Slightly delayed report; I got my Imperial Century for July in yesterday.
After the problems in May I had unfinished business with my Ludlow route so was up for my usual early start and set out into warm, humid and slightly misty conditions after the overnight thundery showers.
I already know that this route is marginal in terms of hitting the 100 miles so I added an extra loop towards Condover, Atcham and Upton Magna then through The Quarry in Shrewsbury before going out the other side of town to Montford Bridge, Great Ness and Melverley.
It became quite windy out (just for a change
) and from a direction that meant I was riding directly against it from Westbury onwards. I'm fairly sure that it was partly from trying to keep up the pace in almost identical conditions that did the damage previously so I took it very easy and just plodded on against the wind. There were stops in my usual places to keep fuelled up and watered, plus the odd photo stop, at one of which I did a good deed for the day by supplying a cable tie and a knife to allow a passing rider to effect repairs to his damaged and unravelling bar tape.
Reaching Montgomery I had intended to pause for an early lunch. Unfortunately the bench that I usually like to stop at had part of a tree on it and the town fete was on meaning the ones in the centre were inaccessable. I carried on and found a sheltered gateway with a view for my lunch stop instead.
Moving on again, the remaining stretch into Bishop's Castle was much easier than last time, although the saddle was starting to give me a hard time and I was only halfway round.
Leaving Bishop's Castle I was accosted by a marshal at the main road junction who wanted me to turn right (I wanted to go straight on), who then realised with a start "Oh, you're not on a tandem".
There was a tandem triathlon taking place (apparently its 30th anniversary event:
http://www.tandemtriathlon.org.uk/ ) so I was passing tandems going the other way for the next few miles. Some were clearly taking it very seriously, though the costumes I saw suggested that others weren't.
Onwards to Leintwardine and the roads became a bit more hilly before my first big hill of the day up through the Mortimer Forest. I paused in the picnic area near the top for another bite to eat and a rest. Here I had a mobile signal for the first time since Montgomery (about 30 miles previously) so was able to update my brother on progress.
The descent into Ludlow was great, then after a quick look round I was heading north again and I'd hoped would have the wind behind me but it didn't seem to be helping as much as I'd hoped (checking the Met Office site later I found it had died down to a gentle breeze for this bit after I'd been riding against a 17 mph gusting to 30+ wind most of the way since Westbury
).
The saddle was still giving me gyp so having had plenty of time to think about what the problem might be I stopped before the climb up Seifton Batch and gave it a very small adjustment. I was obviously quite sore anyway by this point but it did make the rest of the ride much more bearable so the next ride will be the proper test.
Seifton Batch was a nice gentle climb and is a pretty little valley so I was able to savour this bit. On the descent the other side I came up behind two horses and riders so I dinged my bell a good distance away to warn them - and saw the lead rider pull out her mobile phone thinking it was that making the noise.
I realised that the miles added at the beginning of the ride would mean I'd pass the century easily so I could cherry-pick my route home. The shortest route home from Wall-under Heywood meant another big climb which wasn't overly enticing so I opted for the flatter way through Longville, Kenley, Acton Burnell and Condover. The wind had picked up again by now but the direction had changed so I had some good sections where it swept me along pretty well but less so towards the very end of the ride.
A fraction over 112 miles for the day at 13 mph average and no knee pain (but the sit bones are rather delicate this morrning).
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Looking through the gates to Condover Hall.
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Usual elevenses stop at Brockton.........
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.......but there is a problem with the usual lunch stop at Montgomery.
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Fete just getting underway in the town square at Montgomery.
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Finally, a lunch stop with a view.
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Bishop's Castle.
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Some great, rolling South Shropshire scenery on the way to Leintwardine.
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Classic Frazer Nash sports car.
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The view from the Mortimer Forest.
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Busy in Ludlow
- he's the 2nd child from the left, with the 'Birthday Boy' badge:
.
