My goodness me is it really more than 18months since I rode a sportive? Well it was Ride Across Britain (RAB).Naturally with the pandemic we have not been able to ride events but with nothing to look forward to or train for, my cycling mojo had taken a battering.
However during the first lockdown I hired an indoor bike and kept turning my pedals that way before buying my own indoor trainer and joining the Zwift crowd, riding in a virtual world. Until the recent releasing of restrictions again there has been little to look forward to but events are starting to open up and more importantly RAB is scheduled for September.
With that in mind I responded to an email and booked onto the Taunton Flyer a ride I have ridden a few times before. I needed a ride and was going to be joined by a Zwift “friend” Neil Beighton who I had met online (sounds like a dating app) and who I ride with as part of the RAB Shaps riding team. We race and ride socially on our indoor trainers. We both were going to ride the long Wellington route being 101miles. It would also give me a chance to ride my new pride and joy in earnest. I had ridden around on it locally but this would be my first serious sportive on it.
Anyway Stewart Bergman the organiser was determined to get the Flyer off and running again albeit in a COVID compliant format and I was desperate to see where my fitness was at for September as yes I’m going again. Well I have to get my RAB gold jersey 😀👍
An earlier email confirmed my start time of 8.24 from the change of start venue being the disused Smeatharpe aerodrome rather than the plush Taunton racecourse that is now a vaccination centre.
I arranged to meet Neil there as close to 8 as possible and rang him on arrival to see where he was. We finally met suited and booted for the off. I mistakenly thought we were waiting for another of Neil’s mates to turn up and so we sat waiting before we realised we should get going.
It would be a rolling start as we turned left from the airstrip on a gentle slope to the village hall being the start line. Numpty had to stop briefly as I had forgotten to start my Garmin watch. We soon got going over the start line and on to turn right soon after off the fast road that we were on.
I was feeling quite sluggish as my legs got used to the sensation of riding along outdoor roads and I became apprehensive of the ride ahead. To pass the time Neil and I chatted about all things RAB and our Zwifting friends where we ride for the same Time Trial Team RAB Shaps in friendly competition with RABs Minions, Glenshees and Cheddars.
Whilst the roads undulated with some short punchy claims I was more concerned with the weather. We had started in bright sunshine but the rain was scheduled to arrive and it would not be pleasant. I had dressed accordingly after my last encounter with rain and was wearing 4 layers.
I do enjoy riding the roads on top of the Blackdown Hills as they are quite straight, though can be exposed. Fortunately the early parts were tree lined, however straight roads also mean idiot car drivers driving too fast passed us as happened a few times. One even going ballistic tooting his horn as we were riding two abreast that is perfectly allowable.
The descent off the Blackdown is lovely where we passed the event photographer with a nice surface to Staple Fitzpaine where we turned off the road and on to narrower twisty roads.
We were travelling well in our own world passing little hamlets come villages where houses were bedecked with colourful wisterias and other climbing plants.
We seemed to pass quite a few riders as we travelled along and I wondered how long I would keep the pace up but my new steed was an absolute dream. The gear shifting was so smooth that made riding so easy.
When we turned off at the course split the field of cyclists thinned out as the 💯 milers took a a long 40 mile loop up to the Westonzoyland airstrip near Bridgwater and back. The start of the loop has a horrible lane with shingle and a few potholes on a descent before you turn right and up a short sharp climb that Neil remarked was a bit of a stinger. I was just happy that I avoided damaging my steed.
The lane took us to the first main road for a while that we ride for 400m or so but all up hill to the beautifully named Hatch Beauchamp. The climb was made with ease and we turned off for the Currys. Around here are the villages of Curry Rivel, North Curry and Curry Mallet and others.
The roads are twisting and turning around the farmlands here and we were still shifting along picking off lone riders and I was enjoying myself. On passing one old airfield RNAS Merryfield, we passed group of riders and as I glanced across thought I saw a ribbon on one helmet, the sign used for RABers on events. A second look revealed long locks of hair and so I moved on. However I heard Neil chatting and he said “Martin there is doing it” when the response was “Phill there is doing it too”. I looked back and there was Phill Stamp. I wondered if I would see him on the ride. I had ridden with him in 2018 and on RAB 2018. The ribboned rider was Matthew Wilde and so we slowed and chatted away with the group. It was easier to ride as a group to save energy if a slower.
Phill greeted me with “new bike? No Italian rubbish then?” I chuckled to myself. My Italian stallions were at home I’ll never tire of them. I need to get used to my new bike for RAB.
Time passed quickly and so did the miles as we all chatted away. Neil decided to stop and changed his gloves saying he’d catch up. After a while I stopped as Neil hadn’t reappeared it was by a lovely thatched cottage.
