Author Topic: Invicta Phoenix 400  (Read 3816 times)

Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
« Reply #25 on: 13 May, 2019, 08:58:38 am »
Yes, a great event. On the testing edge of lumpy - I was using my second bike with bar-end levers and a 34x28 bottom gear which was *just* ok for Burling at the end. Lots of gear changing.... this is not the flatlands, which is a good thing.

Rye control was *awesome*. Wasn't expecting it and had kind of forgotten it was there, so stepping into the warmth to be offered food and hot drink was great. Had a 90 minute reset nap and then into the beautiful morning, the brief deluges of 24 hours previous forgotten.

My favourite bit of the ride was dusk, coming down the Meon valley. My least favourite was the aptly named Steep Hill at 2:30am just before Rye < that was a deliberate joke wasn't it?!




Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
« Reply #26 on: 13 May, 2019, 06:01:49 pm »
I was feeling a bit off colour for the first half of the ride for some reason but the lovely route held my interest and helped me ignore any negative thoughts - even during the early downpour.  I perked up after Winchester and particularly liked the bit through the Meons.  After it got dark there were some spooky patches of fog with interesting lighting effects.  I was testing out a new top and was disappointed at how cold I felt considering the forecast had shown a minimum of 4degC.  Looking at people's Strava data it was actually down to somewhere around freezing so not so bad after all.

The control in Rye and the people running it were fantastic.  I was tempted to have a snooze but decided to press on and let the dawn chorus keep me awake.  It was deafening at times!  It was still cold - particularly in the mist patches but it was a lovely run home with 'that hill' to look forward to.  After a steady ascent I thought that it was just a gentle roll back to the finish but was then presented with another, smaller ridge line.  I may have said rude words.  After this it really was all downhill back to the Cyclopark.

Thanks to Tom and his helpers for putting on a great event.

Re: Invicta Phoenix 400
« Reply #27 on: 21 May, 2019, 08:32:47 am »
Finally finished my write up of this great route - recommended, hope they do it again!

https://www.allenoleary.co.uk/2019/05/20/invicta-phoenix-400/