Day 229 (Sunday)

Today was another group ride out, hosted by Joy, planned by Dave :-)

The only bits of the route I can explain are...me in car from Chippenham to Leamington at stupid o'clock in the morning, arriving 45 minutes before I was supposed to...

We set of from Joys exclusive 'Royal Leamington Spa' pad at just before 10, As I don't know the area hardly at all (Other than the Fosse way) my cycle Blog will be an interesting description...until Dave posts where we actually went to...We cycled for a few miles then apparently we ended up on the wrong road at one point and got to a T-junction that didn't exist?


Or was it the right road and a T-Junction that shouldnt have been there????

We eventually ended up cycling through Wellsbourne (Wahooo a place I know..I drive past it every day to and from work) and past the Airfield...Its massive! and I didn't have any idea of the scale of size.

We cycled up and down some fantastic roads and ended up at Stratford at 11:30 ish (Apparently due to taking a few wrong roads we had shaved 10 miles of the pre Stratford leg) as we were all starting to get cold we opted for an early lunch and found a suitable Cafe were we could lock the bikes up in plain view.


After lunch we headed for some famous dead geezers house and another photo oportunity.


From here we cycled around north and ended seeing direction signs that I had seen before ,'Balsall Common', 'Chadwick End' etc..etc We had cycled here on Nathan's ride.

When we got to the outskirts of Leamington Joy took over in the lead and navigated us through to the exclusive bit...

According to my cycle computer we did 50.64 miles in 3 hours 32 minutes ride time(We set of at 10 am is and got back at 3pm ish so elapsed was around 5 hours) with an Average Speed of 14.3 mph.

It was really fun :-) Thanks Joy and Dave :-) (I hope to get a proper route plot from Dave and I will post it when I get it!)

The cold made it very fatiguing, and I was very tired on the drive home. Dave showed that there are some challenging hills in Warwickshire/ Stratford area. I purposely hung at the back of the group this time(Hay it was no good me being in the front, I didn't have a clue where we were going!) and I found it a challenge going up the hills slowly...although my Hill strength has come on some what in the past month or two so I was able to go up all of the hills without dropping out of the middle chain ring :-)

Ahhhaaaaaa Dave has sent me the route we did :-) (here....)

Day 228 (Saturday)

Got up late, washed and cleaned the car up, then did shopping with wifey then finally had lunch at Morrisons.

Eventually got out on the bike at 1:30 did my Chippenham > Devizes > Avebury > Calne > Chippenham ride (29.13 miles) (Route here...)

I did 29.13 miles in 1 hour 54 minutes with an average speed of15.2 mph, interestingly all of the hills seemed a doddle, but overall the ride was hard work due to a very tough head wind on the normally nice down hill stretch from Devizes to Avebury so it was a hard pedal down hill!!!!

I stopped at Peddlers when I got to Calne, ordered up a frame pump for the new bike....and was told that the bike will now not be with me till mid January :-(...Ohh well at least I cant be tempted to use it over Christmas now....

Day 227

Night off, watching TV in front of the fire :-)

Day 226

Turbo Trainer....

I was going to give myself an hour session, but after 45 minutes I was starting to feel seriously fatigued, to many late nights and early mornings this week? And I hadn't eaten anything So at 45 minutes (15.6 miles) I stopped, showered and ate.

Feeling a lot better now :-)

Day 225

Worked from home today,,,,,
I managed to get out at 11:30 and did my 'normal 25'

I did 25.08 miles in 1 hour 30 minutes with an average speed of 16.5 mph

Day 224

Night Off, Played computer games ;-)

Day 223

Turbo Trainer

Had a 30 minute session on the Turbo, Warmed up, Plodded along, cooled down
Cycle computer showed 11.5 miles in 30 minutes (If only I could do that on the road!)

Finished of the evening shooting Zombies ;-) and putting my home made mincemeat into jars....

