Hard Day in January '23

First pic is a section of my commute and can confirm is a. mostly not sunny and b. usually f’in muddy and c. totally lovely. Even in January.

This is the brewery I mentioned, on the riverside, right next to Staines bridge.

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Right I'm sold! Will update the first post and the route to finish here :)

I've also give the route a tidy, it's a little quieter and a little shorter now. Coming back through Windsor Park as well.

Still happening in Denmark as well, for those interested.

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I hope to come again this time ('23) to offer motorised support and photography.

I have ridden fixed a fair amount this year, (see A.G. Duckett thread in Current Projects) and occasionally I've fantasised about doing the ride but I know, at least when completely sober, that this would be folly to attempt. So I will stick to the car.

I'll post again before the day - I do have a suggestion for the future.

Look forward to seeing you there. I will obviously be bringing a Gillott.

I need to keep an eye on the brewery venue. They’ve been having some issues with the landlord or something and may be moving to another premises about 100m away.

If all else fails, the Swan on the opposite side of the river is good and they’ve usually got two big toasty fires on the go.

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traditional Christmas negotiations have officially opened in Scotland for HDIJ.

Quietly hopeful of attendance this year. Partly invoking sods law as if I do work it out it'll be the one year I haven't ridden a bike....

Muscle memory and some stem-chewing has got many riders around, I'm sure you'll be grand. Fingers-crossed things line up!

oh yeah, that's half the fun. That and being told to "get off my property" while changing a puncture in the middle of nowhere.

She's still owed a flaming bag of poo on her doorstep

Agreed

Route amended accordingly

I hope

I'll release the dogs

Fuck, she did actually threaten that didnt she.

Bonkers

Aaah simpler times....

HDiJCC

Here's something you may like to think about before the day of the ride.

It seems to me that the HDiJ riders could form the basis of a high quality cycling club. There's certainly enough of you and there is an obvious entry qualification - to have completed at least one HDiJ.

What would be the point? Well firstly to try to keep the ride going, but I notice that you already have an embryo clubrun season (Gearcheck Rides). Slightly ambitious rides for single gear bikes are not so easy to find, so this alone would be a worthwhile purpose.

In order to finish the HDiJ you must be a reasonably strong rider and, as I've said in the past, doing a tough ride like that early in the year looks like race training. The club could register with the appropriate organisations - CTT, RRA and, though I hesitate to mention it, BC. I know some of you are not members of conventional clubs, so this would give you an opportunity to race under a club name and compete for team prizes.

Socially, an annual prize presentation might be fun. There is already one trophy and that might be better to be held over to another meeting after the ride, but there could be other trophies: The Best Long Distance Ride by a member in the year, for example. There are plenty of redundant trophies around - I could donate a couple if you think you can use them.

I realise this may not be a workable idea, but I hope some of you think it's worth talking about.

@clubman I love this idea. I have previously had a few false starts with the same idea but it didn't take off. I'd start this right now to be honest it but I'm outside London now and so most of the important admin (and more importantly riding) I wouldn't be able to make.

No too long ago the forum did have almost exactly this though: TNRC. Biweekly fixed only evening rides between the clocks changing. It was full of lovely people who were good on fixed and happy with steady evening rides, not cafe pootles nor smashy bro "laps". We even had end of season drinks with a teeny trophy! TNRC riders have always been present on HDIJ rides. So maybe when the clocks change those in london can get it going again. The sub forum is there, the routes are there, people just need to show up fixed and aim for 16mph avg (no slower, not really much faster) to have fun and that beer at the end.

The other thought I had is if we can't get a regular club going maybe we could do a loose affiliation type thing and 'host' rides, eg one group ride month where someone has a route and leads? Could bounce around the greater London area. Means I could also host one out my way too. Anyway just thoughts for the new year.

Am looking forward to Hard Day more than ever now

Starting to get excited.

Looking at travelling there and back on the day. Is anyone familiar with the SWR service from Vauxhall to Staines? What's the bike situation? Do you have to book etc.

I think it's on the Windsor line so you shouldn't need to reserve a space, they only have one "class" of train that requires booking but I think that's a cross-country one. Basically I think you're fine https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/travelling-with-a-bike

Looking at travelling there and back on the day. Is anyone familiar with the SWR service from Vauxhall to Staines? What's the bike situation? Do you have to book etc.

Can confirm, it's no reservastions, be ~2-3 coaches with bike spaces, be fine that early on a satuday.

Cheers both!

@youramericanlover will be pleased to know that I don't have a ride booked for this date

So you are in?

Sadly not. I can barely walk at the moment, due to my back :-/

Sorry to hear it. Hope it gets better soon, would love to come over for a Honey Badger especially as it should be clash-free as there is only one more sweet fixie event to come