audax: Man of Kent 200km

This was the third organised Audax I was to complete this year. Quite unintentionally each has been 50 miles further than the previous ride. Today was the the turn of the Man of Kent 200km. The ride set off from Golden Green near Tunbridge. Just a 40 minute drive from home with the bike sitting pretty on top of the car roof. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. No noticeable breeze. It was a bit chilly but only when waiting around. Things were looking promising. The forecast was sunshine and showers.

A small village hall hosted the tea's, coffees and biscuits and a place to collect, and at the end of the day return our brevet cards. I with the other riders milled around chatting as we topped up on hot fluids and biscuits, checking whatever needed to be checked and taking the opportunity for any last minute ablutions.

As the time approached 8.00 am riders ambled out to their bikes and quite naturally a small cluster formed, ready for the off. The two organiser's went through some advisory points. We were reminded that course changes had been made due to poor road conditions in a couple of places and that these had been indicated on the route sheet. I had the sheet printed out but was as usual to be guided by the route on my Garmin 200.

The first group of 20 or so of us set of at 0800 am. People quickly found a brisk group tempo and the leaders pace was set. The section to the first control was through the back lanes to Faversham from Tunbridge. I pursued the leading group keeping them within reach but staying far enough back to avoid taking on more than I could chew.

Although it was early days I was feeling very pleased with the tires I had recently put on the bike. Their rolling resistance is very low. 38mm but just 325g a piece. They're clinchers but to me look like fat tubulars. Very comfortable to. And they look good! Compass Barlow Pass Extra Light (black sidewalls). I had been a devotee of Schwalbe Marathon Plus and Marathon Tour tires for a number of years. Puncture resistance second to none. When however I compare the road comfort and rolling resistance of the Marathons to the Compass tires it does make me think what have I been riding on all these years! I guess at least one answer to that will become clear when I get my first puncture.

As we approached a set of lights all the riders in this lead group bunched up bar one who made the green. A couple of riders recognised each other from ride last year and once the light turned green they were both off at quite a speed. The first notable hill was upon us very shortly after the lights. Now I happened to think I was a half decent hill climber what with all the bloody things around Medway and North Kent. Not today it seemed. As the front group dug in the distance between us slowly grew. The guy that had caught the lights was soon caught himself and as I followed up the rear I saw him slowly being chewed up and spat out by the speedstars in pursuit.

It was not yet over though. I got my head down and grinded my way up the hill.  By the time I reached the brow I could see that the others had slackened off a bit on a straight flat ahead to recover their energy. I was to either catch them now or settle down and ride at a more modest pace. Realistically I was not going to keep this speed it up for the whole 200km. It turned out that my mentality of spend it while you have it transfers to cycling as well; I picked up my pace and cut the lead there was between me and those in front. At the next junction left I caught them and together we cranked out the miles all the way to Faversham. I took the lead a few times to take my turn at the front and appreciated the opportunity to do some drafting when I could.

As we arrived in Faversham we descended down the Mall heading towards the station on the way to the first control at a Vicarage on Newton Road. Those at the front were not familiar with the area and took a wrong turn. It was one of those times when I could see the blunder but just followed anyway. They quickly realised and were turning back before any distance to correct themselves. I took advantage of an alley way that I knew was a shortcut to get back on track. I headed that way but no one followed me. That was cool though as I was now about half a minute ahead of everyone and closing in on the first control. These events are not races. I am clear about that. This was completely not in keeping with the spirit of Audax events but I was feeling a certain satisfaction with the prospect of being the first to reach that stage!

I was following the breadcrumb trail of my GPS and just keeping an eye out for a vicarage. I did not bother looking at the cue sheet. Not sure what I was expecting a vicarage to look like but nothing I passed measured up to that. After riding out of Faversham I stopped and turned. I had clearly ridden straight past the control and missed it. I headed back in order to have by brevet card stamped. As I did I saw a group of four of the other riders who were leading the way riding there way out of Faversham. By the time I got to the vicinity of the vicarage a number of other riders had passed me going the opposite way all helpfully pointing out the checkpoint was. "back there". My time at the front was over. Probably for the best really as the pace may well have killed me; if not on the day for the week after. 

I rolled my bike round to the back garden. By now there was a small queue lining up for hot drinks and bacon rolls which were all included in the modest £8.00 entry. Many of these rides cost less to enter. This was one of the more expensive I have done. I spent about ten minutes or so doing the necessary before wheeling the bike back out the garden against a stream of riders just arriving.

