The Springtime 150km

We're down in Cambridge this weekend so I entered an audax on the saturday. Being sensible I entered the 150km (actually 155km) instead of the 200km. Once I plotted the route, including there and back it came to just over 240km. Since Ruby is at Specialized getting accessed as she may have a crack in her frame (update: the frame is fine just the dropout is corroded slightly but its safe to ride) so I was riding kiwi, it was to be my longest ride fixed. When I plotted the route it looked a little hillier than I would have liked but nothing looked steeper than roads I have ridden commuting before. So friday once I got home from work was getting kiwi ready and laminating the route card before meeting Ali to drive down.

Saturday morning and I was up at 6am creeping round trying not to wake up Ali and her mum before heading out at 6.30. It was already getting light outside. I enjoyed the ride out but had to stop a couple of times, once to adjust layers and once at McDonalds as I really needed the toilet.

Got to the start at 8:30 so had half an hour to enjoy sitting in front of the fire. Just after 9am we were on our way and somehow I was at the front but soon some club boys in purple came past. I stuck with them for the first 10km but realised that I was working too hard on the uphills and scaring myself on the downhills as I pedalled down and they freewheeled.

From then on I was riding on my own. At Baldock I missed the cafe on my first ride through, turns out it was closed, I soon found a sandwich bar with lots of bikes outside. I got myself a hot chocolate and bacon roll. I headed out again, past an information control at the bottom of the one climb mentioned on the routecard my rear brake stopped working, I stopped to adjust it but the cable kept pulling through, I thought I must have snapped it. Then I noticed the cablestop out on the toptube. Sorted I continued onto HQ. Here I had beans on toast and a blueberry muffin.

Out again on the last loop, about 55km, and I started missing turns, no excuse when I had my garmin on my bars. Partway round and it started getting misty but not quite raining, eventually it started raining so I put my waterproof on. Back to HQ and there was a handful of 200k riders there who had just finish. I had an Eccles cake this time.

It was dark when I left to head back to Cambridge so all my lights were on. Onto country lanes and I realised that I should have put one of my bigger lights on and not just rely on my spark. It was plenty bright enough but the batteries did not last long enough to use it on bright. Felt a little silly as I have such good lights at home.

I got back to Ali's mums just after 7:30pm and they were cooking dinner, veggie lasgne yum yum!

150miles, 1880metres of climbing

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