Audax rides

Thanks, a good term for me to google!

I part grew up on a farm so I find it interesting to see the agriculture. It was clearly a very big deal there, pretty intensively farmed and, as you say, loads of grain. Also a bit of salad / vegetables: lettuce, sprouts / cabbage and carrots.

A lot of the grain got watered at night by massive water jets, which is fine, but they also water the roads which was a bit annoying when I got sprayed. I saw some big bits of farm kit, but I bet the combines are the size of houses.

In that area I managed to beg some water from a gypsy. I was running low and passed what I thought was a campsite and went in to ask if I could fill my bottles from a tap. But there wasn't a tap. A guy came up with a bottle of water and chatted a bit, and he said he was Gitan. I only knew that as cigarettes, but then I worked out it meant Gypsy, and it was a travellers' site. Have to say it looked a lot better than the equivalent in the UK - but obviously not on mains water. Felt a bit bad as paying wasn't appropriate and I didn't have anything to give him in return at the time.

Further south, in the Loire, they were harvesting strawberries and asparagus - lots of guest workers being bussed in.

nice. yes houses and farms are huge, so are the width of roads to let engines pass.
The roads can be dripping with spray water, but when it's full on summer and dry you have massive clouds of dust raised by machinery, it can fell very roasty.

When it comes to travellers in france, It all depends on the town. The allowance of land for gipsies is written in Law, but it is fairly new so not implemented everywhere yet, and obviously there are fights within local communities when it comes to picking a spot and paying for the upkeep, so sometimes not done very well.

I've got these of some people I know. I could use these but I live on the other side of Birmingham hence discounting them - didn't fancy dragging myself eastwards

https://strava.app.link/Sn1ZY5M66pb — B2L Part 1 - Birmingham to Buckingham

https://strava.app.link/5M3r66O66pb — B2L Part 2 - Buckingham to London

https://www.strava.com/routes/12453489 — B2L 2018 (looks to combine the first 2 above)

https://www.strava.com/routes/2842357721037688572 — LCR2LDN Day 2

Thanks, they look great!

What's the best approach into Central Birmingham? I'm going to Symphony Hall, so very, very central.

Not sure, like I said I live on the other side so don't cycle into Birmingham. if you do I would probably avoid the A4540 ring road - double lane dual carriageway - majority of the main roads are quite large
but if you used any of those and heading into Moseley/Sparkhill just go towards Digbeth and your pretty much in Central Birmingham

Did this on Sunday. Fuck me it's a bit difficult. I don't think the constant rain helped but still, really struggled around the bottom half. Enjoyed it in the end but had to have a little word with myself a couple of times and a lot of chocolate was eaten

Anyone else doing the Tour de Ricky this Saturday?

Cotswold Challenge 160 today plus out and back from Birmingham New Street to take it up to 210km. Knees gave me a bit of gyp to began with but steadily improved as the day went on. Diverted into Moreton-in-Marsh after 70km for proper coffee and cake as the first control had bacon sarnies on offer... and nothing else. Fell behind the main group and spent the next 50km largely on my own. I normally find the middle section tough but spirits remained high all the way to the finish, despite a couple of punchy climbs (RidewithGPS promised me there was nothing over 11% - it lied!)

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Tour de Ricky 200 on Saturday. Good route, not really familiar with any of it as I mostly stay south of the M25. Start/Finish at Woodoaks farm which had some incredible cakes in the morning and good selection of beers from Creative Juices Brewery at the finish.

First control was in a farm shop where you had to waddle a good 150m through the deepest gravel car park I've ever seen, it was almost like a ballpit, I'm sure toddlers have vanished without a trace there. Rode past another farm shop at like 90k, thought about stopping for some food but surely there'd be another one or a cafe of some sort in 10-15k, right? Nope. Regretted that. Lunch was a couple of naff sausage rolls from a corner shop.

Riding through a nice valley and saw about a dozen or so large birds of prey circling above, buzzards or red kites perhaps? Then loads of little bunnies popping in and out of the hedges... Dunno if the birds were eyeing up the bunnies for lunch or not but I was soon out of there before it got all Planet Earth.

Classics and Supercars meet at Stonor Park was wrapping up and a few really nice cars overtook me on a climb; Ferrari Dino, Porsche 356 Speedster and an immaculate E-Type Jag in British Racing Green. All drove past slowly, gave me as much space as they could and waved. Nice.

Nasty little climb just after Marlow (Kiln Lane?) at 185k or so confirmed I didn't have much left in the legs and then roll through suburbia and back to the farm for a pint then Metropolitan line back to Farringdon. Bunch of pissed up Sunderland Fans got on at Wembley and started mocking me: "Why don't ya ride yer bike maaaate? Wasss it doin' on train, lad?..."
Attention swiftly turned away from me when one of them lost balance and twatted his head on a pole.
Good day out.

Creative Juices Brewery

Need to ride out there and check them out.

There were definitely some Kites out west yesterday.

twatted his head on a pole

Should've been wearing a helmet, obvs.

Anybody doing Sunseekers and Moonrakers ?

Not me but that does look class. I have just signed up for Green & Yellow Fields that same weekend. Will be my first 300 and first proper bit of night riding... just a tad apprehensive!

Thought about Greenwich Mean Climb as still accepting entries and it sets off pretty much from my doorstep, but just waaaay too lumpy.

Thought about Greenwich Mean Climb as still accepting entries and it sets off pretty much from my doorstep, but just waaaay too lumpy.

We've entered this. I had to book a hotel near the start to convince the missus to enter it though. Bloody princess.

Ha, the appeal of pretty much rolling out of bed to the start almost had me. Almost.

It was the 3:30 alarm to ride to the start that put her off as well as the climbing and the riding home and the proximity to ALPI and its proximity to London and...

But I'm a persistent bugger so of course she caved. :D

I rode my bike for over 200km and didn't get a cloth badge??? WTAF. A sticker is not what I was promised, it wasn't a trip to the fucking dentist.

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You can buy a patch or badge if that's what you're after.

https://audax.uk/store/medals-and-badges-shop/

But you only rode your bike for 200k, what do you want? A fucking medal?

Oh, yes, I see that's what you want.

Jeez, I mean I could buy one of these...

https://www.classicsteelbikes.com/product/santini-uci-world-champion-jersey/

I want a badge. I was promised a badge. Medals are for races, badges for Audaxes.

It's easier to get a WC jersey than an audax medal/badge.

Were you promised a badge or did you dream of being given a badge?

I can't remember to be honest. I'm blaming @cagimaha for putting the idea in my head though.

cant trust a man who pronounces Carradice as “car-a-dee-shay”