Pete's Tour of the Peat Country is a 150k (~95 miles) randonee organised by Peter Boulton, under the Audax UK (AUK) banner. It starts from Clevedon, to the north west of Bristol, England.
The wind and the rain had built up in the south west of England on Thursday and Friday. Reports on the television were that a tornado had destroyed some houses in the south of Bristol. ( This is nothing like the tornados that strike in the U.S., but for a country that doesn't normally get tornados it's pretty unusual).
I thought about riding to the start, about 25 miles, but with thunder, wind and rain Friday night, I chickened out. (Generally, I can do the distances, it's just that I'm a relatively slow rider).
So I drove down to Clevedon, where it was raining, with a good south-westerly blowing. Pete's Tour of the Peat Country consists of riding south west across undulating/flat countryside for about 40 miles before turning back to climb over the Mendips.
We started off from Clevedon into this gale force wind with the rain lashing down. The first few miles were across Kenn Moor. The small roads had standing water from the days of rain we'd had. Gradually I got wetter and wetter. We made our way down to Winscombe and got some shelter from Winscombe hill. We skirted round Winscombe hill and felt the full force of the wind. Dropping down we crossed the A38 and headed through Blackford, onto the Somerset Levels. The Somerset Levels are, as the name might suggest, flat. A lot of peat is dug in this area. It is also a nature reserve.Crossing the Levels I was fully exposed to the wind. By this time I was riding alone, so there was no sheltering behind others.
After 31 miles I arrived at a Garden Centre to the south of Westhay. This was a pleasant stop where I consumed a couple of pieces of cake and a pot of tea. Just as I was leaving the heavens opened and the rain pourred down. The wind's strength increased and at one point I nearly came to a stand still, or so it seamed.
After this the sky seemed to clear up, although the wind did not stop. I climbed up Walton Hill and had some good views across the Moors. The ride passed to the south and east of Street and Glastonbury, before reaching an information control at Ham Street.
Leaving Ham Street the route climbed Pennard Hill, which has a black arrow on it on the Ordnance Survey map (this means it's between 1 in 7 and 1 in 5; 14% to 20%). The total climb only being about 120 metres. On then to Wookey Hole at the bottom of the Mendips. There was a control here in a nice cafe. (59 miles)
Then the climb of Ebbor Gorge. I'd climbed this two years ago on the Witch of Wookey Hole 100 k randonee. It hadn't changed. The wind really got up now. It seemed to be a cross wind. Ebbor Gorge has one of these black arrows on it and is a total climb of about 220 metres in about 1 mile (1.5k). I have a low gear on my bike of 24/30, which I used on this climb. Onward over the Mendips with it's ups and downs, finally dropping off the hills at Blagdon. A secret control just after was most welcome, with a few cakes to be had. It was definately raining again. Passed Chew Valley Lake and on through Chew Stoke, Wraxall and Nailsea to finish at Clevedon Craft Centre. It was now about 6 in the evening. It had taken me a good hour more than I had expected.
It certainly had been a lot harder than I had expected, mainly due to the headwind on the 'easy' bit.
I spent Sunday afternoon in front of the television, watching Jan Museew winning the Tour of Flanders. This was on Eurosport, with David Duffield doing the english commentry. He seems to be pretty knowledgable on the sport and gives some interesting commentries.
Steve Price