It’s not the first time the 75 mile reliability trial has been postponed, nor will it be the last; its place in the calendar decides its fate. A flurry of text messages saw 5 of us at Bear Cross, 3 on MTBs, 2 on road machines. Temperatures were freezing at best and maybe we were taking a risk, Turbo trainer, Sunday Papers, Oprah, there were other options available. Gingerly dropping down to Longham we were cautious of anything on the road with a reflection while the off-roaders took the snowy path alongside us. It looked the better option but those guys were soon forgotten as we headed towards the airport, on, surprisingly ice-free roads. (They were headed to Moors Valley) We took a chance over the Avon Causeway; it’s been flooded for months and could be our undoing. A Kingfisher fished on a lake that should be a field but we had safe passage. Turning right to Sopley, Winkton then left to Holfleet and North Bockhampton and on to Bransgore. Through the village to Shirley, Sandford, North Kingston and Crow; a road ridden a thousand times. Left by the old owl sanctuary and left again onto the B3347 Christchurch road, Kingston, Bisterne, Avon and we are back at Sopley, X3. Yes three laps was going to be boring but it was ice-free, I can report that each lap was much like the one that preceded it, perhaps a little more traffic, perhaps a little more wind. Our Bidons were frozen; energy levels were topped up by Gatorade on the rocks! This ride was not about fun, it was about putting miles in the legs and strangely, therein laid the fun, and it’s something that “civilians” never quite get. Back home via the causeway, Hurn and Jumpers.
Ride Data.
56 miles
3Hrs 8min
Training value = negligible
Morale value = incalculable
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