All this running's alright, but playing bikes is much more fun and that's just what I've been up to this weekend. Sunday morning saw an early start to get myself and my trusty stead, down to the start of The Devils Punchbowl 200Km. Having previously ridden the 100Km route a few times this was a new one for me, but why stick at 100k when you can have double the fun.
Unlike the 100Km which takes a fairly direct route up to the Devils Punch Bowl, the 200Km goes off on a big old loop, working up through the lower reaches of the South Downs National Park before swinging North to visit the Devils Punch Bowl itself, before returning home via the other side of the loop.
With the threat of rain in the forecast I'd packed accordingly, but hoped that it might hold off for the day and to be honest as we set off into the cool early morning air things didn't look too bad. Overcast, cool, but warm enough and wind free at this early hour, good cycling conditions and from the start it looked like this could be a fairly fast route. By the time I'd been on the road for an hour, I'd ticked off nearly 18 miles, which is pretty good going by my standard and had confirmed my initial thoughts, if it continued like this I'd be home in time for tea!.
The first checkpoint at Cocking came and went in a blur of flat fast roads, packed with even faster cars all headed for their own day out at the Goodwood festival of speed. I'm pretty sure that I might have muttered Cocking or words to that effect a few times later in the afternoon too, as Cocking marked the end of the flat, fast easy riding, putting us onto more familiar, rolling territory, as we headed north towards Petersfield. Another quick stop to grab a receipt as proof of passage in Petersfield and then onto the long slog up what was the old A3 towards the Devils Punch Bowl itself. And a right old slog it is too. Not only is it uphill all the way, but it's still a pretty fast bit of road, and just in case that's not enough, it's been resurfaced in the worst surface known to man, Chipseal! Layers of what feel like badly applied boulders, half of which have peeled away, leaving a surface like Brighton beach (all massive stones). Not only is like riding through treacle, making it really hard to maintain any speed, but your constantly at risk of all your fillings being shaken loose too as you rattle over the pockmarked, cratered surface. Eventually though, the next checkpoint at Thursley hove into view and with it the chance for a quick breather and a refill of water bottles and biscuits. A quick sort out of kit, loose a layer, shove a sandwich in my back pocket for later and off again. Up to Farnham for an info control and then the longest leg of the day, heading down towards the motorway services at Pease Pottage for another proof of passage control. I don't mind admitting that I found this leg pretty hard going. There's nothing too steep or taxing to make it hard. But it seemed to be relentlessly up and down. Not enough to make it a challenge or get you out of the saddle, but just enough to get you breathing a bit harder than normal and make it feel like hard work. Time seemed to stand still for a while as I ground my way over the endless hills, constantly weaving like some deranged fighter pilot trying to avoid the enemy, as I tried to avoid the millions of potholes that litter the roads in this part of the country. Swing left, right, left again, can't avoid that one as there's a car behind, brace for impact and hope my wrists, wheels and tyres, survive the battering, and so it goes on. Eventually though the next checkpoint hove into view and with it the chance for an ice cream sat in the sun on a petrol station forecourt. If nothing else this Audax lark is glamorous! That's the back of the beast broken though, and with over 100 miles already under my belt, it's just the matter of keeping going for another couple of hours to get back to the start. Push on then, through some heavy afternoon traffic in Haywards Heath and onward with the South Downs now looming up in front filling my view. Luckily, todays route avoids the torture of pushing over the escarpment and we turn Right at the bottom of the hill for an easy run back to the finish. A shade under the 9 hour mark since setting off and I'm back where we started, with 206 Km (128 miles) on the clock. Just time for a quick brew with the organiser and his glamorous assistant before setting off for home, and whilst I'm stood chatting the rain starts, what are the chances of that? If I'd been a bit slower or stopped for more than the 20 minutes or so that I did all day, I'd have got wet! As it is I've stayed dry all day and had another great day out, you can't say that occasionally the weather God's don't look down favourably on me! âIf only it was a bit more often!
So what else have I been up too this weekend then? Well, for a starters I had a couple of hours on the Allotment before the rain really got going on Saturday morning. As I mentioned last week, things are going great guns.
âThe Tomatoes in the greenhouse are up to the top of the canes and have now been tied into the wires running along the roof to get another couple of trusses out of them. The Cucumbers, Peppers and Chillis are finally flying too, I'd hope that by the end of the week we might finally be picking Cucumbers (and about time too). I'm pretty sure we've had Cucumbers in June previously, but like everything we still seem to be a fair way behind this year.
Tâhe Raspberries are coming into their own too, although the wet weather isn't doing the Strawberries much good, with the fruits rotting off before they have a chance to fully ripen.
Raspberries don't keep very well once they've been picked, so it's always a bit of a challenge to find ways to use them up before they turn to mush. For the last few years I've made Raspberry Gin from the excess, but as the cupboards still full of last years I'm going to have to find another idea for this year. As a starters I knocked up a batch of allotment berry jam, using Raspberries, a few early Loganberries and a few Blackcurrants that have ripened up. A Kilo of fruit to a Kilo of Jam sugar, yielded 2 1/2 jars of Jam. It looks a bit "Pippy" but Raspberries always do, it tastes alright though, so that's a positive. Whilst I had the Jam making stuff out I thought that I'd have a go at Rhubarb jam. I've never tried this one before, but the Internet seems to suggest that Rhubarb goes well with Ginger so what's the worst that can happen? A kilo of Rhubarb, A kilo of sugar, a couple of Lemons, a big lump of grated ginger and a handful of crystallised Ginger and the kitchen was filled with the most amazing aroma. I thought the Strawberry jam last week smelled good, but this knocked it straight out of the park! And I'll tell you what, it tastes pretty fine too!
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
|