Definitely getting warmer and a nice little head wind out to Delamere but if it stays in the SW it will push you home from Ellesmere. Hope to see you pass through between 9.38 and 11.16 precisely

@Derek .H wrote:

Definitely getting warmer and a nice little head wind out to Delamere but if it stays in the SW it will push you home from Ellesmere. Hope to see you pass through between 9.38 and 11.16 precisely

We trust you will have some nice warm bacon butties on hand Derek 😆

Recommend the breakfast batch at the Station Cafe

In Ashbourne last night. Snow 2ft deep this morning. Took me 2 hrs to dig the cars out 😕
Made it home for our event tomorrow 🙂 Looking forward to some sunshine !! 😀

In Sheffield last night, took a while to clear drive and cars - drove back mid day - Snake, Cat & Woodhead etc closed but no problems coming via Monyash, Crowdecote, Longnor and Leek

A breezy taster for you today . How did you "enjoy" it?

Enjoy?!!! It was the worst experience i have had on a bike.

20 MPH head wind all the way to Ellesmere, i got dropped at 70km after spending the previous 15km trying to stay in the group to keep some sort of shelter from the wind.
I then spent the next 50km in the wind on my own. Rain, Hale, and to cap it all 3 nice big lakes across the road that were up to the centre of the wheels, they were so long i had no choice but to pedal through it, resulting in sopping wet overshoes, shoes and sock, right up to the middle of my shin.

After 120km, I waved the white flag at Raven Cafe and my wife picked me up, just got home and my fingers are just thawing out!

Maybe is should have down the downhill 🙄

Highlight of the day, steak pie, chips, peas and gravy at the raven cafe. 😀

@JimDuffy wrote:

Highlight of the day, steak pie, chips, peas and gravy at the raven cafe. 😀

There was your mistake. You should have had the belly-buster... 🙂

All you have experienced is an ordinary winter 200. I bet it will live long in the memory ❗

Tell me about the flooded roads Jim as I also ventured into Shropshire today. I was due to be in Middlewich for the M&DTTA lunch & prize presentation by Mid-day but wanted to get an 80 mile ride in so left the house at 7AM. The headwind all the way to Whitchurch via Tarporley, Tattenhall & Malpas was wicked and I also hit a shower at Bate Mill, but you must have been unlucky at Ellesmere as there were blue skies when I passed through Tilstock, Hodnet and Market Drayton.

All was going well until I went on to the road through Norton Hales to Woore. This is bit of a roller coaster and every dip was completely flooded out so I went through no less than 5 flooded sections in 4 miles. Unfortunately the second one had a pot hole hidden in the middle so I suffered a blow out. 2 of them went over my hubs which was a bit concerning as I had me very expensive power hub in the back!!!! I then had to batter it to Middlewich and I got yet another puncture at Crewe but a slow this time. I had no second spare, just patches so I stopped 6 times in 5 miles to pump it up and with one mile to go to the Masonic Hall in Midlewich it finally died so I walked the last mile getting there 10 minutes before they served the meal.

Stripped the bike down when I got home and the hub seems OK but we'll see in a few days from now. Bottom Bracket was drenched though so you might want to whip your BB out or you could end up with problems.

Cheers

Dave

Never mind Jim, respect for giving it a go!

Well, that was an experience yesterday 😮 OMG. Ice, Floods, Puncture, broken spoke. Managed to complete, with a disintegrating group of 4 by the time we reached Crewe on the way back. Flooding was unbeleiveable on the way back. We had to carry our bikes over our heads at one point, up to our waists in water 😮 . I came a cropper at the first control, and decided to carry on with a wobbly front wheel, with a couple of others, who turned out to be complete animals 😕 one guy riding fixed wheel. I have to say I think this is the toughest ride I've ever had... Apologies to Jim etc, who kindly informed me that my "too short" rear mudguard was causing mayhem behind. Lesson learned..

I'm not sure how many started, but I believe there were quite a few cards left on the table at Cheadle Village Hall.
Weaver Valley did well to have 3 starters ( I think?). Hope to see you all next Sunday, If I can recover by then....

Derek,

Thanks to all who helped organise.. and yes, it was one experience filled day that I will NEVER forget... 😀

Karl

I know you didn't get checked off by me but I think you went past about 11.10 - I caught sight of a what I thought was a wvcc top under a white one - yelled - but by the time I had got up to the road from the station carpark you had gone. Congrats on finishing it sounds like you had an "epic" ride.

Derek,

I decided the best tack was to stick with the guys I was with, who weren't getting checked either. I think the general concensus was to "git it over with as quickly as possible. I'd be interested to know who the three guys were I was riding with, they were a decent bunch and bl..dy strong.

I tried to eat at the cafe, but couldn't get much down. Took one look at Andy Wilkinson preparing to devour the biggest roast dinner I have ever seen, and felt physically sick. I managed 2 cups of tea, can of coke, energy bar, spoonful of beaked beans and mouthful of cake.. Good job I had decent energy drink...

Looking forward to seeing how many completed..