As Neil caught we rode on through Puckington across the arable fields passing this old mill building to Curry Rivel with its war memorial and church. To get to the church you cross a main road finding yourself in the wrong gear for the short climb.
Once passed the church the road meanders to a short descent to the Somerset levels. We were travelling well as a duo now chatting away about all sorts but the descent was hampered by a tractor in front to stymied our flow.
On to the levels and the lands opened out and my mind drifted to the books of DCI Nick Dixon by Damien Boyd as the lanes and villages of the books are set around here.
Before long and crossing the main railway we found ourselves at Burrowbridge and the first views of the Burrow Mump, the church ruins on top of the mound. Here we caught a group at the junction to turn right and the lights over the bridge.
I remembered that we would make an immediate left turn to ride along the river Parrett briefly before swinging right to make our way to Westonzoyland the most northerly point of the ride. I seemed to hit the front and also remembered (and was thankful that it hadn’t rained yet) that we were about to pass through a farm. The road is festooned with usual farm muck and I warned all around me.
As we rode along the first semblance of a headwind prevailed as we negotiated the muck. I was more concerned with my new bike as the cows to our left munched their food in their troughs. So much so I made an incorrect turn at a small junction.
I found myself at the back of our small group but soon made my way to second wheel and sat in behind Phill Stamp protected from the wind. He is a big unit and the shelter was a relief.
Turning for to return south we shared the load across the open lands of the old airfield passing youngsters playing football, nice to see after our restrictions and on towards the first feed station at Othery. I tapped out a rhythm on the front as the wind was now not an issue.
The awkward junction back on to the main road was taken with ease and we cruised up to the feed stop with 38miles done. The stop was suitably COVID compliant and had some good fare to chose from even if we couldn’t access the normal style stop. A nice ham sandwich, banana, flapjack and tiffin was eaten with aplomb as Phill enticed a friend to enter RAB. Whilst sat on the wall there was a lovely blossom tree in bloom.
We perhaps spent too much time here on reflection and left to continue uphill out of Othery and coast down to Burrowbridge to complete the top loop.
The route back takes a different route that is dead straight passing many old small terraced houses on your right and flat fields on your left. You could really pick up speed but Neil and I seemed to be on our own here. A couple of short climbs were taken with ease but I didn’t enjoy the level crossing over the main railway line as I hoped I hadn’t damaged my steed.
We cruised through North Curryand soon turned left back onto the main road that took us back up the horrible lane we came down earlier. As I passed one rider I said to him I thought he had been brave without leg warmers but he was ever the optimist. In the distance to our right were some dark clouds moving in. Fortunately over the Blackdowns in the distance it still looked bright.
I only use a Garmin watch now but Neil had all the climbs on his Garmin device so I was able to gauge my power and effort for each distance. Although I have ridden the route before it is always to have stats to assist you.
We joined the middle distance again and would do for the rest of the ride. We stopped briefly to take a photo of Taunton in the valley below and as it turned out for a car to come by but it seemed to be a local rat run with cars coming the other way and more behind. I suppose cyclists didn’t help either.
Turning off the narrow lane to descend towards Taunton I had a cautionary feeling and how right I was. On a blind corner I encountered a large SUV that hardly slowed as we came down the lane and I was thankful and relieved in equal measure.
Neil and I powered our way on through the housing estate that was uncomfortable in late morning with so much traffic and back over the M5 and back on the road passed the racecourse. Still no rain at this point and I was hoping that it would stay that way.
As we passed the racecourse we encountered a 3 way traffic light system and as we got there the lights were changing. I said to Neil go,go,go. The distance was around 50m but I wasn’t going to stop.
The road is a gentle climb away from the racecourse up to Corfe where we took the turn for Pitminster. I was happier on these back lanes but I knew what was coming. The first real climb of the day. Neil said we were making good time considering. The climb in question is Angersleigh. In the grand scheme of things it’s not too taxing but if you’ve been riding at a fair lick above your normal pace then to hit a climb is not nice.
The run to it twists and turnns but you turn left at Lawton and you hit a gradient that doesn’t deviate from a constant gradient but drags on and on and on before swinging left to release you to the top of the Blackdown Hills.
Neil is a whippet and I told him I’d see him at the top. I just engaged a manageable gear and ground out the climb looking for the left corner signifying the end. It came mercifully and I pushed up the final 80m or so and felt better than I thought.
I coasted to the to the junction where Neil was waiting for me.
The good thing was there were only 4 miles to Hemyock and the next feed station, the bad was there were rain spots and we were on another fast road across the top. If the rain got heavier then the descent into Hemyock would be tricky to say the least.
In the main I followed Neil here as my orange jersey would stand out more for the drivers behind. We made good progress before turning left to be greeted with the Devon County sign. I said to Neil I could breathe more easily with a wry grin.
