Saturday 29 October 2011
Welshpool
Thanks to Craig as usual for uploading the Garmin stats.
Today's merry band of travellers consisted of Robbo, Patron, Chrissy, Ronnie, Craig, Vino and Etape conquering Gaz Waud. Sick notes were received in respect of Coppi and Lantern, although there is a steward's enquiry into the authenticity of Lantern's note, as it would appear he's clumsily attempted to forge his mum's handwriting!
The outward journey to the cafe was windy to say the least. With the benefit of hindsight it's probably just as well the Lantern abstained, as I fear the shapeless shite brown sleeves he's been recently sporting as substitute arm-warmers would have resembled windsocks heading down to Buttington!
The cafe came at around the 45 mile mark and the boys wasted no time in opting for gut busting breakfasts all round, and being a proper Northern lad, Craig ordered extra bread and butter. With the benefit of a cross/tail wind, the return via Llansantffraid was rather brisk, before the inevitable pull up Blodwell Bank at the 65 mile mark. At Oswestry the heaven's opened but this did little to dampen the pace or spirits as the grupetto swallowed up the remaining 15 miles or so.
Cracking ride on the Summer bikes (possibly the last 'Summer' ride of the season). My man of the match today goes to Gaz for his sheer gutsy determination in hanging on to a brisk, and at times erratic paceline in the teeth of a headwind on his first come-back ride. Chapeau boys, see you next week. Robbo.
Friday 28 October 2011
Off the Back 22/10/2011- "We'll have a nice easy one today"
It was one of those strange Autumnnal days last Saturday; sunny yet cold. Enough to make you think “F**k lets give the shorts one more outing” but cold enough later to make you think “The shorts can f**k off until next spring after today”.
After last weeks’ full turnout on parade there was no sign this week of Roger, the Candle, Mark or Elvis; sorry I mean Coppi as the peleton gathered for an unusually late 11.30 kick off. Your plucky Lantern was there early so the Patron could tweak his gears (don’t tell him but they’re still buggered!!). Confirmed no shows Vino and Chris amazed the Patron by turning up, along with Rocket Ronnie who noted with silent glee that brother Chris was coughing like a sixty a day man.
Enquiries about Coppi’s whereabouts brought the news that he was going out on his own that morning as the peleton’s late depart did not suit. Vino especially regretted the missed opportunity to trot out “If Elvis rode a bike…”. On the way down the Tally Ho a blinding white flash announced Coppi coming the other way. I’m not sure how far he’d been but last time I looked that fresh after a ride was when I stayed in bed!! (Only joking Elvis!!).
As the peleton went through Chirk the Lantern struggled to keep with the group & started emitting copious amounts of bodily fluids through his nose. He had a cold, and with the peleton looking lean, it looked like a day of suffering lay ahead.
After collecting Matinee & his next door neighbour, Brian - bedecked in very nice Demon Tweaks kit, the peleton rode off towards Oswestry. Thereupon the Patron made a mockery of his earlier assertion that it’d be an easy one by signalling a right turn up the Racecourse hill (following an earlier suggestion from Robbo).
As Ron, Vino, Brian, Matinee and Chris (the latter making a mockery of his assertion he had a cold!!) pedalled contentedly up the climb, it was left to the Patron to shepherd the heavily perspiring (and let's face it, just plain heavy) lantern up the climb. If he doesn’t hear from you for a couple of minutes the Patron is wont to shout over his shoulder “You alright”. The Lantern is normally too knackered to respond, but the occasional clunky gear mis-shift and grunt lets the Patron know he's still holding on.
Soon the top was crested and the peleton set off towards the Beast with the Lantern still yo-yoing off the back like the Patron’s pants when he’s had a curry! After turning up the beast the group turned right about halfway up and followed their newly found route over to Trefonen. Once there it was over to Blodwell and regrouping at the junction at the bottom. Once Matinee knew they were going left he shot off urging the Lantern to “Get on me wheel”. Overcome by nostalgia after not hearing this exhorting for many a month, the Lantern surprised everyone, not least himself, by doing just that. As Matinee flew past the Lime Kiln the peleton was strung out like something from Stop the Pigeon (Which one was Clunk? Answers on a postcard…). Eventually the Lantern saw a shadow on the road and knew the rest had caught up and he could ease up. Or as Brian succinctly put it “He was f**ked as soon as the road went uphill”!!
After crossing at Lynclys, Ronnie did his usual party piece and took the pace up to about 27mph, just to see the look on the Lantern’s face - he’d have needed good eyesight today though as he was dying at the back after following Matinee’s earlier efforts.
