This was a Sportive I was really looking forward to doing along with many others from SWNC, my friend Gina was joining us too so I knew it would be a fun day out,especially as good weather was predicted for the day.
Little did we know it was going to be such an Epic ride but not due to the distance !!
It started with Epic queues to get into the car park, then Epic queues to get signed on, but that did not dampen our moods as we excitedly  set off on the Epic 70 mile route.
The first 40 miles was a  great ride along some nice quiet scenic roads and then we arrived at the Reedham Ferry and saw the mega Epic queue and it all went down hill from there 🙁
The estimated queuing time for the Ferry was 2 hours !! we tried to work a way round it but there was none, unless like Gina you could just ride home. Gina was sad to leave us but she made the right decision as she was home before we even got on the ferry.
After such a long wait I was feeling very cold, and found it really hard to get going again, we had all lost a little of our enthusiasm too, which made the next 10 miles really tough , then we all seemed to perk up and  I thought only another 20 miles and we shall be done and have our medals and a beer.
But that was not to be, as by the time we finished they had run out of Medals, how that can happen I am not really sure unless you have been greedy and let more people register on the day.
None of us could be bothered to go for a beer either as the 2 hour ferry wait had made it a long day, so a disappointing end to what could and should of been a great day
They did say they would post our medals and I admit that I didn’t believe they would but 3 weeks after the event I have my medal………. and its a real Epic one 🙂
Sorry to hear it was such a shambles when you should have been having fun. Who organised the event? Was the ferry always part of the route and did something unforseen go wrong like the ferry operating a restricted service due to breakdown? Or was it just the sad result of poor planning?
Lucky it was not tipping down and blowing hard, or you’d all have been hypothermic not just cold! Guess things will be different in 2015 – if the event runs again.
Hi Martin
Yes we were very lucky that it was not cold and raining….. think it was 2nd year for this sportive and trying to get over 1000 riders over that ferry was always going to be impossible …….. it wont be in next years route 🙂
Yes, I think I did make the right decision, but I enjoyed the first half of the ride that I did with you all and I agree that the medal does indeed look epic. I won’t be doing this Sportive again though 🙁
Hi Gina…….
Have been told the ferry crossing wont be in next years route 🙂 and at least we finally got the medal 🙂