Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?

[Peter]

Is that going to be a 100 km out of NTR?

Hopefully Newby Wiske, Northallerton if not.

You have a cross bike, right? Or you could just use your Pompino (I did!)

Dean, are you sure you don't mean INTO Northallerton?  People will die if you send them DOWN Ingleby Incline!  At least, I will!

Peter

[mattc]

I have been thinking of doing the Ewe Bah starting at the other end. Bearing in mind I live in a welsh town and ride mostly rural routes how do you think the London end would be for me?   probably ride on a weekday.

Fairly quiet, not many sheep. Probably flatter than you're used to, and a few more traffic lights. HTH.

But I can heartily recommend the Gorge Cafe on the South side of Caversham Bridge. Proper budget greasy spoon, opens at dawn, and even did an "Atkins Diet" special to keep Mr O'tea happy!

[Deano]

Is that going to be a 100 km out of NTR?

Hopefully Newby Wiske, Northallerton if not.

You have a cross bike, right? Or you could just use your Pompino (I did!)

Dean, are you sure you don't mean INTO Northallerton?  People will die if you send them DOWN Ingleby Incline!  At least, I will!

Peter

Ah, I think I see - I just started that ride from Darlo cos I live here and stuff.

It'll be a loop from Newby Wiske, and up Ingleby Incline (the notion of going up and then back down the Incline was entirely Graeme's - imagine the carnage).

[Bagman]

Last year I completed my first RRtY and SR in my first Audax year and at the age of 62. So I thought I would try again. DIY 200 completed today - 11 more to go.

[Chris S]

Second test ride of the forthcoming brevet unpopulaire, coming soon to an audax calendar near you.

Behold the ridiculous elevation profile: https://www.strava.com/activities/785326300

I'm thinking I might give it a shot on Friday - so if you hear the sound of helicopters, it'll be the Air Ambulance at Blakey 

[SoreTween]

Last year I completed my first RRtY and SR in my first Audax year and at the age of 62. So I thought I would try again. DIY 200 completed today - 11 more to go.

[Feanor]

Last year I completed my first RRtY and SR in my first Audax year and at the age of 62. So I thought I would try again. DIY 200 completed today - 11 more to go.

Good work!
Well done. keep it up.

I've not managed an RRtY yet, and I don't see that changing!

[Deano]

I'm thinking I might give it a shot on Friday - so if you hear the sound of helicopters, it'll be the Air Ambulance at Blakey 

 

Take gears, good brakes and sturdy walking shoes would be my advice.

[D O G]

Did the Dorset Coast perm today, although I rode the calendar route.  Had a headwind on the way back, which was not appreciated, but did explain why the way out was relatively easy.

Decent day for it, considering the time of year.

[Chris S]

I'm thinking I might give it a shot on Friday - so if you hear the sound of helicopters, it'll be the Air Ambulance at Blakey 

 

Take gears, good brakes and sturdy walking shoes would be my advice.

The plan would be: Cannondale CAADX Cross, Gears a-plenty, and SPD winter boots 

[Alismed]

Barmouth Boulevard, the permanent version on the tandem yesterday. An adventure with lots of variety. Beginning in Dolgellau (home) the ride to Corwen was straightforward on gritted, quiet roads into the dawn. Back to Bala for second breakfast then the big hills from Llanuwchllyn to Trawsfynydd and on to Harlech for lunch. The legs started to get heavy on the ride south, over Barmouth bridge and eventually inland to Abergynolwyn and the final, hilliest stretch over mountains all the way home via Aberllefenni, Mallwyd and the bwlch. I would love to do the calendar event which includes Bwlch y groes and would involve the beautiful Aberangell - Aberllefenni road in full daylight. Some aches and pains and a loose (and occasionally errant!) timing chain put some dampeners on the day but we made it home well within time for a feast prepared the evening before 

[jamesld8]

Barmouth Boulevard, the permanent version on the tandem yesterday. An adventure with lots of variety. Beginning in Dolgellau (home) the ride to Corwen was straightforward on gritted, quiet roads into the dawn. Back to Bala for second breakfast then the big hills from Llanuwchllyn to Trawsfynydd and on to Harlech for lunch. The legs started to get heavy on the ride south, over Barmouth bridge and eventually inland to Abergynolwyn and the final, hilliest stretch over mountains all the way home via Aberllefenni, Mallwyd and the bwlch. I would love to do the calendar event which includes Bwlch y groes and would involve the beautiful Aberangell - Aberllefenni road in full daylight. Some aches and pains and a loose (and occasionally errant!) timing chain put some dampeners on the day but we made it home well within time for a feast prepared the evening before 

That`s some route on a tandem, mega kudos 

For my own I had a DNF on an AAA 100 on Sunday; @ 70 km rear wheel spoke snapped so had to fettle repair and limped back last 30km off the mandatory by taking A44 back and unfortunately encountering MORON DRIVER CRETIN 2016 who overtook line cars straight at me, lights switched to full beam with intent,  forcing me off road into verge--a moment when a headcam would have been good to send footage to police for prosecution

https://www.strava.com/activities/787225238

[Shell]

