AVP Easter Saturday Sidmouth Honiton Circuit

Following last week's 100 mile ride to Portland, while I may be feeing quietly confident about the Etape Loch Ness in 3 weeks, I know I can not be complacent and still need to put in the training miles. I was, therefore, out this morning riding with fellow AVPers, Kelly, Chris, Clive and Kevin on one of my favourite 40 mile circuits. This is the one which takes in Sidmouth seafront, the old A30 to Honiton, coffee & cake at the Boston Tea Party, the long climb up to Stockland and the idilic cycle back to the Broom Wagon via Kilmington.

Bikes on Sidmouth seafront

Normally, a ride with Clive would be a full on blast up hill and down dale leaving one spluttering for breath or spat out the back! But with Clive inspired to follow in my wheel tracks and do his own run out to Portland tomorrow, he was happy just to spin his legs and do a traditional JRB ride & coffee stop .. it was refreshing to see this more relaxed side of him, although if anyone showed signs of beating him to the top of a rise, he was still unable to resist taking it to a winning sprint!

3 Wise Men (?) at the Boston Tea Party Coffee Stop

After a couple of frustrating AVP rides, it was good to finally have a group ride where we all worked together ... and while feeling the effects of a slight chest cold, I was pleased with a sub 3.5 hour ride over 45 miles and 3k ft of climb .. we had fun too!

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 :)

RideLondon Training - Honiton Circuit

84 days until the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100, the hottest day of the year and my second training ride with my charity cycling buddy, Jason.

For our first ride, I travelled over to Jason's patch in Somerset for a Taunton Watchet Bridgewater loop.  Today, it was my turn to host Jason across the border in Devon. I selected the Honiton circuit I first completed back in September 2013 with Andy, when in training for my first 100 miler with the AVP. This seemed a very apt route considering the event we were training for today.

The Honiton circuit takes in Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary to Honiton returning via Stockland and Colyton. Getting out of the Axe Valley and Lyme Bay always requires a climb, and I had intended we take Stovar Long Lane but deep in conversation, I missed the turning and so had to take the far steeper Hollyhead Road; I know know why we stick to Stovar on our AVP rides - sorry Jason!

Selfie taken by Jason in Sidmouth .. before we hit the hills 

Dropping down Trow Hill into Sidford, I hit my fastest speed on 2 wheels, between 48-49 mph (Strava and Endomondo can't agree) .. could be a result of my new wheel and tyre combination. At the base of the hill, my plan had been to turn into Sidmouth via Fortescue Road, following the River Sid, but a Police car blocked the path that we'd have to take to make corner, doing the speed we were. Our minds were also, by then, focussing on whether we may even get pulled up for speeding, but we managed to slow sufficiently before hitting the 30 mph change in limit and the rapidly decelerating cars ahead of us!

At the front, we had the obligatory photo session and took on fuel in banana format .. me the whole fruit version, and Jason in gel form. I did try a gel later and it was not at all bad, considering.

Yours truly in my Team Diabetes UK kit @ Sidmouth

We took the climb out Sidmouth to the Bowd Inn and on into Ottery St Mary and Honiton, where having made such good time, we decided to reward ourselves with a coffee and cake stop - I think I was perhaps the more in favour of this, but then again, Jason was on my patch so was happy to oblige. I also knew the final climb which lay before us and carrot cake and caffeine was the best fuel for this!

Coffee and Cake Stop

The Northcote Hill / Old Chard Road hill climb was an absolute killer on my first outing last year, but  my training since has obviously paid dividends, as I took over 5 minutes off my first time on one of the Strava segments for this climb .. and earned PRs for the rest. Indeed, today I achieved PRs right across the ride :)

Jason at the top of the Old Chard Road hill climb 

We concluded our ride through Shute and Colyton, returning to Seaton along the Axmouth straight which has a fantastic new road surface laid on Thursday evening. I had hoped this new road surface would have been smooth enough to have given me a new PR on this segment, but I guess I'd used up all the carrot cake fuel by this time!

Another great training ride out with Jason, feeling like we're making good progress and Box Hill will be no issue if we carry on climbing the hills as we did today. 

