Just recovering from one of the hardest days riding I've ever done.
It all started when I left my place around 09:30 for what I'd hoped was a leisurely 3 mile spin along the prom to meet the others at the chain ferry.
I hadn't bargained on the gale force head wind I would meet when I got there!
I also met up with Lumos2000, who was cycling around my area trying to remember where I live
We both pushed on, both being thoroughly sand-blasted! We both arrived at the ferry very much warmed up.
A few of my mates arrived, and we headed over to Studland to meet up with Gravymonster and Guybe.
A quick round of handshakes, and we set off into the wind for Corfe.
The sand of the heath was extra sapping with the wind factor on top, and we somehow managed to loose Lumos200 somewhere around the golfcourse. This was our last sighting...
We used the 15 minutes we waited to get valuable rest but, when Luke didn't appear, we carried on.
The only section where we gained any real respite from the conditions was when we were climbing Mount Muddy Funster (or words to that effect ). Once we reached the top, the wind hit us again and we carried on down to Corfe. I went ahead to open a gate and get some action shots, James putting my mates with their modern machines to shame!....
The joy of the brilliant down-hill int0 Corfe was soon a memory as we trudged on towards Lulworth into the un-relenting wind.
We eventualy reached the point where we turned East, and had the wind at our backs, and heading down into Kimeridge for some well deserved lunch.
It was after lunch that it all started to go a bit wrong. I'd decided to try a new route, following the coastal path. This was a big mistake. Some sections were wonderfull twisty single track, with stunning views...
but others were hikes up rediculous sets of steps and cliffs that really tried our patience and fitness!
I made a decision to scrap this route (before I was pushed off a cliff!) and headed back in land and back to trails I know.
This did reward up with an excellent rocky decent that had all parties grinning at the bottom.
Only one more lung-bursting hill to got and then some cracking bits of fast singletrack back towards Studland.
Some quick goodbyes to James and Guy, and then time for a quick pint in the harbour before my final spin back home along the prom.
For those who met at the ferry, this was a 31 mile ride. I had an extra 6 miles on top.
We climbed a total of 2477 feet over the course of the ride too!
It all started when I left my place around 09:30 for what I'd hoped was a leisurely 3 mile spin along the prom to meet the others at the chain ferry.
I hadn't bargained on the gale force head wind I would meet when I got there!
I also met up with Lumos2000, who was cycling around my area trying to remember where I live
We both pushed on, both being thoroughly sand-blasted! We both arrived at the ferry very much warmed up.
A few of my mates arrived, and we headed over to Studland to meet up with Gravymonster and Guybe.
A quick round of handshakes, and we set off into the wind for Corfe.
The sand of the heath was extra sapping with the wind factor on top, and we somehow managed to loose Lumos200 somewhere around the golfcourse. This was our last sighting...
We used the 15 minutes we waited to get valuable rest but, when Luke didn't appear, we carried on.
The only section where we gained any real respite from the conditions was when we were climbing Mount Muddy Funster (or words to that effect
). Once we reached the top, the wind hit us again and we carried on down to Corfe. I went ahead to open a gate and get some action shots, James putting my mates with their modern machines to shame!....
The joy of the brilliant down-hill int0 Corfe was soon a memory as we trudged on towards Lulworth into the un-relenting wind.
We eventualy reached the point where we turned East, and had the wind at our backs, and heading down into Kimeridge for some well deserved lunch.
It was after lunch that it all started to go a bit wrong. I'd decided to try a new route, following the coastal path. This was a big mistake. Some sections were wonderfull twisty single track, with stunning views...
but others were hikes up rediculous sets of steps and cliffs that really tried our patience and fitness!
I made a decision to scrap this route (before I was pushed off a cliff!) and headed back in land and back to trails I know.
This did reward up with an excellent rocky decent that had all parties grinning at the bottom.
Only one more lung-bursting hill to got and then some cracking bits of fast singletrack back towards Studland.
Some quick goodbyes to James and Guy, and then time for a quick pint in the harbour before my final spin back home along the prom.
For those who met at the ferry, this was a 31 mile ride. I had an extra 6 miles on top.
We climbed a total of 2477 feet over the course of the ride too!
