Audax rides

I expect that fiver in the post by cob tomorrow...

;)

Yeah, did it a few years ago.

This was what I sent Matt after I'd finished it.

"Well, it didn't quite go to plan but I finished. My 5am alarm from Sat was going off as I drove home this morning :S

Very windy outbound, hard going, lumpy in Wales, but pretty as you said.
Return speed was hampered with a flat in the dark in the middle of nowhere (lucky I packed my head torch!) and then rubbish roads not really conducive to making the most of the tailwinds.
Basically didn't want to smash myself or pinch flat - I'd be barreling along an A road and then there'd be a foot long, half foot deep pot hole (maybe a helmet light for riding at night). So I backed off then ran out of steam on the long return leg.
Picked it up again for the last control and finish run in. More lit roads and being flatter helped. The reduced stop plan didn't work - got a few random stops for various issues and some extra feed stops that I could've done without.
Probably didn't wear enough warm kit so breathing a bit funny this morning. One Garmin ran for the whole ride, the other kept want to eject itself from the bike. Maybe I should just let it :)
I have receipts for all controls except I couldn't find anything for Didcot at 4am so I took a couple of photos of the bike in front of the station. I can also send you a track log if you want?
Um, I actually have tan lines on my wrists so yeah, quite nice for March. There was some spittle in the early hours but it never got heavier, thankfully.
Exposed quite a few issues with my race setup so that's a good thing. Still need to work on reducing my faffing :) Which reminds me, where did the Faffers name come from?

Just seen you've added some detail to AUK. The link on it sends people to the old Faffers AUK link I think
http://sites.google.com/site/thamesvalleyaudax/what-is-audax/permanents

Do I just post you receipts now? Do you need anything else? Other than email of finish photos?

Cheers for sorting that. It was a lot harder than the last 400 I remember doing (some of it self-inflicted). :) Guess that means I need to do it again. "

Hah, nice. Yeah anticipating the old headwind out>tailwind back combo... joy.

Looks like he accepts a tracklog now too as well as receipts.

Gonna pencil it for a month's time so should hopefully be as good as it could get weather-wise. Unless that mad heatwave from last year comes back. :|

Hey, nice to meet you too :)

Just entered the Ditchling Devil.
Hopefully I'll have the new gearing on to give it a good test ride.

48x16?

lower

49x15??!?!

ha

Hope to see you there.

I'll most likely have purple Westerley club jersey. May put my TCR luggage on the bike to give it a proper shakeout.

See some of you there. There are about 20 Brixton potentially doing it too.

Ah great. Yeah I’ll probably ride fully loaded.

How’d it go @Señor_Bear ?

Anyone else doing Last Gasp 600 tomorrow?

Failed. The weather was ridiculously wet and pretty windy too.

Anyone here riding the Fort William 1000 or Inverness 1200 rides?

How un-kosher would it be to just head for the first control on the Ditchling Devil without the brevet card after oversleeping and missing the start? We’ve paid and registered and aren’t fussed about getting the stamps etc - just wanted to do the ride!

Send the organiser a text/email I'm sure it will be fine

Doing the 1200.

I'm slogging around a 200AAA DIY and I really can't be arsed.

You didn't look to chipper when I saw you this morning.

I’m on a train having stopped half way on the DD. Was unsure I’d make it all the way round due to the remnants of a cold, it was my knee that was causing issues.
Could have ridden on but with only a few weeks till TCR took the cautious option.
Bit worried, might try see someone about it. Feels like tendinitis, front lower half inner...?

I have pain in the exact same spot after faffing about with cleat positioning. Would be keen to hear what “someone” has to say about it.

Hmm well I’ve changed my chainset but it was from the start this morning, so suspect a hangover from Wonder Wye, with the cold keeping me off the bike.
I’m going to ice and ibuprofen gel.