Velothon Wales 2016

Booked back in November 2015, the Velothon had been a long time coming. As with all things you wait long and hard for, time does not appear constant. The months drag as you plan your training, the weeks before slip through your fingers as sand falls through an hour glass and the hours on the day pass like the blink of an eye.

The Velothon was launched in 2015 as a combined closed road sportive alongside a UCI sanctioned professional race. It can be considered to be Wales and Cardiff's version of England's Ride London. I had looked at attending last year's event, but other commitments won the day. That said, entering it this year has given me the perfect closed road cycling schedule to look back on:

• 2014 - Ride London, England
• 2015 - Etape Loch Ness, Scotland
• 2016 - Velothon, Wales

Can you spot the theme here?

For this year's event there were 4 AVP cyclists who signed up back in November, Ed, Jason, Kelly and myself. Hotel rooms were booked and a team entry submitted to ensure we'd be starting at the same time. This was a much better format than the Ride London, where start times could be spread throughout the morning and you may never get to ride together. As the months passed, Kelly withdrew due work commitments. As the final weeks slipped through our fingers, Jason withdrew the week before feeling under trained. This left Ed and myself the last two pedalling to fly the AVP flag.

Velothon Ride HQ, Cardiff

On Saturday 21st May, Ed rolled up at TdF HQ in his trusty carpentry van. Unlike Jones the Butcher's van in Dad's Army, Ed's has no artwork nor holes cut in the side but is equally useful, as bikes can be carried without dismantling and there's room to stand inside for the purpose of which I may share later.

We headed north through some very dismal driving conditions but the forecast was still looking good for the following day's ride. After checking in at the HI Express Newport, we drove the 9 miles into Cardiff to park up, register, collect our race packs and checkout the some of the sights.

Finding an NCP carpark, we passed through the ticket barrier but made it no further. In a scene reminiscent of the 2013 Tour de France when the Orica-GreenEdge driver wedged his coach under the finishing line banner, we nearly ended with same fate under the 2.0m entry board to the carpark! Luckily, Ed managed to persuade the attendant to raise the ticket barrier for him to reverse back out. We then went in search of some more suitable on-street parking.

Ed signs on at Ride HQ

Team AVP on the start line

After signing on and getting thoroughly dampened by the rain and the waterlogged park in which the Ride HQ tents were erected, we surveyed some of sites and then headed back to the hotel for food and pre ride planning.

The following morning, Sunday 22nd May 2016, at 05:00 am the alarm on our phones sounded the call for us and what could be another 17,998 Velothon cyclists to rise for breakfast. We exited the hotel at 06:30 and battled with the closed roads and diversions to make our way through Cardiff to the assigned ride day parking, having obviously checked the evening before that there would be no overhead barriers this time to bar our entry!

We found our way to our starting pen J and at 07:45 we were released with a bit of a whimper rather than the usual 3-2-1 count down. I only realised that we had started when we cycled over the timing chip censor and under the starting banner after a meandering lead up through what must have been pens A-K.

For the first 50 miles it was a relatively flat ride and with the weather to this point remaining dry, we were having such a pleasant ride, averaging around 20mph, that we decided to skip the first feed station at Usk. All was going far too well when at the foot of the first major climb, the 1570ft Tumble, the heavens opened!

My waterproof shoes filled with rain as it formed in streams down my legs. Glasses fogged and had to be removed as we climbed, the view into the valley below, however, was still spectacular.

After a stop for photos we climbed back on for a stunning 5 mile descent to the Abersychan Feed Station where we topped up with sufficient water and bananas to take us the remaining 25 miles back to Cardiff.

As we rode further away from The Tumble, the rain started to clear and shadows appeared as the clouds thinned. After a lumpy 10 mile section we entered Caerphilly and were greeted, as we had through out all the earlier villages and towns, by bell ringing and cheering crowds. I can not express how much this lifted me to pedal harder.

The exit to Caerphilly was up Caerphilly Mountain which looked on paper nothing compared to The Tumble, however, on a bike it was a different matter.

