Market Drayton

Sunday 13th December, 7am, dark:has it been 3 deg C overnight or was it a hard frost? One glimpse through the curtains and the bed looks a better option than the ride - frost everywhere. But I'm committed, so wrap up, put the lights on and hope nobody turns up. Gary, a virgin Smiler, is already at the start and with barely time to give him the welcoming funny handshake Phil is upon us. We are away at 8:10, delayed because Phil is still learning to tie his shoelaces, and we head straight for the lanes. Plenty of frost and icy puddles at the verges but no ice on the road, but we take it easy to make sure. As there is no wind we take 16 miles each on the front to get the first 50 miles over with. We watch the sunrise over the Peckfortons but there isn't much warmth in it: the temperatures for the day will be between zero and 5 deg C - making the going a little harder due to higher air density. We average 15mph for the first 50 miles and hit sustained ice on the road in the outskirts of Audlem. It improves a little as we turn for Market Drayton but the lane is filthy. Then after the Market it clears as we have a look at Norton-in-Hales before dropping into Audlem for lunch. Now, is it to be The Priest's House or the Coffee Lounge - Fiiigghhht! But no, Harry Hill is not deciding this one; the former is a sweat box and it takes all day to get served, we'll give the Coffee Lounge a bash. Gary is still with us: he should have stopped at Norton but he can't tear himself away - and it's his longest ride for eons. He's on the phone, and then he's with us " I'm leaving you now, Guys.. I've got to get to Loggerheads (no not that one) for 2pm. Thanks for the ride." We've done 65 miles, he's done 70 miles and he'll have 80 in before the day's out. He's been a great addition to the chain and we're sorry to see him go. Now for the scran. A full breakfast for Phil of the hollow legs and a baked potato for me-laddo. Good food, very relaxing and a good choice of cafe.
We're off for the final 35 miles at 2pm to find there's a light headwind. Aston, Wrenbury and Cholmondley take the sap out of our legs before Harthill takes the dregs and we have to call in to Tattenhall to replenish Phil's supplies as he's heavy on water. The stop refreshes us and we fly through Chowley and Churton to hit Chester in Boughton to find the cycleway as the 100 miles comes up: and we didn't need lights. Average computer speed 14.7 mph.

Route is via the link below:
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Smilers to Market Drayton

Rhos-on-Sea

Sunday 15th November and we're expecting showers and 13 deg C, with sun in the afternoon. Neil and Phil are on time so we are off at 8am to pick Martin up (a late addition using up his sole dispensation) at Hawarden Bridge. It's a lovely day as we start the climbing, first to Northop and then into the Halkyns where, at Calcoed, we encounter our first rain. Through Gorsedd, Whitford and Trelogan before dropping down to the coast road at Gwespyr where Neil has a flat tyre due to a lifting patch. The Bells of St Mary's isn't doing its £3:50 carvery on Sundays so we'll have to look elsewhere. But it's easy going with no rain, light headwind and a flat coastal cycleway for 16 miles. We turn at Penrhyn, just below the Little Orme and head back into Rhos where Nino's is open for our lunch - around 1pm with 55 miles up. Some get serious with ham and chips, another with a delicate pasty and scones while the sensible one selects a baguette.
Then we're off again to do another 51m with, unbelievably, a tail wind. 20mph is easy but the sand patches are treacherous so we're careful. Coast road or Halkyns? Halkyns - unanimous. these begin at Gronant and we climb forever, there seeming to be no let up until Rhosesmor where we can virtually descend to the cycleway to take us back to the start. The average speed has only been 13.5mph due to the 4800ft of climbing and the headwind out, so we have lights on, and down the cycleway we find cyclist coming at us with no lights and walkers appearing out of nowhere in the pitch dark. We get back at 5:15pm with 106 miles up.

View the route via the link:-

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Smilers to Rhos-on-Sea

Market Drayton

Sunday 8th November and the forecasters are hedging their bets; it's either going to be wet or dry but the wind will be light and it'll be around 10 deg C.
So it's out at 8am, go past the County Officers to see where the windshields should be and then head for the lanes. The weather soon shows its hand with very light, misty rain appearing now and then, and I am keeping the pace down so as not to get wet from the inside. 30 miles up by 10am and 50 up at Audlem - and then the rain ups it a bit so on with the proofs. Clear by Market Drayton (it always works) so proofs off again and head into Audlem for lunch at 12:45. It took all day to get served last time at The Priest's House so this time I tried The Coffee Lounge - no seats but they brought stuff in from outside for me, and as I said I was chasing the light they served me quickly.
38 miles back through Wrenbury, Harthill, Tattenhall and Churton to get the 100 up bang on 4pm and nearly home. Final tally 106 miles and bags of light left - but only around 14.4 average.

