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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
The omens were good, I'd serviced my bike and discovered why I was pedalled
out at 25mph - my rear derailleur wasn't servicing the smallest sprocket. My tyres were inflated to their proper pressure - they were 15 psi shy of the recommended pressure. The route I'd chosen for the permanent was: Sherburn-In-Elmet York Pocklington Howden Selby Sherburn-in-Elmet. The route was flat and I'd got half way round in two hours. I was convinced that I'd get a sub-five hour ride under my belt. It was not to be - the second half of the ride was exposed to a persistant wind which was not quite as draining as the other week but nevertheless extended the ride to just over five and a half hours for the 110km ridden. The ride was uneventful, nutrition was sorted with bananas, flap jack and chocolate rolls and just as I was fretting about the lack of dead badgers, I spotted one two miles outside of Howden on the way to Selby. That's my Brevet 500 earned now for the Brevet 1000..... Vernon back in Leeds |
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#2
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
"vernon" wrote in message ... That's my Brevet 500 earned now for the Brevet 1000..... Vernon back in Leeds Well done Vernon - all that before even Spring has arrived! Thought it had turned up today at last, so headed off in shorts and got a good hiding from some nasty rain clouds followed by 30 mph winds on the Humber Bridge. Six months of trudging to work and back in the cold wet gloom is too much, I thought I might have emerged from my pupa, like a butterfly by now to dry the wings in the Sun :-) -- Simon Mason http://www.simonmason.karoo.net |
#3
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
Well done Vernon - all that before even Spring has arrived! Thought it had
turned up today at last, so headed off in shorts and got a good hiding from some nasty rain clouds followed by 30 mph winds on the Humber Bridge. Six months of trudging to work and back in the cold wet gloom is too much, I thought I might have emerged from my pupa, like a butterfly by now to dry the wings in the Sun :-) The rain caught up with me just as I was putting the bike into the back of my car. I seem to have struck it lucky with the weather. Only the Birdwell 100 could be described as being held in quite bad conditions with snow and drizzle throughout the day. I'm not in the same league as you though Simon. I don't ride my bike daily. I have surprised myself by sticking at the Audax per weekend regime and only had last weekend off over the past six weeks. |
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
vernon wrote:
The route was flat and I'd got half way round in two hours. I was convinced that I'd get a sub-five hour ride under my belt. It was not to be - the second half of the ride was exposed to a persistant wind which was not quite Brezzy today wasn't it I went to Tadcaster and back to stretch the legs and there was a good 5mph difference in speed between going out and coming back... -- Arthur Clune |
#5
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
"Arthur Clune" wrote in message ... vernon wrote: The route was flat and I'd got half way round in two hours. I was convinced that I'd get a sub-five hour ride under my belt. It was not to be - the second half of the ride was exposed to a persistant wind which was not quite Brezzy today wasn't it I went to Tadcaster and back to stretch the legs and there was a good 5mph difference in speed between going out and coming back... Being broad of beam, my speed difference was tad bigger than yours :-) Just last year I would have found the relentless grind into a headwind dispiriting. Now I see it as a challenge. I'm going to do a couple of 150 Audaxes in the next month before having a bash at the Hartside 200 at the back end of May. Now that's a ride where a headwind could destroy my morale. |
#6
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
vernon wrote:
