Cycle Sportives

Hi Hippy, sorry I took so long in responding, been a bit of a busy week!

Don't think its me you would have seen, unfortunately I arrived at the race a bit late, and was persuaded by two of the 50k riders to turn right toward St. Albans, and as I left my map at the start finish hut I had no choice but to follow.

We eventually got back on track and luckily one of the kindly gentlemen had a spare map. Instant karma!

I'm doing the one next week, hopefully I'll get there on time and say hello before you whizz off.

Cheers

I was too late signing up for the Ashdown, good luck everyone!

Might try and find some snow tyres.. ;)

It was freezing cold, and blowing a gale. Probably the worst ride I've ever done! The snowstorm was pretty extreme, nigh on a blizzard.. and it took the biscuit when trying to force some food down I went over a bump and the "Go" bar slipped out of its wrapper into the snow. I went back to retrieve it.

I still can't feel my feet and my water bottle had frozen by the time I got home.

Other than all that, there were a fair few people about and the route was good, very up-and-down, and it was good to see hippy and claus there.

Well done. No need to tell you to HTFU then!

I doff my cap to you Illy. I rode half way to the start this morning and was still freezing so turned around and came home. I'm too old to have to prove my hardman credentials. ;-)

The snowstorm was pretty extreme, nigh on a blizzard.. and it took the biscuit when trying to force some food down I went over a bump and the "Go" bar slipped out of its wrapper into the snow. I went back to retrieve it.

Literally. ;)

It was a bit chilly, too, it seems.

well done you. what was your start time?
I was off 8.35 and just gut into the snow storm before the last hill :(
It was indeed a bit chilly today!
But a very nice route it was.

It was freezing cold, and blowing a gale. Probably the worst ride I've ever done! The snowstorm was pretty extreme, nigh on a blizzard.. and it took the biscuit when trying to force some food down I went over a bump and the "Go" bar slipped out of its wrapper into the snow. I went back to retrieve it.

I still can't feel my feet and my water bottle had frozen by the time I got home.

Other than all that, there were a fair few people about and the route was good, very up-and-down, and it was good to see hippy and claus there.

Yep, it was indeed brutal.
Same story here really, frozen feet, frozen water bottle. Lost the other water bottle when the top came off and drenched me in apple and blackcurrant squash about 6 miles in.
Couldn't see in the blizzard - it was as if someone was throwing lots of really cold needles into my eyes very fast.
And I swore at the last hill all the way up, even though by then I was on my own "you'd better be the last one, you fucking cunt, you'd better be that fucking Star Hill you bastard" etc.

But I actually really enjoyed it, and was well pleased with my time. If I can have that much fun doing one in the snow. then I'm looking forward to the summer ones!

we're not exaggerating when we say it was blizzard-like - there was snow settled in the road. Couldn't change gear because of frozen hands at some points and got worried about not being able to brake even, but feel bloody proud to have got round! Gina, you were lucky to start so early, we didn't leave til about 10.15 so spent plenty of time in the snow storm.

did anyone mention that it was a bit cold?

This all-round consensus that it was cold and blizzardy can only mean that you lot all met up and agreed on a story to make your achievements seem all the more epic. Try getting away with that in court. ;)

Seriously, well done all. If I had known that I was going to be ill today, I might even have entered as I would have had a good excuse not to do it. That would have been the closest I could have come to doing it. ;)

oh, did I mention we had about an hour of sunshine :)

Grand chapeau all round

top work fellas (and fellasses)

oh, did I mention we had about an hour of sunshine :)

you're right, there was some sunshine, which was welcome. I did remember that just now in the bath...this thought got quickly overtaken by "why is my toe a dead-looking grey colour?" And then I had a mild panic that I might have frostbite, ridiculous as it sounds (even matthew looked somewhat concerned).
But it seems to have come back to life now. panic over!

you're right, there was some sunshine, which was welcome. I did remember that just now in the bath...this thought got quickly overtaken by "why is my toe a dead-looking grey colour?" And then I had a mild panic that I might have frostbite, ridiculous as it sounds (even matthew looked somewhat concerned).
But it seems to have come back to life now. panic over!

yeah, had exactly the same fear 3 weeks ago after a 3 hours ride at -5 degree...
it bloody hurts to get them back to live!
did you do the 110k as well?
well done for still finishing it!!

yes we did the 110k, thank you and well done you too! Not many girls out there today (maybe there never is? my first so no idea)

Might have tried to turn back because of the snow but it hit just before the furthest away point, so there was nowhere to go but onwards!

was also my first one.
don't know will see at the next one.
are you going to do another one or was the first experience to scary?

That was awesome!

Started snowing for Brett and I just as we started the climb up to Ide Hill. Climbing up Star Hill was amazing, the higher you went, the more huff your breathe made. Over the top I felt like Bernard Hinault at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 1980.

There are going to be some fantastic professional pics.

Started snowing for Brett and I just as we started the climb up to Ide Hill.

That's the spirit! 'All that snow, man, just for us ...'

Like this!

Or this;

Chapeau to all today. That was a tough day to be out on a bike for any length of time.

Yes, today was quite a difficult ride. It's hilly, true, but the bloody wind was always blowing (never from behind) and the snow..urgh.. once my glasses filled up it was a case of staring at the tracks left in the snow.. crazy stuff.

Well done Matt, Estelle and Claus - you're all now in my "Well 'ard" little black book. :)

Brett and Sam: I didn't know you were doing it. Well done. GinaG I don't know if we've met but regardless - nice work.

My hands were in serious pain on the ride back to the Orpington (I told you I'd get lost :)). I'm glad I had two pairs of socks, and armwarmers under my jacket. Next trick will be two layers of gloves.

I stopped to take a couple of pics.. here be one..

I got in just under 4 hours on the Rubble - what did you lot get, time-wise?

More Hell of the Ashdown

fck. sort of glad my knee is not in working order for this ride. sort of. well done all! that's real HTFU stuff right there.

i see hippy made it all the way around. or did he. you back from your train ride from devon/cambridge/brighton?!?

good to hear there were no stacks over icy patches.

Of course I made it.. (Edinburgh station it was ;)) as did Claus and Stelle and Illy. I didn't see the others.