Author Topic: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300  (Read 9449 times)

Phil W

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #25 on: 25 April, 2019, 01:21:01 pm »
Bottom bracket developed a creak on the Easter Arrow.  It developed during hotter part of day and disappeared as it cooled down overnight.  Suspect (hope) it has just worked a bit lose and needs taking out, regreasing, and refitting. Anyway that is today's job.

Yeah, the creak has gone, at least on the test ride.  Did look a bit dry so hopefully the grease and refitting has sorted it.

Phil W

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #26 on: 25 April, 2019, 01:22:46 pm »
It's looking pretty windy and wet for this weekend at the moment

https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/dayforecast.asp?zipcode=Ely&locationID=57514&lat=52.4&lon=0.3&dateFor=27/04/2019

Don't worry Wilkyboy reckons it is a mere possibility of... me, I'm bringing my waterproof.

https://www.weatherbagel.com/f/d1211e52-34b1-4d29-8efe-5eb28b1aa0b4

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #27 on: 25 April, 2019, 01:30:18 pm »
The weather's trying to blow itself out at the moment — it's raining in Girton at the moment, you won't see a drop on Saturday  ::-)

Update: and the sun's shining at the same time:facepalm:

Anyway it's character building, I know you know that  :demon:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Phil W

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #28 on: 25 April, 2019, 01:42:33 pm »
I'm just being more cautious on Sat given how damned cold I got on the Easter Arrow last weekend.  If it stays nice enough for the coat to stay packed, that's fine by me.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #29 on: 25 April, 2019, 01:44:59 pm »
I'm with you there — even on the sunniest rides I pack a jacket, just in case.

There will be plenty of hot soup at the end, as we're acknowledging the merest possibility of riders getting back to us a little chilled.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #30 on: 25 April, 2019, 02:21:40 pm »
Aiming to do the same ECE route as in Oct (4 1/4hrs cycling), so leaving home before 1am to arrive by 5:15 for a leisurely coffee or two and brekky!
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #31 on: 25 April, 2019, 02:39:42 pm »
I'm with you there — even on the sunniest rides I pack a jacket, just in case.

Me too, not least because I always finish near the end...

There will be plenty of hot soup at the end, as we're acknowledging the merest possibility of riders getting back to us a little chilled.

I'll be doing it on the Pino with @j4. It's really not the best in a headwind - we may be some time.

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #32 on: 25 April, 2019, 02:55:57 pm »
Surely the wind can’t be as bad as it was on The Pork Pie? Or is that tempting fate?
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #33 on: 26 April, 2019, 11:37:43 am »
Surely the wind can’t be as bad as it was on The Pork Pie? Or is that tempting fate?

 :P :P :P You've tempted fate! 50 mph gusts now!  ;D ;D ;D

Storm Hannah, doesn't sound too bad...

Phil W

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #34 on: 26 April, 2019, 11:58:24 am »
She may help us once we turn more easterly to Ipswich and Dunwich.   Then we may feel weak and feeble into the headwind and rain on the second half return.    It will keep us honest.

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #35 on: 26 April, 2019, 05:14:18 pm »
Urgh. Might just flay myself with nettles at home instead if it continues like that... Review at 4AM!

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #36 on: 26 April, 2019, 06:05:11 pm »
Urgh. Might just flay myself with nettles at home instead if it continues like that... Review at 4AM!

Might I refer you to this earlier quote ...

I will be in Normandicat training mode (eg riding alone, strictly to HR) so those long headwind legs will hurt.... but in the right way... Might even pop on the tribars to affect that full #farfast look, because it's what you look like in black and white photos that matters.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

MsG

  • No hills in Fenland but lots of wind
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #37 on: 26 April, 2019, 09:32:33 pm »
The road from Lakenheath through to the junction turning left for Prickwillow has recently been resurfaced. It's a gravel dressing but has mostly packed down very well, only a little bit loose on a couple of bends.
The road down to PW then has a few bumps and potholes on the left "gutter". Keep an eye out for the Phone Box Art Gallery.
There's a big dent in the road just past the metal house out of Prickwillow to watch out for.
There's a couple of potholes near a pedestrian island on the Witchford Road under trees which are a bit deep.
The road out to Wilburton from Grunty Fen is rather rough, particularly just before the hill.

