Arrivée 150 Winter 2020/21 by Audax UK

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Marvellous Marcia’s legendary Lejogle

page 14

INSIDE ISSUE 150

Arrivee

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Marvellous Marcia’s legendary Lejogle

page 14

Front cover… Marcia raises a glass to celebrate the endof her epic ride – page 14

Membership matters

Just a Sec

Cycling shorts

Selective memory of life’s ups and downs

Mavellous Marcia’s legendary Lejogle

Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen

On the pilgrim path – a ‘pedaller’s’ tale…

The Masterminds with Grace Lambert Smith – Before the bus pass beckons, Mike Wigley 30 Some riders are more equal than others

A nice ride to Nice

The Good Companions ride again

Pin-pointing pointlessness is the pinnacle of pleasure

The long road home

The Baking Biker

Dan’s Diary

Prize crossword

39 54

Contacts 63

Welcome to the winter 2020/21 issue of Arrivée

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Inspirational fortitude

Dr Samuel Johnson, the great English man of letters, was once asked whether the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland was worth seeing. He responded: “Worth seeing? Yes. Worth going to see? No.” One can perhaps sympathise with his curmudgeonly opinion, given the state of the roads in the British Isles in the 18th century. Travel by horse or foot was enough to take the shine off any budding tourist destination. You could say the same about Land’s End and John O’Groats; two interesting enough places, to be sure, but both a ruddy long way from anywhere in particular. They’re also a long way from each other, being at opposite ends of the realm – 866 miles, to be precise. To be honest, I’d think twice about doing

the journey in a nice, big, comfortable motor car with someone else doing the driving, let alone pedalling there and back again on a bike. Like many others in the Audax community, in August this year I tuned in for a daily Facebook fix of Marcia Roberts’ world record attempt to do LEJOGLE in 8.5 days. The 54 year old grandmother from Portsmouth was relentlessly cheerful in her daily video reports from whichever god-forsaken part of the country she’d found herself in. Battered by unseasonable wind, rain, and passing trucks, not to mention the unwelcome arrival of Storm Francis, she nevertheless maintained a chirpy disposition, even as it became obvious that her optimistic target was slipping from her grasp. Like thousands of other “dotwatchers” I

followed her progress from the comfort of a well-worn armchair, just willing her to succeed. By her own admission, Marcia is no athlete in the prime of life – she’s like most of the rest of us. But this was precisely what made her endeavour so compelling. Despite serious exhaustion, she overcame the mental and physical struggles to finally reach her destination, and in doing so, inspired many others to believe that it is within all “ordinary” people to do extraordinary things. She demonstrated that with courage, grit, stamina and determination, anything is possible, even for those of us who think such feats are way beyond us. She says that the encouragement of an invisible army of well-wishers and supporters helped her over the line, but one suspects that the dogged determination

behind her ever-smiling features would have seen her through anyway. Sir Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan statesman, soldier and poet, put it best when he said: “There is but one philosophy, and its name is fortitude. To bear is to conquer thy fate.” The story of Marcia’s epic ride, in her own words, is on page 14.

Tony Lennox former editor, Birmingham Post and Warwickshire Life, 45 years in regional newspapers

Huffing, puffing… and a piggy encounter RICHARD CLEMENTS prefers to ride “the path less travelled”, so he usually tries to fit a few off-road sections into his DIYs. But when he set off for an autumn DIY “Forest and Plain 200” jaunt this October from the garrison town of Tidworth, Wiltshire, aiming to use byways and bridleways to get to the New Forest, he encountered something he wasn’t expecting… “The weather got steadily worse as the day went on,” he says, “but my discomfort was sidelined when a merry band of little pigs decided to whiffle into my path. I’d stopped for a quick photo-opportunity anyway and spotted what I thought were muntjac deer in the distance but as they got closer, I could see they were pigs, something I really wasn’t expecting. “One came right up to me and snuffled around the bike before searching the ground underneath to see if I had dropped any food. Sadly, I hadn’t – and it scooted off to join its friends doing whatever pigs do in the forest on a Saturday. “I really enjoyed the glorious autumn colours even as the rain got harder and heavier, but it wasn’t too bad under the trees and the surface was pretty clean other than where the Forestry Commission had been moving heavy equipment. “As I got to my newly-added loop, I was caught out, as there was far more off-road than I was expecting. This time it was very muddy, and it was slowing my progress. I arrived in Salisbury just Pigture perfect… happy snuffling down in the forest as it got dark, but I was familiar with the final section which wasn’t too bad and soon trundled back into Tidworth. www.audax.uk

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS… with Caroline Fenton, AUK Membership Secretary

Make sure you’re up to date and ready to ride A BIG WELCOME to all the new members who have joined us since September– we realise that this hasn’t been the best of times and that only a few calendar events have been available, but hope that you have managed to get out there cycling. It’s good to see that many of you have already completed permanent events and DIYs.

Renewals for 2021 Membership renewals are due by 31 December – and this is essential if you want to retain your entitlement to an LEL2021 place. After a short grace period in January (when the next Arrivée mailing list is compiled) you will also need to pay a £5 fee to cover the extra admin costs we incur.

Does your membership expire on 31 December? Log into your account on audax.uk and you should see the phrase “valid until 31st December 20xx”. If your membership does not expire, but your household member’s does, you will see a warning message and a red triangle against “Household Members” in the “My Account” menu. You can then renew just for your household or remove them from your membership. Or check your Arrivée envelope (retrieve it from the recycling bin now if you have already discarded it!) As well as your address it has a personalised message to tell you whether you need to renew or not.

How to renew your membership

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Direct Debit: Log into audax.uk and click on the warning message or go to “Subscription” on the “My Account” menu – if you haven’t already completed a mandate you can choose this option when you renew online. As long as you do this no later than 31/12/20, it will count for continuous membership even if we don’t take payment until after that date.

Online via PayPal/Credit/Debit card: Log in as above and choose the PayPal option – you can use a credit card, debit card or your PayPal account. By Post: Send a cheque payable to “Audax UK”, with your membership number and name on the back, to me at the address opposite.

Standing Order: If you still have a Standing Order, please check that it is for the correct amount and is payable before Dec 31st as we cannot change this for you. Better still please switch to another payment method as above, but don’t forget to cancel your Standing Order. Many of the SO payments we receive are for the wrong amount and we won’t renew your membership if you underpay.

Already completed a direct debit mandate? If you don’t need to make any changes to your membership details (add or remove household members) and you want a one year subscription, then you don’t need to do anything and we will renew your membership around 10/12/20. If you want to change any details such as adding or removing household members or you want to choose a two or five year subscription then please go through the manual renewal process and the payment will be charged to your existing mandate. Note that if you have a valid DD mandate you won’t be able to choose another method of payment. If you want to switch away from DD payment then please cancel your mandate and also contact me.

Life membership Any Audax UK member who is over 65 on 1 January and has 10 or more years’ continuous membership may become a “life member”. This is free, although if you wish to receive all four copies of Arrivée, not just the December issue, a subscription is payable. If according to our records you qualify for 2020 then you should have received a personalised email (if we have an email address) and/or a message on the magazine envelope, and when you log on you will be offered the life membership subscription options. If you think you should qualify but haven’t been advised, then contact me as soon as possible. Contact the Membership Secretary Caroline Fenton by email: membership@audax.uk or by post: 56 Lockesfield Place, London E14 3AJ.

Membership Rates: ● One Year: £18 (until December 2021) ● Two years: £36 (until December 2022) ● Commuted (5 year): £72 (until December 2025) ● Life Members: free or £11 (one year) or £55 (5 years) to receive all issues of Arrivée ● Overseas Members: add £9 pa postal surcharge (£45 for 5 years) to the above. ● Household: £6 pa (or £24 for 5 years)

Just a sec I am writing this column at the end of a season like no other. The last few months have been as challenging a time for AUK as any other period in its history. At first glance, the state of AUK may seem trivial in the context of a global pandemic but it is organisations like AUK that help us to survive and thrive as we deal with the consequences of COVID-19. Our hobbies (particularly those with physical health benefits) become more important than ever in such times. The fact that AUK as a small organisation, run by volunteers is managing to find its way through this crisis, is testament to the hard work of those volunteers and to the enthusiasm of our membership at large. It is the time of year for the renewal of annual memberships and I am sure our members old and new will continue to support our fantastic association as we look forward to resuming our full range of activities. This will be the first year when membership renewals are serviced through our new website. Caroline Fenton and her team have been working incredibly hard with our resident IT gurus; Kevin Lake, Dave Allison and Francis Cooke to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Please give them your support in turn. AGM/Annual Reunion These have both been pushed back into the spring in an effort to avoid virtual meetings. The formal notice of AGM will therefore be included in the next issue and will likely take place in mid-May. The Annual Reunion was pencilled in for March but this is starting to look over-optimistic. Please

GRAEME PROVAN, General secretary, Audax UK

keep any eye on the website and forum for further information. By way of advanced notice, it is unlikely that either of our current non-executive directors will stand for re-election. These are important posts so please give some thought to putting yourself forward for election at the next AGM. If you need any details about the role or anything else, please contact me.

Project and the rollout of Phase II. He and his team were continuing to adapt and improve Phase II but their attention was now turning to the review of the business processes that would underpin Phase III.

As ever, the minutes of all our meetings are available on the website.

We were also able to take a look at the designs for the new brevet cards which will hopefully be on a village hall table near you very soon.

On behalf of the board and delegates of AUK, I wish all of our members a safe and enjoyable festive period and all the best for the year ahead.

The permanent extension of the AUK season to the end of October will be put to the members at the AGM. If passed, this will almost certainly mean that future Annual Reunions are held in early spring. Board Meeting We have held a number of virtual meetings over the last few months as we reacted to the changing guidance and legislation around COVID across the UK. Our usual quarterly board meeting took place on the 7th of October. This provided us with an opportunity to take stock of our approach to COVID. Of course, no sooner had we done so than the autumn surge and resultant restrictions rather overtook events. We continue to strive to keep as many events open as we can. AUKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finance Director, Nigel Armstrong, provided us with a timely update on AUKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finances. Despite everything (and partly as a testament to the amount of voluntary work that had gone into the IT Refresh Project), AUK had generated a surplus again this year and its reserves were considered strong enough to look forwards with confidence. Kevin Lake provided us with an update on the Refresh www.audax.uk

CYCLING

SHORTS Cycling Shorts is your platform for news, call-outs, views and opinions on anything cycling-related. We’re keen to hear your biking tales, old or new. Drop us an email with the details. We’re looking for all types of short stories from Audax riders, with a picture of yourself too if possible. Send to: gedlennox@me.com

Here comes the future… E-Brevet is a smartphone app that aims to replace a paper Brevet card, writes Dave Allison. It’s not a navigation tool, simply a recording one. It knows the location and distance of all the controls on a ride and uses the phone’s GPS service to check when you’ve arrived. It’s simple to use – you arrive at the control, click the control button, and your progress is logged. At the end of the ride, you upload the results to the web, and the organiser can check and validate the ride. It’s simpler for organisers to process than a GPS track, and, particularly with the current pandemic situation, avoiding the need to collect receipts is helpful on the ride. Once you’ve downloaded the Brevet details, you don’t need a phone or wi-fi signal to use the app, and battery usage is minimal, because it doesn’t track the whole ride.

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The app is free to use for AUK members. It’s only available for Android phones at the moment, but an iPhone version will be added later. It is permitted only for selected Permanent rides (where the organiser has agreed to its use). This list of approved rides is short at the moment, but will grow, and use may be extended to Calendar events in due course.

For instructions on the app, and how to identify E-Brevet approved events, look on the Audax UK website at https://audax.uk/news/e-brevet/ Thank you to the riders and organisers who have helped with testing, and for their comments and suggestions, many of which have been CS incorporated into the design. Dave Allison

BOOK REVIEW Endless Perfect Circles: Lessons from the little-known world of ultradistance cycling by Ian Walker

Wheels within wheels… How did a middle-aged man who hated sport as a child, turn himself into an internationally-renowned ultradistance cyclist? We review a page-turner which astounds and inspires in equal measure. Endurance cycling is as much about the mind as the body. Dr Ian Walker, an environmental psychologist at the University of Bath, is an example to all those who fear that sporting achievement is beyond them. In Endless Perfect Circles, he vividly describes an astonishing personal journey from flabby forty-something couch potato to a champion sportsman… and his belief that this path to self-improvement is available to all. On one level the book is a lurid portrayal of the painful, gruelling, muddy struggles of a cyclist attempting to break a world record; cycling from the Arctic down to the far south of Spain – a distance of 6,367km, unsupported and in just 17 days. But it’s more than just a tale of sporting endeavour. His keen focus is on the mental battles we all face, regardless of the task. Ian Walker’s narrative is honest and conversational, and digs beneath the surface of the glamour of success. His is a different perspective – on why, and how, to achieve such feats. As he guides us through every puncture and wrong turn, Ian links his professional work as a psychologist into his way of tackling the monumental task ahead of him. He applies an almost meditative perspective to his riding, harnessing his emotion, delight, anger and fear, to drive him onwards, and take the reader with him. His easy-flowing writing style, interspersed with travelogue notes on each place and problem encountered on the route, highlights the strategies for finishing a journey of this scale in one piece while

still maintaining a poetic reverence for the heart of the sport, the stunning beauty of the scenery, and the exhilaration of movement. Throughout the book, Ian repeats a doctrine of dedication, passion, and love for the journey as much as the finish line. His humorous take on recordthreatening problems encountered along the way makes it clear that with commitment, stubbornness and pragmatism, truly incredible achievements are possible. Endless Perfect Circles delivers valuable lessons which any cyclist would profit from reading. Ian’s assurance – that it is about how you think as much as what you do – is an oft-repeated mantra and one which will resonate with any aspiring sportsperson, amateur or professional. A highly recommended Christmas read. • Endless Perfect Circles: Lessons from the little-known world of ultradistance cycling, is available from major bookshops in paperback at £9.16, or in Kindle edition at £4.29

Megan Pelta CS

My husband and I… the Bentons at 80 The first time I met Ann and Keith was outside Versailles Palace before PBP in 2003. I was fairly new to audax back then and had no idea I was mixing with audax royalty. Since then, Ann and Keith have become good friends and I’ve stayed at chez Benton before Keith’s Wiggy 300 event on several occasions and been treated to a wonderful pre-ride meal. Several PBPs, LELs and Wiggy 300s later, Dave Atkinson and I met up with Ann and Keith outside Spa Gardens cafe in Ripon to mark their joint 80th birthdays with a DIY 200 – with sadly restricted numbers, appropriate social distancing and staying outside of course – but at least the rain held off until in the afternoon. Keith, a lifelong cyclist, active member of York CTC and the North Yorkshire DA since the 1970s, has managed

to balance distance riding with family commitments and a career HMRC. He started Audax riding in the late 80s and has an AUK number below 100. He rode his first PBP in 1987 at the age of 47 and since then has finished four more and was one of the select group of riders for the first LEL in 1989. He’s ridden it three or four times since then and run a control with Ann in Hovingham in 2005. His advice for doing the ride… “Don’t leave it until you’re 47 to do your first PBP”. AUK treasurer for many years in the 1990s, Keith went on to become chairman for several years after that, then vice-chair of Les Randonneurs Mondiale in 2011 and then chairman in 2014. In parallel he was chairman of VC167 for about 11 years. Keith is a stickler for following the rules and woe betide anyone who turned up for an event without the

HEADS-UP AN APPEAL FROM DR. ALAINA BEACALL … I opened my eyes and looked, blurrily, down the hospital bed. I was still wearing my cycling shoes. Next to them lay a neck brace and the ruins of my helmet, which had a large crack running straight through it. More than two months later, my injured brain rules my daily life. My story, tragically, is not a rare occurrence. Here is where you can help: If you have suffered – a minor knock, whiplash, loss of consciousness or a brain bleed – please send me your story so we can inform and educate fellow cyclists about the serious and underappreciated nature of head injuries. Contact me via the editor: gedlennox@me.com and look out for my full report in the next issue of Arrivée – Spring 2021 (issue 151).

Alaina Beacall CS

Life saver… Alaina’s shattered helmet

It’s a big thumbs up from team Thompson

London Edinburgh London 2021 UPDATE

I would like to record my gratitude to the team at the Tribute Audax for a wonderful introduction to audaxing. I only completed a Brevet Populaire with some friends but we were mightily impressed by the people we met, the route we took and the stunning scenery. Even though the tail end of a named storm caused some extra adventures – pedalling along a road with both feet submerged under water, dodging some falling branches and a 15 per cent hill with so much mud the wheels were just spinning – but the samosas at the end were great. I’ll be back next year and I may even try the series and a 100km Brevet but first I think I’ll order some waterproof socks. Still smiling… Simon and team

Simon Thompson CS

Regrettably, the organisation team have made the decision to postpone London Edinburgh London until 2022. Even with the development of an effective vaccine, the team cannot confidntly predict that the pandemic will have abated sufficiently to allow us to run the event safely. LEL attracts riders from around the globe and as such it requires the pandemic to have declined worldwide in order to operate securely. Most importantly, many volunteers have told us they would be unwilling to take part until they were confident about their protection.

membership continuously since 12 September 2018. However, you will now need to keep your membership running until 1 January 2022 to keep your entitlement. We are sorry to bring such bad news, but we will update you later in the year once we are totally confident the new date can be confirmed.

The event will now start on 7 August 2022. As an Audax UK member you will still be entitled to a guaranteed place if you have held your

Danial Webb – organiser, London Edinburgh London CS

then requisite mudguards. He once disqualified Gordon Panicca from one of his events. With all this exposure it’s not surprising that Ann caught the audax bug and rode several long-distance events with Keith including at least four PBPs. Unfortunately, while tackling a torrent of water at Loudeac in 2007 she ended up in A&E with a broken arm. Keith was given an extra six hours but went on to finish the event and was still within the 90-hour cut off. Ann, who lectured in catering at the local college, is well-known for providing fabulous cakes at the end of events. In addition to audax rides, we’ve spent many happy holidays riding around sunny Mallorca and Semaine Federale in France – something we could only dream of this year – but there’s always next summer…

Happy returns… Anne Young with Dave Atkinson and the celebrities

Anne Young and Dave Atkinson CS

www.audax.uk

CYCLING

SHORTS

There’s no place like home How can you get your fix of adventure and travel when coronavirus has caused us to adjust or even ditch our plans? All my races were cancelled this year, including the Mallorca 312 sportive. I had time on my hands – and nothing much to do. That’s when my old friend Mike Hickman agreed to join me on a hastily-planned biking adventure on home soil. Mike rides for Clapham Cycle Club, while my club is Beckenham Rugby Cyclists. We’re good friends who always end up doing silly adventures together. With the refund from flights and accommodation from the cancelled Majorca trip, we devised a multi-day cycle ride from my house in London – to Lands End. This would be the tenth anniversary of our John O’Groats to Lands End ride – and it would also mark my 49th birthday. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. The ride was broken in to five days – the first day was spent battling our way out of London and heading into the countryside. We then hugged the coast all the way to Lands End. We were blessed with sunshine for four of the days. Having had to self-isolate a number of times this year, the ride made me realise that an indoor turbo is no substitute for getting out on the road.

