The wonderful world wide web reveals the origins of the name Audax as thus;
“French from Italian (apparently originally with reference to a ride from Rome to Naples first held in 1897), from Latin audax, audac- ‘bold, daring’ (see audacious).”
Certainly anyone attempting to ride Simon’s permanent “Tour of Kernow” could be described as bold – or daring – or just a little bonkers! It’s 450km and the time limit is 30 hrs. There are three ferries to catch. And a lot of very steep hills to climb. Yep, that’s certainly sounding audacious ( or foolish conceit? ).
Simon’s attempted it. Note the word attempt! But he tells me that John Morse has done it four or five times – and has been issued with a brevet card so is clearly keen to do it again. I wonder what the attraction is?
This takes me back to the time I completed the “Highlands and Glens 1200” in the Scottish Highlands. There were a lot of ferries to catch and hills to climb. Critically there were three ferries within the first half of the first day – from Oban to Mull and then back onto the mainland and from Mallaig to Skye. Thankfully there is now a bridge off Skye to the Kyle of Lochalsh so by this stage the “panic” is over. Miss anyone of these ferries, and your ride could fall drastically behind time.
You can start Simon’s ride from any point on the circular route which conveniently passes through Falmouth. And you can go in either direction. Clearly summer is the best time to tackle it with the longer hours of light and later ferry services – you wouldn’t want the cold and wet of winter to add further to the anxiety of chasing ferries and the interminable hills.
Tuesday seemed like a good day with clear skies and a light north easterly wind forecast. Or so I thought. But however light the wind is, if you have to cycle the entire north coast from Lands End to Morewenstow directly into it – and in temperatures in the 20’s – it becomes challenging in another way. Hey ho, think audacious.
So at the “Lockdown Inn” on Saturday I casually announced my intention and was taken aback by the generous offers of company. You get that a lot in pubs. However, true to his word Steve Pond met me at 11:55pm in Penryn on Monday night ( and Chris later at Perranporth ) and we cycled into Falmouth for the start. I figured that to cheat the sleep deprivation I would go to bed Monday afternoon and wake at 11:00pm – then it was only 5 hours to wait before the first glimmers of morning🤪.
Apart from the unexpected chill we experienced in the low valleys the conditions were ideal and the deserted lanes felt magical with much of the dispiriting sight of any hills now hidden from view. We chatted whilst we spun low gears conscious to preserve every bit of energy. Falling behind the average speed of 13.5/14 mph we would soon catch up on the flatter sections. To Gweek, Lizard and Porthleven all bewitchingly quiet and on to Marazion, Penzance and our first stop for food at Mousehole. Satisfyingly we were still in time when we packed up and began our struggle up Raginnis Hill. I imagine I have twenty “matches” at my disposal and it’s fair to say that I used one of them then! Steve is a big guy but is making very good progress, however we’re both relieved to be back on mostly undulating terrain and the road to Lands End. We arrive at Lands End at 4:30 and I take a photo record of the main entrance. Lands End, the West Country’s most disappointing tourist attraction!
True to my prediction, as we turn East there is a band of radiant light stretching across our hilly horizon. Though I have 3 1/2 hrs before my 8 o’clock rendezvous with Chris at Wetherspoons in Perranporth, Steve feels he may begin holding me back and invites me to go on. I’m reluctant at first but soon recognise that he doesn’t need the pressure – this is very common in long distance cycling where you are a lot more comfortable cycling at your own pace. Steve would eventually peel off at Hayle to start his day working day in Truro!
I’m comfortably within time and enjoy the relaxed ride along the coast heading towards St Ives watching the sun gradually show itself. However, cutting across through Towednack, it becomes a vast orb glowing directly in my face and I have to remove my cheap bifocal sunglasses in order to see at all!
Hayle is still quiet, as are all the familiar lanes beyond, and it’s no time before I’m making my way into a very quiet St Agnes, the next control. I choose the option of taking a photo and find the St Agnes Hotel as a backdrop. Just the long climb out and I can start thinking about breakfast.
I arrive at Wetherspoons with ten minutes to spare but the doors are open and there are plenty of staff getting ready for service so I sit in the warm sunshine outside. There’s good signage and social distancing – and a request you leave contact details – though this doesn’t appear to be mandatory! It isn’t long before Chris joins me and we order breakfast. After a relaxed meal and use of the toilet facilities we make a start. The world is now fully awake and I begin to regret the decision to take the main road to Newquay as all the respect that was being built during lockdown has now vanished. Cars seem to be more aggressive than ever! I make a mental note. Thankfully we’re soon on the quieter coastal roads and we have an opportunity to establish a good “working” relationship with Chris taking the initial strain. Though its not by any means quick I tell him to knock it back slightly and to be aware that we must minimise energy expenditure. Coming out of Mawgan Porth I use another match and remind Chris that we have another 160 miles still to go! Perceived effort is something quite difficult to judge when you have fresh legs!
