Audax rides

TBF an American milkshake could probably power you for a couple of days...

I thought I'd taken a photo of one of the drive-through menus that showed the calories for the milkshakes but maybe not. It was rumoured there was a 3000kcal milkshake on their list.

I can't remember the name of the place. It'll come to me.

EDIT: It was Sonic

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and here is the same Sonic restaurant the year after...

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That must've taken a lot of detective work to arrive at.

Looking at photos tagged "TransAm" until I found a pic of some milkshakes. Clouseau would be proud.

Anyone thinking of KWCC's London > Anglesey > London?

Now I've bailed on TPBR it seems the most fuss-free alternative that doesn't involve loads of travelling. Interesting to see the elevation is less than LLEL, I've not seen the full route yet but I guess those Cornish up and downs soon add up.

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9328

1021km cycling event starting from Raynes Park. Controls at Oxford, Tewkesbury, Hay-On-Wye, Rhayader, Machynlleth, Harlech, Llanerchymedd, Porthmadog, Welshpool, Ludlow, Pershore, Eynsham, Henley-On-Thames and Raynes Park.

This is a demanding ultra-distance x-rated ride for experienced audaxers with over 1,000 km and 11,000 m of ascent in remote regions.

This is an X-RATED EVENT! 10pm start time. We advise riding through the first night and Thursday to Machynlleth (400 km); Friday up to Anglesey and back down to Welshpool (315 km); return home on Saturday (310 km). Book hotels in advance or take a bivi bag. The event starts and finishes at 19th Wimbledon Scouts Hall where we'll serve a pasta party at the départ and a barrel of local real ale at the arrivée.

Given I missed BCM this year the route is almost 'what if Bryan Chapman, but from London? 🤔' with a slight nudge to Machynlleth instead of Dolgellau, and Welshpool over Newtown.

If the route goes over Shropshire AONB too / Long Mynd etc from Welshpool, it could be great.

No idea about the route but I recognise a lot of the control names from other events so it sounds like something I'd be interested in doing if I'd not done a 1400k a week or two beforehand. Also, having been spoiled on Deano's Darlo rides I'm not super interested in doing X-rated stuff unless there's big AAA points to be had :)

Pretty sure this will have a decent amount of AAA - iirc they didn't update the points on LLEL for quite a while either, not sure why

(it will be far bigger than '0', anyways - I'd hazard a guess at between 8-10AAA, given LLEL had 12 something :)

Yep Richard just confirmed it's probably not been assessed yet.

Yeah it's still only a week after we get back from Italy so as tempting as it sounds now, I know what I'll feel like in July... :)

I'd definitely have done it if it was a bit sooner, but it's just a bit too near to TCR. I entered LLEL last year but was injured.

Now assessed with 11220m and 11AAA - basically the whole ride counts except the last 50km. Climbing is more spread out than LLEL and generally easier gradients in Wales so headline figure only conveys part of the story...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqAu-DDlINs&t=81s

Ah, nice. Yep suspected it would fall short of LLEL's AAA points given the lack of Cornish 25%ers.
I think I'll probably enter given I missed the BCM this year - looks a decent Welsh fix!

@youramericanlover doing lfgss audax proud in latest Arrivée with excellent contribution.

Ah thanks! Some of the editoral choices to the article were a little single tear but it's pretty much all there.

What is the capacity do you think of the Audax readership to the irony in the hand-on-heart in USA national champs jersey?

Yesterday my girlfriend and I completed our first 400, the Auld Alliance starting at 9 PM in Edinburgh.

Flipping heck, riding through the night with no sleep is tough. The actual night was ok, but fighting the urge to curl up and sleep at the roadside between 4 and 9 AM was horrible. I really do think I would have DNF’d if I was alone.

The route was a total banger, however, and we did get a pretty good sunrise. Also, there was very little rain and everything went smoothly, so all in all a very good ride.

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Well done - sounds great!
You're always going to get a tired moment after riding through the night. Sometimes a power nap is the best option!

I'd entered The Way to the Sea 200 ages ago but haven't really been in the right frame of mind to do long rides for a while, start/finish on my doorstep and a sunny day forecast was enough to twist my arm. Route was ok, some unavoidable bits of main roads out and back to the Isle of Grain and Minster. Nasty headwind at times. Good to see @Ruserius at the Isle of Grain control, lost him soon after that when he powered off into the headwind.

Sadly the thing that will be seared into my memory from this one is cunt drivers. I like to think I've got reasonably thick skin for close passes and aggro but Medway has to be right up there with the highest concentration of vile human beings to have been granted driving licenses in the UK. So many instances of getting passed at 40, 50mph with the offside wheels of the car barely threatening the centre line. I almost sacked it off after the Kingsferry Bridge into the train station at Swale, I'd had enough of that shit. Let my nerves settle for a bit and pushed on; things did improve from there as the route got more laney and Birling Hill was a test!

Not in any rush to get back out there if I'm honest.

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You're not wrong. The driving on and around the A2 is fucking pitiful. Sadly there is no nice way to get to Grain and getting tangled on those roads is miserable. Sorry you had such a bad time.

Looking at the route choices that some clubs make for their audaxes are really puzzling, and personally I would never route an organised ride through Rochester to Grain for that reason. Sheppy is reasonable to get to even if the road around the island is pretty underwhelming. I think that route as it is should be retired -it could go to Sheppy only and stick in the lanes. Cruising along the Medway is dumb and the justification must be operating on 30-years-ago traffic levels.

Reminds me a little bit of Oasts and Coasts when the route heads south after Hever to Uckfield and a bit beyond - those roads have been ruined by traffic and are just shit for riding. Needs a rethink.

I had my fill of close pass rage before even getting to the start! (Thanks lady w child in SUV in Peckham) So everything after that felt less life threatening I guess. However, I have noticed that I am riding on the pavement more and more, when sensible, as cycling safety advocates always say the only way to be protected from tonnes of distracted, fast moving metal boxes is separation, and the curb does the best job of that for me at the moment.
@ElGonzo nice to see you, yeah I got lucky, on a guy's wheel (non audaxer) just after leaving that control and did half that headwind section at 20mph. Gave him a very heartfelt thank you when he turned off!
The afternoon bit was definitely my favourite of the day, but got carried away enjoying it and limped the last 15km so bad in a bonked daze.

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We finished the ALPI4000 1400k.

wow! I saw ivan's ride on strava .. madness

Yep, though I'm not sure if the fixed riding was more or less insane than his travel plans. I need to find out if he stayed awake through Jarvis :D I can't remember his handle but he's on here so might see this when he wakes up. :D