Audax rides

Get a head start and ride a 200 this year?
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-602/ ?

Good thing I didn't drive to Chalfont this weekend then. Didn't know about them (guess not every event is in google calendar)

Tempted....but don't think I've got the legs atm.

15kph and sitting on a wheel saves % energy :)

Well thats one way to do it :)

Also better to do today than wait until tomorrow, because something else might get in the way.

(says the guy that has a todo list extending back about 8 years...)

You and me both!!! I entered the Gently Bentley. Ive got no long rides under my belt in ages so it gives me time to get the legs back in some sort of shape.

I had originally thought about doing PBP as it's so long until the next one, but it doesn't actually look that enjoyable so may not bother.

PBP is a blast - miles better than any other audax. Route is average but it's an event with 100++ years of history. If I could only ever did one bike ride it would be PBP, it's got everything.

London Orbital done. Really good day for it, if a little blowy. Missus finished her first 300. She was a bit quiet and just wanted it done in the last 50k but everyone gets that when they're pushing limits. Lots of nice lanes (until the Chilterns), surprisingly decent driving, beaut weather, nice pub stops, all in all pretty decent day out.

Are the shop stops between the river crossing and leading roden as bad as the notes make out? Should I be stinking out the saddle bag with Chinese takeaway, or will a Soreen and bottle of red coke suffice?

Well done Mrs @hippy btw

In unrelated news, for those unfortunate enough to be both bestowed with dangly genitalia and lack the cunning and guile to have secured a Brevet for LWL, fret not.

https://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/19-307/

I assume it isn't the same route, but you do get to ride to Wales.

Those are the Severn Across controls so one could certainly follow the route. And it would be surprising if he had bothered to work up a new one

There were at least two 'corner stores' on the northern side of the Thames after the ferry.

Think we stopped at this one in Linford:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Linford+Food+%26+Wine/@51.4898985,0.4091929,3a,75y,256.39h,90.75t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sePUvtKt-G84NvaHS44eicw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DePUvtKt-G84NvaHS44eicw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D86%26h%3D86%26yaw%3D334.63583%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192!4m8!1m2!2m1!1sconvenience+store+near+blue+anchor+lane,+west+tilbury!3m4!1s0x47d8c84309b50f49:0x2045dc0af904eb1e!8m2!3d51.489889!4d0.4091401

I get the part about the history, but the thought of doing an audax with potentially 5000+ other riders is what fills me with dread tbh, by all accounts it sounds like maximum faff at the controls.

Plus LEL seems like the better fit for me if I were going to go for a 600k+ audax...

We'll see come Feb, I guess! It could be a 'sign up and worry about the details later' kind of ride.

Controls are fine if you miss the bulge (which by definition most people don't).

Basically PBP is designed for the 80 hour riders and everyone else comes second, so the nearer you are to the front, the better the controls will be. You'll hit the bulge coming back, but it will only be a few hours - one or two busy controls.

Hmmm, yes, missing the bulge sounds key - the 84-hr 'Randonneur' group setting off a day later would be my preferred group, but then it sounds like you can end up catching up with the 90hr Touristes a day or two in.

No way I'd want to roll with the Vedettes.

I'm probably over-thinking it tbh!

I did 84 hour start last time but wouldn't do it again.
advantage was more riding in daylight, and seeing bits that had been dark in 2011. But the controls were bad, volunteers tired and some had run out of food.
Front of the 90 hour group is good, if you don't fancy the vedettes.

I'm quite excited by this ride now. Wish I could have done rhe calendar back in the summer, just glad its been made perm. And besides, solo autumn and winter 300s is where its at, so I'm told

Hopefully the BBC 600 becomes a perm too.

When are you going? Hope the weather is nice. We scored an awesome day.

Autumn/Winter? Bleugh. Anyone want to help me build a bridge to Spain?

I just do them DIY if they're not Perms.

Monday - weather invariably will be a headwind all the way round as the remnants of tropical storm whatever passes over.

I've just dried out from the deluge that hit through Merton on Monday morning. I took 5 under a bus shelter it was that heavy. Even my skin, which has proven to be relatively waterproof over the years, leaked I'm sure.

I thought it was this Monday for some reason. You should've ridden with us - I just pushed the storm winds out of the way ;)
I do that. Normally because I hate stopping to put on layers, thinking it's going to stop, it gets very hard rain before I decide enough is enough and then I'm scrambling for a tree/bus stop/etc.
Trying to decide if I want to do something dumb like a 1000k DIY or just stick with the odd calendar 200s that are left in the year.

for a couple of minutes, it was raining from the ground upwards!
It was always 22nd - I've a week off, so don't have to worry about getting back in time for cocoa. 3points, followed by another 3pointa on Saturday hopefully (10pts 0AAA? I'll have to change my avatar!), with the Cambridge rides, which of anyone fancies riding up with me.
I'm using @Greenbank's route from Putney onwards (freestyling all the way though as I've only emtered an advisory route.) I'll hit Putney at just before 0400 i think.

I like a lay in at the weekends.

I can barely remember my own schedule, let alone anyone else's :)

Are you hunting a specific number of points or something? I'm still trying to work out what to do. I'm in this weird limbo period where I want to do big dumb stuff but the days are shorter and I'm worried if I start I won't actually have the motivation to finish.

I'm still not sure.
I'm more drawn to longer rides than hilly rides at the minute, but yeah, the short days mean I'm likely to be riding Ditchling Devil a lot overwinter
1, because I'm lazy with routes, if I can just ride without navigating thats great and 2, because it has a couple of leg stretchers in the route

Problem with doing a 1000k is that I won't be able to do it in a weekend so it'll take a day of work, trains, maybe accom and that all turns it into something expensive. Just for the sake of a long ride. I think maybe I'd be better off leaving it for summer when it would be more enjoyable but at the same time I kinda want it done and off my todo list. It's hard to slot a hard 1000k audax into a training program when you're trying to be fast for other stuff.

I was doing quite a few hilly DIYs around the Chilterns and just got bored with them. I don't think I'm a points chaser. Riding with no real purpose (especially the same routes) doesn't sit well with me.