Day 222 (Sunday)

Got up early and it was cold and pouring with rain. So like a lunatic I dressed up in winter warmer cycling stuff and topped it all of with waterproofs.

I did my 'normal 25', my legs were still aching from yesterday it was a real struggle! The rain was torrential (In fact so bad the computer stopped working for a few miles), I was cold! but I still thoroughly enjoyed it, arriving home with my now usual inane grin. How does that work?

So today I did 25 miles in an unknown time (It did feel like an age!) On arriving home I washed the bike, de-gunked the chain and re-oiled it.

Then spent most of the afternoon shooting Zombies with Russ in Left4Dead, before having to stop and cook tea...

Day 221 (Saturday)

Got up and went for a lovely long walk at West Woods with wifey and Rosie (Dog)

Got back home and had some lunch and got changed (Put on loads of layers as it was cold out)
I have been wanting to cycle up to Bratton Camp for a long time but have not been able to summon up the courage to cycle up the hill.
But to day I finished of last weeks ride and made it up the hill (Didn't climb out of the saddle at all! and didn't stop - Not even when I got to the top!)

I cycled from Chippenham -> Corsham -> Box -> Bathford -> Bradford-on-Avon -> Trowbridge -> Hilperton Marsh -> Steeple Ashton -> Bratton -> Bratton Camp -> West Lavington -> Devizes -> Sandy Lane -> Chippenham (Route Here...)

I actually remembered to stop when I got to Box to take a picture of the entrance/exit of Box Tunnel

I also took some pictures from Bratton Camp.

The picture really doesn't to justice to the length and scale of the hill.

I did find todays ride VERY hard work again! I wonder if the lower temperature as an impact on fatigue? I am pretty certain it must do.

Today I cycled 51.84 miles in 3 hours 32 minutes with an average speed of 14.6 mph (And it was bloody cold! - and starting to get dark when I got home)

Day 220

Night Off.
Sat in front of fire and watched a film ;-)

Day 219

Turbo Trainer again...

Got home from work late :-(
Gave myself a tough 30 minutes, short warm-up 2 minutes then 25 minutes endurance training and finished of with 3 minute cool down.

Total time 28 minutes, distance covered 12 miles

Day 218

WFH day today ;-)

Made all preparations to stop and go for cycle ride at 11:30, but didn't make it out until nearly 12,
as it was already a little late I didn't stop and buy a pump today! I did however do what is now becoming my 'normal 25', again I remained seated in the saddle for the massive monument hill climb ;-)

So today I did 25.01 miles in 1 hour 32 minutes with an average speed of 16.1 mph

Day 217

Day off, Playing computer games.........Then installed some new games servers ;-)

Day 216

Didn't make it out for lunch walk today, it was precipitating heavily

So after my evening meal I went for a long tough turbo training session.

I did 21.1 miles in 1 hour with an obvious average speed of 21.1 mph.

I started with some hill climbing training and then when I got to the top and started down the other side I went for some endurance training, finishing off by continuing down the hill ;-)

When I got of the bike I was steaming, arms aching and tops of legs aching and I felt like I had enough.

Started planning the next cycle ride out with Dave and Joy, plan is to do a Warwick ride on 30th Nov (Proposed route here...), hopefully Marian and Nathan will be able to attend, it would be good to get everybody out together on the road.

I expect I will still be on the Dawes as the new bike isn't expected until December, The extra drag on the cyclo-cross tyres should slow me down a bit :-)

Day 215 (Sunday)

Pumped up tyre when I got back home yesterday, checked on it this morning and it was still up at 5 bar.

I borrowed the pump from Nathan's peugot and fitted it across the top tube, where it fits perfectly, So I think I will get a full size frame pump for the Dawes.

I set of on a repeat of last Sundays ride, Chippenham -> Calne -> Lyneham -> Sutton Benger -> Tytherton Lucas -> Monument Hill -> Stanley -> Chippenham

This time I took the camera!

