totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Our ride today was 86 miles and harder than normal as it was meant to be training. However the interesting one was on Friday when I cycled out to watch the women's international road race. It started in Oundle, which by the way is quite beautiful if you have never been. Got some good photos, missed seeing @HLaB but saw a couple of old friends. Now, I know most of the roads in this area as we often ride around here, so once the women were on their way I reckoned I could easily ride to Rockingham before they got there to watch the climb for QOM.
Anyway off I scooted and on the way fell in with a couple of Rockingham Wheelers who assured me when we reached a particular junction that straight on was best as it avoided a poor road surface [we are near Corby]. By this time I needed a pee stop so told them to carry on, after 10 minutes continuing in the same direction I knew something was wrong and sure enough I came to a junction with a few spectators waiting for the women to come through, I immediately recognised where I was, about 7 miles from where I was heading and the only way to get there now was to ride the same route as the women I silently cursed the 2 Wheelers.
This was definitely not Plan A, nor B for that matter and being on fixed I couldn't really go as quick as I wanted on the downhills. After only a few hundred metres one of the police motorbike outriders passed me with the blue lights on, when I looked back and saw the second police bike I flagged him alongside and asked how far behind me were the peloton, 3 miles was the reply, first thought was eek! I kept pedalling [no other option actually on fixed
], now I was really pushing, I dropped down into Harringworth turned left and headed for Gretton, all the while aware of lots of people taking my picture and giving me a cheer, others looked a bit bemused, I didn't blame them. I can't recall ever climbing up to Gretton that quickly before, but then I had never had a peloton behind me either [actually that is not quite true, but not under these circumstances]. As I entered Gretton There were police motorbikes everywhere together with race marshals and a LOT of people, including the primary school children all waving their flags, they all cheered me and I gave them a wave as I descended through the village at well over the speed limit, only a couple of flattish miles to go to the bottom of Rockingham hill and when a race marshal pulled alongside and when he said said I was going well it spurred me on even more, though truth to tell I was on my limit.
At last Rockingham, I turned left on what was now a closed road lined with spectators, including many roadies, I inwardly groaned because now the world and his dog were going to be watching me climb this hill. It did feel a bit weird, but I got a perverse enjoyment out of it being the only cyclist on the road with a big audience, plus I knew I could get up it as I had done it once before years ago. I guess it is around 14% but I am sure someone on here will know the exact gradient. After many cheers and not a little sweat I got to the point where I wanted to watch from.
I had got there more than 15 mins ahead of the peloton which was averaging 24 mph so I was quite chuffed with that.
Here they are
A day to remember, especially nice because we know a few of the riders. Not sure I would want to do that again though without gears.
Anyway off I scooted and on the way fell in with a couple of Rockingham Wheelers who assured me when we reached a particular junction that straight on was best as it avoided a poor road surface [we are near Corby]. By this time I needed a pee stop so told them to carry on, after 10 minutes continuing in the same direction I knew something was wrong and sure enough I came to a junction with a few spectators waiting for the women to come through, I immediately recognised where I was, about 7 miles from where I was heading and the only way to get there now was to ride the same route as the women I silently cursed the 2 Wheelers.
This was definitely not Plan A, nor B for that matter and being on fixed I couldn't really go as quick as I wanted on the downhills. After only a few hundred metres one of the police motorbike outriders passed me with the blue lights on, when I looked back and saw the second police bike I flagged him alongside and asked how far behind me were the peloton, 3 miles was the reply, first thought was eek! I kept pedalling [no other option actually on fixed
], now I was really pushing, I dropped down into Harringworth turned left and headed for Gretton, all the while aware of lots of people taking my picture and giving me a cheer, others looked a bit bemused, I didn't blame them. I can't recall ever climbing up to Gretton that quickly before, but then I had never had a peloton behind me either [actually that is not quite true, but not under these circumstances]. As I entered Gretton There were police motorbikes everywhere together with race marshals and a LOT of people, including the primary school children all waving their flags, they all cheered me and I gave them a wave as I descended through the village at well over the speed limit, only a couple of flattish miles to go to the bottom of Rockingham hill and when a race marshal pulled alongside and when he said said I was going well it spurred me on even more, though truth to tell I was on my limit.At last Rockingham, I turned left on what was now a closed road lined with spectators, including many roadies, I inwardly groaned because now the world and his dog were going to be watching me climb this hill. It did feel a bit weird, but I got a perverse enjoyment out of it being the only cyclist on the road with a big audience, plus I knew I could get up it as I had done it once before years ago. I guess it is around 14% but I am sure someone on here will know the exact gradient. After many cheers and not a little sweat I got to the point where I wanted to watch from.
I had got there more than 15 mins ahead of the peloton which was averaging 24 mph so I was quite chuffed with that.
Here they are
A day to remember, especially nice because we know a few of the riders. Not sure I would want to do that again though without gears.
. I did try to convince gears were the way to go . Great story I could just see the crowd trying to figure who you were.