It was surprising how many ferries we had to get, though we could have ridden around, adding many more miles to the route. I’d forgotten how beautiful the south coast of the UK was for riding – stunning views and climbs that were meaty enough to give you all the buzz needed for a good day in the saddle.

re-energised we rode with purpose and admired the views along the way. Marazion Beach was my favourite – worth visiting if you can.

Each night we bedded down in a budget hotel, washed and dried our kit and ate locally. You really don’t need a huge amount of kit to get around – I felt I’d overpacked!

As we began the final few miles, memories of our ride ten years ago came flooding back. It was what got me into cycling. It was a pleasure to be back again, taking in the sights of Lands End, making me realise there are so many amazing rides in the UK if you just pack a bag and get out there.

It rained heavily on day four. Wet throughout, we stopped to eat – and this was where I began to feel sick. I’d eaten something that didn’t agree with me and I was rather “unwell” all over my bike and clothing as we pushed to catch up on time. Sometimes you have to be sensible and admit defeat. We’d slowed considerably, I’d lost all energy and the rain was taking its toll on our riding. We cut our losses and jumped on the train to our final destination. After washing and warming up in the hotel I was feeling more human and felt confident I could finish the ride. The final day was filled with fabulous views and it was also my birthday – what was there not to like? Feeling

It was here Mike had the bright idea of checking into the hotel and dumping our bags then riding on to Lands End to finish the ride without baggage.

What I learned was the bike I used 10 years ago was just as good as any modern one. Pack minimal, factor in the bad days and accept they may happen. If you were like me and trying to figure out what to do with cancelled plans, don’t forget – adventure is on your doorstep here in the UK, and it will give you an amazing experience… and restore some normality in these insane times.

Tom Quirke CS

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Phil Whitehurst CS

There’s life in our senior members

Membership secretary, Caroline Fenton shares some of the feedback from AUK’s life members: At the end of last year I wrote to some of our life members to ask them to confirm whether they wanted to remain part of Audax UK, having been concerned that for a long time our communication with them had been very much one way and there was a strong chance we did not actually have correct addresses for them. Were we just posting their December Arrivée magazines into the ether? As well as brief confirmations I received many lovely letters and emails, generally expressing their appreciation of AUK and some great reminisces of their riding time. It also became obvious how many were still out on their bikes and having fun despite advancing years. Here are some excerpts…

True, my Audax participation is very limited now but for 20 years Hi, I know that I no longer Paris-Brest-Paris was the reason subscribe to or enter any Audax e a bike. However a series of events but I do “promote” the idea I rod lth issues has sadly of people both joining and entering hea intervened. My wife is also a life Audax UK. member and we do still cycle but At cafe stops etc, I’m often not the distances of previous answering questions on Audax years. She was once Helper of the and telling of the great times I Year too. We would both like to had, including riding/finishing remain members and read the PBP 1999. exploits of current members, especially on PBP years in The latest Arrivée to reach me Arrivée. has Stephen Poulton on the front cover. Stephen caught me on a ridiculously wet early morning, I have enjoyed receiving the second day of a 600k qualifier Arrivée for the past few ye ars, ride for PBP in 1999. He was and would like it to continu e. “caped up” in a see-through cape Although I am not riding the se and I could clearly see his RAF days, I still assist at our jersey. I suggested he carry on but events, appreciating he said we should try to ride maintaining the contacts. together – and we did, all day! Please continue my life Membership. In quite nice sunshine and with just 10 miles to go, I suggested g that I treat him to a coffee and ice am still ridin While 89, I in cream (at the top of a hill). A d competing regularly an young rider joined our table but ’t ridden an TTs. I haven tainly suddenly jumped up, saying: “Got ars and cer e y in x a d u e A e the mileag to go or I’ll be passed by Jack g a n a m ’t n would Eason”. awful lot of without an e the leased to se P ! g in Happy memories but I’m still very in a tr om n is going fr active, riding with Frome CTC and organisatio ng ngth and lo e tr s to th g Frome and District Wheelers. Two stren me o. I have so of us celebrated our 81st with an may it do s , even ries of rides o m e m t 81+ mile group ride. a e r my g pecially on s e , g in r e ff a the su ast 200 into o C t e s r o D first sterly. howling we

I stopped riding Audax a few years ago. One knee re placed, and other ailments. On ce I stopped doing them do ing after the op, it was difficult to motivate myself for m ore than a couple of hours. I still ride. I also stamp cards on some of the Peak Audax August series an d intend to carry on. I always espouse Auda x when I hear people talking abou t sportives, etc. They se em truly amazed, especially wh en I tell them how relatively in expensive it is. Not sure about th e selfsufficiency aspect thou gh!

ave an t I still h a h t m r like fi I con and would K U A in opy interest cember c e D a e iv w so to rece am 89 no rt is I . r a e y every e spo n in activ io t a ip ic ded. t par PBP inclu , y r o m e k! just a m good wor e h t p u Keep I am still interested in Audax have had – a few hea lt h issues b now hope ut to resume riding eve As an 81 nt year old, the trainin s. has been g harder th is year w the bad w it h eather. Th ank goodn for turbo ess trainers.

I am now 86 years old and still doing rides of 30-50 miles on my Cube Electric mountain bike.

www.audax.uk

WORDS AND PICTURES JAMES METCALF

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As James Metcalfe discovered after completing a gruelling South West Moors Super Randonee, a cyclist’s brain develops a helpful form of amnesia – so that we remember the pleasure while forgetting the pain… and we can do it all again. Here’s his account of the agonising fluctuations of England’s undulating south western corner.

Selective memory of life’s ups and downs

THIS WAS THE TOUGHEST RIDE. I was broken by the finish, and I remember thinking: “Why am I doing this? And why would I consider doing another?” But then time passes, and the memory of the pain fades. What’s left is the memory of the scenery, the climbs, the descents – the accomplishment. That’s when a cyclist sets out to find more beautiful places to ride. Having completed my ACP Randonneur 5,000 award with PBP last year, my attention turned to the Randonneur 10,000 – many of the same requirements, just in greater numbers – plus a Super Randonnee. This would be 600km with at least 10,000m ascent in a time limit of 60 hours, ridden self-supported as a permanent. Sixty hours – that’s three days and two nights. So with a suitable start and finish time it’s essentially 200km with 3,500m of climbing ridden in 12 hours, on three consecutive days. That seemed quite manageable. With all long events cancelled this year, but permanents still on, it seemed like a good time to tick this box on the checklist. The ACP website has a list of Super Randonees all over the world – Canada, USA, Australia, Japan, France, Spain, Italy, even Belgium. But with travel disruption a constant risk this year, tackling a route in the UK seemed prudent. Luckily there are currently four UK routes. Two in Wales, one in the north of England and one in the south west, starting in Exeter. I didn’t want to be driving home after the event, so a ride I could get to easily on the train seemed ideal. Exeter station has very quick links to London or Reading. So I booked the ride for the earliest weekend to maximise daylight (September 11-13.) Friday 11 September – After a substantial breakfast in Exeter’s Premier Inn, I set off at 7.30am, having taken the required control photo at the station entrance. All controls on Super Randonees are photo controls, showing your bike with the frame badge in front of a designated land mark. These photos enforce the distance and, importantly, the climbing. The first section took me west out of Exeter to Okehampton before heading north to see the Atlantic just west of Porlock. I was very happy not to have to descend into Porlock and climb back out again. The second control was at Culbone Stables Inn, which I was disappointed to find was an event venue and not a pub. With no chance of getting out of the drizzle and enjoying refreshment, I continued on to the next control at Lee Abbey, Valley of the Rocks. The climb west out of Lynmouth would have tested me on my carbon bike on a club run, but on the Ti

machine loaded up for touring/Audax it was beyond me. The first half of the climb was quite uncomfortable as a line of cars following a tractor very slowly passed as I looked at the wall on my left with an unknown drop beyond. Of course, once my foot went down on a 25 per cent climb, there was no getting back on and I had to walk for the first time since Hardknott pass. I consoled myself with ice cream and coke in Lynton before cruising through the Valley of the Rocks. What an incredible spot. More climbing followed before arriving at Barnstaple. Now I was starting to think about the clock. I’d checked with the Blue Lion at Lewdown where I’d be sleeping, and I needed to be there by 8.30pm if I wanted dinner. So I planned to stop refreshments at Barnstaple and leave by 5pm – three and a half hours for the last 56km at 18km/h was tight but possible. As it turned out, this last section felt easier despite the amount of climbing recorded by my Garmin – perhaps because rolling terrain with climbs of 50m or less with gradients less than 15 per cent is typical of my riding. I rolled in with nearly 25 minutes to spare. There was the bonus of a fly-by from a barn owl a few kilometres from the finish. Friday: 216km, 4,800m, 11.06 moving, 12.33 elapsed, lights used for 30 minutes. Saturday and an early start (6.50am) – before the kitchen opened for breakfast, so the petrol station at Launceston provided a first breakfast, and King Arthur’s café at Tintagel an excellent second breakfast. I wanted to see the new bridge to Tintagel Castle, but one look at the steepness of the path down from the road was enough to dissuade me. I didn’t fancy climbing back up, even on foot. After Tintagel the route headed south to Bodmin Moor, but before that another climb too steep for me to ride. No gradient signs here but it must have been more than 25 per cent as I was struggling to walk up, pushing the bike due to loss of traction, and the steady stream of cars using the single track road makes it unlikely I could have ridden it in any case. After the next control at St Neot the route turned east to Dartmoor and over the top to Buckfast Abbey. Crossing Dartmoor was definitely the highlight of the ride. I was struck by how the wild horses were not disturbed at all by cyclists or traffic. After the slowest service ever at a shop in Tavistock I proceeded to demolish two cream cakes, crisps, drink and an ice cream. This carb-loading was probably a key decision as I didn’t notice another shop

Evening glow… James’ titanium Vaaru mount basks in the sun at the finish outside Exeter Cathedral www.audax.uk

until I had crossed Dartmoor twice, eastwards and then northwards. It seems I missed a petrol station between the two crossings. Coming down off Dartmoor, the next shop was at Chagford. I had to pick up something for breakfast as well as some sustenance for the last part of the ride. After a quick phone call to the Duke of York in Iddlesleigh I knew I had ample time to get there for dinner, which was reassuring. Like the first day, this last section fairly flew by, arriving at my accommodation earlier than I had expected. Saturday: 203km, 4,000m, 10.59 moving, 13.16 elapsed, lights used for 30 minutes morning, and 30 minutes evening. Sunday. The third day would see another crossing of Exmoor and then into the Quantocks. I’d ridden in the Quantocks before and knew to expect big climbs and steep descents. On the final day I had to

finish before 7.30pm, so I estimated 12 hours for the last 190km, a 6.30am start then, which ended up being 6.40 after drying my bike which had spent the night outside. First section was fast and rolling before a long climb up over Exmoor and a great descent into Simonsbath, the first control, then a rolling section along a fast easy road got me to the second control in under five and a half hours for 92km. Less than 100km left and over seven hours to complete. Everything felt comfortable at this point. However, the climbing has to be done somewhere and the next section was incredibly tough – long climbs, steep climbs, steep descents and the weather was uncomfortably warm. Three more controls close together and a few stops for fuel and water saw four hours disappear for only 50km. There were 49km left and I

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Doone your way… dropping into Porlock village

IN PASSING… The coastal Somerset village of Porlock, apart from being the location of R D Blackmore’s Lorna Doone, is home to the greatest proportion of retired folk in the country

didn’t have four hours in hand. Could this end in failure? Had I not started early enough? Maybe I should have stashed my saddle bag at the junction where the route crosses itself to save weight on a few climbs. Did the rules allow this? Nothing for it but to push on to the finish and hope the wind wouldn’t be too strong now I had to go south and west. A couple of climbs on the next section were very slow; every climb now was slow, and the bottom gear was called into action on gradients where I would normally have plenty of spare gears, but at least the descents allowed recovery and 24km took only 90 minutes. Last checkpoint hit. I always feel relief at this point on an Audax. Yes, there was some distance to go, but all the proofs of passage had been done and there was no way I could accidentally ride past the

Granite outcrop… Combestone Tor on the peak of Dartmoor

finish. I shouldn’t have any trouble locating Exeter cathedral for my finish photo. The control points on the last afternoon were all at the top of hills and this was no different, so I knew I had a net downhill to Exeter, but zero left in the tank and just one climb left of 100m according to the Garmin. So after the exhilarating descent to Ottery St Mary I stopped at the first shop and picked up some sweets for the top tube bag and then straight back on to the bike. The last climb soon passed leaving a fast ride down the old A30 and a relaxing finish on cycle paths. The last stage was the fastest of the entire ride, but I still wasn’t tempted to stop for dinner before getting the crucial photo, with 45 minutes to spare. Sunday: 190km, 3,500m, Moving time 10.26 Elapsed time 12.05, lights 30 minutes in morning.

I felt pretty broken at the finish, my legs were complaining on every climb for the entire day, but at least today I had not been forced to walk. I recalled my thoughts about ticking off Super Randonees in different countries to get on the list of people who finished 10. Was I crazy? This was the toughest ride I had finished. Why would I seek out more rides of a similar nature? Now some time has passed, I can remember thinking that, but the feeling behind the thought is not there. I remember the scenery, the descents and the sense of accomplishment at the end, and I remember the climbs too, but the memory is not that painful, so maybe I will still look at that one in Provence, or on the sea-to-sky highway north of Vancouver. They seem like beautiful places to ride. So maybe one more, next year or the year after, and then who knows.

I think the schedule worked quite well. The ride naturally had more climbing at the beginning than the end and breaking the days into 220, 200, and 190 helped with making the days get progressively easier as fatigue increased. I think this was essential for managing the time limit. Arriving late on the first two days is not a problem as long as you don’t end up sleeping outside, but the final day is crucial. Also the 45 minutes in hand at the finish suggested I had judged my start time correctly. In future I would look to pack light, and then take out a third of that, really light, every kilogram not needed is regretted. Consider whether filling both bottles is necessary at each stop; time to next opportunity and amount of climbing in the section. Probably carry a mini pump rather than a frame pump.

IN PASSING… Dead Woman’s Ditch has been associated with the murder of Jane Walford by her husband John in 1789, but is in fact a far earlier and quite extensive prehistoric earth working

What’s in a name… curious places in the Quantocks www.audax.uk

WORDS MARCIA ROBERTS

For nearly two weeks in August, the smiling, sometimes weary features of Marcia Roberts, were a daily inspiration to the thousands of Facebook users following her progress from Lands End to John O’Groats and back. Her regular video reports along the route of her world record attempt to cycle a gruelling 1,725 miles involved many emotions – expectation, pain, exhaustion, exhilaration and relief. The 54 year old Portsmouth grandmother, who only took up Audaxing in her 40s, was forced to dig deep – but she achieved the fastest female record and awaits verification from the Guinness Book of Records. She also won hearts… and raised thousands for the mental health charity, MIND. This, in her own words, is how she did it…

Marvellous

Marcia’s legendary Lejogle

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How a 54 year old grandmother’s determined pursuit of a world record gripped Britain’s cycling community in the summer of 2020

TO ANY WOMEN reading this who might think that they couldn’t tackle this sort of ride, I say: I’m living proof that you don’t need to be an athlete to set a world record. You don’t even need to be very fast. You just need determination, adaptability – and a strong desire. When I arrived at Lands End at the end of the ride, with a small, cheering crowd with cowbells and balloons, I punched the air and shouted: “I did it!” I didn’t cry, I smiled – a lot, and breathed a grateful sigh. I didn’t have to sit on my bike again! It all began on 23 August. My husband Del was going to support me – with our converted Transit van, Dora, and our dog, Jess. Del would be with me to John O’Groats and back down through most of Scotland – but work commitments meant he’d then have to head for home. We drove to Cornwall on Saturday and stayed at my son’s house in Bodmin. Usually I really struggle before an event, but for some reason I was quite calm. I’d done all the training. There wasn’t anything more I could do, except ride. My friend Mark Hummerstone was waiting at Lands End, along with another rider, Kevin, an Audaxer from Penzance. We were waved off at 6.38am. Kevin rode with me to Penzance. Day one was the best day’s riding I’d ever experienced. For the first time, I felt like a proper athlete. I had amazing motorbike support between

Truro and Tiverton, thanks to the outstanding Steve Moir who’d offered his services out of the blue. I was nervous about riding the A30, so I took up his offer willingly. He made the traffic behave itself, but even better, he had a sign on the back of his bike, indicating just what I was doing. It was mostly holidaymakers on the road, and as they passed they’d toot, cheer, wave and clap. With an amazing tailwind as well, I was flying along. My first day finished in Portishead and went pretty much according to plan. I was due to arrive at 11pm, and I arrived bang on time after 196 miles. I knew progress would be slower the next day. I had towns to get through, and many more road junctions to negotiate. I also had to get from Portishead all the way up to Lancaster. But I resolved to stick to my plan of only thinking about one leg at a time – but the distance seemed vast. With all the cycle paths towards the Severn Bridge closed, I messed around for too long, trying to find the approach to the path over the bridge. I arrived at Chepstow racecourse, already behind schedule, but I loved riding the Wye Valley. The roads were so quiet, and somehow I didn’t feel the pressure that I normally feel when riding an Audax along the route. It

MARCIA ROBERTS is a 54-year-old Portsmouth grandmother whose day job is an IT manager, but she’s also a motivation coach and blogger – Middle Aged Woman on a Bike,’ (https:// mawonavelo.com) – covers a variety of topics, from cycling to mental health. She is the first woman to record an official time for riding the 1,725 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back. The time submitted to Guinness was 11 days, 13 hours and 13 minutes. Despite not being the eight days and 12 hours they set as the target, they’ve agreed to accept Marcia’s time as the world record, subject to sufficient evidence being submitted.

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PICTURE: CHRIS GODFREY

Main road… Marcia is tailed by her trusty outrider Steve Moir on her way through Summercourt

PBP – A HARD LESSON LEARNED

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Marcia spent 2019 training hard for Paris-Brest-Paris. She was determined to improve her speed – and shake off her “full value rider” label. “I was usually riding events on my own because all my club mates were so much faster than me,” she says. “I needed to get faster, pure and simple, especially if I was to complete PBP in time.”

