Putting 2019 in Perspective
Well a whole year has gone by and I’ve been more than a
little tardy in not keeping my blog up to date. My only (rather feeble) excuse
is that time spent sitting at the keyboard is time that I’m not sitting on my
saddle! Plus, I am only really motivated to write when the mood takes me AND
I’ve got something worthwhile to write about. But the flipside of that is that
without any posts you might think I’ve been doing nothing. Or worse! Quite the
reverse actually. I've had a very busy year and as it’s the last day of 2019 and
also my birthday I thought I would check in and tell you what I've been doing since I
last posted about that stunning ride up Mount Lemon at the end of January.
After making the 1,500-mile round trip to Arizona for the Mount Lemon adventure, the
following week Mary and I made a
1,000-mile round trip to take part in the Tour
de Palm Springs. I rode the 100-mile route while Mary and Robin, who joined us
in Palm Springs, opted for the 70-mile circuit. It was quite a well-organised
event though I found the half-hour wait on the start line a tad tedious. The
young kids in mariachi band which played while we were waiting were very
entertaining. The stand-up comedian’s jokes were, I have to say, rather corny.
And the long list of thank-you’s delivered by a local worthy were – let’s just say
it was a long list. But after a quick blast of the national anthem we were soon
underway. Despite being in the desert it was actually pretty cold and I was
glad of the extra warmth provided by my Castelli Gabba jacket. After a somewhat
lumpy start which raised my pulse and breathing rate we turned east onto a long
(20-mile) and mostly downhill straight ending at a feed station. This was easy
riding and I was able to maintain an average 20mph by barely turning the
pedals. Some of the route was familiar to me as I was riding on roads that I last rode on last year on my tour across the USA. I felt quite at home too as I was riding with a group who were all
kitted out in British-made Rapha clothing. They were quite taken aback when
they realised that they were riding with a Brit. As the temperature warmed up I took off my Gabba to reveal a Team GB jersey.
The final 60 miles back to Palm Springs were gently uphill as we rose from sea level to about 500 feet. Apart from the eye candy provided by the scenery which covered everything from raw, bleak desert through rich and very green real estate to snow capped mountains I had two moments of excitement. First, my Garmin mount worked itself loose and fell off the handlebars. Fortunately the safety cord saved the day otherwise I might have been facing an expensive replacement. Having to then keep the Garmin in my jersey pocket was a bit irritating, especially as I seemed to reset it each time I removed it to see how far I’d gone. So my Strava record for the event suggests that I did four rides. Rather more exciting though was my arrival in Palm Springs. Approaching a junction I followed the signs and barriers round the left turn only to realise that I had entered a live oncoming traffic lane. I’d forgotten that they drive on the right here. The cacophony of shouts and whistles from the marshals and spectators was impressive. I rather nonchalantly bunny hopped over the central reservation into the right-hand lane, looked back over my shoulder and waved to the crowd!
Desert riding |
The final 60 miles back to Palm Springs were gently uphill as we rose from sea level to about 500 feet. Apart from the eye candy provided by the scenery which covered everything from raw, bleak desert through rich and very green real estate to snow capped mountains I had two moments of excitement. First, my Garmin mount worked itself loose and fell off the handlebars. Fortunately the safety cord saved the day otherwise I might have been facing an expensive replacement. Having to then keep the Garmin in my jersey pocket was a bit irritating, especially as I seemed to reset it each time I removed it to see how far I’d gone. So my Strava record for the event suggests that I did four rides. Rather more exciting though was my arrival in Palm Springs. Approaching a junction I followed the signs and barriers round the left turn only to realise that I had entered a live oncoming traffic lane. I’d forgotten that they drive on the right here. The cacophony of shouts and whistles from the marshals and spectators was impressive. I rather nonchalantly bunny hopped over the central reservation into the right-hand lane, looked back over my shoulder and waved to the crowd!
On the Bianchi stand at the Tour of California |
I returned to the UK in March and spent the next couple of
months reacquainting myself with the Norfolk and Suffolk lanes. It made a nice
change to be back on familiar roads. At the beginning of May it was time to
head back to Sacramento. Soon after my arrival I spent an interesting Sunday
morning watching the start of the Tour of California. Bianchi USA had a stand
in the event village, so I dropped in to say hello and discovered that they
knew about Passione Celeste – one of the team said he had read it. Maybe
he was just being polite!
