That Rivers Lochs and Glens looks good - nice mix of pleasantly rolling coastal stuff and some interesting climbs. Also includes the "steep downhill to gravel surface to hairpin to cattle grid to road narrowing under bridge" bit at the end of the Glen Fruin road just south of Kilcreggan. Always a challenge...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
Audax 2012
(472 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Who's booked for what?
I have registered for the Nippie Sweetie. Still not sure about anything else, including the Tour of East Lothian.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm on:
Tour de East Lothian 11th march 10am start. I'll be in a red Hardie Bikes top, black shorts, white helmet on the Green Dawes Galaxy.
Nippie Sweetie in same kit (Yes I will have washed it)
I have a few mates doing the Nippie Sweetie with me but would welcome someone to ride with on the 11th March Adrian.
Posted 12 years ago # -
What's this about washing kit? Isn't the idea that it grows enough life to provide assistance on the climbs?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Nippie Sweetie only so far
Posted 12 years ago # -
l plan to be on the Audrey Fyffe / Not The Tour of East Lothian, though I'm doubtful about my fitness. Probably won't keep up with the likes of DaveC! See you in Dunbar, eventually...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Ach crowriver, its not a race, thats what they invented Sportives for. I'm sure you'll fit right in to the CCE group, infact I'd welcome you along with me and I know what its like struggling along and how nice it is to have mates slowing their pace so you don't get left behind. My last ToEL was a real slog only 6 weeks into my new cycling life.
Make yourself know to us and we'll have a blast.
Dave C
Posted 12 years ago # -
@DaveC, neither was the CTC club run just over a week ago. Okay it was windy, but I was a bit taken aback how much I struggled after lunch. Most of the other riders were stronger/faster than me on the climbs (and there were quite a few hills): only one was slower. That's a fairly unusual situation for me (seems to happen on longer rides, and I felt like I was holding folk up. Clearly my fitness is still not where I would like it to be.
I just wouldn't want other folk in the group to get frustrated and/or cold waiting for me to puff my way up Redstone Rigg, for example!
Having said that, riding with a group helps the motivation to get to the finish in a reasonable time.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@crowriver - a few of us in the CTC are a bit concerned that we are losing some of the ethos of the club and that is about helping others, looking out for others, and not losing folk, and at least waiting for them if they are struggling. We all have our off days!! The Audrey Fyfe run is, as pointed out, not a race and is meant to be enjoyable. In days gone by we would stop and look at things, and even deviate from a route to take in something that was particularly interesting. It was not about harder, longer and faster, faster rides...yes it was about maintaining a steady speed but not to the detriment of enjoyment. I think you will find there are precious few who really know much about the history of places, flora and fauna, and I think to be honest it has all become a little like going by car to a place, very prescriptive and rather boring...but hey ho. I am grateful I started going out when it was more fun and interesting, and can look back and have some great memories, of people like Audrey and a few others we have lost to old age or illness in the past couple of years.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@crowriver. You see, you'll be welcomed, accompanied, given a guided tour and helped along. I have an all day pass and as its not an official Audax we have unlimited time to ride the route. What ya waiting for? Bring you're lights. ;-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Any time anyone wants to be bored rigid, sorry, inspired by some local industrial and/or railway heritage we can always organise another ride in East/Mid Lothian. Or West Lothian and we could tour some shale bings!
Ahem.
Anyway, deviating off the beaten path to poke about at some pile of brickwork or old wall or things like that are one of my favourite things to do when cycling.
Tour de Moors date should be confirmed/agreed soon I reckon.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Liz, I was not seeking to imply that I was being left behind or not looked after by the group leader or other riders. Indeed folk were quite friendly and the group always stopped to wait for slower riders (including myself) to catch up. It was just unusual (and personally a little disappointing) for me to be in the stragglers camp being waited for, rather than in the camp of those doing the waiting.
There was only one occasion where I and another rider lost the rest of the group, at a junction where we were maybe 100 yards behind, but had to stop to let cars pass. When we turned, we couldn't see the other riders anywhere, and at a later four way junction were unsure which direction they had gone. We caught sight of them eventually though.
