Ride London 100

windy and rain, we can only hope it doesn't reach us as quickly, it appears that the Bertha has been downgraded so hopefully things might be improving, looks like we'll be blown home which is the right way around!

Hard to think of a less accessible place to put a cycle show. East of Limehouse is a maze of dual carriageways with HGVs blasting about. Take the DLR.

Brompton plus DLR ftw

there's the cycle highway you can take there altho it does fizzle out and get confusing when you are right near it. i've ridden it a few times and each time seem to take a different route. just don't end up on the wrong side of the DLR track

Cannot believe this..Marianne Vos is riding with us on Sunday! World Champion, Olympic Champion, best bike rider ever, riding a sportive. Fucking amazing!

... are you sure? isn't there a pros race that does the same route setting off later on?

also, Excel is not super bike friendly, but you can take bike on DLR off-peak these days. otherwise I recommend the bike path on the pavement on the bridge over the Lea that dumps you at Canning Town station (easy if you are coming from Commercial Rd / East India Dock Rd), then cut through Canning Town residential bit. Don't take the TfL and whoever recommended, which is pavement alongside the A13. The Victoria Dock Rd is closed at the moment anyway (a very long moment).
Your other option is on the pavement of the Lower Lea crossing, it's a bit debris-tastic but ok. Do not recommend riding it on the road. This is easier if you've been on the magic blue route and emerge in the NE bit of Isle of Dogs with all the spice names. This then ejects you in the surreal but fairly gentle dockside bit with hotels etc and the W entrance of Excell.
that probably helped precisely no-one...

Rode over from Putney. Was fine. Was some A-road type thing. (many of the side roads are closed). Also did the Greenwich foot tunnels for the first time in an age.

Scoot looked busy on the Rapha stall. I was trying to make it in and out of Excel in the quickest time possible. Bike drop thing was nice touch. New dhb kit looked nice.
Not sure why so many people were excited about the non-alcoholic beer. A silly idea.

Yep definitely the Sportive, incredible!! Announced by London 100 today.

The Womens race is a crit on Saturday, great line up: Vos, Armitstead, Bronzini, Archibald, Storey, Trott to name a few.

non-alcoholic beer

The erdinger stuff? It's pretty good.

Long shot, but am wondering whether anyone has a spare entry for the event this weekend ...? Obviously happy to pay the cost of entry etc.

Please PM me if you do! Thanks, Booter

Weather forecast seems to be improving.
Rain is still coming but later in the day.
Hoping it pushes back few hours later and hopefully i'll miss it altogether.
I will be in toyko fixed bibs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2643743?day=3
Still fitting an arse saver obviously.

I dunno, looks like the forecast at the moment is 'The Met Office have no idea what will happen on Sunday but it won't nice'. Personally I hope it's shitting down with rain but relatively calm wind-wise.

There's a cycle lane / pavement thingy to the Excel from Canary Wharf. It's a pita to find, and follow, but it's a lot less stressful than dodging trucks on the dual carriageways.

Anyone know what time you can pick up numbers until this evening? Would prefer to pop over tonight rather than tomorrow.

open till 8pm tonight

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/28697864

it will be either;
a - a complete and utter fucking nightmare
b - a storm in a tea cup

http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/dorking

Looks alright. I mean wet to start, yes, but not that bad. Plus tailwind home!

Sommat or nowt

I'm wondering whether I'll melt in my waterproof, and whether it would be better to just accept getting wet.

Taking waterproof in the knowledge it will be a bit boil in the bag if I have to wear it.

Spoke with a forecaster this afternoon - he gives it 60% chance of the remnants of Bertha coming through with wet conditions.... the core of moist tropical air changes the environment around it and the interaction with the jet stream is unknown,.... blah blah blah

I refer you to post #1019

spoke with a forecaster? flip me some people are taking it seriously! it will rain, it may be windy.
DEAL WITH IT

Merino baselayer, armwarmers and thin shoe covers should do me fine. Warm and wet is better than too hot and sweaty.

Apologies for venturing too close to some Velominati rule break.... he asked me what I was doing this weekend & told me about the rain !