I took a photy of the plaque on Maud Heaths Causeway

And a couple of photo's of the Causeway itself.


From the Causeway it was a massive climb up Monument Hill and I am REALLY happy as I made it up the hill without standing on the pedals (I sat in the saddle for the whole climb)

The down hill towards Stanley was taken gingerly as the road was very wet and a large amount of the local fields was in the centre of the road.

Today I cycled 25.17 miles in 1 hour 36 minutes with an average speed of 15.6 mph and a top speed of 36.5 mph

Day 214 (Saturday)

Set of for cycle ride at 1pm.

Headed westerly for a change, Chippenhma -> Corsham -> Box -> Batheaston -> Kingsdown -> Wraxall -> Bradford on Avon -> Trowbridge and I was heading towards Keevil when I got a puncture :-( The slime tube worked perfectly, which is more than can be said for my micro pump...

I pulled a massive thorn out of the tyre and the freen slime sealed, I then went to pump the tyre up and broke the handle on the pump.

I called up wifey and she rescued me again!!!!

I will get a beter emergency pump in my favourite shop on Wednesday.

Today I did 25.86 miles with some chalenging hills before I was forced to give in.

Day 213

Night Off

Had a meal out with family, then chilled out in front of the fire ;-)

Day 212

Was supposed to go to daughters school, but was let off ;-)

So after tea I got changed and had an hour session on the Turbo Trainer.

I did a hill climb, 5 minutes per gear from easy to tough and back again, covering 20 miles in 1 hour.

Day 211

Work from home day today.

I set of at 12pm on a first! I actually needed to use the bike to do some chores!

I set of towards Bumpers Farm industrial estate and picked up a parcel then on to Melksham via Corsham and Atworth to pick up our car from the garage, then it was a drive back home.

I cycled 16.92 miles in 59 minutes

Day 210

Night Off......Played computer games

Day 209

Turbo Trainer

Got changed as soon as I got in from work and went straight on the Turbo Trainer for 30 minutes,
did a 5 minute warm up then spent 20 minutes trying to maintain as high a speed as possible, then I spent 5 minutes cooling down by spinning away in an easy gear.

The Computer shows 12 miles in 30 minutes with an average speed of 24 mph, watching the computer I guess that my average speed during the 20 minute session was about 28 mph with 100 rpm cadence

Day 208 (Sunday)

Up early, normal Sunday house tidy then straight out on the bike.

There was an icy cold strong wind, so I thought I would go for a shorter '20' ride, I set of towards Calne then Lyneham, Then my chain fell off :-( I fitted it back on and adjusted the de-railer.
When I got to Sutton Benger I felt like going a bit further, so I turned right and headed towards Maud Heath's causeway and up the VERY punishing and steep Wick hill where a statue of Maud Heath can be seen.

(Photo from wiki, I didn't have my camera!)

Then It was down hill to Stanley and back to Chippenham.

A round trip of 25.12 miles that unfortunately took 1 hour 42 minutes to complete! (It was one hell of a headwind! and when I say Wick hill is steep it is! ) The route can be seen here...

On arrival back home I de-gunked the chain and gave the bike a wash, then applied some nice new oil to the chain, and gave the shiney metal bits a spray of WD-40.

Day 207 (Saturday)

Got up at a reasonable time, had porridge for breky, then went for a walk at West Wood's

On the way back home we stopped of at Peddlers and I bought some Cyclo-cross tyres and some slime inner tubes for the Dawes and ordered up the rest of the kit for the new bike (Scheduled delivery expected in December)

When we got back home I swapped out the slick tyres for the cyclo-cross tyres, had lunch, picked up the post (My thermal overshoes have turned up ;-) then set of for a cycle ride.

I had intended to do a white horse route that was published in Cycling Plus magazine, however due to the 1pm start and the expected 88 miles, I decided to shorten the ride but still take in all of the white horses ;-)

The route I ended up doing is here...