Marcia finally decided to get a coach, Trevor Payne of Zone 6 Concept, to help her to prepare for the event. Feeling faster and stronger, Marcia finished PBP – but 24 hours out of time. “I was disappointed, but I already had my sights set on my next event in 2020,” she says. She began to train for the The Race Around the Netherlands, scheduled for early May. “Training became more structured, and I was riding in a new way that was completely alien to me despite having been a cyclist for most of my life. I was now training like an athlete,” she says. But it was an event destined to never take place, thanks to coronavirus. That’s when her mind turned to a new challenge – Lejogle.

It was mostly holidaymakers ❝ on the road, and as they passed they’d toot, cheer, wave and clap. With an amazing tailwind as well, I was flying along

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was just me, heading towards the market towns of Monmouth, then Hereford. After Ludlow I hit a dodgy route. I turned off the A49 towards Ludlow racecourse because it seemed like a short cut, giving me some respite from the main road – except that it didn’t stay the lovely wide, quiet and flat side road I thought I’d found. Gradually it became single lane, winding and undulating. If you’re doing Lands End to John O’Groats at a more leisurely pace, then I highly recommend this route – it’s beautiful. But if you’re trying to set a world record, it’s better to stick to the main road. At Whitchurch, more riders joined me and rode with me until my next stop. Word of my record attempt was out, and people were popping up all over the place. When I started the journey, my Facebook group had just 100 followers. By the end, it was ten times that number. Charitable donations were also increasing. I got my one and only puncture near

Warrington, and fixed it under the lights of a pub. Then near Wigan, I found another “short cut” – a cycle path. It looked like it cut off a big corner, so I decided to chance it. But that turned out to be another mistake. The cycle path went on forever, but eventually it came out at a canal lock gate which I had to negotiate in the dark. Over the lock, then down some steps, then through a kissing gate. This was dreadful. I ended up in some woods, trying to follow a cinder track. I wasn’t exactly lost, but it certainly wasn’t where I wanted to be. Eventually I popped out on to the road, relieved to see streetlights once again. I was still a long way from my destination, and it was now almost midnight. I got my second wind, and found Daniel Jones waiting for me outside Preston to help navigate me through. He’d noticed that I’d plotted another “adventure” route through the town and decided to save me from myself. I was incredibly grateful. A little further along the route, one of my old cycling friends from Portsmouth met me and kept me company all the way into Lancaster, where we arrived, in the rain at 3am. Somehow, despite numerous delays, and terrible navigation choices, I’d managed to ride 216 miles. But on day three Storm Francis was due, and judging by the rain, it was already really close. The next day started cold, dark, wet and windy. I’d managed less than three hours sleep. My plotted route out of Lancaster was over a bridge that was closed, so I started my day going round in circles trying to get to the other side of a river. Eventually I was on my way, following a coastal road overlooking Morecombe Bay. Despite being fully waterproofed, the north wind just drove the heavy rain through almost everything. My glasses were useless. My Garmin was

Support team… outside Hamilton Park with Ian Colinson, left, his son Frazer and Alan Anderson PICTURE: MARTIN MOORE

When I started, my Facebook ❝ group had just 100 followers. By the end, it was ten times that number. Charitable donations were also increasing

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PICTURE: PAUL JENNINGS

wrapped in plastic – which steamed up. I couldn’t see the directions. I couldn’t tell where I needed to go. This turned out to be a bigger problem than the rain and wind. Somehow I made it through Kendal, over Shap, and then through Penrith. By Carlisle I was struggling to go on. I was wet, tired, and exceptionally hungry. I stopped at the van for much longer than I should have, but eventually, there was a break in the rain, so I changed into dry clothes and set off for Gretna Green and Scotland. The sun came out, and my mood improved – despite the terrible road surfaces and the saddle sores they would induce. As night fell, the rain and the wind returned, and then sleep deprivation started to kick in just to add to the misery. By 10pm I was done. I was more than a whole leg down on my day – 65 miles short. I figured that if I could sleep for a couple of hours, I could get back on the road and make a dent into that final 65 miles. This became a bit of a theme as the ride progressed and I failed day after day to get into my fourth leg, as sleep deprivation began to plague me. Day four didn’t start too well. I woke after three hours and headed into the night to try to complete the missing leg from the day before. The wind hadn’t subsided, but the rain had reduced to a

drizzle. It was dark and cold. I was more tired than I cared to admit. The next stop was Hamilton, but it was still 35 miles away. The road quality was poor, and I was beginning to feel very tender. Despite an empty road, I opted to ride on the cycle path that ran alongside the road, not because of safety, but for comfort. Much of the segregated path was new and nicely surfaced. The road was doing me too much damage. My pace had slowed to less than 12 mph. A good route through Glasgow had been provided to me and I made surprisingly good progress. The sun came out, and I started to enjoy the ride again. Sunshine always makes the day seem better. I was also really looking forward to the Loch Lomond stretch. It didn’t disappoint. By now, the ride was way off schedule, so we rejigged start and stop points and the new aim for the day was to at least make it to Fort William. It seemed like a sensible destination and would enable me to make good progress towards John O’Groats the next day. I was back into the rhythm of my pre-determined 50 mile legs again, although at a slower pace than planned. I was soon heading into the mountains. The ride was amazing – the storm, the saddle sores and the tiredness just melted away. I was in the Highlands, and I was in heaven. As the sun began to set, I reached the top of an area called Black Mountain. Del was waiting for me. It was the most stunning sunset, among the most beautiful scenery.

Top banana… fruity snacks near Whitchurch

I knew that time wasn’t on my side, but there are times when you just need to take in nature. At that moment I just wanted to soak it in. It didn’t matter what happened before or after, this was the moment of the ride that I most wanted to remember. But it had to end. I still had many miles to complete. I gave Del a clear instruction to not go too far ahead, as I might need a clothing adjustment and a hot drink before reaching Glencoe. I hadn’t thought to put on full finger gloves, and as day turned to night I began to shiver. Del was nowhere to be seen, and I needed to warm up. At last, I saw the familiar flashing beacon from the top of Dora. The cold brought out my angry side, and I launched into a verbal attack on my poor husband who was standing there, armed with a hot cup of tea. The tea was really needed – but Del told me to drink it quickly and leave, as I needed to make progress. This did nothing for my angry mood. I wrapped up in another layer and

The cold brought out my ❝ angry side, and I launched into a verbal attack on my poor husband who was standing there, armed with a hot cup of tea. The tea was really needed – but Del told me to drink it quickly and leave, as I needed to make progress. This did nothing for my angry mood

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INSPIRATION In February 2020, Marcia and a group of friends, together with coach Trevor Payne, attended Mark Beaumont’s Around the World in 80 days lecture tour. Beaumont, a British cyclist, holds the record for cycling round the world, completing his 18,000 mile route in September 2017. “I think this was a pivotal moment in toughening my mind,” says Marcia. “I listened and learned. This was education rather than entertainment.

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“It was his approach to the ride that was most significant. He said that trying to get your head around riding 18,000 miles was daunting – it could break you. So instead he split his ride up into 4 x 4 hour rides a day, with rest breaks or sleep in between. I realised that I could use this approach – this was how I was going to tackle the event.”

set off into the darkness to complete the pass towards Ballachulish. Once through the pass, the road levelled out. I was now at Loch Leven, with the lights of Fort William ahead. I needed to talk to someone – so I called my coach and just let off steam. On Day five I woke feeling more energized and set off around 7am after a quick breakfast. Del followed along an hour later and met me further on, armed with a full McDonalds breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup. It was the perfect energy boost. The route from there cut across country towards Inverness, following Loch Ness. To avoid having to deal with Inverness, I’d decided to cut across country, despite knowing that there was a very steep hill that would need climbing. My logic was that even if I had to get off and push it would be easier and quicker than dealing with Inverness traffic. I was right, and despite this hill reaching 21 per cent at its steepest point, I didn’t have to push. I did find it amusing though that the moment that I stopped to catch my breath, my phone rang, and it was none other than Katie Butler calling me for a chat to see how I was doing. That was such a welcome interruption. From there, the road through to Beauly and on to Dingwall was lovely.

I arrived at the A9 – at rush ❝ hour. It was the angriest road of the ride so far. There was zero tolerance for a lone cyclist, and it wasn’t long before I was looking for an alternative route.

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Eventually I arrived at the A9 – at rush hour. It was the angriest road of the ride so far. There was zero tolerance for a lone cyclist, and it wasn’t long before I was looking for an alternative route. At Tain I ate again, to ready myself for the night slog to John O’Groats. I wanted to get there before the end of day five so that maybe I could still complete the ride in ten days. I’d resigned myself to the fact I wasn’t going to finish within the original target of 8.5 days. The drizzle came and went, and temperatures plummeted. As I reached Helmsdale, I reflected on messages I’d received from Lynne Biddulph, the current female LEJOG world record holder, and the other record holders who were willing me forward. The new road had been opened only the week before, and it was glorious – the best I’d ever ridden. I reached Dunbeath to find Del waving at me in the middle of the road, directing me to the van. I knew I needed sleep, even if just an hour or two. I

In order to achieve the Guinness time of 8.5 days, she was going to have to ride around 200 miles a day, and be on the road for 16 hours a day, sometimes longer. “That didn’t leave much time for sleep,” she says, “but I’d worked out I could function on four hours sleep a night, with a few slightly longer sleeps along the way. Of course I’d never put this to the test for eight days in a row.”

Leaving the Highlands… Lock Lomond, going south

Half way home… with husband, Del Roberts at the mid-point

sent a message to the dotwatchers who’d been waiting up to see if I was going to get to John O’Groats, and told them to sleep. I’d make a fresh bid for the turnaround point in the morning. After around an hour’s sleep, I was up again, heading towards Wick just as the sun came up. It was windy, and there was still the odd rain shower, but the morning was amazing. I rode the final few miles to John O’Groats to find Del waiting for me, cup of tea in hand. I was slightly outside my new target, but I’d made the halfway point in five days, one hour and 45 minutes. I left John O’Groats at 8.30am, looking forward to having a mighty tailwind but it was not to be. There was a fierce cross wind, and although slightly favourable, the gusts threatened to throw me off the bike. This was one of the most stressful legs. It was physically draining. Tiredness had caught up with me. Del, aware that I’d been craving pie and chips for days, spotted a chippy – and delivered. It was already 6.30pm when I left Brora. After Tain and as darkness fell, so did my ability to stay awake. I struggled to stay upright. The southbound A9 seemed to be endless. I arrived at the Cromarty Bridge junction to see the familiar orange flashing beacon. I handed my bike to Del, ate, and then settled down to sleep. I was on the road again by 7.30am on

day seven. Around Inverness I was trying to navigate from memory – not the best idea after six sleep-deprived days. But once on the right track, I was heading alongside Loch Ness again. My saddle sores were causing me real problems, and I was struggling to sit. My pace was slow. I needed to freewheel as much as possible due to the pain. A dotwatcher who learned that Del was about to depart, offered to take over support for a couple of days and see me through past the Lake District with her mobile home. We met up with Nicky, her dog Meg, and her five-star mobile home at Glencoe and hit it off straight away. She parked at the top of the first of the Glencoe climbs, with food – a jacket potato I’d craved since day one. It was the best I’d ever tasted. Once more I’d reached these mountains at sunset, and once again, it was stunning. But this time there was no stopping to lap it up – I was already so far behind, and the temperature was dropping quickly. I was cold and tired. When I spotted Nicky near Crainlarich, I knew it was time to stop. The pain and sleep deprivation had caught up with me, and I was wasting huge amounts of time. After breakfast on day eight I set off along the banks of Loch Lomond, and was joined for the first time in days by another rider. Michelle rode with me as far as Dumbarton. It was lovely to be riding with someone again. Through Glasgow I retraced my route and was met with yet more riders – Martin, Alan, Ian and young Frazer, who rode with me to Hamilton. The company made the hours pass quickly, and I finally started to feel warmth in the sunshine. I was eating well, and my energy was restored. The goal for the day was no sleep until we crossed the border into England. Could I get down to Lands End in two days and a few hours? In theory it was possible, but I wasn’t moving at anywhere near my original pace. I struggled again with tiredness on day nine but navigated Penrith without any issue, and headed towards Shap Fell which was where my journey with Nicky was due to end. I was comfortable that once I got to Kendal, it would be much easier to fend for myself, and I was happy to go solo. The target for the day was Shrewsbury. Loads of riders came to join me for short sections of the day – too many to mention by name. In Wigan, Norman Lomax cooked pasta for me. It was great. He rode with me through Wigan and Warrington so I didn’t make the same mistakes as I had going northbound. Company helped to keep me awake, but it was clear I wasn’t going to get

PREPARING FOR LEJOGLE A world record has always been on Marcia’s bucket list. She did some research and found there wasn’t a female record for riding LeJoGLe “I figured I only had a short window of opportunity before someone much faster than me would either set it or break it,” she says. “So I decided to be the one to set it… even if I only held it for one day.” As the pandemic gripped the country, Marcia spent the time planning. She submitted her record request to Guinness. “They confirmed the record was there to be set – but they decided I’d have just seven days to ride it,” she says. “I’d originally planned on it taking between 10 and 12 days, so that was a shock. I appealed and they compromised – with eight days and 12 hours.” Marcia felt she could do the ride in 10 days. “It was within my ability” she says. “But now I had to adapt my training to increase my mileage to 200 miles a day” There followed many weeks of careful route planning, choosing mainly main roads for speed. It was also important to plot a course which avoided Covid hot spots. Ultimately she chose a route popular with other “End to Enders”. But working from maps doesn’t always paint the whole picture. “In hindsight I don’t know why I didn’t just ask the Audax community,” she says. “There would have been a wealth of local knowledge, which would have definitely improved the route.”

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anywhere near to Shrewsbury that night. I made it to Northwich, considerably short of where I had hoped to end up. Temporary insanity still had me believing that even though it was already now day ten, I might still be able to make Lands End by the end of the next day. My theory was that if I could get over the Severn Bridge that day, it was only 200 miles to the end, and I had done that northbound by 11pm, so why couldn’t I do it again southbound and finish before midnight? But things were now quite different. The day started slowly and didn’t really get much better until I left Hereford. First, I stopped for breakfast at a lovely canal side café, staying way too long. Then I discovered that my phone battery wasn’t lasting long, but I didn’t have a charger on me. I sent an SOS to Paul Jennings, who had offered his services for ‘anything you might need’ when passing through the Whitchurch area. He came armed with a battery pack, oil for my chain (it was grinding terribly), some food, and some cheer. He drove back to the café where I had breakfast, and rescued the high-vis jacket that I had left behind, then met me further down the road. I very much needed his cheer, as I had become a bit of an emotional wreck. Then I called Del who gave me good news. He was able to come back – support me, carry my stuff, feed me and be a mobile bed again. I called Trevor, my coach, and had another cry. I met Del at Hereford, where I was fed, changed into clean clothes, and ditched much of what I was carrying. It was midnight before I left, after just 100 miles ridden. Andy Stewart, an experienced LEJOGLE rider, came out to meet me between Hereford and Monmouth. Having someone riding with me helped to keep me awake. We stopped for a moment at Tintern Abbey, just to look at it all lit up, and then made it our mission to get over the Severn Bridge. On the bridge, sleep deprivation hit. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. Even though my accommodation was only a mile away, I had to stop riding and shut my eyes. We finally arrived at the Severn View services at 4am. The total mileage was just 135 miles, and I’d ridden for only 11 hours. I still harboured the delusional feeling that I could reach Lands End either by the end of the day, or in the early hours. If I did it before 6.38am I would still have ridden it in 10 days and some hours. On day 11 I made steady progress

through Portishead, towards WestonSuper-Mare, and on to Bridgwater. I was so relieved as I headed towards Taunton to see the familiar sight of Steve, my motorbike outrider. He was now going to ride with me all the way to the end. I was overjoyed. The remaining miles through Somerset and into Devon are a bit of a blur. I had another nap on a bench on the road to Exeter, and another in a bus shelter – all very Audax-like, but not particularly world record-like. I was really struggling, and just wanted it to be over. There were only 100 miles to go, but it was the longest 100 miles of my life. I knew I just needed to keep moving, but that was easier said than done. I was still struggling with saddle sores, and was feeling every bump. I lacked energy, and I was only staying awake with Red Bull and coffee. Heavy rain then set in. Steve and I were stopped by the police and they asked if we would leave the A30 and find another route! We were escorted off

End once more… with her son Daniel Smith at the finishing post

before Bodmin and had to navigate from there to the services further on. I made such slow progress and struggled to pedal up the hills but I was determined to keep moving. I’d only one objective – just finish. Even being topped up with Red Bull and coffee wasn’t helping me to stay awake. At Penzance I was joined by more riders, including my son, who guided me along the Penzance seafront and on to the Lands End road. Suddenly I felt a second wind and upped my pace. I just couldn’t wait to get to the end. I arrived at the entrance to Lands End around 7.30pm, riding through the visitor centre towards the famous signpost, with my new peloton following me, just in time for an amazing sunset. I’d done it. Throughout the journey I was joined by my “invisible peloton” – hundreds of strangers whose kindness and support was out of this world. I apologise to all those who came out to ride with me whose names I haven’t mentioned. It’s been a truly horrible year for so many, so I am extra grateful to each and every person for supporting both me and my charity.

Mental Health Marcia was determined there should be a point to the ride, other than simply personal achievement. “I’m not as young as I was, and have always been a very ordinary, non-athletic person,” she says. “I wanted to show that you didn’t need to be young and fit to do something epic. It just takes a strong will and lots of determination – Audax teaches you that. “But I also wanted to raise money and awareness for mental health. I became very aware of the impact of the pandemic on my own mental health, and that of some good friends. I could see that mental health services were going to be required every bit as much as medical services – and yet charitable mental health funding dried up overnight as all normal fundraising events were being cancelled. I just wanted to help.” She has, to date, raised more than £11,000 for Solent Mind, a mental health charity…and fundraising is still open. You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/marcia-roberts

Finish line… Marcia‘s triumph as she gets into Land’s End in the evening www.audax.uk

WORDS AND PICTURES IAN MILNE

Inverness-based Ian Milne and his wife Catherine took to the saddle to traverse Scotland’s mighty geographical fault line – the Great Glen, avoiding traffic and Nessiehunters by picking their way along forest tracks and quiet by-ways, through some stunning Highland scenery

Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen

THE MILNES

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Ian, aged 58, and Catherine, 51, belong to the Cycling UK Highland member group, as well as being members of an informal Highland Audax group. Ian is also a member of the Ross-shire Roads CC. He rode his first Audax in 1994 and since then has completed seven SR series, two PBPs and an LEL. His first PBP was in 1999, and the second 20 years later in 2019. “I thought I’d better have another crack at it while I still have it in me,” he says. “I think I can also lay claim to the first RRtY completed entirely in the Highlands, in 2013 – unless, of course, someone knows different.”

