Grimpeurs du Sud

[Martin]

On a scale of 1 to 10, exactly how cold were you by the end? (no fibbing)

not that bad but my two outer LH fingers had lost all sensation by the end and my toes were a funny blue colour in the shower. The snow attempted to settle around Blackboys but generally it was very light snow and a bastard headwind for 2/3rd of it (including the nominally downhill bit from Brightling)

[Hillbilly]

I've formally emailed John Ward to withdraw the current AAA Milne with effect from 1 March (i.e. this Friday).  I rode it today, probably my last unless I have unused cards at the end of the year and there is demand for a group ride.  Impressions of the route remain that it shares too much road space with other rides I put on, so has become superfluous.

Completed brevets submitted to me by the end of September will be validated.  Thereafter, the cards will be defunct (although I will allow people to trade up distance to my longer events on request from 1 October).

PS: Anyone wanting a free etrex 20 can spend some time searching the verge on the descent to Kidds Toys from the west (i.e. the side with the pub).  Mine pinged off after hitting a bump, and I didn't see where it bounced, and couldn't find it despite spending a fair amount of time during and after the ride looking for it.  Ho hum, it obviously decided I was a bad master for not fastening it down properly and decided to abscond.  Will need to treat the etrex 30 I've just ordered (a trade up, as I'm attracted by the alleged improvement in recording accuracy offered by the barimetric altimeter) with a little more respect unless I want to spend a painful amount every 6 months or so....

[Hillbilly]

Rejoice (of sorts).  Tanhurst Lane (the toughest climb to Leith Hill, but also a shocking road surface) is going to get completely fixed, with a new surface.  I feel a celebratory calendar event in 2014 coming on...

http://www1.surreycc.gov.uk/highways/recordUtility.aspx?worksID=MA400-PH70205&id=398265&town=ABINGER&roadName=TANHURST%20LANE

Maybe they'll get round to looking at Logmore Lane at some point.

[Phixie]

Rejoice (of sorts).  Tanhurst Lane (the toughest climb to Leith Hill, but also a shocking road surface) is going to get completely fixed, with a new surface.  I feel a celebratory calendar event in 2014 coming on...

http://www1.surreycc.gov.uk/highways/recordUtility.aspx?worksID=MA400-PH70205&id=398265&town=ABINGER&roadName=TANHURST%20LANE

Maybe they'll get round to looking at Logmore Lane at some point.

Believe it when it gets done!  This cynic fears it might be like painting round a pothole to convince road users it is due for treatment.  They query that belief when the paint  gets worn off....

As it happens I was recceing your Surrey Hills Perm (Rev Route) today and went up it.  I know that track of old and cannot disagree with anything you have written about it.  I was hopeful that the last tarmac-unfriendly winter would have made it so bad that the council would have repaired it, but no such luck.  In view of your posting an extra supply of patience has been ordered.

BR

RP

[Martin]

the website's now updated with all the confirmed calendar events;

expect Mid Sussex Hilly / Hillier (2009 edition) Oct 19th and The Crown sometime in July;

and the perms section will stabilise once they have all been approved; until then check Hillbilly's and my perms on the AUK website

https://sites.google.com/site/grimpeursdusud/

[Mrs Blacksheep]

Hi Hillbilly

My Etrex vista Hcx had made a bid for freedom, so I now
use it's strap and it can't get away.

Is the Etrex 30 the new model? slimmer, bigger screen, but still uses AA batteries?
If so let me know how you get on with it.

Mrs BlackSheep

[Hillbilly]

Did my Meridian Hills 200 yesterday.  This is good to go, with some wonderful cycling (it takes in all 4 hilly ranges in the Sussex area: North downs, South Downs, Ashdown and Greensands; these are all listed as "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty" being the Kent Downs, Sussex Downs and High Weald AONBs).

Given how enamoured I am of the route, I have submitted as a possible perm to John Ward.  I am hopeful it will be accepted, and so provide an alternative to the Around Weald Expedition.  It may run as a calendar event in 2014.  Anyone who claims cycling in the South East is lacking compared to other parts of the UK really should give this event a try.

