Team BKool CycleChat
- Thread starter Peteaud
- Start date
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<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
Welcome aboard OldYews!
One thing I'd add if someone hasn't already is to buy yourself a decent fan if you haven't got one. You'll find you'll use it all year round on the turbo.
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
And an at least 40 inch 4K flat screen to put up in your chosen turbo den.
It needs to be connected to Eurosport as well so you can watch live races as you train.
For the fan your need a remote wireless switched power socket so you can turn the fan on from your bike once you have warmed up and have a extendable hiking stick to hand so you can adjust the fan angle.
I also use a TACX front wheel roller mount bolted to two bits of wood in lieu of a front wheel to make everything more stable.
On Friday nights it's compulsory to drink alcohol and post a load of rubbish like I do, accepting that I post rubbish most the time anyway.
got an email off 
Time is not official as I need Bill to clear it due to Bkool's usual non classified weight fail issue.
Didn't fancy a ride with strong head winds in the real world so decided to challenge Jamie for stage 2 instead.
As usual everybody set off like a rocket (how do you do that)?
Eventually caught Jamie, Rob and then had a go at latching on to you Whorty and a lovely windbreak you make as well.....
Did think I went too early at the end but wouldn't have got that time without a Whorty ghost.
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
I wont be on the start line today
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
Is everyone in Wales.
Best of luck guys, you should be tucked up in bed by now.
I'm cuddled up to my bottle already!
Best of luck guys, you should be tucked up in bed by now.
I'm cuddled up to my bottle already!
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
Right now I need that TACX roller mount!
AAAC 76C
Large Member
- Location
- LIVING THE DREAM
While your all struggling in Wales tomorrow I'll be watching Tommy live.
Go Tommy go.
You didn't need to apologise to Vincenso, you should have just left a horse's head on his warm up rollers.
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Epic performances from everyone involved! A real,pleasure to meet Cxr, Breedon, Berty, Whorty, TT and Robo, as you know them. I will let them each recount their own personal version of events, before I wade in and mercilessly take the piss out of Breedon and Tommy! Their event was both, hilarious, daunting and heroic.
Look forward to reading their accounts.
Look forward to reading their accounts.
Add
Guru
- Location
- Powys, Wales
And would the kind individual who left a very nice fluorescent yellow Castelli jacket in my car, please stand up! I can't remember who put it in there. Let me know and I'll get it back to you somehow.
<Tommy>
Illegitimi non carborundum
- Location
- Camden, London
Ok this is long so don't feel obliged to read it...Forgive me I'm on a long train journey!
Epic epic day. I'm not sure I can do it justice but far be it from me to let other people slander my good name, I think I'd better slander it myself first!
My story should probably start last Monday morning... Having landed at Gatwick at 8am with zero sleep from the night before, me and the missus were determined to make it through the day without even a siesta. However that evening I made the fatal mistake of taking a sleeping pill, thinking this would seal the deal, and guarantee me a good nights kip... it did to be fair, but on Tuesday night I couldn't sleep for love nor money and I started to get stressed out which made things even worse. I had no intention of working last week but I needed to make sure the lads who work for me had work through the week or I'm sunk. So I needed to be up in the mornings for a bit of long distance delegation from the comfort of my living room... so Wednesday was a rough day but I got through it. But again come night time I couldn't sleep... at this point I took another tamazipan / diazepam. (I have both but still have no clue which is which!) anyway, this chain of events put me in a vicious cycle which went on all week... pills are quite honestly great for knocking you out but leave you feeling rough the next day and not exactly a healthy dependency... I was really hoping that by the time the ride was upon us I'd of kicked my new found habit and was back to sleeping like a baby without chemical persuasion. Because I really didn't fancy riding up and down hills all day goofing out on a chemical comedown
So... Saturday morning, later than planned due to another crappy nights sleep, I set off for Wales. Yeeeha!! Tired but very much looking forward to it. Even the prospect of a 4 1/2 train journey didn't effect my mood. I could have a moan at this point about the modern day horse & cart that apparently passes for a train on the Welsh side of the border. Or the smelly smoker lady who planted herself in the seat next to me on the train. But it didn't really dampen my spirits so all good.
