Heart of England 300, Sat 23rd April

[JonB]

there is the Compton Abdale 'Alp' to climb after you leave the village

One before and one after the village... in fact I seem to recall the one before is longer... but maybe memory is tricking me

I think you're right but the final bit 'after' as you approach the A40 is the steepest, there is also a bit of a respite as it goes down before the final pull up to the A40 (I've resorted to the 24" on fixed at this particular point but managed it last time I went up there on a DIY that takes the same route off the Whiteway)

[Bobbinogs]

The climb before the village is actually quite tough since it does go on a bit, although we will all have fresh legs.  It rises out of the Coln Valley and rises up and over before quite a sharp technical descent into Compton Abdale, be very careful as there is a junction at the bottom which is prone to gravel and poor visibility of side traffic.  Whosatthewheel will remember we went the opposite way last year, which was a bit more fun as Sean overcooked it on the way up the sharp side and then we all had a long steady descent to the Coln 

[whosatthewheel]

The climb before the village is actually quite tough since it does go on a bit, although we will all have fresh legs.  It rises out of the Coln Valley and rises up and over before quite a sharp technical descent into Compton Abdale, be very careful as there is a junction at the bottom which is prone to gravel and poor visibility of side traffic.  Whosatthewheel will remember we went the opposite way last year, which was a bit more fun as Sean overcooked it on the way up the sharp side and then we all had a long steady descent to the Coln 

I do remember... I also remember that later on in spring I used the same road both ways for my famous "ride to the chippy" in Tetbury

https://www.strava.com/activities/963064227

[NeilP]

there is the Compton Abdale 'Alp' to climb after you leave the village

One before and one after the village... in fact I seem to recall the one before is longer... but maybe memory is tricking me

When I ride to work I go through Compton Abdale and there's only 1 way out which doesn't involve a steep climb. They're all equally grovel territory.

[NeilP]

If tomorrow is anything like right now in the area between Cirencester and the A40 and beyond visibility is down to 20 metres in places. Real pity if people from out of the area miss out on the views from Chedworth and beyond as it's beautiful.
A real thick fog this morning and highly likely to be tomorrow too.

[Rod Marton]

there is the Compton Abdale 'Alp' to climb after you leave the village

One before and one after the village... in fact I seem to recall the one before is longer... but maybe memory is tricking me

When I ride to work I go through Compton Abdale and there's only 1 way out which doesn't involve a steep climb. They're all equally grovel territory.

So which climb out of Compton Abdale to you classify as 'not steep'? I've certainly never found one.

[Ajax Bay]

If tomorrow is anything like right now in the area between Cirencester and the A40 and beyond visibility is down to 20 metres in places. Real pity if people from out of the area miss out on the views from Chedworth and beyond as it's beautiful.
A real thick fog this morning and highly likely to be tomorrow too.

Lights

[whosatthewheel]

The metoffice keeps changing its mind about these afternoon thunderstorms... one moment they're there, one moment they're gone... I suppose it's down to some algorythm which is evolving its results constantly, but I like to think of a man in a dark office, struggling to take a decision and changing his mind every five minutes... 

Anyway, waterproofs packed

[Ben T]

He knows know they'll be there somewhere, he just doesn't know where exactly they'll be at any given time.

[NeilP]

there is the Compton Abdale 'Alp' to climb after you leave the village

One before and one after the village... in fact I seem to recall the one before is longer... but maybe memory is tricking me

When I ride to work I go through Compton Abdale and there's only 1 way out which doesn't involve a steep climb. They're all equally grovel territory.

So which climb out of Compton Abdale to you classify as 'not steep'? I've certainly never found one.

The road towards Withington. OK there is a climb a mile or so down the road but that's not technically taking you out of Abdale.

[Hot Flatus]

Nice day out. Took it fairly easy and got back at 6pm, with about an hour of stops.

I met Bobbinogs although I didn't realise it was him at the time.

[Bobbinogs]

Nice day out. Took it fairly easy and got back at 6pm, with about an hour of stops.

I met Bobbinogs although I didn't realise it was him at the time.

Took it easy and got round in 12 ☺

We landed about 5.30 and it nearly bloody killed me! Plenty of comedy riding back home to Chelters. Sorry I didnt recognise you Flatus, next time 👍

[LittleWheelsandBig]

HK had a lumbar puncture at short notice on Friday and so we didn't start. Bit of a bugger to miss short sleeve weather but sounds like you all had fun.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Started off in the spring sunshine with the front group with Flatus and Bobinogs, but they had younger legs through the climbs around Compton Abdale.  However, a winter spent riding Dutch Mountains and the inspiration of the Cotswold scenery on a sunny morning helped me to catch up and tow them into the first control.  I let them continue while I enjoyed a bacon butty and formed a group of four on the road, with occasional guests, that stuck together most of the way to the finish. 