Barmouth Boulevard, the permanent version on the tandem yesterday. An adventure with lots of variety. Beginning in Dolgellau (home) the ride to Corwen was straightforward on gritted, quiet roads into the dawn. Back to Bala for second breakfast then the big hills from Llanuwchllyn to Trawsfynydd and on to Harlech for lunch. The legs started to get heavy on the ride south, over Barmouth bridge and eventually inland to Abergynolwyn and the final, hilliest stretch over mountains all the way home via Aberllefenni, Mallwyd and the bwlch. I would love to do the calendar event which includes Bwlch y groes and would involve the beautiful Aberangell - Aberllefenni road in full daylight. Some aches and pains and a loose (and occasionally errant!) timing chain put some dampeners on the day but we made it home well within time for a feast prepared the evening before 

It must have been you I passed (in a car) on a Cannondale tandem climbing the stiff rise out of Fairbourne, mid afternoon yesterday.  I pedalled over to Tywyn on Friday https://www.strava.com/activities/788277498 and had just been up to Coed Y Brenin with my daughter.  Barmouth Boulevard calendar event is on my hit list too, so perhaps see you there next year.

[Bikeabilityman]

I was gonna do my 200 diy for rrty yesterday, but something came up. I usually start them at 5am, but at 7am today it was -3 in town here, so I assume lower in the sticks. Why didn't I get out earlier in the month to do it (Nov is month nine).

At least there's no rain, so I'm hoping the roads tomorrow will just be frosty!

[Bikeabilityman]

I've always felt quite sane leaving home 1-1:30 am to ECE an event, but going out at 3:15 this morning, wondering if I'd encounter ice (the gritters splattered me on the Milton Keynes roads), to keep RRtY going, and get to a café when clubmates were there (I was 1 1/2 hours late, and they'd gone), I now question my sanity. Earliest I've started a 200 DIY is 5am, and I think this one ended up being my slowest.

Respect, TG, for braving the cold and ice during your HAMR attempt!

[Bairn Again]

Got my last DIY 200 of the year planned for Saturday.  One way arrow to Aberdeen or Stonehaven for dinner with daughter #1

If successful that would be 10 points on the board for the first 3 months of the season.  Target is 73 for the season, if that includes a 1300km + ride I will qualify for Brevet 25,000.

     

[Andy C]

Rode this...ha ha!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGh4Yab99tw

[tonyh]

I like the magic "snap your fingers and arrive home" trick! And the day/night comparison pictures, and the production skills. And the whole enterprise!

[nolongertries]

Excellent! Well done, loved it.

[dasmi]

Did Alfreton figure of eight perm 200 for my December RRTY with Jo and Roy. pleasant ride until Sudbury, it got dark and rained in biblical amounts, so out came the new carradice cape for it's first test. Of the three of us at the finish two had a bad case of CAPE  :smug:ENVY 

cheers

Dave

[postie]

Denmead 300km yesterday, rode with out glove's for most of the day,very mild all day and some rain in latter part of the ride.
Rode single speed( not bad for the first point counting ride since july).

Good day out and good to finish at the fox and hounds pub with a couple of good ales.

[Manotea]

A ride down to Brighton and Peacehaven, having invited myself along for a DIY200 organised by Ed and Omar. One of the perks of the job

A great day to be out with fine company.

Here's a picture of some sheep on Telscombe Tye. Its a lot easier going up from the coast then going down...

[JamieD]

Did a DIY variation of the London Ditchling Devil (mainly so I could start and end it in Kingston market).

It was a strange ride, positive in that we did it in less than 10 hours elapsed but there were long stretches 110K-150K where I really wasn't feeling it and it was just a boring exercise in turning the pedals.

Refuelling at the worst shop in Chidingfold then saw us blasting through the final 50K in an attempt to get it over and done with.

I don't think I've done 200K with negative splits before especially not in this fashion with the final hour being a respectable 26.5km/h average

Anyway - at least that's December's 200 done for RRTY

[Manotea]

I've finally managed a 200km to the boxing day family get together, a perfect way to blast away the Christmas cobwebs. Could be the start of a new tradition.

A bit of predeparture faffing and a puncture meant those travelling by car arrived 10 minutes before me.  I'll have to make sure I'm away at 4am sharp next year (and change my tyres... seems I'm down to canvas...). A bit of a headwind but all in all a near perfect winters day to be out. Did the distance on a water bottle, a small bag of nuts and a Costa Coffee. It's amazing what you can achieve when you're feeling motivated (and on a day the country is mostly closed!).

[Kangaroocourt]

Did the EWE Baaa yesterday from Kew Bridge end.  Proper type 2 fun - hit the deck hard after 10ks on ice, freezing fog and loaded the "out" route twice!!  Not to mention a minor "episode" at the roundabout crossing the M25 on the way back.  Dunno why Mrs thinks I'm nuts