Three down: 25% of the way there, at least in terms of distance. Probably not in terms of mental load: the Ultimate Gospel Pass Audax was hard, but it was hard in good weather. This one, like the Ball Buster before it, was a brilliant day out in nigh-on-perfect conditions. Sooner or later my luck, and the daylight, will run out. But you have to make hay, etc and so on…

The day dawned to the news that John Stevenson had died. I’d always planned to ride this Mendip Man route, as a DIY ride, but now I’ll always think of it as John on his way to a different place where he’s no doubt being forthright about something. In hindsight maybe I should have made the balloon a bit bigger rather than adding a puerile loop to underline the fact that the man is a man. But I doubt John would mind.

Mendip Man Audax 2
Mendip Man Audax 2 (Image Credit: Dave Atkinson)

It’s very much a ride of two halves, this. The Mendip Man is a classic and we rode it the easier way round, with the East Harptree, Deer Leap and Cheddar ascents up to the Mendip plateau. In reverse you get to do Two Trees (awful) and Draycott (even worse) so at least it wasn’t that, but it’s pretty up and down. The weather could hardly have been better though, with the temperatures tailing off a bit but the sun still shining, and by the time we were sitting eating chips by Chew Valley Lake at around halfway we just had a bit of head and the top of an arm to do, and we were well ahead of schedule. So we sat there for a couple of hours; it didn’t feel like we were ever going to trouble the 14-hour time limit, and it was nice out.

If the Man is characterised by his lumpiness, the Balloon is very much the opposite. There was a bit of climbing and a bit of headwind to chew through up to Dodington and the high point of the second half, but once you’re there and your Hammerhead tells you there’s not another significant climb until about 5km from the end, and you’re turned around and riding with the wind, it’s just a case of getting it done, on easy flat roads through some stunning South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire scenery. 

Mendip Man Audax 4
Mendip Man Audax 4 (Image Credit: Dave Atkinson)

Not much to report from that part of the ride, except to say that the peak Audax moment of this ride occurred when we were eating crisps and Haribo on an abandoned waiting room bench in an alley round the side of the Londis in Corsham. That’s what it’s all about, people.

Mendip Man Audax 1
Mendip Man Audax 1 (Image Credit: Dave Atkinson)

The aforementioned significant climb was the slog out of Iford, after passing the splendid manor house, and once up that the last bit of business was the slog back up to the south terraces of Bath and home for a cold beer in the deckchairs in the garden, although a cup of tea inside in the warm might have been a better plan. A straightforward tick, this one: big thanks to Iwein for joining me for the whole thing and Dan and Ben for doing a half each, so there were always three people to share the turns.

Fat Dave update: I’m still fat. Mostly from not trying too hard not to be. With one month until a 600km three-dayer I’ll be putting the hours into that over the next few weeks to at least get down to two digits. Wish me luck!

201km / 2,746m / 11h51m / 103kg

https://www.strava.com/activities/14378475245