Mildenhall

For several years Mildenhall has been a cycling event that the Northants & North Bucks DA have been to en masse - typically a thirty strong contingent camping (see photo right for a small part of our camping area)

The weekend sees a variety of rides and activities. In 2003 we were particularly active - in the Audax, the off-road challenage, racing and touring.

Here you'll find some details of the weekend, how our members fared and what we got up to. You can find even more details on Mildenhall CC's website. One thing you can be sure of is that we'll be there again next year. Perhaps in 2005 you'll want to join us?

Camping at Mildenhall Aug 2003- Peter Crighton

Early (very early - around 4am!) John Weller set off on the 300km Audax event.

"After a little sleep & having no alarm to raise me at 3.30am for the Saturday 4.am start. I left the safe haven of my tent for the start 100yards up the field in the car park. A rumbling noise was coming from my front wheel & the ride was very harsh. It was a front wheel puncture. What a great start! . In no time the wheel was out & inner tube replaced, just in time to join the rear of the last group of riders to leave the car park on the first leg through Cambridge & then on to Sandy near Beds.

"I rode past a lot of riders in the first mile or so & possibly due to the extra adrenalin of the puncture & not being able to think clearly at 4.am I decided to try & catch the leading group. Whilst doing this worrying that I was over extending myself & that I would pay the price of this over exertion later as I still had just the 280K to go. This was my first 300k audax. I have ridden a few 200k events & from these I know that keeping with the front bunch you can get a lot of miles under your wheels quickly, & if you don’t do this to the 1st control you don’t get another chance.

"Any way after what seemed a long chase I caught the group up, all the while encouraging myself that when I gain contact I can sit at the back of the group & recuperate. I must say here that for people new to Audax, s they are not a race, but you ride them at a pace that suits yourself, within time limits stated by the organizer. This means you cannot arrive at a control before a certain time or after a certain time. Anyway I stayed with this group till the 1st control. & A lot of the riders within this group would be travelling companions for the whole of the ride. Two riders were locals of Suffolk & one was riding a fixed wheel bike with a 71” gear, which seemed just right for this flattish course. During the whole 300k ride they would catch me or after a tea stop I would leave 1st make a wrong turning & then later catch them. Infact as I rode up to the final Island on the A11on the return leg to Mildenhall they rode up by my side & we rode into the finish.

"I was hoping to get back from the ride at 5.00pm but I arrived back at 6.0pm I had added an extra 16miles to what should have been just under 200 miles due to my excursions around Biggleswade & into villages I should not have visited (i.e. getting lost) so if I had followed the correct route probably I would have finished at 5pm.I was very pleased that it was completed. It was a long but enjoyable day & the weather had been kind, & seeing daybreak on a bike was another experience. I fully recommend doing these audax,s to get a good nights sleep in a tent, as that night I slept like a log."

Congratulations must go to John for completing his first 300k.

Tea Stop at Risby Aug 2003- Peter Crighton

Later Saturday saw most of the remainder of our contingent go cycling in one of a few groups. One group made it to Clare on a 50 mile ride while another did a 33 mile loop in a similar direction.

The shorter group stopped at Risby for morning coffee, stopping at a pub for lunch. On the left is the group that did the longer ride, stopping at Risby in the afternoon after a picnic lunch in the grounds of Clare Castle.

Sunday is traditionally a day when many people visit the trade stalls and watch the grass-track racing. However in the morning Peter Crighton went off on the "Off-Road Challenge". The Off-Road Challenge is like orienteering on a bike - the aim is to visit a series of locations within a set time limit, punch the card and return to the start.

"I was fired up to do something different on the morning. At 9am I went to the information area, signed on and collected my map. After a few minutes working out my route I set off, heading for the most distant controls first. I couldn't find the first control. Or the second. In between I took a wrong route on a short-cut and ended up riding a longer route, and I hadn't seen another cyclist along the way. Was I doing something wrong? At the second control I met someone else - at least we seemed to agree that this was the right place. We'd keep meeting up again through the remainder of the event.

"Looking for the third control he said that the orange tape (the identity of the location) was under a large tree. I found it, but like him I could not find the punch... Starting to feel demoralised I began to consider quitting the event. On the way to the fourth point (on a very fast, very sandy track) I was caught by another guy, and we found the punch very quickly - at last a punch found.

It turned out that all three of us were now following the same route - we kept meeting up at or near the controls. With the final five of the eight controls found I felt much happier. I shan't know where I finsihed until it appears on the Mildenhall Rally website...."

Throughout the weekend there was grass track racing (see photo right and below). On both Sunday and Monday there was a display by Elmy Cycles Trials Display Team to entertain us.

Grass Track Racing Aug 2003- Claire Yearby

On Monday two of the children, Florence and Toby, entered the Cyclo-cross. Florence finished 16th in the Under 12's (8th girl) and Toby finished 9th in the Under 9's competition.

Grass Track Racing Aug 2003- Claire Yearby