After a bit of an epic journey I arrive in Llandrindod and the lovely metropole hotel. Lots of nice friendly smiley people in Llandrindod, so like the jet lag, it takes a Londoner a bit of time to adjust to this type common decency... The room I've booked is probably slightly bigger than I need now that Kip and Bob aren't coming. You could easily of fitted an entire family into the two rooms plus bathroom that I ended up with. But I probably won't be sharing that information with my own particular family. It would be a real shame if mine, or my bikes style, were to be cramped on future trips west by unwelcome stowaways... I unpacked my bike and had a shower, back in business!
So then downstairs to meet some other weirdos I've met on the internet! I mean that sums it up doesn't it? Are we all farking mad?! How did we end up in Wales, with a bunch of strangers??! No doubt we've all asked ourselves this but here we are and low and behold, stood in a circle with Add, Whorty, Berty, Andy and Breedon. They all seem relatively normal. No idea what they made of me... still pretty spaced out from a long journey and limited sleep I wasn't entirely sure what I made of myself at that point... but here we all are, cracking jokes and happy. It is a very odd sensation, 2 dimensions colliding together. Talking to people you feel like you've gotten to know over quite a long period of time but have never actually met. Not just saying this, all great lads in person, really good guys, so onwards and upwards (quite literally unfortunately, all 13,000ft of it!). Adam, being the legend that Bridgy had already described, drove us on a recce around the first few miles of the course which was very helpful.
So we had a drink, we had a meal, and we tried to build each others confidence up a bit too. I hope Whorty doesn't mind me saying that he looked particularly daunted. No shame in that. I honestly thought he was completely mental doing the 95 mile course with 9,000ft of climbing considering there were so many new elements for him. But I'm happy to say I underestimated the man's steel. But more on that later...
After a nice meal I trundled off to my room quite early and hoping to get a much needed nights sleep. Now, I like a 70's/ 80's/90's retro disco as much as the next man, approaching middle age while trying to hang on to his youth... but I really didn't need it on Saturday night! Bollocks... Contrary to tradition, my penthouse was on the first rather than the top floor, and there was not escaping the thud thundery that went on and on going towards midnight. Gutted... So back to where we started and a newly found dependency on my little friend tamarzipan. I really didn't want to take one, I knew if I did it would have a negative effect the next day. But what of the effect of zero sleep? Grrrrrr!. I took half a pill around 12:30. Hello sleep!
Sunday morning I woke to the sound of room service knocking on my door with my continental breakfast. I hadn't set my alarm properly and was now stumbling towards the room door in a total haze... open the door, take the tray, and hand over a £5 on realising the room service girl has just had to endure the sight of me, doped up, and wearing nothing but a pair of Calvin Kleins, at 6:30 on a Sunday morning. Moving swiftly on... cold shower slight improvement. Force some food down, get dressed and out the door running a little behind. I'm not telling anyone about the sleeper even though I'm still woozy. I just don't want to think about it. I know it's going to be like a weight on my ankles but I'm just thinking, no excuses. Find excuses and you fail. Simple.
Adams was in far better spirits than me. I really can't over emphasise how fantastic he was on the day and on the drive to the start I could tell he was reliving his own previous adventures. Buzzing. And it was infectious. I drank some of my energy drink with added caffeine and felt a bit better. This is it I thought to myself this is it. Game on!
We all met at the start line in a scene familiar to anyone who has watched the build up to a pro level race. Finely tuned machines and athletes sizing each other up, ready to blast off the line! Oh wait, the drugs are wearing off a little more now... Yep it's a bunch of middle aged men in multi coloured Lycra on a Sunday morning. A familiar scene to me now but still a little disturbing... another welsh guy comes over and he seems to know me as turbo tommy. His names Rob. I'm a little confused. Oh hey! It's Rob from cyclechat! I'm gonna need some more of that energy drink coz the brain still needs a little catch up time... Great to meet Rob and he's bought a pal along too who's names escapes me I'm afraid...His mate seems a bit mental and fully pumped up for the ride, where as Rob is very laid back and chilled. It's fair to say I like them both instantly.