That's my Brevet 500 earned now for the Brevet 1000..... Good on yer! I was supposed to be riding my sixth audax of the year today but didn't even make it to the start line. My tally for 2006 is 4 rides completed, 1 part-ridden and now 1 DNS. Today's ride would have been the Start of Summertime 200 from Stevenage. Part of the reason I didn't do it was that I had already done the Invicta 200 this weekend - my prior engagement was cancelled and I got special dispensation from the management to spend all weekend riding my bike. The Invicta 200 was was nearer 220km by the time you factor in unintentional diversions off the prescribed route. It was also somewhat tougher than anticipated, so I would have struggled on today's 200 anyway. I bumped into Dave Larrington at the start of the Invicta and rashly commented something to the effect of "nice gentle ride". The words "no hills" might also have made an appearance. I should have known better - just cos it didn't have AAA points, doesn't mean it's flat... The thing is, the ride covered local territory, many roads that I know well. So I thought I knew what I was in for. What I didn't factor in was Rob the organiser's penchant for seeking out those roads that are marked on the map with little black arrows - these are the roads we normally avoid when I'm out with the club, especially the really evil ones around Hythe... I should have known better as I have previously done other rides of his devising. Still, it was a very enjoyable outing. I actually rode the last stage first, by virtue of the fact that the last stage started from Whitstable where I live (the control point being about a mile from my doorstep). So I rode to the start in Otford, setting off from home at about 3.30am. My wife thinks I'm mad but she just doesn't understand the pure unadulterated pleasure of cycling along pitch-black country lanes with nothing but the hooting of owls for company. I arrived at Otford not long after 7am, in plenty of time for the 8am start - despite having missed a turn in the dark, adding 8km to the official distance for the stage of 76km. Of course, setting off in the dead of night, I had opted for heavy-duty clothing to ensure warmth. This was all well and good, but by the time the ride officially started, the signs were that a fine spring day was in the offing. And less than 10km out of Otford I had to stop to remove a few layers - I even swapped the woolly hat for a peaked cap and the full winter gloves for fingerless mitts. Weather-wise, it went on to be a beautiful day, in stark contrast to BBC forecaster predictions. On the wildlife front, saw a few interesting birds, including a small flock of guinea fowl roaming the lanes near Kemsing. Presumably someone's pets/livestock. There was just the one dead badger, and a few dead rats. Also several dozen dead frogs on the last few km between Kemsing and Otford - weaving around the many corpses littering the road, I began to suspect I had happened upon the aftermath of some kind of frog suicide cult. I also had a quiet chuckle to myself at the thought of Dave Larrington trying to avoid them all on his three-wheeler. Anyway, after all that effort I slept like a log last night and didn't wake up this morning until the kind of time when the fastest riders on the Stevenage 200 would already have been well beyond the first control. No way I was going to make it in time. Ho hum! Still, that's 2x200km, 1x100km, 1x120km and 1.5AAA points racked up so far this year, which is already more than I managed in the whole of last year. And the first 300 of the year to look forward to next week... d. |
#7
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
I also rode the invicta 200 on saturday, only my second 200k ever, my first
being the chiltern-cotswold the week before. I had a great day and found it pretty easy compared with the chiltern ride the week before, which also had the last 90k ish into a painful headwind. Climbing out of Hythe was the fun part! I was dissapointed with the amount of busy A roads used for the invicta though, especially in the Whitstable to Otford last leg. A fun ride overall though! Planning on doing a few more 200's in the near future, then maybe tackling the double century 322k out of Denmead on 10th June. "davek" wrote in message ... vernon wrote: That's my Brevet 500 earned now for the Brevet 1000..... Good on yer! I was supposed to be riding my sixth audax of the year today but didn't even make it to the start line. My tally for 2006 is 4 rides completed, 1 part-ridden and now 1 DNS. Today's ride would have been the Start of Summertime 200 from Stevenage. Part of the reason I didn't do it was that I had already done the Invicta 200 this weekend - my prior engagement was cancelled and I got special dispensation from the management to spend all weekend riding my bike. The Invicta 200 was was nearer 220km by the time you factor in unintentional diversions off the prescribed route. It was also somewhat tougher than anticipated, so I would have struggled on today's 200 anyway. I bumped into Dave Larrington at the start of the Invicta and rashly commented something to the effect of "nice gentle ride". The words "no hills" might also have made an appearance. I should have known better - just cos it didn't have AAA points, doesn't mean it's flat... The thing is, the ride covered