Well.....that was a reality check. I had a shocker.
Got back at 9.15pm. Volunteers cleaning up [but I did get some soup - thank you so], and mugs of good tea.
15min out of time. First ever.
I am almost too embarrassed to tell you what kind of a sabotage job I did on my day.
To be as briefly self-indulgent as poss, forgive the ramble:
The recumbent I was riding I built in 2008 and rode it down to Spain. No problem. Nice bike. Heavy, but good for touring. That was one of the best cycling experience I've had.
Been riding DF's for a few years since then, but now fancy going back to the Dark Side. Ok, fine. Pull bear frame out of loft - kit it out with basic things. Away we go.
Get to the start, good to catch up with Salvatore for the first few km, chat for a bit, but start to get uncomfortable inner feeling that 'O boy, this feels slow and sluggish, could be a tough day out there.' Salvatore shoots off. Can't stay with him.
Get to Hungerford [after putting the fear of god into a couple of horses], get educated by Feline about why horses can get so nervous around recumbents then make way to Bratton. Progress is slow. Very slow. It's hard, arduous and slow.
It's the head wind you see, it's affecting everybody and I haven't been on this thing for years, and I've been drinking a lot, and I'm so unfit, really unfit, and it's heavy, there's no way I'm doing an SR on this thing, it's a joke, what the hell am I doing, and PBP is a loads of old bollocks anyway.
Words desert me to describe the feeling of being passed by almost every returning rider as I was still making my way to Bratten. Especially Salvatore
And Hummers, never again pretend you're not fit...to me! Cause I saw different!
Get to Bratten with 20mins to spare. Things are getting tight. But now we have tail wind.
Ah, all is resolvable. With tail wind we fly like a good'un. But it's not what I was expecting. Not that great actually. Bike is still sluggish, it's not responding to me! Where is the energy from my pedaling going? When I pedal it's not moving well. It's these tyres, must be the tyres as well - they're crap too.
Back to Hungerford, 30 mins to spare, should be ok, but the next bit is lumpy. [By my standards - it
is lumpy.]
Hauling this heavy monstrous mild steel beast over the lumps gets tough, in darkness now and time is ticking away.
Haven't seen a soul for hours [no absurdly bright rear flashers either - hey, this was a good day! I should be grateful for that]. Call me Lantern Rougue. It will be my first.
Get flat. Big flint. Change tube and carry on. Actually sit on a bench, get bitter and say out loud, "who needs PBP anyway, it's over-rated rubbish and why do people get so up their arses about doing it...like, yet again. Why don't they do something else with their lives? Like a different 1200km, eh?"
Carry on. Get to Yattendon. Pub looks nice. Instant thought - "anybody with any sense will be in there and not out here doing what I'm doing." Memories of Don Black unfold.
Just outside Yattendon, walk up a steep but small incline. I never walk hills even on recumbent. But will is fading. I've had enough.
Start to push bike up hill. Eh? Bike feels hard to push. Look underneath, must be the bottle dynamo [actually worked
pretty well with a Cyo Premium]. Disengage dynamo. Push again. No. Still hard to push. Lift up front wheel. Wheel
doesn't spin. What the..? Wheel doesn't spin. Get Vipassana insight, and makes profound psychological connection between putting the wheel on this morning.....quickly....and wheel not turning now. What the...? Penny finally drops:
The pads have been rubbing against the rotor all day - for 190km to be exact. All bloody day!!!!!
Loosen quick release. Wheels makes a nice little clinking sound and drops sweetly into place, as they do. Get on bike, start pedaling. "Ah, moving nicely now, that feels great. Always knew this was a good bike."
Pedal last 15km furiously, get back, but alas, out of time, by 15min. Have some soup and people are thoughtful to hold some back. This was very much appreciated. Many thanks to Mike and the team. This is a good part of the country to ride events like this.
Moral of story: if you take a wheel during transportation for an Audax, put it back properly before you start. Like....err....with a disc wheel, rotate the wheel and see if it spins. If it does, this is good, it means it will go round during the day. Schoolboy error. My next publication will be called - Zen and the Art of Putting a Wheel on Properly. As they say in the Unitefd States - what a Dork! You are free to point and laugh. You can't take these things that seriously. Really.
Still, what the hell, I got a good work out all day [bit like being on a Turbo Trainer for 14hrs going nowhere], and the Sun shone and the wind blew, and people were nice and loads of people qualified for PBP. So all is well.
Back to the drawing board.
Right, sorry about all that. I need a beer. I will definitely be going to the Beer Shop tomorrow. Probably all day actually