Where do I start with this ride! Getting myself to the start was even a challenge.
After several months of waiting for spring and qualifying rides to begin, in the days leading up to the event the news and weather was awash with warnings of upcoming snow fall for the UK. After a mild and very dry February it was hard to believe that my local midlands area would be covered in the white stuff. As a kid like most I loved the snow but now as a cyclist I know that snow is the only weather that can in theory halt all cycling for days on end. The event which started in Crewe with controls at Stafford, Shrewsbury and Chester hence the name, was unique for me as I could have lunch at home in Shrewsbury. This also gave me a great knowledge of the local road conditions.
Thursday it snowed heavily in Shrewsbury, I ended up helping my daughter Isla with her paper round in a good 50mm of snow. I thought Saturday isn't looking likely to happen from a Safety point of view. That evening Brandon the organiser sent an event update saying the event is on but make your own decisions on safety etc.
Friday morning a woke at 6am to yet more overnight snow and it continued throughout the morning. The temperature was also only hovering around freezing. At midday I was 90% sure I would be a DNS at the Audax. However the afternoon brought Sun and a rapid melting of Snow. I was 50/50 again.
Saturday morning as forecast was very cold but DRY ! I loaded the car and set off for Crewe at about 06:30. On the journey I discovered my cars heater was not working so rather than a nice warm hour in the car it was a cold hour. At the start the hardy 20/30 riders who had braved the cold all chatted about what the weather may or may not have in store for us today. I met Paul Jennings of YouTube fame !! From what I could see from the Met office weather app It was a forecast to be cold but dry day with a tailwind from Shrewsbury to Chester, the only real concern being rain coming in around 4 to 5pm. Estimated I would be close to the finish by then.
At 08-30 we set off from Crewe for Stafford, after a few miles I was left at the front with just one rider Dave Brown. we rode the first 100km together and it was great, dry roads and we had lots in common including PBP but also crucially we were very evenly matched on the bikes. Dave is a goldilocks wheel man for me (not to slow not to fast) but at Shrewsbury we split as he headed for a supermarket lunch, I headed to my Dads house for sandwiches and coffee. At this point I couldn't help but notice the sky turning darker 🤔
After lunch I headed away from Shrewsbury using EBrevet as validation (this helps massively when reducing faff) peddling away from home at this stage was very strange. It was now I started to realise the rain was going to arrive early! It got more and more heavy during the next couple of Hours towards Chester. It became truly miserable, not only wet but very cold. The roads still covered in debris from winter meant the disc brakes on my winter bike were soon making some lovely noises 😡
At Chester the route followed the river Dee though the tourist area past Grosvenor park, this is a lovely area on a nice day. Today it was miserable. At least I was now on the last leg back to Crewe. However with this change in course brought headwind that made the rain feel colder and heavier. Grit your teeth and dig in time! I don't remember much from the last couple hours apart from numb fingers and toes.
Eventually I got to the finish in Crewe market hall. 2nd rider back after Dave Brown, I just wanted to get validated and into dry clothes and back in the car.
In summary:
Good route, although a little strange for me to be doing an Audax on home roads.
Good organisation 👍👍
Probably the hardest 200 I have done because of the weather, the last 100km probably the hardest most miserable I have experienced.
Still writing this a few weeks later I'm glad I did it ! That's the beauty of cycling even on the worst days you feel good after the evet. Type 2 fun.
Onwards to the 300km
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