Bike envy… Ian and Catherine at the start

THE GREAT GLEN WAY has long been on my radar. I’d got as far as vaguely planning it a couple of times before drawing a blank on how to get bikes to Fort William. Bikes aren’t permitted on the direct bus, and the train would involve an all-day, 300-mile expedition via Glasgow. Then in July our teenage daughters announced they were planning to drive to Fort William to visit friends. Bingo! Finally, dad-taxi payback time! The girls would take our bikes in the car and Catherine and I would follow on the bus. But which bike to ride? I was very keen to take my recently acquired Spa Cycles Elan gravel bike on what would be its biggest outing to date, but would a hard-tail mountain bike be better suited to the task? A poke about on the internet soon reassured me that a gravel bike would do just fine. However, the web also revealed lots of accounts and advice that the route should be done over two days, or, possibly better still, over three. I couldn’t find any accounts of single-day crossings. But how hard could it be? True, I’d heard tales of some ferocious hills, but all the online pictures showed

happy cyclists on tracks with decent surfaces. These accounts, I concluded, were from casual, leisure cyclists, not hardened Audaxers experienced in the art of suffering on two wheels in all its manifestations. Heck, the first ascent of the north face of the Eiger took several days but now people scamper up it fast enough to be back down for lunch, so surely we could manage the GGW in a day? It was cool and overcast as we set off from our friend’s house at 8.35am on the Friday morning, the brooding presence of Ben Nevis looming over Fort William, shrouded in mist and cloud. With the prospect of a dry day, warming up later and a handy westerly breeze, we were eager to get going. We soon picked up the GGW which took us through the back streets and cycle paths of Fort William to the start of the Caledonian Canal which we would follow for the first leg to Gairlochy. This is the longest canal section at around 11km. A short climb alongside Neptune’s Staircase, Thomas Telford’s magnificent flight of eight locks which take the canal up to the dizzying altitude of 30m, and then we were blasting along the pan-flat canal track at a steady 25 kph. We are talking super, deluxe gravel here: wide as a vehicle and smoother than many a Highland road. Catherine’s only option had been a mountain bike with impressively chunky, knobbly rubber, and I suspect she was rather envying my fast-running gravel tyres at this point. We soon reached Loch Lochy, the first of the three large lochs that lie along the glen and which the canal links together. After a brief foray on to quiet tarmac to cross the noisily cascading River Arkaig, we joined the forest track that runs to the far end of Loch Lochy. This rose and fell gently as it wound through the trees. Occasional clearings afforded intermittent views across the loch, the water glittering brightly in the sunshine. The end of the loch saw another short canal path section before we crossed the A82 to join the disused railway track cycle path along the south side of Loch Oich, the second of the three lochs. The surface was up to canal path standard, and it was back to 25 kph cruising, enjoying views across the loch. Loch Oich is much smaller than its two larger cousins. The mountains on each side are lower and slope less severely down to the shores, giving it an altogether gentler feel. It was here we had our only mechanical when Catherine’s dropper seat post started

Neptune’s Staircase … Catherine leaving Fort William www.audax.uk

Fresh water… Loch Lochy

to slowly sink, then sink a bit quicker before finally refusing to stay up at all. Slightly unscrewing the little cable adjuster widget seemed to make things worse, so I tightened it up as hard as I could which thankfully solved the problem. At the end of Loch Oich, we crossed the A82 again to re-join the canal for a final flat 8km to Fort Augustus. Stopping for a snack on a jetty in the warm sunshine, we reflected on the fantastic variety of the route so far. We were half way, at the south-western end of mighty Loch Ness, the final, and by far the largest of the three lochs. We’d covered the 52km in an encouragingly quick three and a half hours, but this is very much a ride of two halves. If ever that cliché applied to a ride this is it. So far we’d clocked up 538m of ascent while the remaining 68km had an alarming 1,893m still in store for us. And it wasn’t messing about. We rode to the far end of the village, turned north on to a woodland path where it immediately hit us with a steep 60m ascent. We rapidly ran out of both gears and traction and started the first of a number of walks. Thankfully this didn’t last long, and having gained height we joined a pleasant, easy forestry track. This second half of the GGW is made up of three progressively tough, high-level sections, punctuated by brief forays back down to loch level at the settlements of Avoiding the Invermoriston and larger rocks and trying Drumnadrochit. The first section was fairly easy, to minimise sliding on with nothing too steep, although there is a the loose stuff, I was harder option for the briefly wishing for serious masochist, as this, and the next fatter rubber and section, both offer suspension alternative, higher level routes giving an additional 500m of ascent. We kept to the lower option, where the forest track undulated between the 50m and 100m contours. But this was a very gentle warm up for what was to come. There isn’t a lot at Invermoriston and we were soon through the village and on brutal at the time. Naïve fools! We would to the first of three substantial climbs look back on it as almost a non-event. between here and Drumnadrochit, the The rest of the way to Drumnadrochit highest hitting 300m. This first one was is a bit of a blur of fast descents, slow long and steep but thankfully on tarmac. climbs, single track, lots of trees and It was now quite hot, and with the sun tantalising vistas along the glen. It beating down on us it seemed fairly

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finished with a steep, twisty, single-track descent that called for a bit of concentration. Avoiding the larger rocks and trying to minimise sliding on the loose stuff, I was briefly wishing for fatter rubber and suspension for the first time on the ride. Drumnadrochit is a pleasant enough village, though as the epicentre of Nessie mania it tends to be overrun with tourists. We sat at a table on the village green where we finished off the sandwiches followed by cold drinks, ice cream, coffee and a water bottle refill from one of

R&Râ&#x20AC;Ś in Drumnadrochit before the final push

several cafes. We could have lingered long in the pleasant afternoon sun, but eventually conceded there was no further excuse to stay. From here the GGW makes a determinedly full-on assault up to its highest point, at 385m, above Abriachan. But first, just to maximise the experience, it had us descend even further, with a fast whizz down the path alongside the A82 before the fun began, with, inevitably, a walk. This marked the start of a seriously gnarly bit of single track which twisted and looped. We are talking, rocks, roots, ruts, narrow, steep down and steep up. It was in fact mostly rideable, just, but it was a relief

to push over the final outrageous rock insult and haul the bikes on to a more reasonable-looking track. Reasonable that is in terms of width and surface. For now we were on the serious ascent. This first and most challenging section seemed interminably long. It consisted of a series of short but very steep ramps, interspersed with short flat sections. It looked touch and go as to whether it would be rideable, especially on gravel tyres, but it is fundamentally against my religion to walk with a bike unless I absolutely have to. So off I set. My smallest gear wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t low enough to twiddle up the ramps so I adopted a maximum-effort sprint followed by as much recovery as

possible on the flats, which was about five seconds. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use a heart rate monitor but I was getting the distinct feeling that my beats per minute were only a few below what was medically advisable. And that was on the recovery sections. So, on a particularly savage 20 per cent gradient ramp I finally admitted defeat. Catherine was already walking, which, it turned out, was considerably less effort. This proved to be the longest walk by far, probably around 500m. Eventually the gradient eased sufficiently to resume pedalling, and finally enough to start enjoying the surroundings again. The landscape was changing as we

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Nothing to see here… Catherine looks out across Loch Ness

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Occasional clearings afforded intermittent views across the loch, the water glittering brightly in the sunshine

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emerged from the forest into open moorland with the big-expanse, eastcoast panoramas that contrast with the more enclosed big mountain west coast views. Reassuringly familiar views. Home views. We knew we would make it now! From the 385m high point it’s a 20km downhill run to Inverness. A super-fast, forest track descent to Abriachan was followed by some magical single track through scattered trees. Then a short section on traffic-free tarmac led to a nice easy path back into forest, then – Hallelujah! – a view of Inverness way below, and a final long descent. I soon lost sight of Catherine nonchalantly cruising down, seated, as I gingerly picked the easiest path, standing on the pedals, wrists and arms taking a pounding. Praise be to the inventor of that modern marvel the hydraulic disc brake! Reaching the outskirts of the city, we zipped down green-space paths, had a final encounter with the canal before the run-in along the River Ness cycle path, which ran across to the other bank and the city centre via the lovely Ness Islands.

Finally, just before 7pm, we were back to where we had been waiting for the bus, just over 24 hours previously. We’d done it. Ten hours, 22 minutes; 121.6km; 2,431m of ascent; moving average speed 14.6 kph; overall average 11.6 kph. So how hard was it? Well, it was definitely a challenging ride but well within the reach of anyone who can manage a 200km Audax in reasonable time and still be standing at the end. A degree of off-road skills is useful, but not essential – without them you might end up walking a bit more. There are various theories and formulae about how off-road equates to on-road, but from the time taken and how I felt at the finish, and the next day, I would say the GGW is the equivalent of a moderately hilly 200. The surfaces were mostly good. I was glad I’d taken the gravel bike rather than the mountain bike. The latter would only have been an advantage for maybe five per cent of the route. Overall, I would estimate the route breaks down into approximately 50 per

cent forest track, 35 per cent single track, cycle path or other path, 10 per cent canal path, and five per cent tarmac. The overall proportion that we walked was tiny. Apart from that 500m trudge up the Drumnadrochit south face, other walked sections were very short. The whole route is waymarked with signs and marker posts, so as long as you are paying attention you shouldn’t get lost. There is lots of information about the GGW online, including detailed maps, route descriptions, details of accommodation options, package options, and bag transport. There is something to be said for spreading the GGW over two days, allowing more time to savour the views and appreciate all the points of interest along the way. How much fun was it? An absolute blast! Catherine and I both agreed it was top ride of the year so far. The range of scenery, the quietness, the variety of tracks and paths, not to mention the element of the unexpected made for a truly memorable outing.

❝ THE GREAT GLEN WAY The Great Glen, a major geological fault line cutting diagonally across the Highlands of Scotland from Fort William to Inverness, is a defining geographical feature of the north of Scotland.

I’d heard tales of some ferocious hills, but all the online pictures showed happy cyclists on tracks with decent surfaces

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This huge rift valley was formed when the north-western and south-eastern sides of the fault slid in opposite directions, creating both a geological spectacle and a low-level, coast-to-coast route across otherwise forbiddingly mountainous terrain. Today it is a major communications route, hosting both the A82 trunk road and the Caledonian Canal, Thomas Telford’s early 1800s engineering marvel which connects the Atlantic to the North Sea. The route is great for road vehicles and boats but not so good for the cyclist, for whom the A82 is an unpleasantly hostile environment. For those prepared to venture off-road, however, the Great Glen Way offers the enticing prospect of riding coast to coast entirely on tracks, trails and the odd traffic-free minor road. Established in 2002, the GGW is one of Scotland’s premier long-distance paths, covering some 120km from Fort William in the west, to Inverness in the east.

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WORDS AND PICTURE GAVIN HALL

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Gavin Hall shook off his longterm biking lethargy to follow an ancient literary route across 21st century Kent in October this year. Here’s his Canterbury Tale…

Ready for the off… Gavin watches the sun ride across the Thames

On the pilgrim path – a ‘pedaller’s’ tale…

Prologue…

Using the very best of my advanced negotiating skills, I purchased the 1963 Mercian for the full asking price. It looked old, tired, and a bit worn out, rather like me, but this was love at first sight. Much fixing-up later and we were both ready for the off – but where to go?

Act One: Turning the Tide

Adventure is a relative term. Having not turned a wheel in anger for a year or three, the Dragon’s Back, LEJOG or PBP were perhaps a touch unrealistic. Then again, twice round the block seemed to lack ambition. London to Canterbury looked just right. National Cycle Route Four wends its way across London, mostly hugging the glorious Thames. Sunrise scenes of skyscrapers, Greenwich and then the Docklands gave way to the more industrial landscape of the East End and beyond. The going was at first smooth and sunny, then rougher and cloudier as the route turned towards Dartford; not ideal for a glamorous racing machine, but no trouble for the vintage Mercian, newly shod with touring tyres.

Act Two: Over the Hill

Climbing out of Dartford over the M25 after a decent stop, the rain began to pour as the traffic noise increased. So much for scattered showers, but it didn’t seem to matter. A nice nursery owner afforded me the chance to warm up in a greenhouse until the rain eased. Cycle Route Four then became Cycle Route One, weaving through Sittingbourne and on to Rochester, a real gem on the River Medway. The sun was shining again, illuminating another good stop to dry off, top up and have a look at the museum. What lovely people I met there; friendly, welcoming and not troubled by my garish 1980s cycling clobber.

Act Three: Pastures New

Sticking with Cycle Route Four gave me a magical afternoon of cycling. The route become a track running alongside the Medway through the Riverside Country Park; no phones, no traffic, few people, and nothing to worry about aside from getting to Canterbury one way or another. Speed was not of the essence in any sense, simply enjoying the sights and sounds was the priority; in a world where we are often monitored and measured, it felt great just to be out having fun on my lovely old bicycle.

Act Four: Sting in the Tale

Cycle Route Four now turned inland over tracks and lanes through endless fields bursting with hops and plump apples. As the light began to fade it was time to head directly to Canterbury which meant a scary (to me at least) spin down the side of the A2. The cacophony of noise just a few feet to my right reminded me of how fragile we are and how fortunate to have so many traffic-free cycle routes. Grateful not to have been squashed by a speeding truck, I was glad to turn left and spin-up to Canterbury Cathedral, tired, hungry but happy once again.

Epilogue

Speeding back to London by train, a glorious exhaustion overwhelmed me. The distance covered could rightly be considered as trivial, certainly fewer than one hundred miles, and it took most of the day to complete. No awards had been attempted or earned either, but none of that mattered a jot; this was all about getting out and having fun. Should you find yourself with no particular place to go and a day or so to spare, a gentle meander down the Thames and across to Canterbury could be just what you need.

1968 classic… the beautiful Mercian restored to its original form www.audax.uk

THE MASTERMINDS – with Grace Lambert Smith Continuing our series focussing on the people who work so hard behind the scenes to provide great Audax events, Arrivée contributor, Grace Lambert Smith meets up with famed organiser Mike Wigley.

Before the bus pass beckons

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IT WAS A PARTICULARLY sunny day in Derbyshire when I met up with renowned organiser, Mike Wigley to shoot the breeze about his Audax career. His perms have punctuated many a randonner’s season, so it was a great pleasure to meet him in the beautiful Peak District. A miscommunication meant that he arrived over an hour before me at a lovely cafe in Edale where his bike leaned against a fence and he occupied the sunny terrace around the corner. Audax riders’ bikes are easily recognisable with their full-length mudguards, saddlebag and touring pedals, so I parked my bike on top of his, safe in the confidence that this bike definitely belonged to him. Mike’s home is on the outskirts of Manchester, a city steeped in cycling history and home to many a handy rider. His first

Cheadle Drill Hall at the start of another AUK ride

bike arrived at the tender age of seven years old when it became his freedom machine: riding to school, between friends’ houses and back home again. “I wasn’t physically strong at school and I wasn’t interested in organised sports,” he confesses, “but it’s amazing how far one can go at a steady pace, something we randonneurs know so well.” This steady pace led him to expand his horizons over the years. Attending university in Aberystwyth opened the door to Welsh adventures, a place many of us will have experienced during the highs and lows of any fruitful Audax UK season. “I remember ascending the Bwlch-yGroes on a steel 5-speed bike,” he says. “Needless to say, I walked it back then but I’ve since ridden up it on a 27-speed bike during Dave Matthews’ Barmouth Boulevard 200.” I hastened to add how many

By day, Grace is a freelance copywriter. When she’s not at her laptop’s keyboard, she can be found riding her bike around the Peak District. She’s completed a couple of SRs and a PBP and is looking forward to pedalling her bike across more countries in the not-too-distant future

ascents of various hills I walked up on my first 20-speed bike not so many moons ago. Throughout the confinement of 2020, Mike took it upon himself to do a little bit of spring cleaning. You know the sort of thing – putting those dreaded creaks and rattles to bed once and for all and sorting through the ever-increasing pile of brevet cards that inevitably find themselves scattered around the house. The trip down memory lane revealed a lot about Mike’s almost 50-year career in Audax. “It looks like I rode my first 200 back in 1974,” he remembers, but you won’t find this particular ride on his Audax palmares. This

Mike Wigley in person

was also the year that Audax UK was founded, though Mike wouldn’t be aware of his future for some 18 years yet. During that time he regularly rode 100-milers and a handful of Youth Hostel cycle tours. Though the mileage was not yet at the pointy end of a Super Randonneur Award, he found himself comfortable on the first rung of the ladder, which led him to wonder what might be next for him and his bike. “I had absolutely no intention of riding through the night, what with the poor lights we had back then!” Finishing a 300 before sunset is a challenge for all but the fittest and fastest even now, so it will come as no surprise that

