Isle of Wight Randonee

Rode the entire round the island route yesterday and it was tough.

Day started off earlish 7AM, bit of breakfast then cycled down to the ferry, to meet up with a friend at 8:30. The ferry terminal was somewhat crowded with cyclists of all shapes and sizes. On the island we formed a stream of cyclists to the first checkpoint (Wotton), the roads where going to be busy!

Ride to the 2nd checkpoint (Bembridge) was a bit slow - saving ourselves for the hills to come and picking our way through cycling traffic. Got our cards stamped and had some very nice flapjack things prepared by my riding partners wife, before we were off again.

Ride to to Checkpoint 3 at Alverstoke was uneventful apart from the road going up in places, quick stamp of the cards and on our way to Whitwell. My riding partner had used some computer software to analysis the route and this is were he thought most of the hills were, never mind its a fairly short section. There were hills nothing majorly big just non-stop up and down, no flat sections to recover on. I was beginning to suffer at this stage it was lunch time and I was hungry. Checkpoint 4 was a stamping only station no food to be had, but fortunately we passed a grocers that was opened and a nice big Beef Salad Baguette, followed by a banana made me feel a lot happier. I'm glad I did

The section from Whitwell to Yarmouth was to be the longest and I thought the flatest imagine my surprise when greeted with a large hill. Oh well climb up it. I was nearly at the top when I heard a cyclist in front of me go "Oh No it keeps on going up round the corner", my response is unrepeatable. Of course the good thing about going up on a bike means you can go do the other side REALLY fast and this descent was fun!!!!! Manged a just under 37 mph going down (OK I wimped and applied the brakes at some points) tootled along beside the sea for while then I look up ahead. " Is that a road I see on that cliff ahead - it is. Is that cyclist I see on it - it is, umm that's a big climb - it isn't its 2 climbs with a sharp descent in the middle" Oh joy.

Its at this point I'm really struggling, I'm finding myself being careless when checking for traffic and the likes but I struggle on. I can't remember much more about the rest of the ride apart from more painful hills, but I managed to hang on in there. I was very glad to get back to the start and get my certificate. I was so exhausted I was worried I was going to be able to make it home from the ferry. Luckily a large coffee, mars bar, flap jack and 30 mins sit down gave me enough energy to do it.

By the time I cycled to and from the ferry terminals I had covered 86 miles in 7:20:48 of saddle time. To say I'm tired and a little stiff is an understatement and its nearly 24 hrs since I got home.

The route was the clockwise way round the all island cycle route - the anticlockwise route is tougher as the hills a tend to be steeper and the really up and down stuff is at the end of the ride. Its due to be the anti-clockwise way next year. If anyone is interested I recommend it for a good, but tough day with some great scenery. Look here for more info

I may give it a go but perhaps with a little more training in the bank.....