I'm going for the 120 in my head. No doubt. I came for the 120, stoned or not I've got to try it. Problem is no one else is showing much enthusiasm at this point so it looks like if I do commit to it I could have a lonely 50 miles at the end. Bleak... I try and bait Berty into doing it but he's not having it! Andy and Breedon don't want to commit. Hmmm this could take a bit of work...
So now we all get brought together for a briefing. Lots of super shiny machinery on display today. You've got the Bianchi boys on... well you guessed it, Bianchi's! All colour co-ordinated in matching kit and lovely bikes. Fitted with campag super record, bora ones etc. Hard not to think of kipster at this point. There was a dogma, a few cervelo's a colnago, and lots of other blinged up dream machines to admire. To be honest I was finding it easier to look at the bikes than to listen to what Wales' answer to Don Johnson was telling everyone in the briefing. Man these aren't good signs... well everyone looked like they were listening so feck it What's the worst that can happen? Briefing over, all the cyclechatters are in agreement that we should all stick together until at least the first food stop. See what we've got in the legs and what we're capable of, then take it from there. I think it's fair to say we underestimated the fragmenting effect of the first hill.
This is going to be a tough tough day.
My batteries cooked... More later if this first instalment hasn't put you to sleep.
Epic epic day. I'm not sure I can do it justice but far be it from me to let other people slander my good name, I think I'd better slander it myself first!
My story should probably start last Monday morning... Having landed at Gatwick at 8am with zero sleep from the night before, me and the missus were determined to make it through the day without even a siesta. However that evening I made the fatal mistake of taking a sleeping pill, thinking this would seal the deal, and guarantee me a good nights kip... it did to be fair, but on Tuesday night I couldn't sleep for love nor money and I started to get stressed out which made things even worse. I had no intention of working last week but I needed to make sure the lads who work for me had work through the week or I'm sunk. So I needed to be up in the mornings for a bit of long distance delegation from the comfort of my living room... so Wednesday was a rough day but I got through it. But again come night time I couldn't sleep... at this point I took another tamazipan / diazepam. (I have both but still have no clue which is which!) anyway, this chain of events put me in a vicious cycle which went on all week... pills are quite honestly great for knocking you out but leave you feeling rough the next day and not exactly a healthy dependency... I was really hoping that by the time the ride was upon us I'd of kicked my new found habit and was back to sleeping like a baby without chemical persuasion. Because I really didn't fancy riding up and down hills all day goofing out on a chemical comedown
So... Saturday morning, later than planned due to another crappy nights sleep, I set off for Wales. Yeeeha!! Tired but very much looking forward to it. Even the prospect of a 4 1/2 train journey didn't effect my mood. I could have a moan at this point about the modern day horse & cart that apparently passes for a train on the Welsh side of the border. Or the smelly smoker lady who planted herself in the seat next to me on the train. But it didn't really dampen my spirits so all good.
After a bit of an epic journey I arrive in Llandrindod and the lovely metropole hotel. Lots of nice friendly smiley people in Llandrindod, so like the jet lag, it takes a Londoner a bit of time to adjust to this type common decency... The room I've booked is probably slightly bigger than I need now that Kip and Bob aren't coming. You could easily of fitted an entire family into the two rooms plus bathroom that I ended up with. But I probably won't be sharing that information with my own particular family. It would be a real shame if mine, or my bikes style, were to be cramped on future trips west by unwelcome stowaways... I unpacked my bike and had a shower, back in business!
So then downstairs to meet some other weirdos I've met on the internet! I mean that sums it up doesn't it? Are we all farking mad?! How did we end up in Wales, with a bunch of strangers??! No doubt we've all asked ourselves this but here we are and low and behold, stood in a circle with Add, Whorty, Berty, Andy and Breedon. They all seem relatively normal. No idea what they made of me... still pretty spaced out from a long journey and limited sleep I wasn't entirely sure what I made of myself at that point... but here we all are, cracking jokes and happy. It is a very odd sensation, 2 dimensions colliding together. Talking to people you feel like you've gotten to know over quite a long period of time but have never actually met. Not just saying this, all great lads in person, really good guys, so onwards and upwards (quite literally unfortunately, all 13,000ft of it!). Adam, being the legend that Bridgy had already described, drove us on a recce around the first few miles of the course which was very helpful.
