I hadn’t completed in the Audax Year Nov 24 to Oct 25 a 300Km Audax. This has been on my “to do” list for a while and watched it a few times on YouTube by Adam Watkins. I knew a few who’d ridden it and they said it was a great event. Simon Richardson travelled down with me Bristol Parkway and I picked him up at about 3pm and we travelled down in the drizzle and hoping the forecast of the rain stopping before the start was correct. I had decided to ride my good bike, my Moda and this chose to be a good choice. Simon wasn’t riding the event but took the easier!! Option of cycling back to Gamlingay, just 140 miles overnight, it turned out he had rain till the early hours of the morning and a mechanical, but in true Audax style completed the ride home.

After the disappointment of LEL being cancelled and I’d abandoned a 200K Audax the previous weekend I was determined to do myself proud and complete this. Simon and I tried to find a place serving coffee but failed, luckily we’d had some food and coffee at the last serives on the M4 before Bristol. I said goodbye to Simon and rode the 5 miles to the start over cycleways which seem to abound in Bristol. Got to the start area (a community playground and had a cup of tea and eat a banana. I had met Max as I rolled up, he was starting at 2220 and Rob Hale (ELSR) at the start also starting at 2220. My 2140 start soon came round and off we went in the drizzle, meandering through the busy and lively Bristol streets. After about 4 miles we were out into the countryside and I was in a group of 4, setting a reasonable pace. All felt OK and we were soon in Bath, another lively town. After we left Bath, I was with another couple of riders, a car came past, slowed down and wound down his window and asked why all the cyclists were out, so I explained, he said cool, I think he was a cyclist.

Got to Devizes the first control, this was a paper Brevet event, tea and cake, then off, trying to minimise the stops, it was after midnight now. Then off to Salisbury I was making good time. I missed the second control and saw a couple of riders who told me it was about 600 yards back, no idea how I missed it, but once I got there it was obvious. Then a long stretch to Ringwood, I spent the next 25 miles averaging about 16mph, result. Feeling really good, in groups again, at one stage there was about 16 of us riding in the New Forest fog. We got to Hinton Admiral, a garage for coffee and food (an info control (how much is unleaded)), just before 5am. I’d ridden these roads before.

Then off to Bournemouth (back of the net) and along the sea front to Poole, very sandy in places which was hard and slow progress, a cycleway was closed so had to walk across wet long grass. Got to Poole, full breakfast and tea and halfway (well 95 miles in). Still trying to minimise the stops. It was now dawn and I set off with 2 others and off towards Milton Abbas, now came the next climbs, my Achilles heel and I slowed as a consequence. Got to the control and had a bacon sarnie, tea and felt better. Off again, uphill and down dale and I was having a energy slump but pressed on. Time was passing but I was always over an hour inside the cut offs. Bit of a blur but got to Glastonbury, 2 punctures had self-sealed, brill I’d used Silca Sealant when I prepped the bike.

Across the Somerset flats to Cheddar, I knew I would make it in plenty of time. Next a 8-mile stretch of the Strawberry Line, last control got, but I didn’t stop for food. Then we were entering Bristol, there were about 8 of us and we meandered through Parks and cycleways through a busy city centre to the finish at 1650. Food, coffee, chat with Rob, no sign of Max (no wonder he was hours ahead of me (machine)).

Really pleased with that ride after a couple of DNF’s over a 300K and a 400K earlier in the season. Will Pomeroy, the organiser is a great guy and talks to everybody and is a legend in the Audax world. I highly recommend this event if you’re looking for a late season challenge.

Next, well the Audax year has restarted, I have 3 points already and looking at doing RRtY (a 200Km every calendar month, Randonneur Round the Year)), so a permanent 200Km from Stevenage, a 100Km in Dec, a 200Km in December and maybe a punt at the Full Fat Festive which I did not complete 2 years ago after getting soaked and cold and dropped out after 140+ miles.