2011-01-09 Sun - 100k Audax "Watership Down", nr Winchester

Yeah!

Is it me or does only a certain kind of cleverclever middle aged person use the expression 'snail mail' (not you, Bill!). It's all a bit Jeremy Clarkson innit.

Good work ladies. Now try another one, there are plenty around (and many that are longer and hillier).

nice ride.
thanks to those leading the way.
i spent the last 20 miles wishing i was very far from my bike, was horrid.
needed more cake methinks!
see you all soon.

@Greenbank Ladies? I'd be honoured to be compared to a member of the better sex. 100's about my limit for now thanks. Don't mind the odd honest bump mind.

What a beautiful ride! Apart from the ice I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Shoots for the great navigating. I know we had one or two Garmins but to do it all from the crib sheet without any hesitating was very impressive. Almost as impressive as the speed he went up Watership Down!

Would be really keen to see the average speed and riding time if anyone has it...

And I am most definitely up for the Worthing Winter Warmer :)

My spot was at the top of Coombe, actually. I was attempting to communicate with them...

@scary
Good to hear James was on the case. Has to be said, as Bill did up there^ that Sue's directions were really really good... once we in our little group had got it clear to everyone that a destination given in brackets was a signage-only destination and without brackets was somewhere that one actually passed through. Ahem. The foreword said something about capitals which was a bit misleading, esp as halfway through the document it all switched to lower case, brackets or no. Meh.

Considering taking this route on, since it was so lovely, as a forum 'Fraudax' ride... maybe in early summer. Early start, lunch at the Carpenter's Arms (which had a dedicated cycle-parking area. Just next to the disabled parking. I have a pic to prove it).

Would be really keen to see the average speed and riding time if anyone has it...

I'll upload the Garmin tonight and post the link.

I was really tired last night and not much better this morning. Also the Surly had a puncture so I drove Darcy to nursery and got the tube to work.

I hate the tube (both in terms of London Underground, and the deflated one on my nursery bike.)

Prove it.

Fraudax

Like it.

Sounds like fun, fun, fun.

Talking of Red Kites. I'm sure I saw one on the ride out to Windsor with "The Grumpies". Is this possible? No other raptors with the same profile that I can think of.

I'm watching a torrent of 'Jason and the Argonauts' with Tynan.

shootthebreeze, anyone?

Mebbee.

Did this one in the lookalikies thread.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/characters/michael-moon.shtml

@Greenbank Ladies? I'd be honoured to be compared to a member of the better sex. 100's about my limit for now thanks. Don't mind the odd honest bump mind.

Sorry, it was meant in jest. Nothing wrong with a 100, it's more than the average Brit cycles in a year. Be warned though, Audax can be dangerously addictive.

I'll be starting with Brazier's Run 100 in late Feb, probably cycling up there (maybe even back) too.

@ BMMF - Hook me up with the next package you get in.
: S

Sam... Your squealing did not add to the stunning scenery : P

Now, back to the ride.
Thanks to Bill for the initial heads up. That was a superb day out on the bike. Shame we lost Wools n Skully et al so early. It was great to ride with everyone else. The navigating was, as Skully mentioned, relatively easy thanks to the superior crib sheet. The climbs were fun, the weather as good as it could be and the views were absolutely majestic in places. I hope damo and Gotti's bruises are a testament to that sneaky-ass ice patch. That can't have been nice at all. Great skidding from jonny on the completely covered downhill after the 1st major climb. I wish I'd video-ed that, if only to show Sam what could be done on an OLMO. I saw a kite too, pointed it out to Skive, who was totally under-whelmed, and apart from that only really saw sheep and the odd dog. One in particular got all up in my face - ha!. Props to vello for digging in when the legs were cramping up, Olly, who blasted the final 10km with me and all those that did it fixed. i think it was the better option in the conditions. The tea and cakes at the end were much needed. The entertainment provided by sitting nr the toilets on the train home, not so much.
All in all, a brilliant start to the season.

@ shoots
completely missed what you were talking about when you were talking about the kite.
too focused!

Yo all

Yesterday was real good, although I struggled a lot, not enough training, I usually never do long rides like this, and I've been eating like a pig over christmas. Anyway enough excuses, I really enjoyed this and it was good to see a good reprentation of the forum there...

Thanks for your help Jonny when the cramps were killing me, and respect for all those who did it fixed...

I don't think I will do that kind of ride again on my Mercian, way too heavy bike with my silly saddle bag and plenty of stuff I did not need... saying that, Mercian was a bike to ride yesterday, there was so many of them! I felt part of a family some how there...!

Szia!

L

My spot was at the top of Coombe, actually. I was attempting to communicate with them...

What was said only the three of you will know. Sounded like an interesting conversation nonetheless.

Yesterday was a LOT of fun. Wasn't sure how we were riding this one but I defaulted to TNRC riding status and waited at junctions to try to bridge them gaps (thanks, Loic, for trying). :) Realised after a few turns it weren't going down like that so I decided to hang back with Skully, Des and Wig to enjoy them lanes, the scenery and the banter. Cheers, fellas, for a thoroughly enjoyable ride out there. It took us a while but I enjoyed every single mile. I did fuck-all on the navigation front so massive thanks for leading the way on this one. And chapeaux, skully, for doing it fixed. Made me wish I brought mine.

Chips and chilli sauce washed down with a can of Stella for the muthafucking win.

The climbs were fun, the weather as good as it could be and the views were absolutely majestic in places.

What was the one where we'd gone up, turned right and then the plain below just opened up below?
I think I uttered the words "fuck me" on seeing that. Did you get a pic?
Gus spotted some memorial, did anyone know what it was for? I didn't focus on anything but my front tyre going up.

Which reminds me that I need to start taking my camera out on these things.

i was totally reliant on the navigational skills of others. some guinnesses are owed. jonny, shoots and gus spring to mind as my navigational saviours.

great ride, with a small sprinkling of pain. my thighs started to cramp at the end... still a bit sore today.

thanks to everyone for making it a great day. a reminder of why i love riding bikes with friends.

i was trying to skid to a stop going down the ice hill and at one point my rear wheel started to overtake me... i somehow managed to stay upright...

i am up for the winter warmer. need to brush up on audax skills though and get a map holder... i did not fill any of the control bits in on my card...

Worthing Winter Warmer thread.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread57522.html

@ damo

Can't upload.
Within 5 tries it always usually worked...
Now I just keep getting :

Error 503 Service Unavailable

Service Unavailable

Guru Meditation:

XID: 1391328588

Varnish cache server

Bugger. Nevermind.

What was the one where we'd gone up, turned right and then the plain below just opened up below?
I think I uttered the words "fuck me" on seeing that. Did you get a pic?
Gus spotted some memorial, did anyone know what it was for? I didn't focus on anything but my front tyre going up.

Which reminds me that I need to start taking my camera out on these things.

Sounds like the view from Combe Gibbet. You climb up, then turn sharp right and in front of you is an amazing view. You can see my folks' house from there.

The plaque is to commemorate the efforts of troops training for an assualt as part of the Normandy landings;