworks in Bristol and was 15 minutes late to the 7am depart at Warmley on the Bristol-Bath Railway Path, no sign of the other 90+ entered. Am I doomed to be solo like Wochma all over again? Will handed me my brevet card and he shot off to attend to controlling duties. I thought I heard a shout in Malmesbury, as I was trying hard to catch up I kept going. Laura and Lucy were having a snack and had seen me down the street. We regrouped at Blunsdon Station and I was very ready for a sausage sandwich as I had covered 70km into a strong headwind since leaving home. Evidence of about 20 on the ride now, good to see Russ' smiling face too. 

Lovely route south through Wootton Bassett down to Woodhenge and on via the gravel byway to Stonehenge. I cycled past all the hippies and their vans all of whom cheerfully waved and said hello in response to my greetings, they must have been there for autumn equinox.

The rolling busier A roads across Salisbury Plain before turning off onto the lanes to Ginny's Café again in Boyton was nowhere near as bad as 2 years ago, a tailwind this time. It was still tough riding as the sun was beating down. Refreshing tea and ice cream and the loveliest people at any café ever, and then lots of hills back to Radstock and then back up to Warmley. I didn’t really get any photos but I managed not to be lanterne rouge. It was hard forcing myself to ride home from the pub and not phone for the broomwagon, but I did. It was dusk by now and the railway path was horrifying with walkers and dogs in dark clothing and most bikes had no lights so I crawled. I got snarled up at Temple Meads again, still no idea how you get through on a bike with roadworks. The to and fro really trashed my speed from 22.4km/h down to 21.5km/h Eventually I arrived home just after 8pm and 14 hrs after leaving! My longest ride to date and 75% of RRtY done.

RRtY 9b Sat 28th Sept 2019 Calendar: Borders and Castles

If cycling was only about badges I did not need to ride Borders and Castles the following weekend, but having adapted the route for a 3 day camping bank holiday tour back in May, I was very keen to do the whole route in a day too. The weather forecast was a bit suspect with a storm due in the evening. Hopefully we would be home and dry by then.

I met Blair at the start for 7.30am, he was riding post nasty virus and we’d had a lot of problems getting the advertised gpx of the route out of the organiser and had had no time to check it properly. I cannot even begin to navigate from paper sheets. Probably due to the forecast later only about 20 started.

Depart Borders and Castles Randonnée Sept 2020

It was a lovely start wending our way up towards the Forest of Dean, past castles galore.

St Briavels Castle

The first free control was in Ross, and we found a gathering of bikes outside Greggs.

1st Control Ross on Wye

The day was fraught, a very nearly serious accident descending Symonds Yat as a suicidal squirrel leapt sideways under Blair’s wheels, his bike handling skills were incredible as he avoided a smash, I was behind and reacted automatically in the worst possible way by braking, skidded all over and managed to stay upright. 

Not long after a very angry impatient motorist nearly caused carnage overtaking me and another rider on a bridge into the path of another car. The motorist told us that antisocial cyclists taking up his roads should be in the crematorium and the passenger got out of the car brandishing a chair leg.

We were relieved to get to the lovely Yarpole Community café for refreshments and headed up to Croft Castle to tick off half way.

Croft castle

Gospel Pass not ascended today

White Castle

A corrupt route slowed us down in the afternoon negotiating off road mud and gravel sections (see video below for yomping evidence.) This caused pressure as light was fading fast and we should have pretty much made it back to Chepstow before the forecast rain storm closed in. Needless to say it was dark by Raglan and we negotiated Devauden hill in an impenetrable monsoon. The road was invisible as it was a river, my glasses stowed, Blair’s dynamo was giving him grief so he had to stop and sort that out. I just had to try and keep going, petrified of riding off the road or hitting a pothole. I pulled over on the long drag and we finished the last bit together, submarining on the sketchy descent to Chepstow back to the pub. We made it but I scared myself silly. This one really shook me up. Huge thanks to Blair for the lift home (a long way out of his way) and here is his excellent account of the day on film:

RRtY 10 Sat 19th October 2019 DIY: Me my bike myself

With no suitable calendar events this month I opted for repeating February's ride but the other way round. I was hoping to zoom round the levels and enjoy the ascent of Cheddar and get home in reasonable time. To be honest I found it hard to keep going with RRtY after the Borders and Castles experience. Hence I'm not trying anything new or challenging.

