04/18/2010
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Not a lot of training outside of my shed this weekend, however I completed a street collection in Godalming High Street with my 3 little helpers - and we raised a whopping £840 for CHASE!
We worked our audience really hard, and steadily improved our sales pitch from 09:30 until 16:30 by which time we were just dead on our feet, and our arms were considerably longer than when we started as the collection buckets became so heavy.
Ice-cream and visits to the pick 'n mix sweet shop proved successful bribes for my under-age workforce.
I'd like to say a really BIG Thank You to the wonderful, and generous folk of Godalming who donated so generously, helped along by some amazing weather all day long. Also to Ella, Katie and Toby who worked their socks off helping Dad.
Clearly the sun DOES shine on the righteous!
Mat.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
JOGLE continued.....
04/04/2010 Good Friday? My wife disagrees. We’re on the road at 8 am instead of sleeping in, en route for Mat’s. An hour later we’re in Godalming getting kitted up for a planned 75 mile trek to the New Forest, GPS on and ready to go. The weather forecast was horrendous! We enjoyed the first 90 minutes in the dry Hampshire lanes between Brook and Bordon but I was struggling with the GPS thanks to the almost sunny conditions because I couldn’t read the screen. I soon realised that tapping the touchscreen to bring up the map whilst holding both brakes on and steering into a junction was going to be tricky. Then it rained. Hard. For more than two hours between Alton and NewArlesford. Spirits were low and our fingers and toes were getting painfully cold and wet. The minor roads were awash and water was soaking down inside all of our many layers. After a rest stop, bananas, malt loaf, change of gloves, belated addition of waterproof leggings, and repeated use of a hot air hand dryer we picked up where we left off. Starting off again is always difficult, like getting into a cold swimming pool, but mercifully the rain had blown over and we made another 15 miles to Hedge End in relative comfort and looking for food. Right on cue and at 50.01 miles exactly, the Burger King sign was not a mirage. Time to try dry out! This is where we got too comfortable. Until we started off into the shopper traffic around the Retail Park, which was full of dopey idiots – sorry, impatient dopey idiots – we were glad to move on. We crossed the Woolston toll bridge towards Southampton and this was where the wind really strengthened. The Hythe Ferry had just left when we arrived at the Red Funnel terminal at five past four. So we didn’t get to Hythe until quarter to five. This felt like tedious progress, so we were keen to get a move on through the New Forest. Trouble was, the GPS led us astray in Hythe, then the battery gave up after seven hours, which was inconvenient - and left us unsure how far we had left. Beaulieu was a very welcome sight after a real struggle into the wind, but time was getting on and Brockenhurst was still five miles further. We caught up with a guy on a unicycle doing a 200 mile ride, which made us appreciate our two wheels all the more! After slip streaming a Winnebago campervan for as far as possible, Mat survived a cramp attack at Sway, and we eventually got to our heroes welcome from Mat’s very extended family in Barton on Sea. Job done and over 80 miles in total! Thanks to the whole De-Gruchy clan for a cheering reception and lots of chocolate. - Porks.   | AuthorsPaul and Mat ArchivesJune 2010 Categories |
RSS FeedBeyond Mountain Bikes sponsor John O'Groats to Lands End riders 2010
On June 21st 2010, Mat Dibb and Paul Evans embarked upon their most physical challenge to-date in order to raise as much money as possible for Chase Hospice.
They aim to cycle 962 miles, from John O Groats to Lands End - in only 10 days.
Beyond Mountain Bikes have provided them with advice on kit, training and nutrition, as well as giving them financial assistance in equipping themselves for the ride.
Here is the story of how they have trained for this test of endurance.
02/01/2010 
They aim to cycle 962 miles, from John O Groats to Lands End - in only 10 days.
Beyond Mountain Bikes have provided them with advice on kit, training and nutrition, as well as giving them financial assistance in equipping themselves for the ride.
Here is the story of how they have trained for this test of endurance.
02/01/2010
Training ride no 1 Sunday Jan 24, 2010.