On the Wigley 200

Mike stuck to 200s for a good few years. “I was delighted when I learned about the Randonneur Round The Year (RRTY) Award that Sheila Simpson had championed,” he says. Sheila Simpson was a strong rider herself and organised many randonnees from Marple, not a million miles from where Mike is based today. “Back in those days calendar events didn’t happen every month, so we had to make it up with DIYs and perms.” Eventually, Sheila decided to concentrate on her own riding and PBP and Mike gladly

achievement on the bike. Training physically took over the reins of her events including and mentally for such a distance (no less the winter series of 200s she helpfully than 1500 km) is a huge feat and not to be designed to keep riders motivated underestimated. Like many others, he was throughout the colder months. Keen to put defeated by his first attempt in 2009 but his own mark on the Audax scene, he soon returned to make peace with the event again added the Eccleshall 200, Eureka 200, in 2013 when he made it to the finish with Llanfair 400 and a Pair of Kirtons 600 to the just 18 minutes in hand. Mike Wigley is full Peak Audax series. Mike’s famous Wigley Perms have grown value in every sense of the word. We wheeled our bikes out of the exponentially over the years and he now courtyard ready for a spin down the Edale counts over 450 riders as participants on his valley. While I was dressed for summer’s routes. “That’s over 1,600 brevet cards I’ve final hurrah, Mike opted for a more validated over the years.” On the topic of administration, Mike has also done a stint as “what-if ” approach to his attire. His SPD sandals enveloped his socked feet and membership secretary which revealed some multiple upper layers made sure he wasn’t truths. “Without events, there is no Audax UK so I’m particularly keen to offer rides for going to be caught out. Just as I clipped in my other foot, Mike’s chain went awry and the ever-increasing membership,” he says. his oily hands made sure any further visitors “And with the help of my Peak Audax knew his shortfall. colleagues, I feel we’re doing our bit.” “I still have plenty of unfinished business As Mike approaches his 30th continuous within Audax,” he says, assuring me there’s year of randonneuring, he took some time plenty still that he’s willing to give to the out recently to reflect his boxes of brevet community. “I’ve been aiming for 1,000 cards he’s collected. “I have over 650 brevet lifetime points before I get my bus pass and cards for more than 200 events,” he says, the Randonneur 100,000 badge was within “and I’ve lost count of the number of times reach before injuries and lockdown got the I’ve cycled through Church Minshull in better of me.” Cheshire!” We both laugh and I’m also A few cyclists pass us in the other familiar with the tiny hamlet where I direction to whom we nod, of course. “If conveniently always need refreshments yet there’s one thing I’ve learnt through Audax, it’s all but derelict. it’s that the head is more important than the As technology developed, so too did legs,” a statement to which I agree. “When Mike’s desire to ride further, longer and you’re cold and wet and riding into a under moonlit skies. As well as pedalling headwind, it takes a certain determination to around the UK, his Audax rides have taken get to the next control,” he says as my own him beyond and he counts Mount Ventoux memories of awful rides flood my mind. Just as a particular high point of his experiences. before we bid each other goodbye as we take A man as well cycled as Mike must have opposite directions home, he leaves me with more favourite rides than I’ve ridden one final piece of advice. “When the going kilometres throughout my life so far, I thought. “Actually, my absolute favourite ride gets tough, convincing yourself that you are really enjoying yourself can get you through is Llanfair 400 from Poynton to Holyhead and back,” he smiles. I can count the number such temporary difficulties. Some decent waterproofs and a spare jersey in your of times someone’s said a 400 is their saddlebag can also help.” favourite ride on one hand. “The cycle paths through Cheshire and around the coast of North Wales are some of the best we have in the country,” he says. “The sun setting to a backdrop of Snowdonia is a real highlight, night navigation is easy and the wind is always on your back!” I raise an eyebrow knowing full well I’ve heard that statement from organisers many times before. “Ok, I made the last bit up!” We laugh and tuck into our forgotten flapjacks on the cafe bench. A goal that’ll be familiar to many of us at this time of the year and indeed the four-year cycle of Big Audax Rides, is London-EdinburghLondon. As for whether it’ll go ahead in 2021, we’ll save for another time but Mike is quick to admit that it’s easily his greatest Start of the Eureka 200 www.audax.uk

BIKE REVIEW – THE RIBBLE SL-e

In this edition of Arrivée, we confront the controversial subject of e-bikes – those magical machines that give cyclists some stealth technology – an added super-charge when our bodies can no longer respond adequately to the rigours of riding. Would their acceptance by Audax destroy its ethic, or would it, as Arrivée managing editor, Ged Lennox suggests, create an inclusivity that would allow older or less able riders to continue to enjoy their sport? O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and young as you

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– T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

I’M A BIG FAN of Iain M. Banks and his Culture science fiction series – gritty and insightful. In his first book of the series Consider Phlebas, he imagines a human future in which one can choose to live to any age, be any gender and, indeed, any species one desires. Iain died of cancer in 2013 at the young age of 59. Like all of us, and Phlebas, he was, sadly, all too mortal. Russel Crowe, as Maximus in Gladiator, famously said: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” What a lot of hyperbolics, Max… In truth, if we’re really lucky, our life will be remembered as a photo on a dusty mantlepiece until a house clearance dumps it into a carboard box, on to a charity shop, then oblivion. But hey, until then we all keep going as long as we can, don’t we? You see, it’s not death, it’s this slow decline into the photo-frame that bothers me the most – even if it’s my preferred option. Christmas last year in the gym, keeping fit for the never-to-happen season of 2020, a percussive pain starting in my chest then moving down my left arm, had me to the doctors quick-sharp. The doctor was incredulous, saying: “You are far too fit to have a heart problem” – and the ECG confirmed a perfect heart rhythm, blood pressure, pulse 46 bpm. Reassured I carried on, but the pain became chronic, even when walking. Oddly it improved after an initial 15 minutes on a bike. And so, to hospital. Never mind your life-long vegetarianism, your fag-free

cycling, your alcohol abstemiousness, it’s all in the genes. The CT scan showed a single blocked coronary artery, probably like the one that killed my dad at 49, the last of five heart attacks he unknowingly suffered. Because of a life in the saddle, my own heart had spontaneously developed a curious little diagonal bypass that was supplementing the blocked section, explaining the odd improvement when warmed up. Weird on the outside and weird on the inside – but it saved my life. Cycling is really good for you – mostly – but never ignore a pain in the chest, no matter how fit you think you are. The stent fitting too was like science fiction. Fully awake and watching the action on a big monitor, the entire procedure took just 18 minutes. My impressive surgeon at Cheltenham hospital said: “That’s it. I don’t want to see you here again for at least 20 years. Give it a few weeks then get back on your bike.” There’s nothing like a brush with death to put life into perspective, and during those few weeks of recovery I fell to worrying about losing cycling. So, I contacted the helpful and efficient Sasha Castling at Ribble Bikes to enquire about the new SL-e for this review. I was also, coincidentally, in touch with Richard Betts who was writing his story about having to stop Audax for issue 149 (page 14). His extraordinary tale put my comparatively minor problem into perspective. He is a truly remarkable man, calmly accepting the things that cannot be changed, so I asked him to road-test the bike. You can read his real-life case study on the following pages. Richard’s story highlighted a paradox for me though. The Audax remit is: … to encourage, promote, develop and control the sport and pastime of noncompetitive long-distance cycling in all its forms amongst all sections of the community in the United Kingdom and throughout the world. But, the rules also insist: … the vehicle must be powered solely by the rider. No matter how you read it, this pair of statements appear, to me at least, to be oxymoronic – contradictory if not discriminatory, excluding as they do anyone who is physically compromised. Does not “all sections of the community” include people with disability then? I find this quite a difficult problem to square because all of us already use technology to enhance our performance. As a kid I slogged to school on a Hercules 3-speed steel lump every day – now I have a sleek titanium mount (not to mention a titanium stent) which weighs a fraction of that monster and has 22 gears. We use high-energy gels and science-guided diets,

Some riders are more equal than others

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BIKE REVIEW – THE RIBBLE SL-e

we drink isotonic formulas to enhance hydration, we use a range of painkillers when needed, we train indoors with hi-tec internetconnected virtual platforms like Zwift, we wear form-fitting clothes to streamline our bodies and keep us warm. The development of carbon fibre is another big advantageous technology. But the latest iteration of e-bikes, that offer a way back for now-compromised riders like Richard, present a genuine problem for us, simply because they could not have been imagined or accommodated in rules that pre-date their invention. I can’t believe that anyone in our own inclusive culture would deny a rider access to a much-loved sport, a chance to keep up with, as yet, more able friends and enjoy again this life-enhancing activity, on the grounds that they are physically reduced. Furthermore, what difference would it make? Surely, we don’t look down on anyone unless we are helping them up. After all, Audax is defined as a non-competitive activity. Essentially, we ride together against ourselves, the distance, the terrain, the weather and the clock – but never against one-another. Audax is not a race – it says that in the rules too. While I genuinely admire the truly magnificent physical and mental strength of many of our star riders, who do things I would not even want to dream about, I also feel deeply sympathetic to heroic people like Richard Betts who, having suffered and overcome terrible illness, find themselves excluded by rules that have not been reviewed in the light of new technology. This technology might be becoming invisible but it’s not going away, already presenting us with a challenge that we will have to confront as the science future of e-bikes becomes the every-day normal. With their tiny secret engines and ever-extending range, they are truly a paradigm shift, not just in the Audax context but also hugely important as sustainable transport in the uncertain future we face of catastrophic global heating, which will certainly make us nostalgic for our current crisis. We have a choice: either we close ranks and police every ride to make sure no-one is breaking the sacrosanct rules, or we just change those rules and embrace inclusivity, creating a category in our rides that allows for assisted bikes – an e-signature that is fully recognised, clearly defined and positively awarded. This route will prolong our lives on the road and on the planet, until we all fade inevitably into the future and then on to the mantelpiece of history. If we’re lucky. Please note: this opinion piece has nothing to do with Audax UK or its policy – it is a point of view. Please feel free to write or comment to the author who, as editor of Arrivée, will be happy to present your perspectives in forthcoming editions. No swearing please… gedlennox@me.com

MOTOR HUB DRIVE M1 36V 250w – Max. Torque: 40N.m – Ratio: 14:1 Max Speed – 26km / h 11v and disc compatible Diameter 100 mm Weight 2.1 kg

Don’t knock it until you’ve Claire, my authority and life partner, tells me I don’t need an e-bike… yet. But I’m not convinced I can resist the temptation. The SL-e arrived in its high-spec Pro format with full carbon frame, Mavic carbon wheels, a beautiful Fizik saddle, 22-speed Shimano Ultegra groupset (di2 is standard in the Pro version) including disk brakes and Ribble carbon seatpost. And then there are the handlebars. Don’t let me go on, but the handlebars… what a difference a handlebar makes. A single piece of t-shaped carbon, flat topped with completely concealed cabling, the handlebars alone made the ride more comfortable than any bike I have ever ridden. Getting on this bike and just riding it, even without the power drive, felt like such a big step-up that I was hooked from the start. Clearly, the carbon wheels made a difference as I have never before ridden on carbon – the deep v-section rims did catch the occasional side wind but then so do all deep-section wheels. My first little outing to Cheltenham, just 44km, I did without the motor as it’s pretty much down-hill and I wanted to get the feel of the machine.

Immediately I noticed how stable it was – because the majority of the weight is in the rear hub which puts the centre of gravity low. It felt firm and connected to the road, unlike the skittish play you sometimes get on full carbon mounts. This is a real bike, designed for endurance – the addition of a motor is just a bonus. And that seems to be the philosophy behind it, everything is as sleek and smooth-running as you would want. If you were to swap out the wheels you would have a very light, high-end road machine. As you will read in Richard’s report on the next page, unassisted, the SL-e is a beautifully crafted road bike. And the ride is so comfortable it just takes all the pain out of cycling, especially the handlebars. Whereas I always suffer some nerve pain in my left hand on any distance, the pre-set angle and flat profile seemed to suit my riding position perfectly. I forgot about the tingling and just got on with the riding. The combined aerodynamics of the bars and the frame could certainly be felt in the legs. When you get to where you are going it really doesn’t feel like there’s any problem turning back. My return run was with a small group of boy racers who wanted to check the bike out. Of course they left me

The Ribble Endurance SL-e comes in three sizes and three configurations, adjustable to order. The frames are carbon and the engine is the same for all three models

ENDURANCE SLe RANGE Sport Shimano Tiagra 4700 2x10 Speed Shimano 50-34T x 11-32T Gearing Tektro Mechanical Disc Brakeset Mavic Aksium Elite Evo Disc Wheelset Mavic Yksion Pro UST Tyres LEVEL 1 6061 Alloy Handlebar & Stem. Ribble SL Carbon Seatpost with 5mm Offset. Prologo Kappa RS Saddle From: £2,799 Enthusiast Shimano 105 R7000 2x11 Speed Shimano 50-34T x 11-32T Gearing Shimano 105 Hydraulic Disc Brakeset Mavic Aksium Elite Disc Wheelset Mavic Yksion Pro UST Tyres LEVEL 5 Carbon Integrated Handlebar & Stem Ribble SL Carbon Seatpost with 5mm Offset. Fizik Antares R5 Saddle From: £3,299 Pro Shimano Ultegra R8050 Di2 2x11 Speed. Shimano 50-34T x 11-32T Gearing. Shimano Ultegra Hydraulic Disc Brakeset. Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon Disc Wheelset. Continental Grand Prix GT 28mm Tyres. LEVEL 5 Carbon Integrated Handlebar and Stem. Ribble SL Carbon Seatpost with 5mm Offset. Fizik Antares R5 Saddle. From: £4,999 www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ ribble-endurance-sl-e/

tried it

Bar belles… a joy to handle

for dead, on the flat approach to the Cotswold escarpment, as they were all fit youngsters, love ‘em. But then we came to the hills. Young Steven (who was interested in buying an SL-e for his less-strong partner) has a very nice road bike which reports his power output (not something I’ve ever needed) so I switched on my 250-watt engine as we approached the climbs and he tried to stay with me. When his own power output got to 450-watts (wow) he had to give up. Climbing up Painswick Beacon is no joy ride and I have done it many times, but what a feeling to top out with energy to spare and the pack way behind. If you’ve ever ridden a tandem, this bike feels like you have a strong stoker. When you push on the pedals your torque is sensed and you can feel the motor respond and augment your effort, when you slow down or coast it follows a heartbeat later. You use the gears in the way you would any road bike and apart from the barely perceptible hum when the motor slips in, you would not recognise the engine function at all. It is intuitive and very natural. From a standing start the assist kicks you up to speed shockingly fast, which is great at traffic lights and busy junctions.

An Audax rider needs to average 21-26kph on a long ride and so, much of the time, you are not using the engine, which reduces incrementally from 24kph and cuts out completely at 25kph. The transition is very discrete and when you are cruising the flats no battery power is expended. The biggest help is in undulating territory, which can sap your energy – that’s when the engine comes into its own. If you want to move you have to push the pedals, there is no sitting up, but it will just aid you when your legs are weary, or you are cold into a headwind and still miles from home. It’s like a very kind friend who just loves to help. If there is one tiny wish, I would want a way to customise the cut-in/out speed so I could extend the range of the bike if I needed to. If the engine activation speed was 20kph I would probably only ever need to use it on hills. As it is, I find myself pushing hard to prevent the motor cutting in, but then I am a bit competitive like that. And I could just turn the motor off of course. So how far can you go on a single three-hour fully charged battery? I tested the operational distance on a 36km loop from home which has 370m hillage per circuit. I managed four full rounds before the red glow of

the battery warned I was on the dregs but it still got me to 151km on the lowest assist setting (there are three levels). If you were to try a 200km ride on fairly kind territory and did the first leg unassisted you could easily make it round. Very impressive, but of course you will be doing it alone – for now at any rate – because this stealth technology is against the rules. ● Overall conclusion: The Ribble SL-e is a wonder… For anyone recovering from injury, especially knee or leg issues, it can get you moving and back on the road faster and more effectively, sustaining your core fitness until you can go it alone once again. Or if you are just thinking of hanging up your cleats and taking it easy because you no longer love the sport this machine will bring you right back into the joy of cycling, because when you finish your ride you won’t feel utterly destroyed. On those bitter winter days the SL-e will tempt you outside when you would have prefered to sit by the fire. Please, can I keep it… oh, and did I mention the handlebars?

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CASE STUDY – the Ribble SL-e with Richard Betts

e-bike sparks surge of super power into weary legs…

I USED TO ROW on the River Severn with a good friend. He suggested we cycle together to and from the rowing club to increase our fitness levels in order to improve our performance at regattas. I couldn’t keep up with my rowing buddy on my antiquated mountain bike, so he suggested I bought a road bike. This opened up a new world for me and soon cycling took over from rowing as my preferred activity for keeping fit. My friend then moved to Australia. Missing his companionship I decided to look for cycling events I could enter as a solo cyclist. I tried an Audax event and was immediately smitten. I also made friends with fellow Audaxers and experienced a great sense of camaraderie. As I’ve detailed in previous contributions to Arrivée, my RRTY attempt was terminated after seven months due to the sudden onset of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in August 2012. After an extensive stay in hospital and some challenging treatments such as chemotherapy and stem-cell therapy, I entered

the Morley Meander, on a reasonably flat course in Norfolk. I completed a few more 100km events over the following years but the effort was overpowering my weak immune system and I would often suffer from infections following these events. With the realisation that I was not getting any stronger or fitter at cycling and the increasing frequency of poor health following Audax events, I decided to retire from Audax and limit my activities to social cycling. Like many things, I did not appreciate how much I enjoyed Audax until it was taken away from me. Ged Lennox, the managing editor of Arrivée and all-round good bloke, asked me to contribute a case study to an e-bike review he was conducting. He told me that I was the perfect candidate to assess the e-bike, with my Audax and medical history. I’ve toyed with the idea of riding an electric bike for a while but felt that this was something

Ill-health forced Richard Betts to finally give up Audax events at the age of 61. So he was an obvious choice to put an e-bike through its paces. To say that his experience dramatically changed his opinion of the machines is a massive understatement. Here’s his review…

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We’d ridden a mere 200 metres and I was in raptures already about this magnificent machine. Riding this bike was like an epiphany. My 61-year-old legs suddenly felt like 25-year-old legs

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full remission and began the slow recovery process. The long-term impact of my illness left me with nerve damage and the corresponding muscle wastage and reduction in strength. My right calf muscle has wasted away so much that I can no longer balance to stand-up on my pedals on steep inclines. The factor that affects my cycling the most, though, is chronic fatigue – a by-product of the invasive cancer treatments. This can leave me feeling completely wasted after cycling for just a couple of hours. However, I recovered enough to attempt and succeed in completing a 113 km Audax in 2015 called

more suitable for those of more limited ability. To be honest I also felt that the experience of riding an e-bike would be so far distanced from that experienced riding a conventional bike that it would be short on enjoyment. So, I met up with Ged in the southern Cotswolds on a sunny autumnal day to give it a go. Ged had identified a 40km course with some significant “lumps” and of course breath-taking scenery. Ged rode his favourite bike, a titanium framed, Van Nicholas. I rode the Ribble Endurance SL-e-bike. I examined the e-bike carefully while Ged went

through the simple operating instructions. The first thing that struck me was that this e-bike would be mistaken for a standard bike by most people. The battery was encased in the down-tube which had a surprisingly small cross-section. The electric motor was part of the rear hub, no bigger than a Rohloff hub-gear. There is no obtrusive electric wiring, all electric control being administered from a single illuminated button on the crossbar. So, this is the classic wolf in sheep’s clothing of the e-bike world! On first impressions, very aesthetically pleasing. The operation of this bike from the electrical control button was intuitive and extremely straightforward. I could summon three levels of power – green, amber and red – by merely pressing this one control button. “How simple and how clever,” I said. We’d ridden a mere 200 metres and I was in raptures already about this magnificent machine. Riding this bike was like an epiphany. My 61-year-old legs suddenly felt like 25-year-old legs. I was finding the bike very easy to ride on the lowest level of electrical assistance, the green level. I

weight of the e-bike is a mere 12kg, so not much different to a fully laden Audax bike. This low weight combined with aerodynamic features such as the carbon wheels and handlebars provide a very smooth ride. This was an important observation, because I then realised that if your battery had run down on a long ride you would be able to complete your ride fairly easily as a conventional bike. Trialling this e-bike has completely changed my attitude to going electric. I thought those sorts of bikes were basically mobility scooters for old men. I can now see that you can get a proper bike with electric assistance which doesn’t make you feel like you’re joining the geriatric club before your time. The great thing about the bike is that it looks and feels like a high-quality, carbon road bike. Its good looks provoked favourable comments by all my cycling buddies. You would definitely feel chuffed to have this in your bike collection at home. In fact, this could be your only bike and fulfil many roles, including riding Audax events. I’m certain that in my state of compromised

handicap system comes in. This week my old boss travelled down to play me at golf at my home course, The Worcestershire Golf Course in Malvern. He’s a younger, fitter, and more skilled golfer with a handicap of nine. I’m not so good. My handicap is 27. Your handicap is based on your scoring history. This meant that he gave me 18 shots, which on a standard golf course of 18 holes equates to a one shot per hole advantage for me on all holes. This resulted in a very close enjoyable game. Much though golf is criticised for its rather traditional, stuffy image it has made an effort to diversify and become more inclusive. Electric golf buggies and mobility scooters are now allowed on golf courses to help the less able to enjoy the sport. Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, following years of decline. So, do we also want to move with the times and increase the inclusivity of Audax by providing an e-bike category? This is sure to be a divisive question for the Audax community, I realise, but in a time of change this seems to be the ideal time to tee-off the discussion.

