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