A strange thing happened last weekend, which is why there's no Blog entry.
I actually chickened out of an Audax ride! I should have been out playing bikes on Sunday. In fact I'd even got as far as loading up the van and traveling down to the start the night before. But when the morning broke and the weather forecast looked to have come true, I pulled the covers back up and stayed in bed. I must confess that it was absolutely throwing it down and the wind was howling through the trees and power lines. In fact, the roads were littered with fallen branches and puddles the size of small oceans as I made my way back home with my tail between my legs, so maybe it wasn't the best of days to be out playing bikes. The most annoying thing though, was the fact that by lunchtime it had turned into quite a nice day, and had I actually put on my brave face and got out there I'd probably of had a good day! Sometimes though, I suppose it's easy to take the easy option. When the rains being thrown in your face and the winds blowing you across the road it's not much fun. Or is it? It's certainly more of a challenge, and with a challenge comes reward, and the bigger the challenge the bigger the reward! Likewise I know that no matter what the weather, if I actually get out of the house, I'll probably have a good time. Once your wet, your wet. So, why is getting out there in the first place such a problem, why the procrastinating and the finding excuses not to go. Why not just pull on the waterproofs and get out there? If anyone knows the secret to over riding the desire to stay in when it's dark, cold and wet, then please let me know. It's only the start of November and I've already had enough of the winter, and this can't go on! Come on Perratt, get off your lazy arse and lets go and have some winter adventures!
Now I've got my dirty little secret from last weekend off my chest I suppose I'd better make amends and what better way to do that, than with a cheeky 200Km Audax, in the form of the Upper Thames.
But first, lets just back track a few hours, because this week also marked a bit of a landmark in the fact that I ran into work and back for the first time in 8 weeks. It's taken that long for my pesky right foot to feel good enough to risk punishing it with two 10 mile road efforts within 14 hours, but it feels like things are on the mend and I could be back in the game. I'll carry on taking it easy for a few more weeks yet, specially as I've got a 40 miler lined up for next weekend, but I'm hopeful that normal service is about to resume. Anyhow, back to this weekend. With Saturdays Audax starting from Cholsey near Wallingford, I thought that I'd extend the weekend a bit by escaping from work a bit earlier on Friday afternoon and taking the van up to Streatley for the night, and whilst I'm there I might was well take advantage of the trip and get in a few easy walking miles up the Thames path. And jolly nice it was too. It was nearly 16:00 by the time I got there and the temperature was starting to drop off, but wrapped up warm, I probably did 6 or 7 miles through the dusk and into the dark proper, before heading back to the van for tea and an early night. Cold or not, the river bank was quiet and deserted, apart from the plethora of wildlife making ready for the long night ahead. Groups of Geese lifting from the flowing water in formation, a number of Herons fishing for one last meal in the dying light, Red Kites overhead making their way back to their roosts after a successful days scavenging and a single Kestrel, hovering majestically, over the far bank. I don't do as much walking as I should, hopefully there will be plenty of time to walk when I'm too old to run! But, whenever I do pull on my walking boots I come home thinking "I should really do more of that" it's such a nice way to travel. No car's, no peddling, no puffing and panting, just the world moving steadily past with plenty of time to stop and stare.
Right, enough, I'm supposed to be telling you about Saturdays Audax, not wittering on about a load of old rubbish, and it's a good one this too. I'm guessing the fact that I know it's a good one, gives the game away that I've done it before. In fact, this was the first Audax ride I ever did, back in 2017, and I've done it every year since (except last year when it didn't run due to the Covid palaver) and I'm pretty sure that it's rained (normally heavily) every year that I've ridden it too!
