Ultracycling

You've ridden in the wrong bits!
It's the black forest, it's lovely.

I'd do it if I could get the time.

First time I've ever ridden in the Lakes and found myself googling 'heat stroke symptoms' during a brief stop.

Thanks for posting this, it's better than the ones I was using

That's a good point. My only real proper experience is from TCR from last year so not really reflective. Big country right.

Is anyone signed up to anything for next year?

I'm looking at things at the moment.

I'd like to do B-hard, but don't want to drive there. I can see why you did though as train/bus with bike looks very hard.

Mittelgebirge is also a maybe. I'd like to do it and logistics is easier. Race Across Slovakia is sounds like another good option but I have something else two weekends before so might get pushback if I suggested it. Bratislava probably not as hard to get to as Banja Luka.

NC4000 is a possibility as I would like to do the Arctic circle stuff at some point, and North Cape Tarifa clashes with something (and I think it's too early in the year). If I don't do it, I might just do the LEJoG audax, as I've never done that. Or there is always TCR: no guarantee of getting a place, I don't really want to die on an Eastern European main road, but it does have the most buzz of any event.

Did the race this year, boring isn't the word I would use for the German part. "Motherfokkin steep" is more in the right direction. I did a race report
and tomorrow the official aftermovie will be released
.

If I can get a place again, I'd ride TPR another time, no question. Great scenery and barely any traffic for the most part (depending on how much riding you do within Andorra).

Felt like good value for money and a fairly hard challenge that's done in a week, which is always going to go down well at home for me. If I don't get a place I'll probably volunteer.

In the UK if I can squeeze it in I'd like to try Bristol > Glasgow > Bristol and maybe one of Andy Corless' longer ones, depending on what's running.

I apologise but I will promote our new event.

If you like beautiful scenery, gravel and quiet tarmac. It's for you.

June 15th Girona.

https://www.lesperitdelbikepacking.org/el-piri-info

Mille Pennines is on next year. I penciled it in (but I've done that before and missed it)

https://millepenninesaudax.com/

We're almost certainly down for that. Thanks for pushing my TD back another year, you bastard.

2025! I'll definitely try and enter, although it's basically APN x Pendle by the look of it. Waay cheaper than APN though.

Interesting, thanks for the link. I got the wrong end of the stick and thought it was a lot shorter.
I need to be back home for 21st, the timing might work, if I'm not too slow!

How long do you expect people to take?

He's doing the Pendle next year.

Well piece of string.
3-7 days

I think you'd struggle to finish on 20th without pushing it hard.

We will also run L'esperit de Girona (as a) Half this year. So the event will be the first half of the full course. 400km 12000m. Will make for a real nice 4 day gravel adventure. September 7th.

Gives you time to build experience. Lot cheaper too!!

Race "across" Paris is at the end of April and Race Across Belgium is a week or two later. Weather could be great or dogshit.

I just entered this https://tordivide.co.uk/

Not sure if it counts as ultra but looks good, and fairly easy to get to and reasonable

Full ticket refund for first finisher completing the route “plastic-free”

how are they going to police that

I'd like to do B-hard

I really liked it and I would definitely do it again solo. In terms of travel if you can to Zagreb I don't think you'd have much trouble getting from there to Banja Luka. We met quite a few people who seemed to have got picked up from there by Nikicas family or friends.

Race Across Slovakia

Yeah saw this, seems interesting.

TCR

Think I will enter after my DNS this year.

Oh interesting, will watch this tonight. I remember reading your report from Race Around the Netherlands which was great.

Edit - Actually just looking at the profile, 23,000m and proper sharp climbs so think that's a hard no from me.

Think I will enter after my DNS this year.

You and everyone else, 10th edition.

Very true

Bristol > Glasgow > Bristol

I was fancying that. I was at the organiser's house for another ride when that was going last year, but a clash messed it up for this year. It's just about top of my UK wish list.

Probably right, 200km a day off road will be a stretch.

It is 50/50 gravel tarmac. But there is the climbing. I wouldn't want to tell you to come, and then you not finish. As much as I'd like to see you there.