Upper Thames 5th November 2022

[simonp]

I have a very expensive rain jacket to counter your jinx.

[Manotea]

Mega day out for me. A 140km of  cold headwind (how is that possible on a triangular route?) made it rather type two fun but a great day out none the less. Rode with many familiar faces including LiamFitz, SimonP, two Garries and a Poulton. Really enjoyed your company on the road.

Usual thanks to PhilD and team for this long running and very succesful event.

PS, my legs hurt, but in a good way. Can't think why....

[Bianchi Boy]

A mechanical DNF for me. I was using some cheap factory build wheels and paid the price. Fulcrum Racing 7 got them with a racing bike I bought and was trying to rear them out this winter. Drive side spoke on a reduced spoke wheel created a huge buckle and I had to use the spoke key. Did not want to take the risk so cycled home. 100km and avoided most of the headwinds 

BB

[andyoxon]

A health DNF for me, combination of stomach issue and lingering cold.  I packed at about the half way point - Arncott (S of Bicester), and cycled back over nr Beckley and down to Headington etc, to Cholsey.  Still ~150km total. That head/cross wind from Chilterns on was pretty mean & cold; fortunately I'd got my layers/jacket more or less correct.  Particularly enjoyed the ride through Chilterns.  Thanks to Phil and team.

[zigzag]

a very enjoyable ride on the roads with almost no traffic, fantastic route and support at the start and finish. headwind to the second control was a bit mean, but CET has done some good pulling and then it was a plain sailing with a tailwind to the finish. thank you phil d and the team.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Got talking to Veloboy and Zigzag at the start, so missed catching up with Bianchi Boy to talk about a possible Easter Arrow.  That meant I started off in the front group, which sort of suited me, given the weather forecast was for a brisk north-wester that would probably die as the sun started to go down, hopefully we'd get to Chipping Norton before the wind got too strong and then have its full benefit coming back. 

Zigzag wasn't hanging about, despite being on his hybrid bike, so by the time we'd got to the top of that sharp climb by Well Place there were just four of us, winding through the delectable Chiltern lanes.  Soon that was three as we ground our way up long but never steep hills to Christmas Common and into the wind.  However, with three pairs of legs to take turns on the front, we were soon at Waterperry.  I could see that Zigzag was itching to carry on so wolfed down a pastry and tea at high speed and we set out as a pair to tackle the hills around Brill (which are not part of the chalk Chilterns or the Jurassic Cotswolds - http://www.bucksgeology.org.uk/brill.html).  By now I was starting to feel the climbs in my legs, and thought I'd have to let Zigzag go on.  But we kept turn and turn about into the wind, which was hardest through Bicester.  However, after Bucknell, we turned to the west and the wind was more of a crosswind than a headwind and there was a fair amount of shelter from the trees, all in full autumn colour.  So we made Chipping Norton in good time.  I quite fancied a good stop with an omelette but Zigzag was all for continuing.

A couple of cakes and a mug of tea were defeated in under ten minutes and we were off, mostly into a blissful tailwind, except for a section around Leafield where the road seemed to go perpetually up hill.  Then we were doing silly speeds through Brize Norton, eating up the miles.  Just after the info control Will caught us up; he must have really been tanking along and he and Zigzag soon set a pace well in excess of R1, so let them go, and enjoyed the afternoon sunshine back to the finish, losing a few minutes in Aston Upthorpe by taking a brain-faded wrong turn.

An indecently good day out for November, capped off by Mary's excellent celery and cucumber soup.  Thanks to Phil D and the team for such a good event.

[Von Broad]

I look for no sympathy, but that was a real tough outing for me, due to little fitness and nothing over 100km in the legs for 16months. I was generally concerned for how I was feeling for the first 140km cold head wind slog to Chippy, but every tired soul loves a tailwind, and after a sit down and a large coffee, heading back became much easier - also helped greatly by riding with [Keto] Manotea. The man bestows very impressive weight loss, cheapeau!

Plenty of fireworks out there, was that the first 5thNov UT for a while?
And the red Kites are getting interesting in their pressence these days.

Thanks once again to Phil, Mary and helpers.

[mattc]

... and we set out as a pair to tackle the hills around Brill (which are not part of the chalk Chilterns or the Jurassic Cotswolds - http://www.bucksgeology.org.uk/brill.html).

Well, you learn something every year!

 

[alfapete]

I'd echo all of Manotea's thoughts - found it far tougher than it had any right to be. Delayed by a lengthy wait for food in Bicester, the section from there to Chippy seemed interminable, and had problems with lights, etrex and Cateye computer which all delayed me.

