2011-07-16/17 Sat/Sun - Dunwich Dynamo DD19

Stupidly tempted with this

Thought I was already on this list...

Those worried about not having gears really shouldn't be overly concerned - even I managed it SS last year and, if anything, still arrived too early for my liking. There are many things I wish I'd had more/less of last time but gears aren't one of them. If I do it geared this year it will only be because I'd prefer to have drops and my road bike is woefully underused.

1. Sparky
   
2. Branwen
   
3. kboy
   
4. Shinigami
   
5. Cafewanda
   
6. pt
   
7. Digger
   
8. Oliver Schick
   
9. machineisbored
   
10. Cg
    
11. Fox
    
12. Johnbobsquarepants
    
13. shambolic
    
14. dicki
    
15. FridayMarch26th
    16.Shoosh
    
16. conker (riding home - from Smithfields)
    
17. Ark Minor
    
18. JAH tim-on-sea
    
19. leifal
    
20. pascalo
    
21. JaRyder +1
    
22. lardboy
    
23. LittleHeather
    
24. tom k&e
    
25. S/J
    
26. Spenceey
    
27. stupidPony
    
28. stupidPonys imaginary friend G.Love.
    
29. Clever Pun
    
30. nneil
    
31. Ramaye
    
32. Bikeman
    
33. Mark Cult
    
34. mattty +1
    
35. PaulR
    
36. Rossi75
    
37. TSK (silly oop norf route)
    
38. upstart
    
39. juanito
    
40. Tiswas
    
41. The Original Mexican Bob (common list fucker upper)
    
42. Katie-Coo +1
    
43. friar tuck
    
44. laner
    
45. Stonehedge (If I am ok after my 350mi ride a week before)
    
46. Soul
    
47. alexmckerrell + my dad is he's up for it
    
48. dimi3
    
49. 105champ
    
50. ChainBreaker
    
51. middleofnowhere
    
52. Sumo - on a bmx
    
53. jenny j
    
54. Loafheads
    
55. nelaii
    
56. MissMouse
    
57. FixedCheese + cheesey work colleagues
    
58. MA3K
    
59. KRZ
    
60. Rod Munch
    

I don't see the point of riding this rapidly and making it to the beach hours before sunrise/cafe opening. Go fixed. Enjoy it. I'll be in France. #my2c

was planning to do it geared and bomb it down from the start to finish, but not so sure now.

sometimes journey is more important.

I did this last year. GPS to alleviate navigational woes and a nippy pace. While going whoosh in the night is fun, and so is overtaking however many hundred people there were out, I felt pretty hollow by the time I got to Dunwich. It turns out that for me the fun was in riding with a group of strangers, in the infrequent and non-critical navigational cock-ups, in all the little things you see en-route, and I missed all of it.
This year, doing it for fun.

(or sub 5 hours on the tandem. or on the fixed with aerobars and the disk. still deciding :P)

^^for the record though, cafe was open despite getting to dunwich just before sun-up and there being practically nobody there. Think you'd have to get there pre-4am to be denied a fry-up.

^^ ::Feeling pretty shite about 6hr 100mi PB::

Yeah, I'm going to be taking it easy too :D

Yeah, last year, when we got to that youth club, somewhere half way, where they were serving rolls, water melons, drinks, tea etc. Marisa & I were one of the first to step through the doors, 10 mins later - there was a queue out of the door and into the dark. The cafe at the end was half full when we got there and a bit later there was a massive queue of hungry cyclists.

I did this last year. GPS to alleviate navigational woes and a nippy pace. While going whoosh in the night is fun, and so is overtaking however many hundred people there were out, I felt pretty hollow by the time I got to Dunwich. It turns out that for me the fun was in riding with a group of strangers, in the infrequent and non-critical navigational cock-ups, in all the little things you see en-route, and I missed all of it.
This year, doing it for fun.

All the old hands recommend doing it as slowly as possible.

^^for the record though, cafe was open despite getting to dunwich just before sun-up and there being practically nobody there. Think you'd have to get there pre-4am to be denied a fry-up.

Since the numbers went up so much, they've taken to opening at 4. They'll start preparing the opening from about 3-3:30. It's easier for them, as they get completely swamped later otherwise. I remember when it suddenly got so big (550 in 2004, I think) and they were taken completely by surprise.

Year before last I rode it way too fast (7h15) and got to the beach before the cafe opened. That was not a problem really - there were about six of us there and we only had to wait a little while for the staff to open up and grumble at us about having turned up too early. Speed had made the food stop really easy, as there was no queue, and it was good fun trying (and failing by a small margin) to catch the lead riders, whose rear lights we had spotted about a mile ahead of us on the long straight across the heath. But it meant we had missed the experience of riding along the lanes as dawn broke.

Previous years were either singlespeed or fixed, and I have to say fixed was the most fun, even though it was slower over all and, when I then went back to Framlingham to look round the castle, it was painful climbing down the wooden stairs from the battlements. The climb out of Finchingfield is so short that it was not a problem, and the uphill grind near Sudbury was barely noticeable.

Any news of coach plans?

2007(hell-year) We went as fast as we could to the rest stop.
When we arrived there was nobody around, by the time we had finished our meal the queue went around the building in the cold rain.

Probably leaving at 7:30 this year to avoid backed-up traffic and the savages that come out from under their rocks on sight of cyclists as the ride leaves London.

7.30's too close to peak hour. If I was doing it again I'd leave later so there's more red lights to follow. 'Fry-up beacons' :)

probably in and fixed.

In & Fixed! Nel-Boogie get the coach & van sorted, last year the train was hell.

How about a really early departure, say 6.30, ride to that pub in Moreton, get your feet under the table and wait for the rabble to arrive and then follow the lights into the night.

Year before last I rode it way too fast (7h15) and got to the beach before the cafe opened. That was not a problem really - there were about six of us there and we only had to wait a little while for the staff to open up and grumble at us about having turned up too early. Speed had made the food stop really easy, as there was no queue, and it was good fun trying (and failing by a small margin) to catch the lead riders, whose rear lights we had spotted about a mile ahead of us on the long straight across the heath. But it meant we had missed the experience of riding along the lanes as dawn broke.

It sounds as if you caught up with our group then!

I'm really sad to be missing this :(

Oli, I can't remember who was in that lead group but I certainly remember passing and being passed by you at various stages earlier on in the ride. Did we at some stage discuss Pogliaghis or was that a different year?

Another List?

MA3K - Fixed/brakeless 46 x16
KRZ - Fixed/brakeless 45 x16

(or sub 5 hours on the tandem. or on the fixed with aerobars and the disk. still deciding :P)

Go to pub, leave midnight, 6 man TTT?

That right there is the Team Brompton plan, I'll be riding in a mix of Voight/O'Grady/Hincapie styles!

Oli, I can't remember who was in that lead group but I certainly remember passing and being passed by you at various stages earlier on in the ride. Did we at some stage discuss Pogliaghis or was that a different year?

Ah, I thought we'd met! Yes, we did discuss Pogliaghis. :)

That right there is the Team Brompton plan, I'll be riding in a mix of Voight/O'Grady/Hincapie styles!

Furious, can totally see you in the image of the man...

But my reasons for dwelling in the pain cave are decidedly different to his.

Hill Climb 0186 by BigSteev, on Flickr

At the end of that hill climb I was in far more pain and discomfort than I've been on any DD.

Matt, I owe you a pint or several for getting me into an ambulance and being an all round top guy on the night of my crash. see you soon I hope.