Beautiful weather, great scenery, cafes that understood Audax, really nice route with not too many busy roads.  I kept crossing routes and places I had been tooo from different directions in other events, bringing back good memories.  Company was great, chatting along as we went.  There were a few spots of rain south of Daventry but otherwise perfect weather.  The only problem I had was the amount of tree pollen in the air, which caused my nose to run constantly (and related stomach complications), so I let the group go after Tackley and plodded at my own pace along the last stage, arriving about 7.10pm

Can't work out why I've never ridden this before, but will return to it again.

[whosatthewheel]

Started off in the spring sunshine with the front group with Flatus and Bobinogs, but they had younger legs through the climbs around Compton Abdale.  However, a winter spent riding Dutch Mountains and the inspiration of the Cotswold scenery on a sunny morning helped me to catch up and tow them into the first control.  I let them continue while I enjoyed a bacon butty and formed a group of four on the road, with occasional guests, that stuck together most of the way to the finish. 

Beautiful weather, great scenery, cafes that understood Audax, really nice route with not too many busy roads.  I kept crossing routes and places I had been tooo from different directions in other events, bringing back good memories.  Company was great, chatting along as we went.  There were a few spots of rain south of Daventry but otherwise perfect weather.  The only problem I had was the amount of tree pollen in the air, which caused my nose to run constantly (and related stomach complications), so I let the group go after Tackley and plodded at my own pace along the last stage, arriving about 7.10pm

Can't work out why I've never ridden this before, but will return to it again.

Yellow Roberts and pannier?

I pestered you about taking a shortcut in Blasall Common... I truned out to be right... 

[Hot Flatus]

We're you the guy in the maroon jersey with the wheels with bright orange hubs? If you were I passed you on the stage to Tackley

[whosatthewheel]

We're you the guy in the maroon jersey with the wheels with bright orange hubs? If you were I passed you on the stage to Tackley

Yes, that was me... you started late?

[Ajax Bay]

I fear the brief accounts above lost out by finishing so early. We finished at sunset, after a pint at Sturdy's Castle and a two hour ride to the end, and had just sat down to a cup of tea and cake when successive claps of thunder disturbed the sky followed by heavy rain. The thunderstorm passed right overhead so what it was like on the road from the last control (Sturdy's Castle, nr Tackley) through Witney to the arrivee at Cirencester I can only imagine. Drowned rats struggled in, lights blazing (the light had changed from a pleasant post dusk with red right across the horizon to dark dark in ten minutes). Others thought about the chances of being struck by lightening on steel frames, but consoled themselves that the rubber was hitting the road. A lot of flooding on the road - well there was on the roads I drove home on. Lady luck to finish with minutes to spare (before the storm).

[JohnL]

A fantastic ride in gorgeous weather, until the sun set. That’s when the headwind picked up, the rain came hammering down, the lightening started streaking across the sky and the fun became type 2...

Our little group got a little soggy, it was nerve racking climbing gradually into the more exposed area before the final descent to Cirencester, but the lightening got no closer than 3 seconds away (not sure what that is in actual distance).

Rolled into arrivee just gone 2200. You fast riders miss out on so much!

Apologies to all I rode with and ruined the peace of the countryside with my noisy bottom bracket.. gonna get that sorted this week!

John

[Hot Flatus]

We're you the guy in the maroon jersey with the wheels with bright orange hubs? If you were I passed you on the stage to Tackley

Yes, that was me... you started late?

No, you were alongside me briefly up the Whiteway until 6 of us sped off. I stopped for a while at Daventry so I suspect you got ahead there.

[whosatthewheel]

lightening got no closer than 3 seconds away (not sure what that is in actual distance).

About 1 km

[whosatthewheel]

We're you the guy in the maroon jersey with the wheels with bright orange hubs? If you were I passed you on the stage to Tackley

Yes, that was me... you started late?

No, you were alongside me briefly up the Whiteway until 6 of us sped off. I stopped for a while at Daventry so I suspect you got ahead there.

Couldn't keep up with you mountain goats...

On the flip side of the coin, Strava says I am now the fastest down Saintbury descent this year... 

[Somnolent]

A little bit later than others going through Witney, so managed to miss most of the dampness, but the light show put the Upper Thames to shame !

[JohnL]

lightening got no closer than 3 seconds away (not sure what that is in actual distance).

About 1 km

Eek, closer than I thought!

John

[whosatthewheel]

I was weary of thunderstorms and packed all sorts of waterproof... it turned out I didn't need any of them and had to carry around a lot of weight... overall I would do the same and struggle to understand those who start a 300 with a forecast of thunderstorms with only a short sleeve jersey...

I guess they are younger...