Audax rides

Experimenting with RWGPS. I've added Tan Hill controls as POI and some as Cue Sheet entries to see if the Garmin does anything useful with them.

What do you guys do with Controls - mark them as Cue Points or POI? I'm still using GPX rather than TCX for this.

Don't ask me how but this is perfect.https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11710595

I've never had any luck with GPX but to get the alerts when using a TCX you need to do 'add to cue sheet' not control point. That does nothing much AFAICS (although useful when route planning to fix the line).

Is than an audax route? I use a lot of those roads training. It's good route, could be better ina few places.

Dedham Value is so nice.

Dedham Value is so nice.

Not pricey, either.

#schicked

I use way points to mark controls on a gpx file.

Probebrly very pricey!
But very nice.

Not quite the Tour Divide/TransAM but there's live tracking of the Wild Atlantic Way Audax (not the race...) starting next Friday http://live.primaltracking.com/wildatlanticwayaudax/

Tan Hill 600 done. Some pics on twitter/yacf. Feckin' loads of climbing. TT bike not optimal but I managed ok. Gearing was too high (40 rpm when I looked in the Dales, probably less on the 30% steep climbs in Lakes) but it was all I had. Pissed down hard at night such that I decided to grab a hotel rather than risk crashing in the middle of nowhere - roads were lakes and my vision was pretty bad with the light shining off the water and "it's rainin' sideways!". I didn't do a bag drop because I was planning to ride through - didn't factor in such heavy rain (or that I'd miss the pub opening by arriving too early).
So, I take bivvy and can't sleep in Wales, then don't take bivvy and it would've been really handy in Hexham. Oh well.
Waited around chatting to a cycle tourist since the pub didn't start serving until 11am - had to have a pint at Britain's Highest pub! Winning! Needed it after the farm track to get up to it. Literally a farm track, not just a euphemism for Britain's shitty roads.
Really beautiful scenery. Even though it was harder and the weather was much worse I seemed to enjoy this ride much more than the BCM for some reason. Maybe there wasn't enough time to get miserable when there's another 20% climb to deal with... and another... and another...

Proper audax that is.

You had enough or 1000?

You know you need a 1000 you only have to do an arrow next year for another medal from ACP.

Yeah, I quite enjoyed this. Would definitely be interested in the 1000. Might need a bit more planning. I'm getting better but things like the guy not letting me leave the car at the hotel threw annoying curve balls.

What medal is that?

Brevet 5000, next on my list...

The 'Brevet Series'
These awards encourage the rider to keep riding over several years.

Brevet 500. Ride 5 x 100km rides in one AUK season to gain your Brevet 500. 150s can be counted as well - but not 200s.

Brevet 1000. Ride 5 more over subsequent seasons, totalling 10 in all over any time period, and you will have gained a Brevet 1000.
Another way to gain the Brevet 1000 is to ride 5 x 200km in one season. But you can't mix the two, it has to be 10 x 100 or 5 x 200, and you can't use 300s as substitutes.

Brevet 2000. Carry on collecting 100s or 200s over as long a period as you like, and eventually you will have your Brevet 2000. That's 10 x 200km or 20 x 100km. Remember, you can't mix them, and you can't substitute longer rides.

Brevet 3000. If you have ridden any mixture of 100, 150 and 200km over a long period (and it will be a long period!), totalling 3000km, then you have your Brevet 3000.

Brevet 4000. This is for riders who can show they have ridden 20 x 200km over any length of time.

Brevet 5000. This is a major challenge which is achieved only by very experienced randonneurs. In a four-year period, ride an End-to-End OR a Paris-Brest-Paris, a 200, 300, 400, 600 and 1000, a 24 hour team event, plus other rides to top up to 5000km.

Brevet 25000. Only a handful of randonneurs have ever achieved this. In a six-year period, a Paris-Brest-Paris OR London-Edinburgh-London, another ride over 1200km, a 1000km, a 24 hour team ride, three Super-Randonneur series, and other rides to top up to 25000km! Phew!

If I'm doing LEL then maybe I should get another couple of SR series done and go for the Brevet 25000? The team event is the probably hardest one to do - you have to find another two idiots that want to ride for 24hrs.

So, I take bivvy and can't sleep in Wales, then don't take bivvy and it would've been really handy in Hexham.

Yes, the temperature has warmed up a bit now so it's better conditions for testing sleeping stuff (as long as you're not completely waterlogged, that is). I'm going to give it a go this weekend: I've entered the Gospel Pass 200 which starts near Tewkesbury, about 150km away. So I'll ride out on Friday night, find a spot along the way and see how it goes.

Bivvy would've been perfect last night. Nevermind. One day I'll get it right...

a 24 hour team ride,

What is that, an Easter Arrow? If so you'll find plenty of people up for that.

You'll be in the audax hall of fame - youngest member!

you have to find another two idiots that want to ride for 24hrs.

I'd be one of the idiots.
I̶ ̶b̶e̶a̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶P̶B̶P̶ ̶A̶u̶d̶a̶x̶ ̶R̶a̶c̶e̶.̶ I was on the PBP Eurostar with you.

@andy_k unfortunately I've had quite severe knee pain since the BCM. Probably due to repetitive use of muscles combined with my bike set up incorrectly, have moved my saddle down and back and put on a shorter stem. So, I've been having acupuncture with and can thoroughly recommend. Knee almost back to it's old self, thankfully. Doing one of three 200s this month, undecided, then Kingdom of the East Saxons to complete my SR. Hoping I'll have a chance to do a 1000, but looking unlikely as July is very busy...

Rests for three weeks and then attributes recovery to accupuncture...

Oh! Sounds nasty, at least it's on the mend though!