Audax rides

Cheers, very useful tip! Normally I wouldn't worry too much, but want to book a Travelodge and it is cheaper if you pay upfront (but non refundable).

Severn View Services Travelodge is great for the BCM, just a short trip over the bridge to Bulwark in the morning, along the cyclepath by the main road and nip through the hedge here: https://goo.gl/maps/tZkZ8wynd742 and bimble round to the community centre.

Usually loads of people lurk in the Boars Head in Aust the night before.

Also signed up for BCM (assuming entry gets there - only just sent it as took ages to find someone who could write a cheque for me).
Dubious as to whether I can actually cope with a ride with this much climbing, but it's far enough away not to think about at the moment. Will probably book Severn View as well.
Wish I was tough enough to even consider going to a pub the night before... will be getting as early a night as possible.

pub

Have you considered joining ACH might help?

Being a member of Brixton CC hasn't upped my combined cycle/drinking tolerance, which probably means I'm beyond help in this respect.

Now I remember. Talbot the last leg of the Steamride earlier this year? 300 and 400 planning before the BCM?

That's me. That was a very cold day.
Wasn't going to do another SR after this year, but then I was never going to do another 600 after WCW... Not really thought beyond doing a few 200s at moment. Maybe I'll do an SR in reverse and fill in the 300+400 after BCM. Quite keen to mainly do interesting/unfamiliar routes - Auld Alliance was probably most enjoyable of last year's audaxes for me (at least in retrospect) due to nice Scottish scenery; whereas Midlands sections of WCW nearly finished me off due to lack of views. Despite my miserable lack of climbing ability, I definitely need something to look at to keep me motivated.

Here you go then from last year something to mull over. Rather miserable this year missing this as I mostly wanted to finish the ride.

1 Attachment

Is that the scenic detour valley/mountain bit? Am a bit hazy on route details still.

Yes Elan valley, grandiose, after I just had been to Wales for the first time for half a day.

I can imagine I'll regret it if I don't do it. But then I may struggle to actually finish on time so it could be a bad idea. How much climbing/distance does it add? My brief googling couldn't find a short answer. I came worryingly close to being out of time on the only AAA 300k I've done, I am horribly slow at climbing.

I stare at my reflection on the Garmin. Hours of viewing pleasure.

How much of BCM would you say is 'closed' during the event? I mean, if everything is shut at night, there's 8-10 hours of not being able to buy food, but is the route such that I'd need to also factor in another 6 hours of riding through no-mans-land? Basically, how much food would I need to carry to get me through the ride?

You getting in the paranoid spirit of the big ride you are planing. Good on you. Wales is Dragon chops everywhere. They even have veg Dragons.

But really you are going to be finished by lunchtime with your engine.

Leave London early afternoon. This year was major delay. Ride or walk to the pub. Good food two beers in bed by nine or ten. Wake up five. No breakfast bring your own coffee. Ride to first control cafe no queues for you major breakfast. Next year it will be raining so no sitting in the sun outside. Ride to Rhayader buy whatever. Left into Elan Valley extra hour for you. Next cafe you are early no queue again. They are a bit eccentric with serving and paying but nice. Go to the pub in Machynlleth for a pint. Lunch at Dolgellau YHA. Ride along the coast lots of shops Harlech etc. Was advised to stock up in Penrhyndeudraeth as nothing after this. Never bothered. Menai Bridge 300km diner served. Most lovely. Ride back the fast way to Dolgellau for a kip. Breakfast. Second breakfast in Newton. And on to the next shop control where the shelves for you will be still well stocked but you will have to sit outside in the rain, stay on the laney route (character building) . Back home. Sunday train to London for fatties like you. This is the best ride ever.

If you can get to Menai Bridge before 10pm then the only issue is the trip back to Dolgellau YHA. You can pick up enough for what should be not much more than a 4 hour journey. If you get some sleep and don't leave until about 4am at the earliest, there's an open petrol station at the bottom of the Cross Foxes descent.

The only problem comes if you're planning on riding through to Aberhafesp, in which case, prepare yourself a drop bag for going south from Dolgellau before you head out on the northern loop.

From what I remember when I was looking... there's food provided at 3 controls (Dolgellau (visited at ~200 and ~400km), Menai (at ~300km) and the final one towards the end). I'm pretty sure Newton (~470km) has a 24h services or petrol station although possibly off course. There's a Tesco there too open 07-2200 most days. Knighton (~500km) has a shop by the looks of things.

Suppose it all depends on how fast you're going to ride and if you're doing the event or riding as a perm, in which case you might need some more food for the top loop (or a detour into Bangor...)

It's not my engine I'm worried about (well, apart from its failing air intake), it's the fuel tank I'll be carrying around with it.

two beers in bed by nine or ten

You're funny.

Penrhyndeudraeth as nothing after this

Nothing for how long?

Anyone got any cool ways of making coffee on the road or maybe storing some and keeping it warm? Lack of hot coffee during my last 600 was a major ballache for me (although in future I will dress warmer... yeah right)

How much weight/bulk are you prepared to carry? Will you stoop to sachets of instant? Some (mostly american it seems...) bikepackers go to great lengths to make decent coffee...

Mini alcohol stove, 100ml of meths, ti-mug, lighter and 2x sachets of nescafe is about as compact as you'll get. Gas instead of meths is faster but adds weight and bulk, as does dragging an aeropress, grinder...

Pour is only really practical in a group as you really need 2 mugs, although these look neat...

Using this: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4620132

~315k in 16hrs? Then it looks to be about 75k from Menai to the YHA.
Cross Foxes?

Why would I prep a bag drop - is that just to avoid cues or carnage at the YHA the second time around or do they not do food there or something?

I would probably be trying to ride the whole thing without stopping but it does depend on how slow I'm moving given conditions, climbs, etc and how tired I am - stress beforehand, etc.

I could use it as a bit of a bikepacking test and maybe try carrying a matt and bivvy and using an audax hotel somewhere but I'd probably not bother with a control sleep unless I was in a bad way.

http://www.snax24.co.uk/category/wales/newton/

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Snax+24/@52.5129346,-3.319761,14z/data=!4m5!1m2!2m1!1snewtown,+wales+24hr+services!3m1!1s0x486ffc9aa7139d11:0xf5371f4b07af2ed

It's only a little bit off-route.

I'd prefer to do the calendar event but it does depend on what else is happening that weekend.