Following a restorative café stop it was home via Gobowen the Patron decreed. In Whittington, after some furtive whisperings between Brian and the Patron, the peleton hung a right and headed away from Gobowen. Chris and the Lantern - the cough brothers - slid to the back as Brian set a very jaunty tempo on the front. The road twisted and turned and went up down and roundlyleround before eventually coming out in St Martins. The lantern was thinking murderous thoughts about all of those at the front by this time as he was well and truly cooked - In hindsight it was a nice change and would have really enjoyed it if hadn’t felt like shit by then!!
At St Martins Brian (rapidly turning into one of the major roullers on the Crapi squad) and Matinee turned off to head back for Ellesmere. The rest of the peleton romped back to chez Patron with the Lantern coughing and spluttering in their wake. All in all a 54 mile romp with better weather than we’d any right to expect at this time of year.
As ever thanks to all who made the ride an enjoyable few hours out on the bike and hopefully see you all and a few others next Saturday. Apologies for the tardiness of this report but I really have felt like shit this week (getting my excuses in early for Saturday!!)
After last weeks’ full turnout on parade there was no sign this week of Roger, the Candle, Mark or Elvis; sorry I mean Coppi as the peleton gathered for an unusually late 11.30 kick off. Your plucky Lantern was there early so the Patron could tweak his gears (don’t tell him but they’re still buggered!!). Confirmed no shows Vino and Chris amazed the Patron by turning up, along with Rocket Ronnie who noted with silent glee that brother Chris was coughing like a sixty a day man.
Enquiries about Coppi’s whereabouts brought the news that he was going out on his own that morning as the peleton’s late depart did not suit. Vino especially regretted the missed opportunity to trot out “If Elvis rode a bike…”. On the way down the Tally Ho a blinding white flash announced Coppi coming the other way. I’m not sure how far he’d been but last time I looked that fresh after a ride was when I stayed in bed!! (Only joking Elvis!!).
As the peleton went through Chirk the Lantern struggled to keep with the group & started emitting copious amounts of bodily fluids through his nose. He had a cold, and with the peleton looking lean, it looked like a day of suffering lay ahead.
After collecting Matinee & his next door neighbour, Brian - bedecked in very nice Demon Tweaks kit, the peleton rode off towards Oswestry. Thereupon the Patron made a mockery of his earlier assertion that it’d be an easy one by signalling a right turn up the Racecourse hill (following an earlier suggestion from Robbo).
As Ron, Vino, Brian, Matinee and Chris (the latter making a mockery of his assertion he had a cold!!) pedalled contentedly up the climb, it was left to the Patron to shepherd the heavily perspiring (and let's face it, just plain heavy) lantern up the climb. If he doesn’t hear from you for a couple of minutes the Patron is wont to shout over his shoulder “You alright”. The Lantern is normally too knackered to respond, but the occasional clunky gear mis-shift and grunt lets the Patron know he's still holding on.
Soon the top was crested and the peleton set off towards the Beast with the Lantern still yo-yoing off the back like the Patron’s pants when he’s had a curry! After turning up the beast the group turned right about halfway up and followed their newly found route over to Trefonen. Once there it was over to Blodwell and regrouping at the junction at the bottom. Once Matinee knew they were going left he shot off urging the Lantern to “Get on me wheel”. Overcome by nostalgia after not hearing this exhorting for many a month, the Lantern surprised everyone, not least himself, by doing just that. As Matinee flew past the Lime Kiln the peleton was strung out like something from Stop the Pigeon (Which one was Clunk? Answers on a postcard…). Eventually the Lantern saw a shadow on the road and knew the rest had caught up and he could ease up. Or as Brian succinctly put it “He was f**ked as soon as the road went uphill”!!
After crossing at Lynclys, Ronnie did his usual party piece and took the pace up to about 27mph, just to see the look on the Lantern’s face - he’d have needed good eyesight today though as he was dying at the back after following Matinee’s earlier efforts.
Following a restorative café stop it was home via Gobowen the Patron decreed. In Whittington, after some furtive whisperings between Brian and the Patron, the peleton hung a right and headed away from Gobowen. Chris and the Lantern - the cough brothers - slid to the back as Brian set a very jaunty tempo on the front. The road twisted and turned and went up down and roundlyleround before eventually coming out in St Martins. The lantern was thinking murderous thoughts about all of those at the front by this time as he was well and truly cooked - In hindsight it was a nice change and would have really enjoyed it if hadn’t felt like shit by then!!
At St Martins Brian (rapidly turning into one of the major roullers on the Crapi squad) and Matinee turned off to head back for Ellesmere. The rest of the peleton romped back to chez Patron with the Lantern coughing and spluttering in their wake. All in all a 54 mile romp with better weather than we’d any right to expect at this time of year.