Back in the saddle and forward to the next control at Wingham which was just 31km away. I rode out alone but after about six or seven miles caught up with a pair of riders peddling along at a reasonable pace. I hung on to their back wheels on and off for pretty much most of the way, every now and then taking my turn at the front. At one point I saw them go ahead whilst my Garmin told me to turn right. I called out to them that I was turning off and left them to decide whether to follow on or not. I followed the route until arriving at a well and truly flooded road. This may well have been one of the route changes the organisers mentioned was on the cue sheet. The same cue sheet I had safely stashed in one of my pockets and never looked at once since leaving home that morning. All my faith was in the GPS trail I had on my Garmin. As it turned out the other two did turn and follow me and were soon like me scratching their heads and wondering whether to ride through the water or go round. It was not complicated. We just wheeled our bikes along the side of the field which the road passed by. Just a short stretch and nothing I'd have worried about mapping in a detour for.

We arrived in Wingham together where perhaps another dozen or so riders were already sorting themselves out with food and drink and getting the obligatory stamp in the brevet cards. I was feeling pretty fit. I had no worries about making time limits and was relaxed about the pace I was keeping. Stopped for around half an hour before setting of again. Next stop 56km away in New Romney with one information point on the way.

I set out from Wingham on my own again. The weather was holding out but the ground bore signs of the rain that had passed shortly before I did. There were ominous storm clouds rolling forward some distance ahead. I rode at least 30km before seeing another rider ahead of me. That was at the information point where he called out the answer making it unnecessary for me to stop. Cheers for that! I rode with him for a very short distance before putting a minute or so between us. Over the next 20km this distance varied until we approached New Romney. The last few miles before the town was very open and flat and for the first time on this ride the wind became noticeable. It wasn't bad but it was enough to knock the average speed down a few clicks. I clearly took this as a signal to ease up on the effort a bit as the rider I saw back at the information point was now right on my back wheel again until we both rode into the control at New Romney Station together.

This is a great spot for a control. The station is on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch miniature railway line. Though I have visited before as a child and with my own children I still enjoy spending time around the station to see the little steam engines chuffing in pulling there open wooden carriages.
I filled up in good style here. I polished off a pasty with a plate of chips and beans. I washed that down with a bottle of coke. Feeling pretty satiated on the food front I stepped out to get back on the road. On walking back to my bike I was pleased by the sight of several other riders eyeing up my tires and making approving noises about their width and tread. None of them had heard of Compass tires. They are American imports and the Barlow Pass had only very recently been released.

Looking for the way out I rolled my bike through a side gate and once again found myself riding off on my own. I was soon caught up though by the group of half dozen or so riders that I was speaking with about the tires. They all rode more regular randonneuring bikes than my mudguard free fat tired cross bike. They certainly looked more the part in their cycling specific get up than I did in my 3/4 length trousers and Aldi soft shell. That all turned out to be inconsequential though as I maintained my pace with them for the next eight or nine miles before they all slowed down at a junction and I continued on ahead at the same pace.
The stretch from New Romney to the next control at Headcorn was 36km. On the way the weather finally turned as it had been threatening to do since Wingham. A cold front swept in and before long hailstones were bouncing off the road and stinging my eyes and face. I was not dressed for this but carried on riding through it. I got fairly wet but nothing that was not dried by the time I arrived in Headcorn. It was cold though and my hands and feet were feeling it more than I had experienced for a long time.

A couple of the other riders had caught up with me shortly before getting to the control which was of the unmanned variety i.e. a garage. A receipt of was all the proof required of passing the point. Chocolate milk duly purchased and consumed and you guessed it off I go again leaving the others to catch up in their own time. It's not that I am particularly anti social but I do like to ride at my own pace and find the longer I stop the harder is becomes to get going again. We had ridden 161km and there was the final 47km to go before arriving back at the village hall in Golden Green.

I rode the next 40km on my own. I was a bit surprised no one caught up with me. I figured there was not much at the garage that would incite anyone to prolong their stay there. It was not until I was within the final 10k riding happily along that I saw the group again but coming in from another direction. I then realised that the barriers and road closed signs I had pedaled past about twenty km ago should have in fact been my reminder to check the cue sheet. Another detour I missed by sticking to the original route. No wonder I never saw anyone! Still it was nice riding along with the others for the final few miles to the end.
On the road approaching Golden Green Village Hall I discovered why perhaps it was called Golden Green. It was just coming up to 5pm and the sun was coming down. As it did the area was lit by the low cast of the sun and everything did indeed look golden. It was lovely. If you happened to view a property in the area at this time you'd have been sold. I would have been.

So I got back to the start and had my brevet card checked over before giving it up for validation by Audax UK. I took the opportunity to make the most of the baked potato covered in cheese and beans that was on offer followed up by a couple of cups of coffee and a chat with a few other finishers.
I found out that the riders I started out with finished at just after 4pm. Nearly an hour and a half before I did. I read that they hardly stopped at all. I am glad I did. I think it would have turned what was an enjoyable ride into a challenging ordeal. Time and a place for everything but for me, not today.

Total cycling time was 8hrs 11mins. Total elapsed time was 9hrs 50mins. I'm pretty pleased with that. Next month it's the 300km Oasts and Coasts!