Monday, April 20, 2009
Training 19th Apr
| Riders | John & Andrew |
| Distance | 72.97 mi |
| Time | 6h02m33s |
| Average Speed | 12.08 mph |
| Ascent | 1473 m |
| Run.GPS Training Profile | |
As planned we went out for a good training run on Sunday. The weather was cool and cloudy to start with but it soon brightened up to a lovely afternoon with a northerly breeze. It was hard to decide whether it was jacket on or off weather as the wind did have a chilly bite.
We met in Long Crendon and headed south through Thame town centre and out along the B4445 to Chinnor. Pretty uneventful cycling with the Chiltern ‘mountains’ directly ahead of us. We crossed the Ridgeway and then needed to climb up Chinnor Hill, a pretty steep and steady climb to gain 200 m (600 ft) of altitude. We declined the turning along Bledlow Ridge and headed to the more minor road through Crowell Hill and Radnage. This single-track road seemed to attract a number of cars as we descended steadily towards West Wycombe.
We climbed back up the adjacent valley to Saunderton. We stopped briefly at the bottom of what looked like a minor hill on Small Dean Lane, its looks were deceiving. It was short but boy was it steep, we reckon that was probably the steepest hill we have encountered whilst training. From the map I’ve calculated it as 1:5 and it was a job keeping the front wheel down! From the top we had an undulating ride to Speen which had a steep hairpin approach.
After the climbing it was a gentle descent into Great Missenden and a coffee-stop at the café at the Road Dahl museum (well worth a visit). After nourishment we left via the A413 up Frith Hill and turned to Ballinger, John was in the zone in this section and the roads were quiet, the scenery lovely. These Chiltern lanes took us all the way to Berkhamsted where we used the towpath of the Grand Union canal for a short while to avoid the very busy A4251 alongside. Apparently they are making surface improvements to the towpath, we hope it isn’t finished as the first section was awful for cycling along, large loose stone surface.
After getting back on the roads the section from Tring Station was probably the worst road section, the road was rough and busy. We headed to Cooks Wharf for a lunch break at the canalside café. Lovely food we would recommend it for passers by.
We both had a bit of the post-lunch blues and we pedalled on in silence, lost in our own thoughts. The weather was lovely and it was easy to drift off as we cycled through Mentmore, Wing and Cublington. The roads were quite busy through Whitchurch, especially with motorcyclists taking advantage of the weekend weather. We stopped for a chocolate break near Pitchcott and with renewed vigour headed through Quainton, Edgcott and Grendon Underwood.
The roads from here to the finish were absolutely deserted with barely another vehicle on them and we cycled side-by-side discussing the big trip coming. The ride had an unexpected twist in the tail with a climb up Dorton Hill to Chilton. We didn’t see that one coming. Once up we were soon back at our cars in Long Crendon.
A lovely route in contrasting halves. The wooded Chilterns with it’s hills and climbs and the Vale of Aylesbury, open farmland and views. Despite it being the first long ride in a few weeks we both felt fine. Next week is the camping test.
Posted by jochta at 12:49pm
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