DID I DO IT? CYCLING OVER 200 KM’S TO OXFORD AND BACK!! OVER #EPISODE123 #cyclingvlog

Join me as I attempt to cycle solo to Oxford and back, over 200 km’s. It was somewhere I’d always wanted to go and in particular, cycle. I knew that the elevation was doable and for that distance pretty low which is why it was on my hit list. A ride like this means plenty of fuel, positivity, grit and mental clarity, when you’re 100km in with another 100 to go and that wind is hitting or that car is close passing the mind wants to give in, the body though is a wonderful thing capable of more than we know. Did I make it? There’s only one way to find out!!! Enjoy 🤟

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I used Komoot to map my ride and you can find the link here – https://www.komoot.com/tour/2597571956?ref=itd&share_token=a2uBUD5JIZV0KFfKh4hk9VFZZG5djwgfhd960BYHk8J4H2oCYb

Strava – Rookie C

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Video intro created by Charles Christie, for Custom Animations, Logos, Videography and more contact – charles.christie@outlook.com

Will I make it? Will I make it? What do you think? Look at that sun behind. Look. Beautiful. Beautiful. Morning guys. Right, today I’m off to Oxford. Don’t ask me why. I came up with the idea over the weekend a few days ago and then looked at the weather. It was nice and clear and something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. It’s about 200 km. I’m probably not quite a fit to be fair. I last went on the bike about a week ago and then before that it was too weak. So hopefully uh hopefully I’ve got the legs and the energy, but I guess we’ll find out, right? I can kind of do it at my own pace. We’ll see how that goes. I’ll try and film as much as I can so I can sort of capture it all for you. If you’re new to the channel, please like, comment, and subscribe. If you’re an existing viewer, please like, comment, and share. Follow me is we head to Oxford. Keep it on repeat. [Music] All right, guys. Right. I only thought about this over the last two days. I really want to I’ve wanted to do it for a while. I wanted to get it done today. I’ve only ridden a couple of times in the last month. So, I don’t know if it’s a bit foolish of me, bit stupid. I think like whenever you’re doing anything like this solo, it can be quite daunting, but I kind of think what’s the worst in effort? Do you know what I mean? Maybe if I just uh give up and get a train back, but I don’t think I’m going to. I think I’m going to go for it. So, I’ve stopped off in in Walton about 20k in and um I’ve just stopped off for some food and a quick we took creatine this morning. Loads and loads of water. So, that often means that you need to, you know, release a little bit. So, yeah. So, it’s a beautiful day. Perfect riding conditions. Little bit of wind, but that’s quite nice really. And this is this is lovely. I’ve never been here. Look. So, I’ve always seen this little turnoff on the way back from uh Windsor and stuff like I always wondered what was up here. Um but I don’t think I’m going to be able to go for a we so I might have to wait and pull over somewhere else. It’s quite built up. There’s quite a lot of people around. Anyway, yeah, guys. Um, so it’s going well so far. Feeling good. Obviously, I’m only 20k in, so it’s a bit absurd to say that, but it’s important. I’m comfortable. Have a little going to have a banana. I’m going to crack on and join me as I head to Oxford. I’ve never been, never driven, definitely never ridden. I’m going to try and take you on the route with me in a bit. Yeah. [Music] This is a shake down just like [Music] you got inside the way you like it. You’re the new MC. You got the remix everywhere you go. You bring the roof down. Everybody knows you got your own sound. So good, so fresh, just the way you like it. Just the way you like it. So good. So guys, I’ve stopped at Fernie Grove Farm. Little bit premature of me. I’m about 50k in, but have a look. This is what I’ve got. I was kind of thinking about going a bit further, maybe stopping at like I’m going via Henley. And I was thinking maybe I’ll stop round about there, but I know that this is really good food. Nice little pit stop. I can go to use a toilet. Yeah, it’s familiar. I’ve been here once before. Um, can’t remember if I did a little sort of review on it or not, but it’s a really good stop. It’s just outside of Windsor. So, yeah, I’m going to get some grub, get some fuel in me. I’m going to keep fueling the whole way. I suppose I’m about a quarter of the way in now. Wishful thinking. So, I’m going to Yeah, I’m going to wolf this banana bread down. Have some coke. Will I make it? Will I make it? What do you think? Comment. Comment. Um, yeah, I think I’ll do it. I’m pacing myself and going nice and slow. I think sometimes when you’re with other people as well, you kind of stay up with their pace if they’re quick or trying to outdo each other. But when you’re on your own, you can just take it easy. Cars have been all right. So, at the moment, I’m doing all right. It’s just starting to get into the country now. So, there’s there’s some nice landscape, but I think there’ll be more going through Hemley and obviously into Oxford. So, yeah, I’ll keep filming. The camera’s attached to the bike. Wish me luck. I’ll w this down and you can join me in a sec. In a bit. [Music] [Music] For me, [Music] it hitting some uh really