In @allenjamesuk Hands

Most weekends when we get out @allenjamesuk comes out with us as you can see from previous blogs. He was a diamond this week and not only nearly killed us with his route, he also wrote the blog for us whilst the rest of us attended the @footballforharry event.
Over to sat nav Al :-

So this morning I headed out with the @cyclingforharry lads on a training ride.

For those of you who don't know, @cyclingforharry is a group of people on twitter who are riding bikes from Birmingham to Wembley to raise money and awareness for children's cancer. I bumped into these guys on twitter and whenever I can like to get out with them to encourage them on.

Over twitter on Saturday night, people were asking are we riding ? will it be too cold ? will it rain ? I check Weatherpro on the iPhone and its going to be bright and over freezing point. It was decided the ride was on and a few people confirmed they "were up for it". Result !

So today I wake up to it being -6'c outside and the roads are frosty. I get my breakfast down and a nice brew and decide what to wear. Thinking it was probably too cold for shorts, I decided on tights, and overshoes, with a base layer top, a cycling top and the waterproof/wind proof jacket - nice and toasty ! !

At this point I realise my phone is on airplane mode and as I switch it to normal, a text comes in from Brian (@bcfcboz) which he sent at 7:30 am "do you think it's too cold for a ride?" After wrestling myself into all this gear ? No chance of cancelling. I text him back, "I'm ready to roll, see you in 5 mins"

09:15 approaches and there is no sign of Andy (@primal2001) meeting me at my house. Thinking he has bailed on me, I put my helmet and gloves on, fire up Endomondo on the iPhone to track my route, and head off round to meet the others at The Olton Tavern for a 9:20 start.

My road is frosty and I test out how hard I can pedal before I lose traction, all good, frosty but not slippy. As I turn into Moordown Ave, Andy is riding towards me and joins the ride, (he went back for his balaclava which was why he was late), anyway, we are off along Castle Lane to the Tavern.

We meet the others (@bcfcboz, @benno112, @davejbrady, @brunone1, @frankmorris and @davespittle), mostly familiar faces but a couple of inductions needed. Nice to meet Dave Spittle and good to get out with Brady on his road bike.

Good ol' Frank Morris is there on his trusty (sp?) steed and says He will ride as far as he can then loop round back home. After a brief micky take of @brunone1 in his shorts (WTF) , 5 mins later we are off along lode lane. The local roads were fine, not slippy at all, but we all took that bit of extra care round the corners.

Our very own Frank of the Antarctic, peeled off at Rowood Drive and headed towards home completing about 5 miles. He was frozen and still not 100% after his man flu. We all wave and continue on along Wharf Lane to Lugtrout Lane.

We are now heading out onto untreated "country roads" and again, it's time to take it real steady round the corners. At this point we are making great progress on the straights and the pack are moving along at a decent pace.

The first "comfort" break was at 10 miles. A brief stop to take on and off-load some water. 5 mins later were off again. At 11.5 miles we are into Cuttlepool Lane and the roads are getting really narrow and shaded by trees. Bring on the ice !!! Throught the trees and up the hills we get to Sparrowcock Lane and rise up the hill towards Chadwick End. Cracking scenery and @Benno112 took great delight in talking to the sheep in the fields.

Heading through Baddesley Clinton towards Rowington again we are on nice, quiet, flat roads. A couple overtake us on their bikes and show us hows its done. @davejbrady asks me "WHY DON'T YOUR BACKSIDE LOOK LIKE HERS ALLEN ?". Sorry for the capitals, but you get the idea, yes Dave had his earphones in !

At Rowington, we are now into the recently added bit of the route. Dropping down the sweeping hill and over the canal at the "Tom o' the Wood" the roads were very icy. Cautiously we are now heading towards the M40 and we know the hills are approaching. (16.5 miles)

@brunone1 declares his hate for road planners at this point and says the motorway should go over us as they have engines, instead of us climbing up over the motorway. I tend to agree with him at this point and start to feel it in my legs. Another sweeping rising S - bend and we are climbing again before the drop down into Lowsonford. No 20 min break here this week to fix punctures, we head right towards Lapworth and get straight into another hill.

At the turn off towards Henley, we stop for another breather.(18.5 miles) @benno112 clears his lungs and winds up the local dog owners. @davejbrady and @bcfcboz grab some photos and we head off again along Bushwood Lane.

@primal2001 was asking all the way round "if we could get that hill in near Tanworth in Arden" and as I get my bearings I realise if we swing a left at Irelands Lane, it will send us towards Tanworth in Arden.

At Irelands Lane (19.5 miles) we turn left onto virgin roads - I really didnt know where it was leading. It didnt seem to bad, nice quiet roads, no ice and pretty flat - for the next 100 yards, then that was it, bring on the hills.

The next 1.5 miles to the A3400 were rediculous, up steep hill, down steep hill and repeat until you are exhausted. As I said previously, my legs were feeling it at 16.5 miles in, at this stage @brunone1 starts to feel it too, but we push on and regroup at the A3400.

Straight over towards Earlswood, the road slowly gains steepness through Danzey Green and into Tanworth in Arden where we get to "the hill" @primal2001 was so keen for us to show the @cyclingforharry boys. I tell everyone to do this one at their own pace and apologise in advance, and as we decend towards the railway bridge down Tom Hill, the shouts start when they see the other side. At this point I know Im not riding up this one to the top and hang back with @brunone and the others disappear over the first apex only to find it gets even steeper.

After a brief walk with @brunone1 as the hill settles down, we get back on and catch up with the others.

From this point home, was dead easy, flat main roads and by this time the temperature was up and the frost disappearing.

I got home and stopped endomondo at 31 miles.

The @cyclingforharry boys get home to 36/37/38 miles.

Well done lads, it was a hard route today, can someone else lead next week and pick a flatter route ?