We arrive in Padstow at 10:40 and join the long queue for the ferry to Rock. It doesn’t look like we’ll make the cut this time but amazingly they squeeze us on!And this is the last ferry that will run from the quay – future ones will depart from the beach further along due to the rapidly falling spring tide. Evidence of this is immediately clear when we’re dropped off on the sand on the Rock side of the estuary – Rock is ten minutes walk across the sands! Once there we stop briefly for a snack and then head on. The route is straightforward and largely easy rolling terrain until we get to Delabole where we turn off for Tintagel and Boscastle. Much later, after lunch, Chris informs me that the climb out of Boscastle was four miles. Well, there’s a surprise!
I’m very aware to keep those matches in the box but I’m starting to feel “frazzled”. We’re drinking plenty of water but maybe it isn’t enough. Once more we make a decision to “main road it” rather than to go to Bude via Widmouth Bay. Though the road is busy, we make good progress and the speed provides a welcome cooling breeze. It’s not long before we’re dropping into Bude and we can rendezvous with a friend at Crooklets beach for a welcome pizza lunch.
The goat cheese turned out to be the right choice and settles easily in my stomach – though a twenty minute nap to finish off would have been nice! We discussed the options open to us in the light of the limited time to the last Boddinick ferry but via Morewenstow and the hot conditions we’d have to put up with. Chris was looking frazzled too and readily agreed that a shortened course would be a good idea. Psychologically this is uplifting as we are 1). Not only heading home but 2). It’s all down hill from Bude! So we look at our new route, pose for a photo then make our way through Poughill out of Bude heading now for “Laaanson” instead of another crippling climb at Coombe further up the coast. There are crazy drivers on the main road but it’s not long before we’re on the B road heading to Whitstone and things become more civilised. Through “Laaanson” and keeping to the B3254 we head towards Liskeard giving us a couple of options, either to go for the Boddinick ferry or head to Lostwithiel. Chris punctures before a decision is made and we stop for half an hour whilst I watch him put in a startlingly quick performance for a Falmouth Wheeler. It’s lucky for him that we’re still together at this point as he needs the help of my out dated old fashioned device that reliably puts air in tyres. His chosen method is the far smaller, neater, gas canister. Unfortunately it lacked much of the vital ingredient! So lucky for Chris that he elects to return by train from Liskeard with 100+ miles under his belt after the puncture, as it was a long walk to the station. In cycling shoes! I have a quick look in my box and see that I have quite a few matches left. The only problem is that a few of them are looking soggy. Are you keeping up??
Free to fly I cut across through Minnions and cross over the A38 to East Taphouse and the road to the Boddinick ferry. I arrive only 25 mins before the time I’d scheduled for the whole ride so immediately realised I’d need a different strategy if this is going to work in the future. From Fowey I’d then have to get to St Mawes, the last control, for 9:30 to make the last King Harry ferry home. As I rode up the now deserted hill out of Fowey I noticed my Garmin had froze. I had it attached to a battery pack so was sure it had power – I think it was just exhausted! After many attempts to reboot it whilst consuming one of the most miserable meals of life bought from the garage at the crossroads above Fowey – a salad wrap thingy full of squishy salad and ‘something’ else – it eventually sprang to life. I thought the safe thing to do was save the 200+ mile ride and start it again.
I’d approach the ride cautiously and with respect. I had the considerable help of company on route but felt I had underestimated the unknowns that are always going to be a part of long distance cycling. I varied my position on the bike and made full use of the aerodynamic advantage of tt bars. I fuel regularly and keep hydrated and allow plenty of time for stops. So my strategy to beat sleep deprivation needs tinkering with – a slightly earlier start and breakfast in Newquay maybe? With my Garmin record cut short – and therefore the ride I could post on Strava – I was sorely tempted to phone Gill. As you all know Gill has enough to put up with ( me ) already – and that would mean she couldn’t finish the day with a glass of wine! So I phoned her and explained I’d be home before 11:00pm. I restarted the Garmin and started recording the second of my days rides. One was a hugely rewarding and treasured experience and one was an indescribably painful self inflicted torture. Strava only ever gives us a small window on all our endeavours!
Approx 240 miles with about 20,000ft of climb.