Rolling to the Stones 2009

pace is easy
on the whole it's a relaxed pace with the occasional " show of riding ability " up some of the hills and along some flat stretches, if there are a couple of wannabe tour de france riders trying to out do each other
but we usually stop every hour for a bifter, a beer and a bag of wine gums give people a chance to rest up for 5-10 mins

the journey down there really isn't that much of a ride similar to brighton rides
it's more the physchological thought of riding away from london into the wilderness 5-6 hours of nice leisurely riding in formation so drafting comes into play isn't really too much of a challenge especally as it is geared

I'm definately up for this!

Up for this,
although do you recon its a bit ambitious doing it fixed?

I did this 5 years ago, right after I landed in this fair country. It was the hardest ride I have ever done, it was cold, I was really unprepared for the hilly-ness, I didn't know anyone and I felt like everyone was annoyed at me for being slow (I since found out this was mostly paranoia). This will be the second time that I've done it, and I want to do it just to prove to myself that I can and that I've grown as a rider.

I think some of us might do a super secret route that will leave a bit earlier but be more....well, relaxed. I know that Dazzler wants to make it to the stones on time if not early.

Still wouldn't recommend this as a fixed ride, even if you join the slower group (which I think we will limit to a small number).

I may have to put a freewheel onto my bike then, as i don't have a ridable geared bike. Is that likely to be reasonable?

Unless I use my Raleigh Twenty..

I would heavily consider gears. I would also PM dazzler to make sure that he knows people who don't want to cane it are going so he can plan accordingly.

I was thinking of doing this fixed also.

I've done the London to Bletchley a few times fixed, is this ride much more difficult than that?

The thing about this is that it's a long ways. Over 100 miles all said and done the time that I did it. It's very hilly. Many of the people doing this ride will want to do it fast.

Is there a route up somewhere? I might try it a couple of times to see whether it's feasible.

PM dazzler or buffalo bill

Winston, that's some of the best helmet hair I've ever seen :D

I had it done special, I wasn't wearing a helmet it's an orgone accumulator hairdo, for soaking up the vibes at the stones.

Can we keep Hawkwind references on ice till June 21st, please?

I may have to put a freewheel onto my bike then, as i don't have a ridable geared bike. Is that likely to be reasonable?

Unless I use my Raleigh Twenty..

If the Twenty can get you up and down some sharp hills and you can hold a decent speed, you should be fine. Also easier for hopping on a train back to London if you don't want to ride the whole way.

As a general piece of advice, something with drop handlebars is well worth considering if these high winds we've been having don't abate. The lead into the Salisbury Plains can be very exposed and unforgiving.

there is a bit of weight building behind a fixed group to head down
i myself would like to try fixed
if we leave an hour or so before the geared mob and take less stops we might arrive at a similar time / hook up at stonehenge

as far as i can remeber there are some hill but then again there are hills on most rides we do
i don't remember being overwhelmed by the amounts of hills nor struggling on my geared bike but then again it was 3 years and a couple of thousand pints ago so it might well be like alp duez out there !

i am not 100% sure about leading a group but would be prepared to be the supervisor if someone wants to take charge !!

Just you Andy or everyone? ;p

As long as there isnt shit loads of us then I am sure people are more than welcome for coffee and a spot of breakfast.

dicki: lets call texas

I'm sort of interested. Will be 'untracking' my Condor fairly soon, in order to take it out for more road miles again.

TBH, I was thinking of sticking an 81" gear on, and mixing it up with the geared peleton. Fuck them and their "you'll have to leave earlier" multi-ratio snobbery.

i feel moderately confident that i could keep up with the gearo's but if we want to include a bunch of fixed riders there might be some who find the pace a tad quick
dazzer doesn't hang around once on the road
keep the debate coming and by the 20th we should have something agreed

I was going to come on fixed 77GI.
I simply don't have any geared bikes.

My report from a couple of years ago..
http://thehippy.net/nucleus/index.php?itemid=873

Really fun ride. I will have to see what's going on closer to the day (night). Has Dazzler mentioned this on MT yet? Is he leading again?

ah yes was going to ask you for the link to your blog
show them how hard core we were !

oh it's a caad 4 by the way hippy !!

Hm, I'd quite fancy sticking around Bletchley and go to Stonehenge direct from there--but what to do in Bletchley in the intervening hours, and would anyone else be up for this route?

I am really tempted to ride from Bletchley to the Henge, giving the ride to Bletchley a miss. Such lovely country to ride, pretty much all the way. If I did this Oliver I could perhaps ask my Mum if we could drop by (near Bletchley) so you/plagiarist/whoever could drink tea, eat, shower, nap whatever, before going to the Henge.

I have a wedding party in Suffolk to be at that day. But I'm considering not going to that. Hard to break it to the Mrs.

hmmmm

Hmmm. Two sportives weekends before and after the 21st. Might just have to do this.