2023 On The Road Today
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Yesterday I rode a new-for-23 gravel event in the south of England, the Ekoi Stone Circle. It bills itself as a 'ride through Druid Britain'. The near-solstice date is no coincidence as the route passes close to a certain famous neolithic monument and is based at the ancient hilltop fort of Old Sarum near Salisbury. Two distances were on offer, 135km and 215km, and I did the latter. The course is 80% off-road, quite an achievement for Southern England, and very beautiful.
We were underway before 05:30. The morning started cool and cloudy and how I wished it would stay that way but the sun burnt off the cloud and the afternoon became blazingly hot. There were feed stops at 64km, 100km and 173km. In that long stint between Feed 2 and Feed 3, in afternoon heat, I was getting through my two large bottles frighteningly quickly. I was not feeling great after 150km and the closing stages were a struggle. I finished in just under 12 hours. Scottish cycling commentator Brian Smith was welcoming finishers home.
This completes my triumvirate of Big Events for this year having recently done the Dirty Reiver gravel event and the Fred Whitton hilly road sportive. Those are both well-known in UK and I'd been apprehensive before them but both were completed without quite wrecking me. This Ekoi Stone Circle however... I was in a state at the end. The bare stats of 215km/2700m are on par with the Dirty Reiver but the Stone Circle has a much greater variety of surfaces, and more technical riding, than the Kielder-based event. The summer heat was the cherry on top. When I got home my wife (who is very supportive of my cycling) was shocked to see how exhausted I was. So the lesson there is - don't let your other half know how tired one can get while cycling
Pre-ride coffee much in demand
Must-get selfie. There was a Druidic ceremony actually taking place within the Stonehenge circle. Perhaps the Druids had to lay on extra gigs after selling out the 21st June date.
A well-attired group at Feed 1
Feed 1, the usual fare of bananas, energy bars, water and energy drink etc.
A great deal of riding on forested singletrack. Unusually for a sportive, no signage anywhere en route, we all relied on a GPX file. It worked out ok and I can see it removed a huge task for the organisers, Hotchillee
Feed 3. Punishingly hot and bright on chalk trails.
Taking a well-earned rest. There was a nice little event village with trade stalls and catering.
Bike in Stone Circle setup. Chain lube vanished in the dust but I was able to refresh it at a couple of the stops.
We were underway before 05:30. The morning started cool and cloudy and how I wished it would stay that way but the sun burnt off the cloud and the afternoon became blazingly hot. There were feed stops at 64km, 100km and 173km. In that long stint between Feed 2 and Feed 3, in afternoon heat, I was getting through my two large bottles frighteningly quickly. I was not feeling great after 150km and the closing stages were a struggle. I finished in just under 12 hours. Scottish cycling commentator Brian Smith was welcoming finishers home.
This completes my triumvirate of Big Events for this year having recently done the Dirty Reiver gravel event and the Fred Whitton hilly road sportive. Those are both well-known in UK and I'd been apprehensive before them but both were completed without quite wrecking me. This Ekoi Stone Circle however... I was in a state at the end. The bare stats of 215km/2700m are on par with the Dirty Reiver but the Stone Circle has a much greater variety of surfaces, and more technical riding, than the Kielder-based event. The summer heat was the cherry on top. When I got home my wife (who is very supportive of my cycling) was shocked to see how exhausted I was. So the lesson there is - don't let your other half know how tired one can get while cycling
Pre-ride coffee much in demand
Must-get selfie. There was a Druidic ceremony actually taking place within the Stonehenge circle. Perhaps the Druids had to lay on extra gigs after selling out the 21st June date.
A well-attired group at Feed 1
Feed 1, the usual fare of bananas, energy bars, water and energy drink etc.
A great deal of riding on forested singletrack. Unusually for a sportive, no signage anywhere en route, we all relied on a GPX file. It worked out ok and I can see it removed a huge task for the organisers, Hotchillee
Feed 3. Punishingly hot and bright on chalk trails.
Taking a well-earned rest. There was a nice little event village with trade stalls and catering.
Bike in Stone Circle setup. Chain lube vanished in the dust but I was able to refresh it at a couple of the stops.
cycling / nature / music
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Nice work, was bloody hot this weekend down south!
I've got an event in a few weeks called the SSX Mystery Tour that is 270km (starts in Copthorne, guess it may jump on the Downs Link and up onto the South Downs Way at some point).
Not sure of the route yet/weather but I've become pretty comfortable wearing a hydration vest for gravel riding/racing so will definitely be doing that, if you haven't tried before, I was surprised how little carrying one bothered me.
I've got an event in a few weeks called the SSX Mystery Tour that is 270km (starts in Copthorne, guess it may jump on the Downs Link and up onto the South Downs Way at some point).
Not sure of the route yet/weather but I've become pretty comfortable wearing a hydration vest for gravel riding/racing so will definitely be doing that, if you haven't tried before, I was surprised how little carrying one bothered me.
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That's not a thing I'm familiar with but I think I saw quite a few people wearing those during the event. Made a lot of sense in the conditions. Hope your long ride goes well.Knightyboy27 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2023 3:48 pmI've become pretty comfortable wearing a hydration vest for gravel riding/racing so will definitely be doing that, if you haven't tried before, I was surprised how little carrying one bothered me.
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https://www.youtube.com/c/Millerbike01
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Video (10 minutes) of the Ekoi Stone Circle ride. If you were ever thinking of trying this ride, this will show you what it's like.
cycling / nature / music
https://www.youtube.com/c/Millerbike01
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It's a terrific groupset which is a pleasure to use. It's seen me through my three big target events for this year, two gravel and one road. In fact I have done a lot of road riding with Ekar. I've been evolving my main bike towards being an all-road ride so I can easily dip in and out of mixed surfaces without penalising the bike's performance on road. I think that might be the sweet spot for Ekar.
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- HammerTime2
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Cool ride and video.
What/why was the guy checking at 10:10?
Last edited by HammerTime2 on Wed Jun 28, 2023 12:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I don't know what he was checking and I did wonder. Timing chips strapped to your wrist which must be collected at the end are on the way out, timing at events this year has been from RFID stickers on the back of the rider's throwaway number placard. There was nothing to be collected from the bikes. I'm not entirely sure he was even with the organisation, he wasn't there a few minutes later.HammerTime2 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 12:14 pm
Cool ride and video.
What/why was the guy checking at 10:10?
Last edited by Miller on Thu Jun 29, 2023 7:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- jekyll man
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Cheers! Now here's a short vid of yesterday evening's club ride.
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- MrCurrieinahurry
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@Miller so you know chris goslar? Cant remember if ive asked this before
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Don't think you have but yes I do, see him fairly often via club rides. Do you know him thru racing?
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- MrCurrieinahurry
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Na i used to coach his son tennis at bisham abbey so know the family really well lovely bunch
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I do, well his wife at least as I've been on a cycle camp with herMrCurrieinahurry wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2023 3:14 pm@Miller so you know chris goslar? Cant remember if ive asked this before
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Allegra- Steel Lugs TBC
Aurelia- Stainless All Road 8.5kg
Bertha- TT 9.8kg
Perdita- Ti Turbo bike 8kg
Serenity- Ti Gravel 9.5kg/8.9kg
Verity- Ti Aero 8.2kg
Alya- Ti Climbing TBC
All weights with pedals,cages & garmin mount
Aurelia- Stainless All Road 8.5kg
Bertha- TT 9.8kg
Perdita- Ti Turbo bike 8kg
Serenity- Ti Gravel 9.5kg/8.9kg
Verity- Ti Aero 8.2kg
Alya- Ti Climbing TBC
All weights with pedals,cages & garmin mount
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- MrCurrieinahurry
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Cindy shes awsome
Basso Diamante eps 12
Basso Diamante eps 12
Formerly known as Curryinahurry