Restrap 100mile Winter Solstice Ride
Restrap are running their Winter Solstice ride again this year.
I completed this yesterday on what felt like one of the warmest days recently. I went to bed on the Sunday evening and slept awfully - probably not helped by the Grinch MacDonald’s meal that I consumed earlier that evening!
Waking up at 5:30, I had to really push myself to get up and get out of bed - I could have easily stayed in bed. By 6:30, though, I was ready and,spurred on by the fact that I’d not have to go to do the Christmas food shop, started the ride.
My lights shone bright as I headed towards Knutsford and Tatton Park. It was here that I encountered the only real problem with the route - Tatton Park didn’t open till 8 a.m. for pedestrians. I ended up taking what I thought would be the longer route around the outside of the park. Into Bowden I cycled and then Dunham, where I joined the Transpenine Trail. By this point, the sky was starting to lighten.
After about 20 miles, I stopped at a Co-Op and bought breakfast - a freshly baked chocolate croissant. Then I continued along the TPT all the way to Warrington.
From Warrington, I climbed up the hill to Stretton before dropping right down at Preston on the Hill. The road weaved its way all the way into Frodsham, where I hit the hardest (and longest) climb of the day.
Whilst not particularly high, it felt like it went on forever, and I celebrated at the top with some hot chocolate!
The undulating roads followed a convoluted route, now all the way to Nantwich at 65 miles, where I decided to stop for lunch. Here, a hearty plate of beans on toast followed by a large flapjack filled me.
The route from Nantwich generally followed the old Cheshire Cat route - Wynbury, Weston, and Alsager. Here, a little variance was thrown in as I headed towards Rode Heath before starting the final 20 miles or so back home on familiar roads.
In Goostry, I stopped at the Trading Post, a known cyclist stop, before the final 10 miles brought me back home with a total of 101.19 miles.
Despite the diversion around Tatton, the route was only 0.1 miles longer than my original planned route.
I’ve now submitted my route to Restrap. Let’s see if I win anything in January!
There are still 5 more days if you want to enter.