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #38 on: 26 April, 2019, 10:11:55 pm »
Urgh. Might just flay myself with nettles at home instead if it continues like that... Review at 4AM!

Might I refer you to this earlier quote ...

I will be in Normandicat training mode (eg riding alone, strictly to HR) so those long headwind legs will hurt.... but in the right way... Might even pop on the tribars to affect that full #farfast look, because it's what you look like in black and white photos that matters.

Ha! I know, I know. But I have a cold now and need to be more cautious  ::-)

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #39 on: 26 April, 2019, 10:28:06 pm »
Ahhh, what the hell, will drive up and see what happens!!!

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #40 on: 27 April, 2019, 10:26:37 am »
Good luck to anyone who has ventured out today, for medical reasons the Big Saxon has to be careful and conserve energy, so not for me if too stressful.

Hoping for still sunny days ahead.

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #41 on: 27 April, 2019, 11:02:45 am »
The weather out there are the moment is a little, er.... "breezy" !
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #42 on: 28 April, 2019, 07:01:09 am »
For the record, I will never mention the weather before an event again. That was 300km of suffering!
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #43 on: 28 April, 2019, 08:08:21 am »
For the record, I will never mention the weather before an event again. That was 300km of suffering!

Well, it was nice to Dunwich (good wind assistance). Dunwich to Norwich was neutral - if you don't mind rain.

But after Norwich ... !

Crawling up that long drag into Watton with storm force wind blowing cold rain in the face, while being close passed by a stream of bossy drivers, counts as a ride low point. And grovelling through the Fens to Ely was just as much "fun" as predicted.

Fortunately Ewa's soup and cake made all well. Thanks to the family Wilkyboy for yet another quality event - even if I did begrudge Nick every one of the bonus 21km, which I'm sure were all Fenland ones  :)

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #44 on: 28 April, 2019, 08:44:14 am »
Dare I say I’ll never do another Audax in similar weather? The crawl home was over an hour longer than the outward leg, too.

Great food again, Ewa.

Great route, Nick. Ian was like a tour guide in Norwich, and I think Raymond was trying to instil some discipline in me.

Now for some sleep.
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Phil W

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #45 on: 28 April, 2019, 09:42:38 am »
We started dry as we rode into Cambridge.  Not more than 800m a rider had gone down hitting the infrastructure in Girton.  The rider was groaning in pain with a fair few riders gathered round. Passing wide I kept to the road down to Cambridge.  In the centre some went left, some right (me), and some straight on. Before long we were climbing the hill above Six Mile Bottom.  I then joined Judith and Alex and we rode together to Ipswich. Alex opted for a quick stop with the cash point, Judith headed into the pedestrianised zone, and I headed for the shop on the way out.  What should have been a simple stop turned into an extended affair with a till printer broken.  After much fuss during which they kept the food I'd bought away from me, they finally managed to do me a receipt.  Lamb Samosa, chocolate bar and drink.

The rain set in after Ipswich only clearing up in the final approach to Dunwich.  I rode solo but with the tailwind and easy rolling this passed pleasantly enough.  I overlapped with a couple and a single guy in black whom I would see for the rest of the ride. The GPS low battery came on but kept going for another hour to Dunwich where I changed the batteries over. Three sausages, chips, mushy peas, pot of tea, toilet stop then off to Norwich.

Again solo but overlapping the others as above plus another rider.  No tailwind benefit and headwind in places but not too bad and no wrestling the bike like on the pork pie. The rain started up again then eased by Norwich. In Norwich I stopped in a noodle bar just before the keep.  Egg fried rice, caramel chicken, and sweet and sour pork plus a coke.  Delicious food and just what I needed. Unfortunately not address on receipt.  So a protracted discussion whilst I tried to get them to write the address on the back. Is this for VAT, no etc

The exit from Norwich had busy roads as the one we were on led to the A47. No close passes like Alex but I was glad when it quietened down again.  But my god, that wind as we headed down the B road to Watton. I was glad when we turned into the lanes which had some respite due to the hedges.  Average speeds dropped as the wind just relentlessly pushed against progress. In Watton I stopped at a kebab shop but alas they said kebabs from next week, just fried chicken today. Not my taste so left. I opted for the post office and got some snacks instead. The guy was super helpful helping undo the bottle tops and letting me use the toilet out back.

