Audax rides

Hopefully you're over the flu and stuff.

Severn Across is a really nice 400 - it's not ever so challenging (these things are all relative and it's still riding a bike 400km!), a few rolling bits, couple of bigger hills (Yat Rock and Somerset Monument are the two biggest leg-stretchers) and plenty of flat'n'fast stuff.

I rode it this weekend - the weather was miserable, but there were some short breaks in the rain where everything looked very pretty as you go through the Cotswolds (tour of Tory heartland with all the banners and stuff out - I was pleased to see some good graffiti on several of them including a well intentioned but poorly implemented conversion of Robert somethingorother to Nobert and some of Dave's banners with cocks drawn on them).

I will be at the finish helping with tea and toast and so on.

Say hello at the end (if you can still talk)!

I hope you soaked up all the crap weather for us? I want a nice fast, dry, run please. Home in time for the evening movie :)

I reckon I got lucky compared to those on Brevet Cymru where it sounds like they had truly non-stop rain.

It wasn't too bad during the day - got a bit miserable 40-50km from Chepstow. Then looked pretty good and I thought I was going to get away with it - until about 50km from the end when it just didn't stop raining until the end.

My stomach was in bits - I was playing the 'solid or gas?' game desperately trying to reach the Henley 24 hr garage, knowing that I had forgotten to put some TP in my bag. I didn't make it. I am glad I was carrying a spare route sheet is about all I have to say on the matter.

It's not the first time I have been binge-shitting in the pouring rain - it doesn't get any more fun second time around.

You will smash it mate!

This is going to be my approach.

What a lovely post Marcus, I will, thank you. See you Sunday morning

Binge shitting in the pouring rain.

If you've been inspired by this thread and would like to try audaxing for yourself, why not log on to bbc.co.uk/2012legacy/audax?

In.

#veronicamosergag

You haven't lived until you've binge-shat in the pouring rain.

Or had to visit those toilets in Illifaut. Quelle horreur.

Possibly most appropriate here. I have a very old Garmin with bike mount and PC cable (needs a serial port) if anyone wants it. I think it's the model before the Etrex

It's a Geko 201 http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/garmingeko.php Takes AAA batteries, you can upload a GPS file to follow if you're happy just following a line on a screen (you can't put maps on it). and it can show distance, speed, etc.

If you want it send me a PM and I'll stick it in the post. GEKO HAS NOW GONE

I also have a Dakota 10 with bike mount http://gpstracklog.com/2010/02/garmin-dakota-10-review.html . AA powered, touchscreen, can upload OSM maps to it, do turn by turn, etc. Doesn't have Ant+ (which is why I replaced it with an Edge).

Will be willing to sell this with bike mount for £50.

#veronicamosergag

Dat feel when you actually get around to googling who the feck veronica moser is...

Just googled. Feck . . .

Just finished mapping the Hop Garden 200. I've put in Waypoints for the controls. Have followed the 2015 routesheet exactly. Here it is for anyone who wants it. A massive array of download options. I generally go for gpx track.

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uzxenirfogmjuqvl

Looks like iframe no worky. But the linky does work.

    <link href="http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uzxenirfogmjuqvl">
      <text>Hop Garden 200 / 2015</text>
      <type>trackOnWeb</type>
    </link>

When I edit .gpx files all usually tend to do is change names to shorter ones so they don't get cut off when I scroll on the device. Inside the text tags above or like this.

  <wpt lat="51.32339123" lon="0.412824153">
    <ele>37.000000</ele>
    <name>Holly Hill!!</name>
    <sym>generic</sym>
    <type>Generic</type>
  </wpt>

Fairly simple if you're familiar with editing plain text files.

Pm'd you about the Garmin Geko!

Please call it Gordon.

Hmm...is it possible that you could get the Dakota to me by Saturday (postally or otherwise?)

I'm in S. London.

Not sure. I'm around NW1 - Warren Street if that is any good to you.

Otherwise I can post tomorrow. 1st class delivery looks to be £3.30 but not guaranteed. Cheapest guaranteed next day seems to be £7.25.

Activates PM cloak...

Hilariously, the old Farmer Giles have decided to flare up the week before my first 200 in almost 2 years.

Literally a (small) pain in the arse. Amazingly, riding doesn't seem to aggravate because it's the sitbones what do the sittin'. Still, not fun.

You may start making jokes...NOW.

Obvious 'inner ring' pun is obvious

@fizzy.bleach Grape news!

I've had to go and buy myself some suppositories.

Thanks fuck for the self-service checkouts at Boots, is all I'll say.

What I've just done was genuinely harrowing.

Happy I shared this episode of my life with you.