The ascent was probably half The Tumble's distance but double its gradient! People pulled over to walk along its length but Ed and I eased our way to the top; myself obviously letting Ed get there first so he could capture me on film as I arrive a few minutes later!

Once over the top we had a swift 15 mile descent back into Cardiff. Rain capes removed the sun was now beaming down and we risked sunburn in place of hyperthermia as we crossed the line 5hrs 30mins after setting off.

Cheddar Wells and back with Jason

On the weekend before the Welsh Velothon event, I headed over to Taunton to meet up with one of my riding partners, Jason, for a pre-event training ride over to Cheddar Gorge. In the book of 100 climbs, Cheddar is number one, so also a good chance to tick another off the list. This route was also a good test for the Velothon, which similarly has long spin across the Levels and big climbs up The Tumble and Caerphilly Mountain.

The weather started cool but was forecast for the sun to shine so in my shorts and tee shirt jersey I felt a little frozen as we headed set off towards Bridgewater. We followed the course of the M5 north for 10 miles, repeatedly crossing the motorway until we skirted Bridgewater and entered the Somerset Levels and Moor for real. Once away from the traffic, the ride became a joy and to top it all, the sun started to stream through the thinning clouds.

We reached Cheddar after around 2 hours and 30 miles of pedalling. At the foot of the climb we stopped at a friendly cafe and watched the stream of cycling pilgrims pass left and right as they made their way up and then down the gorge. Filed up on caffeine and carrot cake we remounted and started our ascent.

We had agreed to stick to our preferred cadence and speed and so we parted company after a few hundred yards. The climb was spectacular, not in any way as long as Mont Ventoux but still quite spectacular with its switch back hairpins and steep rock walls. Near the top, someone had painted 1km and 200m marks and even a finishing line. I turned around at this point and dropped back down to check on Jason .. big mistake! The Strava segment must have finished a few metres beyond the road markings as I received no time for my climb, another KOM lost, because as you know, if it's not on Strava it didn't happen!

The Tarmac at Wells Cathedral

Having climbed so high, approximately 800ft, the descent into Wells was well worth the pain. Wells was buzzing. The sun was now turned up high and everyone seemed to be out to enjoy it. We dropped off the main through road to visit the Bishop's Palace and Wells Cathedral. Jason has been working over hear quite a bit recently so was able to show me the impressive tourist sights.

From Wells we passed through Glastonbury and then back out onto the Levels. The stretch of narrow roads passing between Middlezoy and High Ham were incredible. It was like riding on the Fens. Irrigation ditches lined either side of the raised road which themselves stretched out as straight as a plumb line before us. When we reached a turn in the road, it was either a 90 degree left or right with the same view of the road disappearing into the distance. Had we had more energy in our legs, we could have reached serious TT speeds along these 10 miles of track.

Riding the Levels!

Off the levels, it was a short hop back into Taunton where we passed evidence of the Taunton Flyer, the sportive ride taking place today on which our other Velothon parter, Ed, was getting in his last minute training miles.

It great to ride out with Jason again, although I think he suffered a bit through not having managed to get as much distance training into his legs as he would have hoped, particularly this close to next week's Velothon.

2016 AVP Treasure Hunt

Last year I devised and ran a cycling treasure hunt .. I thought it may be a one off, I had time on my hands, I was on sabbatical. So when it was suggested I run another, I must admit I accepted with some trepidation. Matters became even more fraught when my proposed co-orginiser dropped out. Anyway, with the help of Mrs TdF, the route and clues were drawn up and with assistance of my old RideLondon buddy, we recce'd the course. What we ended up with and with the luck of the weather, was a very credible event.

The 2nd Annual Axe Valley Pedaller's Treasure Hunt was held on Sunday 8th May 2016, the hottest day so far of the year. 22 cyclists, extending across the generations, pedalled over to the start at Millers Farm Shop, Kilmington when the owner's son, James had kindly permitted us to setup Treasure Hunt HQ.

9 teams formed up while maps and questions were issued. After the ride briefing, all riders departed at 10:10. The clock on this ride was to be a key factor as in addition to the usual, who can find the most treasure (or answer the most questions) there was also to be a King of the Mountains (KOM) award for the most questions answered in the quickest time. Then, in case of a draw, we had a caption competition as a tiebreaker which was also turned into an award of its own.