Except, this year looked like it might buck that trend, because after a great nights sleep tucked away in the van, the morning dawned still, with a light cloud cover and as the sun came up it cast some lovely Lilac and Mauve light across the sky. A quick visit to the start control to pick up my Brevet card and then on the road before 07:30. An anytime start (between 7 and 8) took care of the normal mass grouped start and ensured Covid safety in this still uncertain world, whilst still giving a bit of normality to proceedings. How long this Covid lark is going to continue for is anyone's guess, but if sensible precautions can help life to continue then personally I'm all for it.
It's a bit of a ride of 3 halves this one, with the first half taking your through the Chiltern Hills with their multiple, short sharp climbs, before moving into the Cotswolds with their characteristic long slow drag hills and descents before a final, mainly flat few miles back to the start. The Chilterns worked their normal magic in the early morning though and it wasn't long before I was puffing and panting my way up the first of the days leg testing hills.
Nothing to stop me today though and after a few hours of ups and downs, the first manned checkpoint hove into view. Not before the drizzle started though! I knew that I should have kept my mouth shut earlier, but then again it wouldn't be the Upper Thames without getting wet! Luckily the rain didn't amount to much, and after a quick checkpoint stop I was soon on my way towards Bicester and the start of the second set of climbs for the day.
This second leg always seems to be a bit of a grind, not only is it somehow all up hill to Chipping Norton, but the wind always seems to be in your face too and just to add insult to injury, it's a pretty long and uninspiring slog of a leg. Finally though, after what seemed like an eternity, Chipping Norton arrived and with it the chance to stop for a few minutes and grab a quick sandwich, along with a receipt as proof that I'd actually been there.
I didn't hang around though as by early afternoon the wind had picked up considerably and had an icey edge to it. It was Ok all the time you were moving, but as soon as you stopped it cut straight through my thin jacket and base layer. Sitting on a bench in the cold eating a sandwich is hardly the height of luxury any way, so within 20 minutes I was back on the road for the final few miles of the Cotswolds and the delights of the final flat run for home.
Tackling the last couple of climbs with the wind in my face to get through Minster Lovell wasn't much fun and a short rain shower added insult to the misery and was made even worse by the sun making it's one and only appearance of the day, adding it's blinding brilliance to the rain as it dripped from my helmet.
Not to worry though, this is the final stretch and within a few minutes the rain had abated and the road flattened out. Dropping of the Cotswolds Plateau it wasn't long before the humped back bridge over the River Thames appeared, somehow signalling that it wasn't far to go now. A Left turn shortly after shifted the now strong wind to my back and with a wind assisted helping hand on flat roads, my speed picked back up to sensible levels for the first time in a few hours.
That bit of wind assistance made a real difference towards the end too and surprisingly, pretty much 9 hours after setting off I arrived back at the start control. Granted I'd probably only spent a maximum of 30 minutes stopped all day, but 9 hours for 130 miles, isn't bad going by any stretch of the imagination.
It's not supposed to be a race though, that's the whole point of Audaxing. It's all about challenging yourself, being Audacious, seeing some new parts of the countryside and having a good day out while your at it. And I'll happily confirm that todays fun was all of those things. Hilly enough to be challenging, rainy enough to get you damp without getting too wet, windy enough to make you think "this is hard work" but still fun enough to be sat with a big smile at the end of the day and the feeling of satisfaction that comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone!
Before I go, I've got a bit of a Chilli problem on the allotment. To be honest it's the same every year and I end up with tons of the things that I don't know what to do with. Some go in the freezer for use when cooking throughout the year, some I normally dry for making Chilli oil and some normally get made into Chilli Jam or sauce.
This year though I've found a recipe that just involves wizzing them up, adding a bit of sugar and Cider Vinegar and leaving to mature. And I'll tell you something for nothing, those jars now contain possibly the hottest thing known to man. I'll report back once they've had a couple of months to mature, but I've already got the feeling that this could be a bit saucy! Watch this space!
And finally (I promise), check this bad boy out. Parsnips truly are the roast veg of kings. You can keep your Spuds, I'll have some of this action with my roast please. Especially when it's gone from plot to belly in a couple of hours!
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
|