I've also got permission to tweak my Surrey Hillier calendar route from what was originally planned.  The revision will be shorter, but roughly the same climbing.  Yet another AONB....

[Now currently thinking how to weave in the Surrey Hills AONB into the Meridian Hills route to create a 300, tentatively called "The Outstandingly Beautiful 300".]

[Hillbilly]

Entries for my 21 April events are coming in fast and the 100 is now 60% full with 6 weeks to go.  I am restricting numbers to 50 to ensure the field is manageable in this first year of the event.  If you are uhm and ahing don't leave it too late.

[Martin]

good to cross paths with you yesterday Billy, were there still swarms of spotivistas on top of the forest? there were two events going on including the blatant rip-off of my Hillier (but dumbed down of course)

still waiting for the new AAA Milne to be approved; the 100km route is fairly pothole free. Horsted Keynes station booking hall is a recommended stop on days like yesterday with their open fire 

new AAA Milne will hopefully run as a calendar event in 2014 on the same weekend as this year's Reliable

[Hillbilly]

The sportive riders were at Balcombe when I got there - they had an awfully hard ascent of West Hill in front of them, having approached it from the easy side (no doubt having taken in Turners "Hill" - why these rides get away with describing themselves as hard, I don't know).  I now get a very particular pleasure in grinding sportive riders into the ground on hills if they have the cheek to overtake me at the bottom with a smug "how you doing".  I also make a point of doing in whilst in the saddle if they are stomping on the pedals.  You can hear them try and up the tempo behind you, only to start panting like a defective steam engine.  I had a fast ascent to Balcombe yesterday precisely because of this.  Well, one has to make one's own entertainment on a solo permanent

[Arry-R]

Billy, I still gotta get round LEL but thoughts and legs focused on PBP. Are the dates of the HILLY-Billy 3  4  and 600 known as well as Southern Belle 1000.  Looking 4ward to this flagship event and hope it will not have a piddly entry restricted to 50 or so as it could get 100's I fink.  I ave enjoyed Billys event B4 so roll on...where will they all be going?

[Hillbilly]

Let's get this season out of the way first...

[Hillbilly]

Meridian Hills live.  A new 200km permanent in the South East, which visits 3 areas of outstanding natural beauty (North Downs, South Downs and High Weald).  Highlights include Ditchling Beacon, Devil's Dyke, Toy's Hill, Ide Hill and Sundridge Hill.  Crosses the Ashdown Forest not once, not twice, but thrice (and without repitition too).  A hard 3.5 AAA; very little overlap with my other 200km grimpeur.

Possible starts in Forest Row, Brighton, Crowborough, Green St Green, Balcombe/Pease Pottage, Mayfield.

Map, routesheet and gpx will be added to the AUK web page this evening. (done)

http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/WW11/

Will take a little while for brevet cards to be printed (as a new rebranded design is apparently being released by AUK, so I am holding back for those).  Whilst this could mean 6 weeks until I get printed brevet cards, it is possible to "come to an arrangement" which works around this.  In other words, don't let it hold back your entries.

[daniele]

Meridian Hills live.

Possible starts in Forest Row, Brighton , Crowborough, Green St Green, Balcombe/Pease Pottage, Mayfield.

Map, routesheet and gpx will be added to the AUK web page this evening.

yeeeAAAhhh!!!!

[Hillbilly]

Imagine my delight, as Martin gave me a Grimpeur d'Or badge this morning at the Invicta.  Yay for badges!  Yay for GdS!

It is rumoured that this badge has mystical powers, imbued by the dark pagan magic of the Cantiaci tribes, having the peculiar effect of making the bearer lighter, so helping them grimp up hills in the South East.

[Martin]

Imagine my delight, as Martin gave me a Grimpeur d'Or badge this morning at the Invicta.  Yay for badges!  Yay for GdS!

well actually it's a x5 badge but is d'Or. A Grimpeur d'Or is someone who has done 10 events in a year (which as it happens you've also done)

whatever; you deserve it Hillbilly; now bring home the bacon to put GdS riders in the AAA silverware for the 3rd consecutive year 

[Hillbilly]

Less than a month until entries to my Surrey Hillier event close (no entries on the line).  There are 10 8 places left to fill on this new 100km event through the Surrey Hills AONB, which offers many fantastic vistas over the Mole Valley and to the surrounds of Surrey.  This event is GdS eligible.  Once they are gone, they are gone.  Just saying...

