Conwy-Shordley 85k

An indirect route from Conwy to home via the Vale of Clwyd and a nice variant on the linear routes I have done a few times over the years. Some drizzle, the first for weeks, but this had eased by the time I had breakfast and then there was a light tailwind that meant I was pretty quick as soon as I reached the prom in Colwyn Bay. All the way to Rhyl and a quick mechanical fix for my pedals, and then through the west of the town to St Asaph, around 35kph from Rhuddlan. Lovely lunch and then it was down the Vale of Clwyd all the way to Ruthin before heading towards the Shelf. This is a well-known climb but it has been years since I did it, perhaps as many as 20? It isn't easy to find, but I did and some memory of it kicked in. I was going OK after my Alpine exploits but there was a council trailer stuck half way up which meant I had to dismount and climb a mud bank! It is a long climb by local standards, perhaps 6k with 300m of elevation, something like that, and is very narrow and deformed in places: a bigger contrast with an iconic TdF col would be hard to imagine. Then it is mostly downhill to Llandegla, through to Bwlchgwyn and then down to Cefn y Bedd and home: 85k/1200m.

Ponderosa

Race: Ponderosa hill race

Time/Position: 31.59 (16th from 73 [1st V55])

By far my slowest ever time at this event, but given that I'm only running a few miles a week and haven't raced properly since the Castles relay, I was pleased enough with this little outing. I felt it was short enough to run without harming my heel, although the race is mostly about the descent - and it is extremely dry as we are now officially in drought. I got to the top of Cyrn y Brain in a conservative 10 minutes or so and then got caught behind a group of three on the very narrow paths that characterise the long descent on this race. These are always exhilarating and I knew Simon would be close behind. He was, but I just about stayed ahead on the final climb back to the Ponderosa.

Four counties 100k ride

Keen to build on the small amount of cycling fitness gained during the trip, this was perhaps the first time I've ever ridden to Whitchurch from home. I took the usual route through Rossett to Holt with a slight tailwind, feeling very comfortable indeed. Then the lanes through Tilston to Malpas, but continuing along similarly quiet lanes - very possibly new to me - all the way to Whitchurch (and therefore Shropshire). From here I should have gone south to Hanmer but instead took the road towards Bangor. This was busier than I'd expected so I retreated to the lanes north to Tallwrn Green. The problem with these lanes is that they rarely go where you want them to! I used distant Hope Mountain as an unlikely navigation tool and eventually emerged between Worthenbury and Bangor - more familiar territory which will, for me, always be associated with my 50 mile covid lockdown solo ultra. As with that day, I stopped at the little shop for a sarnie, then continued further south into the English Maelor past the racecourse with a sharp climb to Overton (now the headwind came into play). The road was closed at the Dee bridge near Erbistock but I was allowed to pass and then quite enjoyed the little climbs to Ruabon. From here I rode into Wrexham and then out to the north on an extension to Dodleston and Broughton, in order to tick off my first 100k ride of the year. Almost exactly four hours/100k/1000m elevation. A really enjoyable spin in decent conditions, not too hot but with a nagging moderate westerly.

PitP parkrun

'Race': Park in the Past parkrun

Time/Position: 19.07 (3rd from 199)

This went to form, in the sense that I'm doing very little running (and zero training) at present, but it was still slightly annoying not to go under 19. This is almost a minute slower than my course PB which remains the V55 course record. Perfect conditions this morning, as we are now in a full drought and this course really benefits from dry conditions. Dust clouds and quite warm already. I've been a bit tired all week following the rigours of the big trip.

Leinpfad parkrun

'Race': Leinpfad parkrun (Merzig)

Time/Position: 18.58 (2nd from 98)

The final piece in the complex three-week planning jigsaw, another German parkrun vaguely en route home. After the Tour stage, I was held up by roadworks and also a fairly complex route round Strasbourg to the German border. But I slept pretty well in the van despite parking in Merzig train station! In fact, the stadtpark (venue for the parkrun) had loads of parking and would have been perfect. I had a small but delightful breakfast at the very popular Tinnes bakery and then really enjoyed the friendly parkrun. I went better than expected after the rigours of the last week (last three weeks really!). It was a complex route from the park north to a little pond and mini zoo with animals, then back along the towpath it is named after, along the banks of the Saar. I couldn't catch the chap in front, but watched his movements closely as it wasn't always obvious where the route went. I broke the V55 course record fairly comfortably, somewhat surprising given it had been going for well over 300 weeks. The warm-down was equally memorable, crossing into Luxembourg for a delightful pootle through the Moselle vineyards from Remerschen and Schengen (a famous name indeed). Even better, I ended with a swim in the wonderful Baggerweier, removing a great deal of filth before the long final drive home.

Ballon d'Alsace

A perfectly planned trip to watch a key Tour stage and, as a bonus, do another iconic Vosges climb. The nomenclature hereabouts is famously confusing: I'd done the Grand Ballon on the way down. This was just the Ballon, which is generally agreed to be the first mountain ever climbed by the Tour. After a luxury night in Besancon, I was recharged, particularly because I dined on a knepfle and munster gratin, another heavy Alsatian lunch! My plan was to head up the climb from the east, convenient for the journey home, and for the stage as the riders were heading up it from the north. I parked in Oberbruck and took the cycle path to Sewen and the start of the climb. I packed a rucsac, ready for a longish wait, and luckily the climb is a fairly easy one. Some hairpins lead above Sewen to the Lac d'Alfeld. This is, I think, the name of the valley the route then takes a big loop around. Or it might be the Langenberg, I'm not sure (could be just the usual Alsatian blend of languages). Anyway, after a few steep sections the angle eases and I powered up (by my standards), passing a fair number of other cyclists en route to watch too. It took me a while and a bit of moving around to get to the best viewing place - the Ballon being a huge plateau really. It was a brilliant stage with the field completely fragmented and the weather just about stayed dry. The descent was fairly extraordinary, hundreds (perhaps even thousands) of cyclists pelting downhill (almost all far faster than me) after watching a classic stage in the world's greatest race.

Crete de la Neige

Peaks: Le Reculet (1717m), Crete de la Neige (1720m)

Area: Haute Jura, France

Back to the tranquility of the Jura, in the spirit of returning home in gradual segments rather than in one huge drive (as I would have done in the past). As such, this worked brilliantly. After Semnoz I had the perfect river bath near Mesigny and eventually camped south of Lelex in the dark and quiet depths of the Valserine. These two hills are the Jura highpoints and I had pinpointed them as an ideal outing for M and I. They didn't meet the family criteria however (no swimming lake) so this morning I set out at a 'running' pace, heading upwards through thick and very steep forest. This wasn't particularly pleasant, but eventually I emerged from the treeline and things improved considerably. Across an open upland area I could see the giant cross on Le Reculet. I made my way up to it, running slowly, and gained the main Jura ridge again. I think Le Reculet was assumed to be the highpoint of the ridge for years, hence the cross, not least because it is more impressive and stands alone. From it, I headed south directly and then negotiated several paths that lead through beautiful limestone scenery - copses and hollows - to the top of Crete de la Neige. Lovely nearby views although a little hazy beyond the Jura. I looked down to the Valserine and then headed off on a big extension, diagonally running along an excellent path which ultimately led to Lelex although took a surprisingly long time to reach it! After doubling back to the south I emerged at the familiar Valserine road just south of the village and trotted back to the van, driving to Besancon after breakfast. Just under 15k/960m in a relaxed 2.5 hours.