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Audax rules do not allow the use of electrically-assisted bikes to complete an Audax event. I can appreciate this, but wonder if a separate category could be created for keen cyclists like me that require a bit of assistance?

changed up to the amber level by pressing the button twice. I could feel the motor surging. It was like taking an energetic Labrador for a walk! I saved the red power level for a couple of steep ascents. This was impressive. I’ve never been able to cycle up slopes that quickly, even when I was young and athletic. The important thing was that I didn’t have to leave the saddle to get up the steep inclines which was a major benefit. Finally I turned the electrical assistance off completely and found out that I could cycle just as easily, and certainly faster than my Audax bike. The

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health I could complete and more importantly, enjoy a 100km event – and possibly a longer one. However, as we all know the Audax rules do not allow the use of electrically-assisted bikes to complete an Audax event. I can appreciate this, but wonder if a separate category could be created for keen cyclists like me that require a bit of assistance? I’m also a golfer, albeit not a very accomplished one. However, I’m lucky to play a sport that recognises that we are not all young and athletic but we all want to enjoy the sport and take part in competitions, but we need a bit of assistance. This is where the unique

Different strokes for different folks… Richard stands with the Ribble SL-e on the first tee at Malvern golf club.

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WORDS AND PICTURES ADRIAN DOWNIE

Torino-Nice Rally

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The ride is a touring event that starts in Turin and ends in Nice, taking place in early September. There is a recommended route but no obligation to stick to it. The route includes around 485km of tarmac and takes in two Grand Tour cols alongside 240km of rocky gravel-based military stradas, often at an altitude of 2,000m or more. Route information is also available for anyone wanting to do the ride at other times. The ride is free aside from a small donation to the Smart Shelter Foundation. Find out more on the event’s website.

Equipment: I took an Isen G.O.A.T. steel-framed touring mountain bike. I used tubeless 2.1 tyres which worked well on and off road. I was glad to get no punctures – particularly as when I returned home I discovered all the back-up inner tubes I’d taken were the wrong valve type and would have been useless. I used a variety of fashionable “bikepacking” bags, strapping a lot of my equipment to oversized bottle cages on the fork. A single front chainring and a wide range cassette gave me a lowest gear of 32x50. Unusually for me I suffered no mechanical issues aside from the odd bolt working loose.

After some cycling disasters, Adrian Downie was looking for something kinder when he decided to attempt the TorinoNice Rally in early September – a scenic and non-competitive jaunt, with the added appeal of top-class Italian food…

A nice ride to I HAD A DISASTROUS 2017. LondonEdinburgh-London was abandoned after 900km – I was out of time, and suffering borderline hypothermia. It was difficult to summon up any enthusiasm for doing anything over 200km in 2018. The discovery that I’d been anaemic for some time, which had taken its toll on my average speed, had contributed to my falling a long way short of previous cycling achievements. I felt the time was right to try some more relaxed riding. I’d read some accounts of the Torino-Nice Rally and it sounded perfect – no deadline, beyond making it on to a flight home, non-competitive, a choice of routes, amazing scenery and most importantly – Italian food. The entry process involved going into a lottery for a place. Some months later I received confirmation I was in. The next stage was concern about being capable of a ride with 15,000-plus metres of climbing and for which I didn’t own a suitable bike. Come September I had resolved the bike issue – having borrowed a very nice Isen Workshop bike. It fitted me almost perfectly aside from the front end being a bit low.

I then set about spoiling its appearance with far too many bags, some loop bars and my reliable Brooks saddle. My fitness had greatly increased following a course of heavy duty iron pills, though I was still a long way from my Audaxing peak. Unfortunately I then put my back out badly two weeks before the ride while attempting to change a car tyre. I contemplated cancelling the ride altogether. My physio was not optimistic about my chances of finishing the ride, but suggested it was worth going anyway and doing as much of it as I could manage. Right up to the day of departure I fretted over whether it was better to just cancel altogether and avoid the disappointment, but in the end I found myself hobbling round Gatwick airport with a bike box I could barely lift. My careful efforts to get it within the limits were wasted as they didn’t even weigh it. I then suffered another low moment as my flight was repeatedly delayed and with my back issues I could find nowhere to sit or stand in the airport that didn’t hurt. We finally took off around three hours late, further increasing my sense of gloom (but

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Nervous start… Piazza Bodoni where the ride begins with friends, from left, Caren, Nelson and Cata

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eventually resulting in a substantial refund). Approaching Turin I was excited and apprehensive at my first glimpse of the mountains. I had a couple of days before the ride started, which I largely spent stretching and walking in an attempt to ease my back pain. I reassembled my bike and did a quick test ride with luggage attached – something I should have done before leaving but hadn’t had enough time. It was worryingly heavy and I started to regret the extra gear I’d brought.

The night before the ride starts, most participants meet up for a meal at a restaurant in the same Piazza Bodoni where the ride begins. I was at the older end of participants, so sensibly opted to limit myself to a couple of drinks and got an early night. I wasn’t keen to start the ride with a hangover. Early the next day I walked to the local supermarket where I stocked up on emergency rations – pastries, cheese and focaccia. The piazza was full of nervouslooking cyclists and there was much fretting about who had too much or too little luggage (definitely too much in my case). A quick group photo was taken and then people gradually set off at their own pace. I had several friends on the ride, but because of worries about my speed and back problems I’d told them I would mostly ride independently and would hope to meet them along the way. They diverted to Decathlon for some last minute shopping and I joined a large group through the Turin suburbs. After Turin the group fragmented. This was the last point I’d see

Assietta… Caren on the climb

many of them. Now we were on a long straight road with the mountains visible in the distance. Another rider pointed out my bars were too low. I was already all too aware of this, so all this did was increase my pessimism as there was no further room for adjustment. On the positive side, my back seemed fine while I was cycling. There was the odd twinge, but nothing unbearable. As usual it was a delight to be cycling in a country with relatively tolerant drivers and a plentiful supply of bakeries and cheap espressos. The very detailed route notes gave two options at this point – one relatively easy road climb, or the Colombardo (1,898m), which it made very clear was not easy. I went for the Colombardo before I had the chance to change my mind. It started as a very steep road climb and proceeded to add in rough gravel and rocks from about halfway up. It quickly became clear that distances were largely irrelevant compared to the amount of climbing and quality of surface. It was late in the afternoon by the time I reached the top. I triumphantly took photos of the Colle sign, before discovering I wasn’t actually at the top and had several kilometres more of steep, rough gravel to deal with. The sun was going down and it was getting cold. Condove at the bottom of the descent seemed a bit grim so I pressed on to

Sant’Antonio di Susa which looked more hopeful. I then wasted a great deal of time trying and failing to find accommodation in the dark. B&B’s were either full, closed, or no longer existed. I considered camping, but the area was too built-up for this to be appealing. Eventually I managed to online book an apartment back in Condove, so doubled back 7km, unsure if my booking would actually exist or if I’d have to sleep under a road bridge. Fortunately I was met by a cheerfully drunk Italian man who let me into a large comfortable, apartment while enthusiastically congratulating me on my ride. Even more fortunately the local pizzeria was still open. Retracing the previous night’s route, I observed the massive amount of scaffolding on the bridge and felt glad I’d not slept under it. While on holiday the previous year, my family and I had missed the Genoa bridge disaster by about an hour and I suspect I would have had a sleepless night contemplating it. The next climb was the Colle delle Finestre (2,178m), the longest climb of the ride. It started easily with a good road through forests, before the scenery turned more alpine and the surface deteriorated. I’d occasionally get a glimpse of another rider in the distance, but I mostly enjoyed the peace of riding on my own. As I finally

reached the top the weather got worse and the subsequent descent turned my hands numb with cold. The next part of the route was the famous Strada Assietta. The rifugio (a remote mountain shelter combining youth hostel accommodation with restaurant quality catering) where I planned to stay was only 10km further. I made a start, but quickly decided to give myself an easy day and turned back to the nearby Fattoria Pian dell’Alpe. My friends were also stopping there for the night, along with a few other riders and it was nice to speak to people after two days of mostly solo riding. Dinner was of course excellent – home-made pasta, a huge cheeseboard and plenty of wine. The next morning was sunny and my decision to postpone the Strada Assietta seemed a good one. It’s an amazing road, but the 10km to the next rifugio took me until lunchtime due to a mixture of climbing, washboard surfaces and my need to stop and take photos every five minutes.

Apparently riders who had tackled it the previous afternoon had to go through a snowstorm. There are some advantages to being slow... My friends Caren, Nelson and Cata rode much of this with me and it was also the first time on the ride I saw marmots. These large fluffy ground squirrels live at high altitudes but are hard to photograph

Sunset across the Via de Sale

Dan, from Canada, begins the climb up the Colle Finestre www.audax.uk

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without a zoom lens. Reluctantly leaving my friends behind (they had an extra day before their flight home), I spent the night as the only guest in a resort town hotel. The next day started with a long, cold descent to Briançon over the border in France. The first thing I found in town was an artisan boulangerie which allowed me to fully restock on pastries. As long as I had at least one squashed pastry in my bar bag I wouldn’t starve. This day would see me climbing two Cols, but all on road. First was the Col d’Izoard (2360m), full of road bikes, well signposted and with numerous distance and height markers. I stopped briefly at the top but it was crowded with cars and motorbikes and felt too hectic after the

peace of the previous couple of days. The descent felt like it went on for ever and I was glad that I had good disc brakes. It was now very hot and I had another massive climb ahead, the Col Agnel (2,744m) – the third highest road pass in Europe, which took me back into Italy again. By late afternoon I still had a way to go when I bumped into a group of Canadians I’d met at the start of the ride. They were staying at a campsite in the village of Pierre-Grosse so I decided this was a better option than finishing the climb that night. While I had a dynamo light that would have made

night-time riding fine, it seemed a shame to miss out on the views. I was also feeling bad for having not done any camping so far, particularly as, unlike most people on the ride, I’d brought a small tent rather than a bivvy bag, reasoning that if I didn’t finish I could spend a few days camping. The rest of the Agnel was a long, hot climb, with very limited shade. I reached the top around midday, feeling a little irritable at the massive number of motorbikes and cars blocking the views. I descended the very steep other side, impressed at the few cyclists tackling it from that direction. Somewhere near the bottom I found a reservoir and a restaurant that was open and still willing to serve a late lunch.

I was conscious of being hot and dishevelled in a smart restaurant full of people enjoying lunch, but the ravioli with nut sauce outweighed these concerns. I carried on towards Sampeyre where I planned to stock up on supplies. Unfortunately the supermarket was closed and I didn’t want to wait around until mid-afternoon for it to re-open. I began the climb up the Col de Sampeyre (2,284m), intending to stay at a rifugio three-quarters of the way up. However when I eventually got through to them on the phone they were full, so I had no choice but to continue upwards. This was a more enjoyable climb, being mostly surfaced, with plentiful shade and almost entirely free of traffic.

Reaching the top was something of a highlight for me. I was up above the clouds in early evening sun, totally alone on this peaceful mountain top, the only noise being cowbells in the distance. This coincided with an awareness that my back pain was decreasing and for the first time I allowed myself to believe that I could actually finish the whole ride. Things remained good as I found myself the only guest at the Rifugio La Sousto dal Col which had recently been taken over by a nice young couple who spoke good English and were keen to feed me huge amounts of food. Faced with a hard choice between a cheeseboard and dessert I ended up opting for both. Leaving the next morning I was given a

massive takeaway sandwich with my favourite of last night’s cheeses and a very reasonable 60 Euro bill. I had another choice of routes here, the harder and longer one apparently involved quite a bit of bike-carrying, so I reluctantly went for the easier one, not wanting to risk further back problems. Also the shorter route took the “Death Road” which was too good a name to miss. It followed a narrow valley with a sheer drop beyond railings, which were frequently missing. In good weather it didn’t feel that deadly, but I took it very gently anyway. Next came the Colle del Preit (2,076m), another “easier” road option where I wouldn’t have to risk lifting my heavy bike and bags’. I was low on food aside from my

I was up above the clouds in ❝ early evening sun, totally alone on this peaceful mountain top, the only noise being cowbells in the distance

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On top of the world… cloud inversion on Col de Sampeyre www.audax.uk

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sandwich but there were two restaurants in Preit about halfway up the climb so I didn’t worry too much. Unfortunately, when I got there, one was closed and the other was unwilling to serve me without a booking. I pressed on. The top of the climb led on to “Little Peru” – a particularly stunning and remote area. It was hot and slow-going, with rough surfaces and very little shade, but the views were amazing. I finally reached a road downhill just as thick cloud rolled in, dropping the visibility to a few metres. I descended as rapidly as was sensible under the conditions, eventually reaching the bottom of the valley where quiet bike paths took me to Borgo San Dalmazzo where I booked a cheap room in a guest-house. Heading into town to get food I was unnerved by being in a busy town after such remote places. The restaurant the owner had recommended turned out to be an “English” style pub that was very busy with young people out for Saturday night. I decided I couldn’t really face this so continued on and found a pizza place where I wouldn’t look as out of place in my hiking trousers and unnecessary down jacket. Having been used to the mountains I’d neglected the fact I was at lower attitude and most people were out in shorts and t-shirts. Next came the Col de Tende (1,870m),

Caren, Nelson and Cata view the Assietta

another long road climb. Early in the climb was the small, busy town of Limone Piemonte then through a road tunnel into France it quietened, with more dormant ski lifts and never-ending switchbacks. Reaching the top I turned on to the gravel track of the Via de Sale, an ancient route where tradesmen once carried salt from the coast to the hinterland. The early stages were steep and meant my patience was occasionally tested by large groups of weekend quad bikers. I had to stop and have a sandwich of supermarket cheese under an empty ski lift station before I could face continuing. The views were incredible – the best of the ride alongside Little Peru. By early evening I reached the very remote Rifugio don Barbera. There were a number of TNR riders already there. I enjoyed the sunset with a beer – before the temperature dropped rapidly and we headed in for a large pasta dinner. It was nice to chat to a variety of international riders about our experiences of the ride. I set off the next morning with Ellen and Chris, an English couple who were doing the ride. They were faster than me up hills but less reckless going down them, so we stayed together for a while. After some fun descents, which made me glad to be running such large tyres, there was more steep, hot and dusty climbing,

before road-signs revealed we were back in France again. I celebrated returning to urban civilisation with a lavish lunch in the first town I reached, before tackling the Col de Turini (1,607m). This climb started off deceptively easy with good roads before becoming steep, rough and slow. I’d planned to camp at the very top by an abandoned fort, but it was growing dark and I reluctantly decided I needed to put up my tent while I could still see. Cautiously circumnavigating some vicious-looking sheep dogs I pulled off the road and set up my tent near a ruined settlement. It wasn’t the best camping spot, but it was properly dark by the time I’d finished trying to insert my horribly bendy tent pegs. I could hear thunder rumbling in the distance which added a sense of urgency, but once in my tent I remained undisturbed by rain or angry dogs. I lay in my tent watching the sunrise, torn between despondency that my flight home was that evening and joy that I was actually going to finish the ride. There were two route options here and I reluctantly took the shorter one to minimise any risk of having to rush to catch my flight. With plenty of time to cycle the remaining distance to Nice and only one climb en-route, I could relax and

Little Peru… the startling rock formations in the nothern Italian Alps

make the most of it. This meant stopping for a first breakfast of pastries in a picturesque village cafe, then again at Sospel for a full French breakfast from another artisanal bakery. I filled any remaining space in my bags with even more pastries and began the final climb up Col de Braus (1,002m). This seemed easy compared to the others, well-surfaced and with gentle gradients. From the top, the descent towards Nice was initially fun, but as it approached Nice it got busier and more industrial. It seemed like ages to get through the heavy traffic on the way into Nice and once in the centre I could conjure up little enthusiasm for the crowds and noise. I stopped at Cafe du Cycliste, the traditional end to the ride, had a cold drink, and decided not to spend £35 on a clean t-shirt, tempting as it was. I navigated multiple lanes of traffic and crowds of tourists, stopping to purchase several rolls of cling-film to assist with packing the bike. Lastly I went for a quick beach-front shower. The airport proved incredibly confusing to navigate. I established that I could only buy a bike box from Terminal Two, but signs frequently led to dead ends and it was another 30 minutes or so before I found it. I was very glad I had taken a shorter route as my time buffer before the flight was quickly evaporating. I purchased a flimsy bike box for 25 Euros, borrowed a large roll of adhesive tape, then set about dismantling the bike in a quiet corner of the airport. After a long

struggle I checked the weighing machine to ensure it was within the limits and encircled the thin box in many, many layers of tape in the hope that nothing would get lost from it during the flight. I then stood back triumphantly before realising my passport was still inside the frame bag, within the box. I borrowed scissors and more tape, frantically extracted the passport, went through the whole wrapping process again, then began the long journey back to Terminal One

with a huge and unwieldy box. I managed to get it on to a tram, then eventually on to a trolley, manoeuvred it through the airport and finally deposited it at Oversized Baggage where they again failed to weigh it. I boarded my flight and sat back thinking about all the overseas rides I’d be doing in 2020. What could go wrong?

