Its certainly one I will remember for a while.
Drunk Teens, all night Funfair, A large Fire (fire brigade were there), a herd of dogs!, a herd of cows, some beautiful towns and villages,
a castle, Rutland water, a police road closure resulting in a hike a bike through a field and helping lift a recumbent tandem over a barb wire fence and then a farm gate,
I saw all that. Went through central St Ives as it is better than the 1123 bypass and to see lots of drunk youngsters and police cars. They had Crown Steet blocked, Ok because Merryland is the correct westbound road. Had to spend 15 minutes watching until the control opening time arrived on the E-Brevet, not sure if this is required. 25kph on the bit with tail wind is a bit limiting, for the total ride it is fine.
Just before Sawtry the Secret Garden Party looked big and was loud. That was followed the fire which was a large hay stack amongst many in a large dry harvested field.
I did enjoy the return road from Bottlesford. It did give good views of Belvoir Casle amd surrounding hills. Then there's the Rutland Water park run, Ok solo with the wheels an inch from the grass most of the time, got some apologies from runners/walkers who were more interseted in their conversation than where they were going when there was minor contact or I had to dive onto the grass, it was actually quite entertaining. It was the same last time, avoid the reservoir park between 9 and 10 or later on a Saturday morning.
Off-road gravel through Fimeshade Woods was Ok except the last narrow bit leading to the byway which is rough and downhill.
After Olney a few abulances went passed. I caught up with them on the B660 before Kimbolton. There had been a bad crash and the Amulances were joined by police and a helicopter that had landed of the adjacent field. It looked bad. The police said the road would be closed for the best part of the day ad theuy were turning the cars and lorries round. I dived through the field the other side to the helicoper but had to divert around the field away due to heges and wire from the road until there was only low barbed wire good visibilty to the next field, over the barbed wire, just ok with my height and then cycled accross the next field and over the locked gate back to the B660 after the blockage.
Then they were kindly sweeping the gravelled road from Wrestlingworth to Gulden Morden. The sweeer stopped and retracted its spinning scrubber things for a car comming the other way but then put them out again. I went passed quickly afraid of flying stones but it was Ok.
I was sort of looking forward to a pint but I arrived at a small slot where bikes couldnt get to the back and I was tired, possibly partly due to the number of beers I had about the same time the day before.
Thanks for a good event Phil, but could you only open it to cyclists next time.[quote author=Owen link=topic=123551.msg2738918#msg2738918
