AVP Evening Ride with Quiff & The Near Naked Man

Thursday night is cycling night in Seaton ... well there are other things going on in and around, such as the Red Arrows flying over Lyme Regis, but for me even the draw of an air display could not keep me away from from my training.

After Tuesday's epic ride, I was looking forward to a more gentle spin ahead of a longer weekend ride. Arriving in at the Kings Head rallying point, I could see in addition to the usual suspects that Quiff had joined us. Quiff runs a quick paced Sunday ride which I had the privilege of joining on a couple of occasions last year, before I accepted after being dropped on a ride back in November, that I needed more training to do them justice. This was the ride which actually started the more regular social Sunday rides which Andy and I still try to get out on.

We have, more recently, been known on Thursday nights to split into two groups, for a brisk and gentle paced ride. Ordinarily, I would not have entertained following Quiff out on the brisk ride but with Andy away with the Arrows, and an unexplained desire to test myself, following all this training  I've been doing for the RideLondon, I thought, why not:
- double the distance,
- double the pain .. and hopefully
- double the gain!

Out with the speedy group!

The speedy group, in the end, actually only consisted of Quiff, myself and the Near Naked Man (Glenn, the proprietor of the Broom Wagon coffee shop and member of the MCAC), the remaining 8 or 9 riders chose the gentle paced route. If I ever thought someone knew something I didn't, this was one of those times.

We headed out briskly towards Colyton where some how I earned a Strava segment KOM and a flurry of PRs climbing Watchcombe Hill to Offwell .. this ride was really pushing me to my limit. In all we covered 41 miles to Uppotery, across the A303 to Churchinford and back through Membury and Axminster. I think it was out of Membury that we started a chain gang, rapidly rotating positions on the road to maximise our speed. I remember the last time I tried this I could not keep up, on this occasion I stayed on the wheel as we maintained a 20 mph plus average over the undulating couple of miles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUPVj1sIJ-M

As expected this was a quick ride, but I survived. I also achieved a 20 km PB. Feeling good for London! If you've not yet sponsored me, surely I'm earning it now :) www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone/ or Text JJRB64 £x to 70070

Saturday Exeter Loop

Okay, so we're just a week away from the Dartmoor Classic, that's a cycle ride of 67 miles and 6,300 ft of climbing across some of the most stunning and inhospitable scenery around. Andy and I covered 50 of these miles on our recce and hill climb training a couple of weeks ago and today we'd planned another long preparatory ride starting out from Seaton at 08:30, before the sun got too hot.

On the Cycle Way from Topsham to Exmouth with Andy, Jason and Kelly

We were pleased to be accompanied on our ride by Jason (my RideLondon buddy - [Note: the RideLondon is now less than 2 months away, so please support me if you can]) and Kelly a new member of AVP who, unable to join our Thursday evening rides, was looking to get some weekend miles in. Our circular route was to take us 60 miles via Exeter, Topsham and Exmouth, Kelly adding a further 10 miles having cycled all the way over from Axminster! Being one of our rides, we had 3 coffee stops, ending the ride, obviously at Glenn's Seaton "Broom Wagon Coffee" shop.

At the Broom Wagon Coffee Shop .. our final stop, with Andy and Jason

We did debate adding a further 7 miles to the route to avoid the climb out of Sidmouth up Salcombe Hill past the Norman Lockyer Observatory, but with 3 of us having not done it before, we thought, 'how bad can it be?' .. now we know!

This was a surprisingly quick ride, even taking 19 minutes off my 3hr:54m 50 mile record attained just a few weeks ago on that Dartmoor hill training circuit. Feeling good :)

Sunny AVP Evening Ride

10 Pedallers met up for the Thursday evening 28 mile road ride under a gloriously sunny sky. It was a good quick ride with fortunately no mechanical problems, no punctures, no crashes or fly-pasts ..

there was I believe a near miss with a dog and there may have been an altercation with a motorised vehicle down a narrow lane, but I could I really couldn't say!

Oh yes .. there was a Road Closure to negotiate

Check out the route below, extended a few miles to include Musbury after we'd got to Colyton, as we'd made such good time .. the Branoc had to wait!

Anniversary AVP Evening Rainbow Ride

Around 15 pedallers were out last night for the AVP Thursday evening road ride. I would have taken a better count but was a late arriver having had both a puncture to fix and vote to cast before heading out and was lucky to just catch the front of the peloton leaving the Kings Arms.

