Hell of the Ashdown

Really cheeky, but might as well ask - is anyone driving to this, and just happens to have two places spare for getting down there?

The trains etc are quite lame in terms of getting there at a good time to allow time to ride to HQ from the station... Why don't they make HQ somewhere a bit better dammit!

I'm in the same boat. Start time is 8.44. Don't really fancy adding an extra 30 miles of cycling on to my day. Thinking about getting a hire car (or better still, van) and would happily offer to take another one or two people if they were able to split the fee with me..

^
Hmmm... this could be a good idea. My mate and I were probably going to get a train to Oxted from Victoria (about a tenner each). It gets in at 8.20, but it's about 8 miles away, so we were thinking of getting a taxi from there (probably about £20 in total).

Then limp back to Oxted station after the ride. Trains are only every hour though. Thanks Southern Rail.

Whereabouts would you be driving from and do you have any idea how much a car would cost? If the car is mega expensive, get the train with us and we can split the taxi from the station to the HQ by three if you like?

I'm in Crystal Palace area. Not much point me getting the train as it's only 14-ish miles to ride each way in total.
Think I could get a van capable of carrying 3 bikes for about £110.
Obviously this makes it about £40 each so not the cheapest.
Maybe I should just HTFU and ride it.

yes you need to HTFU..

some of us are norfside..
meeting at bar italia 0700..
then its expresso etchelon to knockholt..
(20 miles to the start)

first train out from charing cross is 0823 fast to orpington change for knockholt..
arrivo 0900.. i call that perfect timing and quick.. £3.40 each way with the lobster card
train is out apparently.. and for wimps

Haha, that's me told. Thankyou kindly, Almac ;-)

no worries save your money for the recovery drinks ;-)

yes you need to HTFU..

some of us are norfside..
meeting at bar italia 0700..
then its expresso etchelon to knockholt..
(20 miles to the start)

is this bar italia in soho? would you mind me potentially tagging on? i'm heading in from the north n'all

yes that famous gaff, where francis ford coppola drinks his coffee..
we depart at 0715 sharp

I'm unable to ride the HotA this weekend so have a ticket available.

Am after face value and will put a fiver back into the forum.

Let me know if interested.

Dominic

Send a PM to benjam

I did earlier after reading his post.

Will wait and see.

ta

hey Pasta, will PM you back now.

also: can we get a list of people riding an start times? I'm not as militant about getting good course time as some (looking at you tom) and would prefer to ride with at least one other under-performing, geared rider.

I just need to beat 3:48. But I won't because I can't actually turn pedals atm so meh. No idea what time I'm starting, early though. Was going to look into all of this tomorrow.

^ you got the route on your garmin from your test ride? can't ind one for this year's route on the site.

right hand side of their homepage, 'view 100k route map'. not obvious, I know.
My recce route didn't include the diversions they've stuck in so ho hum.

There is a marshall at every junction, no navigation required.

Names and start times:

100k

Somebody: 08.18
MorleysCC: 08.18
Paramounted: 08.44
Almac68: 09.24
TT Tom: 09.38

50k

Names and start times:

100k

6pt 08.02
Somebody: 08.18
MorleysCC: 08.18
Paramounted: 08.44
Almac68: 09.24
TT Tom: 09.38

50k

I just need to beat 3:48. But I won't because I can't actually turn pedals atm so meh. No idea what time I'm starting, early though. Was going to look into all of this tomorrow.

Heard all this nonsense before....

I woke up with some bastard cold thing this morning, scuppering my chances of having much fun tomorrow. Current plan is still to turn up and give it a go/infect as many people as possible, but if I sink any further into this sniffly haze there may be a legitimate place up for grabs (so either brave or jamie can get a decent time in under my name...)

Hah this time I'm not ill though, just weak. I got round in 4:15 ride time on Tuesday, but that was with a lot of stops to catch my breath in between. Does not bode well for a stop-free ride.

^I'm looking forward to abusing you on the track in a couple of weeks. :)

**Names and start times:

**100k

6pt 08.02
Somebody: 08.18
MorleysCC: 08.18
Paramounted: 08.44
Dumps: 08.56
Almac68: 09.24
TT Tom: 09.38

50k