It's cool at 8am - about 5 deg C - but there's bright sunshine, little breeze and it should be dry for the ride, and 14 deg C is forecast. Down to Plas Newton Lane to find my luck's in with three windshields lined up - luxury. Phil and Gary were expected but Neil's entered on the line. As last week's ride went so well we hope to emulate the success by taking the same approach - start slowly, let the pace build and finish strongly.
Out into the lanes in through and off formation with each doing a 2.5 miles stint on the front. It's going like clockwork with the pace soon at 16mph average. We're all feeling relaxed so the pace builds a little to our first break at Overton when we're at 17.0 mph after 32 miles. A bit of B road to Ellesmere gets us into the lanes again through Lee and on to Cockshutt where we cross the A road for the lanes to our most southerly point at Loppington, and on via Dobsons Bridge to land at Prees and the Raven cafe with 17.2 mph showing. Now, how much fuel do you need on a ride? Phil has egg on toast, I have egg, beans and chips, Neil has the mini breakfast with toast. but Gary has the cafe's Gutbuster breakfast PLUS toast; and he was first to finish. He deserves a medal.
Out of the Raven my Garmin goes funny, so that's why Gary's link is below. We're turning north, no apparent headwind and the pace builds (those breakfasts work). Ightfield and Audlem are fleeting images, as are Ravensmoor, Bunbury and Beeston. It's obvious that Phil has his mind on a quick average and we don't know if our legs can stand it. A diversion: how about a cuppa at the Ice Cream Farm? YES, unanimous. Here we can recover and get some carbs in - scone and a lot of jam, with enough tea to put a wavy line across the eyeballs. We check the average before we depart, 17.3 mph.
More pace as the scones burn through Hargrave, Tarvin and Barrow until the 100 miles comes up at Morley Bridge. Final concensus for the average is 17.4 mph. This is the fastest Smiler ride to date and the fastest 100 for all of us. We arrive back at the County Officers in good shape so something is working.
See the route by clicking the link below.
Smilers 110 miler. by kmaoudis at Garmin Connect - Details
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Sound Heath 104m
A sunny day is forecast, 15 deg C with a 10mph NE wind and an 8am start is planned. Phil's already there but I've got a leaking patch so we return to mine to repair before heading off.
Today we plan to take it easy and let the pace build through the day so that we finish strongly. The wind's interfering with pace as we head west for Churton and then east for Wettenhall - with a bench stop at Alpraham for fluid and carbs. As we hit Jax cafe in Bulkeley we've covered 63 miles at 15.7mph. Two North Enders provide the light entertainment and as they leave a lady stroller takes up their role.
Out of the cafe the pace only improves slightly due to the downhill section to Wrenbury but at Sound the world changes - we have a tail wind. The average builds steadily 'til at the hundred mark we're on 16.5mph and we return in a condition which is on plan i.e. able to walk without doing a crab impression.
See the route and details on the link below.
Sound Heath 104m
Today we plan to take it easy and let the pace build through the day so that we finish strongly. The wind's interfering with pace as we head west for Churton and then east for Wettenhall - with a bench stop at Alpraham for fluid and carbs. As we hit Jax cafe in Bulkeley we've covered 63 miles at 15.7mph. Two North Enders provide the light entertainment and as they leave a lady stroller takes up their role.
Out of the cafe the pace only improves slightly due to the downhill section to Wrenbury but at Sound the world changes - we have a tail wind. The average builds steadily 'til at the hundred mark we're on 16.5mph and we return in a condition which is on plan i.e. able to walk without doing a crab impression.
See the route and details on the link below.
Sound Heath 104m
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Chirk103
Forecast is dry, sunny, 10 deg C and 15mph westerly wind. Twice as many out as last week so half the time on the front, and we have a 9am start to celebrate BST.
We start from the County Officers and Phil gets technical:" How about 2 miles on the front, this wind is pretty strong." "Suits me, and I might do a few." But we're not troubled too much by the wind; at 10 miles we're on 17.5 mph average. "We won't keep that up." - the boffin. At 20 miles we're on 17.6mph and at 25 miles it's 17.9 mph; then it's all downhill (performance-wise) as we head into the wind and the hills get more lumpy on the next 10 miles to Chirk and the cafe. "I'll have something small," - a chip bap at £1:60 and a tea, all for £2:10. But it's a bin lid bap and a plate of chips and Phil has to help out.
Out of the cafe we head for Pont Elan to cross the Ceiriog and luck leaves us; it's closed for repair, no traffic or pedestrians. Retrace through Chirk and get on route at Weston Rhyn then it's plain sailing. Sunny and an easing wind. We walk a patch of thorns but a few miles later Phil's rear succumbs - near Loppington. As we head north we feel the wind more and we're on 'through and off' again with our average down to 15.5mph, which we hold for the remainder of the ride. At Peckforton Phil's rear goes again; no thorn or glass. We have 18 miles remaining so it's fairly direct via Beeston and Greenlooms to get back at 5:15 with 103 miles up.
See the route on the link below.
Link: Chirk103
We start from the County Officers and Phil gets technical:" How about 2 miles on the front, this wind is pretty strong." "Suits me, and I might do a few." But we're not troubled too much by the wind; at 10 miles we're on 17.5 mph average. "We won't keep that up." - the boffin. At 20 miles we're on 17.6mph and at 25 miles it's 17.9 mph; then it's all downhill (performance-wise) as we head into the wind and the hills get more lumpy on the next 10 miles to Chirk and the cafe. "I'll have something small," - a chip bap at £1:60 and a tea, all for £2:10. But it's a bin lid bap and a plate of chips and Phil has to help out.
Out of the cafe we head for Pont Elan to cross the Ceiriog and luck leaves us; it's closed for repair, no traffic or pedestrians. Retrace through Chirk and get on route at Weston Rhyn then it's plain sailing. Sunny and an easing wind. We walk a patch of thorns but a few miles later Phil's rear succumbs - near Loppington. As we head north we feel the wind more and we're on 'through and off' again with our average down to 15.5mph, which we hold for the remainder of the ride. At Peckforton Phil's rear goes again; no thorn or glass. We have 18 miles remaining so it's fairly direct via Beeston and Greenlooms to get back at 5:15 with 103 miles up.
See the route on the link below.
Link: Chirk103
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