nice countryside now. Small lanes, less cars, you know, it’s just nice when it’s like that. But yeah, so I just wanted to chat to you about why I wanted to do today. It’s something that I wanted to do for quite a long time now. And I keep putting it off and you know, it’s one of those Don’t know if you guys have the same with some of the routes you want to do. um you know, you just kind of you just make excuses and and I just wanted to get it done. Do you know what I mean? And I was kind of thinking I’ve got today off like the weather’s really good. Is a bit blowy, but at the moment I’ve had a mixture of tailwinds and headwinds, so not too bad. It’s as broad as it is long, as they say. I don’t know if that’s that relates to that, but you know what I’m saying anyway. Um, so yeah, I just wanted to tackle it, get it done, and go to Oxford as well. I’ve not been, so it’s going all right at the moment, but I don’t want to speak too soon. It’s all about pacing yourself, eating right, pacing yourself. Yeah, fueling properly. I think I’m doing all right on that front at present, but I guess we’ll see, won’t we? So, I’m currently heading towards Henley. There’s some lovely little quaint lanes and stuff like that. So, nice nice views, nice and quiet. So, I can chat to you guys and that always makes it a little bit more enjoyable when you get off those major a-roads and stuff. It just makes it little bit less frontier. You just take your time a little bit more, you know. Right guys, I’m going to jump off. Probably chat to you when I get to Henley. Going to kind of stop every 40k or so. Might sound a bit weird to some of you, but kind of feel like that’s what I need to do. I had pl I haven’t ridden for a long time, so I’m just trying to keep my fuel intake to the right level. Right guys, I will catch up with you very very shortly in a bit. [Music] It hit it. [Music] [Music] [Music] in Oxford here now. Going through Henley. Have a look at this. Have a look. This is a beautiful site coming into Oxford Shere. I’m on about 80k now. So really lovely roads at the moment. Bit rubbish through Henley, but this is nice and smooth now. Very very picturesque. You can see autumn’s coming, but it’s still beautiful. Hope you can hear me. All right, cuz it’s very windy, but I’m enjoying it so far. It’s good. Mind over matter. Right. Okay. Going to jump off. See you in a bit. [Music] I think we [Music] drive crazy away. I’m not Feel [Music] [Music] me crazy. Right, guys. I’m about 100 uh 100k in now. So, I’ve got another 10k roughly to Oxford. Roads are a bit jarring as you get a bit closer in. I went through a place called Piss Hill. I know it’s really juvenile, but it did make me it made me laugh. Um, it is beautiful though. I sort of pulled into a little uh layby. It’s obviously used by like um farms and stuff, bob chapters and farms. So hopefully I won’t be in someone’s way. Yeah. need just to get a little bit of fuel on board before I sort of hit a bit of a slump. So, I’m going to have a little bit to eat, get into Oxford, and then um I spotted a nice little cafe that I like the look of. It’s a cycling cafe. Can’t remember the name at the moment. Let’s have a look. Actually, kind of wanted to get there for about twoish, so it’s quart now. So, it’s called the Pelaton Espresso. Really good reviews. And there’s a little bit out the back that you can put your bike and stuff like that. So, I’m going to get there, get a nice coffee, get a nice bite to eat, and then see where we’re at. But, yeah, it’s going all right so far. I got the minerals to get back. But I’ll I’ll I’ll give it my best shot anyway. 10k to go into Oxford. And then a quick turn around and we head back. Right guys, going to wolf this down. See you in a bit. [Music] [Music] drive me crazy. Get away. I’m not feel Crazy [Music] crazy away. Drive crazy. [Music] [Music] Right. So, stopped off at Pelatin Espresso. Great little coffee shop, this cycling cafe. So, they allow you to take your bike out the back. Just was chatting to a nice guy actually, a customer that just came in and randomly just had a little chat with him, which was cool. Um, Oxford is really nice, but I’m not going to get the opportunity to um, check it out really. So, in and out and then in and out and back home. What’s the time now? So, it’s 110 km in um, another 110 back. Just exactly halfway fueled up, ready to go. Might get a few cakes on the way back as well, just to supply me with a little bit of fuel. I’m gonna have to stop a couple of times as well, but hopefully the driving’s a little bit better on the way back. Less erratic. But yeah, Pelaton Espresso. Check it out and I’ll catch up with you very, very short. Got to go. I’m in a rush. Let’s not [Music] the I can feel myself. [Music] [Music] [Music] Right, guys. Oh, yeah. Sorry. I couldn’t really um I couldn’t really um speak in espresso pelaton because I had um I had a guy that I was chatting to. He was on his own and he obviously wanted to talk and that’s fine. So, I couldn’t really give you a proper rundown. It’s really, really, really nice. Highly recommend it. Perfect for bikes and stuff. Food, the staff are really good. The coffee’s amazing. The food’s good. I got this flapjack for the way home. So, I’m about 140 kilometers in now, but I am getting a bit of a saddle so I have to talk to Chris about that. I’ve stopped in a little village called Postcom. Very beautiful. The