After hooking up with Tone for a coffee yesterday & arranging to watch him race this weekend, I decided I had to have a taste of what he was to undertake as part of said race - climbing Sunrising hill. I haven't been out on the bike for about a week due to illness so I was ready to do some miles but at a more leisurely pace to take in the surroundings as I went. Heading out on the Broughton Road I went to Lower Tadmarton & then right on up to 5 ways junction. There was a minor headwind but unlike last ride it wasn't enough to spoil things & I found myself making nice progress & not struggling on the uphills at all. Making my way through Shutford & towards Epwell (a route I don't think I've done before?) I knew I was heading in the general direction of 'the big climb' Once I'd crossed over Sugarswell Lane the panoramic view was quite stunning & you can see for miles & miles across the countryside spread out in front of you. With the wilnd rushing up the hill into my face I locked into the drops & just rolled (faster than I've ever rolled I think!) all the way down into Tysoe.
Tysoe is a lovely little village with some great old buildings & deserves a walk through it sometime as it has lots of character, it's not everyday you see a 'Family Butcher' on a village street these days! a lot of the old buildings have dates on them & I always think of the changes that the village must have gone through in the hundreds of years that those structures have stood there for...?
After a quick stop to adjust my clothing layers I stopped briefly at a natural burial ground. These are interesting in that you can be buried somewhere nice & in the countryside as opposed to being stacked up in a cemetery when you pop those clogs!
"Just over there near that babbling brook, under the old Cedar tree please" - Splendid.
Onwards to the main Stratford Road & there it was in front of me, the big one, a 16% long & twisting climb up the steep side of the valley & there's me with only one gear! Oh well I only wanted to see how bad it was.... very!
I made it up the first ramp which seemed pretty tough in itself & then taking in the shallower climb to the first corner I was already thinking 'no chance' but I stood down on those SPD's & made it around the tight uphill 180%(ish) bend &.... that was it. I dismounted knowing I had not a chance in hell of making another 200 yards+ to the 'summit'. Oh well, I did quite enjoy a little walk which gave me the chance of getting my breath back & after a stop for a go on the water bottle at the top it was back in the saddle, homeward bound.
With a tail-wind I turned up the wick a bit & did all the way back to Wroxton with a lovely turn of speed & rhythm. At one point I went into a dip & as I started up the other side I was hammering it, stood up & went screaming up the incline like a man possessed! wicked buzz when you are making rapid progress :-) Once at Wroxton I decided to cut right & go back through North Newington & back into Banbury on the Broughton Road I left on. Made good speed for the rest of the trip & got back feeling very good as this is the longest ride I've done this far.
21.5 mile trip
Good luck on Sunday Tone mate, that's one knarly hill!
Tysoe is a lovely little village with some great old buildings & deserves a walk through it sometime as it has lots of character, it's not everyday you see a 'Family Butcher' on a village street these days! a lot of the old buildings have dates on them & I always think of the changes that the village must have gone through in the hundreds of years that those structures have stood there for...?
After a quick stop to adjust my clothing layers I stopped briefly at a natural burial ground. These are interesting in that you can be buried somewhere nice & in the countryside as opposed to being stacked up in a cemetery when you pop those clogs!
"Just over there near that babbling brook, under the old Cedar tree please" - Splendid.
Onwards to the main Stratford Road & there it was in front of me, the big one, a 16% long & twisting climb up the steep side of the valley & there's me with only one gear! Oh well I only wanted to see how bad it was.... very!
I made it up the first ramp which seemed pretty tough in itself & then taking in the shallower climb to the first corner I was already thinking 'no chance' but I stood down on those SPD's & made it around the tight uphill 180%(ish) bend &.... that was it. I dismounted knowing I had not a chance in hell of making another 200 yards+ to the 'summit'. Oh well, I did quite enjoy a little walk which gave me the chance of getting my breath back & after a stop for a go on the water bottle at the top it was back in the saddle, homeward bound.
With a tail-wind I turned up the wick a bit & did all the way back to Wroxton with a lovely turn of speed & rhythm. At one point I went into a dip & as I started up the other side I was hammering it, stood up & went screaming up the incline like a man possessed! wicked buzz when you are making rapid progress :-) Once at Wroxton I decided to cut right & go back through North Newington & back into Banbury on the Broughton Road I left on. Made good speed for the rest of the trip & got back feeling very good as this is the longest ride I've done this far.
21.5 mile trip
Good luck on Sunday Tone mate, that's one knarly hill!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.