Taunton Loop with Jason

It is just 35 days now until my Prudential charity ride and so was out for another training session with Jason, my RideLondon buddie. Today, it was back to Taunton, Jason's cycling ground, and he'd planned out a terrific circuit taking in a couple a good hills and some wonderful scenery. I had originally thought we were in for a relatively flat ride having viewed the profile and seen 1200 units of climb. On my system I use feet, so thought I was in for a gentle ride, but Jason uses metres!

This weekend also marks the start of the Tour de France and while we were out on our ride, the pros were departing Leeds on Stage 1 of their 3 week tour, for a 190.5 km race to Harrogate. We had 100 training ride planned but I was at least wearing my 2013 TdF commemorative Sky jersey and routing for a third victory. I would have loved for Cav to have secured the yellow jersey in Harrogate; such bad fortune to have crashed out with just 100m to go, but unexpectedly Froome crossed the line in 6th, so the jersey seemed to work for him!

Routing for a third Sky victory

Also in the news today is the call for the government to use more of our road tax to fix our potholed roads. Listening to the radio this morning en route to Taunton, I was amazed at how the presenter was so dismissive of the AA representative saying that riding on e.g. French roads was one of the joys of a European holiday .. he'd obviously only ever flown. And then when catching up on the TdF later in the evening, I saw one of the cyclists letting air out of his tyres to further dampen the impact of the uneven road surface. To top it all, my new Mavic wheels of just 6 weeks, have been pummelled out of alignment by, yes you've guessed it, our appalling roads! Now to find a bike workshop that I can a) trust to do the work and b) who can do it in quick time so I'm not kept off the road ... I need a second bike!

Back to today's ride. Having been uncomfortable battling with traffic on dual carriageways on my last Taunton outing, Jason had taken heed and picked out some very typical AVP styled lanes which really made for a highly enjoyable ride today. The weather did not look too promising at first as I drove through heavy rain crossing the Blackdown Hills but having to repeat the 45 minute journey, because I'd forgotten my cycling shoes, allowed for the rain to clear and sun to shine .. as they say, 'every cloud has a silver lining'.

We started out heading north and up our first climb from Monkton's junction to Pines Cafe. Jason has the KOM for this segment, but I think he told me too late for me to have a go at taking it from him .. next time, but then again, with my memory, he know's I'll forget!

Coffee stop at Pines Cafe

Although only 10 miles into the ride, the Cafe was too much of an attraction for me to pass by and we had what I hoped was to be our first coffee and cake stop.

From Pines Cafe we turned south climbing and then rapidly descending Cothlestone Hill into Bishop's Lydeard, Milverton and past Wellington, with a slight off road detour to visit his monument. It was here that we started our second and final big climb before the long and undulating descent through the Somerset Levels, which earlier this year had been under water. The evidence of such extensive and devastating flooding was still very clear, as every house through one village was gutted and undergoing renovation and large water pumps and river drainage excavations visible.

It was at this 40 mile point that I hit the wall .. or bonked as cyclists say. It was past lunch time, I'd eaten little and breakfast was a distant memory. I felt good to go on but my muscles had exhausted their fuel, they were going nowhere fast. After Jason shared his spare banana and a stop for a cereal bar at the next garage I was back to near normal. A good lesson was learned there .. keep eating! I now see why Froome needed that gel in the last few km on the TdF last year, even though it cost them a fine and time penalties. We finally returned to Taunton along a rather overgrown but picturesque canal towpath completing a very enjoyable and scenic ride.



During the ride, I took the opportunity to test out my new Gopro camera. This clip is a small one covering a short climb and long descent of Cothlestone Hill. Look out for the wide vehicle and a bit of a wobble on one of the corners. http://youtu.be/s_V6TCbq2jc

RideLondon Training - Taunton Watchet Bridgwater Loop

Just 96 days until the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 and time to meet up with my charity cycling buddy, Jason, for our first training ride.

I last rode with Jason on a sunny summer's evening back in August last year. I'd just taken delivery of my new Roubaix and Jason was out on his Carrera of 3 months .. we were both reasonably green to this cycling lark. On that ride we completed an 18 mile hilly route around Branscombe, following one of my club circuits. Today, to mix things up, I made my way over to Taunton for a ride through Somerset, Jason's stomping ground. This also gave me the opportunity to test out the bike carrying capabilities of my new Yeti, the vehicle we'll be using to get to London in 3 months time.

We headed north out of Taunton along a gentle 10 mile 500ft climb through Bishop's Lydheard to Crowcombe, sheltered - we were to discover on our return - by the Quantocks to the east. We set a brisk pace from the off, amazingly both gaining a top 10 fastest time on the Taunton to Wills Strava segment, over the first 9miles of this climb.

Descending Halsway Hill through Williton and into Watchet, using forward momentum to rise up and over the occasional humps, was exhilarating. The timing of our arrival into Watchet was perfect as we were greeted by a touch of nostalgia in the form of a steam engine preparing to depart the station.