As ever thanks to all who made the ride an enjoyable few hours out on the bike and hopefully see you all and a few others next Saturday. Apologies for the tardiness of this report but I really have felt like shit this week (getting my excuses in early for Saturday!!)
Thursday 27 October 2011
It's true - Vino does improve with age
Some of you might not know that Vino took part in his first cyclo-cross ride of this season last Sunday in Bethesda. I know the shy retiring boyo usually likes to hide his light under a bushel but here's a link to the website that shows the results for his league so we can congratulate him when he does well, and mercilessly take the p*ss when he blows up!
http://nwcycloxgroup.ning.com/profiles/blogs/revolution-bikes-2011-12-league-table
Ride, Vino, Ride!
http://nwcycloxgroup.ning.com/profiles/blogs/revolution-bikes-2011-12-league-table
Ride, Vino, Ride!
Thursday 20 October 2011
Off the back 16/10/11 - Duw it's steep!
After what seemed like weeks of hesitation and one postponement as Matinee was swanning round Paris (“You know he’ll sulk if we go without him”) the annual seaside extravaganza took place last Sunday.
So well honed are the majority of the peloton that when the Lantern looked in his mirror at the traffic lights on the way to Dolgellau he had a CRAPI train of cars behind him. So it was that Lantern, Vino, Mark, Big Al, Ron, Chris, Coppi and Matinee all arrived at the appointed meeting place in convoy at 8.45am.
Coppi wheeled out his new steed and well, its very white isn’t it, Lantern ventured. White frame, White wheels and white tyres - if Elvis rode a bike….!!!! The Crapi’s biggest fan turned up to walk his dog and asked whether we’d all done the ride before. Coppi vouchsafed he hadn’t. Upon hearing the route the old man placed a gentle hand on Coppi's arm and said "Gold help you lad". He then turned to the rest of us and muttered “you cruel bastards”. Coppi had to stop his hand as it crept towards the gels in his pocket.
Two minutes to ride time and Patron pitches up in front of the Lantern and says in his own inimitable style - “Where’s that f**king brother of yours”. On cue both their phones go off with the news that messrs Candle and Roger Whittaker will be late again, apparently they needed to drop off Miss Daisy in Barmouth!! To make matters worse they weren’t even ready and proceeded to get changed with all the haste of an arthritic pensioner. Then they pumped their tyres up!!! The Lantern dared not think of the effect all this was having on the Patron’s blood pressure.
Roger turned up with his winter bike after having broken his lovely Trek frame which came a matter of weeks after he broke his mountain bike frame. The good news is that since Sunday the lads have been in touch with Terry Dolan and he’s agreed to make Roger a new frame out of RSJ’s which should last him a bit longer!!!
The peleton left a mere 20 minutes late and headed for Fairbourne at a pace more akin to a fun ride than a full on Crapi ride. Not that the Lantern was complaining. Climbing up from Fairbourne the Lantern found he couldn’t get into his lowest gear (which would come back to haunt him) but apart from that the ride progressed smoothly.
However, shortly after the peleton turned inland from the coast and Mark suffered a puncture. Coppi took advantage to slurp a gel and show off his new shorts (were they white as well?) and his Livestrong top. After this the remainder of the first half passed without much incident and the peleton was soon ensconced in the café at Aberdyfi.
After refreshment the peleton continued to Machynlleth without too many problems before Coppi’s exuberance over his new bike started being replaced by fatigue. The Patron did his best to marshall the peleton to keep Coppi in the fold but, ultimately, it was Coppi’s brother Chris who did for him. Going on the front and pushing the pace to an extent where even the regulars were wondering what was going on, he seemed genuinely surprised when word came that Coppi had gone out the back.
On the road to Dinas Mawddwy the pack started to splinter as Vino, always Vino, led the way with Candle and Roger in attendance. Mark and the Lantern were next on the road and Mark put in a sterling effort to close the gap to about 100 metres. The Lantern used up his remaining energy to bridge the gap only for Mark to say he wouldn’t be going with them on the climb. If looks could kill….
Ronnie and Matinee soon overtook the lantern, who was beginning to slide backwards, and took Mark with them. The Patron was closing in fast and Chris was happily shepherding Coppi home.
Other reports have detailed the race at the front of the peleton up the 20% climb after Dinas Mawddwy. However, I don’t think they mentioned the suffering felt by other riders. The Lantern’s lack of bottom gear came back to haunt him as he struggled to even keep the pedals turning before almost throwing up at the top. The Patron crested the climb before almost being felled by a bout of cramp and Coppi, though buoyed by his new lighter bike, was still too shagged to comment.
Thankfully after the climb most of the ride is downhill and the Candle, Roger, Patron and the Lantern made it back to the cars without too much incident followed by Chris and Coppi.