Tigger lead us out, just as he did a year ago to the day on my first ride with the pedallers.

My first ever ride with the Pedallers, 23 May 2013

... yes last night was my anniversary with the club.

Tigger and Rex discussing an exotic form of fungi

Tigger's route was to take us out to Branscombe, Blackberry Camp, Southleigh and back through Colyton via an ecliptic mix of roads and hills, some quite varied from the ones we've taken before. The ride was not to disappoint, as it provided us a veritable mix of nature's delights: from farm safari, to exotic fungi and meteorological phenomena.

Negotiating the farmyard safari

To add to the rich social tapestry of our ride, we were also joined by Curtis, our American Pedaller, just recently returned to these shores and a new addition to our number, a visitor to the area, so I believe - I did not catch the full story - and then the rare experience, of meeting the off-roaders in a Red Arrows styled crossover, as they came upon us in the opposite direction on the road to Southleigh.

A mesmerising view across to Lyme Regis

End of the Rainbow Ride

Heading back to Colyton, we were greeted with the view of the most spectacular rainbow and luckily avoided the worst of the downpour which
had obviously preceded us as we road back into Seaton.

First 'School Day' Morning Rides Of The Year

This was the week in which I found my cycling mojo and got myself back into a routine of pre breakfast morning rides.

The plan was to get out early on Monday, but in spite to the inviting blue sky, my motivation was lacking. Tuesday my excuse for not heading out was an early business call which, by the end of the day, I felt I had to make amends and nipped out for a quick gentle circuit .. just under 8 miles.



Wednesday, I had another early call but was not going to let this put me off. The great weather was holding and after the previous evening's enjoyable circuit I just had to get out. I felt sluggish but it was a start and I felt great to have completed my first 'school day' morning ride of the year!

Not a soul out at 06:30 am for my first morning ride

To complete the day, I even headed out late afternoon, after work for 10 mile spin .. as if I'd cycled to and from work. I was feeling much better on this ride .. getting KOM of my Seaton 3 Hills Climb, finally breaking my September 2013 record and achieving an average speed over the 10 miles of 15 mph .. feeling good!

Thursday, the day of our weekly AVP ride, with family arriving for the long Easter weekend, I had both chores to do in the morning and socialising in plan for the evening, so no cycling today! I made up for it. however, on Good Friday morning, with another 06:30 start and a good 20 plus mile ride out to Honiton golf club and back via Offwell. I even met up with a Sid Valley rider along the Axmouth estuary which gave me a boost .. I do prefer riding with company.

AVP April Sunday Morning Ride

Every month the AVP has a gentle ride out for coffee and cake at a local feeding post, a key event in my diary.

I decided on an early depart to make the most of the beautiful spring morning and rode up Seaton Down Hill and out to Beer.

After checking in at the beach, I headed back to Seaton to meet up with 17 other riders at the TIC for the April ride.

We followed all the back lanes out through Colyton to Dalwood and stopped for coffee and cake at the Millers Farm Shop on Gammons Hill near Axminster.

Freewheeling

On the day the Froomie has to settle for 6th on the Volta a Catalunya, the BikeShed return my freewheel duly repaired and I have one of my best rides of the season.

Freewheel looking good

The BikeShed should have really fixed my wheel last month when they had it in for a service .. a stitch in time and all that, but they recovered well with a rapid fix enabling me to get in a weekend ride on my Roubaix.

What views!

With the majority of the Pedallers, including my buddy, Andy, having had a ride out yesterday, I was left to do a solo cycle this afternoon. I had a plan to do a re-run of Thursday's quick loop out to Farway Common and this I did with a slight detour into Farway having turned off a little early. This resulted in one of the steepest climbs of my 'cycling career' up Ball Lane .. one to miss in future. I even passed an old guy getting out of his car and was showered with admiration from him, little then did I know what was in store.

Old petrol pumps in Farway on the turn to Seaton

In spite of the detour, the climbs and solo ride (I normally do better with company), it was a quick ride. I got a new PB of 16.13 miles for 1 hr and a 43.54s for 20 km last set back in September 2013! I also achieved 5 Strava segment PBs, even beating Andy on the Golf Club to A35 segment :)

Feeling a lot better this week!

