Cybersquatting Midlifers (only joking!)
Just found out that there are also a bunch of like-minded folks over in Ireland raising money for a couple of great charities, with very similar so also check out www.midlifecyclists.net - they've even done proper fitness tests and seem to train before a big ride! Something I in particular may consider in the future!British Cycling & Sky Team up...
Skyride sees Sky joining up with British Cycling to put the fun back into cycling this summer:
- Cycle round and take in the sights of Manchester, Glasgow, Leicester & London without the fumes and jams of the traffic.
- A day for the whole family gives you the chance to meet the British Elite Team, experience the live entertainment, take part in challenges and tricks and fingers crossed soak up the sunshine!
Manchester-Liverpool Success!
Chris managed to complete the 41mile event on a scorcher of a Sunday in 2h42m, which given a complete lack of preparation, was under the targeted time.
However, although Chris suffered somewhat, it wasnt as much as his bike did, finishing with a crack in the frame. Great news is that due to the fantastic lifetime warranty from Specialized and the superb service received from Harry Halls in Manchester, a "complimentary" 2009 Specialized Allez Elite C2 frameset is on its way from the States, so theres no excuses for poor performance in a few weeks time on the Manchester-Blackpool!
Just wait a minute!
Final two entries and some more comments to come, as our intrepid and knackered team return to the UK over coming days. Please keep checking back for blog entries, photos and individual comments from some of the team
Note from Andy: Fri 08/08/2008
Yesterday when cycling into work as usual I made the basic error of briefly not looking where I was going and consequently ran into the back of a parked car. Not a scratch on the car - but now I have what looks like a trick-bicycle.
Lesson to be learned - look where you're going at all times!
.Vinegar Road to Burnbum
21/07/2008 - 22:22TODAYS YELLOW JERSEY: Jeannette
First stop was to fix Chris' wheel after escort from friendly local old fella. After which a smaller climb and then (possibly aided by the pea soup from yesterday), we breezed down the road to the ghost town of Hoym where Derek was accosted by local village idiot.
A great afternoon with speeds (on the flat) approaching 40mph!!! We we're buzzed by Red Kites soaring and hello'd by Roe deers in fields.
Didn't last long as much travel along Coronation Street cobbles for miles and a second wasp sting for Andy meant large application of SudoCrem for all later in evening (not together though).
Cock up in hotel booking leads to allocation of Honeymoon suite to Jeannette and Andy. Further cockup with allocation of keys means Derek & Declan took up occupation.
Must go now as Andys mate reckons you can't go on long distance cycling rides after drinking copious amounts of beer. But what does he know! Nighty night!
Einbeck to Vinegar Road
20/07/2008 - 23:59TODAYS YELLOW JERSEY: Derek “Ave I bin asleep?” Wilcock
A slow start from Einbeck took us up a big hill before we got lost (again). The Harz weren't kind to us and slowed progress to an almost halt.
The Radweg R1 Route was also not kind - to Chris' rear wheel which buckled and broke under pressure! He stole Johns back wheel in order to carry on to Bad Arseburn. Lunch in Goslar consisted of sausage and pea soup, which led to increased tail winds in the afternoon. Once again it then bucketed down whilst John had a beer in front of us cyclists.
Again slow progress including a double puncture for Mr Royle and Dereks constant requirement to pee. Arrived in VinegarRoad to find hotel was up at top of 'cliff' and required a big sprint finish from (some) cyclists, after John benefited from a Police Escort past a grassy knoll in order to find the place. Worth the big climb though, as 4 massive luxury apartments awaited. Intimate beer keller was well utilised.
Detmold to Einbeck
19/07/2008 - 23:37TODAYS YELLOW JERSEY: Mr B.
A delayed departure (due to the lack of any hotel staff) at breakfast, meant a start time of 9:35am. Almost immediately (within 300yds) Chris punctures, John returns with new tyre, then with Andy's aid, drives off in wrong direction.
After the U turn, we are then involve in a RTA (Road Traffic Accident), as witnesses only, a s a McDonalds eating dog convinces driver to throw car into both barriers and total her vehicle, and her brunch. Andy saves maiden. Chris saves dog.
Meanwhile, cyclists continue, but a delayed Declan & Derek, divert via a made up route of their own concoction, arriving in Hoxter a strangely suspiciously 40mins before lead group near bus station, for lunch. The Wilcocks are true to form – food is a keen motivator.
The afternoon was relatively calm, due to a kindly prevailing wind (could have been Andy) apart from a hefty downpour.