Working on the principle of 'in at the deep end' we planned a 60 mile ride to see how much chafing a grown man could stand without stopping and pushing.
Being the one without a turbo trainer and currently borrowing a hybrid bike rather than drag a heavy mountain bike round, I was expecting to be the weaker of the two.
Mat duly arrived from Godalming at 9 am on a dry cloudy, and cold morning, right on time for bacon butties and a large mug of coffee.
After pumping a few more psi into the tyres to allow for the bacon, we pedalled away from Westoning. For me it took a while to get used to riding a very upright but beautifully light hybrid bike again.
The saddle was mercifully plush.
My route was mostly in my head, with a map for the complicated bits that I forgot and as a nod to our mutual fetish for motorsport, the first destination was the Red Bull Racing factory in the Tilbrook area of Milton Keynes.
The traffic was light and we could chat away as we pedalled through Ridgmont, Woburn and into the wooded roads to Aspley Heath.
We hit maximum speed dropping down into Little Brickhill but 27 mph was more down to the 1:5 gradient rather than powerful legs.
Apart from the paintjob, the F1 team's building was all quiet this dull Sunday morning, but we were not disappointed.
Chatting about the prospects for F1 and rallying in 2010 we were both agreed it has the makings of a great year.
That distracted me from the navigation briefly but the rest stop at the Daytona kart track convinced Mat we were back on the right track. Was there a headwind regardless of our direction? The sky was brightning so it didn't matter.
Next town on the route was Stony Stratford where I celebrated my stag night nearly 12 years ago. That was a Cock and Bull story.
Passenham looked peaceful as we crossed the River Ouse and headed for the backroads out to Deanshanger and on to Whittlebury. The sign posts in Deanshanger could be bad for morale; we cycled half a mile through the village and saw 'Whittlebury 4 miles' more than once. Still we'd reached the 30 mile halfway point without much discomfort, the sun was coming through and we ticked off another petrolhead venue when we could just see the Silverstone grandstands through the trees.
The A5 is a busy road, but it is straight and quick, even on a bike. Cars have plenty of road to pass wide and for me it was head down and keep thinking of the imminent lunch stop I had planned. Trouble was, I couldn't build up the Super Sausage Cafe too much because it could have been closed. It's legendary. We couldn't help a daft smile as we lent the bikes up and went inside to sit in the sunlight and drink huge mugs of tea. Mat's steak kept him smiling and my modest sausage beans and chips were perfect.
Restarting is always difficult, but we soon got back into a 15mph rhythm down to the major roundabout at Stoney Stratford and back through the town centre. Were my boxer shorts still stuffed above the speakers in the Cock Inn after 12 years. We didn't stop to find out.
40 miles. At this point the tops of my legs were burning on the inclines. I decided to revert to the route plan B and leave the Aston Martin factory in Newport Pagnell for another day. I had to stop to stretch off the cramps in Bletchley, but that, and a tailwind through a set of fast roundabouts helped for a while. At 50 miles there was a long incline out of Woburn Sands past the mountain bike tracks in Aspley Heath and Woburn woods.
Mat did the decent thing and held back as I was struggling to keep up until the downhill. I wasn't looking forward to the last steep slope through the park at Woburn as my legs were on the verge of cramping and the saddle had lost its plush setting in the last 10 miles.
In the end I crested the hill and from there it was a cruise back to the house along very familiar roads to Westoning. The attached photo was not enhanced - the true mileage was 60.24, in 5 hours, and the endorphines were kicking in before the kettle had boiled.
The end of a successful first outing in the winter sunshine.
Oh for the same still sunny weather for 10 days in June.
Porks
Working on the principle of 'in at the deep end' we planned a 60 mile ride to see how much chafing a grown man could stand without stopping and pushing.
Being the one without a turbo trainer and currently borrowing a hybrid bike rather than drag a heavy mountain bike round, I was expecting to be the weaker of the two.
Mat duly arrived from Godalming at 9 am on a dry cloudy, and cold morning, right on time for bacon butties and a large mug of coffee.
