The Polocini Winter Sprinter.

Yesterday was our first long ride together of 2013. The event - The Polocini Winter Sprinter.

There were two routes on offer, one of 30 miles and one of 60 miles, which is the one we opted for.

From the event start at Woodford, we headed off a bit earlier than everyone else, so we weren't late back. The first 38 miles as far as the feed station were mostly flat apart from Swiss Hill.

Swiss Hill appraently has a bit of a reputation for being fierce, and at times unrideable. However I had recently fitted a 34 tooth max cassette to Minipips bike, so he made it to the top no problem, spinning away, sat in his saddle. (see footnote).

The feed station had lots of hot soup and cake which we were both ready for.

From the feed station, the course started undulating, and we noticed that there were at times a head wind. Definitely the harder part of the day.

6 hours and 37minutes after our start, we rolled back in to event HQ.

I was quite pleased that we'd maintained a decent moving average speed too. This bodes well for when we do some Audaxes later in the year.

A well organised event, with a course which is mostly on quiet roads. Great to see lots of the usual suspects out riding too.

(footnote)
I'm no scientist, but to me it makes sense to make climbing hills for kids as easy as possible. Whilst they're young, grinding up hills on the equivalent of 42:21 can't do there joints any good, plus it's far more tiring for them. Unless they're bike has a triple chainset, get the biggest cassette you can on the back.

Hit The North.

This last weekend me and my boy entered Hit The North . I did the grown ups race, and Minipips did an hours skill session followed by a race which was all organised by British Cycling's Go Ride people.

He won a gold medal, and a buff.

Afterwards he was caught by a mate of mine honing his bike handling skills.

Then on Sunday we nipped out for just a short ride in the sun. Only 6 miles, but with 1000 feet of ascent.

The Polocini Hill Climb

I've mentioned the Polocini Coffee Shop before on here. Well in addition to making fine cakes and coffee, they also organise cycle events.

Yesterday they debuted their first hill climb, at the nearby Cowlishaw Road.

My lad wanted to enter and had is own special disclaimer form that I had to sign.

The weather was not particularly pleasant but we warmed up on the mile ride from the cafe to the start.

The hill climb is about 1.2 Km long. It starts off quite flat before kicking sharply at a 1 in 5 gradient, then relenting slightly before a fast slightly downhill finish.

Minipips set off just before me, and I'd warned him not to go too fast at the start. I passed him just as the road started to rise up, with more words of encouragement.

Some 4 minutes after I made the finish, Minipips rolled up too.

(Photo Courtesy of Chris Wilkinson, who took lots more hill climb photos)

He's never actually made it up a 20% climb before.

What was also good about this event is that there were two other kids taking part too.

Afterwards, we dropped back down into Romiley avoiding patches of ice on the road, before adjourning back to the Coffee Shop for a free Coffee and Cake.

Not bad for a fiver eh?

Results below.

Bookmark this link to keep up to date with the other Cyclosportives Polocini organise.

One last note, not only do Polocini encourage kids to take part in their events. If they are under 16 and accompanied by a parent, they ride free.

Minipips Birthday Cake.

Minipips had his Birthday yesterday.

Here's the cake I made for him.

We've a few rides planned for this year. In February, we're doing the 60 mile Polocini Winter Sprinter which is local to us. Then at Easter if the weather is reasonable, another UK Coast to Coast, this time using the Reivers route. This will be a tougher proposition than the ride we did along  Hadrian's Cycleway last year.

The biggie  in the summer will be the  Raid Pyrénéen Touriste. A French coast to coast taking in some of the famous cols that we've watched on the Tour de France over the years.790 Kilometres, 28 cols and 16,000 metres of ascent. That'll be a proper adventure.

Rapha #festive500 - Honourable Mention.

He's Eight tomorrow so a reminder of what's gone, and the well deserved winners.

Chapeau.

http://www.rapha.cc/festive-500---the-winners

Hills and Spills in the Howgills last Summer.

This is an account of a day out we had in July last year, in somewhat autumnal conditions.

We are very fortunate in having some great outdoor loving friends. They are a broad church with varied main sports, but we often get away for a weekend together to do stuff.

On this particular weekend my family and our friends visited the Howgills. We stayed in a fomer school at Fell End just of the A683.

My original plan for the Saturday, was along with a couple of others to recce a fell race route that went over the Howgill Fells, and on Sunday do an easy off road bike ride with Minipips.

Saturday came, and the adult consensus was instead to go for a bike ride. Minipips asked if he could come along.

The route planned was a tough one for grown ups, but I reckoned we could go with them for a while, swerving the rough stuff, and then head back on our own.

From our accomodation, we followed bridleways in a SW direction towards Sedbergh. The going was muddy, and there were plenty of awkward off camber bits. We all fell off lots.

At Sedbergh the two of us rode on from the rest of the group whilst they bought trail food. Organised, we had lots of homemade cake with us.

The riding to Sedbergh, had been fairly flat, but this now changed. First some little road climbs, and then the main event.

The Calf is the highest point in the Howgills at 676 metres and that was where we were bound.

Shortly after we started on it's ascent via the Bram Rigg bridleway, everyone else caught us up. Martin took some photos of us attempting to ride the river crossing, which most had little success at, including me.

Minipips gave it a good go on a better line, and nearly made it.

After the river, the gradient steepened, and soon everyone was pushing their bikes up the grassy hill. Only 2.5 Km to the top now, but with near 500metres of ascent.

Unsurprisingly on this gradient Minipips tired quickly, his bike though lightweight still weighs more than a 1/3 of his body weight.

So initially I tried helping him push his bike whilst pushig mine. Awkward and not particularly efficient.

Then a thought. Why not stick his bike on my pannier rack, and we would both do a bit of pushing.

This worked well and we then made good progress to the summit.

From the Calf we headed N down Bowderdale which may look on the map as if it is innocuous, but wasn't particularly as the ground was sodden. Bog, big stones, and ruts.

Nearing the bottom I could see Minipips was tired,  and I was certainly feeling I'd had a day out.

On reaching the Lune valley we adjourned to a posh pub in Ravenstonedale in our muddy clothes. I guess he could have ridden the last bit back on the road to Fell End, but instead we opted for a lift back in the car.

34 Km and 1000 metres of up. A tough day out.

Minipips, one of the Best of Rapha Festive 500 riders.

Minipips gets featured amongst the Best of Festive 500 riders on the Rapha website.

Rapha - "The Best of Festive 500 2012"