Saturday 21 May 2011

HERO 100 BIKE SPORTIF

Sunday 21 May saw Jeff back in the saddle riding a 100 mile for cancer charities. "When I looked out of the window in the morning at 5.30. and it was blowing up a storm, I thought shall I give it a miss?" The ride started at 7.30 by which time the wind had really worked itself up to head on gusts of 50 miles an hour with a constant headwind of twenty five miles an hour.


In spite of the wind the first 25 miles was covered in under an hour and a half. The second twenty-five was a different matter with the wind still prevailing but some tough little climbs being added to the mix. Nearly two hours for the second twenty-five and things were getting a bit serious.

The course had started in Stratford on Avon and headed west toward Bishampton before plunging South towards Kineton. A tough side wind all the way made it hard and a bit dangerous. At the halfway point at Stow on the Wold things got a bit easier as the wind was behind with a run up towards Tempe Herdewyke. Now turn for home and the last twenty-five miles back into the headwind. Six and a half hours later and back to Stratford for a well earnt hot chocolate.