300 Days and counting…….
The fun starts here.
Late last year a group of like minded Montrose cyclists joined together to form the Montrose Chain Gang. Group runs tend to take place every Sunday morning with ride requests and posts being put up through the week.
We have been going out and doing 20 to 30 mile runs but expect this to increase as the weather improves and the summer sportives get nearer!!
The two pics are both from last years Sportive St Andrews where we spent a windy Sunday afternoon following the route lines on the display of my Garmin Edge 200 after some kind folk stole all the route markers from the 65 mile and 88 mile circuits. Thankfully I had downloaded the GPX data or we would have been banjaxed! We even picked up a couple of followers who lost their riding groups and were also lost.
The 65 mile route had some good climbs with a real beezer near the end climbing up to Strathkiness that neither of us was expecting.
Both of us are signing up again for the 88 mile route on 25th August this year. You can find details here and follow them on Twitter at @SportiveStAs
Alto Ventuno’s newest team member, former World Champion Graeme Obree!!
Not really – He is too busy building a bike to break the 100mph land speed record to head over to France with us all next year.
Finally managed to get round to posting the video we took as we drove up Le Alpe D’Huez. Hopefully you will get an appreciation of how steep it was. As you approach one of the switchbacks you can see the angles of both sections of road.
J
Alto Ventuno II is on for late June 2013. All three climbs of Le Mont Ventoux in one day. Road bike not required. No-one gets left behind. Who is coming?
Details of the plan can be found here!
Spent this evening riding 30 miles in the torrential rain with non other than Mr Lance Armstrong! Got a text from Bren first thing to say it was on, loaded the bike – after a bit of encouragement from Kar! – and headed for Dornoch. Lance arrived bang on 1700 and after stopping for the press, set off under blue skies with me holding his back wheel for around 50 yards before the group shifted and I lost my place!!! Rain set in after about 8 miles but spirits remained high throughout.
On both Le Alpe d’Huez and Le Mont Ventoux, there are photographers who will take your picture and give you a card. Both of these were taken by Griffe Photo on Ventoux.
Click on the image for the full sized version.
Miles today: 210
Miles to Date: 3023.
One final post just to finish everything off:
Up early and headed up the road home to Montrose. Will post more of the better pictures over the next few weeks and also the video we took driving up Le Alpe d’Huez.
Sunday morning now and I still have to get the bike and most of the kit out of the car.
Very sad it’s all over. Stelvio 2013…………?
Forza Alto Ventuno!
J&B
Miles today: 1086
Miles to date: 2813
After driving almost the entire length of France, we changed our travel plans again as we realised we were going to hit Calais just before 1730. Managed to catch a train straight away and was back in Folkestone before 1800 UK time. A big push on the driving got us back into Carlisle around 0100. Quick run along the M74 to Annan and the first night in a real bed without the sound of (i) a monkey blowing a trumpet, (ii) bells, (iii) grasshoppers, (iv) dogs barking, (v) donkeys braying, (vi) cockrels crowing, and (vii) a large dutchman snoring in the next tent!!! Or as we have come to know them, the sounds of Bedoin and Ventoux!
One last 210 mile drive and the Tour de Foley will be over.
J&B
