jah. I reckon some time monday lunch to monday evening. I'm happy to ride the southern leg of scotland bit in the dark as I rode it on Friday (edinburgh to thirsk in york) It's relatively simple and quite quiet. It's also the type of terrain that sort of suits night riding IMHO.
You should be able to keep track of me on the website I think!
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.
Audaxes + sportifs 2013
(669 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
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I rode an audax whilst on my hols on Sunday. Brimham Rocks 200, plus a bit more. I'm down at my sisters and rode to & from the start. I was mildly dissapointed at the start of the day as it was damp, low cloud and some precipitation. How wrong I was, as it turned out to be a blessing. I think the low cloud and mild drissle kept temps down. Later in the day it warmed up and our water consumption went up but not before we had got to York. Lovely route and a couple of steep climbs! Made a few friends too. Thumbs up.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Massive highlands 1300km next year
Just entered, still a few places left. Worth getting in there if you're tempted.
I've been spurred on by the brilliant tales of LEL heroics.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I rode that there Saltire 200k perm the other week. You know, the week when the weather changed and we had thunderstorms and heavy rain showers? That one.
On the way to Duns I managed to avoid the rain, instead finding wet, near flooded roads where a shower had just passed by. I got a taste of what was to come while scoffing a bacon roll in Duns: the most incredible downpour. Luckily it was brief and I was in the cafe. However in the hills west of Duns I could see the rain approaching. Heavy it was too, the dekuge seemed like a wall of water. In amongst the big globules of rain were hailstones 1cm across. They would ping off my knees with every stroke of the pedals. No shelter there!
Alas that was not a good time to discover that the rain was running down the inside of my waterproof overshoes. Rode the next 130k with wet feet... Anyway, blazing sunshine for a nice run through Lauder, Stow and on to Innerleithen. At Blackhaugh a tree lined stretch of road gave welcome respite from a heavy rain shower. Nary a drop reached the ground. Trees, the cyclist's friend.
As noted in the LEL thread, I saw a steady stream of riders heading to Traquair in Innerleithen and the climb through Glentress, including a recumbenteer who I'm now sure was Darkerside. More rain accompanied me as far as the A7. I was already wet enough, so decided to forego the official route on the run to North Berwick, which includes a ford across a river. Maybe next time...
The rest of the ride was dry and fairly uneventful. When I got home and peeled my wet socks off, I found that all the dry, hard calloused skin that built up on my feet over the heatwave (due to extensive sandal wearing) had gone white and rubbed off. People pay good money for chemical treatments that do that! Don't waste your cash, just ride an audax with wet feet instead...
Posted 11 years ago # -
That looks like a monster of a ride! Good for you going for it!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Dr Afternoon - good choice. I was looking at it but going to concentrate on PBP for 2 years time instead I think!
Posted 11 years ago # -
@DrAfternoon, aye there's been a lot of discussion about that 1300. I wish you all the best. I must admit being tempted, but on futher inspection I decided not to enter this event. Apart from the fact I haven't even ridden a 300 yet (let alone a 400, 600, or 1000), there are other factors making me a bit wary of entering that ride.
First off, it's an 'x-rated' event, ie. you're pretty much on your own. No organised controls; all the food, sleeping arrangements, ferries etc. are up to you to sort out. That's why it's only a tenner to enter, but there's a lot of stuff to plan. Second, the ferries on the first bit of the ride. If you don't get the timing right, ie. you're a bit slow, you'll be trying to make up for lost time for the next 1000k or so. The 11.15am start means most riders will be kipping in Oban the first night, having ridden 200k, when a 300k daily average is needed to finish the route in time.
Being, how shall we say, a 'full value rider' most of the time, anything that holds me back from just trundling along at my tortoise pace is a problem. If your average speed is 26-28kph across lumpy terrain (and there's 18000 metres climbing on that ride) then it shouldn't concern you. For those with more modest abilities, the ferry hopping sets up obstacles to steady progress which could make the difference between having a time cushion and being out of time at a number of controls, desperately trying to make up the gap.
Aside from all these technical challenges, looms a more prosaic one familiar to all who have spent time in the west of Scotland in summer: midgies!
There is a permanent ride version of this route, and a Populaire version too. I might give these some further thought: both allow you to choose your own start time, and the latter can be ridden at an extremely leisurely pace (3kph average!) though of course there's no points available for a Populaire...
The only real difference 'twixt the 'x-rated' calendar event and the perm that I can see is the start time of the calendar event is fixed, and you may have other riders for company on ferries and the ride itself. On the other hand on the perm/Populaire rides sleeping accommodation might be easier to book, and the shops will not have been stripped bare of cyclist-friendly goodies by faster riders prior to your arrival...
Posted 11 years ago # -
@ARobComp, how are the hands? Feeling better I hope?
Posted 11 years ago # -
That's effectively the route of my Summer 2011 tour, with some minor adjustments around Ullapool, and I only went as far as Thurso and trained it home.
It will be both epic and hard work!