At the end of an overall good day, our “yesterdays damp smalls” were still damp. But, after much Sudocrem'ming all were well. Day 2 ends at a total of 142 miles. Then a hearty meal, ingested in a beer barrel (factually correct, trust us) with Jeannettes pen pal pal Stefan and Andrea, with lovely hund Maya.
Munster to Detmold
18/07/2008 - 23:03TODAYS YELLOW JERSEY: “Chemical” Chris Airey
Last nights hotel, was occupied by a bizzare homage to Hollywood heros such as Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, Dean and Monroe. Weird. Late start following drive to Munster. Weather appalling, gray blanket of rain. Declan has many punctures. Weather appalling.
Arsewinkle was our lunch stop town. Declan punctures after lunch. Weather appalling. Declans map reading saves the day on many an occasion though.
Final hotel destination of “Horn” seemingly moves away from you, proportional to your requirement to be there! After 10 hours of cycling and 76 miles of cycling we finally arrived. Wonderful service from hotel staff (never to be repeated) was excellent including the 350g “Bin Lid” Burgers skewered with metal cows.
We set off from Manchester at just after 6am, and after a long drive caught the 2:20pm Channel Tunnel crossing. Loads more driving arrived at our hotel in Arnhem at 8:20pm.
Our first problem is that for the last 150 miles our now-not-so trusty vehicle seems to have lost a cylinder! But Andy's egg ingestion is counteracting that!
Chris has also put together a training plan, based on Joe Friels book, "The Cyclists Training Bible". This assumes that the schedule starts this week and that we are all at a base level of finess. The Berlin Training Plan can be downloaded here as a PDF document.
Chris has put together a schedule for the ride, based on the premise that on the flat, we would ride at an average of 12mph and we dont want to cover more than about 75 miles per day, or ride for longer than about 8 hours. The Munster-Berlin Schedule can be downloaded here as a PDF document.
And it's all gone quiet over there... (mainly being sung at Goodison, recently.)
Hi all,
This is just a brief note to make contact and bring you up to speed with what's been going on (or not, in my case) recently.
Let's get the fitness news in first:
- I believe Dave Badley has been training weekly with a group of guys from The Cheadle Hulme Pub. They intend to do next July's Manchester to Blackpool ride and David is using this event to good effect for his own training.
Chris Airey and Declan (Wilcock) have been taking the air regularly on Sunday mornings, too - and Derek has admitted to joining them when able.
Andy and Jeanette Royle have really been going for it, having done at least one 40 miler over the last few weeks. Jeanette in particular has been tearing up the tarmac on The Wirral on her new bike!
And I've done nothing... Some of you will know that my shoulder has got steadily worse over the summer. Having stopped cycling on the physio's orders, my shoulder just got worse! I had a cortisone injection 12 days ago, and I should know more about my medium term fitness in another 10 days when the injection has had its time to work.
Some good/bad news:
Sarah Dunkin won't be able to join us next year because of a baby no. 2 arrival due in April. I'm sure you wish her well
Some bad/bad news:
Dave Baker has reluctantly had to withdraw as a 'drover'. He sends all his best wishes for the event
Please let us all know how you're doing. I still intend to set up some sort of long(ish) distance event to test fitness and resolve. However, as you can appreciate, at the moment I'm just trying to get myself in a position to cycle.
I'll be in touch in a couple of weeks. Happy Velociracing!
Mike Rivett
Chris & Ian have been cycling a fairly challenging route based on the first ride out. It goes out to Prestbury, then up to Bollington, Pott Shrigley, Rainow, and then heads up (UP!) and out towards Kettleshulme, before decending back through Pott Shrigley, and Higher Poynton.
If you would like to take a look at the route in detail, our Sunday Big Ride can be downloaded here and opened usign Google Earth (tm)
We have now received a copy of the official "Midden Nederlandronde - LF4 & LF15" cycle route upon which we will be basing the first stages of the Midlife CYClists route.
Chris is still working on an initial baseline route, which will be able to be viewed using Google Earth (tm)
Three-quarters of the route are now input.
Detailed Routmap now available
21/7/2007 - 13:03We have now received a copy of the official "Europa-Radweg R1" cycle route upon which we will be basing the Midlife CYClists route.
Also, we will shortly upload an initial baseline route, which will be able to be viewed using Google Earth (tm)
Check back here soon for more info.
Request for Information
21/7/2007 - 12:58Chris is now looking to complete the rider profiles so would like the team members to email him with a brief outline of cycling background and ideally a photo (in jpg format).
Website Up & Running
21/7/2007 - 12:56The website is now up and running and you are all welcome to add news articles, blog updates & responses or general comments, using the forms (such as the one below).
Please use this form to submit any relevant news. All posts are reviewed before publishing on the site and will appear when the site is next updated.
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