It was a Haslingfield Double Header for me. Saturday I rode a DIY 200 that got me to a B&B in Little Shelford, and today (Sunday) the End of Hibernation ride itself.
The Perm Outrun.
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Swaffham, Wisbech, Oakham, Oundle, Little Shelford.
The forecast for Saturday was warm and sunny. When I set out at 5am, it was dark and -2c. I was bloody freezing, and almost turned round and came home before I'd done 5km. Instead, I kept going and tried to keep warm by riding hard. God - the Fenland roads seemed interminable. I stopped only very briefly at Wisbech and kept an aggressive pace going until I was caught at the level crossing at Helpston. Try very hard to avoid this if you find yourself over that way. I was there 15 minutes as one, then another and then yet another train passed.
Finally, the fens gave way to some actual scenery at Stamford. From there, it's a lovely rolling route through Exton to Oakham. Had a welcome bacon roll and scone at a cafe, and got going again, en-route to Oundle. The terrain South of Oakham, through Wing to Harringworth is "choppy" to say the least. By the time I got to the top of the third roller, I was cooking in my winter jersey and longs, so stripped down to shorts and single layer top. Ah bliss!
Fast descent to the Welland valley at Harringworth. That viaduct - what an awesome piece of kit! Another stiff climb to Laxton, but then easier terrain from there to Oundle. I used the B roads from South of Oundle to St Neots, including an excellent stretch of the B662, recently resurfaced with smooth blacktop, very little traffic, and aided by a tailwind - I was flying along. More traffic after Kimbolton, and quite busy in St Neots, but some judicious filtering soon saw me through the town and onwards to the Gransdens, before forking right to Great Eversden and finally (via Haslingfield) to Little Shelford.
I can thoroughly recommend the Dorset House B&B. Not the cheapest around - but V friendly, and happy to feed me copious amounts of breakfast, long before the normal Sunday hours.
The Haslingfield 200
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When I got to the HQ, I realised my bag wasn't done up properly. It later transpired my mobile had fallen out and is lost. Arse.
Anyway...
Lots of yACF presence both on the ride, and one or two in the kitchen, at the start. A fantastic ride out to One House, aided once again by a developing Westerly. Quiet roads, rolling hills (right from the word go in fact as we assualted the Gog Magog with fresh legged exuberance) and warming sunshine. Brilliant stuff!
Regulator - was that you (and two other chaps) in Stetchworth? If not, you have a double.
Much motorbike pr0n on show at the first control, and the most amazing bacon sandwiches - as promised by Mike.
I couldn't keep up with Scottlington on the next stage, whose exertions earlier in the week didn't seem to have slowed him down any. Kept passing Dasmoth - only to have him come steaming by on his fixed gear (usually going up a hill) with effortless ease.
Beans on Toast was required at the Lakeside cafe (89km). I was chasing the bonk a lot today as a result of doing back to back rides. I was also continually thirsty.
A fast run through Hitcham and Bildeston, but then the gradual turn Westward brought us into the wind (which by this time was strengthening, natch) and progress slowed significantly. By this time I'd hooked up with Alan Smith (not of the ACF parish, but a Naarfolk boy like me) and we rode into Sudbury and stopped for a pit-stop as I needed cash and he needed Snickers. A pint of milk and a Mars Bar helped me to fend off the Bonk a little longer.
The climb out of Sudbury seemed much easier than I was expecting, but the Finchingfield road was a real grovel into the wind. Lots more motorbikes on show in Finchingfield, and I rang home on Alan's phone to wish Mrs S a Happy Mother's Day. Poor Deniece turned up having got very lost, so our merry band became three.
More grovelling from here all the way to Hare Street. The climb through Clavering, into the wind, was painful - my legs were starting to give up, and I went through a major "I just want this to be over" phase. I gave myself a stern telling off, and cracked open the packet of Jelly Babies I'd been hauling around East Anglia for two days. All was OK with the world again.
The wind was across us now, so less of a hindrance, but it was still a bully on the descent from Barley down to Bridgefoot
The final run in was fast, and we were back before it was too dark. Simonp had been joined by Mike in the kitchen.
I had intended at this point, to ride into Cambridge, get the train to Downham Market and ride back from there (35km). Alan kindly offered to drop me off at Swaffham (10km instead!) and I hope I didn't seem too unseemingly desperate to accept his kind offer.
A great weekend's cycling - 466km in total.