The good bit was the change of direction for the final 70km - and the long descents followed by copious amounts of flat, wind assisted. Without that I'm not sure I'd have finished in time.

Many thanks to Phil and Mary and team

[Von Broad]

... and we set out as a pair to tackle the hills around Brill (which are not part of the chalk Chilterns or the Jurassic Cotswolds - http://www.bucksgeology.org.uk/brill.html).

Well, you learn something every year!

 

Home of the Vale Brewery too [close observers will have noticed a sign just outside Brill]. The ride also passed the XT Brewery outside Long Crendon [not visible from the road]...and was a stones throw from the Hook Norton Brewery in...Hook Norton. Mind you, can't be many rides that don't pass some kind of brewery these days.

[dave d]

Plenty of fireworks out there, was that the first 5thNov UT for a while?

It was the 1st 5th Nov UT for exactly 5 years.  I know that as when I got to the Arrivee, Facebook popped up with 'would you like to share a memory of 5 years ago? - my first 200km ride.

UT always seems to be split between the three sections of familiar lanes near home/a big drag into a headwind/pleasant ride home, but the drag seemed even worse this time.

Great ride though as always - many thanks to all the organisers. 

[phil d]

Thanks for the kind comments above, and on the day and by email.  I think most had a tough but generally enjoyable day out - cold and breezy, but dry with glorious colours.  120 starters, 111 finishers.  There were a few mechanicals, and some personal issues, but so far as I know no mishaps.

Preliminary accounts show a surplus of about £440 going to Thames Valley Air Ambulance.  A massive £177 was donated at the end, the rest being surplus on entries.  This might seem a lot, but is entirely down to the enormous entry list.  I have to budget for a more "normal" entry number, just in case.  In any case, I am very happy to support the Air Ambulance.

See lots of you on November 4th next year, if not at other local events that I'm involved with.

Phil

[simonp]

A great day out; my first validated Brevet since April.

I started late and then had speed/cadence sensor issues so was probably 15 minutes delayed overall. There were people behind me nonetheless as they came past.

At Waterperry I decided to save time by having a double espresso and no food; I did the same at CN but ran out of energy bars with about 30km to the finish. It was an easy run in so no issues.

I added up the food intake for the day: 3x bottles with Torq Energy, 8x Torq bars and a serving of Huel for breakfast. That comes to under 2000kcals and the ride burns about 5000. Hopefully I'm still burning fat reasonably well then.

It was good to see a bunch of familiar faces and some new ones. Thanks to Phil and his team.

[Whitedown Man]

I was worried I was having a jour sans so it's reassuring to read others describing it as a challenging day. The whole run from the Depart to Chipping Norton seemed to be into a headwind, and though there are few really difficult climbs you don't half spend a lot of time ascending. The final third from CN to the Arrivee was a dream though - fast, seemingly nearly all downhill, and with a glorious tailwind.

First time I've ridden the UT - it really is a gem. Don't think there's a more picturesque ride in the south-east (does Oxon count as the SE?), the controls are excellent and well-spaced, Phil D's organisation was top notch, and his helpers all deserve gold medals.

Good to see some familiar faces too, especially the newly-skinny Manotea and the has-always-been-skinny Ebbson.

[LiamFitz]

Thanks to Phill and crew - a fab day out.

It's my first decent ride this year really as I had a spot of cardiac replumbing in April and its taken a while to build up basic stamina and get over the aches and pains that come when they mess around with your rib cage.

I'm glad to say that I saw what I had been missing.  On the run up to Christmas Common the headwind wasn't too much of an issue and the hills seemed kinder than I remembered them.  And this year the colours were stunning!  I rode with some friendly folks including Manotea and His Broadship.

The wind kicked in after the drop off the ridge but I soon found myself in company for some turn and turn about that rushed us up to Waterperry.  Sadly shortly afterwards I got smashed with the worst cramp I've had in years - I had forgotten my drill for keeping it at bay.  Then at Bicester my right cleat decided it was time to pack up!

I limped on to Chippy contemplating a DNF... but with help from our friendly controller found the bike shop.  Never have I been so happy to hand over so much cash for a crappy bit of moulded plastic and a tube of SIS Tablets.

From then on it was a dream ride!  The tailwind was still decent enough to push me down the never-ending descents, my residual cramp faded away with the help of the electrolyte tablets and the dusk provided sensational views over open golden valleys and autumnal hills.  I even started to feel a bit warmer.  The smell of woodsmoke was everywhere.

And then, best of all, as night fully settled in I was treated to some of the best fireworks I have seen in years... whenever the ride opened up on a bit of upland I could see rockets and all sorts in every direction.  In the past I've probably ridden too quickly to get the full benefit of other people's pyrotechnics.