Onwards into the fens, rain still falling, and there was no hiding.  I slowed to a crawl and just kept turning the pedals not thinking about how much of this there was.  There were lights ahead and behind on the impossibly long straights. I wasn't gaining on the ones ahead and those behind were not gaining on me. I was glad it wasn't just me crawling along. Oh how I wish I was on my recumbent low racer at that point. I'd focus on the lights in the distance which were just farms and isolated buildings in the nothingness.  There were a few level crossing before Ely and I was super cautious , particularly Prick willow which I crashed on on my recumbent ending last years arrow for me at the next control. I looked for Ely cathedral in the darkness but it sprang up on us shortly after Queen Adelaide.  Loved the ride past the cathedral but bit wary of the cobbles and flag stones round that section.  Controlled at the 24hr garage which was an oasis of riders I'd seen throughout the day.  I sat down with a strawberry milk, rapidly cooling, and began to shiver.  An ambulance woman came in, asked if I was alright?  Yes, will warm up once I get going. The other riders left and another five came in before I headed out for the final leg. I left what was left of the strawberry milk for any rider that wanted it.

The headwind confirmed I'd turned the right way.  Another solo effort, with more southbound riding the wind didn't seem too bad and one easterly section turn was lovely. All relative of course the Storm Hannah was still there!  Dry mostly the rain returned about 30 mins out from Girton.  Thanks rain.  Past the busway and final 5 mins.  Up into Girton , then turning carefully to not hit a curb in the hall car park in the dark and wet.  Nick wrote arrival time in card. Then I went to get changed into dry clothes with nice warm down duvet.   Receipts checked , times written in card, then handed to Nick. More riders arrived some being wrapped in silver foil blankets. It was not pleasant out there and rain was getting heavier again, Bit of chat with Alex and Dave then off to drive the hour home. The warm car in the headwind and rain was great,  it read 7c on the display.

Two down, two to go for PBP.  Easy recovery walk today me thinks and oh how calm it is now!

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #46 on: 28 April, 2019, 11:07:58 am »
Excellent ride report Phil  :thumbsup:
You're only as successful as your last 1200...

Pedal Castro

  • so talented I can run with scissors - ouch!
    • Two beers or not two beers...
Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #47 on: 28 April, 2019, 03:02:15 pm »
Once I started (about 10’ late) and I had worked off my hangover I felt good and enjoyed it up to Whatton. From then on the wind was too gusty to get on the aerobars so it became a slow slog and to Ely. The last leg Ely-Girton was easy psychologically as it was short with more regular out of the wind bits. Ewa’s soup and cake made it all worthwhile!  :thumbsup:

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #48 on: 28 April, 2019, 08:50:16 pm »
This was only my second Wilkyboy event (strange, as the start is closer than Essex), and I began preparations by shaving off a few km from the October ECE route to bring it down to just over 100km (Girton is closer to MK than that, but I want the points). I stayed off the coffee all day Friday, yawned away, and went to be around 7:15, but didn't sleep. Raining at midnight, when I went to collect my daughter from the train station, but this soon stopped, so I submitted my route. Left just after 1am, and enjoyed near empty roads out of MK. to make 100km, my route was a zigzag roughly NE, SE through St Neots, NE then SE into Girton, so mainly tailwind with some head and crosswinds thrown in. Arrived just after 5am, fuelled by two coffees at home, energy drink and two shortbread fingers on the move, to enjoy lots of tea, toast and crumpets. whilst my devices recharged, chatting away as the hall slowly filled. I was pleased to see the Straggler arrive, but no Team MK mate Big Saxon (although a shrewd move given his medical history).

