The Cannock Chaser

Greg Lemond once said ‘It never gets easier, you just go faster’, which was so true yesterday at The Cannock Chaser. Last year I found it a tough day out but this year I was fitter and I’d dialled the distance back a bit too, so on paper it should have been a bit easier. It wasn’t.

With the weather looking sunny and the location it is, it was almost guaranteed to be busy around Birches Valley so I’d decided to bring the start forward 30 mins. I don’t like making last minute changes as I worry some may miss the updates but, in hindsight, it was probably a good idea.

I left at 8am and arrived around 8.45am courtesy of a nice, quiet M5 & M6. I could see some riders already there setting up but there was no rush. I got ready and rolled down to the cafe around 9am where riders were already beginning to gather. My friends Nikki and Michael rolled up for their first event and as 9.30am drew nearer more and more riders appeared. By the time I stood on the picnic table and introduced myself there must have been 60-70 ready to go.

After I’d sent everyone on their way and stood down, an officlal looking lady approached me (she had a lanyard!) who introduced herself as the Foresty Manager and asked what was going on. I instantly thought I was in trouble and explained what we do without pinning any organisation responsibilities on myself. ‘…think of it like a flash mob. I create the route, set a date when I’m riding it and invite anyone that wants to come, then they’re on their own’. She asked if riders had paid to enter (I wish lol!) and then I asked ‘Am I in trouble?’ to which she said ‘Oh no, this is great!’ and suggested I let them know next time and they can help promote it for me. Win!

After my delayed start I set off with Nikki and Michael over the road and began the first climb where I could see the tail end of the main group up ahead so that was my first target. Climb done, I crossed the road and then began to pick off a couple of small groups before a tasty looking group developed after the first long descent. It felt like a bunch of fit riders but their riding was impecabble. After pleading with riders at the start to ride safely and with care for others it seemed it had been heeded. We met a horse rider and the front guys made the call we, singled out, passed slow and safely and carried on text book stuff.

After turning south near Brocton we began the long, draggy climb south back into the heart of the chase but most of the group waited for some others so I carried on alone and caught another lone group of 3 just before the descent to Springslade Lodge.

As I exited the chase and began the loop out west via Bednall, the sun was beginning to warm things up nicely and I picked up another couple of riders as we entered the Teddesley Estate and then realised my map routed us the wrong way around the houses. Apols if anyone went the rong way there, its only short but avoids the private houses. I pushed on now eating up some km on the tarmac and then hit the climb of Shoal Hill where I encountered a very odd character. I was approaching a man and his son so I pinged my bell. As I got up to them the lad told his dad to which he turned around and said to me ‘I don’t get out of the way for bells, use some manners’. Initially I was taken aback a bit and after I’d computed what he’d said I said ‘I rang the bell to let you know I was behind you, not to get you out of my way’ He mumbled something else and said I had no manners again so I just rode on a little bemused by the encounter and a first lol.

I did toy with stopping at Springslade Lodge on the 2nd pass. I think I would have if anyone else had but I was on the clock a bit so carried on trying to keep up with a couple of riders in front. They left me on the descent of Sherbrook Valley but they went the wrong way at the foot of Heywood Slade. They caught me on the way up and left me on a nervy descent back down to Shebrook Valley where I encountered a procession of horse riders who were really friendly and let me past.

The long climb back up to the top of Penkridge Bank took its toll and I was beginning to feel it a bit now in the heat, so the descent across Brindley Heath was welcome but the little kicker up into the Country Park car park immediately after stung my legs a bit.

The route now meandered south towards Hednesford before crossing the A460 and climbing onto Hednesford Hills where I could see Nick and Richard up ahead again. I caught them at the top, we’d missed the trail off the top down to the road. An easy miss as it was far more overgrown than last year.

Last year, the climb aside the golf course undid me. I was no less hard this year albeit I climbed it a bit faster. Over the top we caught some short-coursers and as they went left to cut through the course we left them right to cross the road into Beaudesert Old Park and one of my favourite sections of the route. A nice, wide meandering forest road out to Horespasture Pool before a sticky climb up to Marquis Drive. This is where I began to unravel.

The descent of Marquis Drive was fast and shaded. I got held up a bit crossing the main road but the climb back onto the top was a stinger, even in the shade. The descent to Stonybrook Pools was welcome relief now and it would have been so easy to just cut back to the car but I just told myself one more climb and settled in for the easy gradient and the short, sharp kicker at the end. All the major climbs done, I toddled across the top past the old Rifle Range then enjoyed a nice straight descent down Kinsley Wood Road before a short tarmac finish back to the finish where I caught the Propel ladies just finishing the short course.

I was pretty cooked as I dismounted. Definitely fitter and faster but it wasn’t any easier

My unedited Photo Gallery is here

Thanks to everyone that came out to ride, a great day out. See you on the next one, The Gravelton Gravel Weekender

Adios

Paul