So we had a drink, we had a meal, and we tried to build each others confidence up a bit too. I hope Whorty doesn't mind me saying that he looked particularly daunted. No shame in that. I honestly thought he was completely mental doing the 95 mile course with 9,000ft of climbing considering there were so many new elements for him. But I'm happy to say I underestimated the man's steel. But more on that later...
After a nice meal I trundled off to my room quite early and hoping to get a much needed nights sleep. Now, I like a 70's/ 80's/90's retro disco as much as the next man, approaching middle age while trying to hang on to his youth... but I really didn't need it on Saturday night! Bollocks... Contrary to tradition, my penthouse was on the first rather than the top floor, and there was not escaping the thud thundery that went on and on going towards midnight. Gutted... So back to where we started and a newly found dependency on my little friend tamarzipan. I really didn't want to take one, I knew if I did it would have a negative effect the next day. But what of the effect of zero sleep? Grrrrrr!. I took half a pill around 12:30. Hello sleep!
Sunday morning I woke to the sound of room service knocking on my door with my continental breakfast. I hadn't set my alarm properly and was now stumbling towards the room door in a total haze... open the door, take the tray, and hand over a £5 on realising the room service girl has just had to endure the sight of me, doped up, and wearing nothing but a pair of Calvin Kleins, at 6:30 on a Sunday morning. Moving swiftly on... cold shower slight improvement. Force some food down, get dressed and out the door running a little behind. I'm not telling anyone about the sleeper even though I'm still woozy. I just don't want to think about it. I know it's going to be like a weight on my ankles but I'm just thinking, no excuses. Find excuses and you fail. Simple.
Adams was in far better spirits than me. I really can't over emphasise how fantastic he was on the day and on the drive to the start I could tell he was reliving his own previous adventures. Buzzing. And it was infectious. I drank some of my energy drink with added caffeine and felt a bit better. This is it I thought to myself this is it. Game on!
We all met at the start line in a scene familiar to anyone who has watched the build up to a pro level race. Finely tuned machines and athletes sizing each other up, ready to blast off the line! Oh wait, the drugs are wearing off a little more now... Yep it's a bunch of middle aged men in multi coloured Lycra on a Sunday morning. A familiar scene to me now but still a little disturbing... another welsh guy comes over and he seems to know me as turbo tommy. His names Rob. I'm a little confused. Oh hey! It's Rob from cyclechat! I'm gonna need some more of that energy drink coz the brain still needs a little catch up time... Great to meet Rob and he's bought a pal along too who's names escapes me I'm afraid...His mate seems a bit mental and fully pumped up for the ride, where as Rob is very laid back and chilled. It's fair to say I like them both instantly.
I'm going for the 120 in my head. No doubt. I came for the 120, stoned or not I've got to try it. Problem is no one else is showing much enthusiasm at this point so it looks like if I do commit to it I could have a lonely 50 miles at the end. Bleak... I try and bait Berty into doing it but he's not having it! Andy and Breedon don't want to commit. Hmmm this could take a bit of work...
So now we all get brought together for a briefing. Lots of super shiny machinery on display today. You've got the Bianchi boys on... well you guessed it, Bianchi's! All colour co-ordinated in matching kit and lovely bikes. Fitted with campag super record, bora ones etc. Hard not to think of kipster at this point. There was a dogma, a few cervelo's a colnago, and lots of other blinged up dream machines to admire. To be honest I was finding it easier to look at the bikes than to listen to what Wales' answer to Don Johnson was telling everyone in the briefing. Man these aren't good signs... well everyone looked like they were listening so feck it What's the worst that can happen? Briefing over, all the cyclechatters are in agreement that we should all stick together until at least the first food stop. See what we've got in the legs and what we're capable of, then take it from there. I think it's fair to say we underestimated the fragmenting effect of the first hill.
This is going to be a tough tough day.
My batteries cooked... More later if this first instalment hasn't put you to sleep.