AVP Thursday Night Dampening

The British weather is a source of constant interest to us on this isle and over the last few weeks has been equally so to our Pedallers. We've had beautiful near summer days, thick fog, torrential rain and  now close to zero temperatures. Knowing what to wear when out for a long ride is a challenge at the best of times and tonight was no different!

Thursday night's foray into the Devon hills started out in daylight. I'm loving the way the days are drawing out now and with the clocks going forward an hour over the weekend, I am looking forward to seeing even more of the countryside in daylight on our next ride.

Eight riders cycled out of Seaton up Stovar Long Lane and over to Farway Common. The smooth tarmac of this route a welcome change to the pothole dodging rides of previous weeks. I had wished I'd been on my Roubaix but even knowing the route ahead of time would not have made much difference, as the Roubaix's freewheel is no longer free running - a sore point which I won't go into!

 

It was a quick ride by our standards, benefiting from gentle climbs and smooth roads. That was, however, until we reached Offwell, when one of our number punctured on the long descent into Colyton. We only spotted this when only six riders arrived at the bridge over the River Coly, our agreed point to regroup.

With the puncture repaired we rode into heavy rain for the final 2 miles back to Seaton and arrived at the pub for après cycling beer and chips slightly dampened. The rain was even heavier after refuelling such that I was glad my ride home was a short one!

Sunday Morning Pootle

Today is the day of the annual Grizzly cross country run. This is the one that brings competitors from around the country to traverse beaches, bogs, woods and some very serious hills from Seaton to Branscombe and back.

Unlike my previous 4 years of living in Seaton, today was not, however, a day in which I headed out first thing to see the runners start.  Instead, I needed to take the cycle out and decided on a random pootle of a ride with Andy, my second day in shorts and the weather did not disappoint!

We headed out past the gathering runners to Axmouth and then climbed out to Uplyme and under the impressive Cannington Viaduct. We did talk about may be visiting a coffee shop in Lyme but the thought of the climb back out made us think it was too early for a stop; we thus headed north to Axminster. The return route took us over some of the well travelled roads we've taken many an evening with the AVP, via Kilmington, Shute and Colyton.

Not a long ride, these kidney stones which I've just been diagnosed with are causing me quite some discomfort, but it was just what I needed after missing the Thursday evening AVP ride. Can't wait to get back to full strength.

Day 363 - Holding Vigil with a Branoc

The weather cleared sufficiently again last night for just 4 AVP riders, Jolly, Richard, Rex and myself, to venture out onto the lanes under a very cool star lit sky.

Our route took us out past Blackberry Camp, via Southleigh, over some very broken and bumpy tracks to Shute Barton and home through Kilmington and Musbury. Just as hills are given categories for severity, we agreed on a Cat 4 for the road conditions as on some sections there was little of the original road surface either remaining or visible. This winter has been a tough one for our roads. Luckily our ride was incident free and a 22 mile ride with 1900 ft of climbing was completed in good time

The riders: Rex, Richard and Jolly (and me behind the camera)

Meanwhile 10 mountain bikers had been out to Branscombe Brewery and had an 'interesting' time with 3 punctures and a broken spoke! With none of the regular apres-cycle beer and chips road team out tonight, I held vigil with my Branoc at the King's Arms until Buster and his off roaders arrived to fill the bar. It was then a later one for me, well being on holiday, I only needed to be up for the 10:00 Friday Flyers ride!

Day 362 - AVP Wednesday Ride

I was privileged for the first time today to be able to join the Wednesday Wibblers on a morning ride out to the Colour Wheel Nursery, Honiton.

12 riders headed out via Beer bathed in a very welcomed and warming sun, however, as we closed in on Honiton the sky clouded over and contrary to the weather forecast the sky started to threaten us with a shower or two. Fortunately the rain held off until we were safety inside, enjoying refreshments in the nursery's coffee shop and luckily cleared before we were going to have to buy another round of tea and coffee to prevent our extended stay from getting a little awkward. Those who had left kit on their bikes found it well rinsed, while the the clever use of shower caps for seat rain covers ensured the tandem riders would not get damp bottoms on their return journey - ingenious!

As we entered Northleigh Road on the descent into Colyton, we were hit with two flint inflicted punctures at the same point. This year's rains have covered the lanes will all sorts of dangers for our tyres! Being well prepared for such an eventuality, we were soon back rolling again but had by then lost contact with the front runners, so we hope all got back OK.

Our route back to Seaton took us via Colyton and a quick look though Soanes' stock of Ridgeback Cycles .. well you can never have too many bikes  After leaving Soanes' the heavens again opened and I was showered in hailstones for the final few miles back to Seaton, giving a very strange sensation as they bounced through the air holes in my helmet and onto my head - another first!

Day 347 - Getting Colder

Well, I guess in my last post, I spoke too soon ... since then I've had over 10 days of idleness and could easily have stayed home in the warm, finished off some work and vegged in front of the TV. Thursdays have started to miraculously be the one day of the week when the weather seems break - last week being the exception - thus leaving little excuse not to venture out on the AVP evening ride. So there is was, the tough decision of, to go or not to go ...

It could have been a solo ride

I was the first to arrive at the Kings Arms. 10 minutes later, I was thankful to be joined by Airfix and then Handbag, as it was starting to look as though it would be a solo circuit of Seaton and home! The three of us headed out towards the Stockland mast, via Shut, under a bright moon and plummeting temperatures. By the time we'd made to the Old Chard Road junction on Stockland hill, my feet were feeling somewhat chilly. We u-turned here with two options, returning along the same road back to Colyford, it being an 'away night' or branching off through Wilmington for a bit more climbing. Airfix and I for some reason voted for the latter .. and on we climbed .. 2,300 ft in total, according to my Garmin!

We made it back to the White Hart, in good time. Its welcoming roaring open fire a blessing to my frozen toes and as usual, good beer and the best après-cycling food around. Another great APV Thursday evening ride and 20+ miles competed. Looking forward to the next!

 

Day 333 - Bit of a Drag

Thursday and another ride out with the AVP. I can't believe how much I am enjoying this night riding but can't deny that I am really looking forward to the return of summer, this period of dark and dampness is getting to be a bit of a drag.

Meeting up at the usual time, usual place - 6:30 at the Kings Arms - it was great to see the usual suspects gathering for tonights ride. After last week, getting dropped on my Crosstrail during the final run in from Musbury, I was pleased to see the return of Barry, fellow night time hybrid rider, who would be able to join me at the back of the peloton. We have a challenging time out there mixing it with the road bikes but it's all good training! Tonight was also going to be Kilian's last AVP ride as he returns home to Germany at the weekend. Kilian's first ride with us was back in September when he joined us at the last minute as a guest on our 100 miler, riding of all things a mountain bike! He'd have no trouble on a hybrid, but that's what 30+ years does for you .. my excuse anyway!

 

Jolly struck the route which would take the 12 of us out via Farway to Offwell and back through Colyton. It was a a good circuit, relatively free of traffic, bar the meeting of a tanker down one narrow lane requiring all to take to a water filled tractor furrow. The 1,500 feet of climb was challenging but not excessive and the down hill runs were, in reward, fast and thrilling. We are noticing the temperature falling a little more now, as I heard mention of 'ice cream sandwich headaches' on more than one occasion. So extra warm headgear and gloves are now definitely de rigueur for the winter night rider.

The run out tonight was my quickest yet on the hybrid, with a new one hour and 20km record achieved and a PR on the 1 mile 'Bit of a Drag' Strava segment, albeit almost a minute off the pace of the road bikes, so a revisit on the Roubaix will be required.

Again, a dry and incident free ride brought us home to the Kings Arms ahead of the Mountain bikers and in good time for some quality après-cycing chat, beer and chips. Another perfect 20 mile night ride out with the AVP!

Day 326 - For Once A Dry & Puncture Free Ride

For once a dry and puncture free ride awaited our 11 cyclists who braved this evening's AVP road ride. The circuit was a brisk 20 miles out to the mast on Stockland Hill and back, via Shute, Wilmington, Dalwood, Kilmington and Musbury.

Regrouping at the A35

Waiting to cross the A35

1200 ft of climb, average speed of 12.5 mph and 30 mph descents, most noticeably down Ham Road from Worham's Lane at the top of Stockland Hill - for those interested in stats - meant for a highly enjoyable workout. The beer and chips back at the Kings Arms were also good!

The Ride profile .. that did seem a long climb too!

As for the route art .. back by popular demand, I am thinking a bunny on a pogo stick!

