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@atk
Rode the May-as-well Solstice yesterday, very nice route and would make a good first 200 for anyone around the area. Opted for an extra 40 minutes in bed and hopped on the train to the start with another audaxer who'd made it all the way down from Sowerby Bridge). Route was straightforward with only a couple of tricky bits getting out of Market Drayton and another town I forgot the name off. A closed bridge meant meant a few km of converted railway-type cycle path and then a short gravel section (I wonder if there are any all-gravel audax events...).
Food and supplies were readily available around the ride (my favourite cake shop/village store in Goostrey was open on the way out too!) even in the smaller villages on a bank holiday. The control at Old Ma's Cafe in Tattenhall was a good stop and somewhere I'll be re-visiting. I feel I managed my eating a lot better across the day and felt a lot stronger than on the Newport 200 (despite having some Welsh miles in my legs from the Saturday). Lighter wind and sunshine for a few hours in the morning definitely helped.
I was pleased with my pace, looking back I could have probably made it round an hour or so faster had I been riding solo. As advised by someone on Saturday, while dragging ourselves up Horseshoe Pass..., it's important to go at your own pace and that doesn't always mean pushing hard to keep up, it might mean not slowing down to stick with others...
Feeling a lot happier with the bike too. The combination of friction shifters, smaller rings and a narrower range cassette meant I was picking a sensible gear and spinning along, rather than having big jumps and grinding my knees away. New tyres were more comfortable and felt faster rolling. Mounting a Super C Audax on the front of the bike provided ample storage for cake and other bits and pieces. Everything feels a lot better and I'm confident it'll get me round my first 400 at the end of the month.