Audax rides

Good to see ya!
Got home at 9!
Doing 300km in December feels weird.
Also Slough and Staines needs to be burnt with hell fire!
I am sure I had headwind for 95% of the ride.
See you at the next one.

Congrats on making the dozen!

That was one of the harder 200s I've done. Not the course so much but the wind and at the start the guys were hammering any lump and I'm 8-10kg heavier than race weight at the moment and on the road bike with Durano Pluses so I was having to work really hard to keep up. In terms of TSS required to complete it I think Straight Outta Hackney was harder because I was trying to chase down a Latvian guy who weighed 30kg less than me for most of it but this was up there :)

I guess riding a bike I've only been commuting on for 30min at a time was also not the best. I'd probably have been much more comfortable on the Stealth TT bike. My triceps got a real work over.

I think I got home around 5. I was in bits because I stopped eating towards the end and I hate to use my energy products when I'm so close to home. Had to slow right down because I felt the bonk coming. Got to the door all shakey. Perfectly timed arrival :)

I know what you mean, I'm usually eyeballs deep in empty beer bottles this time of year and sort of come around to do the Festive 500 and that's when I think about next year. RRtY makes you get your shit together a bit more I guess - at least for one weekend a month. Should've ridden the TT bike so not used to riding the road bike for that long. Not since PBP and Straight Outta Hackney have I ridden that thing for more than a commute.

Yeah, I ride through there on my A4 training rides. Southall is also a shitfest so we're basically screwed whichever way we choose to go east/west.

20kph in one direction and then you'd swing around and be doing 60kph. The all-too-brief tailwind sections were awesome fun.

Anyone doing Poor Student?

Chiltern Grit? http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-243/

Well done @arup, RRtY is a tough thing to achieve (I think it's tougher than doing long rides as it takes much more dedication and application. It's always been on my list of things to do but never got it all together.)

@hippy> I was trying to chase down a Latvian guy who weighed 30kg less than me

Ha. I only ever see him at the start of rides and for the first km or so. He's Lithuanian though.

I'll probably do the poor student. Chiltern Grit has a strange route - 90k out and back on a B road to reading then two loops in the Chilterns. Not sure I can bring myself to sign up for a long single road slog. Too boring for me.

Thanks for the tow on Saturday. You and the fast boys made the first 45k very swift :)

I was on a sweet green fixie. Obviously I did not say hello.

Ah, whoops. His name is similar to a Latvian guy I know and now I've forgotten his and his yacf alias. This is what the Ghent 6 does to people..

Will have a look at both. Will be giving RRtY a go next year.

I am planning on riding Poor Student, Willy Warmer and Chiltern Grit.

Not done more than a 60 mile ride since October so need to get back in shape asap. Festive 500 is also on the cards this year.

Chapeau to everyone riding on Saturday I was working outside all day and couldn't be fucked with the wind, let alone riding 200k+ in it!

Anyone doing the bryan chapman memorial? Have been thinking about it for a few years but haven't quite taken the plunge with the overnight solo riding element....

Yes to both!
Probably going to cycle to start of the chilterns grid

Probably should, one day. Maybe it will happen in 2016. It'd be more likely to happen if there was internet entry and GPX files kickin' about. #newschool

Willy Warmer is probably easier for me to get to but I have the Champs Night on the same day and if it's sketchy I don't want to be hauling arse around the course just to make it to the piss up on time. I need my bones intact.

That's why I was thinking about the Poor Student but then I'd have to get to Oxford first.

Failing these it'll be the Boat Trip Perm again.

@hippy It's true an entry form to fill in can be a deal breaker....

I'm hoping to do it in a group or as a pair, know this isn't totally standard for the event but the risk of getting stuck up a mountain in Wales in the middle of the night without company seems a bit much! I'm fairly quick but not sure I would quite be on your pace.....

To be honest it really depends on the day for me anyway. Some times I'll be totally fine riding in a bunch, other times I'll get the arse with the whole idea and so just hit out to get it done quicker. I still remember how much I hated riding Paris-Roubaix compared to how much I enjoyed the Tour of Flanders. Same as PBP this year with @scultura compared with many of the shorter audaxes like Saturday's when I just can't be arsed focusing on bunch riding, even if it could be quicker sharing the effort.

Hmm.. anyway, it's gonna depend on my plans for next year. I've still got some racing in me and some goals to hit with that but I'm definitely likely to ride some more of the longer audaxes in coming years.

...between oxygen tents

;p

Hypoxic chamber... but I'd probably suffocate in my sleep.

W'evs - attention seeking that's what it is..

I sent an entry off for Brian Chapman a while ago, keep meaning to check it arrived as I haven't heard anything back

Has the cheque cleared?

Why didn't I think of checking that! Just had a look cleared in October.

Everybody for the BCM has signed this already?

https://www.change.org/p/gwynedd-council-keep-barmouth-bridge-open-to-walkers-and-cyclists

Thanks for giving it to me.

I sent an entry off for Brian Chapman a while ago, keep meaning to check it arrived as I haven't heard anything back

If you don't like not knowing for sure whether you're in or not either contact the organiser or, next time, include a stamped/addressed postcard with your entry. The organiser will post that back to you to let you know that your entry is ok and you're in.

Many organisers don't cash cheques until closer to the event (although the 6 month limit to bank a cheque stops most shenanigans).

2016 is busy with other things. 2017 I've got LEL pencilled in so I might set aside 2018 to go back and redo some of my favourite rides (Dean and Severn Across, BCM, The Elenith, etc).