Hailsham 300: Late Entry?

[rob]

Thanks Rob

See you at 2.45am!

Bring some longs this time. I thought your knees were going to turn blue last year.

[Lurcio]

Greetings tis El Supremo on the keyboard! (yes another moment to be treasured!)
There are 30 entries for the 3am 300 and 16 for the 6am.  Chris Tracey has the cards and will dish them out at the start. There are also 31 entries on the Didling 100.  Those on the 300 will be well fed at Didling in the afternoon if Martin  Brice has not eaten all the toasties etc etc!!

[cygnet]

I'm starting the 3am via the 00:05 train from London; and wrapping up for a wait at Polegate/Hailsham. I've got my fingers crossed for a warm night.

[megajoules expenditure]

No Chance

But do not try for an entry on the line.

H

[Martin]

Anyone after a gpx should PM Martin.

anyone after an abortion of a .gdb which avoids the entire A272 on the way out that is..

(not a problem; just follow the signs for what seems like a age)

[Redlight]

I am a pillock.

Just dug out the route sheet to mark up the map for Saturday and realised that I have entered the 6am start by mistake.  Doh!

[mmmmartin]

There are 30 entries for the 3am 300 and 16 for the 6am. 
 There are also 31 entries on the Didling 100. 

76 riders to feed
Plus me. Will there be enough for the other 76? I am already starving myself to make space for the grub.

[Ashaman42]

Finally finished getting the route sheet into my GPS, why (oh why) do I always end up doing this last minute?!

As ever I won't be as rested as I like but should be ok as long as I have an early night tomorrow. Getting up at 1am Sat is going to suck.

See my fellow 3am-ers at the start, I'm cycling up from Hampden Park so will probably have all my layers on as I expect to arrive a bit early.

[Kent Boo]

My nice, handwritten begging letter was posted half an hour ago, saying that I'd prefer the 3am but will do the 6am if it's got more space.  Let's see what happens.

You are in 3am

Is there anyway you can check if the other late grovelling entry is in too as I wanted to know whther to go to bed early or not - Caroline - I can be 3am or 6am as per letter - thank you. The mail hasn't arrived yet and I'm feeling a little leftout.

[toontra]

Well that was fun!  Almost perfect conditions (again) and no repeat of last week's mechanical misery.  Rode the first stretch with Mr Bunbury and a few others, then tried to minimise time at controls (despite El S's luring oven-food), which meant I rode the rest on my own, somewhere between the lead few and the peleton.  The result was my fastest 300 by some way at just under 14h.

Finished just in time to get the direct train to London, so home and relaxing by 7.15 - perfect.  Great organisation as usual.  Thanks to Dave and crew.

[Martin]

and I'm off the mark   my longest ride for nearly 2 years. Rode the 0600 with Simon B (and briefly Lurcio and Paul O) but got dropped like a stone and never caught up after an impromptu breakfast at Mutti Zoom; it never got to the dizzy temperatures of last weekend but was in shorts and short sleeve for some of it until the sun went down and it got very chilly; eventually finished at 21.30

also saw Redlight and Kent Boo at a few of the controls

many Thanks El S and all your helpers  

[Redlight]

Just got home after a gentle drive back.  Fantastic day out.  I rode all day with Kent Boo, doing her first 300 thanks to the generosity of ES allowing a late entry, and encountered several forumites, including Martin, SimonB, and TimidPete (?). 

A little lumpier than I would like at times - about 4000m of climbing -  but I was still satisfied with 10.12 finish.  I lost it a bit between Didling and Pyecombe and got to the latter control with a real blood sugar low and a dose of the shivers, but a glucose drink got the goodies moving around my body again and the stretch back to Hailsham was a blast 

As always, faultless route sheet and great organisation by dave and his crew.  Now for the 400....

[Simonb]

Great route. We even bumped into Hummers -- do we get bonus points?

A272 wasn't too bad at 9am; I particularly like the bit before Petworth. The Meon Valley, and the views along the South Downs (especially in the evening) were just beautiful.

Going well too -- the training is finally paying off -- feeling fitter than I have for a good few years.

Thanks to all. Especially the Malinses for their hospitality in E. Grinstead (dinner and a bed) and Cuckfield (hearty breakfast).

