In 2014 I rode the Rutland Weekender Audax, a 300km ride (that's about 190 miles) from Baldock, Herts to Grantham, Lincs and back. Audaxes are long distance rides which test the rider's endurance and self sufficiency - the participants are given a route map but no support during the ride. I completed the ride in 16 hours which was not a bad pace given the fact the route had several climbs.
Luckily the weather was sunny and warm with little wind and the route took me through some lovely English countryside, passing by Rutland Water on the way and taking in Britain's longest viaduct as well.
The images were shot with a Vivitar UWS and sat undeveloped until a couple of months ago. The plastic lens and cheap film made some of these photos look like oil paintings, in particular number 4, which is a quality I like alot. I have always been attracted to and influenced by landscape paintings from the 18th and 19th century which portray the countryside as a romanticised idyll. Much like the English Landscape Movement in fact and these photographs, to my mind at least, capture some of that feeling and charm.
The Vivitar has since died though I was never a huge fan of it. However, it was a handy size and fitted nicely into the back pocket of my cycling jerseys. On this one occasion though it came up trumps.