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-572/

Gpx file uploaded (and outline map).  Route sheet is going to be available within a fortnight or so (is written but not fully tested).

There is a shorter non-GdS ride on the same day (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-573/) for those wanting a more relaxed day, but that is also filling up steadily and around 20 entries left.

[Martin]

AAA Milne is back! a new route sharing only Friars Gate with Hillbilly's route, thereafter Twyford Lane (down) and down to the charming village of Barcombe before steam train-spotting all the way up to the newly opened Bluebell Railway station at East Grinstead. Definitely at the easier end of the scale like The Reliable. I'll be christening it on Monday!

http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/MM02/

[mmmmartin]

AAA Milne is back!

When the postman empties the postbox outside my house on Tuesday he will be picking up an envelope containing two entries for this perm.
Many thanks for your efforts

[Martin]

and they're off! rode AAA Milne (new route) today; if I say so myself an improvement on the old one with much gentler and longer climbs and some sublime descents on quiet lanes. Being Ashdown Forest you will of course bump into old bits here and there and I make no apology for Friars Gate as this is an iconic climb which no ride out here should miss 

Barcombe is a more salubrious location than the petrol station in Uckfield but be aware that the shop shuts 1400 on Sunday so a perfect excuse for a pint of Harveys in the Royal Oak

students of my Mid Sussex events will find the odd familiar bit here and there but not enough to make the ride feel samey

will be running it as a £1 calendar event in 2014; probably based in East Grinstead  'spoons

[Hillbilly]

One place remaining on the Surrey Hillier (21 April).  Once it goes, entries close.

Surrey Hillier is full.  No further entries being accepted (switched off entries on website).  No entries on the line.  An email will be sent out to entrants today/tomorrow confirming details etc.  Postal entries datestamped before today will honoured, all others returned.

The 60km Surrey Hills event still has spaces (postal entries for the Hillier datestamped today onwards will be given the option of transferring to this, or else I will simply return the entry).

[Martin]

AAA Milne routesheet and gpx file have been added to the perm page

[Martin]

I rode Hillbilly's new 200 Meridian Hills today as training  for the Elenydd

A damned hard ride! but fantastic combining bits of the old AAA Milne and a reverse of Down to Downs although the Southern bit is all new. Best bits were 40 deer at the top of the
first climb of Ashdown Forest; the low sun in my eyes on Ditchling Beacon, watching trains go
over Balcombe viaduct (a nice deviation) and blatting down Kidds Hill at the
end. Some nice new lanes around Penshurst and Hever too (although I know
Uckfield Lane from club runs)

worst bits; well there's only one the climb up to Crowborough; hate it!

It is February isn't it? there's no way there would be sheet ice across the road in April

so now I have no excuse to ever leave The Shire 

[Hillbilly]

Crowborough.  Yes, I know.  I would love to suggest the one you descend, but this adds too many km to the "standard" route - continue to Friars Gate and then left to pass Holders.  Perhaps I will suggest it on the route notes (when produced) for riders with time in hand, as I too am not a great fan of the B road climb.

Oh, and I got route cards printed due to a steady flow of entries (but on the "old" format of card, I think).  It has the event logo on them.  These cards arrived over the weekend and will be issued going forward, so the need for "special arrangements" has fallen away.

Lastly, all this talk of Hardboiled being the toughest 300 has put me in mind to see if the South East can best it, whilst still providing an enjoyable day out.  I have a plan, which I will be testing on 28 April as a DIY, with a possible view to running it in 2014.  If anyone wants to try a Sussex/Kent 300 GdS eligible rollercoaster of a ride, PM me.

[Hillbilly]

Surrey Hillier and Surrey Hills entrants should have received an email from me (Billy Weir) in the last week or so confirming registration and providing information about the event.

The nature of the email means that it might be trapped in spam filters - please check these.  If you don't have details despite that, send me an email at the address listed on the Audax website.