Too tired to go into too much detail, but here it goes...
Fairly standard ride down there, Paul punctured (1.5 times
), I punctured once. Then shortly before Ditchling I began to get into difficulty big time, as Sean Kelly would say the hunger knock was coming... I feared I might not even make it up the Beacon. But I clung onto Pauls wheel for 'grim death' and just made it up, where, he didn't stop! Bugger, I had to eat, so I pulled over and asked Stu to tell him I had stopped to eat. Stu of course had thrown caution to the wind right from the bottom and flown up the climb.So I caught back on further down where they had waited for me by that junction onto that road whose name escapes me, but you know the one. I then set a new record of 79km/h (49mph) down the road, not sure if I set the camera off, didn't have the bottle to look round! Another day of irresponsible riding I know.
Then Pauls idea was to head along the coast to Bognor!
Not bloody likely, he reckoned it was ten miles, turned out it was gonna be more like 20! I couldn't do it. We turned left onto a bridge and they dropped me, yep, thats right, I got dropped on a bridge, by Paul Tunnell. I am very close to suicide right now! So we pulled into a garage where I duly stuffed face with a Sausage and Stuffing sandwich, a twirl and a bounty. With a packet of wine gums in the back pocket that would come in handy later on .A few miles later on I had begun to recover when we took the decision to stop for a proper break at Littlehampton for 'refreshments'. Cue a nice big bacon roll and a lovely can of coke! At this point it must be noted we already had 125km of my prescribed 200km ride
, it was still going to be some way to go and I really wasn't sure how I would go.Anyhow the good news was that we now had the breeze behind us so we were cruising, we basically jumped on the A24 and flew back to Dorking from there. I had recovered nicely now so was doing some long turns on the front with Stu. Think Paul was beginning to suffer, not that Stu and I weren't of course, it was a real slog today. Each of us was on the ropes at some point, with stu requesting another garage stop on the A24 which was more than welcomed by Paul and Myself! So more coke/lucozade later, and more ebarrasment for Stu having to be served by a good looking young lady whilst he was all dressed in muddy lycra! LOL
Eventually we got back up to Box, up it, and one last breather at the cafe. 193.5km ridden. So, after another coke for Stu, more lucozade for me, and a more traditional tea for Paul the home straight was upon us. I turned off towards Headley where I duly caught and dropped the Assos advert
who had probably only done 40km! I had now done over 200!! I actually felt best here of the whole day, most bizzare. But then I guess when you can smell the roast your mum is about to take out the oven you move your ass! Got home with 210km on the clock, what an epic.It was exactly what it said on the tin today, a real long hard ride, with no where to hide. Where was everyone else!?
At least now I am if nothing else, mentally prepared for the 260km of the Tour of Flanders on Saturday. Where I'm sure they'll be more blood, sweat, punctures, tears, Belgians etc etc to last me a life time.
Bring it on!
