Girls on Cogs

Barmouth – Yarmouth cycle challenge

The challenge: to cycle over 300 miles from west coast – Barmouth, Wales to east coast, Great Yarmouth.
The takers: amazingly, 12 cyclists fancied the ride (not sure how many read the mileage bit!)
Team Bar-Yar: Mat, Anna, Dave, Paul, Jude, Stav, Charlie, Phil, Jo, Em
Helen, Rrrich-ard (aka Tricky)

Support Bus Crew: Caroline and Elaine

Day 1: Thurs 9th April
Challenge: 14 people, 12 bikes and 1 transit van to travel to Barmouth, then complete a 10 mile ride to Dolgellau. Only 2 bikes allowed per train…

After collecting some new tyres for me following 5 punctures already this week, we headed off on our 5 hour train journey. We had a few slightly stressful moments getting bikes on and off trains and into a small wardrobe-sized bike compartment, but eventually arrived in a very blustery Barmouth.
We quickly orientated ourselves onto the Mawdach trail to Dolgellau and set off over a wooden bridge over the estuary. It was a pleasant cycling along an easy track for about 10 miles to Dolgellau. We arrived at the hostel to be greeted with a cuppa and offers of help to fit my new hardy tyres. Plas Isa hostel is very comfortable and well worth a visit – one to remember for future group trips. We then headed to the Italian restaurant for a pasta meal (or a vampire pizza – bloody hot! – Well done Jude – the German hostess was very impressed and apparently you were the first person to devour one!).

5th April:

Miles: 45ish
Punctures 1? (re-pumping of tyres due to a dodgy valve or slow puncture: about 4!)
Alcohol the night before: less than previous rides – very good!

Well, our last cycle ride before the big Barmouth-Yarmouth challenge over Easter, we were planning a ride out on Sunday afternoon, starting around 11. I arrived at Em’s before anyone else so started a little phone round to see who was coming along – mustered up 3 other recruits, Stav, Charlie (who thought it might be wise to do at least one cycle ride before the big challenge), and Dave – on a proper mountain bike! After the customary faff, a cup of coffee and pumping up of tyres, we set out at 12, via Kirby Muxloe, Newtown Unthank, Kirby Mallory towards Market Bosworth. The sun was shining so conditions were good, although Dave seemed to be giving his legs a good work-out on the mountain cogs! It’s quite hard getting out of the bowl Leicester seems to be sitting in. We stopped at Bosworth Fields after 12 miles for a cuppa, sausage roll and home-made pecan pie. Then all refreshed, headed onwards through some lovely little villages, passing through Twycross (with revelations that Twycross zoo was in Leicestershire’s Twycross!) Barton-in-the-beans (good name!), Thornton, Merry Leas (where we indulged in an afternoon ale and some potato snacks, since it was good enough to have a pub that was open) then homewards via Heathley Park for some food and a beer as a little reward for the afternoon’s activity. So just need to double the daily mileage next week and we’ll be fine!

Well I feel a little bit like I have been doing the dirty on Helen, having taken a second
cycle trip out without her.
Stav and I decided to make an early start last Sunday……… 1pm we headed out!!!
A few to many drinks once again the previous evening which seems to be a bit of a
trend!
Anyway another beautiful spring day so headed out along the canal path towards
Watermead Park, across the A6 and through the villages towards Loughborough.
We stopped for a drink and I treated myself to full fat Coke from the shop. I think
post alcohol binge, I needed the caffine and sugar.
Stav had been a little slow to start with but seemed to be picking up the pace and
I had to work hard to keep up.
From Loughborough we cycled to Melton Mowbray and then back to Leicester, by
which time the temperature had dropped and I was regretting wearing shorts.

Units of alcohol the night before: a lot!

Miles : at least 50

Navigation: Made up as we went along

Jude and I meet up for the day and decide to go cycling for the day. Jude is currently training for a full Ironman so training 6 days a week, so I am a little concerned before we go out. When she arrived I was still in my PJ’s having got out of bed 10 mins earlier!! Anyway we get kitted out, well I put on my shorts and t-shirt, whilst Jude looks kitted out for the Tour De France and her bike weighs about as much as my saddle!!
Anyway we skirt around Leicester and head for the countryside. Lots of nice little country roads, very hilly, but spring is well on its way, so its great to be outdoors and decidedly warmer than a couple of weeks ago.
Jude is ahead of me most of the time but we make it to Oakham in just over 2 hours. Stop for tea and cake before heading back along the same route.

Total miles: 47
Navigation: Spot on
Punctures: 0
What I have learnt: I need a road bike and Jude is mega fit!!

So its the New Year and the start of our training for the big ride. Hels and I decided January or not, wind, rain…….or snow, we were going to get out there and take it seriously!!

After all we have bought the hip flasks for each other for Christmas (engraved and everything!) in preparation for the toast at the end, so we had better make it!!!