"The Hell of the North Downs"

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

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I got round in a shade over 6 hours, which I was pretty
happy with - I've done the same distance several times
recently and generally get home in under 5 hours,
including stops, but this, to coin a cliche, was a
completely different ball game.

Well done that man!

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I ran out of gears less than halfway up the infamous Yorks
Hill, and ran out of legs shortly after.

I know the feeling, all too well.

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And there were still three more big hills to come
after that

Ditto.

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Still, I made it, and I am bloody pleased with myself.

Ditto, except the "all too well" bit. Makes going back to
work a bit more bearable (this week was an exception but
let's not go there!)

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And of course there were some fun bits too - namely, the
descents. Coming down River Hill, a big wide main road
with good tarmac, I was *coasting* and managed to hit
45mph. I topped that coming back down Gracious Hill, a
similar road surface but a straighter path - I got a good
run up to it and clocked 48mph before having to brake
pretty sharpish for the control at the bottom of the hill.
That was exhilarating.

Ditto. Though as I get older, descents get slower and brakes
tend to melt...

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Overall, despite the suffering, it was *great* fun, and
it's really given me the urge to enter more Audax events
as soon as possible - I'm just hoping they aren't all like
that (OK, I know they aren't) - I can cope with one or
maybe two hills like that over the distance, but today was
hard work. Not that this will stop me from doing it again
next year!

Atta boy! Never done an Audax myself but been considering
them lately.

Iain Jones:

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Well done that man!

Cheers!

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Though as I get older, descents get slower and brakes tend to melt...

I have to say I surprised myself with some of my descending prowess - interestingly, it was the first chance I had to go out on my bike since installing the new Gatorskins, and they seemed to make quite some difference (in a beneficial way) to rolling resistance compared to my old tyres, which surely helped.

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Never done an Audax myself but been considering them lately.

If you like climbing, there's the Devon and Exmoor 300 next weekend - 3 AAA (altitude) points - 5000 metres of climbing!

d.

davek <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I have to say I surprised myself with some of my
descending prowess - interestingly, it was the first
chance I had to go out on my bike since installing the new
Gatorskins, and they seemed to make quite some difference
(in a beneficial way) to rolling resistance compared to my
old tyres, which surely helped.

First real fast descent on my road bike (compared to heavy
mountain bike with chunky tyres) was a steep twisty road in
Lancashire somewhere. Whether I liked it or not I reached
50mph, ooh what's that, a huge pothole, ka- dumff. I swear I
was airborne for a brief second or two, and another sharp
corner was approaching fast. I stayed upright though. Had to
wait a few minutes at the café at the bottom for my hands to
stop shaking!

So I've been grabbing the brakes hard ever since ;-)

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Never done an Audax myself but been considering them
lately.

If you like climbing, there's the Devon and Exmoor 300
next weekend - 3 AAA (altitude) points - 5000 metres of
climbing!

d.

I'll excuse myself from that one thanks. It's too far away
for me. That sounds better than "It's too hard for me."

Where exactly was this 100km route, it seems as if there are some good hills.

Wouldn't mind trying them out

Thanks

Iain Jones <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

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First real fast descent on my road bike (compared to heavy
mountain bike with chunky tyres) was a steep twisty road
in Lancashire somewhere. Whether I liked it or not I
reached 50mph, ooh what's that, a huge pothole, ka- dumff.
I swear I was airborne for a brief second or two, and
another sharp corner was approaching fast. I stayed
upright though.

Airborne at 50 mph from a pothole there's a handy prayer you
can use. Dear God, please let my wheels still be round.

--
Dave...

wardie2000:

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Where exactly was this 100km route, it seems as if there are some good hills.

The route starts from Otford, north of Sevenoaks and runs in a big loop past Ightham Mote and Bough Beech reservoir. The hills you want to look out for are Rowdow (just northeast of Otford), Exedown, Yorkshill, Bayleys Hill, One Tree Hill and River Hill - basically it's up and down the North Downs and parts of the Weald.

Also, not on the route but close by are Toys Hill and Ide Hill, which some folk reckon are even nastier than Yorks.

d.

davek <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

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wardie2000:

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Where exactly was this 100km route, it seems as if there
are some good hills.

The route starts from Otford, north of Sevenoaks and runs
in a big loop past Ightham Mote and Bough Beech reservoir.
The hills you want to look out for are Rowdow (just
northeast of Otford), Exedown, Yorkshill, Bayleys Hill,
One Tree Hill and River Hill - basically it's up and down
the North Downs and parts of the Weald.

Also, not on the route but close by are Toys Hill and Ide
Hill, which some folk reckon are even nastier than Yorks.

No I think Yorks takes the biscuit. I did have to do Ide
Hill at the end of the National 400 two years ago though,
that was character building ;-)