After pumping a few more psi into the tyres to allow for the bacon, we pedalled away from Westoning. For me it took a while to get used to riding a very upright but beautifully light hybrid bike again.
The saddle was mercifully plush.
My route was mostly in my head, with a map for the complicated bits that I forgot and as a nod to our mutual fetish for motorsport, the first destination was the Red Bull Racing factory in the Tilbrook area of Milton Keynes.
The traffic was light and we could chat away as we pedalled through Ridgmont, Woburn and into the wooded roads to Aspley Heath.
We hit maximum speed dropping down into Little Brickhill but 27 mph was more down to the 1:5 gradient rather than powerful legs.
Apart from the paintjob, the F1 team's building was all quiet this dull Sunday morning, but we were not disappointed.
Chatting about the prospects for F1 and rallying in 2010 we were both agreed it has the makings of a great year.
That distracted me from the navigation briefly but the rest stop at the Daytona kart track convinced Mat we were back on the right track. Was there a headwind regardless of our direction? The sky was brightning so it didn't matter.
Next town on the route was Stony Stratford where I celebrated my stag night nearly 12 years ago. That was a Cock and Bull story.
Passenham looked peaceful as we crossed the River Ouse and headed for the backroads out to Deanshanger and on to Whittlebury. The sign posts in Deanshanger could be bad for morale; we cycled half a mile through the village and saw 'Whittlebury 4 miles' more than once. Still we'd reached the 30 mile halfway point without much discomfort, the sun was coming through and we ticked off another petrolhead venue when we could just see the Silverstone grandstands through the trees.
The A5 is a busy road, but it is straight and quick, even on a bike. Cars have plenty of road to pass wide and for me it was head down and keep thinking of the imminent lunch stop I had planned. Trouble was, I couldn't build up the Super Sausage Cafe too much because it could have been closed. It's legendary. We couldn't help a daft smile as we lent the bikes up and went inside to sit in the sunlight and drink huge mugs of tea. Mat's steak kept him smiling and my modest sausage beans and chips were perfect.
Restarting is always difficult, but we soon got back into a 15mph rhythm down to the major roundabout at Stoney Stratford and back through the town centre. Were my boxer shorts still stuffed above the speakers in the Cock Inn after 12 years. We didn't stop to find out.
40 miles. At this point the tops of my legs were burning on the inclines. I decided to revert to the route plan B and leave the Aston Martin factory in Newport Pagnell for another day. I had to stop to stretch off the cramps in Bletchley, but that, and a tailwind through a set of fast roundabouts helped for a while. At 50 miles there was a long incline out of Woburn Sands past the mountain bike tracks in Aspley Heath and Woburn woods.
Mat did the decent thing and held back as I was struggling to keep up until the downhill. I wasn't looking forward to the last steep slope through the park at Woburn as my legs were on the verge of cramping and the saddle had lost its plush setting in the last 10 miles.
In the end I crested the hill and from there it was a cruise back to the house along very familiar roads to Westoning. The attached photo was not enhanced - the true mileage was 60.24, in 5 hours, and the endorphines were kicking in before the kettle had boiled.
The end of a successful first outing in the winter sunshine.
Oh for the same still sunny weather for 10 days in June.
Porks
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Beyond at the Tour of Wessex - 29-31 May 2010
Judging by the 1000+ people signed up for the Tour of Wessex and chat on various cycle forums, this event was central to many people's cycling calendar. Stephen (see previous blog for details of his new Trek Madone) and I in our infinite wisdom, however, had earmarked this three day 'tour' as a kind of masochistic training programme. We had big events on the horizon and need big mileage fast. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Right?The weather forecast for day one had hinted on broken showers. In typical fashion this was completely wrong and it rained on us during every one of the 108 miles of the first day. Despite the inclement weather, a broken seat post clamp and a torn tub, we finished in a respectable time and around the 50th riders back (of over 1000). Had we been able to see through the water coming off the person in front's wheel we would have admired Glastonbury Tor, Cheddar Gorge and the 1:5 Alfred's Tower.
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