1000 Xmas Kms: No Turning Back
The novelty was starting to wear thin. Every morning, waking up in the dark before the alarm clock, same drill: Dress, eat, weather check, load up, ride into the grey morning. Return, eat, clean the bike, kit and myself. Prepare for the next day.
MONDAY 28th DECEMBER
Distance: 200k - I was determined to put the miles in today, this was simply about getting my head down and riding.
Weather: Cold - near freezing - but clear, warmer at the coast.
Route: Out and back to the coast.
High Points:
Cruising on the A-roads at 20-25+mph, and being home at dusk.
Low Points:
It was starting to get a little lonely, I saw three other cyclists all day.
TUESDAY 29th DECEMBER
Distance: 124k
Weather: Cold rain/sleet at times, near freezing.
Route: I put together sections of the Hell of The Ashdown, with my own hill route around the North Downs to make a brutal, hilly loop.
High Points: It's a proper test for the rain jacket, I wear a cream one for visibility. One of the standout products of the year.
Low Points: The non-stop rain, the only respite being when it turns to drizzle. Freezing waterbottles.
Notes: Windburn…through my tights??
TOTAL (so far): 676km
- Quick, got time to purchase 1 album before leaving for ToB, you know the stuff I go for. Recommendations, please and I'll let u know
- Photos, video and write up from the Rapha Continental's adventure at D2R2 in Western Mass. http://bit.ly/bFS1E7
- First time this year we get to use rider radio @tourofbritain due to the UCI rule changes. Will be strange getting use them again.
- Tom Southam to take on assistant DS roll @tourofbritain for Rapha Condor Sharp.
- http://bit.ly/akC5A6 for a guided tour of Rapha Condor Sharp's team car...
- National track champs schedule, where to buy tickets and all sorts of other gubbins at http://bit.ly/cFHEJV
- @crankedbikes none of our riders came down, boys stopped to assist a fellow cyclist. Called the cars to take theguy to hospital.
- Nice write up from @JohnProlly on the subject of our Merino Boxers, http://bit.ly/cO8xFw which can be found here: http://bit.ly/bAyLwp
- Hopefully there's still a bit of that kid's spirit in me! I too was grinning like an idiot after 2hrs riding in the rain. Who needs summer?
- Nothing better than having some kid in jeans and a rucksack on a 20yr old bike ride past you grinning like a baffoon, just wanting to play
Comments
Adam Oakman
8th January 2010 03:53pm
Graeme, Just read about this in the top 10 email. Great stuff. You need to come to Austin TX in summer, we can do a 1000kms in 40 (100) degrees.
Martin James
8th January 2010 04:10pm
Good on you Graeme great idea and well done, better than munching through packets of Daim bars (ahem), I just missed you on Tuesday 29th, I did the Hell of The Ashdown course on Monday 28th, dry but black ice on the narrower lanes where the water runs off the hills, Skating on Sidis could be a new craze…
Simon Tyler
8th January 2010 04:55pm
Well done Graeme. I was out on the south coast on the 29th and it was bitter…
What was your route on the 28th?
Stefan Rohner
8th January 2010 06:38pm
good!
Joe Hall
8th January 2010 07:12pm
Just when you think Graeme can't make you feel any more bone-idol and pathetic, this Hell-bent man of Kent goes and rides these distances when most are festering indoors.
I have to say he had it sussed from the beginning: I feel positively bloated and 'hazy' after the Christmas break due to over-indulgence and lack of riding. The Raeburnator has set us all (or most) a fine example.
andy verrall
8th January 2010 10:31pm
This is great stuff Graeme,know them roads well from my youth. Was at my parents in Tunbridge Wells betwwen Xmas & new year could have joind you one day if I had known about the chalenge.
Some great lanes on the Kent/Sussex borders.
Look forward to the rest of the reports!!
Dave Wyman
8th January 2010 11:25pm
Way to go. I'm averaging all of 20k per day so far this year, which is better than double my start last year. I'm chronicling my own rides - with twenty jerseys in 20 days - here: http://www.icyclist.blogspot.com
Upcoming rides will feature my Rapha jerseys.
Robert Kane
10th January 2010 07:17pm
Graeme, when I first read about your proposed lunacy I was inspired to attempt the 1000 clicks myself. I commenced on the 4th of January and completed it yesterday. Whilst the summer weather conditions in South Australia could be considered to be somewhat more clement than those in which you have ridden, the latter part of the week had daily maximum temperatures of 43 degrees. Whilst I commenced most of the rides in the cool of the pre-dawn, the accumulation of the requisite daily distance necessarily meant that I was riding in atrociously hot ( and windy) weather from time to time. The Tour Down Under starts in our fair city this Sunday, so during the last few days I saw the Sky, AG2 AND Lotto teams on the road, making me feel more than a little slow!. The riding was done in a combination of the Classic, Country and Club Jerseys which meant that I was fresh as a daisy throughout the ordeal. Look forward to hearing how you went; I can honestly say that I feel your pain!
Kind Regards,
Robert Kane
Adelaide
Graeme Raeburn
11th January 2010 09:20am
Hi all, thanks for all the comments and support,
Adam, I'd love to visit Austin, looks like a great city for any type of cycling and would be interesting to see Lance's store (museum??)
SImon, the 28th was simply head-down on the A-roads; out from SE London, Lewisham, Bromley, Westerham, Edenbridge, Hartfield, Uckfield, then A22/A2270 to the beach. Not the most scenic of routes, but I needed the miles and figured cruising on the A-roads would be the most comfortable way to clock them up.
Andy …drat, I thought you were in Belgium! The lanes round Tunbridge Wells are fantastic and a really historic area. I'll be in touch re. the workshop apron soon, looking forward to working with you on this.
Dave, thanks for the link, great blog and featuring on the jerseys - were you a ride host for a Continental ride in the summer? - a great start to the year.
Robert, chapeau to you sir! sounds like equally - if somewhat opposite - challenging conditions, and a great week for sighting the pro's. Enjoy the TdU …is that the new season starting already?!