local territory, many roads that I know well. So I thought I knew what I was in for. What I didn't factor in was Rob the organiser's penchant for seeking out those roads that are marked on the map with little black arrows - these are the roads we normally avoid when I'm out with the club, especially the really evil ones around Hythe... I should have known better as I have previously done other rides of his devising. Still, it was a very enjoyable outing. I actually rode the last stage first, by virtue of the fact that the last stage started from Whitstable where I live (the control point being about a mile from my doorstep). So I rode to the start in Otford, setting off from home at about 3.30am. My wife thinks I'm mad but she just doesn't understand the pure unadulterated pleasure of cycling along pitch-black country lanes with nothing but the hooting of owls for company. I arrived at Otford not long after 7am, in plenty of time for the 8am start - despite having missed a turn in the dark, adding 8km to the official distance for the stage of 76km. Of course, setting off in the dead of night, I had opted for heavy-duty clothing to ensure warmth. This was all well and good, but by the time the ride officially started, the signs were that a fine spring day was in the offing. And less than 10km out of Otford I had to stop to remove a few layers - I even swapped the woolly hat for a peaked cap and the full winter gloves for fingerless mitts. Weather-wise, it went on to be a beautiful day, in stark contrast to BBC forecaster predictions. On the wildlife front, saw a few interesting birds, including a small flock of guinea fowl roaming the lanes near Kemsing. Presumably someone's pets/livestock. There was just the one dead badger, and a few dead rats. Also several dozen dead frogs on the last few km between Kemsing and Otford - weaving around the many corpses littering the road, I began to suspect I had happened upon the aftermath of some kind of frog suicide cult. I also had a quiet chuckle to myself at the thought of Dave Larrington trying to avoid them all on his three-wheeler. Anyway, after all that effort I slept like a log last night and didn't wake up this morning until the kind of time when the fastest riders on the Stevenage 200 would already have been well beyond the first control. No way I was going to make it in time. Ho hum! Still, that's 2x200km, 1x100km, 1x120km and 1.5AAA points racked up so far this year, which is already more than I managed in the whole of last year. And the first 300 of the year to look forward to next week... d. |
#8
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
Paul D wrote:
I had a great day and found it pretty easy compared with the chiltern ride the week before, which also had the last 90k ish into a painful headwind. Lots of people have said what a fantastic ride the Chiltern-Cotswold is - I hope to do it next year. Climbing out of Hythe was the fun part! Er... yes. Kind of. Probably would have been more "fun" if I hadn't already ridden 80km more than everyone else. But overall, it certainly wasn't the toughest ride ever, just a little bit tougher than I had anticipated. I was dissapointed with the amount of busy A roads used for the invicta though, especially in the Whitstable to Otford last leg. A fun ride overall though! There are some quieter possibilities on the section between Whitstable and Faversham. I might mention them to the organiser. Not sure about how you could avoid the bit along the A20/A25 between Maidstone and Borough Green, though - not without adding a lot of extra distance, and probably at least one extra info control. Planning on doing a few more 200's in the near future, then maybe tackling the double century 322k out of Denmead on 10th June. Have you not entered the Invicta 300 then? I recommend it. It's probably a bit easier than the 200 - or maybe I was just fitter when I did it last year... d. |
#9
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
Partly the scenery and partly the quality and quantity of free cakes made
