Ride Report 21.06.21 Vincent Murray & Simon Richardson...

Good to get out and ride with Simon, instead of riding alone after 3 months of lockdown.

Started with legs feeling heavy and a slow drag out to Gamlingay, frustrating problems with routing on the Garmin too. Joined Simon for a short ride to the first Bingo card - The Rising Sun in Potton. Through Biggleswade and think we missed the Windmill at Shefford. Draggy ride up to Hexton on rough tarmac - not sure if it was the surface or the legs still not warmed up fully. Climb up Pirton Road overtaken by a vintage recovery truck - sounded more like a spitfire. Crossed the Icknield Way at some point here for another bingo point, and turned off along some ancient gravel track. Very rural feeling through rolling hills until we turned the corner to see a dozen orange EasyJet tails. Skirted our way around the runway boundary, still very quiet with no movements, probably less pleasant during regular times. On to the next bingo card - Only Luton could hide its castle as the end of a flooded, potholed, flytipped lane yards from a runway. After carefully picking a way through the mud we dismounted for a wander round the ruined gatehouse. Flying down to dip under the M1, whooping and hollering by Simon through the tunnel saved us from a potential t-bone with a MTB where a cycleway crossed the road at a blind exit, Started the climb up away from Luton on the Chilterns Cycleway and passed a CTS jersey heading the opposite way - assuming they were attempting their own bingo ride. Chilterns Cycleway took us through some quiet country lanes, but roads were broken up and gravel strewn. Approaching midday and we had been looking for a coffee stop. On the way in to Markyate, found a combined coffee shop, milkshake bar and barbers(!). While Simon disappeared for savouries, to return with pasties and crisps, I loaded up with coffees and shortbread. The first and only drops of rain fell for a minute or so while we sat with our coffees but these soon disappeared and we refilled the bottles before heading out on the climb to our highpoint. The climb out of Markyate proved to be a quick and constant 2% allowing us to push on  - for all of 10 minutes until Simon punctured. A battle with the front tyre was won at the cost of a tyre lever and pump, we got  back on, only to find the rear had also gone (reports after the ride suggest locals have been scattering tacks in the area - 😡) 

Another attempt to finish the climb, and Simon was still having tyre issues - this time the front failing. Significant faffing, including lubing the tyre bead with chain wax, but eventually we got away. Drop down to Hudnall to start the main climb of the day, which proved to be another steady 2 to 5% for 5 miles all the way to the top of Ivinghoe beacon. Various monuments and memorials on the way up ticked off another of our requirements. Great views from the top, but NT car parks were packed and a long queue for the ice cream van put us off. Cyclist magazine describe the next section we descend - "pretend we are climbing an Alpine col as we encounter a single perfect hairpin around a pillar of chalky rock" - so this was the target of the day to tick off a hairpin within riding distance of home. Dropping down it at 30mph means it's the one bingo square we didn't get a photo of. Turning for home now with the majority of the climbing done and a tail wind, a long high speed descent saw the average speed start to tick back up again.

 A climb up through Stanbridge, and our dedication at finding the windmill meant we missed our turn - on the appropriately named Mill Lane. Back on track, an impressive mill conversion was next off the list. Not expecting another climb, the drag up to Woburn Abbey was a bit painful. No deer spotted over the wall of the deer park so we decided to head through the middle of the park. Bambi leapt out yards ahead of us and ran alongside the bikes for a few dozen yards, occasionally threatening to run into Simon's wheels before stopping traffic by almost running headfirst in to the oncoming Toyota. At this point we decided to alter the planned route and continue through to Ampthill. The back of the ride broken, it was time to refill the bottles and Waitrose queues being too busy McColls provided us with water and the temptation of cold beer. A "gentleman of the road" moment sat in the town square in the sun with a cold beer had early TdF vibes to it and prepared us for the final push for home via Great Barford. At Clophill, a brief run along the A507 before heading off on more quiet lanes to climb up to Chicksands, and back on regular club run roads through Old Warden, Ickwell and back towards Moggerhanger. Great Barford bridge ticked off the penultimate item on the list, a brief dip of the tyres by Simon whilst a couple of old boys, topless with their cans of cider in the sun and hybrid bikes, gave us the benefit of their cycling wisdom. 

With just the level crossing to tick off, Roxton and down the side of the A1 took us to Tempsford, to turn around with the wind at our backs all the way to the railway line, and the 100 miles ticked over at the foot of Everton hill. Legs shot and bottles empty I ground up for one of my slowest ascents before I asked Simon for a share of a bottle before we parted ways. Whatever rocket fuel Simon's bottle had, and the tail wind and descent all the way back to St Neots, let me push on and lift the overall average pace. Rolled in to the house with dinner waiting, The Bell at Great Paxton had provided Curried Goat, Jerk Chicken and Rice and Peas. A few beers to refresh and the solstice was over. Not quite the 200 miles of the genuine Chase the Sun ride, but a great day out on the bike with inspiration to ride to new destinations.

See all pictures in Photo Gallery.

https://www.stneotscyclingclub.info/the-club/photo-gallery/members-exploits/show/slid-47/scid-8/sbcrumbs-1/itemmnid-1097