2012-04-29 - Windy Millers!

off too scotland again?!?!

Yeah, you should come. Let me just find the coordinates...

Well it's sort of how a wetsuit works. The trapped layer of water is warmed up to body temperature and the membrane insulates that from the cold and wind, resulting in wet but warm feet. Tho taking wet shoes and socks off after 100 miles you'll be glad that feet and noses are located at opposite ends of the body.

Yeah - the sealskins (the socks anyway) don't really work that way - they are porous and quite a lot of damp and air and all the rest goes through as there isn't really a seal to speak of. It's easy for water to run inside them. Seems to be a little less easy for the water to get back out again, though, but you end up with a little puddle sloshing about around the ball of your foot that gets colder and colder as the ride progresses.

That said, the sealskins don't always work that way - it's something i've only noticed in proper torrential flood conditions. A bit of normal rain and they're fine, much like most "waterproof, lol" gear.

Yes indeed, water does run down your leg and fill up like a little pond in your sealskins! I use them to change into once I've got waterlogged and the rain has stopped.

Woah Cats has very kindly drawn up a .gpx version of the route for anybody who doesn't use Garmin Connect. I can't attach it to this post but can send it to anybody who needs it.

Should probably rename this thread Wet & Windy Millers now.

The weather forecast for Sunday seems OK? Certainly mostly dry after the morning.

Then again, it's the weather forecast.

Apparently it's meant to improve after Friday. I'm quite looking forward to an aquatic run.

Yeah, it's actually surprisingly decent! But given the way things have been I expect a pleasant mix of sun and rain. I'm sure it'll be fun regardless, and a tough trip always makes the beers at the end that bit nicer. I'm really looking forward to it.

I brought my bike up to Cheshire to get in some nice country miles in practice. But the weather really isn't enticing me out today, and my overshoes haven't arrived yet, and I've only just got my shoes dry again after 2 weeks of soggy coldness.

Might go out for a quick spin this afternoon anyway.

Sadly I'm out. Holiday request at work got rejected so the nice little weekend I had planned has turned into myself covering my boss while he minces about on a cruise ship somewhere.

1. upstart
   
2. conker (join up at enfield)
   
3. middleofnowhere
   
4. Dumps
   
5. Oliver Schick
   
6. Tenderloin
   
7. bothmill
   
8. Doutzki
   
9. ms.chris
   
10. Woah Cats
    
11. laner
    
12. Sweats
    
13. Tom (mmmmmm)
    
14. Cedric
    
15. 
    
16. Hairnetnic
    
17. blue fleet
    
18. vunugu
    
19. apolloxl
    
20. OLC
    22.Tonyme
    
21. raymund (this time ill be ready with a lower gear ratio 48x18 instead of 48x15 )
    

1. upstart
   
2. conker (join up at enfield)
   
3. middleofnowhere
   
4. Dumps
   
5. Oliver Schick
   
6. Tenderloin
   
7. bothmill
   
8. Doutzki
   
9. ms.chris
   
10. Woah Cats
    
11. laner
    
12. Sweats
    
13. Tom (mmmmmm)
    
14. Cedric
    
15. 
    
16. Hairnetnic
    
17. blue fleet
    
18. vunugu
    
19. apolloxl
    
20. OLC
    22.Tonyme
    
21. raymund (this time ill be ready with a lower gear ratio 48x18 instead of 48x15 )
    
22. ashleyisdabest
    
    

sadly will be riding gears coz my fixie has no mudguard eyelets and I have had more than enough of this rain malarkey over the last couple of weeks :(

Appear as a maybe, subject to gettting the road bike together and cleaned after its last outting in january.

think I'm out. this week has been too hectic and I need to just have a day to sleep in. Belgium last weekend and IOW next so am giving this a miss.

1. upstart
   
2. conker (join up at enfield)
   
3. middleofnowhere
   
4. Dumps
   
5. Oliver Schick
   
6. Tenderloin
   
7. bothmill
   
8. Doutzki
   
9. 
   
10. Woah Cats
    
11. laner
    
12. Sweats
    
13. Tom (mmmmmm)
    
14. Cedric
    
15. 
    
16. Hairnetnic
    
17. blue fleet
    
18. vunugu
    
19. apolloxl
    
20. OLC
    22.Tonyme
    
21. raymund (this time ill be ready with a lower gear ratio 48x18 instead of 48x15 )
    
22. ashleyisdabest
    

Ha! Looks like it's going to be raining all day on Sunday now. But in line with the "no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing" mantra I now own a lot more waterproof kit than I did a week ago.

It's only a bit of water.

#famouslastwords

I'm gonna have to admit that if the weather forecast doesn't look significantly better by Sunday I'm bailing. Feels like I've got a bit of a cold coming on and the whole prospect is a bit daunting. See how I feel by Sat evening.

The Met Office have now issued a yellow warning for the East of England for Sunday

An area of heavy rain and strong winds will spread northwards across the southern half of the UK on Sunday. The public should be aware that this may lead to some local flooding given the recent wet conditions, and that northeasterly winds may exceed 50 mph in some locations, bringing the risk of falling trees. There is a chance that this warning may be upgraded to amber over the weekend.

50mph north easterlies!? I'll be thinking of you all from my nice warm bed.

This sounds terrifying. Wait, our bit is flat, right? So it's more likely to be flooded than the other bits?

It's going to be like Moby Dick out there, only instead of whales we're going to be attacked by giant trees being blown about inside cyclones.

Flooded....Hit by blown over trees.... gale force winds.....Brakeless double spok or what??

Bugger, that doesn't sound like good riding conditions. :(

Can't ride in a storm.

But you always said you didn't mind headwinds, Oliver :p

This sounds terrifying. Wait, our bit is flat, right? So it's more likely to be flooded than the other bits?

It's going to be like Moby Dick out there, only instead of whales we're going to be attacked by giant trees being blown about inside cyclones.

The fens are basically at sea level, but are exceedingly well drained. Wind would be more of an issue there as there's no shelter - bit like that hilarious dutch training video.

Flooded....Hit by blown over trees.... gale force winds.....Brakeless double spok or what??

Rear disc all the way!

Bugger, that doesn't sound like good riding conditions. :(

Can't ride in a storm.

The wind is the killer really. Rain just makes you hardcore. Ironically I did the recce in 20mph headwinds and it was exhausting.

Monday's weather looks a lot better, so if the depression moves a little faster we could find that the worst of the weather moves through over saturday night and conditions improve throughout Sunday.

Will keep a close eye on the weather and see where we are in 24 hours time.

But you always said you didn't mind headwinds, Oliver :p

Heh. It's the sidewinds that are the problem!

I once tried to ride in gale force winds in Norfolk ...

I've been really looking forward to this for ages, and brought my bike up to my parents' house to get some miles in and everything. But in doing so I think I've uncovered a problem that may cause me to have to wet the bed on this.
There's something wrong either with my riding position (or more likely) with my body, which meant that after a 56-mile ride today my back was in serious pain, and it still doesn't feel right now. In the wake of the nasty spasm/twist/feeling like I was permanently gnarled thing I had a few months back I think it would be best to hold off 50 mile + rides until I've got to the bottom of it.
Even the wind and rain wouldn't have put me off, I've been out in that all week. I'm not completely out yet, but 90%.

:(