Audax and Sportive Reports

The best laid plans ...

... can still fall victim to the vagueries of the weather. Hopes that the forecast for 8th September might prove to be false were dispelled wen the rain began just in time for the first riders to set of at 8:00 am, and continued on and off throughout the day. Not surprisingly, many entrants had decided to stay in bed and entries on the day were in short supply. Still, those that persisted enjoyed three new routes which combined some fast sections as well as a few stiff climbs.

49 riders spent the 18th June enjoying sunshine and dodging showers whilst riding one of three challenging Herts Wheelers Audax routes.

Wheelers' Audax Rides 2023

Join one of the Wheelers' "Audax*" rides - self-guided rides through some of the best of Hertfordshire cycling country. Ride at your own pace, get together with friends or make new friends along the way.

Peter Walton completes the 1200 km ride in 85h 27m 47s.

Four Wheelers rode the 200k Audax course the week before the main event

Graham rides this 100mile charity sportive for the third time.

Starting at Seyssinet-Pariset on the west side of Grenoble, PeterB & myself decided to enter this as our introduction to the Alps.  Although we had recced it the previous day, we still managed to get lost on our short route to the start.  Still, it afforded us glimpses of Grenoble that we don't want to see again!  I turned up with my routesheet & gps at the ready only to find out that the routes advertised were not on the menu.  So instead of giving the 100 a go, we got the 133.  The first 50kms was fairly flat.  And then it wasn't. 

All wonderful except for the bad bits.

Graham K rode this sportive with real food

Graham K rode this traditional N. Herts. CTC event out of Stevenage

I have done a couple of Audaxes that I call "Reference Audaxes".  One was a 300 from Poole 3 years ago where the wind was so strong and the hills were so tough that I finished with 20mins to spare.  Now when I encounter steep hills I "reference" Poole and tell myself I can get up the hills.  Now I've got another one for when it's exceptionally windy.

Bit cold first thing, but soon warmed up to something comfortable.  Out from Henham to Debden, Greenstead Green (where I missed the control thus adding 15 kms by the time I got back to it), Coggeshall, Gt Leighs and back to Henham.  That was the first 110kms (plus the extras).  Then came a further 50kms as I rode via Hare St & Elmdon back to HQ followed by the last 55kms via Takeley, Much Hadham & back.

Ready to leave Sawbridgeworth at 07:00, and that's when I found out that my Garmin wasn't working properly - I had no track to follow.  I knew the journey down was about 45 kms and I knew about 90% of it.  Still left just over 4 kms to get lost in.  Eventually got down there about 08:40 and met up with John Mac.  After about 10 kms of the Audax I'd finally got myself a working system re the routesheet and we completed the remaining 97 kms quickly and efficiently.  We parted company so that I could ride back the 70kms to Hertford, thus completing the ECE part.

After my recent crash & bash it has taken a bit of time to get back on the bike.  However after a few days back I thought that I had enough in me to withstand a 203km ride and thus save my RRtY.  Wanting to ride wind-assisted across the fens I left Hertford for St Neots & then onto Huntingdon before finally settling down to a 25mph crossing to Soham.  From there it was down to Newmarket, Saffron Walden & home.  With few hills there was little to pull my shoulder apart so whilst there was some minor discomfort it didn't feel too difficult.  The main discomfort was my derriere as

Graham has a tough day but enjoys the scenery

£1,115 raised for the Sense charity

Graham experienced a hot day on the Berkshire Downs

Wheelers preview the Herts High Five route.

Met up with Alex & John for a jolly day out in deepest Essex.  Fantastic weather - for a while.  Headed SE from Long Melford to Holbrook and then headed SW to Manningtree before zooming down to Harwich.  The west from Holbrook was interesting asat that point we saw the black clouds that had been behind us, and that's what caused the zooming.  The storms were heading north and could we escape them?  No.