Audax rides

Spanks.

Here's the Belgium thread: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=95531.0

That's a good list

^ You are all brilliant amateurs thats why I like you so much. The calendar is released around January I believe so have a look then and book your 2017 holidays.

http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/323.html

Give no other commitments or work I'd go with you for the Chinese BRM.

Then I would continue around the world on my bike stopping only to watch the pigs flying, the unicorns gamboling, and the Australians winning at cricket.

Weather is looking AMAZING for Flatlands.

A bit wet!

Not regretting being unable to do this anymore... good luck.
(though dry overnight, which I'm guessing is better than the other way round).

Glad I booked a room in Goole for a kip, though overnight it doesn't look too bad

Indeed, all day one is looking terrible

I had a reasonble ride on the Flatlands but managed to mess up my navigation (tech issues and misplaced trust in another rider, not my incompetence) and did a bonus 70km making it into a long, and therefore not extremely quick, 600km.

IT was a cold night. I had an hour in a bus shelter just before sunrise and felt pretty good all day yesterday on the back of it. A few guys slept in the McDonalds at Sleaford. I would have done if I was tired then.

Legs are a bit sore today. Actually I feel in more pain than I did after the Transcontinental.

I did a long write-up on YACF:
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=99021.msg2077559#msg2077559

Fair play, nothing like making it longer in that weather!

I had Achilles trouble and bailed at Lincoln, I was in pain, and to be honest I wasn't loving the route at all, it doesn't go anywhere nice and the roads are really uninteresting, for anything over 300k in the future I am going to stick to the scenic/hilly rides I think.

I got to Goole about 10:00pm, I arrived at my 'hotel' to find two women having a punch up in the street which was a lovely welcome to a beautiful place. The 'hotel' I had booked turned out to be a late bar which was in full swing until about 2am, thankfully I had earplugs.

I was back on the road by 4am, but was riding slower than I wanted. I probably made a mistake stopping as early as Goole, I got a good sleep, but with my Achilles giving me more trouble the next morning and a long day ahead I just wasn't up for it. I wouldn't book a room again in future, as it meant I was a bit restricted with my plans, I was riding well to Goole (apart from wasting loads of time in controls trying to get out of the rain), and could have carried on for another good few hours before stopping, next time I will bivvy for definite and keep going until I am ready to drop.

Yes, best way.
Next time I do a UK 600 I'll take a warm sleeping bag so I've got flexibility on when I sleep.
If there is a next time, that is!

Hope the achilles settles down

Did the inaugural Rowlands RAAAmble 200 in yesterday's glorious sunshine. Route was great with lots of beautiful lanes. Definitely hilly, but nothing too long or steep. Not exactly fixed friendly though. So good, I'll will do this route in reverse one day.

Thanks, think it was a bikefit issue. The bike had gone back for a warranty issue and I think the set up wasn't right when I built it up again. Stupidly since I got it back a few weeks ago, I had only rode it to work a couple of times before the Flatlands

Hoping it will be all right for this weekend as it's Greenwich Meanclimb and a mate is coming over from Stockholm to ride it.

What's putting you off 600's in the UK? Weather?

No, the weather was ok on the whole - dry, mild start, then a bit of rain but not cold, cool night then a nice day.

It's just the cycle I tend to go through, from elation at completing a big ride, to 'I'm never doing that again'!

I think I'm going to choose drinking over Greenwich Meanclimb. Perhaps I will some Perm 2-300s before the year is up to get those extra 5 points.

If I understand correctly.

Know very much how you feel fattie and the points year ends at the end of this month.

Does it? dafuq aren't they using calendar years for?!

You think you got problems my Belgian 1000 just got validated and it seems I am now on 37.

Thankfully I don't know how many points I'm on and don't care about getting to 40.
I did want to make sure I got my 6 for the Flatlands as I'd promised Dave, my clubmate, who has got big into audax, that I'd do it so we could get the club past 100 points for the season.
The GMC sounds good on paper but a 300 is just a bit long for now. I'd maybe have done it if it was a 200 but a 6am start means leaving home at 4:30, and riding 35okm in total for the day (assuming I don't screw up again and add 70 km like last weekend!)

don't care about getting to 40

It's not a big deal, it's just one of those arbitrary 'goals' or events I latch onto in order to stop me spending all weekend, every weekend at a pub.

There'll be beer on tap at the GMC arrivée, as it's an ACH event

That was one of the appealing points - I did SOH last year.

But my mate has brought a nice bottle of something back from Italy so I need to help him with that.

Be careful you don't get there too early! I made that mistake after the Dean and they hadn't got the beer out yet :-(

http://road.cc/content/blog/204485-here-be-ye-dragons