Energize your club with Red Bull
BLOG POSTS
Posted Nov 20th 2007, 12:25pm
by Chris Ward
Cape Epic (128 days to go))
Another year, another 9 day, 900k off road race to get through. Im not a beginner anymore though! This will be my 5th mountain bike race - sounds like a tough one though!
I've entered the Cape Epic which is part of the trio of ultimate mountain bike races. Trans Alps and Trans Rockies make up the mountain bikers axis of evil single track.
I have done the other two so now to compete the trilogy with Cape Epic. 900ks off road through the amazing garden route of South Africa. From Georgetown to Cape Town at Easter 2008. Up the mountains and down to the beach every day - every single baking hot, dry day - therefore its perfect that all my training will take place in the baking, dry heat of a mid winter Bracknell forest in sunny Berkshire!
I am 44 and started riding on a road bike 4 years a go. I managed to finish a few races and have enjoyed the miles on the road. Last year someone in my club asked if anyone wanted to partner him on the hardest mountain bike race in the world (the Trans Alps). I agreed and since then have spent most of my miles either off road - or laying on it, after trying to self-teach an old dog new tricks and see if I can push my body further than my four kids already push it...
my partner in all this is the slightly more novice Bill Gilbert, who i did the Rockies with and for which the Cape will be his 4th mountain bike race.
So we're not really mountain bikers (could you tell). This blog is more about two 40 something blokes, taking on a challenge too far (perhaps) and seeing if we can train through a winter, stay friends and get to the end of the 900k with our bodies and bikes intact...
So I've done the entry - I'd better start training. Just remembered though, that Im running a marathon next weekend so single track training will have to wait for a week or two - back to the coffee then...
Posted Jul 24th 2007, 8:46am by Chris Ward
Last Chance to go to Paris!
Today is the last day for entries for our excellent Le Tour competiton to win this weekend in Paris to see the end of the race - Who will be in yellow come Sunday? You can be there to see by uploading your best cycling videos and photos today.
Winners will be notified tomorrow morning - so if you fancy the fantastic atmosphere of the Champs-Elysees for this Sunday view the other entries here and get uploading your own - by 5pm today!
Competition
Comments
Posted Jun 27th 2007, 4:31pm by Chris Ward
Ride The Stage 1 TdF Sportive!
Isporty has teamed up with the Tour de France sponsors, Orange, to give 4 cyclists the chance to cycle the 120-mile Stage 1 London to Canterbury route of the Tour de France on 1st July, a week before the professionals. The winners and 5000 others will cycle the marked and marshaled route from Greenwich through Kent to Canterbury. You’ll be provided with an Orange branded cycling suit, free refreshments along the way and transport back from Canterbury is included.
To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question:
Where are Orange ‘On Your Bike London’ bikes being given away on 4th July?
Answer through the comments section of my blog and our 4 very fit and healthy winners will be picked out of the lucky helmet at 5pm on Thursday 28th June (tomorrow) – you haven’t got long to train!
Orange - official telecommunications partner of the Tour De France – will be giving away 500 mountain bikes and helmets worth £200 each to members of the public. To celebrate the inaugural start of the race in London, actress Gemma Atkinson and Olympic gold medal winners Chris Hoy and Jason Queally will be handing out a total of 500 black mountain bikes for free on July 4th in Covent Garden at 9am, as part of the Orange ‘On Your Bike, London’ initiative.
This is the first time exclusive content from such an event will be available over web and mobile in the UK thanks to Orange's Broadband and Mobile offering. If you want your free bike, go to www.orange.co.uk to find out more.
Comments
Orange ‘On Your Bike London’ bikes being given away in Covent Garden on July 4th.
Posted by Dave O'Brien, Jun 27th 2007, 5:16pm
Covent Garden Piazza (9 am, July 4th)
says Kevin Fitzgerald
says Kevin Fitzgerald
Posted by Kevin Fitzgerald, Jun 27th 2007, 8:12pm
The Orange Bike giveaway will take place at Covent Garden on the 4th July.
Posted by Craig Buckley, Jun 28th 2007, 4:36pm
now for a real challenge try one of the Xtreme Terrain Festival events. 22 September, Camberley.
!
!
Posted by toby jenkins, Jul 2nd 2007, 10:53am
Posted May 3rd 2007, 10:27pm by Bill Gilbert
Atascadero - Santa ynez
In the morning we realized that lots of wine and margaritas are not the best way to re hydrate, but i think deep down we all knew this. Its a strange aspect of human nature, we know the healthy thing to do, we say we want to be healthy, and yet we chose the route of most pain. So needles to say it was a slow start. Finally round 9.30 am we set off for the coast again towards Morro Bay. Thankfully the temperature was a cooler 80 degrees as we set off for the 28 miles of the first leg. We had to climb back over the coastal hills again, but the climb was far less arduous than the previous day but was very scenic. Once again as we crested the hill there was a dramatic temperature change, it got so cool I stopped to put on my gilet. From Morro Bay (pictured) we went down to Pismo beach and had the mother of all tail winds, although the part was reasonably flat we were easily reaching speeds above 30 miles an hour. From there we went onto Santa Ynez which has a large wine industry and where the movie Sideways was based, thankfully the people were not quite as weired. It was very pretty going through the small towns of the region that have also developed a tourist business on the back of the local Wineries. I was told Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is somewhere in the area but figured we would give that tourist spot a miss. Day 4 was just over 110 miles and was cooler, but the legs and body are getting tired. We had a great dinner, but for this night we drank a lot more water than wine.