A beautiful ride! |
In early June I set off with my buddy Gene, who I often ride
with in Sacramento, to Lake Tahoe in the north-east corner of the state. Gene
had told me about a sportive which advertised itself as America’s Most
Beautiful Bike Ride, so I needed little persuasion to go. It certainly was a
great ride – about 70 miles with around 4,000 feet of climbing which doesn’t
sound too challenging does it? The main physical challenge was the altitude as
the start of the ride at 6.500 feet above sea level and the two main climbs
certainly had me gasping for air. I could see virtually the whole 70-mile route
from the start line as it went right around the lake. The scenery was spectacular –
heavily forested mountain slopes with snow-capped summits. This is skiing
country too; the 1960 Winter Olympics were held near here. Judging by the signs I
saw there was also some pretty exciting mountain bike riding available. This was
a great day out and I also got to ride in Nevada for the first time, so that’s
another state ticked off, even if I only shaved a corner. And as for the claim
of being America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride. Well, it certainly was beautiful.
But MOST beautiful? More research is needed. A lot more!
Sweltering in the sun |
The following weekend I was back in Southern California for
L’Etape California. This was an event organised in close association with the
Tour de France and provides amateur riders with the full experience of a grand
tour stage. The route was centred on Mount Baldy and on paper looked pretty
challenging – 90 miles and 12,000 feet of climbing. The route included two first
category climbs and one HC (Hors Category or Beyond Category) climb. Always one
for a challenge this seemed like a must do! Or so I thought!
The ride itself was hard, very hard. But it was the heat that was the
main challenge. At the start the temperature was already into the low 30’s C
(mid 80’s F) and by mid-afternoon as I was ascending the penultimate climb it
had reached 40oC
(105oF). With no shelter I could feel myself frying in the sun. The
north-facing curves on the hairpins provided momentary relief from the direct
sun but the air still felt as if it had been superheated. This was reflected in
my heart rate. Normally on a strenuous ride my heart rate averages about
120-125 beats per minute. Today my average was 150 bpm with a peak of 172bpm.
And I could feel it. So much so that I turned back about ½ mile from the top of the
final climb as I decided that caution was the sensible way to go. The summit of Mount
Baldy will have to await another day. The final 10 miles were all downhill so I
was able to gain some much-needed recovery. So much so that I was even able to
muster a sprint to cross the finish line at nearly 30mph.
Going full gas through Cromer |
I ended the month of June with a ride back in England, in
Norfolk. Starting and finishing in Norwich, the course followed the route used
earlier in the day for the British Professional Road Race Championships.
Although most of the route was on open roads it was very enjoyable with
surprisingly large numbers of spectators as we sped through the various
villages along the way. Getting a cheer from the roadside does wonders for my
ego! One of the most enjoyable parts of the day was the section we rode along
the North Norfolk coast. I don’t ride up here very often but when I do I always
enjoy it. For about 20 miles the road meandered along, never more than a mile
from the sea. With a succession of small climbs and descents it provides a
pretty good workout without being unduly taxing. Our return into Norwich was
fantastic with the last section on closed roads with big crowds behind the
barriers lining the streets. A cold beer (zero alcohol) provided by the
organisers was just what was needed as I chatted to some of the other riders
that I finished with.
Nearing the top of Pink Hill |
Having ridden L’Etape California in June I unexpectedly had
an opportunity to ride the UK version in mid-July. It was a good chance to
compare the two events. The same Tour de France branding that was very visible
in California was here too. I wore my new L’Etape California jersey too which
generated quite a lot of interest from other riders, both in the starting pen
and during the ride. Apart from comparing the two events I was excited to be
riding in the Chilterns, west of London as this was where I lived as a teenager and where started riding seriously. We actually rode along part of the route that I
used to ride on my daily journey to school. So there was a lot of nostalgia for
me today. The Chilterns boast numerous short, sharp, steep climbs and is where I
acquired my limited hill-climbing abilities. The profile for the course looked
like a saw blade with over 7,000 feet of climbing along the 100-mile route.
Although the climbs were short some were pretty steep, touching 30% in a couple
of places. I remembered the climb of Pink Hill well which was where my Dad
taught me to hill-start when I was learning to drive. I could almost smell a
burning clutch as I rode up it! And what of the two events? Well the California
one edged it by the thinnest of margins, a mere tyre width. The weather,
scenery and friendliness of the support crew and California Highway Patrol officers who
managed the car traffic were the plus points.
Three amigos - a reunion with Greg and Pete |
I also completed my longest ride of the year in August – 135
miles. This was a 100-mile sportive and I got the extra miles by riding from
home to the start and back at the end. The course took us round much of Suffolk
on roads that I am very familiar with. The actual route was not one I had
followed before so it was really enjoyable to see the scenery through someone
else’s eyes as it were. It was an unusually hot day too and made me think of
California which I yearned to return to.
