Author Topic: Wwhat I love about AUK  (Read 7376 times)

j_a_m_e_s_

  • Prisoner 17091
    • AUK results
Wwhat I love about AUK
« on: 14 September, 2018, 05:12:24 pm »
I like the solitude I can get when out.

In equal measure though, I like the comaradery. Walking into the pub after Brimstone and shaking everyone's hand was a good feeling.

Quote from: Hoot from Black Hawk Down
"Hoot": When I go home people'll ask me, "Hey Hoot, why do you do it man? What, you some kinda bike junkie?" You know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it. They won't understand that it's about the men next to you, and that's it. That's all it is.
Rule 77

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #1 on: 14 September, 2018, 05:30:20 pm »
I love the 'à la carte' attitude to speed, company and route, within limits.

For me, solitude on the road and company at controls, were the best combination.

'Kites' and 'bombs' do not always mix comfortably on the move.

hillbilly

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #2 on: 14 September, 2018, 05:55:47 pm »
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PI0MRyUFIXU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/PI0MRyUFIXU&rel=1</a>

whosatthewheel

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #3 on: 15 September, 2018, 07:48:14 am »
AUK or Audaxing in general?

The comments above seem to refer to randonneering in general rather than AUK

If we are talking AUK specifically, then probably Arrivee... I hope it stays as a paper magazine, it's quality!

I actually love the website too, I'll be sad to see it go...  :o

arabella

  • عربللا
  • onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #4 on: 15 September, 2018, 09:14:09 am »
Riding into the dawn - something about sleeplessness and the light seems different from the dusk.
AUK specifically was the no frills, no nonsense approach
And the lack of anything remotely like racing for those of us of a full value persuasion
Any fool can admire a mountain.  It takes real discernment to appreciate the fens.

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #5 on: 15 September, 2018, 03:13:14 pm »
I was thinking how I might some up the appeal of 'Audax' in one word. For me that word is 'Cohort'. There's a sense of the word that fits a group with shared characteristics. That applies to both the grouping of riders you keep seeing throughout an Audax career, and also to the specific groupings that arise from clusters of rides, such as SRs and qualifiers.

I started in Audax at a time when I was doing long-distance time trials. That tended to limit my cohort to those who liked to press on. I would drop back to other groups when the climbing kicked in, and smaller riders pulled away, but in general I saw a limited number of other riders.

In 2003 I concentrated on getting my partner Heather around PBP. So I was in a different part of the field, and took to filming as an additional activity. Life in 'the bulge' brings you into contact with a different group, it's more sociable.

Following that I tended to concentrate on starting fast, and then dropping back through the field to encounter as many other riders as possible. The result is that my 'cohort' is very extensive, and as I've ridden or covered 5 PBPs and 5 LELs, it's also pretty international.

I've got memories of who I rode with, where and when. I recall riding with Arabella, Salvatore and LWAB on LEL South of Thorne, and with Arabella on a lot of the East and West Coasts in 2014 as a PBP pre-qualifier. These are some of my cohort.

Cohorts can come across as cliques, and I wonder of that's what's behind the desire for a more 'inclusive' Arrivee, without lots of photos of riders. I've got lots of my own films to remind me of my cohort, but I can also look at old Arrivees, and be reminded of old friends.

I did wonder which of my films summed up the appeal of Audax to me the best. I think some express my personal views better, but when I got to thinking about the people I've ridden with over the years, the Mull It Over 300 film from 2011 meant the most. It has many of the people I'd ridden with in Northern England and Scotland. Some have left the Audax scene, others are no longer with us at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdlUNP8MjNY&t=75s

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #6 on: 16 September, 2018, 06:15:08 pm »
I've been going through some of my old brevet cards recently - looking for info on certain rides. They're amazing mementos - although superficially terse, they tell the story of a ride very well, and do so in a much more interesting way than a Strava log.

It has made me want to do more proper old-school permanents with brevet cards, rather than DIY by GPS, which feel a bit soulless. If I want to go for a bike ride, I can do that any time without having to get 'validation' for it, but the formalised nature of having to get your card stamped/pick up a receipt is what gives an audax ride its character.

To relate this specifically to AUK, I'm not a points chaser by any stretch of the imagination, but my main reason for doing the Fenland Friends 600 last week was to complete my SR - probably wouldn't have done it otherwise, tbh - so the infrastructure is useful motivation. And although I don't care about trophies, it's nice to think my name will be on the AUK roll of honour at the end of this season. It also helped me keep going during those dark moments when I was thinking of packing.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #7 on: 16 September, 2018, 09:26:11 pm »
'Kites' and 'bombs' do not always mix comfortably on the move.

