Ride 17/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 7

Well thats another ride over and how fast they go by Today’s ride was the last section of the coast to coast down to St Davids on what started as a overcast day and a lot cooler than all the others. We had 60 miles to do today but there was no rush to get their, thus we started the ride at 09:00. I did the first section of the ride up to the first water stop by myself just to get going and warmed up, and awaited for the rest to to arrive. After the water stop I rode with Dave and Matt to the lunch break at 38 miles for some pasta and ice cream lunch We then headed out for the last section down to St Davids and the furthest point east we could get, down to the RNLI station were we stopped for photos and Prosecco. We then rode the last 2 miles back to the hotel for the celebration night. So 60 miles clocked up going over 4900 feet of climbing at an avg speed of 14.5 mph, and so endeth my journey to cover both long distance routes over the UK

Ride 16/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 6

Another great day in the saddle, hot and sunny with lots of climbing to do today. Straight out of the hotel we were up a hill and it would be like that for the first 15 odd miles, with some real steep stuff at 16% all before the first water stop. After the water stop it was an epic downhill for quite some time, probably about 10 miles before we started heading back up the hills to the lunch stop. Lunch was at mile 36 but again we would have steep hill to get over before we rode down to the pub for sandwiches and chips, all the carbs After lunch we only had another 17 miles to go so I headed out alone to get a little bit of exercise and ride at my pace rather than the groups. I got to the hotel just shy of 55 miles so I rode around a bit to bump it up to 55 miles thus doing the 55 miles at an avg speed of just under 16 mph going over just shy of 4000 feet of climbing.

Ride 15/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 5

Today was probably the best days ride, lots of hills and some great downhills, great scenery and another scorcher weather wise. We would be cycling into Wales today along to the Brecon Beacons for our hotel stop. This would entail cycling 60 miles over just shy of 4900 feet of climbing. Dave was back today so I cycled with him as company. We were cycling faster than the main group so we got to the first water stop at 19 before anyone else, and carried on after a little while before the rest had arrived. We got to the lunch stop in good time at 40 miles, especially after some of the longest climbs we would have for the day. Everyone else eventually turned up for lunch as well were I had baked potato and chilly finished off with ice cream When then cycled the last 20 miles up some of the steepest climbs before descending down one of the best descents of the ride making good time to the hotel for the night where we sat outside with a drink in hand awaiting for the rest to arrive. So today we clocked up 60 miles at an avg speed of 14 mph over 4895 feet of climbing and as easy as it was it’s still my favourite days ride so far

Ride 14/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 4

Day 4 on the Coast to Coast and it’s still hot We had 75 miles to do today over 4500 feet of climbing, it’s getting hillier as we get closer to Wales. This was fine with me, I could do a bit more of an effort today. The ride was split into 3 x 25 mile sections. With the first 25 miles to the first water stop, the second to the lunch stop and the third to the hotel. There was a forth stop to pick up water if needed but I skipped this as it was 12 miles from the finish. The hills were split into 2, first lot at the beginning of the ride in the first 25 miles and the the rest in the third 25 miles with a flat middle section. I was going at pace today getting to the lunch stop at an avg of 19 mph but after lunch there were a lot of smaller hills that eventually slowed me down to 18 mph avg speed for the day. So 75 miles clocked up in 4 hours 8 mins and what a great day it was into Wales tomorrow we go.

Ride 13/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 3

Another great ride today, sunny, hot and nor rain We were cycling 53 miles today so it would be a quick day in the saddle. It was also a little bit cooler today and a bit breezier but this was fine with me. First break was at around 20 miles but we didn’t stop for long, I was feeling fine and just had a banana, lunch break was at mile 37 and we got their at just before 12:00. I had a meatball sandwich for lunch which tasted a bit like a mix between spaghetti bolognaise and Lasagna. We then only had another 13 odd miles to go before we hit the hotel stop. We reached this at around 14:30 so again a quick day with a few small hills in which gave a slight increase of elevation for the day. So overall 53 miles clocked up at 15 mph avg speed. I have to say the hotel is a bit posh for what I’m used to, some sort of golf resort not complaining like

Ride 12/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 2

Day 2 on the coast to coast ride and what an eventful day it was. We had 66 miles to do today and it started 3 miles out with one of the party getting lost since they didn’t have a garmin for navigation and we dropped him on the first hill xD Things were fine for about another 2 miles before the event leader got a puncture and we stopped to assist. We made it fine to the first feed station and even lunch at 40 miles. It was not long after the third and final stop at mile 53 that the real fun began. We made it to mile 62 with 5 to go when Dave snapped his chain. Tony the ride leader stopped to fix it and it was then that the thunder storms hit and they were epic! Thankfully we had stopped outside someone’s house who offered their garage as shelter to try and fix the broken chain. Unfortunately we couldn’t fix the chain so we had to call for a pickup from Pete who was driving the support van. Dave got a lift to the hotel but we rode the last 5 miles in the rain to the hotel. Thankfully the rain had died down a bit so it wasn’t raining golf balls anymore and Pete had some rain jackets in the van that we could use to get to the hotel. So interesting day, 66 miles clocked up and a sedate pace of 15 mph, with probably the last 5 a bit faster

Ride 11/06/2023 Coast to Coast day 1

This will probably go down as one of the easiest 75 miles rides I’ve every done It was pretty much pan flat barely 1800 feet over 75 miles and I was even going at a very easy pace, what little wind there was, was pushing us along. Anyhow, so this ride came about because the guys I did the LEJOG with wanted to do a commemorative ride to one of the guys we rode with on the LEJOG. We have David Sancto​ to thank for organizing this one in memory of Roger Armstrong, and it’s nice to be riding with quarter of the group that I did the LEJOG with Today was the first of 7 with us riding 75 miles from Lowerstoft to Newmarket on a blazingly hot sunny day with temps getting over 30 degrees The ride was split into thirds of 25 miles with a quick break at 25, then a lunch break at 50 and other quick break at 62 for water, before riding the last 13 odd miles to the hotel in Newmarket. As rides go this was a great one, rarely do I ever get to ride such a flat ride and even though I was going very easy we still managed to clock 16 mph avg speed for the 75 miles. So tomorrows ride will be 66 miles, again over flat land with a little bit more elevation in it than today, and let’s hope the weather keeps as is