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm in on the Highlands Audax 1302km, for next year! Got my entry in before it filled up. I plan to take the tourer with a panier, bivi, sleeping bag, roll mat, and credit card incase anywhere has B&B accomodation! :O)
Dave C
Posted 11 years ago # -
Me and a mate are entering a DIY on Sat 17th from Dalgety bay railway station. Route is
Dalgety Bay, Opp Railway Station on A921
Falkland
South Street, St Andrews
Tayport Post office, Castle Street, Tayport
High Street, Creiff
Dalgety Bay, Opp Railway Station on A921
Total = 204.9kmIf anyone fancies joining us send a PM as we may be setting off earlier than the usual 8am, and send in an entry to the Scotland Audax Controller via the Audax website.
I've booked the weather so I'll be dry, sunny - but not too warm, with a tail wind the WHOLE way round!
YAY!!!!!
Posted 11 years ago # -
"I'm in on the Highlands Audax 1302km, for next year!"
That looks like a nice drive.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Belated hello crowriver. Tuesday afternoonish?By that point I was probably one of the furthest back recumbents on the route, so if it was laid down it was probably me!
Posted 11 years ago # -
@Darkerside, I only saw one other recumbent which was a chap with a beard and a German flag flapping from the tail of his machine. Pretty sure I saw you: dressed mostly in dark or black clothing? The timing was right anyway given your check-in at Traquair.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Will shortly be heading off to the Highlands for tomorrow's Forres Foray 200. Maybe see a few of you there?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Well, a very enjoyable ride yesterday. Almost no wind, so near perfect conditions, and despite low cloud in the hills, a bit of drizzle around Nairn (which gradually turned into real rain) it did not dampen the spirits.
The Forres Fpray is a good run, great Highland scenery. Perhaps not as challenging in terms of climbs as some Scottish 200s, but enough to keep it interesting. Lashings of tea, a plate of soup and the odd bit of cake helped with hydration and carbohydrates.
All nicely rounded off with a meal at the trucker's cafe which served as bot départ and arrivé.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Sounds great. I must try that one day.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Kicked myself square in the face for eleven hours today.
I've been a lazy scumbag for the last month - not been on a non-utility ride at all. Yesterday I helped out at the Beat the Borders charidee event, a 40 mile cycle followed by an 18 mile hike. Beautiful if windy day, and seeing people who really aren't used to distance cycling, and really weren't riding ideal bikes yet were still full of beans to go onto to the walking stage was pretty inspiring.
So...I decided to have a look at the abbeys in the area and see the bits of the ride I didn't see yesterday. I looked at the weather and reckoned that, like a stern-bordering-on-abusive parent trying to toughen up his kid, Boy Named Sue style, that if I devised a route that gave me no option but to get home from the likely lowest ebb, then I'd jolt myself from August's torpor.
First leg out to Haddington was a gift - blown along the road at an effortless 18mph. Got lost in Haddington and wasted a mile or so trying to find the road to Gifford. While I was there I bumped into a triathlon being held there, saw the event base and pondered, as I did at LEL and yesterday, on how easy bike theft would be if you wore lycra and SPD/road cleats, looked tired and rocked up to the racks and strolled off with something pretty generic. I was minding bikes at both of those events, but basically all I was doing was looking out for fresh-looking people in civvies and normal shoes; really couldn't keep track of whose bike was whose, unless both rider and steed were distinctive.
Didn't steal anything, but moved onto Gifford and thence the Lammermuirs. I'd not been on them since the St Abbs ride last May and had forgotten just how bleak and exposed they are. The crosswind was brutal, although thankfully not gusty.
That brought me to Duns, and at that point found I was following the Border Loop NCN route, which saved me checking my map every so often. Stopped for a sandwich break and a gander at Hume Castle, which is a funny wee thing but has commanding views of all it surveys.
Duns to Kelso was the hardest part, although I was still fairly fresh. Lots of long and exposed straights directly into the headwind.
Kelso abbey is pretty spectacular when you consider how small a chunk of it was still standing. From there I joined NCN1 and went on to Newton St. Grange, with the usual doubts as to whether NCN were (*^#ing kidding me as the route went stupid places, and more battering from headwind. Was about a mile past Dryburgh abbey before I realised I'd missed it, but couldn't face doubling back.
In Melrose I popped into the school that had been the base of Beat the Borders to see if anyone was still there, but there was just the janny, who had a good blether with me and then recommended the King's Arms for food. One big plate of fish and chips and one pint of their microbrewed namesake beer later, I was on my way, having decided after a carbon-fibre satnav examination that NCN1 still looked stupid compared to the direct route, but did appear to provide a lot of tree cover against the wind.
It did do that in quite a lot of places, so the run to Innerleithen was merely bad. Was pretty banjaxed by this point, mile 98. Stopped there for the last of the sandwiches, brownies and caramel squares I'd brought along, and then tackled to the Granites. This was perhaps the worst bit, since for the first few miles the wind, despite being WSW and me going north, was still a headwind. I really had doubts I could make it at this point, but knew the road did turn west, and gambled that there was some valley cyclonic nonsense happening at the southern end. This proved true, so I did get blown up the climbs, but they remained the Granites, so I wasn't partying. Last time I was there I was 8mph quicker.
