I'll be the slow one. If you're doing the audax, don't follow me or you'll end up going somewhere you don't want to.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Sport
Audax + sportives 2017
(282 posts)-
Posted 7 years ago #
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Have fun guys
Posted 7 years ago # -
Amir and the SBR riders duly spotted at Megger Reservoir.
Not quite summer bike weather, shame I'm on mine...
Posted 7 years ago # -
Good luck to the riders in this lively breeze.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Very wet first half. 100 km of rain. Forecast was well wrong. Then glorious views. Unlike Greenroofer I Squeezed the water out of my socks in Melrose rather than Kelso. Lots of hills.
Next ride is one of my favourites, the Port Navigation
Posted 7 years ago # -
Port Navigation in a week!! Really excited about this one. Three ferries, Morven and Mull, eagles and more eagles, how can you go wrong. Hopefully the weather is reasonable :)
Posted 7 years ago # -
I missed this due to a mixup on the AUK website.
So I'm doing a DIY 300 from Ballahulish, Benderloch, Strachur, Tarbert (ferry), Oban and Ballahulish.
Posted 7 years ago # -
are you on the waiting list?
Posted 7 years ago # -
I think a space may just have become available.
Posted 7 years ago # -
The Org made it clear to me I'm not on the list.
Posted 7 years ago # -
The Port Navigation was wonderful. What a fantastic area to cycle in. The good news is that the organiser is thinking to do it again next year.
Next up for me is the Ironbridge 200, then the Merse and Moors
Posted 7 years ago # -
The Merse and Moors? The one where we crossed the Lammermuirs on foot in the dark and I went blind in one eye?
Posted 7 years ago # -
crossed the Lammermuirs on foot in the dark and I went blind in one eye
It's not always that much fun.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Cyclingmollie but you can get a badge or 3 points or both....
Posted 7 years ago # -
@cyclops but you are used to only being able to see out of one eye
Posted 7 years ago # -
Well, if it's for points and a badge and you're sure it won't be fun, I'm in.
Gembo, in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Many congrats to DaveC who, for reasons only known to himself, successfully cycled solo 600km to Nottingham.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"
AyrshireAlps (@AyrshireAlps)
23/02/2017, 9:59 am
The 2017 Ayrshire Alps Sportive is now open for entry ! And it's only 12 quid !https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/160050/The-Ayrshire-Alps-Sportive
@cyclist @ScottishCycling
http://pic.twitter.com/6vEtTAYA5A
"
Posted 7 years ago # -
I'm off for a bit of foreign lands audaxing this weekend. The Ironbridge 207 audax from Congleton and passing through Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. Hopefully I won't get lost as there are too many roads down there.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I hope it goes well amir. Is the Uffington you pass through the one with the white horse?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Thanks cyclingmollie. No, that White Horse is in Oxfordshire, further south. I'm expecting flat to rolling countryside, lots of hedges to stop the wind, and plenty of charming villages and small towns
Posted 7 years ago # -
I'm back!!
No I didn't get lost, I was on holiday. ... This is a cut n paste, so a week late... writen around 11th April, after the 8th/9th April weekend 2017.
Last week I had an idea of riding from my home in Fife, Scotland to my folk's house on the east side of Leeds. Its a 400 if I plan my route correctly, but as the weather was forecast to be good, with the High over the UK the weekend, I decided that as our final destination was Nottingham I could extend to 600 using a previously planned 200 from Leeds to Nottingham.
So Sat 8th April I set off at 5am and rode across the Forth Rd Bridge and through a quiet Edinburgh to the A7 down to Gorebridge where I turned off over the Granites, a lump of hill between Gorebridge and Innerleithen. 8am I arrived at Innerleithen and found food at an open bakery. Then off over the hill to Gordon Arms pub and over another to Ettrick valley where I rode over to Eskdalemuir for 11am and double bacon rolls.
Continuing south I stayed away from Langham heading towards Lockerbie before turning off on more B roads to Longtown. Leaving Longtown I called briefly at Brampton for chocolate and water before continuing on to Alston.
3:30pm and I was heading out of Alston up the cobbles towards Yad Moss. Stopping only to take in food en route, I caused a pinch flat, crossing a trench, but had plenty of spares. Down to Barnard Castle I continued without stopping to just south of Darlington, Croft on Tees, before turning south again for Northallerton and a curry at an old friend of Audax Ecosse.