Thanks for the support from all so far and for that to come ... here's my Diabetes UK sponsorship page if you've yet to visit ... http://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone

Last Ride Before The Easter Rain

The day before Easter Sunday and the last before the unseasonably clear sky darkens again with rain filled clouds, I head out at 06:30 am into the cool spring sunshine.

I had it in mind to take in a few hills this morning, with the Dartmoor Classic just two months away, I needed the training. So, my plan was to head out over to Sidmouth and find a similar route to that I took yesterday, returning back through Colyton via Offwell. My only challenge was that I needed to do this in less than 2 hours as we had a day out planned.

To satisfy my need for a good climb, I decided to take on the Beer and Branscombe hills. this was not necessarily my best idea with the time I had available as hills considerably slow me down! I reached Sidmouth beach after an hour, my slowest 10 miles in a long time ... this was not good considering that I was cycling against the clock.

Sidmouth

With time against me, I still thought I could recover sufficient minutes by taking the Sidbury road out of Sidmouth and then crossing over to Farway to complete my intended route back through Offwell. I had not, however, paid sufficient attention to the map nor the contours around Roncombe Hill. The turning off the A375 looked level. I could see where the road should have followed the valley, carved out by the meandering Roncombe River, now just a stream, but those who had marked out the original track had chosen not to follow this logic. After being lulled into a false sense of security, the road started to climb and then climbed some more. Ahead, I could hear the sound of baying hounds, it was not a good feeling. Matters got even worse when rounding a steep hairpin near the top, I was greeted by a Road Closed sign. Was, after the climb of my life, I now having to u-turn and find another way out of Sidmouth? I decided, having come this far, I'd carry my bike over and around the obstacle .. thank goodness, back in August last year, I went for the lighter carbon frame! The cause of the road closure, was that a section had collapsed into the valley during the winter floods .. vindicating my original assumption that this is where it originally should have been built! The noise of the baying hounds was from the kennels that I found at the summit and my arrival did not quieten them any. The benefit of a good climb, however, is the great view you get from the top, and this one was equally spectacular.

The benefit of a good climb is the great view you get from the top!

I was now running dangerously late with only 15 minutes to complete the 15 miles of my intended return journey. This was not going to happen. My only option was to switch to the more direct, main roads and pray for a tailwind. While the wind's help was not forthcoming, the more favourable  gradient and smooth roads assisted in getting me home just 5 minutes later than planned, my new PB on the decent of Seaton Down Hill being testament to the speed I was travelling over these last 7 miles!

While I'd like to have another go at my originally intended circuit, I think I'll look for another route across to Farway; I'd be happy not to do Roncombe Hill again.

This concluded a really good week on the bike; completing my 2nd best distance of the year and registering 3rd place on the AVP weekly leader board, something I've not done for a very long time. With it being Easter Sunday tomorrow, the way is now clear for a guilt free day, grazing on chocolate Eater eggs ;)

Day 350 - SVCC Morning Ride

Next Sunday a group of us from the AVP are doing the Primrose Path Audax, a 100 km non competitive ride across Dorset with 6,400 ft (1,955m) of climbing, but do I feel prepared? .. No, that's a lot of climbing!

I've been working on my hill craft for a good few months and it's not got any easier. This weekend, Andy, Ed and I were hoping to get together for a practice run, but fixing a time was proving difficult for all. Finally, Ed and I thought we'd hook up with the Sid Valley CC for a morning ride out to Exeter .. I last rode with the club back in August in training for the AVP 100 miler, so I found this quite fitting, considering what we've got lined up.

Waiting in the warmth of the unseasonal sunshine

The SVCC had a 40 mile route planned out to Exeter Quays, leaving from the Sidmouth football club at 09:00, returning 13:00. Wanting to add a few extra miles, I thought I'd cycle over from Seaton, just under 10 miles each way and starting with serious climbs at each end. It was a frosty start and I made good time, arriving at the depart 20 minutes ahead of time. The sun, however, was so warm that it was no hardship to wait for Ed and the rest of the riders to arrive.

Ed at our first stop at Tipton Bridge

We made two stops at Tipton Bridge and Tipton Cross to pick up additional riders and then headed north through Rockbeare to Silverton at which point we turned south through Rewe, Stoke Canon, to follow the River Exe into Exeter.

