Audax rides

I don't actually look to see if there's any mudguard rules.
I'm just try not to be a prick about sitting down on their finest arm chairs in wet/dirty kit.

Keeps wheelsuckers away... #win

ACP site finally updated: http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/323.html

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So at 0400 yesterday my alarm went off, and I readied myself for an engagement with The Beast from the East and Around the Weald Expedition - Polar Edition.
Extra jumper - check
Waterproof socks - check
Cleats tightened on my sandals - check
Train rocked up into East Croydon at 05something and I primed the legs with the climb up to Selsdon, and with new 28mm tires and a homemade camper longflap style saddlebag to put through its paces, I gingerly set sail at 0609
Slow and steady was always going to be the order of the day, so I pushed along to Edenbridge avoiding the worst of the back roads, thinking to myself that I'll be okay. Close to 15hrs I thought, but I'll do it. Bounced off Edenbridge at 0720 with a brief stop for some Red Bull slush puppy which had already started to develop in my bottle, a little over an hour in.
Avoided Puddledock and routed via Ide Hill instead of Toys and Emmets Lane, dropped down into Sundridge and crossed the M25 and into Filston Ski track Lane. It was at this point that I probably should have said no and just gone home.
No, not I. I figured I may as well get to Swanley and if needs be just go home from there. After much hard climbing, forced into the saddle by loss of traction from the 65" I was running (an oversight on my behalf - I was supposed to have fitted a 18t cog, but discovered this morning that I had done it all on a 17t.) Parts were literally sheets of ice, but I persevered and got to Swanley Co-op at 0920.
Jam tortilla and coconut trek bar, washed down with an alpro chocolate milk, I made the brave foolish decision to press on.
What followed was a 6hr onslaught of blizzard, ice, periodic stops to unlog the brake callipers and correx mudguards of icebergery, slipperiness, crashed vans, snowed in lorries, comments of how brave I was by pedestrians, frozen beard and water bottles, and general all round jolly japery. I got to Battle at about 1445, thinking that I'm over halfway, I'm going to do this. 85km to go. 6hrs ish left. I was beginning to believe.
Quick phone call to the wife to tell her that I was still alive and onwards I pushed. Slight headwind, which was unbelievably cold. Something akin to The Day After Tomorrow.
Legs getting heavier and heavier, but I wouldn't cave. I'm the Beast from the South East, and a little weather wasn't going to ruin my perfect run of AWEs. 50AAA gloriousness awaited me upon arrival back at Selsdon.
Forest Row - bottle of Coke (red stuff naturally), a litre of Lucozade and a couple of fruit jellies. Onwards and for the umpteenth time quite literally upwards, out of Forest Row. The sun had now set, temperatures had plummeted and The Beast showed me what she really had. The climb out of Forest Row was brutal - stiff headwind, blasted by the heaviest downpour of snow I'd seen all day, settling on the floor in front of my eyes. I had no option - push on. Almost there. 12hrs in, just 30km to go. It got very slick, very quickly. I pushed on, averaging just 10km/h. It was in more than just the figurative sense, slipping away from me.
A toilet break at Lingfield at 1945ish. Train on the platform.
Unashamedly, I packed. less than 20km from the end. but only an hour and a bit to do it. I don't think I could have safely ridden that quickly last night.

Despite the brutal conditions, it was probably the nicest AWE I've (almost) done. At times there were some truly stunning views, and all in all, after a whole day of foolhardiness, I made the right choice in the end. It was treacherous last night, pitch black, and I honestly think I would have hurt myself.

And so 50AAA still awaits, but I'll be in a position to get them when I thaw out, as opposed to heal up.

Oh, and the saddlebag performed admirably.

I'm still planning on going. I hope you still have those studded snow tyres setup on your bike!

Bloody hell, you are brave and maybe a bit mad :) Sounds like you made the right decision.

honestly they were so heavy and slow (2kg for the set) that I'm not sure I could manage 200km on them.

The bigger problem might be getting to the start for 8am...

I'm kind of having the same decision about which tyres to run.

Fortunately I have options depending on weather
1) 700c snow tyres
2) 650b G-ones (38mm)
3) 700 28mm Pro Ones

Only option 1 will be good if it is icy, however the idea of 200km on those tyres kills me. Option 2 might be good for snow, but still no match for ice. Option 3.... unlikely.

A few of us rode the Dean route check at the weekend and I thought that was daft, this takes the biscuit.

No shame in not finishing AWE in yesterdays snow you crazy crazy man!

If he hadn't been wearing sandals maybe he would have made it.

;)

Anyone doing the Kennet Valley Run this weekend?

What happened to that Hard Boiled 300k + the other Shawn Shaw 200k on the following day combo? I didn't know about it last time and now I was thinking about it, there's no 200k after the 300?

They are both running the 200k is the Dorset Coast and is being run by Andy Preston this year

Ah, gotcha. I couldn't remember the name. All I knew is that I missed out on it and I thought it was another SS production. Cheers I might do the combo this time.

If you do ride the Hard Boiled before riding the Dorset Coast make sure that you mention it to everyone within earshot at every opportunity, like the muppet we ended up riding with just before Axminster last year.

I got the impression that's what most people did. My plan for that weekend was to ride there after work, ride the 300, ride home. But then someone said "you know it starts at 2am right?" and so that fucked my ride down plan, then everyone is talking about the 200k tomorrow and I'm "what are you talking about?" and then my plan to ride home failed because my rear light batteries failed (@frank9755) and I didn't fancy riding home with no taillight.

Just rejoined AUK, didn't realise my membership had lapsed. Been hopeless with distance stuff this year and hoping to remedy that.

I have a temporary membership number, do I use that, or my old membership number to enter my next event? Want to do Occasionally Hilly next weekend.

Oh god. I think I now have 2 memberships.

Entered! Seem to have inadvertently strung along some manchester fixie goons on road bikes, should be fun

How exercise in old age prevents the immune system from declining
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43308729

Doing lots of exercise in older age can prevent the immune system from declining and protect people against infections, scientists say.
They followed 125 long-distance cyclists, some now in their 80s, and found they had the immune systems of 20-year-olds.
...
I met a dozen of the cyclists, on a morning ride in Surrey. Despite the bitter cold, they were universally cheerful, and clearly used to riding in all weathers.
They are members of Audax, a long-distance cycling organisation that organises events ranging from 100km to 300km.

Lol. But also, only 300km?

Incredulous proofreader probably discounted longer distances as fanciful.

The article's word count was too high, so they removed "before breakfast"

What is this likely to consist of: "Rest/sleep control at 341km"

Depends on the ride.

Anything from a village hall with wooden floors that you can crash on or chairs to slump in, to the luxury of sleeping mats and blankets (or even inflatable mattresses if they've borrowed the ones from LEL).

The BCM 600 has a stop at Kings YH so you get some time in a proper bed (albeit rationed time as it is often oversubscribed).

Food will almost certainly be available too.

Ah, it's the Brevet Cymru. Llangattock community hall. The calendar entry does say "sleeping facilities en route" so I'd expect there to be blankets and mats.

Never done it (but wanted to) so don't know how people approach it, but usually people will try to build up some time on the first 340km so they can get a few hours kip before setting off for the last 60km.

i.e. 6am start, so 9am finish on the Sunday so get to the rest stop at 2am and aim to leave at 5am or so giving a safe 4h to get to the finish.

The faster lot may get there before midnight for an even better sleep.

One time I'll time it right to help out as we have friends who live in Llangattock.