Very true.

Riding to the other type's pace is a good way to turn a social ride into a proper effort.  Which is perfectly fine if that's something you're doing deliberately, but a recipe for doom if you're already near your limits.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #8 on: 16 September, 2018, 09:26:59 pm »
And the lack of anything remotely like racing for those of us of a full value persuasion

Bzzt!

The BHPC are over there  --->
Points to be had for anyone with the audacity to  a) be female  and  b) turn up.


On a related note, Audax's enlightened attitude towards different types of cycles.  None of that "you can't ride that, it's got the wrong type of handlebars" rubbish.

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #9 on: 17 September, 2018, 08:25:14 am »
There isn't much I love about AUK at the moment- as an organisation it doesn't seem to match my needs / ethos / goals. I'm not sure I think 'as one' with the board, and it certainly contains, in positions of authority, some individuals I feel are verging on incompetent.

Or are we supposed to be talking about riding brevets in the UK?

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #10 on: 17 September, 2018, 09:16:24 am »
There isn't much I love about AUK at the moment- as an organisation it doesn't seem to match my needs / ethos / goals. I'm not sure I think 'as one' with the board, and it certainly contains, in positions of authority, some individuals I feel are verging on incompetent.

It really pains me to agree with you as I have 100% belief that all of the current Board members are acting in absolute good faith, and have nothing but the very best of intentions. However, an IT project catastrophe threatening the organisation’s viability has been followed by a doubling-down of authority (we and only we shall determine what happens next, we and only we shall determine whether or not to substantially raise costs for members without any consultation) coupled with a complete shutdown in communications. It’s now almost three weeks since the emergency telecon without even the courtesy of a holding message.
Eddington Number = 132

bairn again

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #11 on: 17 September, 2018, 09:57:18 am »
I did wonder which of my films summed up the appeal of Audax to me the best. I think some express my personal views better, but when I got to thinking about the people I've ridden with over the years, the Mull It Over 300 film from 2011 meant the most. It has many of the people I'd ridden with in Northern England and Scotland. Some have left the Audax scene, others are no longer with us at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdlUNP8MjNY&t=75s
Loved watching that again Damon.   :thumbsup:

rob

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #12 on: 17 September, 2018, 10:28:50 am »
What I love about AUK to what's wrong with AUK in 11 posts.   I salute you all.

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #13 on: 17 September, 2018, 10:35:05 am »
I absolutely love the cue card with the course directions. Printing off the directions, laminating and then cutting them down to size (maximum width 8.5cm to avoid any untidy overhang from my Polaris map-snap), is something of a pre-ride ritual for me. As a belt and braces exercise I always load the course onto my Garmin, but only as a back-up and never activate it unless I'm hopelessly lost. Like the brevet card, I see it as something of a friend. It's got your back covered at the depart when your lack of social skills has left you loitering uncomfortably by yourself. Pretending to study or check something of utmost importance looks a shade more convincing than the old mobile phone ploy. The same dodge can be employed later at the controls. Some of the sportive crowd seem to see you as something of an authority when you have a cue card, as if you know where you're going, which is nice. They also think you always have the answers to the information control. As we become a dying breed, there's a sort of section that seems to be evolving. We're not comparing the thickness of our laminating sheets just yet, but we're definitely exchanging knowing looks, which is also nice. Long live the cue cards and brevet cards.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #14 on: 17 September, 2018, 11:16:05 am »
I'm not sure if this is "AUK" or "audaxing/randonneuring" but I like that I'll be riding a route put together by someone else, with care. Even if it's an area I know well, I'd inevitably take a sightly different route between the same points, and it's great to discover unfamiliar roads and places. And the catering, of course. And the feeling of being one of a group of people doing the same slightly daft thing, all at that moment sitting in a village hall scoffing scones.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

j_a_m_e_s_

  • Prisoner 17091
    • AUK results
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #15 on: 17 September, 2018, 11:43:02 am »
What I love about AUK to what's wrong with AUK in 11 posts.   I salute you all.


I'm calling 10.


