Bedford Riliability ride Sunday 7th Feb

I know that many St Neots riders will be turning out for this and it is a good opportunity to pitch yourself against some Bedford and Luton riders in an un-official race (a large group tends to start out which splinters as it goes along, with the pace picking up, leaving the last few left to sprint to the finish - usually Joe!). You can choose to ride in whatever group you like and set off when you like, so a St Neots group can start by themselves. This to me seems too much like a regular Sunday club run though so I intend to get amongst it a bit (although with my current fitness I may well become an early splinter off the back - hey ho).
I have been chatting with some Bedford guys and there is a plan to have a quickish group go out at 8.45 ish so I plan to ride over to Cardington, (arriving at 8:30) having a coffee and then setting off with a reasonable bunch. The more St Neots guys in the group the more chance we have of humiliating a few locals .
I will be leaving the square at 7:50 and warming up on a gentle ride over there (there is a section of path along the A1 that will need to be used as the Roxton Road is shut. The path is accessed under the A1 near KFC but is a bit rough - otherwise a much longer ride over is needed involving hills and a much earlier start).
Hopefully I will have some St Neots company, either on the ride over and/or on the reliability ride. It will be a great chance for the St Neots race team to work together/for each other.

I intend to be there but sounds like I'll be riding with a different group

Mark

I noticed that the route goes back through the same part of Roxton Road, do you have any idea if they've made allowances for this. I did email them earlier in the week but I didn't get a response.

We shall debate tactics tonight over ale and madras.

Gary

yes Gary, they intend to go straight over Gt Barford Xroads towards Wilden, up the hill and over the bypass, turning right at the T junction at the end, to then re-join the normal route. A few extra miles

I wont be out tonight Gary but text me details of the plan you end up with please.

If you're planning to 'race', then why don't you leave later with the quick guys? I was under the impression a reliability ride was basically an Audax where people pretend not to race ...

If you're talking about the path under the A1 behind Cath Kidston's that brings you out into Northfield Road, good luck using it as it'll be a mud pit.

Tony, if you turn left immediately after going under the A1 it is concrete path all the way to the Volvo scrap garage on the A1, then path all the way to the Blackcat. There will be mud on the concrete in places but nothing worse than some minor country roads.

Maybe I'm missing something here but if all you're doing is getting to the start line, why not go down the Barford Road and over the A1 at Tempsford?

yep, good call

amended route - ridewithgps.com/routes/12029012

Right, the fully detailed plan we came up with was to leave the square at 8:00AM and ride down to Cardington.

7:45 is just too keen

There will be a bunch of us planning to start the ride at 08:00 so a few kind words as you shoot pass us would be appreciated.

anyone got the route in garmin
Steve