Bryan Chapman 2012

[Redlight]

I don't think I've ever experienced sleet on the Pen-Y-Pass on the BCM or any other ride. 

There was sleet for us stragglers in 2010. Not fun. Got to Menai cold and wet with chattering teeth and was still shaking an hour later.  At that point, I'd had enough and the fact the sleet was still going when I started heading back up the hill was enough to send me in search of a dry bed.

[simonp]

Is there more likely to be rain at night than during the day in Snowdonia, I wonder?

[Efrogwr]

Is there more likely to be rain at night than during the day in Snowdonia, I wonder?

There's likely to be rain, full stop. It even rains on dry days.

[BlackSheep]

Is there more likely to be rain at night than during the day in Snowdonia, I wonder?

2001 the evening was so warm, the group I was in were down to their base layers.
2002 Apparently was a pig. Mind you it was in March.
2003 was V wet & VV Windy. Rain was being blown up the road towards Pen-y-Pass.
2004 Clear skies for 99.9% of the w/e warm days and V cold night.
2005 Misty - the day had been hot, but there were showers later in the day.
2006 dry breezey
2007 Dry, fairly mild.
2008 recovering
2009 Showers over passes.
2010 Showers during early hours. (a poet and he doesn't know it)
2011 Hot in day, cool at night.

[simonp]

I'm going to map a few bus shelters and make waypoints for them in my gpx.  There's one near the top of the climb to Trawsfynydd iirc, and a 15 minute stop there might be just the thing for a sleepy stoker.

[simonp]

I'm going to map a few bus shelters and make waypoints for them in my gpx.  There's one near the top of the climb to Trawsfynydd iirc, and a 15 minute stop there might be just the thing for a sleepy stoker.

Found it!

Bit earlier than I remembered: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Trawsfynydd&hl=en&ll=52.948696,-3.995783&spn=0.002741,0.008256&sll=51.28442,-2.819352&sspn=0.045309,0.132093&oq=traw&hnear=Trawsfynydd,+Gwynedd,+United+Kingdom&t=k&z=18&layer=c&cbll=52.948675,-3.9959&panoid=UHdV7ABtlE5oBVGolgT72w&cbp=12,332.17,,0,5.03

[arabella]

NOT doing the BCM roll call

swarm_catcher (can you hear me Iddu? - I shall be looking forward to an armchair BCM)
Reg.T (want to be there, but can't this year - K&SW instead)
chillmoister (too much adventure)
Nuncio (I'm washing my hair those days)
Bairdy (Too many excuses to list.)
LEE (Too Fat & I think I'm allergic to the sleet on PenYPass)
urban_biker ( its a long way - and I think I'm out of innertubes - plus what LEE said - but quite defintely not what Reg.T said )
fboab (injured, jealous, making tea and bringing cake & ridicule)
arabella (will probably also be washing my hair.  but not at the same sink, oh no.  or something)

[Jasmine]

Simon - the people of Maentwrog would be highly offended at you referring to it as Trawsfynydd.  That bus stop has enormous toilets, but they are definitely locked at night.

Also, Mark, 2011 was hot in day but cold at night?  We had solid non-stop rain from 3pm until we got back to King's at 1am.  It rained on Anglesey from 10am until the following day.  Coming down Pen-y-pas in hail on a tandem was not the most fun I've ever had.  I happen to think that the Gwynant is a very boring route, but then there's only so many times you can ride the same gentle incline. 

[simonp]

Simon - the people of Maentwrog would be highly offended at you referring to it as Trawsfynydd.  That bus stop has enormous toilets, but they are definitely locked at night.

Yeah, it was a lot sooner after Penrhyndeudraeth* than I recalled.

* Nope, still can't spell it.

[BlackSheep]

Also, Mark, 2011 was hot in day but cold at night?  We had solid non-stop rain from 3pm until we got back to King's at 1am.  It rained on Anglesey from 10am until the following day.  Coming down Pen-y-pas in hail on a tandem was not the most fun I've ever had.  I happen to think that the Gwynant is a very boring route, but then there's only so many times you can ride the same gentle incline. 

