AVP Moonscape Evening Ride

After a week off the bike, following my Dad's 80th birthday celebration, I met up last night with around a dozen Pedallers for a sunny 24 mile evening ride out around our Devon lanes.

It started routinely with Tigger and Jolly hatching out a route which had us heading out of Seaton into the setting sun towards Beer. With my Roubaix being prepared for an upcoming France adventure, I risked a ride out on my full carbon Tarmac, built for smooth asphalt and speed. All was going well until, along the TT favoured strip across Farway Common, we dropped down a steep drop to the little village of Woodbridge. The hill itself was a joy to descend, although I may have screamed like a girl at one point after meeting an elderly lady behind the wheel of a luckily small car, ascending at a narrow section at the bottom of the hill. Having little or no time to warn her that I was not alone, I was glad to see at the next regrouping point, everyone else seemed to get passed OK.

Pedallers regrouping in Woodbridge .. spot the Tarmac leaning against the wall

From here, the asphalt was replaced with a moonscape of shingle, boulders and craters. Nothing close to a road surface befitting the use of carbon rims and slick tyres was to be seen until we surfaced again at Seaton Junction! From here we slipstreamed our way back to Seaton, some departing along the way, others ending at the Kings Arms for well deserved refreshments.

It was a good ride, particularly the surfaced sections where the Tarmac performed beautifully.

A Good Week in the Saddle

Last weekend we had the Tour de Yorkshire and this The Giro .. the new cycling season is certainly here.

Closer to home, in spite of the changeable weather system we find ourselves battling, I remain on plan to reach my spring target to complete at least 60 miles a week. I am keen to get back to my trim cycling physique following the winter season's excesses and lack of serious pedalling.

With three brisk rides under my belt this week, I'm feeling a little more confident about a couple of big rides coming up: the very local Ax-pedition 100K 'Cyclone' event and the epic Mont Ventoux climbing challenge I have in mind to do when on my annual France holiday!

My first outing this week was on Wednesday evening. Just a 10 mile blast around the Axe estuary after work. It hardly felt worth getting all kitted up for, but you know the saying .. marginal gains! It was alas, still good to spin the legs. 

Then I had the 20+ mile AVP club ride on Thursday evening. This was my favourite of the year so far. Was this because of the mild long and bright evening, the 580m of climb, the 40km of new and familiar countryside views, obviously the great company, or my first outing in the new 10 yr anniversary jersey and the unexpected double pub stop? ... probably a combination of all of the above! Oh, and the double pub stop was the result of me being a week ahead of myself thinking that it was an away night and Rex and I having to knock back the first beer to ensure we got to the Kings Arms before the chips had all been eaten! The route can be seen here http://ridewithgps.com/trips/4604850

Not my best selfie ... but check out that anniversary jersey!

Finally, I rose at 06:00 am this morning to meet up with good cycling buddy, Rex, for a quick 40 mile ride ahead of the more relaxed social 'blue bell' club ride scheduled for 10:00 am. Rex and I worked well together covering the 40 miles in 2.5 hours at an impressive average speed of 16 mph and a couple of handfuls of PBs! 

On Sidmouth beach

So, this week's mileage totalled a pleasing 88 miles and my total miles since starting this Tour de Fitness, just over 2 years ago has now broken through the 6k mile marker .. who would have thought! A heads up on next week, my 11 week successful run in achieving the 60 mile target is likely to take a down turn; all however, for a good cause, as it is my dad's 80th birthday! 

AVP Sunday Morning 40 Miler

Handbag, Richard Q, David, and I met up this morning at 10:00 am for what is becoming a regular Sunday slot in the diary for an AVP steady speed club ride. In spite of the forecast for rain and all coming prepared for continued wintery weather, we were pleasantly surprised to ride out under a clear sky and in temperatures which soon saw us unzipping garments and stowing away winter gloves.

No way through the ford today ... even if it was suitable for cyclists!

My original planned route was to follow a well ridden 3 hour 40 mile circuit out to Sidmouth, Tipton St John and Honiton, returning up Northcote Hill and on through Stockland, Kilmington back to Seaton. However, we were happy to keep things dynamic and took in Beer and Branscombe ahead of Sidmouth and a stop for refreshments at a new coffee shop (to me) at Escot, north of Ottery.

I am sure there is a caption to be added here

From here we headed towards Honiton on the old A30 as planned, but turned off to take in the idilic village of Gittisham and a climb up Parsonage Lane in place of Northcote Hill, which I think was much more acceptable! To ensure we completed the targeted 40 miles, we doubled back across Farway Common to return home via Offwell, where on the descent to Colyton, Richard & David pealed off to Axminster while Handbag and I made it back to Seaton before the heavens opened.

Handbag returning across the River Coly into Colyton

A great ride with loads of interesting sights and good chat