Regrouping at Silverton before turning south to Exeter

The level of the Exe was running so high that the extensive cycle way through Exeter was under water resulting in us having to use the busy city road network, the hairiest bit of this being the multi lane roundabouts!

Ironbridge Runners were hosting their Exeter half marathon

On finally reaching the Quay, we could not believe that we'd picked the day when the Ironbridge Runners were hosting their Exeter half marathon and the whole area was buzzing. There was no way we were going to get a table let alone a piece of cake, so we saddled up and headed on to Topsham and Darts Farm where cake is always in good supply.

Caked up, the return route to Sidmouth was through Woodbury and Otterton and across the common and some really wonderful countryside, and two more tough climbs, Peak and Trow Hill.

This was quite an epic ride of 62 miles and 4,300 feet of climbing .. so, I am now going to have to say  that after this week's rides, I'm now feeling a little more prepared for next week's Primrose Path event .. 85 training miles completed and a whopping 6,600 feet of climbed! Today also saw me achieve  new records for the time to complete 50 miles and distance travelled in1 hour:  3hrs 55mins and 16.07 miles respectively.

Day 336 - Joining the Kask club

In spite of the seemingly non cycling weather we've had recently, the 232 miles covered so far in 2014 have been far better than expected for this 'veteran' pedaller.

Today, I continued in this trend completing another 40 miler with my AVP pals, Andy, Ed, Rex and Richard. The plan was to do a repeat of the proven route Andy, Ed and I cycled two weeks ago. We met at 08:30 at the Seaton TIC and headed out up Castle Hill towards Beer and on to Sidmouth sea front for the obligatory photo shoot. With the seasonal high tide and strong winds, the storm gates were closed, and rightly so, as the waves were spectacularly crashing over the sea wall.

Richard, Andy, Jonathan & Ed

Take 5 on Sidmouth sea front

On this ride I was proud to be wearing a new light weight Kask helmet with, of course, the colours Union flag emblazoned across the top. It was a close run decision between this and an the Specialized S-works model, but the red, white and blue motif won my heart. A pose for a shot with Rex, also a Kask owner, was required .. 'Jonathan joins the Kask klub' !

Jonathan joins the Kask klub

From Sidmouth we climbed via Tipton St John through Ottery St Mary and on to our tea and cake stop in Honiton. From Honiton we took Northcote Hill to the junction with the Stockland straight where, I had visualised the closing 10 miles, a gentle down hill return to Seaton. Rex, however, suggested an alternative route, through Stockland, Kilmington and Musbury. No there were no more hills, he said, just a few lumpy bits. I see a need to define a hill v a lump .. as my legs were not prepared for the climbing which followed, particularly not after my all time best ride up Northcote, on which I had secured PRs for 5 of the 6 Strava segments for this climb!

Ride profile

Although exhausting, it is often good to be challenged. Richard and Rex noticeably drove up the pace, and while I wished I had the engine to keep up with the pace set, I have to constantly remind myself of what I was doing only a year ago, when I would never in my wildest dreams have considered it even possible to cycle 40 miles in a morning! I've just got to keep at it, drive through the pain and hopefully this training will see me right for the Dartmoor Classic sportif I have in June, a 100 mile ride which after today's experience, is seeming ever more daunting! 

In all, I achieved 15 Strava segment PRs and for the second time in as many weeks, broke my previous record for miles ridden in 1 hour (15.94 miles). It is amazing what one can do when pushed!

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 200 - Tour of Britain

Today the Tour of Britain arrived in Sidmouth for the start of stage 6, 137km through the Devonshire countryside, from the south coast to the hills of Dartmoor; to finish on the granite peak of Haytor. Being just 10 miles up the road, it was a day I made sure I'd booked off work as soon as I learned of the schedule. The plan was to ride over with AVP club mate, Andy to catch the start and then race across to Exeter while the riders looped their way north. Andy, however, had damaged knee ligaments during our 100 miler last weekend, so was not back on his bike, the decision for me, therefore, was whether to ride or drive. I was itching to get back on my bike, so I kitted my self out in GB colours (for the occasion) and rode but decided to just do Sidmouth today, I find long distances are better done with company.

Supporting Team GB ...
who would have known they would be the winning colours!

