Oh no. Memories of last year's Forth and Tay. Maybe do it in the summer?
I'm feeling like death warmed up this week with a chest infection so I'd already pulled out.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure
Audaxes + sportives 2019
(249 posts)-
Posted 5 years ago #
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March events seem to be jinxed at the moment. I was going to make a weekend of it - Mrs Panyagua and friends were going to do the Populaire and I was all set for the 200, and we have a cottage booked in Ettrickbridge. Now we're just going to have to sit by the fire or trudge through the snow to the pub. Could be worse I suppose.
Posted 5 years ago # -
We never did take up the chance to do the F n T DIY.
Russell has given just a month to do the SBR so hopefully not a repeat of last year's weather.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Not going to happen for me - no free weekends in next 30 days.
Posted 5 years ago # -
This is a shame. It's looking like my brother and I will probably ride this on Wednesday 3rd of April, if anyone would like to join us you'd be more than welcome.
Posted 5 years ago # -
That is my 400BRM Audax completed. Just the 600BRM Audax on Saturday....
https://www.strava.com/activities/2400653007
09:00 start, a change from the usual time of 06:00. We set off in small groups, only around 20 of us? Soon splittin into 2s and 3s. I rode with Orange Man, as previously agreed. We enjoyed the warm morning on the ride over the hill on the A709 before dropping to Eskdalemuir for early lunch. We left in a lightest of showers for Langham stopping breifly at the Thomas Telford memorial in Bentpath. As we headed out of Langham we took a couple of short detours off the busy A7 passing along quiet roads before rejoining just before Longtown. These were not as fast as the A7 but the peace was beautiful. Just after Longtown is the Whitesyke Garden Centre, where we had a coffee and cake. Leaving into a shower it was time to put on a jacket.
Passing through Brampton we has side winds as we climbed up towards Alston. Before Alston we took a few detours exploring the cycle route but came a cropper as there were some steep hills we took to avoid a particularly steep hill at Lintly Rain Halt, a heritage line. At Alston we fed outside with other, chatting to a couple of riders on a 400 from Mythmroyd, The Old 240.
After Alston it goes up, and up, and up, from around 260m to 607m on my GPS. As we ground up hill the wind became more friendly, as the route went east and downwards.
At Barnard Castle we found a curry house and shared nanbread and a meaty dish. At £8 each, including a drink, this was the cheapest meal and the tastiest!
Then is was back, in failing light and that head wind! I broke away from Pitch near Middleton on Tees to get supplies at the coop, and then climbed after him not seeing him until Alston. That climb in the dark, wet, windy night was soul destroying... As I crested the wind was making me wobble and then as I dropped I was very tired. At one point I hit very low cloud/fog and my light blinded me!
At Alston everything but the few pubs were closed as we dressed in our night atire, and leaving as a load of walkers were coming through Alston on a 160mile walk!
The route back to Brampton was broken by a couple of sleeps at Hatton-lee-garden here: https://goo.gl/maps/cNauQcstk6iEPnRB8 but it was a little exposed so we carried on and had a better sleep here: https://goo.gl/maps/pGigmLUoBqpS7tjb6
Passing through Brampton, it was all asleep and we headed up the A6071 and through Longtown with sides winds and very little traffic, all the time in rain.
At Gretna I spied the main centre open so instead of a quick bite at the garage we headed in and ended up spending an hour there eating, redressing and sleeping in comfy chairs.
It was now light - still raining, and we spun up the A7076 at better speeds to call into Johnstonebridge briefly and Moffat even more briefly. Then with the wind at our backs we sat up and climbed at a great rate over the Birkhill before dropping at a great speed for St Mary's Loch. Grabbing a bite to eat and rest my feast of Harribo was not sitting well in my stomach and we pedalled on to Selkirk and then the nice flat way into Gala to finish in 26 hours 5 mins! To say we were tired is an understatement, but at the start we had agreed to take it easy and just aim to finish, not fail.
Next stop, Ponteland and 600km next week.Posted 4 years ago # -
Well done Dave, great effort in those conditions. Dark, headwind and rain is never a good combination, even on a short ride. Good luck for your 600 - hope you have a good week of recovery.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Great holding in there, DaveC! Spirit of audax
Posted 4 years ago # -
I seem to have accidentally signed up to a 400km ride next month, of which the last 160km will be Ride to the Sun.
Never done one before, so @DaveC's write-up was interesting/concerning...
Posted 4 years ago # -
Greenroofer, try this route.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1659147062
3 hills, Red Stane Rig, Qute literally a Walk up the park. A ride out of Hawes. Beef Tub, eat first.
This is a nice route, with minimal traffic. You head out early to get to (Berwick Upon Tweed) BuT before the traffic builds. Bypass BuT and head for the Berwick Garden Centre cafe in East Ord. Then over the old Chain Bridge and on the North side of the Tweed through Kelso on a traffic free road. Then out past the Castle and down to Roxburgh. Stop for a snack (bought in Kelso) at the Bus stop in Roxburgh, lovely spot. Continue past Anchrum and Minto to Hawick on the north side. Eat at the Heart of Hawick Cafe, before out of Hawick up the hill and drop into Newcastleton for a great cafe called Copshaw Kitchen. https://goo.gl/maps/YFw9b34sRQTXJ99a8 (Copshaw is the other name for Newcastleton). Then head straight down the B6357 (ignoring my hillfest on Strava) and striaght onto the A7 after Canonbie, not at Canonbie (B7201). Then straight through Longtown and onto Carlisle.
If you do not fancy the A7, cross the border at the B6318 via Carwinley.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@daveC - epic. Did I see on Facebook you were falling asleep on the bike before the fog?
