A slushy, flooded Mere 200

So where to start, this was my birthday Audax so I got my entry in nice and early. Ali was away so I knew I would be riding to the start, only in the morning I struggled to get up and nearly left it too late! Anyway it has to be said on Saturday I could not imagine the event happening, there was so much snow. But the weather forcasters were correct and it did rain and melt away. So after a quick ride across Manchester I set out from Cheadle, just after the main pack due to a bit of faffing!

I passed a few people, said hi to a few, but was soon riding on my own, which is how I spent most of the day. There was a noticeable headwind already and I had put cross tyres on so I knew it wasn't going to be an easy day. At the first control in Delamere I stopped at the cafe, turns out most people didn't. I was hungry though and very glad I had on the next slog to Ellesmere. It was basically a long straight road into a headwind with no shelter at all! At the control here I chatted to a few lads before pushing on, I wanted to make the next cafe before it closed. At first it felt easy, I guess I had a tailwind but soon I found the floods. At first they weren't that deep, but it wasn't long before they were hub deep. After one I had to stop and take all the stuff from the flood out of my rear mech. Fortunately I made it to the Raven Cafe in time and ordered both a Bacon Roll and chips, I was hungry!

Leaving here it was lights on, although it was still pretty light, I came across a road closed sign due to a flood but feeling confident from before ploughed in, it wasn't long before I was up to my headset and then stuck! I waded back out and found my way round, I found out later I was nearly through it I just couldn't see round the corner.

As it got dark I was very glad of my exposure lights so I could see the potholes in the lanes and that I had charged my Garmin a bit at the last control. I love night riding though and it wasn't long before I was back on the outskirts of Wimslow and then at the hall in Cheadle. The usual lovely finish where we were fed soup and sandwiches as I looked up train times, only to find it was a replacement bus service and I would be riding home.

166miles recorded on the Garmin, which died two miles from home, very sore legs and a big smile!