Audax rides

looks like a good one. Might have to put it on the strong maybe pile for next year

This was pretty hard work. I think the cumulative effort/stress from the Welsh 400+200 AAAs at Easter, then the Belgian 24hr then coming back to conference and then 2 days to prep for this meant I started pretty flat. The weather was glorious on day one, which helped but it was freezing at night so my bivvy stop was rubbish which then meant day 2, which pissed down all day, was doubly grim. I was in a better frame of mind after a sit down feed and then got to Comrie for a proper feed and sleep. It was a damp start but cleared up on day 3 so that was pretty beautiful day but my shin tendon flared up, having worn long socks and leg warmers for 2 days - that killed any speed I had left as I had to nurse it around. The last day was just a kind of "get it done" down to the finish while nursing the leg. Late train meant some chit chat with the other riders - everyone getting applause on their finish which was a nice touch. Couple of beers and then 9pm train home.

think @motoko did this as well? care to share some thoughts on the ride?

Sunrise. Yeah, pretty nice views up there. Deffo a fan of riding in Scotland.

Yep, saw @motoko at some weird northern breakfast food chain and the finish. There was another forum lurker on the ride too.

Yeah, I was there too - good to see you Hippy (and Robbie). Great ride, and was a good opportunity to test my wet weather gear...

Someone even did it on a trike which can't have been easy on the steep hills (passed him as he was pulling it up the big 17% climb before Duns).

https://www.strava.com/activities/7081515276

Aha! I did try to find your username but maybe I was typing in the US spelling of "gray" or something. The bloke on the trike was going really well - loved his triplicate of rear blinkies too.

"And even beat Hippy to the finish (though only by minutes) "

Cheeky sod! :P

#notarace

Deano has a 600k coming up that I'm now looking at entering.
It will complete the AAA SR series for the missus and I and should give her some confidence with the overnight audax events w/ sleep stops.

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=9254

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38065755

Hah - it's unlikely I'll ever be able to say that again ;)

Definitely looks an interesting route, and goes to areas I've not ridden before - also, the write-ups I've seen are all really positive. Just have to see if I can take 2 days from the long bank holiday weekend without complaints...

Was hoping to do the GWR 600 - but it's this weekend which is a bit too soon. Did the 400 (Bill's Easton Connection) and that was a really nice route.

I dunno. I'm getting slower and more broken these days.

"the older I get, the faster I was"

this looks good - is it gravel or road bike suitable?

What's the GWR? Ah, Devilishly Elegant one by Will? I saw that but we're down for Fast Times in the High Weald this weekend and I need to rest this leg anyway. Missus is looking for trains to Darlo now for Deano's ride. We might head up early and do some shorter rides beforehand. Not sure what Darlo has to offer for days off though.

Not sure what Darlo has to offer for days off though.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g190728-Activities-Darlington_County_Durham_England.html

Do you like trains, otherwise you're screwed.

I did see the train museum - on the way in I think.

I had two pubs starred on google there and both were shut on bank hol Monday :(

Anyway, fuck TripAdvisor. It's normally a list of places I'll be trying to avoid.

I can't find any bike slots to get back so this 600k is looking problematic. Fucking useless UK trains.

You mean 'Fast times in the High Weald'? All on road/suitable for road bike. Though some of the most potholed bits would have benefitted from bigger tyres.

A 600 I've been tinkering with as a possible calendar event one day. Features 2 x ferry crossings, the Dorset Coast, the Cerne Abbas giant, Gold Hill ('The Hovis ad climb') and Stonehenge.

It's especially challenging as it's obviously lumpy, seriously so as you approach Axminster - but after around 8pm restock options in Dorset are almost non-existent. Your best bet is a musette full of stuff in Weymouth before you head into the dark and lonely lanes. Rode it as a DIY about as far as Cerne Abbas last year and bivvyed in a meadow.

Some absolutely stunning scenery throughout.

Will be tweaking the start and finish points to be the same place and the route around Stonehenge as it evolves, and will need to tweak around possible controls.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37185838

Oh, I just realised who you are now. :)

Is this 600 similar to the one you sent me a while back?

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37203176

Yep that's the one!
A London-accessible 600 with decent AAA but not gratuitously so was basically the starting point.

If you can just make it start and finish in Ealing and set up the controls with all the food I like then it should be ready to ride ;)

I did look at that for our 600k but saw there were some calendar events coming up that would work instead and be a little bit friendlier with controls vs. a hippy diy which is "CoOp, go go go hurry up!"

Yep same, I tend to just lug multiple Co-Op feta pasta bowl things around with me forgetting people often like to stop : )

Will be tweaking this to go via some vague civilisation after Axminster. Nearest all night garage is a very long way away, someone needs to build some more dual carriageways through Dorset eh

Looks like you can now enter other members from your household on rides.

But what is a CUK member?