The Gutbuster

for those that don't know ...The Gutbuster is a local ride that pieces together most of the major South Downs climbs between the Meon Valley in the west and Goodwood in the east.  The ride starts from Portsdown Hill and is named after the legendary burger available from Mick's burger van ....eating one before the ride is not compulsory and probably not recommended.  Although a small bacon and egg roll is a good way to start! The ride is 145k and 2600m of climbing and definitely feels like that at the end.  I started the ride at 6am (after the aforementioned egg & bacon roll and  cuppa) and set off west to Beacon Hill. The lanes were quiet, there was lots of wildlife around and most importantly I managed to miss the huge rain storm that swept through at 7am! It's a fantastic ride ...the first half to South Harting is very well know as it's my regular training ride, but the 2nd section further east is not so familiar but it delivers more stunning country side as one hugs the north sides of the downs heading out to Gratham , Duncton Down and eventually Goodwood race course.  The best Chocolate biscuit cake in the world is still available at the post office in Cocking but the tea van at Goodwood was nowhere to be seen! Eventually you come back west via the Mardens, Clanfield and Denmead with one last pull up Pigeon House lane on to the ridge of Portsdown Hill.  I arrived back at 13:30 (7.5 hours including an hour of stops for food and photos) the car park now full ....a huge queue for Mick's but no queue for the ice cream van!

The only way to start a ride

not the South of France but Portsdown Hill

still misty at 6am

Rippening barley

North from the South Downs

view from Ditcham Park School

North side of the Downs

East Dean

Goodwood

Flags for Glorious Goodwood

no queue at the icecream van!

PBP - one month today

It's nearly here ...one month today we'll hopefully be enjoying a carb' loading lunch in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines with fellow randonneurs and generally killing time waiting for the 90hour group start time at 18:00.  We'll be sent off in waves of 500 with motorbike outriders to guide us out through the suburbs of Paris and let loose for Brest! There are not many weekend training rides left for preparation.  I'll be out over the South Downs as usual this weekend, doing some training in wales, and riding the West Bay and back 200k audax on the 7th Audax. Then it will be time to taper off a little, the final ride being a pre-PBP local social ride onthe Sunday before we leave for France. It now feels very real and very close!

I now have my frame number .....I will be given a small plastic plaque to attach to my bike with the following number:

Pays	Nom	Prénom	Machine	Plaque
GB	STOTT	PETER	velo	5734

you will be able to track my progress via the PBP website, entering my frame number, and I have created a link on the right hand side of this Blog.