Cycle Review - Part One - Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 November 2006

The time had finally come to get started on the 'real' training!

The cycle route has been finalised, accomodation sorted so it was time to crack on.

First rendevous was at chateau Woonton in Kings Lynn, so we'll start our little journey on the way there...

7.14pm: On the train to Ely, phone call from Martin, looks like they will be on the same train from there, which is nice. Rich and Steve already at base camp, and Machine due to follow a bit later.

8.24pm: Train to Kings Lynn pulls into Ely. Manage to align myself with the Ironman carraige, so a good start. Excitements builds as we head north, conversation is in high spirits.

8.56pm: Steve and Rich meet us at station - we discover Martin and Andy both have same jacket.

9.01pm: off we head to Steve's house - friendly pace, quasi-competitive, a prologue if you will.

9.35pm: Mrs Woonton has provided a array of pasta MrDolmio would be proud of, which goes down very well. Celtic beat ManU as we hear Machine is running late.

10.46pm: Machine arrives - debate ensues about departure time, but 8am is confirmed - eventually.

7am: Wakey, wakey

8am: We haven't left yet, which we may regret...

8.27am: after a photo call, time check, cycle computer check, bag check, we're off!

8.34am: This seems easy enough

8.41am: Soon on the river bank. Rich motors ahead to get some action shots. I catch Steve up with a little burst. Steve moves out of the way thinking I was a 'serious' cyclist.

8.46am: The relative merits of the cycles are already apparent. My shopping bike does not like crosswinds, for starters.

8.59am: First route dilema is overcome with ease. The cycle symbol did help, to be fair...

9.01am: Second route dilema is more fraught. Me and Steve have slowed down to discuss this, whilst the bandwagon at the front of the peleton steamrollers on. Shouting in the blustery conditions is, frankly, useless, and they're out of sight. Luckily, Matt, caught in no mans land, has a glance back. We stop to consulte the map, waiting for the others to return once they realise they're not with us. They don't return. Steve phones Martin but there is no reply. Matt volunteers to cycle ahead to find out whats going on, as Steve has established for certian they've gone the wrong way. Machine returns with the news Greenleafs tyre has blown up!! They may be a while. It is concluded the route error is down to the difference between St Germans and St Annes.

9.17am: The peleton reforms all in one piece and heads south. The first puncture didn't take long!

9.21am: Open fields and wind don't mix - it dawns that we will be cycling into the wind all day, and if it holds - for all 3 days. At least it's flat - which proves useful when Rich and Gaunt are half a mile ahead...

9.27am: Greenleaf goes pop again. Could be serious. Luckily we have a chief mechanical engineer, Kilpin who identifies the issue in nanoseconds and is set straight to the task. Lots of posings and posturings to the effect of 'we knew that' We try some different bikes out. Shopping bike comes out tops. First mention of a contingency plan. Not good.

9.44am: The peleton is split by a level crossing. More time lost.

10.02am: Reach Downham Market which is very nice but we must push on.

10.08am: Outskirts of Downham and Andy has another puncture. This time it's terminal. Needs new tyre. Microsoft wizard Woonton soon establishes cycle repair shop is in Ely, but minute long verbal directions prove useless. Andy is to get train while rest of us plough on to Ely. The remaining five soon stopped by non-tarmaced path. Luckily Martin meets postman who says tarmac is close by.

10.26am: Reach the road, that according to Steve,goes all the way to Ely. It's very flat, but it's bloody windy.

10.40am: Every man for himself in these winds - Martin and Rich have got the bit between their teeth for sure. The roads are nice and quiet though...

11.14am: Still windy

Reach a small village where there is a riot trail. Have cake. Nice. Andy is all sorted with his new tyre and will cycle out of Ely to meet us.

11.46am: Pace is crippled by wind. 40 miles and lunch seems a long way off.

12.02pm: Realise we may have passed Greenleaf?? Phone call establishes he is on other side of River.

12.21pm: Storm into Ely. Catherdral is nice. Where's Greenleaf.

12.30pm: Greenleaf arrives. Much discussion as to lunch venue, but in view of delays and conditions, there is no choice but to aim for Cambridge. It's only 12 miles.

12.38pm: Reach cycle path. 'Cambridge 24'. First mention of cutting short. It is decided that we will take a shorter route, which is initally along cycle path anyway. Rich notes that this is nothing compared to an Ironman. Quite right too.

12.42pm: Not a good path for the road bikes. National Cycle Network, is, essentially shit, is the conclusion.

12.42 and 30 seconds: No sooner is conclusion reached then it rains.

12.45pm: Gaunt has puncture. This is looking shaky.

12.50pm: Time for Plan B - straight to Bedford. Problem now being we need to head west, next turn west being 7 miles away due to bloody river.

12.58pm: Pissing down now, the gloaming encroaches, and the wind blows ever more powerfully.