the Chiltern-Cotswold 200 a pleasure. It's a shame I shall remember my first 200 for taking 1 1/2 hrs longer than planned due to the morale-destroying headwind. Shall almost definately sign up for it next year. Hadn't planned on the invicta 300 as I'm actually from Bournemouth, so it was a bit of a distance to travel for this 200 and Portsmouth's a lot closer for the 300. Nice to ride somewhere new though. "davek" wrote in message ... Paul D wrote: I had a great day and found it pretty easy compared with the chiltern ride the week before, which also had the last 90k ish into a painful headwind. Lots of people have said what a fantastic ride the Chiltern-Cotswold is - I hope to do it next year. Climbing out of Hythe was the fun part! Er... yes. Kind of. Probably would have been more "fun" if I hadn't already ridden 80km more than everyone else. But overall, it certainly wasn't the toughest ride ever, just a little bit tougher than I had anticipated. I was dissapointed with the amount of busy A roads used for the invicta though, especially in the Whitstable to Otford last leg. A fun ride overall though! There are some quieter possibilities on the section between Whitstable and Faversham. I might mention them to the organiser. Not sure about how you could avoid the bit along the A20/A25 between Maidstone and Borough Green, though - not without adding a lot of extra distance, and probably at least one extra info control. Planning on doing a few more 200's in the near future, then maybe tackling the double century 322k out of Denmead on 10th June. Have you not entered the Invicta 300 then? I recommend it. It's probably a bit easier than the 200 - or maybe I was just fitter when I did it last year... d. |
#10
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RR Fifth Audax of the year under my belt
In article , Paul D
) wrote: I also rode the invicta 200 on saturday, only my second 200k ever, my first being the chiltern-cotswold the week before. I had a great day and found it pretty easy compared with the chiltern ride the week before, which also had the last 90k ish into a painful headwind. Climbing out of Hythe was the fun part! I was dissapointed with the amount of busy A roads used for the invicta though, especially in the Whitstable to Otford last leg. A fun ride overall though! I too was entered for the Stevenage and got my act together in good time. Felt OK physically after the Invicta except for one thing - the rash on my feet, which I thought had pretty much gone by Friday, was back to Itch Factor 9 on Saturday night. No way was I going out with that. Bah! In spite of davek throwing in a few extra hills when I wasn't looking, most of the first 130 km were pretty good. Either across the brisk wind or with it behind. This latter being especially welcome when I missed a turning shortly before Hythe and found myself in the middle of Romney Marsh. Getting through the middle of Canterbury at the height of Saturday lunchtime was, ah, interesting, and the climb out of the city - described by Dave as "a bit of a stinker" was, in fact a lot of a stinker but the drop into the outskirts of Whitstable was nice, and a convivial group milled around outside Tesco's petrol station for far longer than was strictly necessary. Much of the next 30 km was familiar from a 2000 trip to Belgium and back. Now we were running almost into the wind, and I reckon I was slower than I had been on the previous trip in spite of the former being: o conducted by a heavy smoker, and o towing a BoB with 20 kg of camping gear in it Bah encore! By this stage of the ride, I had almost totally lost the ability to read a route sheet. "L Faversham Road SP Newnham" it said. "Newnham" I thought, as I passed the sign and continued pounding along the A2. "We're supposed to go through Newnham. Perhaps I was supposed to turn there" And so on. Much grovelling up an interminable hill towards Hollingbourne. By now the rain had started and the cloud lowered, so much so that over the top of the Downs visibility was slightly, but ONLY slightly, better than zero. Fortunately we weren't in it for long, with a cracking descent into Hollingbourne. Missed the left turn in Detling as I was busy concentrating on hanging out of the trike at 45 km/h. Turn around, backtrack AGAIN. Echo what Paul said about the main road sections - not at all pleasant in the rain and gathering gloom - and it was a relief to get back onto the minor roads at Wrotham. I was keeping my eyes skinned for the deceased wildlife in this final stretch, as Dave had reported the presence of not only a dead badger, but also a Several of dead frogs, but by now it was dark enough that, even if they were still there, I'd probably have missed them anyway. Finished in just under 11 hours to round off RRTY for the first time :-) Nothing broke or fell off for a change, though one of the front lights is still a little inclined (if you'll forgive the pun) to tilt itself towards the chainset. Since well-behaved lighting will be absolutely necessary for The Dean, I shall HAVE to concoct the Cateye-handlebar- clamp-based solution this week. And probably remove half a hundredweight of Skog(tm) from all moving parts :-( -- Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/ Funny... You don't /look/ like Martha and the Vandellas! |
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