Today was about waiting, lots of waiting, for traffic lights that don’t register bikes at rural bridges, negotiating thousands of motor bikes racing in Weston plus milling fans and a closed prom. Then I was in a cow jam  for what felt like half an hour (20 mins on flyby) following cows being moved at Godney. I tried to get round on one café stop in Glastonbury plus lots of almond butter and Marmite rolls. Cheddar was fine and I got to Warmley Waiting Room Café as they were packing up at 5.15 up but they let me buy a can and a flapjack and kindly use their facilities (for which I was desperate!) This 200 lark never gets easier or faster. Benign weather today and not much altitude. I really don’t like WSM and Brean area but I really like Mendips, Cheddar Chilcompton and Two Tunnels and Railway path. I really hate getting through Bristol at dusk. Made it home and restored faith in myself a little. That's the end of 12 hours of daylight for audax though. A serious mental hurdle as we're away for 3 weekends out of 4 in November so the pressure will be on and likely a solo DIY again after no cycling for a month.

RRtY 11 Sat 23rd November 2019 DIY: Cheddarlicious owls in the clouds

I was very lucky, a fellow ACB member, Chris,  said he was off to do his November RRtY and did anyone want to come along? Chris had a route in mind that was similar but longer version of a 100km route I have done before involving going up Burrington Combe and Cheddar Gorge in a figure of 8 contrasting the Mendips with the levels and adding in the seaside. With a bit of playing on Ride with GPS I cobbled a way I could meet him at the excellent 67Barista Barber in Clevedon around 9 after 50km, as we live opposite sides of Bristol. As ever I was slightly late but we enjoyed our refreshments and headed off to Burrington Combe. Riding straight into the heavy fog clouding the Mendips. 

It was a tough day. My body disintegrates in no time so the 3 weeks since my last decent ride (sandwiched by a none cycling holiday in Thailand and Dubai) and my legs had got up and went. I'm sure that was my slowest Burrington ever. I’d had mild "Thai belly" for two weeks and a couple of other ‘female specific problems’ that I’ll not go into. Chris was great company; general chat and laughs and without his patience, I would not have got round solo. I had problems with my disc brakes seizing up with road gunge that would also have scuppered me as I couldn't see where it was jamming half way down the very steep Old Bristol Road towards Wells. 

As ever food played an important part. An "audax lunch" at Evercreech Co-op ie standing outside eating a packet of sandwiches and slurping a can and filling water bottles. The wonderful tea and carrot cake at the Deli in Wedmore at dusk set us up for Cheddar Gorge. Cheddar Gorge is a recurring theme in my RRtY it seems.

The weather was bad and after dark in the thick pea souper up Cheddar Gorge and down West Harptree we were inching along, without Chris' lights to follow I would not have managed. I could not tell which way up I was. In spite of all that plenty of "Type 2" fun was had.  I finally felt a bit more "normal" after Wedmore and I just made it up Cheddar. Plenty of chat, hearing owls in the gorge and shared hardship made the day.

Slowly the visibility improved as the glow of Bristol lights lit up the sky in the distance, although fog had been replaced by heavy rain. Through Keynsham and it was a relief to be on the Railway Path back towards Bristol.

We split at Mangotsfield at 19.40, a haunted station on the railway path with the clouds thronging through the trees, with a wave Chris headed north and I rang Steve to say where I was. It was raining heavily, and the path was deserted and with the lights I could make good time for once.

Ten minutes later I was on the ground on top of my bike with a group of 4-6 youths threatening me for money, they had meandered across the path looking at phones with their hoods up, difficult to see so I had slowed and one gave me a hard shove. I was angry mostly, upset but muttered something about having spent the tenner I had as I'd cycled 200km that day and what a pathetic waste of space they were, I could be their mother they were knocking off a bike. Not clever on my part really but my purse was zipped in three layers down and luckily my phone was in my back pocket, having taken it out of the post bag to phone home where it had been charging up until Mangotsfield. One tried to snatch my post bag but failed, half a soggy sandwich, rubbish and a banana skin would have been his reward. I scrabbled up, got back on my bike avoiding eye contact and fortunately they let me go, there are advantages to looking like a wet tramp and smelling. The next day I reported to the Police for their knowledge and they asked if I had seen knives. It dawned on me how bad it could have been, as by then I had read on various forums about recent similar attacks in the area on lone cyclists. 

I couldn't get clipped in one side and had developed a clank after the assault, I shouted warnings at speed to another cyclist and a dog walker I passed but didn't slow down to check bike or to ring home. I hate getting through Bristol at the best of times and ended up walking on pavements, shaking a lot, to avoid the traffic chaos. Eventually south of the river to my known route and the haul back up home to a wonderful husband made beef in black pepper curry and green lentil dahl, almost out of time but done at 20.45. 