Update At time of going to press the the Col Tende and Roya Valley areas near Nice have been badly affected by flooding. The damage has been very severe and a section of the route is currently impassable. It’s uncertain what effect this will have on the ride in future.

The author, Adrian Downie and a passing vullture www.audax.uk

WORDS AND PICTURES PHIL BEED

As the shadow of the Covid-19 lockdown began to relax this summer, half a dozen of Portsmouth’s finest took to the saddle once more, to ride The Foxy 200 – and enjoy a few pints of much-missed real ale in the August sunshine. A happy Phil Beed reports…

The Good Companions ride again

THE SUSPENSION of all Audax UK events was a sensible decision, even though it meant not being able to ride in what turned out to be superb spring weather. But finally, on the first Saturday in August, five eager Audax Club Portsmouth (ACP) pals, led by our captain, Paul Whitehead enthusiastically resumed activity with a splendid DIY event – the Foxy 200. We met early at the burger van on Portsdown Hill – the first randonnée since early spring. Our planned route would take us in an anti-clockwise loop going as far north as Silchester. We were in short sleeves when we set off at 8am, knowing we were in for a hot day. My geared bike has three bottle cages and I’d loaded a full size Bidon of juice in each of them, preferring to carry extra weight than to run out of fluids. I’ve done

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of us taking flasks and sandwiches ❝outTheof oursightsaddle bags would have bought back

memories to cyclists of my father’s generation, when it would have been unusual to find a café open on a Sunday afternoon and carrying your own lunch was the normal thing to do

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We were in ❝ short sleeves when we set off at 8am, knowing we were in for a hot day

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that before on long rides and it’s not fun. Two hours of riding, which included several good climbs, saw us arrive at Hazelmere where we stopped at The Lion’s

Den Café for coffee and cake, the staple diet of the randonneur. We ordered takeaway which we ate on the green opposite the café.

Refueled we continued climbing to the highest point of our ride at Hindhead, then turned left towards Grayshott. Passing the BP garage here always brings back memories as it was the penultimate control on the first 600km event I completed in 2018. On that Sunday afternoon I sat on the verge, with a handful of other riders, all of us exhausted after 550km of riding, eating a sausage roll, drinking coffee, and contemplating the final 50km that would take us back to Raynes Park and the end of our ride. Today we whizzed past heading down hill with 50km behind us and another 150km to go. We continued to Grayshott, then north through Bentley, notable for being the home of Robert Baden-Powell. Just after 1pm, with 100km behind us, we found a decent picnic stop beside the Silchester city walls. The sight of us taking flasks and

Portsmouth port on a fine August morning

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Vital Appointment at the Wonston Arms

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The selection of ❝ beers available, all

sandwiches out of our saddle bags would have bought back memories to cyclists of my father’s generation, when it would have been unusual to find a café open on a Sunday afternoon and carrying your own lunch was the normal thing to do. I think some good things have come out of Lockdown, and re-discovering the pleasure of a packed lunch is one of them. There was a church beside our picnic spot, so before we left I had a quick exploration and found a tap in the corner of the graveyard, which allowed us all to refill our bidons and keep ourselves hydrated on the way to our next stop, an appointment with the Wonston Arms. If you’ve never been to the Wonston

Arms I thoroughly recommend that you should. It’s in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and was named Pub of the Year in 2018. ACP have visited on numerous occasions over the last few years, sometimes on events that pass close by, but often just for a weekend or Friday evening ride. The landlord knows us and we always get a warm welcome, as we did this time, 150km into our ride on a hot Saturday afternoon. The selection of beers available, all described enthusiastically by the landlord, made it difficult to choose, with many of the group deciding the best option was therefore to have more than one pint and explore the range. Fortunately, our speed so far meant we

described enthusiastically by the landlord, made it difficult to choose, with many of the group deciding the best option was therefore to have more than one pint

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had time in hand for this extended stop. Thinking about it now I suspect that this visit had always been our captain’s plan – which is why he kept up the pace in the earlier part of the ride. All good things must come to an end and eventually we managed to tear ourselves away from the pub and start the final part of our ride. Once past Micheldever we were on familiar roads and Alresford always feels we’re nearly

Near to the end of the beginning

home. With the day starting to cool it was just a matter of gently turning the pedals, and before we knew it we were at the Fox and Hounds, 200km completed with time in hand. We ordered something to eat and drink before riding home. Cycling 140 miles in good company, with a variety of stops for food and drink, made for a very enjoyable day out, and a welcome return to Audax. Who knows how long it will be before we return to bigger events? But we need to be grateful and enjoy what we can do rather than worry about what we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do. Our next planned adventure is an overnight 200km ride in early September, giving us something different to look forward to.

On the route is the village of Droxford. In 1944, at a critical time during World War II, Droxford station was used by the Prime Minister Winston Churchill as a base during preparations for the Normandy landings. Based in an armoured train parked in the sidings at Droxford, Churchill met with ministers, military commanders and leaders of allied nations. On 4 June 1944, shortly before the landings were due to take place, Free French leader Charles de Gaulle visited Churchill at Droxford, and was informed of the invasion plans. When discussing the future governance of liberated France at this meeting, Churchill expressed his view that if forced to side with France or the United States he would always choose the United States, a remark which instilled in de Gaulle a suspicion of British intentions and caused long-term damage to the postwar relationship between France and Britain. (Wikipedia)

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WORDS AND PICTURES BEN CONNOLLY

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Pin-pointing pointlessness is the pinnacle of pleasure

Burford… a view through the wheel before my steep then splash section

Satisfied sunset… the pure joy at the end of a long day in the saddle

Those of you who still use hard-copy Ordnance Survey maps to navigate will be aware that double chevron markings on a road denote a hill with a steepness of 1 in 5 or greater (that’s anything between eight and 13 per cent). During an idle lockdown moment, Ben Connolly, left, picked out the chevrons on his map of the Cotswolds – and then set out to ride all 33 of them in one day from his home in Stroud, for no other reason than it just might be fun.

SOME PEOPLE think I’m obsessed with problem-solving – to the degree that I’ll actually go out of my way to find a problem, then try to solve it. So, during lockdown I took out my local OS map, searching for all the home-grown chevrons The objective was to devise a ride which would link these chevron marks, but that was not its purpose. Being furloughed meant my life was easy and free from challenges. I had to complete this arbitrary task to remind myself that I could – and remember how good discomfort can feel. The first step was to lay out the map and mark all the chevrons. I’d committed to this goal before becoming aware of the true scale of it. My map had 33 chevrons. There was no escaping the distance. This was turning into a huge day out. Organisation is not something I pride myself on, but I have to admit I rather enjoyed it. I was missing my job. I’m a software engineer and before lockdown had been working on a pathfinding

optimization algorithm. I was enjoying the calculation of the route. Ultimately, however, because I tend to ride with my head in the clouds, I ended up using the paper map – and re-routing on the fly. I was beaming right from the first pedal stroke. Today was simple; today felt free. I glided weightlessly along the lanes, my enthusiasm acting as a tailwind. I’d snapped the lockdown chains that shackled me to home – there was nothing holding me back. As the sun rose and the world woke up I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time – hunger. It is such a primal instinct, but easily lost in cushy modern life. The food tasted so much better because I needed it, rather than simply wanting it. Something obvious in reflection, that I hadn’t considered, was what a physical rollercoaster this ride would be. Each chevron is a road that contains one section steeper than eight per cent. This has no requirement for length of climb and my ride was filled with these literal ups and downs. I defy anyone to keep a straight face as the road whooshes you forwards with the gravitational potential energy you

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just transferred from your legs. Such a simple joy. In singling out special moments, I am doing an injustice to all the untold tales, but the stand-out was at the top of a village. My first chevron after a long Roman road, it was steep, it was straight, and it ended with a ford. Full speed ahead on the log flume. I honked my vocal horn and the children splashing squealed with excitement – an excitement I shared. Getting wet feet was so childish and silly but I love that I did it anyway. Long bike rides can feel monotonous. Just turning the pedals. Now this alone is not a criticism; that simple state of being is something special. However, this ride had

none of that. Counting down the chevrons broke it into manageable sections, a consistent feeling of progress, that achievement I had been yearning for. I spent all morning looking forward to lunch. I’d made my own guacamole wraps and vegan brownies the previous afternoon. Being totally self-sufficient on this ride added to the liberation. I was able to stop where I wanted, when I wanted. The food lived up to the hype. By early afternoon the heat had clearly got to my filter. I made an audible whoosh as the road dipped, followed by desperate gasping then giggling. I continuously got carried away in the thrill of the hill, pushing way too hard, forgetting that I had 33 to do, plus another nine, thanks to some carefree navigation. I was doing this for my own tormented amusement, not efficiency. An unavoidable consequence of visiting all the chevrons in a single ride was going round in circles to revisit the valley villages that have four steep roads

in and out. Naturally this repetition happened later on the route when my legs and saddle area were getting rather fed up with this unrelenting cycling. Simply difficult would be my two word summary of long bike rides. There is a significant distinction between simple and easy. Both can be positives, as can their opposites. Autoplay Netflix is both, knitting a tea cosy is complicated and easy, long bike rides are simply difficult. All you do all day is simply ride your bike, but there is nothing easy about riding all day long. On the familiar roll home I reflected on whether this had been my most productive day or my least. On the one hand I’d cycled a long way, seen lots of interesting things, and experienced living. On the other hand, I’d spent almost an entire day prepping the route and a subsequent “floppy” day recovering from this simple activity. At the end of it all I was back where I started. I concluded that productivity was not the pinnacle of life.

FACTS AND FIGURES: This 220km round of the Cotswolds took Ben 15hrs (13hrs riding) with 3,421m of climbing. The route takes you through the heart of the AONB via Bourton-on-the Water, Burford and Cirencester

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I defy anyone to keep a straight face as the road whooshes you forwards with the gravitational potential energy you just transferred from your legs. Such a simple joy

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Those lanes you dream of… the straight sections around Lechlade illustrate a Roman inheritance

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As the sun rose and the world woke up I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time – hunger. It is such a primal instinct, but easily lost in cushy modern life

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Deli-rious… my aesthetic avocado-based lunch

An unavoidable ❝ consequence of visiting all the chevrons in a single ride was going round in circles to revisit the valley villages that have four steep roads in and out

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Fountain of youth… a croc fountain I found and dunked my head in each of the three times I passed it

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WORDS AND PICTURES CHRIS BATTENTI

Londoner Chris Battenti has lived in West Cork for 24 years – but it seems that “the luck of the Irish” has yet to rub off on him. Here’s his tale of woe from PBP 2019:

The long road

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GOING INTO PBP 2019 I was fitter, better trained and prepared than I’d ever been for any event. But sometimes things just go wrong. Kate Kelly, a formidable rider and fellow member of Audax Ireland, was my riding companion for the event. We travelled together, to save costs, from Bantry, West Cork, in my reliable and well-maintained 18 year old Skoda Fabia, bikes strapped to the back, catching the ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg, then driving to Paris for the start. Troubles started before we even set off. On a final test ride I heard a disturbing creak from my front wheel dynamo – the thing that controls all my lighting system and charges my GPS and phone. The hub had completely disintegrated. No time for repairs or replacement – I had no choice but to go old-school with batterypowered lights. We arrived at the campsite late on

Wednesday, found our pitches and put up our tents. The campsite was packed out, with everyone doing PBP. Every nationality was there and it was great catching up with old friends. I started the ride at 6pm on the Sunday, feeling confident. The French were so friendly – they set up impromptu coffee stops at almost every village. Just when you were at a low ebb at 3am, you’d come across a roadside stall handing out free coffee and cake. As an example of the hospitality on the route – I’d fallen asleep on a footpath in a small village and was gently woken by an elderly man telling me he had a spare bed I could use. I’m

told this is a typical act of French generosity. Then at 300k more disaster. My saddle broke. I made some makeshift repairs but it was like sitting on a hot razor blade with a permanent wedgie. The rest of the ride was the usual Audax affair, and I won’t bore you with the details, but basically it was non-stop hills, no proper sleep, freezing night temperatures, extreme fatigue coupled with almost falling asleep on the bike. At one point I had the idea that if I closed one eye at a time then I could get half a sleep – a very silly idea. A lot of the ride was a blur. It was tough, oh my god, so tough! PBP has the reputation of being

Chateau de Rambouillet

Good to be home… Kate Kenny and Chris Battenti back on Irish soil

home

one of the hardest cycling events out there and now I know why. I didn’t complete the ride. I got as far as 1,022km when Shermer’s Neck set in. I decided my health was more important, so I reluctantly withdrew with just under 200k remaining. Kate also had to pull out, just after the 1,000km mark. It was sad but a great experience and I learnt a lot of things that I can carry forward to the next time – will there be a next time? I’m not sure; it was tough, very tough. I went to places I’d never been before, both physically and mentally, and to be honest it was scary. I thought that was the end of our French adventure, but round the corner more bad luck awaited. We packed up our tents and set off for the ferry. An hour into the drive all the lights on the dashboard started blinking and we suddenly lost all electrics – on a motorway. We managed to turn off, and ended up in an industrial estate where I killed the engine. It wouldn’t start again. After some frantic googling we found a breakdown firm and with very little French tried to tell them where we were. So we waited… and waited. Five hours later I rang again, only to have the phone put down on me. More frantic googling. After several calls, one to the ferry postponing our sailing, and more hang ups, a company agreed to come out. So we waited and waited some more. After a further three hours a tow truck appeared. The driver, who didn’t speak English, put the car on the back of the truck, piled us in the back and promptly dropped us off at a local hotel and disappeared with my car into the night. What just happened I asked? The hotelier showed us to our rooms. He didn’t speak English either, and didn’t understand our pitiful attempts to communicate in his native language. He was excellent, however, in the art of shoulder-shrugging. Surely it couldn’t get any worse? The next morning we tried to locate the garage – on our bikes, and promptly got lost. We ran into a couple who actually spoke English. Great news! Sadly, they weren’t locals, and didn’t know where the garage might be. Then they introduced themselves. They were Jehovah’s Witnesses – and asked if we had a few moments to talk. I kid you not! We finally found the garage

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Perfect English…Françoise and Jean Jacques

POSTSCRIPT I’ve heard nothing since then and I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the car is not worth collecting as the cost to go over and the ferry back, (assuming it’s fixed reliably enough to get back), is definitely worth more than the car! So I bought another.

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Local support… a French family with a welcome roadside refresh

where there was more shouldershrugging. The car, we were told, needed a part, but being the weekend nothing could happen until Monday anyway. We cycled reluctantly back to the hotel to find our bags packed and out in the reception. The place was fully booked, apparently. We were given a list of other hotels with plenty of shrugging, and the word “non” repeated many times. More frantic calls, more hang ups, more googling, more Google Translate, lots of head-scratching and even more swearing! It was a hopeless situation. There didn’t seem to be any empathy at all. What happened to the friendliness and generously of PBP? That’s when a couple overheard our plight – our saviours, Françoise and Jean Jacques who had excellent English and booked us a hotel and ordered a taxi. So with a parting glare at Monsieur Shrugalot we were off again, but this time we had a plan, no car, but a plan. Françoise agreed to meet us at the garage on Monday and help with the language barrier. Lovely people, and faith in humanity restored. But… Monday, car will be ready on Tuesday. Tuesday, car still not ready. Wednesday, another fault found. Car sent to a different garage. Thursday, another problem, another part required. Friday, car still not fixed. Facing another

unplanned weekend in France, we decided to return to Ireland as foot passengers. I truly believe that, had it not been for our new friends, we’d still be in France. The garage rang me about three months after I returned to Ireland to say the car was now ready and they wanted exactly €2,000. It transpired it wasn’t the alternator at all but some wires crossing causing a short. Needless to say the car is still there!

Although I’ve never mentioned it in my online blog, I still have nightmares about it – there was one point I was sitting at the side of the road with my head in my hands – no car, no hotel, no money, more luggage than I could carry thinking how can this situation be so desperate. After all I wasn’t stranded in Beirut, I was only in France!

The

Baking Biker

SARAH FREEMAN She’s not only a keen cook and cyclist, Sarah’s also an active member of her local Women’s Institute in Lincoln, and she delights in creating delicious and nutritious snacks for her fellow cyclists.

Who doesn’t love the winning combination of cheese and potato? Throw in a tangy taste of onion, and you’ve got a snack which will give you an injection of fresh energy on the toughest ride. They’re as delicious served cold as they are straight out of the oven. Sarah Freeman has the details:

Cheesy potato scones – a simple, tasty snack to give you a biking boost This recipe is simple to prepare, but is guaranteed to give you a flavoursome fillip on a cold winter’s bike jaunt. INGREDIENTS ● 125g of mashed potato, seasoned. ● Onion to taste – finely chopped, ● 80g of flour ● 1 egg ● 25g grated cheese

METHOD ● Mix the mashed potato with the egg, make sure the potato isn’t too hot as it will cook the egg. Add the onion, then the flour to form a stiff dough. Mix in the grated cheese. ● Form into two scones shapes. ● Pop in the oven for 20-25 mins.