roads are getting busy now. It’s about It’s coming up to 400 p.m. about 20 kilometers till I get to Windsor and then from there it’s not far. That’s that’s kind of how I’m doing this bit by bit. But yeah, I feel all right in myself actually. Just getting a tiny bit of neck pain, but that’s the arrow position of my bike. I’ve set it up like that. So, I think sort of an endurance ride, endurance bike for this sort of ride would be perfect. But I’m all right. I’m all right. It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. It really is. I just haven’t been able to ride this this month that much. So, considering I’ve just not done much, 200 km, 220 km, it’s going to be quite significant. Right. Bit of water now. Not resting too long. Literally 5 minutes and then I’m back on it. I tell you what’s hard way. You know, when you’re coming out of Oxford and into Oxford, there’s a that main road, the road I took, I followed a mate’s route. He sent me a route to Oxford and that he’ done a couple of times and he’s quick and they done it in a pelaton. So, I followed the same route, but as it’s getting busier, it’s getting harder because there’s more and more cars up your backside, and you do feel pressure to kind of push it a bit more. And that’s what gets you cuz you can’t sort of take it as easy as as what you’d want to, you know. But um it’s sunny, it’s light. I’m going to try and get back before it gets dark as well. But yeah, right guys, wish me luck. I’m not giving up just yet. I’m going to try and do it all right in a bit. [Music] I put sunshine in my pocket and I put on a rocket. Now it’s flying all the way to you. I put in my pocket and I put on a rocket. Now it’s flying all the way to you. I put in my pocket and I put on a rock and now it’s flying all the way to you. [Music] We go. [Music] You know want it. You know you want it. You know you want it. So you should never get it. I’ putting on a rocket. Now it’s flying all the way to you. I’ now it’s flying all the way to you. All right, guys. Went through Marlo. I’ve never been there. That was really beautiful. Mental climb on the way out, though. Oh, 160 km in. So, I’m nearly there. About 50 km to go. That’s doable, isn’t it? That’s doable. I’ve just got to kind of keep counting down. I’m needing to stop more and more. I’ve got an ice cream 99 and a bottle of Coke. Honestly, that as you go over Marlo Bridge, I don’t know if any of you guys have done that, it’s this twisty road that goes up and there was one bit and I’m like, I’ve just got not much left in the tank. Had to this really sharp really sharp bend to the left and it went up to like I think it was like 16 17% on a on a corner. It was just Oh, it’s horrible. I went past this ice cream van, little car park there. I actually went past it and then thought I’ve got to get I’ve got to get that. I need your support, guys. I need a little bit of I need to just dig in now and focus on these last 50k. But I’m just ticking off 10 at a time. You know, one of those I might even get to Kingston and just be like, “Right, Uber, take me home. I’ve done 200.” I know I’m not meant to do this, guys. up. Laid her down. This has definitely got me out of trouble. Right, I’m going to wolf this down. Back to it. Wish me luck. In a bit. I think we feel [Music] [Music] crazy Guys, I’m on 180 kilometers. My benchmark was 200. I’ve rooted home now. So, I’ve kept the route going, but changed the uh the navigation for a slightly more direct route home. So, let’s hope that that works. I just want to get to 200. If I can get to 200, I’ll be buzzing to be honest. So, yeah. Stick with me, guys. Nearly there. Woo. I’m getting this keep getting like little surges of energy and then slumps. But look at that sun behind that. Beautiful. Beautiful. Right. It’s nearly 7:00, right? And I’m on 91 kilometers. So nearly there. It’s getting dark. My Osmo is running out of battery. So, I’m using the GoPro and it’s not great in low light, but you’re getting the picture. I’ve got I think I’ve got about 25 kilometers left to get home. I rerooted. I’m in I’m in Houndsville now. I’ve just can’t wait to get home now. I’ll do a little um video soon as I get back home. I don’t think I’m going to film much now cuz the other one’s sort of running out of power. So, you’re not going to be able to see anything. So nearly there in a bit. Driv [Music] Right, guys. I’m back. Apologies for the poor light quality, but I don’t care to be honest. Have a look at the scores on the doors. Don’t know if you can see that. End ride. Yes. Have a look. Have a look. 213. You see that? 213 kilometers, average speed of 25. That’s not too shabby. That’s actually not too shabby. So, um I’ll take that. Over 1,000 m ascended as well. Um yeah, I’m uh I’m shattered. I’m absolutely shattered. So, um, I’ll put the link up to the route, but I don’t think you’ll want to do it, to be honest. It’s not that great. There’s some really nice bits, but a lot of it’s just the same thing again, again, and again, and the roads, some of the roads are a bit torn up and stuff. But yeah, if you do do it, I’ll put the route up anyway. I feel really um good like I’ve achieved you know achieved something quite special there considering my fitness wasn’t I didn’t think it was the best. I’ll take it as a win. Um thanks for watching. Please like, comment, and subscribe and I’ll see you after I’ve recovered a little bit on the next one. Bye.