Following the climb up Seaton Down Hill, I headed out on the A3052, the main road to Sidmouth which at 8am was as busy as I've ever known it. This road at rush hour on a Friday morning was not a pleasant place to be, as commuters and white vans challenged each other to see how close they could pass me without making contact! In spite of the traffic distractions, or may be because of them, I made better time than I expected, reaching Sidmouth town centre in only 40 minutes. One route change I made to that I rode a couple of weeks ago, was to take the signposted cycle route down to Salcombe Regis past the observatory and into Sidmouth via the ford. I'd been told that this hill was heavy on brakes but this was not all, it was full of potholes and, being heavily wooded, strewn with puncture friendly cuttings difficult to avoid. I will not be taking this route again and am surprised at Sustrans even designating this as suitable for cyclists.

Sidmouth streets, cleared of traffic and pedestrians for the Tour of Britain

Once I'd secured my Roubaix in the already busy cycle park, I walked to sea front where the race was to start and where the professional cyclists were starting to gather. I've never seen Sidmouth roads so clear of people and cars. Over the next few hours, the crowds and local cycle clubs descended and I became less conscious of being the only one clad in colourful lycra! The atmosphere was amazing, friendly and buzzing with excitement.

The race begins

At 11am, right on plan, the 6th stage of the Tour of Britain started. I clambered for a view of the passing cyclists and caught the Yates' brothers dressed, as I, in Team GB colours, head out on this 85 mile road race to Hayor, high up on Dartmoor. Little did I know then that Simon would end up taking the stage win, and I would be wearing the winning team's colours!

Stats: 20 mi, 8hr 29m, Avg 14.1 mph, Max 35.2 mph, 1,165 kcal

Day 187 - Morning Ride with Andy

With just 8 days before the AVP 100 miler, I had a number of options this weekend to get in a few extra miles training before the big day. The AVP were planning a gentle 30 miler out from Ottery St Mary to Exmouth, the Sid Valley CC would have their Sunday am fast paced 40+ mile ride and my new good friend and Specialized sparing partner from AVP extended me the offer of joining him on a Saturday morning training circuit. In the end the decision was easy.

Andy and I met on Seaton Down Hill for the steep climb out of town. This is the hill I set my fitness by as I've only recently been able to make it to the top without stopping. Today, I could still feel Thursday's ride in my legs, so I did somewhat fear for how the rest of the morning would go.

First stop Sidmouth, Andy in AVP and me (unseen) in my SVCC colours

I was really pleased that we planned to head out via Sidmouth, as on the 20th September, I'm cycling over there to see the start of stage 6 of the Tour of Britain. I'm not sure, however, that I'll use the same route out, as we then made our way, 7 miles inland, to Ottery St Mary before then taking the old single carriage A30 into Honiton where, after 25 miles in the saddle, we stopped for a much needed coffee and cake!

Having taken on fuel, we had a double climb up Stockland Hill out of Honiton, over which I adopted the snaking mountain pass manoeuvre to level out the assent and maintain some level of forward momentum. I'm not sure whether it was this unconventional climbing motion or the technical hitch I'll comment on later, but something totally confused Strava, because for some reason it awarded me the King of the Mountain (KOM) for the Stockland Hill Climb, which unbelievably no one has climbed before! Oh well a KOM is a KOM and I think this is one which will never be taken from me, as I can't see that it is a route that actually exists!  Once at the top of the 'mountain', the remaining 15 miles were more or less down hill back through Shute and Colyton to Seaton.

JRB wins KOM for the Stockland Hill Climb

The technical hitch I commented earlier on, was on leaving Honiton, when my Garmin decided during our coffee stop that it should include itself, such that it powered down for a rest. This unexpected feature in its design was not, however, spotted until a further 3 or so miles had been covered. Luckily, Strava accounted for the missed miles in its final report, but this being unknown to us at the time and having only registered 39 miles on entering Seaton, we madly decided to do an additional circuit of Axmouth to bring the total above 40 miles! Unbelievably, although in reality I'd already completed some 41 miles, I then went on to achieve my best ever times on both the Seaton to Axmouth and Axmouth Gate to Boshill sprints! What a finish to a great morning's ride.