Back at the Arrivee the magnificent catering was as impressive as ever.

One reflection... is it me or are we starting to attract a different demographic?  There were noticibly more people under 40 and many more women than I have seen for a while (including a gang who seemed to be singing when I met them at Chippy).  There were also more club groups out as well from what I could see.  Or have I just been off the bike too long?

[Lady Cavendish]

Thanks Phil and helpers for a great event.

I forget what a good Autumn route this is, it really is pretty. That first 140k was pretty tough for sure, I do t like being cold, but the last 50 miles (which are really really nice anyway) was even better with the tailwind!

I nearly didn't ride this because I've been a bit ill over the last fortnight, but very pleased I did Back next year.

[Genosse Brymbo]

Signed up for this late, only when it was likely that the weather would remain dry in the run-up to and during the event.  The colours through the wood on my commute have been wonderful for the past week and the weather we had on Saturday was perfect for enjoyment of the scenery.

The ride was pretty uneventful, except for witnessing Bianchi Boy's spoke/rim separation.  My fear was that a cycling season devoted mostly to kayaking would find my fitness wanting.  As it turned out I was only 7 mins slower than my previous slowest solo time.  It's the other aspects of long distance cycling "fitness" which appear to be affected most by the lack of hours in the saddle - my backside, shoulders, and the soles of my feet felt a bit battered after the ride.  None of this detracted from my enjoyment, especially the wonderful tailwind from Brize Norton onwards.

Thanks to Phil, Mary, and helpers for another excellent event.  A particular call-out for the Old Mill in Chippy; the food was flying out of the kitchen.  I've not seen a cafe cope so well with such a large number of hungry cyclists.

[De Sisti]

Finished in the nick of time. What; with lack of fitness (only 2600 miles completed this year, as opposed to about 5000+
by the start of previous events), cramp, the punishing headwind, puncture at 171 km (just before the L turn to Buckland)
which took ages to fix and a dodgy helmet light. Nearly 2 hours slower than my previous attempt in 2014. Barring
injuries* I'll probably be back next year**. Nice one Phil, Mary, helper at Chipping Campden and Brian Mann.

*(2015)
** Depends on how I'm getting on with the music

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I have a very expensive rain jacket to counter your jinx.

The jinx (dare I say it) is broken.  Not a drop of rain on me on the whole event.  Phil D v Thor anyone?

[phil d]

I have a very expensive rain jacket to counter your jinx.

The jinx (dare I say it) is broken.  Not a drop of rain on me on the whole event.  Phil D v Thor anyone?

I'm sure it was SimonP's expensive (and a very fetching shade of orange it was, too!) rain jacket that tipped the balance rather than my refusing to dance to the rain god.

[simonp]

I have a very expensive rain jacket to counter your jinx.

The jinx (dare I say it) is broken.  Not a drop of rain on me on the whole event.  Phil D v Thor anyone?

I'm sure it was SimonP's expensive (and a very fetching shade of orange it was, too!) rain jacket that tipped the balance rather than my refusing to dance to the rain god.

That was my jersey. Rain jacket stayed in my bag all day. A worthwhile investment, it seems.

[Folly]

What a great day out. ECE'd to 300km again, so I got to enjoy the firework displays on the ride home. Defeated once again by Berins Hill, but managed the rest on my 73" gear.

Didn't try to rush round too quickly this year either, so spent a lot more time riding in a group for once. Thanks to everyone who I chatted to along the way

[phil d]

Just a little reminder for those that haven't entered yet.

Sat 4th November this year.  There should be the usual fireworks.  And, I fear, the usual headwind Bicester - Chipping Norton.

For anyone not familiar with this event, its a pleasant autumn ride through the Chilterns and Cotswolds (but nevertheless has less than 2000m of climbing), using commercial cafes at Waterperry and Chipping Norton, and hot food at the end.  Starts and finishes at Cholsey, which has a station on the Paddington - Reading - Oxford line for those preferring not to drive.

Usually has a large field, so plenty of company whatever your pace.

[Lycra Man]

I have just entered, my first Audax ride since 2013.
I hope I can get round within the limit, as I have lost a lot of speed and stamna.
Can I book a tail wind for all the way round?
Lycra Man

[phil d]

Getting closer.  About 80 entries so far.

SteveR of this parish usually acts as the controller at Chipping Norton on this event, but can't make it this year.  Does anyone here fancy an afternoon in the cafe there, chatting to the riders as they come through?  If so, please PM me.  I shall make arrangements for a stamp or stickers to be available if a "real" controller is not in place.

Phil