Greeted by touch of nostalgia in Watchet

It was then just a short ride down to the harbour for obligatory photos. There is talk of this year's AVP 100 miler doing the coast to coast, Seaton to Watchet and back, so I hope to be free for this.

Jason ' the powerhouse' !

On reflection looking a little overdressed for the warm weather!

After a short stop, a munch on a cereal bar and a gulp of isotonic liquid -- no cake! -- we headed east along the coast road, climbed up to West Quontoxhead and onto the A39 via Holford and Nether Stowey to Bridgewater; prior to which, about 10 miles out of Watchet, we stopped under a very warm sun for coffee at one of those rode side mobile cafes. I hear since that I may have been wise to cover up, as Jason now has rather pink arms. 

From Bridgewater we continued on the A39, dodging cars on the roundabouts and along the busy dual carriageway. This was not the most pleasant part of the ride - understatement. I am not one for busy fast roads at the best of times, but now out of the protection of the Quantocks, we were riding into quite a strong headwind; I felt as though I were towing a caravan .. but Jason just drove on, he's become quite a powerhouse! He says its down to his new Giant .. yes another new bike .. but personally, I think it's more a result of his new training regime, I need to get my finger out ;)

It was great to be out riding with Jason again and what a different ride it was since last time. Over 45 miles covered in which I achieved my quickest average speed for a ride, 15.4 mph, surprising considering the distance, and I smashed my 1 hour (17.5 mi), 20km (41m:26s) and 50km (1h:55m) records. The 50km record having been set back in September last year. You can tell I'm impressed ... looking forward to another ride with the 'powerhouse', we just need to fit in a cake stop next time :)



If you have not already (and if so, thank you!) please do not forget to sponsor me for the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100, when I will be riding in aid of Diabetes UK.  http://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone

Day 180 - Taunton Stop Line

I had a different riding experience planned for Saturday, a mountain bike ride out on my Crosstrail with Mike, my good neighbour and friend, exploring the Taunton Stop Line. This is the WW2 defensive line separating the south west from the rest of England, designed to stop an enemy's advance from the west. The length of the Taunton Stop Line is impressive, it runs north-south for nearly 50 miles through Somerset, Dorset and Devon, from Axminster to Chard along the River Axe, then along the Great Western Railway to Ilminster (the section we covered today), the railway and Chard Canal to Taunton, the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal to Bridgwater, and the River Parrett to the coast near Highbridge. For those of you who know my fascination with this kind of thing, you'll not be surprised of me thinking that I'm going to have to cover it all eventually!

Today, however, we set out in Mike's estate car (I've still not yet sorted out how to transport my bike, let alone two) to Chard. From here we headed along the Route 33 cycle path to Ilminster, following the disused railway line - the sad legacy of Dr Beeching's 1960s demise of our railway network. Luckily, for me, the quality of the concrete defences installed in the early 1940s have stood the test of time and it was like being a child again, out on bikes exploring the countryside seeking out items of military interest!

Donyat Station

Just 3.5 miles along the old railway line we came across Donyat Station, still with its shelter and a model of a young girl sat waiting for the next train which will never come :(. Above the station, along the top of the embankment, are a long line of dragon's teeth fortifications, just visible as pointed concrete blocks in the above photo. Under the bridges, we saw concrete rail blocks which were placed either side of the track, allowing just enough space for the train to pass but which would block the advance of tanks, and slotted concrete blocks either side of the tracks for steel girders to be inserted to block the path of anyone using railway line. 

Concrete rail blocks & dragon's teeth

Then, at strategic sites along the railway, pillboxes and gun emplacements can be seen either hidden alongside bridges or in the hedgerows in the fields beyond. It is amazing what you see when you look. I never knew there was so many of these defensive works installed at the time, let alone having survived the past 70 years.

During our ride, we passed a number of walkers with their dogs and Mike alluded to the fact that he's always been wary of how dogs can sometimes see a moving bike and rider as fair game for a chase. It was amusing, to me, therefore, when exploring a lane containing three hidden gun emplacements, to be chased back down the lane by a very 'playful' collie dog, with Mike bearing the brunt of the dog's gnashing and barking! 

Hidden gun emplacement

Leaving the railway line cycle path, we headed through Ilminster, north towards our next destination, the old WW2 RAF airfield, now RNAS Merryfield, near the village of Ilton. This took quite a bit of time to locate as having spotted the air sock from quite a long way out, high hedges and a network of narrow crisscrossing lanes soon obscured the view and the route we needed to take. We would have made useless wartime spies!

Finally we locate HMS Heron 

Finally homing in on the airfield, access was bared by a friendly security guard as, while there was little evidence of this today, it is still an active naval airfield used primarily for military helicopter pilot training.  

We lunched in Ilton before making the short ride back to Ilminster and via the old railway to Chard. This was perhaps one of the flattest circuits I've done for some time, although we did have quite a climb  back into Ilminster just to keep the heart rate up. A fun ride, great to be back on the Crosstrail and much to see, very different from anything I've done for a very long time. Looking forward to the next one!

Stats: 22.53 mi, 2h:00m, Avg 11.2 mph, Max 29.4 mph, 1004 kcal