Coppi white-faced yet still grinning about the fact his new bike weighed four stone less than his old one, his face streaked with sweat and gel, looked like the walking antithesis of his Livestrong top.
As ever it was a lovely ride and, for once, the Lantern rather enjoyed the first half as he had time to enjoy his surrounding rather than just concentrate on chewing his bars. Thanks as ever to you all for making the ride so enjoyable and hopefully we’ll do it all again next weekend.
Still think Coppi’s bike’s a bit white though!!!!
So well honed are the majority of the peloton that when the Lantern looked in his mirror at the traffic lights on the way to Dolgellau he had a CRAPI train of cars behind him. So it was that Lantern, Vino, Mark, Big Al, Ron, Chris, Coppi and Matinee all arrived at the appointed meeting place in convoy at 8.45am.
Coppi wheeled out his new steed and well, its very white isn’t it, Lantern ventured. White frame, White wheels and white tyres - if Elvis rode a bike….!!!! The Crapi’s biggest fan turned up to walk his dog and asked whether we’d all done the ride before. Coppi vouchsafed he hadn’t. Upon hearing the route the old man placed a gentle hand on Coppi's arm and said "Gold help you lad". He then turned to the rest of us and muttered “you cruel bastards”. Coppi had to stop his hand as it crept towards the gels in his pocket.
Two minutes to ride time and Patron pitches up in front of the Lantern and says in his own inimitable style - “Where’s that f**king brother of yours”. On cue both their phones go off with the news that messrs Candle and Roger Whittaker will be late again, apparently they needed to drop off Miss Daisy in Barmouth!! To make matters worse they weren’t even ready and proceeded to get changed with all the haste of an arthritic pensioner. Then they pumped their tyres up!!! The Lantern dared not think of the effect all this was having on the Patron’s blood pressure.
Roger turned up with his winter bike after having broken his lovely Trek frame which came a matter of weeks after he broke his mountain bike frame. The good news is that since Sunday the lads have been in touch with Terry Dolan and he’s agreed to make Roger a new frame out of RSJ’s which should last him a bit longer!!!
The peleton left a mere 20 minutes late and headed for Fairbourne at a pace more akin to a fun ride than a full on Crapi ride. Not that the Lantern was complaining. Climbing up from Fairbourne the Lantern found he couldn’t get into his lowest gear (which would come back to haunt him) but apart from that the ride progressed smoothly.
However, shortly after the peleton turned inland from the coast and Mark suffered a puncture. Coppi took advantage to slurp a gel and show off his new shorts (were they white as well?) and his Livestrong top. After this the remainder of the first half passed without much incident and the peleton was soon ensconced in the café at Aberdyfi.
After refreshment the peleton continued to Machynlleth without too many problems before Coppi’s exuberance over his new bike started being replaced by fatigue. The Patron did his best to marshall the peleton to keep Coppi in the fold but, ultimately, it was Coppi’s brother Chris who did for him. Going on the front and pushing the pace to an extent where even the regulars were wondering what was going on, he seemed genuinely surprised when word came that Coppi had gone out the back.
On the road to Dinas Mawddwy the pack started to splinter as Vino, always Vino, led the way with Candle and Roger in attendance. Mark and the Lantern were next on the road and Mark put in a sterling effort to close the gap to about 100 metres. The Lantern used up his remaining energy to bridge the gap only for Mark to say he wouldn’t be going with them on the climb. If looks could kill….
Ronnie and Matinee soon overtook the lantern, who was beginning to slide backwards, and took Mark with them. The Patron was closing in fast and Chris was happily shepherding Coppi home.
Other reports have detailed the race at the front of the peleton up the 20% climb after Dinas Mawddwy. However, I don’t think they mentioned the suffering felt by other riders. The Lantern’s lack of bottom gear came back to haunt him as he struggled to even keep the pedals turning before almost throwing up at the top. The Patron crested the climb before almost being felled by a bout of cramp and Coppi, though buoyed by his new lighter bike, was still too shagged to comment.
Thankfully after the climb most of the ride is downhill and the Candle, Roger, Patron and the Lantern made it back to the cars without too much incident followed by Chris and Coppi.
Coppi white-faced yet still grinning about the fact his new bike weighed four stone less than his old one, his face streaked with sweat and gel, looked like the walking antithesis of his Livestrong top.
As ever it was a lovely ride and, for once, the Lantern rather enjoyed the first half as he had time to enjoy his surrounding rather than just concentrate on chewing his bars. Thanks as ever to you all for making the ride so enjoyable and hopefully we’ll do it all again next weekend.
Still think Coppi’s bike’s a bit white though!!!!
Sunday 16 October 2011
Saturday 8 October 2011
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