Now the time is here to step up the mileage and the climbing

Bike arrived back from the etape caledonia, Saturday morning I put it back together and did a short ride, just to make sure I’d put all the bits in the right place.  Sunday was the day for a long ride.  Met Jon at Redbourn Roundabout for a 7:30 start, the wife called me mad before I left the house.  Lots of factor 50, as the sun was already warm in a cloudless sky.  We got in 45km before arriving (just in time) for the Verulam Club Run.  We chose to go with the Moderates as Jon seemed to be going down with something.  The group was over 20, and we joined at the back and it took forever to get a turn at the front.  We had just passed through Ashridge when we had a mechanical failure stop – no Jon!  Anyway we went on, doing about 55km to the tea stop, where I found Jon.  Another puncture, and he the joined the Sociables for the ride to the tea stop.   He had therefore not put in quite so many miles or as much effort, although if he was not feeling 100%, probably no harm.  He did join us in the moderates for the ride back.  As we went through Eaton Bary, we peeled off to have a play on Ivinghoe, doing three repetitions, just to get the climb up.  I ended up with 99.1 miles on the clock, and only 1350m of climb.  The etape is 4,100m.  Some way to go yet then.