South then around 11pm towards York where I skirted the centre stopping only at a BP around middnight on the south side for Tea and snacks. Then over the river at Cawood and realising my first navigation mistake, a field track, I stuck to the main roads to my parents home outside Leeds, arriving at 3am. 22hours for 400k. So far so good. The weather had been fair, not hot and not too cold.
Up at 8am on Sunday I set off at 9am for Howden in sun and a strengthening southerly breeze towards Hull.
After calling in at the Coop in Howden I continued east as the southerly wind picked up through North & South Cave to Ferriby where I found a home made jam seller, who provided water and jam filling for my 6 hot cross buns bought at the coop.
There is a nice park north of the Humber Bridge, where I found iced cream to cool me in the rising temperatures.
I cycle over the Forth Road Bridge a few times a week on average but this was my first time over the Humber on a bike. The bridge's structure is very different to the Forth Bridge. More level as it starts high up, less of a bend.
Passing through Barton upon Humber I headed up the hill to the plain and Brigg, only stopping for another flat, a faulty previous patch, 1 tube left. Leaving Brigg I struggled in building SW winds to Kirton in Lindsay and iced cream number 2 and more water, before ploughing on south towards Scampton. Here the road runs along the west edge of a high plain exposed to the SW winds. Dropping down after a surprise climb out of Scampton I headed for Saxilby, where again I bypassed the shop and continued on to Collingham. At Collingham I confused the coop location with Saxilby but eventually found the local coop, closed. Bally silly English closing times. So I found a pub, drank a pint of lemonade and had a water refill.
Leaving I found Newark via a rather expensive looking cul de sac complete with large houses and 2 Aston's spotted on drives. Finally under the A1 where I rode through the town centre and out to the A46. The road NW of the A46, A617, looked busy on google maps so I took the A616 and turned off on to Kelham lane. OK on google set to walking but in reality a dirt track between feilds. With the wind now from the West and no hedge cover the field track was a pita. Lesson learned.
Arriving in Averham I ate 2 more hot cross buns. In hindsight I should have eaten a proper meal as 4 hot cross buns, iced creams and a couple of yoghurts were not enough on day 2.
With my goal in sight I followed the quiet country roads with little traffic to the outskirts of Nottingham at Burton Joyce as night fell on finally. Arriving in Nottingham proper all that was left was a not inconsiderate climb up to Mapperly. Westdale lane east was a bugger with an appalling road surface and a brutal climb to the top. But finally at 8pm I arrived at the in-laws and a warm welcome from the family.
613km done in ~39 hours. A good slog on day 2 but a great feeling of achievement and once it is confirmed something I won't need to do again this year.
Dave C
Posted 7 years ago # -
That's some effort, congratulations.
I'm struggling to imagine my parents' reaction if I were to cycle 400km to their house, sleep for four hours and then leave again.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@Frenchy I once cycled 100 miles to my parents' house, had the rest of the afternoon with them and then left the following morning to cycle home. I don't think they were very impressed!
Posted 7 years ago # -
"I don't think they were very impressed!"
Well they should have been.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I shouldn't have sold it as "I am coming to visit you" but as "I would like to do a long cycle ride, do you mind if I stop at your place on the way?"
Posted 7 years ago # -
On my hols down south I took part in my first full English Audax, a 200 from Congleton. This was very nice, especially as the forecast rain held off. As a result of the forecast there were only about 20 (including some big Audax names). As a result of that and my need to get back for tea, I never really settled with a group and cycled mostly solo, finishing first fir a change. The route was interesting with some old buildings, lots of pastoral countryside, a world heritage site (Ironbridge) and a roman town (at Wroxeter). It was much hillier than expected especially on the first 100.
Next ride steps up the challenge : the old favourite Merse and Moors 300
Posted 7 years ago # -
I never really settled with a group and cycled mostly solo, finishing first fir a change
Do you think it's easier riding solo? A lot of successful Audaxers do seem to prefer it.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@amir, good effort on your first 'Full English'. Good luck on the M&M - I won't be there this year, as I'm consorting with the dark side having entered the Tour of Ayrshire Gran Fondo, which is a new closed road sportive.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Entered my first sportive in 25 years on Saturday - Tour de Lauder. Was the only recumbent in the entire field, which was a bit nerve racking in the jostling of the first few miles.
Just did the 50 mile route as I was supposed to be chumming my wife round who had to pull out due to illness, but I put in a reasonably decent time of 3.34. Hilly! Wasn't last back at any rate. Weather was great if a bit chilly first thing.
Made some new friends and reconnected with some old ones. Top day out. Missed PoP unfortunately.
Posted 7 years ago #
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