'Lucky' Salvatore has a tale to tell too. I'll leave that there as a teaser. I'm sure he will tell that tale when he gets home (he's still on the road).
But first I'm going to get some kip.
If there's still anyone who hasn't heard it, this is what happened:
I was riding with an Oxford rider named Tom, who was out for a Saturday morning spin, and we'd just reached the Islip 1-way system, when my legs started spinning without any effect on my speed, as if I had changed into a ridiculously small gear, or my chain had broken. Neither was the case - the freewheel was freewheeling in both directions. I leant my bike against a wall and wondered what to do. I didn't have the tools to dismantle a Campag freewheel, and I didn't have the cable ties to make a temporary bodge (as I'd used in similar circumstances on the BCM some years ago). Tom had plenty of spare wheels but it was too far from home and he didn't have a car. My 3 thoughts were: "That's it for this ride", "That's it for PBP qualification", and "There is a solution, something will turn up, I just don't know what it is yet". This last thought was inspired by the broken chain incident on the WW 300 earlier in the year, when the heros of V.C. Walcot had turned up, ridden to Bath, found an open bike shop, bought a chain and ridden back to meet me. At that moment a local walked up. "Riding Windsor Chester Windsor? Is there a problem?" he asked. He looked familiar, but he recognised me first. It was John Hopper (or John "No-Relation-To-Jim-Hopper-But-Toby-Hopper's-Uncle" Hopper to give him his full name). We'd ridden the last bit of PBP together in 2007 and I'd like to think I had some influence in his getting back 5 mins inside the 90-hour deadline rather than passing the deadline asleep in a bus shelter . Anyway, he took me to his house 100 yds away, we went to his shed and he handed me a rear wheel, inner tube and new tyre while he went to make me a cup of tea.
What are the chances of that? The only local is not only a cyclist, an audaxer, knows me, lives nearby and has exactly what I need to get going again.
- 31 minutes from realising something was wrong to being back on the road.
- My original wheel had a Campag hub - the replacement was Shimano. No indexing or compatibility problems. DT friction FTW.
- After 50 km or so I realised the sprockets were loose. I tightened them with the Shimano-compatible tool I had with me. Why was I carrying a Shimano tool and using a Campag hub? Don't ask me.
- The replacement has a 32 or 34 -tooth sprocket (as opposed to the 28 I'd started with). Those extra teeth turned out to be very useful later on.
- After this and the WW300/VC Walcot/chain episode Drew Buck has a theory about my bike maintenance philosophy: If my bike is making a funny noise in midweek I just leave it until the following weekend's Audax and rely on someone else's kindness to sort out.
Other things from the weekend:
What everyone else has said about the controls and volunteers.
At Hartlebury Roy Goodbier told me an anecdote about the 1989 LEL which I knew nothing about. Which was surprising because I had a central role in it. I and 2 policemen.
Total expenses for the weekend: Entry: £30. Food: £1.60 (I bought a cappuccino this morning on my ride home). Transport to and from the event: £0.Accommodation before during and after the event: £0. Bike repairs parts & labour £0. Total £31.60.
I rode with Drew Buck on and off all weekend. By Weston we were both worried that we'd finish out of time. Leaving controls as they closed wouldn't work as that would leave less than two hours to ride the last 50km. Our overall average was close to 15 kph, so we'd have to increase our average, with the Cotswolds still to cross . Some first-time 600 riders with us were very grateful to us for pointing out the difference between 15 kph intermediate controls and the 40-hour flat-rate finish. It was very rewarding to see them finish in time. As it happened the ripsnorting tailwind across the Cotswolds meant that for DB and me the fears of finishing HD had disappeared by Chalgrove.
Towards the end as a 7:30 starter I found myself riding with 6 o'clock starters who had no realistic chance of meeting their 22:00 deadline. It must be disheartening to put in all that effort and then slowly realise that it will count for nothing (nothing PBP qualification-wise but hopefully a valuable experience).
The tailwind assisted blast down the A44 was one of the highlights.
Did any one else notice that we went along Chester road just north of Kinver, and past the end of Windsor Holloway just south of Kinver? No? Just me then.
Left Luggage A helmet with nice mitts, buff, USB charger thingy and a bag of bits and bobs (all together in the helmet so I assume the same owner) were left at the hall (I slept at the hall and Danial left me to lock up), so I brought them home with me .
PM me if you're the owner. Also a pair of skanky mitts.