Quite possibly, and a bit unfortunate - as many of the Kings pre-midnight arrivees never saw any rain of any note. And set-off in the dry.

[Redlight]

I think anyone who gets back to Kings before midnight should be required to go back to Menai and get another stamp!

[simonp]

25kph rolling average plus 30 minutes random stops on the road plus averaging 25 minutes stopped at each of 4 controls before kings southbound.

That sounds easy. The part I failed spectacularly on last year was the quick stops. Two controls were over an hour though my rolling speed was not far shy of 25kph. I got back to kings at 2am. I kept stopping to mess with my phone as the music wasn't working properly.

[Feline]

25kph rolling average plus 30 minutes random stops on the road plus averaging 25 minutes stopped at each of 4 controls before kings southbound.

That sounds easy. The part I failed spectacularly on last year was the quick stops. Two controls were over an hour though my rolling speed was not far shy of 25kph. I got back to kings at 2am. I kept stopping to mess with my phone as the music wasn't working properly.

Well this year you will have me to sing to you in emergencies like that ... it will make you ride super-fast to get the ride over with!

[trumpet]

What is the minimum or average amount of sleep do you BCM riders normally get / aim for ?

[simonp]

I am for 4 hours, when doing the 2004 route. Have always managed this, or thereabouts, when doing the 2004 route.

[Feline]

I am for 4 hours, when doing the 2004 route. Have always managed this, or thereabouts, when doing the 2004 route.

I might get an extra hours sleep on the back of the tandem if the arrow is anything to go by 

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

In the past, 3 hours, whether I get to Kings at 11.30pm or 4am.  Seems to work for me 

[BlackSheep]

What is the minimum or average amount of sleep do you BCM riders normally get / aim for ?

4 or 5 years ago I recall someone getting back to Kings and having at least 10 hours sleep, Guy the warden told me they eventually woke at about 5 on Sunday evening when the next bunk user checked-in.

Similarly some riders had about 6 hours sleep and got back before mid day Sunday.

Everyone else falls somewhere in between. Hope this helps

[Tewdric]

I am for 4 hours, when doing the 2004 route. Have always managed this, or thereabouts, when doing the 2004 route.

I think 4 hours is optimum.  Apart from anything else, more than that is bunk hogging!

[simonp]

I am for 4 hours, when doing the 2004 route. Have always managed this, or thereabouts, when doing the 2004 route.

I think 4 hours is optimum.  Apart from anything else, more than that is bunk hogging!

Yes, I think at busy times 4h was pretty much as much as was allowed to be booked in any case. It’s not really fair for fast riders to hog the bunks and prevent slower riders getting some kip.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

So what advantage is it for a rider to not loiter at earlier controls if they don't earn a decent sleep? Getting turfed out at 3am wouldn't be my choice.

[simonp]

So what advantage is it for a rider to not loiter at earlier controls if they don't earn a decent sleep? Getting turfed out at 3am wouldn't be my choice.

When I arrived at 1.30am in 2008 I saw a rider leaving.

I think if you arrived at 10pm and slept for 8h the people arriving at 2am might be a bit miffed if they couldn’t get a bed and you slept til 6am. OTOH, arriving at midnight, sleeping for 4h and then getting up for a leisurely breakfast and setting off at 5am seems quite civilised, and 18h for 400km is not particularly slow. If you are much faster than that, perhaps sleep at Aberihaventacluehowtospellit, it’s only 80k further on, which is ~1am arrival if you arrive at Kings at 10pm.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

If sleeping for 4 hours is civilised, sleeping for 5 or 6 hours is more so. Leaving at stupid o'clock is a recipe for freezing your arse off, a fairly crap way to start the second day of a 600.

[mattc]

So what advantage is it for a rider to not loiter at earlier controls if they don't earn a decent sleep?

One possibility is the lack of trains home at 10pm on the Sunday. (Or other Sunday-night deadlines created by Real Life.)

Yes, I think at busy times 4h was pretty much as much as was allowed to be booked in any case. It’s not really fair for fast riders to hog the bunks and prevent slower riders getting some kip.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It seems lucky for me that I've picked a 600 with a more civilised sleeping policy this year.