Little late for comment on last week's CR I know but great ride all round - great to meet you Fabo. Glad you enjoyed your first run up Box Hill, I can't believe how 2 weeks without a CR slowed me down going up there though. Wish I could make a mid week CR (a great suggestion) but unless I can claim I'm training for 2012 I don't think work'll go for it.
I know Amy's started another thread on alternative CR routes and just like to add my relative newbie tuppence worth - I'm up for an alterntive route but'll have to wait a couple of weeks as off to Spain for hols. Def up for a diff challenge upon return and will willingly have a go at other ones as well (CR in reverse etc) presuming it's not the Training Group only!!!!!!!!!!
On the talk of alternative routes and stuff a couple of ideas to throw out there for general view:
1. Any suggestions for a local run that'll top 100 miles (not necessary to Brighton & back -as Jon CC'll tell you I live 8 miles short of a 100 mile out & back route). It'd be great to get my first 100 miler in first 'season' so to speak! Anyone else up for it at a steady pace (16ish).
2. How about a hilly challenge (but at a 16/17s CR stylee pace) but goes:
CSS > Purley > Roundabout after Whyteleafe South > Up Woldingham Road (if you want to really warm the legs you can go up Succomb's Hill!) > Past Golf Course > Along the Ridge > Drop down into Westerham > A25 > Chart Lane > Toys Hill (never been up it but it's there to climb!) > Heaver (Break at Heaver) then return via Toys Hill or Idle Hill > back up over Croydon Road (or across & up Titsey if still have any legs!) to Botley Hill Farm House (perhaps a celebratory drink?) > back down into Croydon/Purley etc. I reckon it'd be a damn hard 50 odd miles.....any thoughts?
3. Mentioned it a couple of times but anyone else poss up for Caen (Ouistreham) to Cherbourg or in reverse - the climb out of Cherbourg'll be fun!? The Fastcat ferry still goes from Pompey till end of Oct I think. Me and the wife did it last year in Oct over 5 days as a first touring hol but it's about 150 - 200k over great quiet roads and considerate French drivers!!!!!!!! Initial plan would be to Pompey Fri night (poss stay in Pompey - my wife's family are all down there), earliest ferry over, cycle to Cherbourg and return on night ferry. Or poss if stay over in cheap accomodation somewhere like Barfleur on Sat pm and then cycle (more rolling countryside) into Cherbourg and come back Sunday day - gives more opportunity for enjoying the French hospitality.
Anyhow off to do some riding in Murcia this week whilst on hols. A bike has been hired to get up the Sierra Espuna which at 1500 metres you can safely assume it'll be the highest thing I've ever been up on a bike. The wife has promised to be in the 'support car' but want's to create a real Spanish experience by screaming 'motivational' stuff at me through a small cheap tannoy - yeah thanks darlin'!!!!!!!!!! If I bump into Pro's I'll make sure the ACC colours show them how to gilde up hill - yeah right!!!!!!!!!!! Then we've got 5 days in Madrid including the last day of La Vuelta (& hopefully Athletico Madrdid footie) so keep you eyes peeled for a ACC top and cap on Eurosport if you're watchin'.
Have a great couple of CRs and see you in a couple of weeks.