I set of on the familiar ride to Calne and then on to Cherhill were the first white horse was seen...

I then headed through Avebury then headed on for a couple of miles and turned right at Broad Hinton where the second white horse could be seen.

From here it was a tough climb up the hill then onto Marlborough and then Pewsey, at Pewsey it was a right turn to Wilcot where I saw an unscheduled white horse.

Alton Priors the third 'proper' white horse was visible.

Then it was on to Devizes and the fourth white horse.

And then it was straight on to Chippenham and home.

I must plan my rides a little better, by the time I got back home it was starting to get dark.

Today I cycled 52.59 miles in 3 Hours 20 minutes with an average speed of 15.7 mph and a top speed of 44 mph.

I didnt find the extra drag of the wider cyclo-cross tyres to noticeable, but the over shoes were fantastic ;-) Interestingly I had NO sign of knee problems but I did find my upper legs ached a little.

Day 206

Turbo Trainer again....

This time before I ate ;-)

Did 30 minutes and covered 11 miles average speed 22.6 mph and top speed 38.2 mph

Just got on bike, warmed up then went to outer chain ring and middle rear sprocket, when it started to get to easy I changed up gears, and when it started to get to difficult I changed back down gears ;-) I was attempting to maintain a high cadence under varying loads.

Day 205

Worked from Home again today.

Managed to stop for lunch this time! and set of on my 'normal 20', and it felt cold!

For some strange reason I did find it hard work today? even though there appeared to be very little wind.

I did 21.61 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes with an average speed of 16.6 mph

When I got back my feet were freezing, but I was sweating.... I suppose I must just get used to it :-(

Day 204

Turbo Trainer!

I was a little to busy to get out at lunch time so I had a 30 minute session on the turbo trainer instead.

Perhaps I should have had a longer break between eating tea and getting on the bike! I ended up curtailing the intended hour session due to a stitch ;-(

The stats for today are.

10.5 miles in 30 minutes
average speed 20.4 mph.

I did 5 minutes per gear up through the gears.

Day 203

Night off, Computer games!

Day 202

To busy to go on the Turbo Trainer!

Ohhhh that's almost a first!

Day 201 (Sunday)

Took a lot of motivation to get out today! but ounce I got going I sort of regretted opting for a 20 mile ride, perhaps I should have gone a bit further?

The bike ran well, I am starting to think that perhaps the small buckle may have been there a while? and it was picking up on the brake blocks!

Any way I forced myself out on my 'normal 20' and when I got back I played on the xbox for a while, then cooked cider boiled honey roast ham for tea ;-)

So today I did 21.59 miles in 1 hour 18 mins with an average speed of 16.4 mph

Day 200 (Saturday)

Well today was cold.....no VERY cold!

I wrapped up in thermals and set of on my 'normal 30', I did have delusions of attempting 50 but the frozen feet of the first 18 miles saw an end to that!

I noticed that my back wheel had gone out of true, I pulled over expecting to find a broken spoke, but on inspection found no such thing so I continued on :-) (More about this later!)

I worked last week instead of taking the half term of as usual so that I could buy the much wanted new bike, my intention was always to see what the local shop would offer then try Evans in Bristol, So I stopped in peddlers in calne on the return leg, and I said 'I want a road bike with 105 chain set that will be able to take me on JOGLE with gears to suit', and I was made an offer that was VERY reasonable on a Merida 904-20 2009 model :-), So I have payed a deposit ;-)

Now when I got home I took the back wheel out of the Dawes ready to take it to the shop to be trued up, I normaly give the wheel a good clean before taking it and during the clean I found why the wheel buckled! It has had a structural failure of the rim ;-(


So I swapped the cassett, tube and tyre onto the spare wheel we bought a couple of months ago, and I'm afraid the Alex 18 rim is destined for the bin (Although I may still try a warranty replace)

So today I cycled 29.21 miles, froze!, bought a new bike, and replaced the back wheel on the Dawes.