[Martin]

just been checking the scores on the doors; not a Grimpeur but not that far short,

Range Distance = 312km
Range Climbing = 3,578m (4164 required for AAA)

Minimum Altitude = -8m
Maximum Altitude = 236m

one of the few flat sections; the River Arun near Coldwaltham (that's me doing some training for Holland next week; hence riding on the right)

[PAC]

Another great ride courtesy of El Supremo...Cheers Dave

I set off on the 6am start and pushed fairly hard to get to Winchester just before midday.  Felt like I was being chased by rain clouds all the way from Winchester to Didling, but noting came of it thankfully....by the way, does anyone find that stretch from Petersfield to South Harting a real drag - it's got to be the flatest looking 1in4 I know of (at least it always feels like it!).  Enjoyed the rice pudding and peaches at Didling and then had a reasonably steady ride to Pyecombe, where everyone started to join up, which was good for a chat...most of the ride seemed really quiet.  The last section from Pyecome felt like I was on rocket fuel - must be because it was mainly down hill, added to the normally unhealthy sustenance I shovelled down at Pyecombe.  Overall time was about 14hrs including 2hrs stopped.

Restful couple of weeks coming up, and then doing my first 400k on the Brevet Cymru at the end of April.

Cheers All

[rob]

Good day out as usual.

Deliberately let the bunch go at Uckfield and stayed with Mattt and Richard Thomas all day. This ride is always fast to Winchester (7hrs) and much slower back (9hrs). The Winchester-Didling stretch is deceptively lumpy, but I always enjoy the later legs back along the base of the South Downs.

I'm amazed at how fast people are at the moment. We were round with 4hrs to spare with, I think, only 3 other riders behind us.

Rob

[TimidPete]

and encountered several forumites, including Martin, SimonB, and TimidPete (?). 

I occasionally "delurk" even in real life! 

Loved the ride, the best bit being sweeping downhill close to Winchester with a wonderfull view ahead over neatly trimmed fields.

incidently who ate all the pies (or cheese toasties) I was wondering about the lack of oven at the El Supremo control, was there a reason or doesn't it come out as the weather warms up.

I ended up chasing the fast and furious fixers to the bowship roundabout, I don't know what those guys are on but I'll have a pint.

Time to tuck into my recovery diet of beer and cake 

TP

[Martin]

and encountered several forumites, including Martin, SimonB, and TimidPete (?). 

I occasionally "delurk" even in real life! 

Loved the ride, the best bit being sweeping downhill close to Winchester with a wonderfull view ahead over neatly trimmed fields.

incidently who ate all the pies (or cheese toasties) I was wondering about the lack of oven at the El Supremo control, was there a reason or doesn't it come out as the weather warms up.

I think it had probably gone away by the time you arrived (if you were there the same time as Redlight) even El S has to pack up go home to sleep sometimes having been awake since probably all night;

Not a problem with me there was still copious Tea cake and snacks 

on a sort of related subject; on all my night-time returns from the west to Hailsham I now use Camberlot Lane then via the crossing over the A22 near Arlington which many of his outward routes use.

[Simonb]

ps, If anyone's interested, I learnt that a Dutchman has written a book about the A272.

[Redlight]

and encountered several forumites, including Martin, SimonB, and TimidPete (?). 

incidently who ate all the pies (or cheese toasties) I was wondering about the lack of oven at the El Supremo control, was there a reason or doesn't it come out as the weather warms up.

I think it had probably gone away by the time you arrived (if you were there the same time as Redlight) even El S has to pack up go home to sleep sometimes having been awake since probably all night;

No, TimidPete had long gone when I got there.  I was living up to my forum name.

[trixie]

So pleased to have entered again - it really is a super ride with beautiful scenery.  The best parts for me were the many trees full of spring blossom lining the village lanes, the wide fields of farmland giving such a feeling of space and the very best...the magnificent hills on the right just before Pyecombe... beginning to sleep under the setting sun.  Yes, it is one of my best loved routes.

My one moment of panic was losing my car key...having taken a 'bush stop' before the start!  Had to retrace with my head torch...across the newly mown grass...over the fence...along the bushes...through the undergrowth.  After three repeat trips, just when I felt it would never be found - there it was! Ah...the life of an audaxer.  Must remember to tie on string and put round neck next time.

Thank you Dave for all the support and 'goodies'  the toasties are just the thing for a tired rider.  You always have so many tempting edibles laid out for us...I just have to try a bit of everything.  I hope your helpers didn't think I was too greedy.

It was good to see Rob again..although I almost didn't recognise him(!), Matt T (hope that's that's the right letter) and Kay(?) who was helping.  I wasn't surprised that some of the 6am starters began to overtake me!  We had a chat at Pyecombe..they did look fit, fast and relaxed.  Perhaps I should blame my overladen carradice pendle and all the things I packed...but I know it's my engine power...really...

Looking forward to the 600k...last year is still very memorable.

[Karla]

Well that was an eventful weekend, and somewhat surreal too.  The ride itself was good fun and very useful for fitting in a 300km qualifier, so thanks go to Dave for accepting my late entry.  It was good to see Rob, Toontra and the rest, though events shortly after the ride have sent my name->username mapping right out of the window.  Well done to Kent Boo on completing your first 300 in a good time - did you roll in at about 14h45?