Rule 77

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #16 on: 17 September, 2018, 03:08:20 pm »
There isn't much I love about AUK at the moment- as an organisation it doesn't seem to match my needs / ethos / goals. I'm not sure I think 'as one' with the board, and it certainly contains, in positions of authority, some individuals I feel are verging on incompetent.

Or are we supposed to be talking about riding brevets in the UK?

If this was Just A Minute, you'd have been interrupted after 3 seconds for Deviation. And quite rightly!!!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #17 on: 17 September, 2018, 03:12:00 pm »
Getting a validated brevet card back in the post always makes me happy - the amount of happiness usually being in proportion to the length of the ride.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #18 on: 17 September, 2018, 03:13:23 pm »
There isn't much I love about AUK at the moment- as an organisation it doesn't seem to match my needs / ethos / goals. I'm not sure I think 'as one' with the board, and it certainly contains, in positions of authority, some individuals I feel are verging on incompetent.


Quite. It's about time we started asking exactly what it is we are paying them for!!!

stefan

  • aka martin
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #19 on: 17 September, 2018, 03:38:05 pm »
Riding into the dawn - something about sleeplessness and the light seems different from the dusk.
AUK specifically was the no frills, no nonsense approach
And the lack of anything remotely like racing for those of us of a full value persuasion

All this. Especially the first one - riding into the night and out the other side feels really special to me.
And the combination of solitude and meeting some really interesting and nice people on the way.
Plus great, supportive organisers (hat-tip Wilkyboy and Tomsk) and some very good cake.

It's been my first year as an AUK member (indeed my first year back on a bike after a very long gap) and I've throughly enjoyed it.
Member no. 152 of La Société Adrian Hands

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #20 on: 17 September, 2018, 04:13:48 pm »
There isn't much I love about AUK at the moment- as an organisation it doesn't seem to match my needs / ethos / goals. I'm not sure I think 'as one' with the board, and it certainly contains, in positions of authority, some individuals I feel are verging on incompetent.


Quite. It's about time we started asking exactly what it is we are paying them for!!!

Have you seen the size of those honorariums!

BeMoreMike

  • Tries often, fails frequently.
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #21 on: 17 September, 2018, 04:37:59 pm »


This

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #22 on: 17 September, 2018, 06:15:31 pm »
I did wonder which of my films summed up the appeal of Audax to me the best. I think some express my personal views better, but when I got to thinking about the people I've ridden with over the years, the Mull It Over 300 film from 2011 meant the most. It has many of the people I'd ridden with in Northern England and Scotland. Some have left the Audax scene, others are no longer with us at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdlUNP8MjNY&t=75s
Loved watching that again Damon.   :thumbsup:

I sometimes think that 2011 was the highpoint of Audax. It all seemed to get too political after that. Maybe it was down to the increased profile of cycling that resulted from British success at the Tour and Olympics, causing a fear of being left behind.

That's why what I love about AUK are the memories, of people, of places and of times. I had a lot of time to spare in Autumn 2012, as I'd had a detached retina operation in late September. That's when I made this compilation film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDF6occDm-I

I continued filming Audax mainly because I'd teamed up with a friend who's a frustrated cameraman, and we concentrated on the international aspects of Audax, events which started nearby, and my PBP 2015 qualifiers.

Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #23 on: 17 September, 2018, 06:37:45 pm »
I like that it's a community.

I started riding Audax in 2003 and on my first 200 met people who are still around and who say hello when we see each other.  Over the years I've met people who made their own bikes, people who could get lost on the way to the toilet, people who told dirty jokes, people who sat for hours on my wheel without offering to take a pull, people who fixed my punctures when I was at my wits end, a bloke who welded his bike back together on a 600 but who still stopped to help me with a bent wheel even though it meant he'd probably be out of time... and they all say hello when I'm pouring a tea-inspired beverage at the stat of Manotea's 200's.

And it's a community of happy go lucky people, of wingers and moaners, of people with cheshire cat grins that you see at the start an never again. It's a bunch of people who talk nonsense on face book and forums, who work themselves up into righteous indignation over an organiser offering free beer, who dispense helpful and friendly advice to newbies wondering what to wear on a sunny day and who will stop to check you're OK even though you're just having a Pee.

It's actually about riding the bike; and people are generally nicer when they are on a bike than when they are stuck at home next to a keyboard.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Wwhat I love about AUK
« Reply #24 on: 17 September, 2018, 06:40:52 pm »
It's the fucking cheeriness that I really hate about AUK - just let me ride my bike.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles