AVP Remembrance Ride 1914 - 2014

How quick the year has past. This time last year the weather was equally beautiful as Andy and I headed out on our club's  annual AVP Remembrance ride to Rousden. Today, Andy otherwise indisposed, I met up with fellow cyclist, Kelly for a similar quick 10 mile circuit out to Beer before joining the rest of the Pedallers for the main club ride.

With the weather so clear and sunny and the roads dried out from the previous weekend's quagmire, I could not resit taking the new Specialised Tarmac out for a spin before resting it up for the winter.

The Tarmac on Seaton seafront

In all, there were around 10 pedallers who finally headed out of Seaton and up to Rousden for the Remembrance service where we were again so warmly welcomed by the locals.

Team photo

Following the service, coffee and biscuits, Kelly, Richard and I decided to cycle on to Lyme Regis to check out their new and impressive beach promenade before then climbing (there's no other way out once you've cycled into Lyme) back to Seaton for a final coffee at the Broom Wagon.

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Day 312 - Cheesy Chips Were Never So Good

While Luke Rowe and the Sky team enjoy riding in 40 degrees down under, 8 AVP riders braved a clear starry winter's night on the weekly Thursday evening ride through the blacked out Devon lanes. Tonight, Tigger led us - Handbag, Jolly, Andy, Rex, Richard, Killen and me - out to Axmouth and up Combe Road to Rousdon. We bypassed Stepps Lane, on this occasion and also avoided the school which, following an altercation with a disgruntled resident during last Friday's AVP ride, thought it best to give it a wide berth.

Richard's Boardman punctured

With no more than 5 miles covered, Richard's Boardman punctured. Two inner tubes later and with a hand from from Handbag, who is always in the thick of it with either a tube or pump to loan or bandaid to affix, we were back on the road making swift progress towards Axminster. I was having a tough time keeping up with the chain gang on my Crosstrail, my legs spinning rapidly but seemingly making little gains on the twinkling red lights of the riders ahead. I should have brought my Roubaix.

Sticking to the roads, pleasingly keeping clear of the cycle paths which cruelly punctured me when I was last out this way, and it being an away night, we returned to Colyford via Kilmington and Musbury having covered a good 18 miles.

Apres Ride Beer & Cheesy Chips

The pace was a quick for our standard evening ride, clocking an average of 13 mph, which meant that even with the stop we were back in the warm well before the mountain bikers and in good time to get in a pint and a chat before the very welcomed cheesy chips were served. I'm going to need a thicker winter jersey, it's getting cold out there, Bar Bunny please get the order in.

Day 252 - AVP Remembrance Ride

This morning was beautifully sunny and dry, perfect weather for our Sunday ride out to Rousdon to attend the Remembrance service, something which has become a regular and poignant annual event in the AVP's cycling calendar. 

Before meeting up with the main group at 10:00, Andy and I decided on a quick 10 mile warmup circuit of Beer and Seaton. After climbing Quarry Lane and turning towards Stafford Cross, we stopped briefly on Bovey Lane to look in on Bovey House, a property so off he beaten track that I never knew it existed.  The site of this house has an amazing history dating back to Saxon, Roman and medieval times, the present house having been built during the Elizabethan period, in1592.

Jonathan .. new AVP jersey glowing in the early morning sun

Andy .. ready for the off

We then headed up to the main road and dropped down swiftly into Colyford before returning to Seaton in good time to meet up with the rest of group. Meanwhile, Ed and Cockle had impressively cycled over from Honiton,  so we were not the only ones putting in a few early miles!

In all, 13 AVP cyclists headed out to Rousdon via Axmouth and the regular climb up Green Lane on a plethora of machinery: full carbon and aluminium racers, Bobble on his 'shopper', Ed with obligatory saddle bag of goodies, Kilian on his mountain bike and Barbunny on a new electric assisted cycle .. a sight for sore eyes!

Pausing before the Green Lane ascent 

Arriving at the Rousdon memorial, we were warmly greeted by the very friendly locals who were really appreciative of us joining them for their very intimate service. Many remembered those who had attended the year before and it was quite humbling the way that we were so openly invited to join them for coffee and biscuits after the service.

Remembrance service at Rousdon

After gathering for a team picture, we each headed off on our different routes home. The Honiton team and others, completed a near 50 mile ride by returning through Hawk Church, Membury & Stockland, while Andy and I completed our 20+ mile ride by taking Boshill in an exhilarating flat out decent.

The AVP Remembrance Team - I'm behind the camera!

I have a feeling we'll be back again next year.

Day 249 - A Night of Hills

Another evening ride with the AVP tonight saw 14 hardy souls head out of Seaton in the direction of Lyme Regis .. oh yes, this was going to be a night of hills!

Taking Chapter Street out of Axmouth we took the relatively gentle climb up to Dowlands, avoiding on this occasion Stepps Hill, a notoriously steep climb which Andy and I had taken when previously out this way and one which I was in no rush to repeat this early in the ride. Maybe we'll return and use it in our training for next year's Dartmoor Classic but that's a little way off yet.

Taking a breather - glad we'd not taken the Stepps

From Dowlands we proceeded to Rousdon and into Lyme along a side route I'd never taken before. This was Roman Road, a steep decent and apparently a favourite rat run for many before the town planners put a stop to this with strategically placed giant concrete blocks, similar to dragon teeth installed generations before to halt invading tanks. While these provided the decent with challenging chicanes, it was a hidden curb which halted my forward momentum, forcing me to make an unceremonious and hasty exit from the saddle! Luckily, while Handbag was on hand with his first aid kit, this was this week not required. All that was hurt was my pride and a minor battle scar for the bike.

Chris stikes a pose!

We climbed out of Lyme Regis up the 3052 and unconventionally crossed the A35 roundabout for a pleasant roll down through Charmouth and on to Wooton Fitzpaine. It was from here that we started to climb again, ending with a thigh busting 12% assent along the Fitzpaine to Crewkerne Road Strava Section .. which don't tell Andy, but along which I somehow beat him by 20 seconds!

Handbag was on hand with his first aid kit

After a quick dogleg crossing of the A35 we were on the home run along Trinity Hill Road back to Rousdon, Axmouth and into Seaton for 9:30 pm. A late finish and no apres beer and chips for me, I think the hills got the better of us today but would love to do this again come summer, as I am sure in daylight the views would be spectacular!

Stats: 24.7 mi, 2hr 19m, Avg 10.6 mph, Max 30.3 mph, 1417 kcal