From there onwards I felt my spirits lifting quite a lot, either second wind or tailwind or both.
Woke up with cramps a wee while ago, hence me typing at this ungodly hour while I drink a bucket of water and get salty crisps and bananas in mah belly.
Might go back to being lazy.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've got my name down for the Erit Lass 200k Audax this weekend. It's a similar route to the one you rode yesterday Uberuce. Avoids the "what if you end up in a ditch and there's no-one there to help you out" concerns of those nearest and dearest to me.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Did my first solo 200k on Saturday, basically Mr Martin Foley's Not The Forth and Tay route, with the Dalmeny corner chopped off.
Got spoiled early on with a fast ride out to North Berwick, followed by a super tough 80 miles against the wind south west through Haddington to Innerleithen and then across to Biggar and Carnwath via Peebles and Dawyck. Really not enjoying it by that point, but then had a lovely fast ride back up the A70. Even gave a chap a tow on the way into Edinburgh.
Almost looking forward to the Erit Lass now :) Although
I can confirm that the ford is wet! (and not wise on 23mm tyres).Posted 11 years ago # -
Lots of kudos to anyone who did a 200km last weekend. I contented myself with a one way trip to North Berwick.
Good luck with the Erit Lass for all those taking part. Be careful with cattle grids!
I do think my level of stamina is yet up to a 200km so will miss out on both the Erit Lass and the Dave Harris. The Three Glens is more achievable for me but I think that I'm going on hols. So maybe a DIY if anyone is interested?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'm sure there's a castle-based route we could concoct around here. From Googling:
Edinburgh -> Craigmillar -> Dirleton -> Tantallon -> Crichton ->Edinburgh.
Looks to be ~70 miles.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Can add some more - e.g. Hailes, Athelstaneford (always wanted to see), Borthwick, Gladhouse ............................................................................................................................................................
Posted 11 years ago # -
I'll hook up the lightning rod and create another thread...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Castles and cake?
Posted 11 years ago # -
If you fancy tackling some hills, a detour to Neidpath Castle, west of Peebles? Passed by it yesterday: what a location!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Did a 200k DIY yesterday. Controls: Biggar, Innerleithen, Dunbar, North Berwick. Some bits of the route I borrowed from the Saltire perm.
Cool headwind on the way out to Biggar, but a very pleasant run to Innerleithen on minor roads: the sun was out and the roads mainly quiet. Crossed the Tweed several times, going via Traquair to avoid the traffic.
After an ice cream, up out of Innerleithen through Glentress. What a contrast to my last trip this way, just over a month ago. Then, headwind and lashing rain; this time, a gentle breeze behind me and the sun beating down. Almost overheated on the main climb. A nice long descent to the A7 cooled me down, and it was turning into a great ride.
Soon after, however, disaster struck. I was heading to the ford near Fala Dam, when the bike skidded while cornering on loose gravel on the road. It went out from under me, and I landed on hands and knees. Mitts saved my palms but my left knee took quite a knock. I cleaned up the small gouges the gravel had left in my knees, but my left kneecap was agony whenever there was even a slight hill to contend with. Could barely walk on it either, but seemed okay pedalling on the straight or downhill (thanks to vitamin I).
I pressed on, getting a bit lost on the back roads of East Lothian (very ptretty countryside though), stopping to pick some gresh blackberries from the side of the road, and arriving in Dunbar later than I had hoped. My knee seized up after standing around snacking at the Dunbar co-op, so my intended sprint to North Berwick was more trouble than I had bargained for. Cruised by Tantallon castle on the way into town as the sun set. Knee seemed to have loosened up, though looking swollen it functioned well as long as I kept pedalling: which was handy for the run back on the coast road.
Hot bath at home washed away most of the aches and pains, still on vitamin I today but feeling okay. A wonderful day for an audax yesterday, maybe only today would have been nicer!
Posted 11 years ago # -
Bad luck on the fall, crowriver. Look after your knees and they will look after you. My knees are still burning from the June fall.
I'd be interested in your route - I'm looking for DIYs for later this year. Where did you start?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Oh - and weren't you tempted to use the Peebles-Innerleithen off road route?
Posted 11 years ago # -
I started from Abbeyhill, Edinburgh: the ATM at TSB on London Road to exact.
If I had known where the Peebles railway path was, I might have tried it. As it was, the road from Peebles to Traquair was nearly deserted and the surface good for the most part. Part of the official bike route it seems as there were wee blue bicycle signs dotted along the way.
I don't seem to have the Googol maps route stored in my account, which is a pity. I have a cue sheet which I generated from Googol's turn by turn directions which I can send you, but it's sometimes confusing (hence got lost in East Lothian somewhere south of Haddington) Basically though A701/6094/72 to Biggar; B712/A72 to Innerleithen; B709/7007/6367/6458/A68 then through unclassified roads mostly plus B6371/6369, etc. to Dunbar; Along A199 for a bit then turnoff to Whitekirk and round via Tantallon to North Berwick; The coast road/A198 I suppose most folk know.
Posted 11 years ago #
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