Another strong turn out from the mid-Essex peloton for the Horsepower rides on Saturday. Tokyo rode the time efficient 100 (there was a spreadsheet involved there somewhere). Meanwhile Tippers, Jiber, Christophe, the Hustler, David Gandy, Huggy and I set off on the 200.
The Hustler and I opted to wait for Huggy at the start while he checked in with mission control and generally faffed. His excuse was that he had been busy helping Tomsk. When I checked in he was very busy guarding a pile of AUK stickers while Wilkyboy did the checking in
. The upshot was that we started about 10 minutes late but at least we had our navigator and pacesetter along.
As is ever the case, we soon picked up a couple of waifs and strays; fandango - usual navigation issues and Bobb - visitation.
There was still an impressive field out but perhaps with fewer amateurs (other than myself) than last year's PBP fuelled field. Certainly the beard count was high and the pace seemed to match. It is always slightly depressing to see a stream of riders coming back from Snetterton all having controlled and eaten when you are still 20 minutes away. We saw the mid-Essex A peloton and had the usual cry of "I'm absolutely ruined" from Jiber as he sped off looking absolutely fine. Despite the Hustler's misgivings, Tyrell's cafe proved to be excellent.
The Hustler and Bobb had ridden the route as a perm a couple of weeks ago. This was part of their plan not to ride RRTY, despite having clocked up four months' worth of rides spanning the worst of the winter
. Their early season form was awesome, whatever they are up to. They rode the rest of us off the road leaving us straggling behind as the elastic snapped on more than one occasion. Being the nice chaps they are, they waited at controls and hedge stops, but they were just at a different level. With four weeks to the Shark, at least I now know how far off the pace I am.
Huggy had produced a detailed plan that involved a careful stopping strategy with lots of bouncing of controls and a 7pm finish. Needless to say we stopped and ate everywhere even making two stops in Newmarket, Huggy proving unable to ride past the 'Spoons without pulling in for Apple crumble and custard
. The 7pm finish was still achieved though. Actually Bobb and the Hustler achieved it with Huggy and I trailing in at "7ish".
Arrivee was a welcome haven of soup, tea, sympathy and nuts, although Tippers and his band of locusts seemed to have polished off the pork scratchings. Tomsk, who is taking his place as Audax royalty very seriously, was waiting to welcome us when we got back. Instead of asking "so, have you come far" like the real royal family, he simply told us "speak to my man who will sort out your card". His man turned out to be Wilkyboy who was still chained to the same desk as he had been in the morning. I did notice that the stickers were now unguarded though.