We ploughed on before the thunderous descent into Hemyock and fortunately the rain abated and it was as dry as a bone thankfully and we rode into the feed station at the village hall. Again a simple fare in the circumstances but all good stuff. I did spy some High 5 gummies that are about the only High 5 products I like so grabbed a few bags for my pockets.
A sign written to assist riders as to their next direction proved a bit confusing for some. I religiously study the routes by maps provided. If you did this you’d know where to go, it proved difficult for some. I told many a rider which way to go as the feed station was the second on the medium route and our third after a long loop to Cullompton and back.
We set off passing the church and instantly hit the next long drag uphill to Dunkeswell and back up to the Hills.
Again I said to Neil see you at the top, sat in and pedalled away. Surprisingly I managed the climb pretty well but remember puncturing on descending it in 2019, that was scary. At top it is a nice traverse passed Dunkeswell airfield where light aircraft were landing and taking off.
Still making good progress there is a tricky descent into Dunkeswell village itself with a sharp right header before a beautiful S bend across the other side of the vale where you pick up speed to be rewarded with a sharp climb. Inevitably I was in the wrong gear and exhilarated but got to the top before the short hop to the turning right to takes us passed the Environment Agency silo and the descent off the Blackdowns.
The descent was sharp, tree lined and narrow. I became circumspect and good job too as a car ascended at a rate of knots. However feathering the brakes I descended to the bottom rolling towards the villages Broadhembury and on to Payhembury. What I can say out of the villages you knew you were in farming country. The smell was all too Devon but I loved it in my home county.
The downside now was that the roads now until Westcott were uneventful and lacking as a spectacle. Hedge upon hedge lined road stretching far and wide punctuated by local villages, Colestocks, Feniton where we crossed over the Waterloo line and turned right at the beautifully named “Nog Inn”, Talaton where the road was wet and my steed got sprayed with mud and Clyst Hydon. Short climbs were taken with ease and we carried on.Our only concern was we hardly saw or passed any other riders.
As we got towards Westcott we saw to lady riders one who’d asked for which way to go at the last feed stop and one who realised she could catch a tow with us. Turning right onto the old A38 now a B road she hoped on the back as Neil and I shared the front, crossing over the main London railway line and the M5 to Cullompton.
In the distance was a red flickering light of a rider in front who we were catching. As we entered Cullompton I saw the old RAB jersey and realised it was big Phill Stamp again. As I passed him I said hope on the back and carried on at a fair pace through the town and out on the road to Willand. As we crossed over the M5 again there was a short climb that I tried to punch up but then felt a slight twinge my quads. I sat down and rested as we passed the football ground seen of my best refereeing experience an FA Vase cup tie before my untimely end to refereeing a few months later.
We slowed at a roundabout and had to give way before starting again on the long uphill straight road to Uffculme. We had broke the back of the ride by now with some10 miles to go but it was tough into a headwind now with our lady still in tow. As we entered Uffculme I was amazed at a bus driver who kindly flashed his lights at to let us through the traffic calming scheme when he had priority. This allowed us to maintain our speed on through the village and turn right to plunge down to the Culm valley.
The route now took us on a slight uphill route to Culmstock. I always like coming here as it is the birthplace of my grandmother on my father’s side and think of her growing up here walking the lanes I was riding on. A short descent and a turn right takes you passed the church and on to to undulating road to Hemyock.
Hemyock signified the final feed station and was some 8 miles from the finish. Neil and I agreed what was the point. We both had enough drink and so a# 2e entered the village and turned right to the village hall we carried on whilst our lady in tow stopped. The road instantly started to climb, gradually at first before ramping up sharply. My legs were feeling it now but I was happy. Neil carried on ahead and I selected my gear and powered up, through the sharp S bend and on to the top. One rider came passed me only to about turn and ride down to the bottom again, must be a masochist.
I met up with Neil again and we carried on. I saw a sign saying 4 miles to Churchinford a knew we didn’t have much further to go. However the road took such a long time to ride. I was feeling tired now but ground it out. At the end it was a turn right and a short 400m to Smeatharpe village hall and the finish.
We got our times from the event timer and I surprisingly had a gold time whereas Neil was only a silver. He is in the lower age category and I instantly felt guilty as he had waited at the top of the climbs for me but he said we spent too much time in the feed stations. Well my ride tide was 6hrs 53 but moving time 6hrs 16 so he was probably right.
We had our photo taken at the finish arch where I think I was appropriately dressed in Just Events orange before riding back to the airfield and to drive home when the heavens opened. Talk about being lucky with the weather. Still after such a long break from event riding I am happy with my fitness and this will only improve over the coming months for RAB in September.
Next up is the Black Rat in Bristol where I am meeting Neil again and riding with my local riding buddy Chris. Should be fun 🤩
martinwoolcott63 