Audax rides

LFGSS represent

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I’ve not ridden the audax but I’ve done the roads a few times before. I’m hoping TransAlba heads up that way this year as I’d love to get back up there.

The fixie skidder results are out. I came third which I’m pretty happy with considering the competition. Not to mention the fact that the whole thing is a bit cloak-and-dagger as you have no idea who your competitors are (let alone their points!) during the year.

It was a fun challenge and trying to plan the hilliest possible 100 and 200 DIY’s to get AAA bonus points made for some ‘interesting’ rides. Doubt I’ll burn through so many 1/8” chains in a season again.

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We're doing El Piri (850/20,000m gravel ride in the Pyrenees) the week before so I'm torn between staying in Spain and getting a train down to ride the 1200k Sevilla-Lisboa-Sevilla or coming back to the UK and riding NC600k. I'm not sure how fucked I'll be after @skinny event and both of them require a good amount of travel time to get to the start for.

https://www.audax.uk/event-details/10681-the_north_coast_classic_600

https://www.randonneursandalucia.es/ultracycling-sevilla-lisboa-sevilla/

16th feels like a win to me considering the company. Did quite a few silly hilly fixie rides that would have probably got me the FWC award had I logged them as DIYs, annoying

Anyway amazing riding those of you on the list!

I'd do the Spanish one.
You've been up to Scotland already, no? It's nice but the coast gets a bit samey after a while. I found inland more spectacular.
There'll be loads of camper vans on the pretty bits and it'll probably piss rain at least half the time.
And you're already in Spain!

Done some of those Portuguese roads, love riding Spain & Portugal. I'd agree, certain of great weather.
Both these, el piri & SLS, seem great options for 24. Plus bikes on Spanish trains is fun. :-)

just signed up for my first 100km in two years. This may be my year for getting back up to 300km (said that every year since covid).

That's true but I've not seen a lot of Scotland, hence the plan to head up there at Easter too.
Plus it's only a 600k and I'd get a bit more rest after El Piri before it whereas the 1200k i'll be straight onto trains or something to get down to Seville. I dunno, they both have pros and cons.

Oh, also, the missus said she might do the 600k whereas it was a hard no on the 1200k.

bikes on Spanish trains is fun. :-)

I've also done some of them before, during Transiberica 2019 and also love riding in Spain.

Trains are only somewhat less shit than British ones. Like the "direct" train from Alcala to Barcelona that stopped for an hour in Amposta, allowing it to fill up with people who think bike racks are for prams and suitcases.

bikes on Spanish trains is fun

Intriguing, I'm planning to do this in the summer! What type of fun are we talking, ie good or bad...?

less shit than British ones

Damning with faint praise...

Fast trains the bike has to be boxed/wrapped and the slower trains are pretty slow, random run times (ie. an hour late because they decided to stop for an hour somewhere). So you need to allow extra time. There's bigger spaces for bikes than GWR trains but idiots fill them with prams and suitcases so you end up having to stand for hours moving your bike away from doors.
Grrl's Monzo card didn't work in the ticket machines at Barca either so she had to go and get cash and line up, while I was on the platform waiting with bikes. Stress we didn't need.

Dai Harris, what a legend

Similar boat here - I just signed up for my first 200k audax. Haven’t ridden 200k since February last year and that was on a mtb. Slightly fatter now and certainly less fit.

Went out for a 100k yesterday as a test and my shifter broke. Rode half the ride in 40x11. If you know Dundry Hill near Bristol - you know I had a shit time.

Anyone else on the Chalke & Cheese 200 starting in Warmley next weekend?

Second that! Had the pleasure to meet him on a couple rides. Great guy with some fantastic audax stories

The guy rts's from Neath to every audax fixed. He rode to PBP and then back to South Wales. I've met him a few times, what a guy

I can't do this as I'm already booked but Midnight Sun 1200k anyone?

https://vasterbottenbrevet.se/msr1200-en/

One of my friends did it last year. Said it was really good.
apparently the trains to get up there sell out really quickly though, so you pretty much have to fly

Yeah, the travel to/from would probably be painful but I could turn it into a bit of a tour and cut out some of the train dramas. Probably I'll have another bunch of events and limited time so I'll fly.

It might be a long time coming though if I actually get around to lining up for TD next year.

There's some races there too, like https://brightmidnight.cc/ which is mid-July

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eva8ekE5jc

That looks good, so many events and such short summers, especially up there!

So you're going for TD in 2025? Good luck!

Pretty sure I looked at this a few years ago, looks great. Would love to do it at some point, like the idea of having constant light.

Just signed up for the Arts and Sciences, The London Midland Ride 600. Something quite novel about having the start just 15 mins ride away from home as there's usually always some sort of driving involved.

That's a load of fun, I did it last year (enjoyed it so much I did a write-up)

All I've got in the calendar this year is LWL & Kennet Valley - anyone doing those?