Audax rides

August? Hmm, depends on TCR.

I was eyeing the West Highlands 1000 which is just one week earlier.

I was eyeing the West Highlands 1000 which is just one week earlier.

I'm thinking of trying to do that. Did about half of it 5 years ago and it was the best UK ride I've done. Not crazily hilly either.

tbh, i've ridden a lot of those roads and aside from the Fort William/Glenfinnan loop, they don't excite me at all. Quite heavily trafficked and, having grown up in Oban, I know the way the locals drive on those roads. The last time I was knocked off my bike was on the a816, too.

Heavy traffic is going to be relative though, right? It's not going to be Romanian trunk road busy or London peak hour busy? How many cars would pass in 10min would you say? I wanna take the missus to Scotland when she gets her new bike.

Ah, that's good to know... I'd have imagined the roads would be fairly quiet and there's nothing I like less than a busy, narrow A or B road. Same questions as @hippy then.

There's also the 1000 Cymru next year which just look silly. Oh and I'd be keen on giving a go at the Wessex SR if it runs again... too many rides >_>

1000 Cymru

When's that one?

More of the Wessex rides are also on my list.

Tbh it is the a82 section between lochearnhead and Oban that bothers me the most. The rest won't be too bad. I grew up being driven along that road quite often and unless I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable cycling there, especially that section between Dalmally and Crianlarich.

Obviously it isn't as busy as a city at rush hour but there are a few factors that make me unlikely to bother attempting. Narrow roads, combined with a mixture of tourists driving, buses and lorries, and regular drivers of that road frustrated at being stuck behind the first two groups on said narrow roads.

They aren't the worst I've ever seen but I've been on those roads in a car often enough to know that I'll be happy enough to never want to cycle them.

For me there are plenty of other great routes in Scotland to take without going on those roads.

Fair enough.

Are there perhaps some alt routes for that section?

If I were set on doing something approximate to that, I've go for something like this

https://www.strava.com/routes/11222034

(disclaimer - knocked up over 5 minutes - do not attempt without checking the route thoroughly first!)

It is a pain because going from coast to coast across that particular part of scotland isn't easy.

If I wanted to ride 1000km in Scotland, I wouldn't do in that part. I'd go further south or further north tbh.

or do island hopping via the ferry.

without checking the route thoroughly first

ahahahahahahaaaaaaa
I've finished two TCRs. You'd be amazed at what I can swear my way through and around.

in scotland you've got the added bonus of right to roam laws so you can pretty go anywhere without worrying about being shot at

(unless you're interferin' with livestock)

unless you're interferin' with livestock

I know people have joked about me being a Kiwi but that's just because they think it winds me up. It only works the other way, when you call Kiwis Aussies. They hate that because they're reminded of their address for claiming the dole in Oz. #allthestereotypes

the a82 section between lochearnhead and Oban that bothers me the most. The rest won't be too bad. I grew up being driven along that road quite often and unless I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable cycling there, especially that section between Dalmally and Crianlarich.

Interesting. I did those bits either overnight or on the Sunday morning. we had an overnight in crianlarich so was nothing on the road then. As in literally no cars for hours on end. Also that bit was overnight on the way out so empty then. But it's a main road so I expect at other times it would be busy. I guess that is one reason it is an evening start

it is like Glencoe - if you can guarantee that you'll ride it at very late at night or very early in morning, it'll probably be fine. Otherwise, I'd steer clear.

Starts on the 26th of July.

I should really start looking properly at the calendar for next year.

Cheers.

The 'big ones' calendar isn't out yet so I'm not getting too excited. Everything always clashes with races too so my scheduling is a massive pain, trying to fit everything in while training for events that last 50min to events that last 20 days.

I'm an idiot. I already had that in my calendar! Proves my point though. Juggling events is hard work.

The big ones (audaxes) are in the calendar already.
But agree re juggling events across different types, biggest pain. Especially CTT not releasing their dates until around February. It makes it a full time job to manage schedules

Nah, the big international ones. The calendar that the French mob release.

I just bought some virtual brevets from my local organiser, a bit optimistially perhaps. An Edge 200 should be able to handle recording a track for a 200k shouldn't it?

Thinking of going for RRtY and need to get a 200k DIY in for November. Has anyone got a decent route starting near Hackney? Rode The great escape last month so something similar would be good...

Ride to Cambridge and back? Something like this maybe: https://www.strava.com/routes/11096790

Especially CTT not releasing their dates until around February.

Your district should already have them, or at least a pretty decent draft version. Try and contact them? I've got a list of the South (P) events.

Or ride with @Ruserius and me to Suffolk on Saturday night, that's bang on 200 (Waveney Wander 100 afterwards optional).