It would be nice to think I just had an off day, but I suspect my fitness has taken a hit over the past month. After a brief illness I noticed that cycling was much more effort, and I was much more tired, than say in January. The problem is, it still feels a bit like that!
I'm looking forward to 11th March and will give it a go, but after the last few weeks of being a bit below par, I'm more cautious in my expectations of how I'll get on.
@DaveC: hopefully we won't need lights! Of course I'll pack some just in case. It's kind of you to offer to moderate your pace but I don't want to hold other riders back. I know myself that climbs in particular need to be taken at a pace to suit the individual rider. To then be unable to reap the benefits of the descent in terms of making up time because you're waiting for slower riders can be irksome.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Amir: "Who's booked for what?"
Nothing yet. I didn't get in the mileage I wanted to over the winter so my build up will take longer than usual. I'll be looking for long events starting from around May or June. The Merse and Moors is way too long.
Posted 12 years ago # -
You are receiving this further to your interest in the Audrey Fyfe Memorial Run to be staged on Sunday the 11 th of March.
The event will leave the old Town Hall in Musselburgh at 10am sharp and head out of town up Carberry, For those of a lower tech preference like myself I attach a conventional route map (ignore any references to checkpoints) but the route is here http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=357202 for those who can make use of the format. We go to Dunbar where lunch will be taken in a prebooked hall. The community bakery at Dunbar can provide a range of bakery goods at the hall as per the attached. I do not intend to get involved in taking orders and forwarding them on –the deal is that the bakery will supply a choice of savoury and sweet items from which 3 can be chosen on the day for £2.50. Let me know if you wish to partake of this so that I can give them numbers –by Sunday night please. If you need gluten free please specify. Bear in mind that I don’t want to be left paying out of my own pocket for “unclaimed” items so don’t say yes unless you intend to be there and buy the food.
Nonetheless you should carry a certain amount of food as you may expend some energy, the run does venture in to potentially challenging terrain after all.
We then head west again following minor roads to Haddington where there will be a brief stop followed by a climb over the A6137 to Longniddry after which we follow the coast road back to Musselburgh for refreshments in the old Town Hall.
The ride will be led so you won’t be left behind but you may wish to print out a map. We will regroup as necessary but, notwithstanding that, I plan to have regrouping points at Gifford, the top of Redstone Rig and at Garvald.
There is no charge to take part in the ride but please make a nominal contribution at each hall to defray the cost of hiring the venues. I would suggest a pound minimum at each.
There will be a shorter run of 40 to 50 miles for those who do not want to do the full route. This will also be led, starting as per the main run, and meet up with it at Dunbar.
We should complete the run well within daylight hours but, in the event of bad weather, I would ask that you do not use flashing lights or unobscured half watt/one watt rear lights when cycling in a group –we could be on each others’ wheels for some considerable time!
The run is a CTC club run and our normal rules apply –they can be found here http://www.ctclothians.org.uk/ under “cycling with us”. If you have not ridden with the CTC before then please fill out the attached form and send it on to me or bring it along on the day.
Finally, the most important instruction –enjoy the day.
Cheers
Peter V
Posted 12 years ago # -
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p86/Dave_Crampton/March_11th_Route.jpg
This should take you to the picture of the route.
Dave C
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm off tomorrow for a few days cycling on Arran. I'll only be reachable by phone (smudge has my mobile number) but I'll be at the start on Sunday for the Audrey Fyfe ride. See whoever turns us there.
Dave C
Posted 12 years ago # -
Lucky you,Dave. Hope you have a great time.
Posted 12 years ago # -
DaveC and crowriver, I hope you both got home safely, and enjoyed the day out. The wind was harsh and made coming back very hard but a great day otherwise.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Aye, I rolled in at the back of the group eventually. The headwind was taxing, slowed folk right down. Not that I was particularly fast anyway!
Very nice to have tea and cake at the top of Redstane Rig, just what cyclists with tired legs needed. Overall, despite the wind, a good day with fine warm weather.
Oh and thanks to DaveC for being a gent and helping out with a jammed chain in the Lammermuirs. The new tool roll came in handy. Alas we were right at the back of the run by the time we got it sorted - I stayed there (with a few temporary exceptions) for much of the rest of the run!