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Old Star Trek episodes kept the wheels turning for our seriously-solo Audaxer, Dan Campbell during the weeks of lockdown this year. He got stronger and fitter by using his static bike at home in Stoke-on-Trent – but no thinner! This is his lockdown diary…

DAN’S VITAL STATS Location: Stoke on Trent Bike: 2011 9-speed aluminium tank Age: 44 Weight: Wheel breaking (110kg) Fitness: broken and rebuilt Resting Heart Rate: 65 BMI: Obese WHR (waist/hip ratio): High Favourite food: See food! All Dan’s ride reports are here: https://dancampbell.co.uk/ audax-ride-list/

It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it

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HERE’S A LOCKDOWN PARADOX I committed myself to just one hour on the road and 15 miles on the turbo trainer each day during the height of the pandemic. Each indoor training session was, fortuitously, the same length as the Star Trek episodes I watched while pedalling! Here’s the enigma – while I felt faster and stronger as a result, I couldn’t shift my winter belly and the lockdown “top up”. Like everyone else, lockdown forced a change to my training plan. On the turbo trainer I saw my averaged

y. ast… 300k m di Ba la for brea kf im b cl e th of top e th Looki ng ba ck at out of Ba la

estimated watts per ride rise from 256w to 310w. In July I managed to sustain 327w for 20 minutes – but it killed my knees. Because of the high volume of night riding which I do, I converted to dynamo lights this year, and I must say the front light (B&M Lumotec IQ-X 100Lux) is excellent – almost as good as my car headlights when up to speed. The beam length is outstanding on the downhills and the light still illuminated the road when I was crawling up Mow Cop’s 22 per cent incline at

3mph. However, there were occasions when I needed the beam to be a little wider, usually going around sharp corners on very narrow country lanes. I also invested in an Igaro D2 which failed after three rides. I contacted Igaro and they sent me a new unit the next day. You can’t argue with that. Having used the IQ-X light a few times now, I will definitely consider a wider and higher angle beamed light next time. When I did manage to get out into the world on a bike, these were some of my rides…

AAA) (DIY, 100KM, 1.75 AROUND STOKE D TE C19 NOT VALIDA uch I enjoyed riding I’d forgotten how m tell this ted this route. I could overnight when I tes rted as sta n ow kd since the loc was my first 100km and iles through Cheadle I flew the first 20 m ld all go va ra St d ine s and ga Froghall to Ipstone off! But to turbo training paid the way. I guess the to from Meir Heath be honest the section quickly interesting so moving Ipstones is not very helped. ton Ipstones to Cheddle The back roads from el av ten with loose gr were very narrow, of b from ed at the sharp clim riv sections. I quickly ar to fe) Railway (and ca the Churnet Valley scared had left me mentally ich Cheddleton, wh ing like th no s wa It years ago. when I last did it 10 on from thankfully the secti I remembered and, and Hayes Country Park Cheddleton to Deep is th leg very fast. I enjoyed Rudyard Lake was Deep of for the climb out much more, except Hayes to Leek. r photo th a quick detour fo Rudyard Lake (wor the ted the day) represen and a cuppa during to er bing section, ov start of the next clim st and enjoyed the long, fa lly Biddulph, I especia dark. I e th in r, oo Biddulph M exciting descent off time back wer than my fastest was 23 seconds slo

in 2012 when I was using this hilly sect (Rudyard to ion Mow Cop) o f the route to for the End-t prepare o-End ride. Turning off the main ro ad, I settled long climb to in for the the village o f Mow Cop w actually enjo hich I yed as I cou ld see the ou the livestock tline of in the adjace nt fields and sounds of th hear the e owls and cr ying foxes, o broken by th nly e “pimp my car” parade descending past me. Rea lly? It’s the m the night! iddle of The Woodco ck Lane clim b (22%) was hard climb a my final nd took me past the cast was very da le, but it rk, so I just p ushed on fo fast and wid r the very e descent to wards Cong loved this se leton. I ction of the ride, some g climbing, an ood d fast desce nts. Crossing the Congleton m ain road ma transition to rked the the flat sect ion to Winte Betley. This rly and is a very fast section and very quickly. it passes During the d ay, this sectio mainly prett n is y Cheshire la nes and the It was a sho odd cafe. ck when I dro pped on to th through Bet e A531 ley to Madel ey, but I then the country re-joined lanes with a few gentle cl before drop imbs ping onto th e A51 taking m Stone and th e to e finish. t. La w u lph – S

Bidd a t nig ht

re nce’s

Churc h

www.audax.uk

STOKE TO CHIRK AN D BACK (AUDAX, DIY, 200K M) C19 NOT VALIDATE D

Arrivée150Winter2020

This is a lovely ride with lots to see along the wa y. It can be hard work if it’s windy on the exposed roads. Unusually for me, this was a 3pm start rathe r than a 3am start. This meant that I had to compete with the rush hour traffic as I made my way through the different towns to rea ch the countryside. The first 20miles to Ch eswardine and Saint Sw ithun’s church is my normal rou te to the Cheshire plains and beyond. The vistas from the roads as you descend from Chesward ine looking towards the Wrekin and Long Mynd are worth pausing for . After crossing the A442 there is a lovely sectio n through Stanton Upon Hine Heath before tur ning to Moreton Corbet and St. Bartholomew Church and Castle. This was full of families enjoying the sunny evening and picnickin g. The B5063 towards We m was uninspiring bu t it was quick and mostly free of cars. This next sectio n to Baschurch is lovely too as the roads are quiet and it feels like you are miles from anywhere. I quick ly arrived at Baschurch to see a long line of peop le waiting to go into the late shop, so I just kept going. This next section is als o lovely but did get a litt le lumpy and it seemed to take an age to reach St

The view from Wel sh Fran kton

y along the wa ts of interest in o p e th w g fe n o n. A Martins. Am elsh Frankto ’s church at W ve vistas w a re h d u n A yo St is g the route n lo a s er et hundred m les. lains into Wa across the p ’s Church in to of St Mary o h p a ke ta d as you pass I stopped to the main roa ve o thouse b a t se ff at the Boa Ellesmere, nd I pulled o a n en – it w p o to e e b th ould still through w it t a th e p in ho cafe in the va k wasn’t! es Heath too smere to Pre le El oo had h m a o W fr e n ng but th The sectio ro w e n o g I’d ught to the night. forever. I tho kept riding in I so re o ef b me y fingers never failed and I had m ed iv rr a lly a fin ill be open. It Prees Heath tion would st a st l ro et p e th crossed that s! a w Drayton and n to Market io ct y se e th en e ride and m I’ve have ridd ttled in for th se I so e , th es n m o ti gic home a few orking its ma dlight was w ea h o m a yn d dark lanes. I seek to d the city life n a t, ack ie u q e er s nice to be b The roads w ind me. It wa eh b ed d is fa Th escape had to Eccleshall. country lanes inly climbing a m is h ic h on the dark w , n io ct se l iles; I live e fina represents th the last five m shire. lly ia ec p es rd ome, ints in Staffo all the way h e highest po th f o e n o f o on top

ar k bridg Quee ns P ter Ches

STOKE, CHIRK, CHESTER, STOKE (AUDAX, DIY, 200KM) C19 NOT VALIDATED A great ride, though it nearly fini shed me off, thanks to the wind. But at least the rou te offers lots of café stops. It was my normal early star t (2.30am) as I wanted to be at Chirk Services for breakfast, and Chester’s Net’s Café 100 miles awa y, for lunch. I followed my normal route to the Cheshire plains through Wem and Ellesmere and on to St Martin’s and the A5 petrol station at Chi rk. I love this route; it’s quick and gets me to Wales rapidly. And the best bit - I had the roads to myself. After finishing my chicken and bacon sandwich meal-deal, washed it down wit h a small bottle of milk, I headed back to St Martin ’s and turned north for Chester into a soul-destroying headwind which the weather forecast had not pre dicted. This is a new section which offe red new roads to me and was very pleasant, even mo re so without the wind. I kept my head down and churned out the miles and the familiar roads aro und Tattenhall started to welcome me. I had a little stop in Tattenhall for a photo of Seymo ur the squirrel and an energy gel as I was starting to feel the effort of fighting the wind. e in

EAKFAST BALA FOR BR 0KM) 30 (AUDAX, DIY, ATED D LI A V T O N C19

in e Squ irrel Seymore th ved from a n car Tatt en ha ll ee broug ht k tr a ncient oa 014 st or m in 2 a by n dow

stops, big climbs ith plenty of café w e rid t ea gr a This is rrigydrudion is vista. Chirk to Ce sh el W d od e th and d the A5 traffic. morning to avoi rly ea evening ne do st be m on Saturday 9p t ou ab t ar st ent to bed I’d intended to s in Stoke, so I w rm to rs de un th but we had ed off into the 30am and head ctions of the and got up at 1. d the flooded se oi av to ng yi tr , darkness road. ccleshall, route to Chirk (E al rm no y m r fo take a photo of I settled in only stopping to e) er sm le El d was a welcome Wem, an r night sky. Chirk ea cl y gl in az rting from my the am hich were still hu w s ee e kn y m r fo relief re. Sitting on th ion the day befo ss se g a in g in tin tra ea o le turb ng whi to the birds singi bench listening y. da nt t a brillia sandwich – wha ne ng and best do up the A5 was lo ad irk ro Ch e n th ee ew I kn cky betw e traffic. I was lu th d d the oi ha I av e. to m rly ea rs overtook ca e fiv ly on – n the B4501 and Llangolle en I turned on to rw Co om Fr f. el the top and road to mys on, climbed over di ru yd ig rr Ce The wind was just before eryn and Bala. yw Tr d p ar w to d ake it over the to descende t that if I could m gh ou th I ld t ou bu , sh brutal scent. You h less on the de it would be muc d at Bala for op mptions. I st pe su as y e ak m r ve ne r too much as m ’t want to linge dn di I t. as kf ea br

knees were feeling like footballs. The next section took me along the B439 1, down into Tanat Valley and onwards to Shre wsbury. The climb was much longer than I rememb ered but just as steep. I was doing 30mph when I had to slam the brakes on – what a great photo of the Tanat Valley. The road is wide, providing a lovely descent. There is one very sharp corner to slow down – and avoid the holes and raised tarmac. The roads thro ugh Tanat Valley towards Shrewsbury are fast so I maintained my speed into the small climbs. The last time I cycled along the valley was on John Hamilton ’s Wandering Wolves – Lake Vyrnwy (Audax, Perm, 200k m).

was ng the coastal path I knew that the ride alo y, it bo use of the wind but going to be hard beca ep ke d to force myself to nearly broke me. I ha t’s Café of a lovely lunch at Ne going on the promise s about. which everyone rave ch a ustrial estate was su Turning off into the ind e th to e d all but faded du relief as the wind ha to d ha I d dscape. Instea surrounding hard lan ing c SLAG (Socially Lack tri en oc contend with eg ing rid h lfis se eir ers and th Aggressive Group) rid er, I ans to be a group rid me it at wh style. If this is e alone. am thankful that I rid en in ly’s Café would be op I was hoping that Til d with ne pe reo ve at they ha Bunbury as I know th s! So, I are closed on Sunday restrictions. No, they the Coop to buy some waited in line to enter . As I the last 30miles home snacks and water for ead of dr ng Heath, the loomi approached Madeley I had ds ar erw owing that aft climbing Keele Hill, kn s leg my de ma e doorstep, a five-mile climb to th I s. ile 0m 14 t no s d 400mile feel like they had cycle ine Ch se ed by the homemade pushed on, encourag return. meal that awaited my

To be honest by knees were feeling no better, so I cut the route short by jumping on the A5 for a few miles to Montford Bridge and heading for Shrewsbury for a drink and a bit of food. From here the route felt hard and long, every time I turned the crank. Let us just say I was glad when it ended.

Hol y Trin Lea ton

it y Church

in www.audax.uk

PRIZE CROSSWORD No.3 by Sprocket

WIN

£5r 0 of your

e e vouch h c oicl be drawn r wil the winne the correct from all eived by c entries re y 2021 25 Januar

Send your completed grid to: The editor Arrivée magazine crossword Walnut Farm, Bagpath, Kingscote Gloucestershire GL8 8YQ or email a picture/copy to: gedlennox@me.com YOUR NAME: MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: EMAIL ADDRESS:

ACROSS 1 Make your uncle formal? 5 Make forest route, opening toward the top 9 They’re united in pride, applying lube the wrong way before new season starts 10 Digs in to scramble up wild glens 11 Same broken cleat I bind, scratching bolt-head 12 Pitched to bring down hillside 14 Main twist revealing unseen foe 16 Home setup for busy workers? 19 Huddle masses in high wind 20 Variety of rim materials: scrap, elastic, timber, uranium... 23 Latest riders went backwards, ignoring limits 25 Strand fatigue makes for some rather revealing kit 28 Improvise casual ride, after which one’s wound up 29 Old tribe’s reformed - nice one! 30 Make one tinned sporting event 31 Make shed, for a while yet

7 7 5 9 9 4 8 6 6 8 4 9 4,1,4 5 7 7

DOWN 1 Make drink in almost-right vessel 2 Stick with tradition, following out-and-back route? 3 Steer awkwardly to get back to beginning 4 Leading astray into grass around start of course 5 Revolutionaries held up by tension? 6 Wise types yielding to wit after hours? 7 Unusual road not found in mountains 8 Make compensation to keep the French quiet 13 “Great adventure” means most of plan upended! 15 Lewd joke might be used for bonding in 1, 1, 5, 8, 19, 21, 30 or 31 17 Contract green meat disorder 18 Moss collection hiding mercury-laced skewer 19 Make in the beginning? 21 Make bloke stuck behind fancy car 22 Get to junction one in Scottish harbour 24 Drone captured greeting by world record ride leaders 26 Composition starts: horses are impractical, kilometres used 27 Mineral powder for one’s internal care

Arrivée150Winter2020

Solution for No.2

Congratulations to the winner of our fiendish crossword No.2: Jeff Rowell AUK members 16975

7 9 5 8 6 4 5 7 4 4 9 8 7 7 6 5 5 4

CONTACTS

Arrivée is the magazine of Audax United Kingdom, the long distance cyclists’ association which represents Les Randonneurs Mondiaux in the UK. AUK membership is open to any person, regardless of club or other affiliation, who is imbued with the spirit of long-distance cycling. MEMBERSHIP Enquiries: Caroline Fenton (AUK Membership Secretary), 56 Lockesfield Place, London E14 3AJ membership@audax.uk One and five year membership available – for full details and fees see https://audax.uk/join-us/ ARRIVÉE Extra or back copies of Arrivée

subject to availability – please contact Caroline Fenton

ISSUE 151 SPRING EDITION CONTRIBUTIONS

TO ADVERTISE Rates per issue: ¼ page £75, pro rata to £300 per page. Payment in advance. We rely on good faith and Arrivée cannot be held responsible for advertisers’ misrepresentations or failure to supply goods or services. Members’ Private Sales, Wants, Event Adverts: free. Views expressed in Arrivée are not necessarily those of the Club. Designed and produced for AUK by: gedesign, Bagpath, Gloucestershire. Printed by: Taylor Brothers, Bristol Distribution data from: Caroline Fenton and the AUK Membership Team.

Please send DIRECTLY to the managing editor by Monday 25 JANUARY 2021 gedlennox@me.com NOTES TO CONTRIBUTORS ● Send your text in a word-processed format and your pictures as separate files (i.e. not embedded in the word document). ● Pictures must be as big as possible, anything below 1Mb jpeg is not useable ● It is essential that your photographs are captioned, preferably in a separate document, cross referenced to your images. ● INCLUDE YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS – including your AUK number – we cannot publish your story otherwise ● Package your entire content into a single compressed .zip file. ● If it is too large (i.e. more than 10Mb) please use WeTransfer or MailBigFile ● Please do not use the Mediafire gateway as it is no longer functional

Our web site: audax.uk AUDAX UK LONG-DISTANCE CYCLISTS’ ASSOCIATION Company No. 05920055 (England & Wales) Reg Office: Whitelands, Terling Road, Hatfield Peverel, Essex CM3 2AG © Arrivée 2020

Board and delegates Individual email addresses are listed for Board members and delegates, where relevant. For general enquiries or if you are not sure who to contact, please use secretary@ audax.uk. Please bear in mind that all Board members and delegates are volunteers and so may not always be able to respond immediately. Chair and LRM/ACP representative Chris Crossland 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 1EF chair@audax.uk 01422 832 853 Systems managers www.aukweb.net Website Delegate: Francis Cooke Systems administrator: Terry Kay www.audax.uk Web content manager Dave Allison webcontent@audax.uk IT refresh manager Kevin Lake it@audax.uk IT refresh project board co-opted members Dan Campbell Neil Goldsmith Otto Reinders Dan Smith Mileater secretary Ian Prince FWC (Fixed Wheel Challenge) and Super Fixed Wheel Richard Phipps, 77 West Farm Avenue, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2JZ. richard@richardphipps.co.uk

General secretary Graeme Provan Whitelands, Terling Road, Hatfield Peverel, Essex CM3 2AG secretary@audax.uk Registrar Les Hereward, 20 Webster Close, Oxshott, Surrey, KT22 0SF Annual reunion organiser Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road, Horfield, Bristol, Avon BS7 9PJ paul@audaxclubbristol.co.uk Annual awards secretary Russell Kelsey russellkesley@hotmail.co.uk Finance director Nigel Armstrong 13 Upper Bank End Road, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 1ES 01484 687587 fd@audax.uk Directors without portfolio John Sabine 107 Victoria Way, London SE7 7NU john@sabine.org.uk Martin Stefan mdstefan@me.com Director and membership secretary Caroline Fenton 56 Lockesfield Place, London E14 3AJ membership@audax.uk Membership admininistration Mike Wigley (Admin) Enrolments Peter Davis Howard Knight

Communications director Rob McIvor communications@audax.uk

South East England: Pat Hurt South West England & Wales: Andy Cox

Arrivée managing editor Ged Lennox gedlennox@me.com

ECE delegate Martin Malins Malinseastg@tiscali.co.uk

Badge and medal shop secretary Allan Taylor www.audaxmedals.southportcc. co.uk

OCD delegate Rod Dalitz 136 Muir Wood Road, Edinburgh EH14 5HF rod.dalitz@me.com

Director and calendar events secretary Ian Hennessey 10 High Street, Honiton, EX14 1PU events@audax.uk

Event services director & recorder Dan Smith 95 Regents Court Kingston upon Thames KT2 5AQ services@audax.uk 07596 248528

Regional events delegates Scotland & Northern England: Andy Uttley Midlands & Eastern England: Lucy McTaggart South East England: Pat Hurt South West England & Wales: Vacant, temporarily covered by Ian Hennessey pending appointment AUK forum administrator Kevin Lake Moderators: Peter Lewis and Les Hereward UAF delegate Dave Minter Director and permanents secretary John Ward 34 Avenue Road, Lymington SO41 9GJ permanents@audax.uk 01590 671205 DIY regional representatives Scotland & Northern England: Andy Uttley Midlands & Eastern England: Grant Huggins

Validation secretary Cathy Brown 76 Victoria St, Kirkwall KW15 1DQ validations@audax.uk RRTY award secretary Grant Huggins 76 Bryony Close, Witham, Essex CM8 2XF rrty@audax.uk AAA secretary Ivan Cornell aaa@audax.uk Brevet card production secretary Oliver Iles 49 Upper Belmont Rd, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 9DG brevetcards@audax.uk Production of permanent cards is handled by: John Ward 34 Avenue Road, Lymington SO41 9GJ permanents@audax.uk

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Arrivée 150 Winter 2020/21

Articles inside

Contacts

Dan’s Diary

Prize crossword

The Baking Biker

A nice ride to Nice

Pin-pointing pointlessness is the pinnacle of pleasure

The long road home

Some riders are more equal than others

The Good Companions ride again

Up the airy mountain, down the rushy glen

On the pilgrim path – a ‘pedaller’s’ tale

The Masterminds with Grace Lambert Smith – Before the bus pass beckons, Mike Wigley

Mavellous Marcia’s legendary Lejogle

Selective memory of life’s ups and downs

Cycling shorts

INSIDE ISSUE 150

Just a Sec