This may sound pervy but I enjoyed the lumpy bits.
H
being on fixed, I knew which section would be tough on the way home! It was really odd, on the way out we had gentle climbs and some steep descents, so I know it would be a bit of work on the way home.
I was pleased with my climbing this time, I had struggled a lot towards the end of my 400.
I had a couple of little walks, Howe Hill near Stoner being the one I really remember.
I made it around 5300m of ascent for the 600 - so nothing overly crazy, but equally, far from flat.
There is no such thing as an easy 600. Riding 600km on a bike in 40 hours is never going to be ever so easy and the terrain and weather are just factors in the equation.
The route was one of the most delightful routes I have ever done on a 600 - so many little lanes that are forgotten by all but locals. Loved it! It was a great surprise to me just how pretty some of the midlands bits were - not a bit of the world I know well.
It amazed me how we threaded our way around conurbations and stayed laney and rural most of the way. Even the little hop through droitwich was hardly noticeable as we made the little cut through.
I can not think of a better way to have qualified for PBP than going back to our roots and doing WCW (I know it's a different animal to the WCW of years gone by, but the world is a very different place as well).
Having full control support was amazing. I know I can often come across as a bit hair shirt and into the self sufficiency and suffering (and indeed, I love rides like the HGWI1300 ever so much), but I am equally comfortable with this style of event and hope that we will see some more larger and well supported events (I do put my foot down at bag drops on a 600 though!). Who doesn't love a bit of pampering? Best bit of pampering was the christleton control where a plate of food was put on the table before I even sat down (and it was delicious, the pancake things with vegetables and beans - nom nom nom! Toss up between that and Keith's bean stew as best dish of the ride)
2019 is a long way away, but I really hope that this event is run in a similar fashion again as I would 100% want to ride it again as my qualifier.