Day 83 - Axe Valley Pedallers

Two months ago, during Week 3 of my Tour, I talked of the possibility of joining the local cycling club, the Axe Valley Pedallers. Yesterday, while eating my fish & chips on the beach as is my usual weekly treat, I spotted in the local rag that the club had just returned from a trip to Brittany. That's interesting I thought. Leaving the beach, I walked as usual through the roundabout at the Esplanade and spotted the the sign on cycle sculpture, which has been there for some years now. The sign said "The Pedalabout .. in partnership with the Axe Valley Pedallers Cycle Club".

Lunch on the Beach

The Pedalabout

On arriving home, I connected to the club's website to see if I could learn more. To my surprise it seemed to be a very active club, meeting up every Tuesday and Thursday evening and Sunday mornings. Being a Thursday, I thought why not head out to the local pub where they were meeting to see if it were worth joining.

Before heading out, I rechecked the details on their website only to spot that it was more than a meet at the pub for a few drinks. The full details were as follows: "Thursday night is club night. We meet at the Kings Arms in Seaton for plenty of chat, chips, a beer or two, maybe a cake and perhaps even some cycling! Thursday nights are all about socialising and having fun. We depart at 6:30 pm when a road ride and a mountain bike ride will set off aiming to return to the pub for beer and chips around 8:30pm." What I had neglected to take in on first read was the "We depart at .." line! So, having committed to myself that I was going to check out the club, I kitted up and headed out on my steed thinking 'it will probably just be a short ride over to Colyton and then back for a pie and a pint'.

I first met up with two interesting chaps, one riding one of those recumbent bicycles. Then a crowd of cyclists with various machines arrived and by 6:45 we were complete and around 10-12 of us headed off towards Colyton. My earlier thoughts of 'it will probably just be a short ride over to Colyton and then back for a pie and a pint' were starting out on plan. From Colyton we headed out into the country lanes along routes I'd never been in the car, there are some very narrow lanes in Devon and we were riding them two abreast at a good speed. It is funny how one feels safer in numbers as I would not have been so happy had I been on my own. Up hill and down dale we cycled until four of the group crashed out on spilt diesel on a down hill bend. After this, only six of us continued. This was going to be quite some adventure!

Some 20 miles and two hours later, having been out to Honiton and back, we arrived at the Tower Services, the westerly turning in point for Seaton. Endomondo had been playing up, so to evidence the occasion I insisted on some team photos. Unfortunately, one of our six, Jolly, left us just before the Tower, so is not in these snaps below.

4 of the 6 finishers - I'm behind the camera

I think from that face, I'm pleased to have made it back!

So, after an already record breaking week, I've achieved another two PBs, an unexpected circuit record of 21.21 miles and a new 20 km best of 1h:18m:39s.! This week has certainly marked a step change in my Tour de Fitness and the Axe Valley Pedallers have a new member!

Stats: 21.21 mi, 2hrs 14m, Avg 9.4 mph, 1,488 kcal