Mr. Pickwick's March Madness, 200k - Tewkesbury, March 3rd. 2018 ** POSTPONED **

[BlackSheep]

It's that time of year again, probably one of the most popular 200km rides from Tewkesbury.

A Spring classic. Tackling the Malverns before breakfast. To & through the Forest of Dean for lunch. And an afternoon in the Severn Vale. Fine views throughout the ride.

The ride now takes a differing route through The Forest of Dean. This being a result of the demise of the lunch time control. The new route has been riding by a number cyclists, and met with their aproval. The Hopewell Colliery Cafe, is managed by Kay and her team (formerly at Dean Heritage). So a earm welcome and prompt service await you.

This early spring event is proving to be very popular with both riders that wish to keep their points tally ticking-over, and those that are AAA points chasing. The AAA bit comes early in the ride, so there's plenty of time to recover, and make good progress on easy roads/lanes for the finish of the ride. The ride is now worth 2AAA, up from previous years 1.75AAA.

Good quality controls used throughout, all have experience of handling AUK events, hot and cold food available at each control. A few km of off-road sections (either NCRs or SUSTRANS approved, and these can be avoided if wished). Only one major urban complex on the ride, and this is passed-through virtually traffic-free. The finish is at The Royal Hop Pole in Tewkesbury, there's plenty of room to park the bike, and again there's a good selection of food and re-hydration is possible until 11pm. GPS routes and comprehensive event details supplied to all riders on receipt of entry, reasonable all day parking at start, free parking at finish after 17:30 - should you want to move your car after you complete the ride and wait for any lift-sharers.

The event is already well subscribed (compared to previous years), as a consequence, event entry could close early.



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[Hot Flatus]

I love this ride

[Jamesha]

I've signed up for this but am feeling a bit dubious given the conditions likely to prevail on Saturday.

Please convince that it will all be ok and I will not freeze solid in a lonely bus shelter.

[SoreTween]

Just get to Hopewell, it's worth it.  You'd better be Hungry (note the capital H) if you go for the large breakfast.

Bail option from there is a very easy downhill to Lydney station on roads that will be gritted.

[Jamesha]

Unless a miracle thaw happens I think I will be a DNS.

I am riding for RRTY and I doubt that I would make the time limit riding under the conditions.

Given that there are several other localish 200km rides later in March I think this is the most sensible option but I still feel like a wimp 

Apologies to Mark and kudos to those hardy souls who brave the conditions to ride.

[Hot Flatus]

No way am I riding

[whosatthewheel]

but I still feel like a wimp 

.. for not wasting precious ambulance time or for not attempting to ride slick tyres for 200 km on snow?

[Jamesha]

The latter I guess and the fact that I was really looking forward to this route.

If it was a 100 and I was not bothered about time I would be having a crack at it.

BTW I enjoyed the disk brake article on your web site 

[SoreTween]

This was the scene a few km from Hopewell this morning:

About 3" and drifting to 5 or 6.  It has been snowing all afternoon.

[BlackSheep]

*** Many apologies for the slightly impersonal post. It has been decided to postpone this event. Entrants for this and the 100km ride will be advised later today ***


EDIT @ 21:00, 2/3/18

To the best of my knowledge, everyone has now been sent comms re - postponed events.

[Jamesha]

Hi Mark,

Any ideas as to when this ride will be re-scheduled for?

From a purely selfish perspective sometime in May would be great for my rrty attempt but realise you have Brevet Cymru organised for the 5th of that month.

[BlackSheep]

The ride has been re-scheduled for September 22nd.

The calender is too congested between now and then to realisticly run the event without causing headaches.

[Clemo]

The ride has been re-scheduled for September 22nd.

The calender is too congested between now and then to realisticly run the event without causing headaches.

Thanks for the heads up Mark 

[Jamesha]

Looking forward to riding this postponed event. I managed to keep my RRTY attempt ticking over by riding Richard Evan's Making Hay 200 on 10th March (I seem to have spent most of this year riding to/from Hay  ) and will hopefully complete it in October.

If I ride March Madness this month, having already done  Mr. Pickwick goes to Hay in a day, and two 200km events next month I guess I could get a head start on my second RRTY (unless my wife kills me first)

[Philip Whiteman]

Rumour has it, he is currently dashing around the route planting daffodils and placing lambs in adjacent fields to give some sense of the spring season for participants.

Other than that, I am looking forward to the event given that I was unavailable last March.

[vistaed]

Rumour has it, he is currently dashing around the route planting daffodils and placing lambs in adjacent fields to give some sense of the spring season for participants.

Other than that, I am looking forward to the event given that I was unavailable last March.

Well, seems that Mark simply ordered some 'weather' to give us the early spring experience. I'd gladly have taken an Indian summer instead. Thanks for taking the time to run the postponed ride Mark, and the diversions made for a nice change to the normal route.