The route took our Pedallers over a 12.5 mile route, starting in Axminster before heading out into the beautiful countryside of Smallridge, Membury and returning along the Yarty Valley.

As with all Treasure Hunts and quizzes there are always questions which cause controversy in the post event debriefing .. were there 5 crosses or 7? were there 34 or 72 boards on the mill? and which railway bridge did you mean? .. and this was no exception! However, when one team gets all 26 questions correct the question master has to feel vindicated; fiendish clues provide for a worthy winner.

In this year's event, we actually had 2 potential winners. 2015 champions, Becca and Roger were firm favourites. In last year's event, they gathered in 100% of the treasure and on Sunday, joined by Graham, they proved their metal again in being the only team to secure another clean sweep! The 2nd team who coulda shoulda won, was that of Andy and Wes. They incredibly finished an hour ahead of our champions and missed out on the overall award by only 3/45 points, and even then, these 3 dropped points were only marginally short of what was required on the answer sheet! Without doubt, however, Andy and Wes came away uncontested with the KOM award, with an average of 2 mins per correct question versus the winners at 3 mins. This was truly a competition for all!

Then there was the caption competition which based on a Pedallers' laughometer, team Andy/Wes and Mark/Dawn had the greatest appreciation in that order and so the award went to Mark & Dawn

We'll be back next year with a new route, new questions and seeing whether Andy & Wes can finally topple Becca & Roger's crown! See you in 2017.

Well it's not the Broom Wagon

It's been 6 months since the Broom Wagon closed and so today when I popped in to Serendipity, that which its new owners from Birmingham have renamed it, to join them on their opening day, I was filled with anticipation to see what they had done with the establishment during the closed season.

I entered at 14:00. Stepped out at 14:05. Big guy talking to lady tucking into pile of sandwiches. No one else in shop but these 2 and lady hidden behind coffee machine. No nod, no eye contact, no sign of wanting business. Strange smell, may be from kitchen. Picture hooks but no pictures.

Rightly or wrongly, I judge a location, establishment and people by the feeling I get from them in the first few minutes .. this is no Broom Wagon Coffee, I shall not be back but knowing how well Seaton greeted its very own proper Coffee shop and not just another cafe, it should do well!

On the flip side, I lunched earlier in another cafe which has just reopened on the seafront. It was bustling, airy and serving Mediterranean inspired platers which certainly befitted the temperature, blue sky and sea view. This establishment, the Hideaway Cafe, serving a very acceptable Black Bear Devon Coffee, I shall be returning to!

AVP Exmoor Classic

It was an epic day on the moor yesterday when Clive led out 10 AVP riders on our first return to Exmoor since the 2013 100 miler.

We met up at Sampford Peverell for the 8am depart. The weather forecast was not dissimilar to that we faced 3 years ago; dry, followed by light rain, followed by heavy rain! Fortunately rain did not appear until we made it to the top of the Porlock, so a dry 36 miles wasn't bad.

Many years ago I drove the Porlock road and found the descent too much for my brakes, so the thought of cycling up it filled me with some dread. Unbeknown to me, however, there is a much gentler Toll Road. I say gentler with the caveat that everything is relative! This Toll Road is a 4 mile Alpine styled climb and a joy to any hill climber!

Our lunch stop at a cafe in Lynmouth was an absolute blessing after a very windy ride from Pollock to County Gate. Once refuelled we climbed again up the Watersmeet road and across the very exposed moor to Simonsbath. With absolutely no shelter we were battered and soaked and the feeling of isolation was made complete when even the bank holiday weekend traffic petered out. It was pure  relief to find shelter in a Dulverton cafe where we gravitated to the wood fire and fuelled up on hot coffee and cake.

Our final 15 miles back through Bampton and Plowman were pedalled with renewed vigour although back at the car, my legs were certainly feeling the 80 or so miles and the 8k feet of climb; I was glad not to be the one driving home!