Cheshire Plains and Peaks Ride

McBain_v1

Is anyone going to be having a stab at this? I am going to miss the 3-Counties (due to having to take Mrs McBain to see "Take That" at Wembley on Sunday ) but the Cheshire ride seems like a decent "second best" option.

I'm currently down to try the 100m route but if it is as hot as this then I might wimp out and do the 60m route instead :oops: I just don't do well in hot weather.

McBain_v1

Did the 60m route in the peeing rain and it was quite good - which is more than can be said for the weather, which made quite a few of the roads treacherous (there was as least one crash that I know of).
The route map and instructions provided on the day at the venue were not printed on gloss paper or laminated and so they inevitably disintegrated whilst out on the ride, forcing utter reliance on either local knowledge and / or the route signs for those of us not equipped with a Garmin Edge or similar. The signs were just about good enough but there was real confusion at the Macclesfield roundabout when the sign was ambiguously placed, resulting in quite a few riders heading off in the wrong direction.
Feed stops were basic (bottled water + bananas) but good enough. The motorcycle marshall was good as well.
I got the clothing just about right but in retrospect I should have opted for the SealSkinz socks instead of overboots because my feet got quite hot.

Cycled around in under 4 hours which made the ride a pleasant pootle rather than an out-and-out blast.

andy_wrx

Would you class it as a 'proper' sportive, or a charity ride ?

I'll admit I looked at the route and didn't bother, as it was roads I cycle on pretty regularly anyway.

McBain_v1

Being honest about it the 60m route was not 'Sportive' at all. The 100m route was probably more challenging but there was still 60m of 'flat' included overall. I suppose if you want a mix of the Cheshire Plains and Peaks then the Cheshire Cat is still the one to plump for - a proper 'sportive' type feel.

That said, at least I got a few new ideas for routes for Sunday pootling so it wasn't all bad.

Marko1962

I would have loved to have done the ride seeing as I only live a few miles from the start but being on holiday in wet Cornwall put paid to that :roll: