Chevs of the Chilterns
20 August 2005
How does Steve Collins do it? I reckon that he spent hours poring over detailed maps and found every road in the Chilterns that had a chevron on it then used his special dot-to-dot programme to join these steep bits of road and called it a ride. O.K. his last message warned that the ride should be called "Chevs of the Chilterns" but even I did not expect that many climbs. It's a good job that Steve and myself have only two weeks before starting on our End-To-End ride else he would find an even harder ride to include as part of our training.
So, at 08.0h0 the Green Bridge was almost crowded as there were four of us waiting for Steve to arrive. Eventually, a little later than planned we set off to Marylebone and the eagerly anticipated Chiltern Hills. A name check is due to the riders; Karelle, Kerry; the American and male variety, Rob; a guy from Holland who had recently joined us on DD13, newbie; Andy who looked too young, lean and fit, Steve and myself.
After disembarking at Chalfont and Latimer we sped quickly to Chesham using roads that I knew well from a recent pre-dawn ride with Steve. Immediately after Chesham we started on the first of the climbs that set the tone of the day.
Apart from climbs what else happened? Remarkably little as there were no mechanical issues or punctures. We were, however, treated to a welcome coffee break at Tring to break up the morning as we had a lengthy session before lunch. We did lose Karelle for a short while soon after Princes Risborough or Great Missenden, I am not sure which, but she apparently rebelled when we turned off to attempt another chevron and she failed to spot the hill and sped on along a nice flat piece of road. That is my explanation and as its my ride report I can tell it the way I want.
Lunch involved a story as by the time we got to Monks Risborough it was about 15.00h and the pub in the town did not want to serve any more lunches. We then tried a nice-looking café but they had stopped serving lunch for the day but were kind enough to call a pub at Saunderton and arrange for them to keep the kitchen open for, by then, six ravenous cyclists. However Saunderton was still a few miles off so we ended up at the lunch halt at 15.45h.
After lunch Kerry and Rob had decided that the hills were too tough for them and took the train back from Saunderton. Thanks to both of them for their company over a tough ride. The remaining four of us continued finding more hills and the black humour quickly developed. At junctions we knew that if there was a choice of a flat road or an uphill one it was the uphill one that we would take. It did make navigation much easier and often meant that we did not have to stop for map reading.
Eventually at 18.30h Andy and myself took the easy option and left Steve and Karelle at Stokenchurch to head back to London via the train from High Wycombe. At last, so it seemed to our saddle-sore posteriors we had a downhill stretch and were at the station for a return to Marylebone and in my case home for 20.00h.
Now for the prologue, Steve and Karelle continued to Henley and then due to rail replacement buses had to ride to Maidenhead for the train back into town. Steve has confessed that he did not get back home until after 23.00h, a very long day.
Thanks to all for providing great company on a testing day. All I had to do the following day was to go for a quiet 120K ride with my long-suffering girlfriend. Keen riders will get the benefit of that effort as I will lead a ride over the same route on 18th September.
Scorecard
Distance 109.44 K
Average speed 20.2 Kph
Maximum speed 58.5 Kph
Deflates None
Mechanical problems None
Ken Peters
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 Kerry, Rob and Karelle at Green Bridge
 Roadside halt. Steve, Andy, Kerry, Rob and Ken
 Rob looking good on the roads
 Steve holds court with Karelle and Andy
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