During September I had my longest spell this year off the
bike. This was because for a week I crossed over to the dark side and went hiking. This was a momentous occasion since in 2005, together with a college
friend, I set out to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path from Minehead in
Somerset to South Haven Point in Dorset. We have walked most years in between,
usually taking a week in either May or September. Walking speed was definitely
not the objective. Quite the reverse. It has been much more about chilling out
in the countryside, admiring the spectacular coastal views and meeting an
amazing number of interesting and in some cases, eccentric people along the
way. We both enjoy a good curry so the other objective was to eat as many as we
could. At the final count, after 64 days walking we have consumed 45 curries! It
was a strange feeling when we finished and I felt quite disconcerted. Having
spent so many years pursuing our goal, finishing it left me feeling quite
empty. What next I wonder? Well, we have tentatively thought about continuing to walk eastwards along England’s south coast maybe as far as London. Nothing definite
is scheduled though.
This year the UCI World Road Championships were held in
Yorkshire and the UCI had sanctioned a sportive which followed much of the road
race circuit so this was an event not to be missed. Towards the end of
September I drove up to Harrogate and rode the event. Leaving aside the wet
weather which prevailed throughout the week of the World Championships the
90-mile, 7,000-feet event was very well organised on what turned out to be a
challenging course.
Trying to look happy at the wet World Championships |
The first challenge came immediately after the first feed
station in Pateley Bridge. In his climber’s bible Simon Warren says this about
the climb of Greenhow Hill. “Here the pain comes in bursts over four distinct
stretches of really tough climbing, with brief respite in between each. Attack
each hard section, get your breath back, spin the legs, then attack the next.”
Well that pretty well sums it up – the pain and the breathlessness parts are
certainly accurate! As I rode up the first stretch I could see riders ahead of
me meandering back and forth across the road in a desperate attempt to maintain
their forward momentum. Nearing the top of this first stretch I was closing on
a rider in front of me who looked as if they might grind to a halt and fall off
at any moment. As I closed up I could see a man sitting on a bank above the
tarmac watching the struggling rider. Then in a thick Yorkshire accent he
commented: ”Aye lad, keep going. The toughest bit is yet to come.” Well that
did it for the hapless rider who unclipped and stopped, electing to walk for a
bit. I was more fortunate and was able to keep moving. Just. And yes, the rest
of the climb was at least as tough as the first stretch. But I made it in about
20 minutes. Simon Warren’s target time for the climb is 16 minutes so I was
quite pleased with my effort.
Part of the course was along roads that I had ridden in
August on my Lejog tour so it was nice to have a bit of inside knowledge about
what I was riding into. Nothing too strenuous as it turned out. Apart from the
climbing, the main challenge of the day was the rain. Lots of prolonged heavy
showers making the road surfaces very wet and muddy. Looking in the mirror when
I had a shower after the event I could see the outline of my riding glasses
which had shielded part of my face from the spray and dirt. And to think I paid
money to do this!
At the end of September it was time to head back to
California and in mid-October Mary and we drove down to southern California for
the Tour D’Orange. This is an event which is organised by a friend of ours,
Robin, and raises money for charity. Robin had recruited us to help her with setting up and running the event. We spent the day before signing the
three courses which cater for family groups through to experienced longer
distance cyclists. The shortest route enables riders to visit many of the
historic sites and properties in the town with each being marked by a specially
numbered sign. This is the third year that Robin has run the event so she has a
complete mastery of the easiest way to set out the signs on the three
interlocking routes. I got quite confused about our geography as a consequence
and we didn’t finish laying out the routes until midnight when it was totally
dark.
A metric century celebration |
I was a ride marshal for the longest, 60-mile route. My role
meant that I had to be able to help any riders in difficulty and act as the
last rider on the road sweeping up any stragglers. It was quite a strange
feeling to ride around the course again, especially on the more rural section
which we had signed in the dark. I was surprised to find myself riding gently
uphill through a beautiful canyon which I had no idea existed when I was there
12 hours before. Towards the latter part of the event I joined up with two
other riders, Royce who had never ridden a metric century (100km) before
and John who was a more experienced rider. As we crossed the finish line we realised
that we were about 2 km short of the century so we did a few circuits around
the town centre to record the requisite mileage. The happiness on Royce’s face
and in his voice when he finally crossed the line and was reunited with his
family was a total delight. So ‘Chapeau’ Royce! It was great riding with you
and John.
I remained in Sacramento until just before Xmas, enjoying several
rides on the wonderful American River Trail with Gene. I also made a number of
forays into the wider countryside and I am starting to get a few new and longer
routes mapped which I hope to develop next year. By the end of the year I
managed to get just over 9,000 miles into my wheels which, by my recent
standards, represents a quiet year. When I was not riding, I was working on
another top-secret project, the results of which I hope to announce early in
2020.
People often ask me what was the highlight of my riding
year? Well in 2019 it might have been the ascent of Mount Lemon. Or maybe it was one of the
L’Etapes. Or perhaps the Worlds. Well, if I was being totally true, the
highlight of my year was being able to ride wherever I was and whenever I
wanted to. Long may that continue…
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