13.18pm: We're all very wet now, and Bedford is a long way away. Lorries and busiest road yet don't help.

13.25pm: It's getting the better of me - my knee doesn;t like it at all.

13.50pm: Plan B is rapidly going the way of Plan A - We clearly, given the rate of progress, need a serious rethink. Black humour is evident. Stop at next pub.

14.01pm: Arrive at next pub. Closed. Gaunt has another puncture. This is a low. Chill sets in. Where is next pub? Map says 5 miles west.

14.21pm: Nail 5 miles soaked cold and blown, arrive at village. Pub has no food, so corner shop raided. Coffee to warm the soul. Serious shivers on display.

14.30pm: Realise we aren't going to get to Bedford in daylight. Many options raised, but we appear to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Hire a van. Book a hotel in Cambridge. Back to Kings Lynn. Just as all is lost, Greenleaf hits upon the masterplan of sending the 6 bikes with the 3 of us with railcards via the only possible train route to Bedford - Cambridge-London-Bedford, while the other 3 get express coach direct.

15.12pm: Cambridge is about 13 miles away and the aim is to get there by dark. Spirits raised, the challenge is accepted.

15.34pm: Lights are on. Pace is good, we seem to have accepted the wetness

15.54pm: The traffic is heavy, which doesn't help

16.01pm: Wallop - our first crash, Rich runs into the back of Andy. Only pride bruised.

16.10pm: Inside Cambridge ring road, feels like the first achievement!

16.23pm: Traffic lights for the first time. Many other cyclists so we blend in nicely, except for looking like a shoal of fish, we are that wet.

16.30pm: Stopped by police for cycling wrong way down one way street. Frankly, we don't give a damn.

16.44pm: Arrive Station. Much wheeling and dealing with luggage and bikes. Steve Matt and Rich head to coach stop. Me Gaunt and Greenleaf block up train doors with bikes. At least train is non stop! Much railway debate about merits of Thameslink or Midland Mainline and ticket validity to get back to Bedford.

18.03pm: Arrive Kings Cross. Moving through crowds with a bike in each hand is a very tricky thing!

18.24pm: But try running with them! Next train leaves St Pancras in 5 minutes.

18.30pm: Andy manages to get 3 bikes on board. Others will meet him there.

18.47pm: Next train opens its doors and so me and Martin go to put bikes on. Martin gets two on, but some southern prat decides he owns the train and so his bike goes on and not mine. Result - I am left with Rich's bike and steam coming from my ears.

19.30pm - finally leave London avec bike. Never thought i'd be in London today!

20.16pm: Arrive Bedford. Matt and Martin have waited to guide me to hotel. Rich's bike is far too big for me which proves comical, luckily hotel is not too far away.

20.30pm: A bed. Dry Clothes! Bliss.

21.12pm: Taxi Driver fails to grasp need for sustenance and drives round Bedford without actually recommeding a restaurant. End up in Wetherspoons for quick munch and a small amount of alcohol.

22.05pm: Conclude day has been a test, but we have come through. Hope tomorrow goes to plan.

22.17pm: Rice Krispies purchased. To be eaten from mug apparently.

22.30pm: Back at hotel, rigid 8am start is set in stone

23.30pm: Sleep.......

Day in Review

Kings Lynn to (Bedford) Cambridge

Distance Planned - 75 miles

Actual Distance would have been - 90 miles

Distance Covered - 72 miles

Quotes:

'I've just spoken to the postman' - Martin

'It's an Ironman, not a marathon' Rich

'Bedford's quite a sleepy town'-Leon

'I've got a puncture' - Various

'Can I catch you up' - Andy, at 7am

'I hope these distances are in km' - Steve

'What's the best way to get from Cambridge to Bedford....with 6 bikes?'

'Cycle' - Conversation with Travelline.

'A support car would have been corporate' - Matt

High Points

- Pre losing each other in Willenhall St.Germans

-Getting There

-First Floor of the TravelLodge

Low Points

-Willenhall St Germans - Watlington

-The split

-Gravel Cycle Track

Things We Learnt

• National Cycle Routes are crap



• Bikes need brake lights



• How to change a tyre



• Machine is a chief techincal director in the making



• You can only get 3 bikes on a Midland Mainline Meridian



• You use your arms more than you think



• Gaunt will be good in transition

Day summed up in 5 words

Things can only get better

Mechanical Breakdown Tally

Greenleaf - 3 inner tubes, 1 tyre, 1 reflector, 1 phone

Machine - 1 tube

GasMan - 1 tube, 1 wheel, 1 will to live

Woonton - temporary phone blip

Davies - faultless

Baptiste - 1 light

No. of wrong turnings - 3

No of collisions -1 - Greenleaf & Davies

Hopes for tomorrow: Better weather, Greenleaf would like 4 punctures