Stan Ogden

Out with the Early-Birds this morning - 5 out - a good turnout.

We did the Langbar climb followed by a ride out to Cavendish and back. It's quite tough doing the big climb first thing, as there is no chance to get warmed up. Still, I felt really good on the climb, even leaving Bob a little behind. I hadn't actually clipped in one of my cleats to the pedal as I was having problems with a torn overshoe!

However, we all rode well, as we were back home within an hour. I then had some time to kill before my train so I went up with El Cid and then carried on the steep climb to the top of the tarmac near Silver Wells. I amazingly found it quite easy, getting nowhere near my lactate threshold as I normally do on that very steep climb.

I bombed down without a stop to admire the view, and then did another loop round Wells Rd and Queens Rd again, at pace, and without getting out of breath.

So after having quite a tough week following Saturday's epic ride, I was amazed to see me riding so well.


I was trying to figure out if I'd done something differently in preparation, and was reminded of an old (from the 70s) episode of Coronation Street. Stan Ogden, a classic anti-hero of British Soap has a dream in which he sees a horse winning a race. The next day the horse wins, but he doesn't back it. The rest of the episode shows how his missus, Hilda, and best mate Eddie Yates try to re-create the conditions of the day before hoping he will have a similar dream and forecast another winner. He has to do the same things in the same order, the same food and so on.

So, as to me re-creating my form from this morning, it is interesting that I ate quite differently last night and this morning from I normally do. For reference, and for my own fading memory, I had:
- tea of filled pasta with pesto and a tomato salad at about 7pm
- chopped banana with single cream (slightly on the turn)
- at about 10pm I had the munchies and had 3 weetabix with full-fat milk
- this morning, there was no bread for my normal toast, so I had a giant bowl of Weetos with milk, and two cups of coffee

Is this a winning formula? I will try again one day, but not for tomorrow.

I don't think Stan ever had the dream again, or at least they couldn't interpret the dream he was having, and kept picking the wrong horse. So for me, was it the banana, the weetabix or the weetos which did the trick?

Easy Run

No cycling today, but back to work.

Got off the train a couple of stops early and had a gentle run back (about 5 miles) at about 7:20 mins/mile pace.

Langbar, Carters and Wheatley Lane

An early post for a change!

Another glorious morning in Wharfedale! Bright blue skies above the residual snow lying high on the moors.

It is still sub-zero, with icy patches on some roads.

El Cid, Cacophony and Richard joined me on the Early Bird ride.

The others did Cavendish and back as there were some tired legs and work commitments to attend to. I did Langbar, Carter's Lane and then up Wheatley Lane. My new bike climbs well and it felt like I was fast on the climbs but it's hard to tell when you are riding alone.

I have some cable adjustments to attend to on the bike, which will tax the outermost extremes of my bike maintenance skills over the next few evenings.

I was back before any of the family awoke, and we have a trip to a local Farm Park to look forward to for the rest of the day (I'm off work).

A Perfect day.

Bank Holiday

I did the early bird standard Monday ride down to Cavenish this morning - on my own. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be there but somehow it suited me to be out at that time.

Perhaps my body is now so used to being up and out for 630am that I'll never ride at a sociable time again. I also knew that El Cid and Cacophony would not be riding so it felt somehow right that we had some representation out in case anyone else showed up.

In the afternoon we drove across to Liverpool to visit my Mum and Dad and went out for a nice lunch, and then visited my sister and her family before returning. We also had the chance for brisk walk along the seafront at Crosby where my sister lives.

It is a rugged and atmospheric stretch of sand, blessed currently with Antony Gormley's "The Other Place". It is my favourite piece of installation art - an amazing array of lifesize cast-iron figures looking out across the Irish Sea.

Easter Snow

A rest day today - I was going to go for a long fell run, but woke to find several centimetres of snow.

Instead of going for a run, my eldest two children and I went for an early morning play in the snow.

Great fun.

As it was Easter, the day was then filled with a combination of wine, chocolate, roast lamb, more wine and more chocolate.

A good chance for my body to recover after yesterday as well.

Blizzard

Well, we made it.

5 riders set off at 7am. There had been some snow overnight and it was bitterly cold (the view from our house is to the right showing the conditions). I know it doesn't look too bad, but we are at 100m asl and that is the lowest we'd be all day, climbing eventually to the highest road in Yorkshire at the top of Fleet Moss (565m).

I was joined by our spiritual leaders El Cid and Cacophony, and Harry and Stefan.

El Cid's suggested that as we would be heading into a 20mph headwind all the way to Hawes, that we should proceed single file with a 1 mile turn on the front each.

As soon we headed past Cavendish and headed due north the snow started. We then had about 10-15 miles or pure tortuous riding into a blizzard.

When on the front the snow blinded us so we could hardly see where we were going. Our speed was dropping to single figures, even on the flat, and the uphills into the wind almost brought us to a standstill.

Still, we kept our shape well apart from a few times when I broke rank to take an early turn on the front. Shouts of derision from the pack and a stern talking to by El Cid soon showed me the error of my ways - I was only trying to help though!

I was on my new bike and after a few posts ago saying we needed to have some adventures together, then we certainly had one today. It performed really well in the conditions and I felt comfortable on it, apart from the saddle which I need to adjust.

By the upper reaches of the river Wharfe the snow had ceased and then we just had the climb to the top of Fleet Moss to contend with. I pushed hard and tried staying with Stefan, managing to stay within spitting distance to the top.

There were some fantastic views - it was like being in the Alps in Winter (well almost).

At the top we said our goodbyes to Stefan who was heading back home.

We then just had the long steep descent to Hawes which was keeping us from our breakfast.

However, the snow and ice were lying on the road and we had to gingerly descend giving way to snow ploughs. The conditions were treacherous but we all made it down in one piece - just one fall as Cacophony decided to go through a 2 foot snow drift (soft landing though).

After a greasy breakfast and lots of tea to fortify us, Harry and I set off east along Wensleydale, while El Cid and Cacophony headed west towards their destination in the Lakes.

We then had a lovely stretch on the back road through Askrigg to Aysgarth, and then swung south and along and up Bishopdale. The snow descended on us again, but the wind was not in our faces and not quite as bad.

We made it back to Wharfedale and our home territory and arrived home at about 2pm, about 82 miles since we set off.

At the end, both Harry and I felt good, knowing we had conquered what are probably the worst conditions either of us have cycled in for a while, put in over 80 miles and 6 hours of cycling, but still felt pretty strong at the end.

(A photo from the top of Fleet Moss and of Aysgarth Falls follow - courtesy of Harry)

Good Friday

We had a nice gentle ride this morning, down to Cavendish and back.

The weather is turning wintry again as some strong Northerly winds are bringing in sleet and snow over the next few days.

Our long ride is still planned for tomorrow, but it's going to be tough. We are planning on heading mainly north along the Wharfe and then over Fleet Moss to Hawes. As well as climbing to 565m asl, we will be heading into a 20mph wind bringing sleet with it. It shall be an experience.

I have just received some (encouraging?) texts from El Cid:

"Ready for action men! I have a plan for us to take on and master the headwind. Tomorrow, we ride!"

"Eat, service your woman and sleep. For the trials which await us promise hardship and danger. We must be ready"

"Bade farewell to the kinder"