The participation ride 2006 - post-ride analysis and comment: 08: Days 3-4

Stage 4 - Track and Map - Taunton to Whitminster

I was in a fragile state when I started this stage. My confidence had been severely dented yesterday. If my sister-in-law and her lovely new toddler had not been meeting me for lunch in Okehampton, I don't think I would have made it.

Anyway, there were other pressures today: I knew I had to do more planning and I needed to start early as I was being met by my first co-cyclist just north of Bristol. These two pressures were difficult to reconcile. But, despite the late night, I got up at 6am and got the maps out and started putting more waypoints into the GPS. This allowed my to use the 'satnav' capability of the GPS to navigate in bit-sized stages. This was essential for this stage as otherwise the GPS would have taken my on the Motorway! It's amazing that a device aimed at walkers and cyclists cannot be told to avoid motorways!

Anyway, the first couple of this stage were the perfect antidote to the previous day. As the profile shows, I was cycling on level roads. They had also been recently resurfaced and were perfect for cursing in top gear! By 11am all the psychological damage had been repaired. I can do this!!

I was meeting Tricia at Whitminster which Tricia had described as being 'just north' of Bristol. It turned out to be further than I thought. But anyway we met up at about 2pm and I was in good form. Tricia had brought an amazing picnic. Lunch went on for a while! With 2/3rds of today's distance already done this was not too much of a problem and now I had company!

Download log file (text format): S04D03a.log
Download track file (Magellan MapSend format): S04D03a.trk

First of two stages today
Distance (miles): 74.11
Saddle time (hh:mm:ss): 5:10:39
Average speed (mph): 14.31
Max speed (mph): 32.8
Cumulative distance (miles): 279.68

Notes:
Click on the images above to see them full size.
For details of how vertical profiles were derived from log files and the structure of the log files see this posting.

June 08, 2006 in 04: Stages 1-5, 08: Days 3-4, 12: The Analysis | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stage 5 - Track and Map - Whitminster to Bromyard

This stage was always going to be fun as Tricia was going to join me as my first co-rider of the trip.

It started with a fantastic picnic provided by Tricia.

We didn't start cycling until after 3pm but only had around 40 miles to do. I met Tricia in 2002 when we were part of a fantastic group of people who cycled across the Yucatan in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice. This is documented here. We got on really well and many of us have stayed in contact. Another co-rider, Adrian who is to join me on the next stage, is from the same Yucatan group.

You can see from the profile that the stage got more difficult towards the end and 5 miles or so out of Bromyard Tricia's husband, Alan, caught up with us in the car and the temptation was to much for Tricia so I did the last few miles on my own. Tricia and Alan were at my accommodation when I arrived and we went out for a great meal. A great end to a great day and real contrast to yesterday. Thanks guys!

Download log file (text format): S05D03p.log
Download track file (Magellan MapSend format): S05D03p.trk

Second of two stages today
Distance (miles): 42.09
Saddle time (hh:mm:ss): 3:50:29
Average speed (mph): 10.95
Max speed (mph): 33.5
Cumulative distance (miles): 321.77

Notes:
Click on the images above to see them full size.
For details of how vertical profiles were derived from log files and the structure of the log files see this posting.

June 08, 2006 in 04: Stages 1-5, 08: Days 3-4, 12: The Analysis | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stage 6 - Track and Map - Bromyard to Whitchurch

After the meal with Tricia and Alan I got really good night's sleep and the route to Church Stretton for lunch was really straight forward and the GPS picked it straight up. Unfortunately I forgot to switch the tracking on so the first 15miles or so went unrecorded.

The Old Cow Shed where I was staying was difficult to find (but again my GPS had taken me straight there the night before) and it took a few phone calls before my next co-rider, Adrian and his wife, found it.

So it was about 8:30 before we were on our way. The two of us met up with Andy who was waiting in Bromyard itself. Poor Andy had to wait a while - sorry Andy. So now we were three. A very pleasant ride along the Welsh border to Church Stretton for lunch.

Here we were guests of the Mayfair Community Centre. This is an amazing centre teaming with voluntary activity. Jackie Mantel who is in charge of the IT activities and ruralnet|uk's contact for the net:gain programme. There was a photo call after lunch for the local press.

Here my work colleague, Simon Marshall, joined us and Andy had to leave for the return trip to Bromyard and his car. So we were still three!

The afternoon started well but included the very busy A49. As we had had an alcohol-free lunch our kidney bells started ringing at around 3pm and just as they did we spotted a sign to the Albright Hussey Manor Hotel (open to non-residents), an unexpected oasis off the hell that is the A49.

There we stopped for an hour or so to soak up the sun and Guiness and banter. In retrospect we stayed a bit too long! We didn't get to 'Ash Hall' outside Whitchurch until 7:30pm and getting a evening meal provided less than straight forward. We were helped by some very generously-minded people and this is documented here.

We said goodbye to Simon at Whitchurch Station where he loaded his bike into his car and was off.

I went back to the station at about 11:30pm, after our meal, to meet my son Luke off the train. He was to join us for the next 250 miles. So we were three again!

Download log file (text format): S06D04.log
Download track file (Magellan MapSend format):
S06D04.trk

Only stage today
Distance (miles): 74.63
Saddle time (hh:mm:ss): 5:34:09
Average speed (mph): 13.40
Max speed (mph): 33.3
Cumulative distance (miles): 396.40

Notes:
Click on the images above to see them full size.
For details of how vertical profiles were derived from log files and the structure of the log files see this posting.