Peter Schrammel - Mountains

27. 9. 2014

Cynthia Sandor, Peter Schrammel, charity ride of the British Heart Foundation

Weather

sunny

Interest

***: nice, joyful ride without highlights

Route

Oxford, 62m - Winslow, 121m - Great Brickhill, 165m - Woburn, 123m - Ampthill, 66m - Sandy, 28m - Cambridge, 18m

Elevation gain

+1198/-1242

Distance

145km

Timing

6 2/3h (2 + 1 + 1/2 + 1/2 + 1 + 1 2/3)

Stamina

Difficulty

Danger

Visitor frequency

c: mostly on calm country roads, some busy sections

Comments

bus transfer back to Oxford provided by British Heart Foundation

Report

My housemate Cynthia proposed to participate in this cycling event from Oxford to Cambridge. We could get a coach back for a small fee. So we signed up. We received our numbers to attach to the bikes and our T-shirts by post. The start was possible between 7.30am and 10am. We arrived after 7am at Iffley sports centre. After a short safety briefing we left shortly after 7.30am in the second group. The route led us via Banbury road, on small country roads via Islip and via Marsh Gibbon to Winslow. Until there it was almost flat except when crossing the train track over old stone bridges. Then it started climbing a bit, passing south of Milton-Keynes. Back in the valley again we crossed the canal at the Three Locks. On a steeper climb to Great Brickhill we filled our water bottles at the refreshment stop after 40 miles. There actually was one every 10 miles, but we didn't need until there. Then we cycled up and down to Woburn with its nice parks, abbey, and safari park. We saw quite some deer crossing the road when passing. Near Flitwick we made a break in the large, prepared refreshment and repair area after 50 miles towards noon. We ate our lunch and rested in the grass. Then we continued on rather flat roads via Shefford to Sandy. We crossed the town and pedalled uphill through the woods via Everton to Gamingay. Here my knees started to hurt a bit. Probably my saddle was a bit too low. Finally, the roads are more or less flat via Barton to Cambridge. The finish was in the science area where we arrived shortly after 2pm. Although we rode without forcing we had an average speed of 23.7km/h. We received our medals for participating. I went sightseeing to the city centre, unfortunately too late to visit King's College Chapel. When I was back after 4pm, Cynthia already left. Apparently, she managed to get on an earlier coach. I enjoyed the sun on the meadow. After 5pm I went to the bus stop where the bicycles were loaded into small vans. I waited in the coach which finally left after 6pm. I slept almost the whole way back to Oxford. At 9pm I had to find my bicycles on the bike racks in the dark.

Oxford - Cambridge