This is an Audax 'permanent' ride along a line from Lossiemouth in the north of Scotland to Fareham on the English Channel in the South, a total distance of 1100 kms. People are free to choose their own route along this line starting and/or finishing at any of the 71 points listed.
Having been unable to ride any of the Audax calendar 600's this year, and having read of others using variations of the Middle Roads, I decided to advertise the fact that I was intending to do a 600 km ride from Thame in Oxfordshire to Howden in north Yorkshire and back and inviting others to join me.
I was secretly hoping that Steve Abraham would take up my invitation knowing that he had ridden this exact route many times previously and was also an expert in long distance riding. He did and a date was set for Saturday 15th August at 6.00 am.
We arranged to meet up at the 24 hour Thame Services for a pre-ride coffee at about 5.30 am and having booked a local B&B the night before the ride, I decided to call in at the services to just check that they would definitely be open at that time of the morning and was assured that yes they would be!
I arrived at the services the next morning to find them closed with no sign of life inside at all. Steve arrived shortly after and we then rode the short distance into the town to get a till receipt from a bank ATM machine which gave the necessary information to start the ride and was timed at 05.58
We then began our journey North with the help of a strong wind on our backs and passing Buckingham at 35k in a little over an hour. Steve knew these roads well, living not too far away but still managed to miss a right turn and adding a few extra kms to the ride! We arrived at our first control point in Billing at 8.50 am with 75kms covered, but were both keen to continue making good progress with the tailwind and so were soon on our way again to the East of Northampton.
After crossing the A14, the roads soon became noticeably more hilly especially after turning right onto the B664 to Uppingham which became a never ending rollercoaster of a road. We stopped again for a short break in Uppingham (128k) before continuing on the rollercoaster roads to Oakham.
From Oakham it became flatter and easier again and we decided on lunch at the Wymondham Windmill cafe being a popular choice of many local cyclists. Our next control stop wasnt until Gonerby Services on the A1, north of Grantham and we arrived here at 2.00 pm with 180 kms covered.
The pace had been high so far with the help of a tailwind, but was still a few kmph quicker than what I was used to. I was also aware that I was not taking in enough liquids and was sweating quite a lot and this was beginning to affect my apetite by not being able to eat sufficiently.
The roads were very flat and open now and the climb up through Lincoln took a lot more out of me than it should have done. This was also another control point at 213k (3.40 pm) and the chance to stop for more food and drink.
With just 89kms to the turn at Howden, I was beginning to think that we would do it in record time and get back to Lincoln again for a good nights sleep. We pressed on through Gainsborough and decided to stop at a pub in Misterton for a meal, but I had to force myself to eat it as my stomach felt like it was in knots.
The roads from here were completely straight and open and flat with no hedges and we were just hoping that the wind would ease later on, otherwise it would be extremely tough into the wind along these roads.
After passing the Thorne control on the recent London-Edinburgh-London, we arrived at the turn in Howden at 8.30 pm for the 302kms just as it was beginning to get dark. Half hour later we were on our way South and hoping to get back to Lincoln at a reasonable time for some sleep at the Premier Travel Inn that Steve had booked. The wind had definitely eased by now and it was not as bad as we had first thought back into the wind.
We arrived back in Lincoln at 1.00 am (391k) but then got a bit lost trying to find the Travel Inn which we eventually found at the top of a hill. We were back on the road again at 8.00 am and the wind was already getting stronger again, but we were still managing to average around 17mph into the wind. Steve was on the front on this part riding an 88 inch fixed gear and showing his extreme fitness but somehow still looking completely relaxed at the same time!
Back at Gonerby Services at 9.25 am (424k) and then past the stunning sight of Belvoir Castle to our right. This point also marked the start of some climbing and with my legs feeling heavy, I was reduced to using the inner ring and taking it gently on the hills from here onwards.
After crossing the A607 at Croxton Kerrial the roads flattened out again until Oakham and then back onto the rollercoaster roads to Uppingham where we stopped for lunch with 476kms now covered. I felt as though we had spent too long here especially as I could not eat anything and feeling that my legs were beginning to seize up.
The next 16kms on the B664 were constantly up or down but eventually we arrived at the penultimate control at Billing at 4.30 pm (529k) on easier roads again. Another short stop at Buckingham (565k) and I was ready for the final stretch back to Thame arriving at 8.30 pm.
The services were now open and I thanked Steve Abraham for accompanying me on the ride and for allowing me to sit on his wheel at times as I dont think I could have made it without him. Completion of the ride has also earned me my first Super Randonneur which I am very pleased with. Would I do it again? Yes, but not for a while!
I could hardly walk for the next 3 days afterwards as my legs were so sore. I have now learned that it is paramount to riding at a comfortable pace and to avoid 'pushing' it at all costs. Also to drink regularly and avoid becoming dehydrated which is what happened to me. Once i became dehydrated, I then had difficulty in eating anything which just made the ride so much harder than it needed to have been.
