Bob Kemp memorial ride

  • Starts: Saturday 30 June 2018 5:00 am
  • Ride leader/Event organiser: John Rosbottom
  • Category:
  • Route grade: A - Demanding route
  • Ride to elevenses grade: A - Demanding route
At: The Spring Centre, Havant

Address: East Street, Havant, P09 1BS

The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre web site is here.

More details and map.

Contact us about this event

Send an email to ride leader/event organiser: John Rosbottom.

Map

The Bob Kemp Memorial ride is a "full value" imperial century that is intended to provide riders who may not have ridden 100 miles in a day with an opportunity to sample long distance cycling on a well-supported, relatively easy and fun ride.

BKM2018Map
(distance roundels are in km, click to enlarge)

There are two start points: 5am in Havant at the Spring Centre and 6am in Wickham at the public toilets in Station Road, (about 17km or just under 1 hour from Havant). The early morning start means we will enjoy some exceptionally quiet roads for the first few hours and we will arrive in Salisbury around 09h30, in time for breakfast.

BKM2018Statistics
(click to enlarge)

As you can see the longest climb is the ascent of Portsdown Hill not long after the start in Havant, and the steepest climb is just North of Hursley. However, overall, the ride to Salisbury at 50 miles / 80 km is flat(ish). We will find some hills on the way home though, making the ride overall a hilly one.

BKM2018Profile
(click to enlarge)

The finish will be late afternoon as usual. Bring a bit of food/emergency rations as there are few eating opportunities on the way out to Salisbury (especially at the time we will be riding). If the weather forecast is sunny bring sun tan cream. It's very important to bring a water bottle, basic toolkit and at least one spare inner tube. The most important thing of all is to be comfortable on whatever bike you use; comfort is the key to enjoyable long-distance riding. Get some rest the day before the early start, and aim to be well hydrated (avoid too much coffee and alcohol the evening before).

You don't need to worry that the pace will be too fast; the ride is more about energy conservation than speed. The toughest part of the ride is towards the end when people start to feel tired, so taking it steady is important. We will be off the bikes for food and rest for around 3 hours, so expect the 120 miles (if you are doing the full Havant to Havant ride) to take around 10 hours riding, arriving back in Havant around 6pm.

Salisbury itself is just under 50 miles / 80km, so you can see most of the hills are after second breakfast. Here is the complete route, you can zoom in and out to see the detail:

Click to show the route

Download the GPX file

Please let John know if you plan to come, and whether you will start in Havant or Wickham.

About Saturday and Wednesday rides

Rides from Havant with stops for elevenses, lunch and sometimes tea. If you're unable to keep up or have a mechanical problem, someone will be available to help you - although we obviously cannot guarantee to solve all problems.

Riders are free to join and leave the ride at various points. Some ride directly to the elevenses stop.

Click either heading below to find out more about Wednesday and Saturday rides:

Wednesday rides

Wednesday rides are the largest of our rides and can provide a range of options to riders. We often split into multiple groups at the start, for example:

  • A fast group that takes a longer and/or hillier route to the elevenses stop
  • A ride which takes a more direct route to the elevenses stop at a moderate pace
  • An elevenses ride comprised of riders going only to elevenses; the elevenses ride will have its own ride leader and might go to a different destination if the route to the main elevenses destination is long and/or hilly

On Wednesdays it is highly likely that there will be several riders coming back to the Havant area from the elevenses stop - although they might not include a PCTC ride leader. If that is what you'd like to do, please consult the ride leader at the start to ensure someone knows and is able to bring you back.

In addition, some rides split after elevenses to go at different paces or to alternate destinations. These are usually announced during the ride briefing. Please ask if you are unsure about the options available.

Saturday rides

Saturday rides are (usually) much smaller than Wednesday rides. As a result they offer fewer options for rides but more flexibility for routes and destinations.

The rides are often shown as 'informal' meaning there is no prescribed ride leader. Unless weather is particularly adverse, however, they always go ahead at the stated time and start point. We try to keep to the suggested elevenses destination to allow for people who want to ride directly there.

The lunch destination does change occasionally but we will always take views of riders into account. In particular, if you join a ride because you think you can manage the distance/hilliness, we would not substitute an alternative if it meant you couldn't join the ride.

If you want to ride with us but only to elevenses and need someone to help you with the route back, please use our general enquiry form to let us know in advance of the ride so we can try to arrange something for you.

This article describes what you should consider bringing with you on one of these rides.

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