Day 322 - Morning Ride with Wilco and Woody

With the weather surprisingly clear, bright and frosty, my Sunday morning started with an 08:30 meet at the TIC for what was going to be the longest ride so far of the new year.

This was the first time my AVP buddies, Andy (Wilco) and Ed (Woody), and I had been out on a weekend ride since the end of November and it was good to be back on the road together. We decided on a route Wilco and I have done twice before, the first was a week before the AVP 100 in September (Day 187) and the last was my first ride using SPDs back in October (Day 223). This route takes us along the coast to Sidmouth, inland through Ottery Saint Mary to Honiton for coffee and cake, and returns via Stockland, Shute and Colyton. 40 miles of mixed terrain and 3,000 ft of climbing.

Our first stop was Sidmouth where the obligatory photos had to be taken.

From the seafront, we headed up hill out of Sidmouth and to our scheduled cafe stop at the Boston Tea Party in Honiton. 

Woody and Wilco on Sidmouth seafront 

My Specialized Roubaix 

Woody and Wilco @ our coffee and cake stop in Honiton

Honiton sits deep in the Otter valley and thus it is no surprise that any route out involves a climb. Northcote and Stockland Hills are two painful 11% ascents but are relatively quiet and so when needed the zigzagging climb approach can be used. While still not a good climber, I was pleased, on this occasion, not to have to rely on this method to get to the top - I like to think this is a measure of my gradual improvement in climbing fitness over these past few months.

The ride profile

This was a tough ride; at first I thought it was just because I was still recovering from the Christmas break, but on checking my Strava stats, I found that I'd 40 new Strava segment records and a new one hour distance PB (15.44 miles) which considering the hills, I felt was very impressive. No wonder I ached so in places I never knew I had!

Day 319 - NYR #20 Ride in the Rain

Which ever way you looked at it, which ever station you chose to tune in to, the weather was not looking promising for a dry Thursday night ride. However, having taken Cycling Weekly’s “40 Top Tips to make this year my best ever” as my New Year’s resolution, I felt there was no better time to cross #20, "Ride in the Rain", off the list!

Arriving at the Kings Arms to find the meeting area devoid of Pedallers, led me to believe this would be a solo effort and my keenness for a ride in the rain was not one that was shared by others. Then, thankfully, Rex arrived to double our number, as too did a loan mountain biker. I had visions of a mixed AVP ride until a few other off-roaders appeared and we were again just two.

In the absence of our seasoned route planners, Rex and I decided to head off in the direction of Sidmouth and we’d see how things went. As we made our way out of Seaton along Beer Road, Rex sighted a single beam of light closing in on our tail; it was Airfix! and now we were three. We took the Stovar Long Lane route to the A3052 and then turned in towards Honiton and Farway with a plan of riding out to the golf club then doing a loop back to Colyton.

So far, the promised rain had held off and our way was illuminated not just by our lights but also by a bright moon which accompanied us throughout the rest of the ride. Once we’d turned off the main roads onto Northleigh Hill, the effect of recent persistent rain was very evident. Curb side puddles joined in the middle creating lakes across the road and I was only too glad to be wearing overshoes. Feeling that we were making good progress and had time on our hands, we turned off the road to Colyford and headed towards Widworthy, down the most pitted road I’ve seen in some time, possibly the worst in Devon! I even dropped and ran over my water bottle at one stage, the jarring from the potholes was so severe. At the bottom of the hill is the ford which crosses Offwell Brook. Normally a light trickle, if that, the Brook tonight was a raging torrent, luckily Rex spotted a narrow walkway - which like mountain goats we crossed - else we would have had the uncomfortable climb back out the way we came.

The ride back to Colyton from there was a gentle down hill roll. The rain did start to fall as we descended but we only had a few more miles to do. As home was the north side of Seaton for the majority, we decided on the White Heart for apres ride beer and chips, and a pat on the back for completing an unexpectedly good 20 mile ride.

Day 315 - AVP Sunday Morning Social Ride

20+ AVP Riders met at the TIC this morning for a 10 mile gentle ride out to Colyton, a heart pounding climb up Colyton Hill - Bar Bunny leading a breakaway from the peloton at this point - and a speedy drop down past Beer Quarry Caves, to finally all regroup at Handbag's for mulled wine and a small feast.

Thank you Handbag for leading us out and for laying on such a spread! If this is what Sunday rides are all about, I'll be back for more ;)