Audax rides

Ooooo interesting

Finished off my Fixed RRTY on Saturday with the reverse of a ride I did earlier in the year which was itself an homage to the only Audax I’d done prior to starting my RRTY attempt, the 2019 Straight Outta Hackney. Think I’ve said previously, 2020 definitely wasn’t the best year to join AUK but glad I jumped on the rides as soon as they started up again in September last year and then happy that I was able to keep the rides going. Ended up with 2 calendar events and 10 DIYs. Shame about the two month break at the start of 2021 due to the covid restrictions but very glad that I was able to squeeze a ride in at the very end of March so I was able to finish this month rather than next. Will look to do another hopefully unbroken RRTY in a year or two, hopefully with a few more calendar events. Not sure what my next goal is now I’ve finished this mind. Maybe look at some rides <200km from next year.

Nice. Do an SR series? AAA RRTY?

Quite pleased with how this season turned out. Despite starting in June, I managed to work my way back up to a couple 200s, my first DIY (a lot less complicated than it seemed) and only one DNF.

Think next season I'll try for a couple of 300s, probably the Full Monty (hopefully for another cocky badge) and Yr Elenydd, and try to make some progress on a couple of routes I'd like to offer as perms out of Manchester.

Anyone got any big plans for the coming season?

"Big plans" = riding something longer than a 200k for a start.

But currently looking to get the missus an SR series this year, maybe starting with an early season (like in a couple of weeks) 200k and maybe sneak in a 300k then pick some suitable events I've not done before for next year.

Given a lack of racing plans I might try and aim for a AAA SR myself.

I'd like to incorporate less car use and less hotels - more camping. So I might try and do some longer rides to get to event starts, camping overnight and then riding the event.

Oh, I've got an entry for Highland Fling 1000k from years ago that I might ride in April.

Would love to come up with some more interesting targets but not super excited about riding anywhere near home so makes enthusiasm low.

Elenydd is an epic ride. I think it was the hardest audax I've done, but in a good way.

I've got a perm card for Mark Rigby's Ben Allen ... Dragons 600, which I haven't plucked up courage to do yet. Needs a decent amount of daylight.

Just reading about it: https://ridewithgps.com/ride_reports/1643-roadkilljoe-and-the-yr-elenydd with a 40% road. Sounds like something I need to add to my list.

So I might try and do some longer rides to get to event starts, camping overnight and then riding the event

That's a fun thing to do. I might try it again this year, it's a good way to do events outside normal range, and I hate driving to events.

I did it 10-12 years ago in the civilised way, ride out the day before, campsite, decent sleep, maybe camp after if it was a 300, ride home next day.

Then the month before my first TCR I did the slightly more hard-core version of riding out overnight for 2-300km, a couple of hours bivvy, then ride the event - basically as bivvy practice. Got train back both times, which was the main stress. But too knackered / not enough time to ride back.

Good to read.

The route has changed a few times. Nowadays it starts from Tewkesbury (which is a pleasant night ride out from London, but maybe not in March)

I did it a couple of years before that guy but starting from Upton Magna as well, and it was really cold. There was a lot of snow lying on the route, and much lingering in controls trying to thaw out, and lots of riding in the dark / late finish.

The guy who ran it used to put camp beds in the hall the night before and after, so you could make a weekend of it.

Yeah, another reason I've driven in the past is train services to/from London suck for bikes - they either don't run when you need them, are crazy money and/or general pain in the arse trying to get bikes on them. Having now experienced actual sleep (vs. the race version of "camping" which is freezing to death in a plastic bag) I reckon it could be a nice, green alternative.

This looks completely mental

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=8514&Evno=21-506

A 1000km on 27 December, starting just when it gets dark. WTF.

£15 entry, bargain.

One of Will's events. There's something in the water over there (ooh topical).

Fuck that, it's hard enough just dragging myself round the poor student after Christmas.

Yeah, I rode it back in 2016(?) for the 30th running and really enjoyed it. Was a lot lighter/fitter then mind.

I recently entered for next year, not realising it's a) later in the year and b) doesn't start in shrewsbury anymore! Bit of a shame as it's considerably less likely to snow going up the devil's staircase again and I'm not sure if there will be free camping behind the start but we'll see. Sure it'll be a good day out and I can probably make a long weekend of it if I have to.

I rode+camped before one event this year. Definitely better than leaving the house at 4am to ride to the start.

Tewkesbury

Anyone know of a nice way to get there by train from west London?

All I can come up with is:
Paddington -> Tewks or Ealing -> Reading -> Swindon -> Tewks

GWR trains are shit for bikes with their random 2 bike slots and it'd be Friday just after peak hour so wonder if there's a less stressful way of getting over there. Missus not keen on overnight ride over there.

9 July For me, sounds better than doing it with snow/ice but more likely clashes with racing.

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9369

Yeah, I'd still like to avoid cycling from London if possible and in winter wouldn't be doing early rides in case of ice. A lot of rides are starting from Tewks and that's looking annoying to get to from here. 3hr train vs 2hr drive and on GWR trains which was a 'mare last time I used them. I guess camping isn't the best in winter.

I've now seen there's a AAARRTY so maybe I could do that this year in some kind of effort to stave off full blown boredom-induced workaholicism and alcoholism.

July! For me that kills it. It was epic as a late winter ride with clear roads but snow drifts recently cleared. Also there's a bit of thing about thousands of toads crossing the road making for a surreal experience on the run-in and they'll be long gone by then.

Maybe that's a bit strong, would still be a great ride, just different, and a different audience. For me, March and April have always been the main audax months when I've tried to do rides like this, with the odd long one shoehorned in somewhere in the busy summer.

OK, I've had a look at this as I've been wanting to do some rides from Tewkesbury for ages.

TLDR; I think it is just about OK. You can book the outbound in advance so it's the return that is the challenge and there are options that I've done before that are easier than the main line, such as going via Evesham/Worcester or Gloucester.

There is a train that connects Evesham and Gloucester via Tewkesbury which says it needs reservations but I doubt it would in practice. But it is rideable from either.

1. Evesham / Worcester
   You can get to Oxford without reservations. There is another line that goes up to Evesham / Worcester (15/20 miles from Tewkesbury) from Oxford. I thought that line might be OK too as I've rocked up and used it in the past) but it says that you do need reservations.

2. Gloucester
   I got back from there once by rocking up at Gloucester (10 miles from T) after a DNF (I had res but from Shrewsbury the following day so no use) - nominally that needs reservations but it wasn't a problem to get my bike on.

I reckon the main GWR (Paddington - Reading - Swindon - Bristol - Wales) is a right pain but the other lines / stations are more lenient / less demand for bikes.

I'll let you know if I try it.

I refuse to do the South Bucks Winter Warmer. My two pet hates: cloverleaf route and roads I'm already sick to death of.

OK, I've entered two:
one from Honeybourne at end of November and Tewkesbury the following weekend. It will be weather dependent. Honeybourne looks like it can be done from Ealing with no cycle reservations.
I won't book tickets until nearer the time when I see what the weather is looking like and when I've worked out if I take/what to take/how to carry camping gear.
https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9263
https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9321

It's great having something to look forward to (or dread).

There are another couple that caught my eye but I ruled out - the Bristol overnighter on 19 Nov and 200 from Droitwich on 13 Nov. The Bristol one would be a laugh if not too cold but it is full. The Droitwich one is good timing but the route comes back towards London and I hate the idea of that - I only want to do rides that start where they start and then go further away from London.

Yeah, that's the one. It was the first week in April the last time I rode it. Remember waking up to the tent+bike covered in frost.