Posted 4 years ago # -
@DaveC - thanks for the tips. The route I'm following is extremely similar, so the tips of eateries are very useful. The main question now is whether I will survive...
I like your mantra of 'finish not fail', which I suspect will be the case. I don't intend to match the speeds of the epic you linked to above (where, if I recall, we passed heading in opposite directions in Carlisle)
Posted 4 years ago # -
@ Gembo, Yes as I crested Yad Moss on the way back, it was windy raining and v dark. At speed my eyes were darting back and forth looking for obsticles and my eyes would feel heavy and want to close.
@ Greenroofer, I'm interested to see who you are 'signed up' with. If your average speed is expected to be below mine you may like to keep your stops to a minimum. This can be difficult in a larger group, 3 or more, as we all wait for those faffing. I word of advise on clothing, plan for winter! Last year I only had shorts and I'd guess the temperature hovered near zero between the top of the Beeftub and Penicuilk! Wear a long sleeived Hally Henson type top, thin and wicking, a short sleeived jersey, take a long sleeived Merino wool top, a water proof and a gillet. Take shorts and leg warmers, water proof trousers and overshoes. Take a buff and full finger gloves. Have a good look at the weather forcast. Clear warm days leading into clear nights means low overnight temps. Cloudy cool days leads to cool but not so cold nights. Aim to drink a bottle of fluid every 50 - 75km, on top of what you drink with meals. Don't over feed at stops, small meals and oftern will prevent you beeling bloated. Your body might not agree with you cycling and eating, but do try to keep eating little and oftern. REal food is way more preferable to gells and sugar. But keep something in reserve, I take either a pack of friut pancakes or jelly babies. I made the mistake of not eating at Carlisle once and had to trough through the kelly babies at the top of Ecllefechen. The riders don't always stop at Johnstonebridge services, but you can eat there and bounce Moffat as the 2 chippies will be rammed, meaning you are not held up. The old Crook Inn will have the organisers having a loud disco with free bananas (courtesy of Fyffes), which you can feast on. Fron here it is very quiet to Penicuilk where the locals will shout and gasp as loads of cyclist come through as they are exiting the nightclubs.
My route to the Sea is much preferable to the centre of Edinburgh. Morningside clock, Bruntsfield, Merchiston Pl, Merchiston Ave, Yeaman Pl, Dundee St, Henderson Terr, Muriston Pl, Russell Road, and onto the Roseburn path. Then come off at Silverknowes Rd and down to the Prom at the Boardwalk Cafe, before turning left for Cramond.
Good luck. I'm riding the Nightrider as a helper this year so can not join you I'm afraid.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@DaveC I well remember the temperature at the top of the Beef Tub last year :-(
Posted 4 years ago # -
Chapeau @DaveC. Sounds like an epic. Yad Moss can be a long featureless climb at the best of times...
@Greenroofer - don't do what I did when I did a long warm up for RttS... get to Carlisle after everyone has left...
I miss calculated how long I would need to head over Hartside and get back to Carlisle so having been looking forward to a social ride home I was all alone some more. I did buddy up with a rider lost around Gretna and then proceeded to 2 up TT all the way back to Penicuik...
Posted 4 years ago # -
@HC - indeed. I also suspect that I wouldn't be able to match the 2-up TT that I remember you describing at the time.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Is this the place for Ride to the Sun chat? I've just read my wee EDFOC leaflet and while most of it is the week running up to a Big Exam, Ride to the Sun is after! Are people going? It looks fun!
Edit - Actually they have 2 different names, never mind! (which one is better?)
Actually is there two? One the night after the other that goes from Carlisle?Posted 4 years ago # -
There is a RttS that leaves Carlisle Saturday pm ends at Crammond
There is also a ride on the Saturday during the sun from Newcastle to prestwick.
The Carlisle to Crammond one is the easiest 100 apart fom half of it being in the dark.
Newcastle to Prestwick during daylight harder
Posted 4 years ago # -
Ride to the Sun is fun (or at least it has been the three times I've done it). I like the casual nature of it, and the way that you just turn up and ride your bike with other people who happen to be going the same way.
Do check the weather forecast and take plenty of warm clothes for the Devil's Beef Tub: it was baltic there last year. And, on the subject of the Beef Tub, the ascent in the dark with a line of lights ahead of you is memorable, so try not to arrive there too early while it's still light (my mistake from two years ago!).
Posted 4 years ago # -
P.S. If you pass a chap going very slowly on a fancy bike that makes you think that he's got all the gear and no idea, it's probably me, so do say hello.
Posted 4 years ago # -
@Sheeptoucher I am actually thinking of doing Ride to the Sun. My boss did it last year and one of the colleagues is doing it this year. But I am even more tempted by doing it HankChief's style!
Posted 4 years ago # -
@bill, is that the out and back Hankchief style or the burger bike version?
Posted 4 years ago # -
I thought the burger bike version was also out and back...
Posted 4 years ago # -
What's a burger bike? Out and back sounds like something you would do very well Bill! I'm still evolving from a cheerful egg shape to a fierce whippet so just one way for me I reckon. The CCE capital trip looks nice though, is it sort of an audax?
Posted 4 years ago # -
Burger bikes = Council's "Just Eat" bikeshare bikes.
Posted 4 years ago # -
is that the out and back Hankchief style or the burger bike version?
@acsimpson definitely not the latter!(And thanks @Frenchy for clarification about Burger Bikes!)
Posted 4 years ago # -
The CCE capital trip looks nice though, is it sort of an audax?
More Deliverance with cake and puncture repair?
Posted 4 years ago # -
No coop, no audax
Posted 4 years ago # -
There's a co-op in Lauder (I assume).
Posted 4 years ago # -
At the north end in the garage. But the two cafes are both very tempting
Posted 4 years ago #
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