Route is via the link below and the file is suitable for the Garmin (as a course) at 406 trackpoints:

www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=25439

Baschurch

Sunday 25th October, British summertime ends but instead of having an extra hour in bed I meet Phil at the C.O. at 8am to make most use of the light. It's warm and dry but the wind is 20mph from the SW - which is the direction in which we're heading. Chirk, here we come! Both of us have Garmins and Phil has loaded the route from the Smiler blog; he's a quick learner. So we take it in turns on the front but it's hard going, we're not going to make last week's average speed. We make the cafe in Chirk by just after 10am having averaged 15.5mph. Breakfast baps and tea at the pit stop and then it's off through Weston Rhyn to get the wind on our right shoulders; whew, a bit of relief. We take to the lanes to round Gobowen and head past Queens Head to search out the mistake of the day - we hit the A5 for a couple of miles. It is worse than a fairground ride and we sigh with relief when the Ruyton-XI-Towns turnoff appears. With the wind on our backs we're touching 30mph for spells on the flat and by Myddle we've hit 50 miles - coincidentally half the planned distance.
Then after Preston Brockhurst the gremlins strike. Phil's on the front " I've lost the route, Ray." "Well, I haven't got it, let's retrace and see where you dropped it." A missed left turn. Then near Hopton we pass a left, " I came out of that left with Harry the Bike on a Shrewsbury ride." " I've lost the route again, Ray." It was the left. Then at Marchamley, " Phil, we go left then first right." Then " PPHHIIIIILLLL." And I wait at the right for a few minutes 'til he returns. He takes the lead again, " I've lost it again, Ray." This time it's a fork and I take permanent lead - is he just tired - but we can't afford the light.
We're making good progress again, take on a sandwich and drink at Prees, through Calverhall and into well known territory at Royals Green. Phil's out of juice - the Bhurtpore pub sees him OK before the last pit stop at Wrenbury. A variable cross wind sees us back to Chester where we opt for the Guilden Sutton route in order to sample the Millenium Greenway extension.
Back home it's 109 miles at 15.9mph average and 5000ft of climbing. And we're back on schedule and smiling as it's 4:10pm.
View the route at:-

www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24159

AUDLEM

Sunday 18th October, it's 5 deg C but sunny with no wind. Gerry, Neil and Phil are already at the County Officers. " Brave wearing shorts and mitts, Ray." " It'll warm up." And off we go, straight into the lanes with three taking a wheel each. As it's the inaugural ride for the Smilers today's plan is to find a pace which suits us for the 100 milers and to learn to work together effectively. We soon practice the latter as Neil punctures on passing a hedge cutter. But we're soon off again, doing our stints on the front and relaxing as the day warms a little. It's only the second ride I've done with Gerry this year; he's keeping his fitness and his cadence is still like a sewing machine - whereas mine is akin to the London Eye. We're soon rounding Beeston Castle, passing through Bunbury and Hilbre Bank in Alpraham before pulling up at the Boot and Slipper in Wettenhall. Here, Gerry has notched up 32 miles, takes the prompt and decides to give the ride the boot and us the slip with a " see you next week." Church Minshull is the furthest point east before setting the compass due south for Ravensmoor and Sound Heath to drop into Audlem via Coole Lane. We go round the back to take in Cox's Bank and Kinsey Heath before tying up at The Priest's House with 51 miles up and computer average of 16.6 mph.
We're ravenous and all decide on the all day breakfast. We realize later that it's so called because you have to wait all day for it - will we need lights? Stuffed to the gills (not a good idea) we're back in the saddles and retracing our steps. What little wind there is seems to be behind us as the going is particularly easy and there seems to be a chance of finishing the 100 in 6 hours riding time. The weather is ideal and the roads clean so progress is good. We add a loop or two so that we can avoid the thorns on the way back and we arrive back at the start point with 102 miles up in 5 hours 58 minutes. The average for the return is 17.4 mph to give an overall of 17.0 mph.
The consensus is that we will strengthen, so although there were signs of tiredness to differing degrees, 17 mph will be a reasonably motivating target for future, flatish rides.

You can view, and/or download the route,at www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=23604