As I couldn't find a reasonable excuse for not doing it and with CBH pointing to a long list of DIY tasks I have agreed to do during my holiday at the end of the month, I dragged myself over to Newport Shropshire to do the Nova Raiders reliability ride.
Now this ride comes in two flavours: a 51 miler and a 30 mile effort. Being rather fat still and having done only two rides over 25 miles this year, I chose the shorter of the two and for three quid was provided with a map, a cup of coffee and promise of cake when I returned. Thankfully, they didn't have any cut off times (although we were asked to use the rear door of the pub when we returned as we would be smelly....) so off I went with the "slow" group with a schedule of 2 hours 15 in mind.
When I say the slow group, as I feared would happen, I got dropped at the first climb, although according to Strava, I wasn't the slowest up there today which makes me rather pleased. Chasing on to try and return to the group saw me cover the next five miles at over 17 mph which for me is really flying and I just about made it... before we came across the next slope and once again, out the back I went. There was no coming back from that so it was no surprise that according to our friends at Strava, I was some 8 minutes behind the slow group when arriving at the turn for Stoke upon Tern having done the first 15 miles in just over an hour which for me is really impressive.
However, the next seven miles was hell. Not only was it uphill almost all the way to Cheswardine (okay, its a gentle slope, the worse type IMHO), but the road surface was horrible and grippy and there was a headwind...and and and...you get the picture: I hated these seven miles more than I hate a lot of things. I was pleased to turn for home at Cheswardine with most of the return leg being downhill apart from one climb where of course the fast boy's and girls in the 21 mph group who were doing the 51 mile route caught me. Sorry for the rude words but in an effort to move out of the way to give us all a chance to get up the hill I managed to put my back wheel onto some mud and almost lost it. I didn't fancy going down: not that I ever like falling off!
The roads were shared about three miles from Newport with some runners who seemed to be doing some quite epic run: I went by a marker showing "20". Now I am not sure if that's miles or KM but whatever, it's quite an epic distance to run....perhaps if they worked harder they could afford to buy a bike.......? (joking. I can't run to the end of my drive let alone that sort of distance so well done to you all).
So, almost home, why is it then that I get the closest pass of the day by some twat in a 4x4 who just couldn't be arsed to give me a few feet of room. I did try to chase him down, but by then my legs were willing but just not capable of it. Finally, back to the car park to find that my total distance was 29.91 miles, so once around the car park to click the counter over to 30 miles
Sadly I didn't make my target time of 2 hours 15 by a whole 4 minutes. I am still pleased with that however. Looking back, I doubt I would try to chase down the "slow" group next time so try to arrive at the turn at Stoke on Tern with a little left in my legs. Overall, a well arranged, friendly ride which I am pleased I did.
