Note to self 1: Next time I'm signing the praises of our glorious September weather, don't; it's sure to end in tears!
Note to self 2: Next time I'm looking for a new hobby; pick one that doesn't involve spending long periods of time with your shoes full of water! Running, cycling and even the allotment seem to often result in wet feet. Running from the wet grass and rain, cycling because it rains as often as it doesn't, and the allotment; because no matter how careful I am, I still manage to spill water down the back of my legs and into my shoes when watering! Sunday was all about Audax and more specifically the The Wylye and Ribble valley 200K. Which is why I was stood, with some fellow lunatics, in a car park in Denmead at 07:30, on what must have been one of the warmest and most humid mornings of the year, eyeing the sky nervously, whilst discussing how long we were going to stay dry for. The answer, you will be pleased to know, was not very long! The route took us up through the top of the South Downs, through Winchester and Stockbridge, towards the first control at Amesbury, by which time the sky's had opened and succeeded in filling my shoes to the brim with dirty, wet, rain water! Despite the rain, it remained warm and humid all day, and whilst I briefly stopped to put on a jacket, it was still quite pleasant, if a touch damp, in shorts. A quick cafe stop for a brew and proof of passage stamp and it was back out into the rain for the second leg. I must confess that the rain did ease off after an hour or so and did little to spoil what was a picturesque, yet hilly ride, especially the second leg, which managed to find every hill between the Wylye valley and the lunchtime stop at Cranborne, each seemingly steeper and longer than the last. A not so light lunch, consisting of a toasted Bacon, Brie and Cranberry sandwich, washed down with a massive slice of sticky toffee cake and a pot of tea, at the garden center cafe in Cranborne, soon saw my tired legs revived. I'd be more than happy to recommend this little haven if your ever passing down that way, great food, friendly, fast service and generous portions to boot. Luckily the final leg wasn't quite as hilly as the first two, passing across the top of the New Forest, before looping high around the top of Southampton to get back to the start. Possibly a bit controversially on my part, I'm not sure that the New Forest is all it's cracked up to be. Don't get me wrong, the forested bit is lovely, with it's deciduous woodland and wild ponies. But the bit at the top, I'm not so sure. It's pretty barren moorland and on anything but the nicest days of the year is just like any other open moor, exposed, cold, windy and wet, and whilst the rain was holding off it was still pretty breezy and exposed. Personally, I'd take the Test Valley, High Weald Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or North Wessex Downs AONB , over the New Forest, but what do I know? And that, was that, 200 Km (that's 126 miles in old money) done and dusted. A lovely route on a day that could have been far worse weather wise and one I'd defiantly like to do again. If nothing else it would be nice to do it in better weather to take in the views that must have been at the top of all those hills! When the weathers bad it's hard not to just get your head down and focus on getting the job done, missing out on the little bit's you notice when your heads up and the suns shining. Oh, and Note to self 3: Running 22 miles on Saturday and then doing 200 Km on Sunday is not the best idea I've ever had. My legs certainly didn't appreciate it, and it undoubtedly made what was already a petty tough, hilly 200, into a bit of a slog. Apparently, "there's no gain without pain" though, just like "it's not training if it's not raining". So will I learn from that? What do you think? Like I'm going to miss out on the opportunity to get outside just because it makes my legs hurt a bit!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
Categories
All
|