I left just after 6am, behind the main field, with the Straggler and his CC Sudbury mate Ian (still can't think where we've met), and enjoyed the near empty Cambridge centre street (even though we went wrong a few times). We didn't make the most of the tailwind to Ipswich, but I enjoyed the scenery, and chatting. Some climbs were a shock (six mile bottom being one, which I think I've done before). Another rider (Paul?) had tagged onto us leaving Cambridge, and I admired his Genesis Equilibrium (both myself and Big Saxon have variants). Paul stopped at a café in Ipswich to meet a mate, and we headed towards the centre to find a café where we could lock our bikes outside. I spotted the Sunrise Café at the big roundabout, and we were the only cyclists there. Quick service (veggie burger and a tea for me), which was just as well, as although Ian and the Straggler had bigger plates, I'm the slowest eater.

Now we were heading NE through the picturesque Suffolk coastlands, and the RSPB Minsmere reserve, to the busy (and pricey, for a northerner?) beach café at Dunwich. No time to look at the history of the place (been there, done that), although we had a leisurely sit down (just cake and tea for me). Busy with cyclists and normal people. The rain had been off and on so far, but I kept being informed it would get better, and the wind would ease by 4pm.

It was cold when we left, and the rain became a pain. We were now heading NW feeling the wind in places. Thoughts of my first Arrow two years ago as we sailed through the start town of Bungay (would like to go back there some day). My average speed was still down on the norm, but I was enjoying the company (and several faff stops meant I could chase back on), but I was to get lower later on. I enjoyed Norwich (Ian telling us about the Anglia TV building, the cathedral, etc), as we toured the centre after our leisurely Sainsbury café stop (tea, toastie, and an apple turnover).

The worst section has to be the SW grind to Ely, hoping for hedge, building or tree cover when in a crosswind, getting blown towards the centre of the road one minute, towards the ditch (images of those car into ditch warning signs coming to mind) the next. Why couldn't a slow lorry or tractor appear to shelter us when the wind was head on? Ely couldn't come soon enough, and I was shocked when I saw the time on the atm receipt. I had thought about a McD McFlurry ao shake heading there (if Ely has one), but my shortbread on the move would have to do, now I knew a midnight finish was off the table.

We passed a BP garage (where a lot went?) on the way out of Ely, and I put the suggestion to my companions, but we soldiered on, along the (bleak at times) roads. We were all suffering now, and the kms ticked by slowly on the gps. I think the Straggler had just announced we had 12km to go when the road surface under the rear wheel began feeling harder. P thoughts had entered my head on the ECE bit, but I thought I had eradicated them. It got softer and softer, and I rode out of the saddle, feeling too cold to have to stop and fix it. After some minutes I gave up, and stopped. I said to my grupetto to carry on, but they'd only do it with my Garmin. A bunch went by, so they had the opportunity to get on their wheels, but they chose to stay. The Straggler helped, amazed I had a spare tyre (I'm not feeling around the errant tyre with cold hands looking for a flint). A dodgy (not checked it yet) valve on a new inner, and slow inflation with two pumps on the other, costed time (but not the 45 minutes I was accused of!), but we were on our way again, making it back for 1:15 (only 45 minutes in hand, and I'm sure my worst for a 300, even though it was nearly 320 km).

I enjoyed two cups of the butternut soup (memories of October!), a cheese roll, and lovely fresh coffee. I did look at the carrot cake, but decided to be good! It was raining when I went outside with the track pump to do a better job on the rear tyre, and how I wished the Big Saxon was there to take pity on me. I eventually left around 3am, into the wind and rain, and had probably the slowest, coldest (even with the extra layers on I'd carried), ride home ever. I had a bus shelter nap of 10 mins or so when I realised I'd been closing my eyes. The one highlight was hearing the dawn chorus again. I got home, after several faff stops (one to oil the chain), about 8:15am (ride time 70 mins slower than the outward leg), and, after a bath, enjoyed a long sleep (yes, some of it was in the bath). 323 miles was a big step after 215 last week, so I don't think I'll ECE the Lincs Poacher 400 next week (80 miles away).
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Re: PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300
« Reply #49 on: 28 April, 2019, 11:05:16 pm »
Another great ride report  :thumbsup:
You're only as successful as your last 1200...