Audax rides

Ah good to know and thanks, enjoyed reading that.

It's definitely on my list, but if I go to a Scandinavian country by myself before I go with my partner, bad times.

Is that Sevilla - Lisbon one, on what looks like busy main roads all the way west?

I've had TD on my bucket list for years now but it's such a big chunk of time to commit and so many 'easier to get to' events have popped up so it keeps getting pushed back. It's not like I'm going to be fast so I could just 'do it when I retire' or something but I'll probably be dead before then. So, I keep pencilling it in until some other event pops up in June that takes the focus away from it.

Is that the ride formally known as the Last Gasp by Ian O from Willesden? Was literally emailing him about that yesterday because one of the questions in his Christmas Quiz involved Ironbridge and I didn't think I'd been there, but in fact, I had, on his 600!

Is that Sevilla - Lisbon one, on what looks like busy main roads all the way west?

I've not looked at the route, other than glancing at it, but bear in mind that "main roads" in Spain could have like one car going along it every hour. Just because they're big roads doesn't make them scary. Drivers in Spain are also much nicer than UK drivers. I remember during Transiberica being amazed that I had a massive shoulder to ride in and drivers would STILL pass way over in the other lane, in stark contrast to the "let's see how close I can get my Range Rover's wing mirror to this rider's head at 70mph" cocks that inhabit British roads.

Yeah when I saw the route I had a vague memory that I’d seen it before under a different name.

Think it was changed because "last gasp" was a bit off colour during Covid. I rode it before breathing difficulties were cool.

"last gasp" was a bit off colour during Covid

funny!

I've had TD on my bucket list

Yeah, too many events, too little summer. Its history makes it appealing.
I'd have thought you would still be pretty quick over that sort of terrain, no?

Exactly. That's why we're expanding our skills into winter bikepacking trips

I'm not quick over any terrain any more. :S

4300km is a maybe 1-2 days longer than TCR and that would take me ~12 days.
TD is 60% dirt as opposed to like 2% of TCR and with 50,000m climbing it's hillier than TCR4.
I dunno, I guess I can ride 150-200k per day on this? I always figured I could finish in <25 days. Sub-20 days is possible but unlikely I'm that motivated to do all that night riding these days.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43161161

Did the Chalke & Cheese 200 courtesy of Audax Club Bristol on Saturday. Chuffing freezing but got round with an hour and a half or so to spare. Only two more to go for the RRtY, fingers crossed there's a slightly warmer weekend in first half of Feb for a DIY...

Excellent work. I ran out of weekends in December with personal stuff and storms getting in the way so my RRtY attempt came to a screeching halt at 8/12. You've got an extra day in Feb this year, but it lands on a Thursday so no use at all i guess!

Well done! I couldn’t find my overshoes on Saturday morning - freezing the entire time. Left my helmet at the third control and had to double back. All in all a shit show from me.

Ended up scratching at 150k (about 2.30pm) because of a mix of cold/cramp/cosy pub with the snooker.

Signed up for Barry’s Butt Buster 200 in March for another go at the distance.

It was - 'last gasp' as it was usually the last 600 in the season, so if you'd hoped to get a SR done it was your last shot via calendar event.

Barry’s Butt Buster 200

Is that the cake one?

That’s the one - tour de WI

Might give Barry buster a go. Did the Chalke and Cheese too and I was cold all day. Feet never warmed up till I put them in front of the heaters at the village hall in Broad Chalke.

-4°C when I got to Cheddar Gorge

Managed to keep toes warm with usual thermal calf length socks under tights and overshoes but the two things that help me are a layer of foil under the insole and a sandwich bag over sock inside shoe. Both are minimal next to nothing thickness and add just enough help to be worth effort. And like me, cheap.

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I've never tried the foil but I carried and used sandwich bags during TransAm. Midfoot cleat setup doesn't work well with normal toe/shoe covers. I've also got a pair of Assos windproof socks which are pretty good and Dexshell waterproof socks which are toasty.

I've used plastic bags to good effect before, in particular on the TCR when I don't have capacity to carry loads of gear.
They work very well between two layers of sock, and can keep the inner one dry while the outer one gets soaked during a downpour. Then magic happens if you keep riding and it warms up (but not in UK winter!): the wet sock gets dry and the dry one gets soaking wet, with sweat!

Nice tip, will try the foil next time out.

Thanks @ElGonzo & @lotsirb it was a strange day, felt like I was going backwards most of the time but in the end it was about par with a lot of other RRtY rides I've done.

Submitted my provisional DIY entry for February and booked onto a couple of calendars in March in case there's an awful looking forecast and so I don't have to do another DIY/Perm...

Putting the bags inside the sock is something I wish I'd done when I had this brainwave on LLEL a few years ago (spoiler: they let loads of water in and I got trench foot) : /

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9vMSW7nQ-g

Watched this last night. Pretty good production. Warning: contains fixed gear content.

Schu is in there. Is that teethgrinder I spotted laying on a bed in one of the shots, Gadget is in there and another guy makes a few appearances that I know I've met before but can't remember names.

Anyone done the Scottish Borders Randonee before, or will be this year?
I've realised I'm going to be near the start that weekend so tempted to ride it. Would be nice to ride for a bit with someone else as it would be my first 200+ since injury 6 months ago.

Is there a reason to cast a vote in AUK election? If so, which way?