I took my bike in to the ever dependable BW Cycling and it turns out the other set of disc pads needed replacing, not just gunge causing the horrific squealing, only one had needed doing at the service in September, they sorted out my bent hanger and made sure Skye was all ready for her RRtY finale. Down but not out. I'm going to dream all the possible bike related nightmares the next 2 weeks. 

RRtY 12 Sat 7th December 2019 Calendar: GWR Airmail

The worst bit of today, the 4.55am alarm. I am not a morning person. The good news was a benign weather forecast, not cold but a bit of a breeze to tackle on the return leg. No rain. 

Laura and I had decided this was our RRtY swansong back in the autumn, not daring to hope we'd both make it, but we both did make the depart with 11/12 200km rides under our belts. Even better we ended up riding with other ACB folk, some also finishing up their RRtYs, it was a coincidence as we didn't know there was around 6 of us in total completing first or subsequent RRtYs. It was a great sociable day out. 

Back to the beginning, Steve was in California that week, so I knew 2 weeks ahead I'd be setting that very early alarm as no lift was available. I opted to ride the main roads through Bristol as it was early, up to the golf centre for the start at 7am, crucially I didn't get lost. The day is set up well when you have 20 minutes to have a coffee and a banana second breakfast and a quick chat with audax friends and a bathroom visit and not be late starting. 

The route was quick as smooth swooping roads and a tailwind, the biggest hill early on in Wotton under Edge. I was staggered that we were all having third breakfast or morning coffee/croissant at Coffee#1 in Cirencester by 9.30am. 50km down (70km with ride out) Well some went there, as it was a free control we could go where we liked as long as we picked up a receipt. 

The route continued through Burford to a delightful little village shop come Post Office come café at Chadlington. Half way before midday. A world record for me. Although we knew we were turning round into a strengthening headwind home of course. I knew it was the right place as there were bikes and munching cyclists everywhere, inside and outside on picnic tables. It was chillier than it looks, so the picnic wasn't a drawn out affair.

Audax is mostly about eating, chat and riding bikes a bit with friends

I set off again around 12.15 with plenty of others round and about. We skirted Witney and hit some Christmas shoppers in Fairford. You're in another bubble to the frenetic normal world when you're on your bike. With a bit of effort into the wind on the dead flat roads round the Cotswold Water Park the RRtY train drew into the final cafe control at 2.30. More lovely tea and cake to warm us and we thought we could be back for 5.30.

It got dark, as it does in December, and I had a lot of trouble coping with flashing rear lights on others' bikes, so I dropped back a bit sending the others off saying I was fine. However, I hadn't realised that we were dumping back into fast and furious main road Bristol traffic. It took me 5 minutes to cross the very wide A46 as there were no traffic lights and the headlights were too flared to be able to judge speed, and of course there were very few small gaps. In the end a motorist slowed and protected me crossing, I waved my very grateful thanks.

That last 15km was head spinning. Fast urban jungle main roads and roundabouts, I aborted to the inadequate cycle path with lights that don't favour pedestrians/cyclists trying to get round arterial roundabouts safely. I lost half an hour scaring myself in total . I saw other cyclists shoot past on the road and was at near breaking point. I eventually wobbled into the pub car park and composed myself for 15 minutes before going inside. Laura came out to find me. We had done it. Such a relief and the thought crosses my mind that I never have to do a 200 again. We had conquered RRtY. I went inside and reunited with Laura, Luke, Matt, Blair, Sheni and Will, who was stamping our brevet cards and dishing out congratulations all round.

Air Mail from Blair's perspective:

RRtY 2019 Summary

I have never achieved anything like this before. I’ve been very stretched but not quite broken by the year long RRtY obsession. If this partially sighted dumpy woman with a knee replacement in her mid-50s, who took up cycling less than 5 years ago can, so can you. I do have a bit of a stubborn streak and a refusal to not give in to giving up. Thanks to ACB friends; especially Laura, Blair and Chris without whose physical and mental support I doubt I would have made it. Steve was heroic in his support too. 

The following day I made up my mind to make time for a “Rapha Festive 500”, and completed it in daylight on the 30th December. I also seem to be continuing with RRtY as a good way to not lose the fitness that is so hard to win. 2/12 for 2020 to date. I have some other plans too. 

In summary my RRtY over 14 rides: 2 982km with 30 661m of ascent. Not too unethically flat and composed of 8 calendar events, 1 ECE and 5 DIYs.

Basically if you Keep Pedalling, eat cake, grin through adversity you will earn a little cloth badge and feel on top of the world. My Best RRtY buddy Laura. Thank you.

Laura RRtY 2019

Me RRtY 2019