Comments
that's enough - get your arse home - im feeling intimated by mentions of consecutive bike rides with more than two numbers in the total distance...
Posted by Chris Ward, May 4th 2007, 10:31am
just catching up on the fantastic blogs of the Coast Range trot. The ride to Nacimiento was somebody's idea of a bad joke: with all that pretty country to ride through, taking the hot, ugly route is just unsporting. Your pic of Morro Bay is kind: it leaves out the power plant that blights an otherwise stunning beach vista. Trip sounds just fantastic, though comes a little early in the season for all those miles and elevation gain. I hope your compatriots were able to keep up with you! ed.
Posted by Ed McKinley, May 6th 2007, 8:34pm
Posted May 1st 2007, 2:01am by Bill Gilbert
Big Sur - Nacimiento Lake
Holy cow, the first 40 miles of the ride today was just spectacular and betters even yesterdays ride. We started off at the Redwood grill at 7.00 am and it was a a very cool 55 degrees. We set off down Route 1 and the scenery at that time in the morning with no cars was breathtaking, a tail wind adding to the enjoyment. After 28 miles we turned inland onto the Nacimiento Lake road which would take us over the costal mountain range (Ed...do you know what the range is called?) The road to the top was 6 miles and was about 3000 feet in elevation, so it was a serious climb. On the other side we descended through forest. However the temperature change was significant, without the Pacific and its cooling currents from Alaska, the inland was 95 degrees, and we still had 78 miles to go. We had to go thru some military area, as we went thru you show ID and as i was low on water i asked one of the 6 guards if they had any, "Move a long sir" was his friendly reply, and i didn't really think it worth arguing. This is where the ride stopped being pleasant the land was flat and the heat just radianted of the black top, the old polar HRM said it was 100 degrees. The land was just brown and featureless and as far as i could tell not many people lived here. Finally found a deli to replenish the liquids and at 12.30 made the rendezvous at Lake Nacimiento for lunch, we had done 78 miles and 2000 meters vertical. The heat was really taking a toll, but after about an hour we were on our way again, but at least now the route took us along more tree lined and shaded roads, we soon started to go through some of the wine country and finally arrived at our hotel. By then we had done 118 miles and 3000 meters vertical, not quite a stage of the tour de france but not far off it. Off course the best way to recovery was to go out to dinner and drink way too much wine and beer.
Comments
Posted Apr 30th 2007, 1:31am by Bill Gilbert
Big Sur - Day 2
Just an unbelieveable ride, its gotta rate in my top 5. We left carmel at 9.00 am set off along US route 1 for a 55 mile ride. The highway was built in the early 30's as part of the "New Deal" to help America out of the Depression. It has since become an iconic part of California and offers just fabulous veiws of the Pacific.
The day was clear blue skies and about 60 degrees and a light breeze north to south. Total vertical climbed was 1100 meters. We crossed the Bixby Bridge, which we were told was the most photographed bridge in the world, which was news to me and consequently i didn't take a picture of it. We stopped off half way for lunch at the Redwood grill which was a little inland nestled among the huge redwoods. Its amazing just how remote the whole area feels. The road itself is quite hilly and definitely gets your heart rate up
Comments
Hey Bill these are great pictures and blogations. what great country to be riding. But 'a little detour to the Sierra Nevada' is a bit rich. looking forward to hearing more. meanwhile i am still in china for a couple more days, hong kong right now. done about 7 runs or so, some great, some gritty. left the tour group yesterday and slept for 11 hours today. tells you something....cheers. ed.
Posted by Ed McKinley, Apr 30th 2007, 3:58am
Posted Apr 27th 2007, 4:30pm by Bill Gilbert
California Livin'
What the heck are we doing living and cycling in London, I'm as Mad as m' Dad and he's pretty mad. Why doesn't every cyclist just live on the west coast - just incredible! We're cycling from Monterrey down to Santa Barbara with a detour into the Sierra Nevadas there are 4 of us and hoping to do something like 70-100 miles a day.
We arrived yesterday in Carmel, where Clint Eastwwod was once Mayor, the weather is blue skies and 60 degrees. We put the bikes together and just went out on a short 30 mile spin down the coast by Pebble beach and Monterrey itself, just beautiful. The surf is crashing on the beach on one side and the tall pines rising up on the other, at one point we just pulled over to enjoy the scene. Once we got back to our hotel, we went for a walk round Carmel and realized the sleepy hippy town Carmel was on my last visit 25 years ago has definitely moved up market
Comments
OK OK I'm jealous - let's see the pics though!
im also worried about your cycling stndard of fitness - I better get a bike!
im also worried about your cycling stndard of fitness - I better get a bike!
Posted by Chris Ward, Apr 27th 2007, 10:48pm
Comments
michael hodges
michael hodges