Stats: 44.4 mi, 2hr 56m, Avg 14.1 mph, Max 44.7 mph, 2,323 kcal

Day 174 - SVCC Morning Ride

Two weeks ago, I spoke of a couple of changes I needed to make in preparation for the Axe Valley Pedaller's 100 mile event in September. The first was to consider moving to a road bike, this I achieved last week, with the purchase of my amazing Specialized Roubaix Sport. The next was to work on getting in a few more miles to test I could get close to the distance, this I made a start on today by joining the Sid Valley Cycle Club (SVCC) on their morning 40 mile ride out to Dunkeswell. My previous best had been a long 25 mile evening ride with the AVP; long, in that we normally complete around 20 miles so as to get back to the pub before closing time!

So it was an early Sunday morning start for me with a short drive out to Sidmouth to meet at the football ground for 9:00 am. I was probably the only one who drove, as a steady procession of cyclists in their colourful lycra and road racing bikes entered the ground. We headed off pretty much bang on 9:00 am as we needed to meet up with others at Tipton Bridge at 9:15. In all, I would say we had at least 20 riders, however, once off Tipton Bridge, I only ever saw a few of our number as the peloton split a number of times to either take high speed or good climbing routes, something I have not been used to with the AVP who stay together from start to finish. As it was, I saw more sheep than cyclists on this ride as on one occasion, riding through Kentisbeare, we had to stop to let a flock pass us by!

The 29 mile ride out to Dunkeswell, the site of a small airfield first created for the US Navy in WW2, had only a few long but gentle climbing hills so I found breaking my 25 mile milestone a relatively easy  achievement. After enjoying a much needed coffee and large slice of carrot cake at the airfield's cafe, I joined the remaining 6 cyclists on the homeward journey, the remainder having long since moved on, their route to the airfield actually being 9 miles shorter. I was not bitter, it was miles I was interested in clocking up, I've had loads of practice climbing my local hills!

Talking of hills, I had thought that the 15 mile return ride would again be light on climbs, indeed the expectation was that as we headed towards the sea, the road would be predominately down hill, I had forgotten, however, about the painful climb out of Honiton to Sidford which after 35 miles in the saddle was a real test of my stamina! 

Overall, this was a great ride with 43 miles covered. I have a mountain bike ride planned for next weekend, but all being well, I can see me joining the SVCC on another morning ride very soon, if not that following weekend. Thankfully, my wife is being very supportive of me and my new found cycling interest as I can see that my time away, spent out on the road is starting to lengthen .. I am very grateful for this!

Stats: 43.47 mi, 3h:16m, Avg 13.2 mph, Max 40.0, 2,341 kcal

Day 37 - Sidmouth

Something different today .. a park & ride trip to Sidmouth, which lies two further villages west, along the coast from Seaton. Having to drive and drop my wife off in Sidmouth this morning, I thought I'd load up the bike and do a bit of exploring.

With an hour to play with I had intended to do a circuit out along Sid road to Sidford and back into Sidmouth along the main A375, however, after a detour over Mill Street ford, which for some reason was specifically signposted "unsuitable for cyclists", I wheeled upon the Sidmouth section of National Cycle Route 2.

This is an idilic 2 mile tarmac route through parkland along the river Sid, winding its way over bridges on an interesting crisscrossing path which exits either north, in Sidford, my intended mid point or to the east at Fortescue, onto Sid Road.

I enjoyed the outward run to Sidford so much that once back in Sidmouth I circled around and up the beach to retrace my route along the cycle path, turning off this time at the eastern fork to Fortescue where I was able to join Sid Road which took me over the river back into Sidmouth. 

The weather was near perfect, much warmer than earlier weeks and so, I was finally able to shed the majority of the Michelin-man layers that I'd been carrying since starting my Tour-de-Fitness. The strong easterly breeze along the front, however, took a great deal of peddle power to maintain forward motion, while returning in the opposite direction on the second circuit was a dream!

At the 8 mile point, I came upon a coffee shop and after pondering for a while over whether I could risk leaving my steed untethered outside while I took on caffeine within, I spotted a handy takeaway window, from which my beverage was duly served. 

I was then able to enjoy sitting in the sun, overlooking the beach watching the Exe to Axe runners pass by on their torturous route from Exmouth to Seaton, it gets no better than this!

Stats: 9.5 mi, 54m 36s, Avg 10.4 mph, max 26.5 mph, 605 kcal