Posted 12 years ago # -
I had a lovely ride yesterday o the Audry Fyfe ride. The cloud was over in the
morning when we set off but it got more clear as the day went on. Sadly the wind
was blowing the clouds away and got windier as the day went on. This was
helpfull going up and over the Red Stone Rig but not nice on the return from
Dunbar. I decided it was not a race and I would accompany Crowriver on the ride,
and help him along. We were supplied with plenty of cakage along the route, much
more than the £2.50 we were charged for them. I met some lovely people on the
ride and must join the CTC now! as I have procrastinated long enough. I also met
the lovely Liz and all her freinds. We even had birthday cake which was brought
along for a spritely 18.25 year old whose birthday had just past (29th Feb).Only one bad point where some numpty in his chaved up 206 beeped his horn at us
as he passed heading past the Coal power station.Dave C
Posted 12 years ago # -
Nice one DaveC. I went for a ride out Dalkieth way yesterday with some pals. I realized it's been 3 weeks since I'd been out due to 2 busy weekend and a week long bout of flu. It's amazing how quick you stamina goes.... phew! Better get my finger out for the Nippy Sweetie.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm fortunate, I ride 3 times a week (55km) to work and back. I also ride most Sundays around 80km, with the odd longer Audax ride.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm tempted by the Nippy Sweetie but 200km is a long time to be riding on one's own :). Longest I really ride is about 50km.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@recombodna, yeah I know exactly what you mean. All it took was a week under the spell of a virus about a month ago and my fitness took a big knock. I'm still battling to get back into condition: don't see any solution other than to get more miles in the legs.
As I said to DaveC during yesterday's run, I suspect my aim to enter Audax events this year is going to be too ambitious. Need to get the fitness level improved first I reckon. I can do 100km but not very quickly...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Remember folks, Audax isn't a race, and there's no prize for "first" or "last" - it's just a matter of getting round at your own pace, within the time limit. The tortoise approach is every bit as effective as the hare.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@kaputnik, my judgement is based on current 'performance'. As DaveC said, we had already decided the Audrey Fyfe wasn't a race. Fair play to him too for having the patience of a saint! Although the run followed the route of an official Audax, no minimum speed limit was set, and the cake/tea/food stops probably more leisurely. Granted I had a mechanical issue about half way into the run, but even allowing for that I'm not sure I would have satisfied the Audax UK 15kph minimum (including stops)
So longer rides, certainly. The Spokes rides crank up to 60-70 miles in late spring, and CTC do a Tuesday evening ride in summer which may not clash too much with other commitments. There's Edinburgh - St Andrews coming up too. At this rate of progress though I see little point in taking part in Audax events just to ride on my own at the back of the field and discover the controls have already closed...
Having said that, if my fitness and my average speeds improve over the summer, I might be in a position to do Audax in September/October.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Oh, folk may be interested to view some photos (taken by Andy Sutton) of Sunday's Audrey Fyfe Memorial Run. You can see what was probably the highlight of the event, the cake stop at the summit of Redstane Rigg. Also DaveC enjoying a cake break, myself lurking in the background also with cake, DaveC again in the lunch hall (far left) partaking of tea and cake (I think I'm the one lurking in the kitchen near the back of the hall).
Posted 12 years ago # -
Looking at Merse & Moors looming up in just over a month's time (21st). Probably not the ideal first audax, as it's a bit long and somewhat lumpy (4.25AAA), but all my planned easier rides got gazumped by real life and I'm concerned that if I don't get going soon, I'll just not bother!
Will probably commit sometime this week to force the issue, and just forewarn the organiser that I'll be carrying round the hammock in case I pack and make a weekend of it...
Anyone else?
Posted 12 years ago # -
What does 4.25AAA mean? Or is it one of those things that if I have to ask, I really don't want to know?
I've just about foolishly signed up to a hilly west coast run (not an official Audax) of 200km so I need to get the distance up. Not so much concerned about the distance as the time in the saddle. Looking for longer, reasonably paced rides.
Posted 12 years ago #
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