Author Topic: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020  (Read 11495 times)

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #25 on: 07 September, 2020, 06:03:32 pm »
I’m thinking about a 600 to do. I suspect I’ll be out in the fens with a lack of distance (nothing above 236km recently) and hills in the legs. A DIY from home north via the Fens and the Wolds to the Humber bridge. Then turn and across and down through Rutland coming back south. 

Not sure when yet, possibly end of month, then a 400 mid October and 300 towards end Oct.

Bernster

  • ACME (Herts Branch)
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #26 on: 08 September, 2020, 10:11:59 am »
Chapeau Bernster, well Audacious! 600km with a sleep stop after about 22 hours worked for me before on a DIY - make use of your full 42 hours @ 14.3kph and you'll be flying on the second stage.
Cheers Tom, good advice - I was looking at a 6am departure to do about 380-390k for day 1, minimising stops, but looking to ride steadily to conserve energy and keep me in OK shape for day 2. I'm hoping a decent sleep in my bed, a shower and dinner will set me up for the next day (which is likely to be one of my go to 200k DIY routes, so there are no surprise lumpy bits). Definitely the extra couple of hours that 14.3kph gives takes the pressure off and allows for a later start on day 2.

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #27 on: 08 September, 2020, 10:34:53 am »
I think I have the legs for the SR, consistently been doing 225 miles a week for the past couple of months, just struggling with the mental side at the moment, 100km is such a nice distance.

I DNF a DIY 600km on Saturday after only 30 miles, so maybe doing it the long way round wasn't the best idea. The long 129km stage to the first control probably didn't help either.

Going to try a 300km this weekend to try and get this monkey off my back and get the ball rolling.
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #28 on: 08 September, 2020, 04:08:53 pm »
I’ve booked my 300 for a couple of weekends from now. That goes well I’ll get out on a 400. That goes well I’ll get out on the 600.

I’ll be running it right to the wire of the season.

josser

  • ACME Landlord
  • AKA Orange Socks
    • Orange Socks
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #29 on: 08 September, 2020, 08:38:48 pm »
I haven't got the legs for an SR this year, so I'm going to concentrate on shorter distances until October and then start a new season with a few miles under my belt.
You can’t just call time out and stroll on into the beach if you don’t like the way things are goin’.

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #30 on: 10 September, 2020, 12:52:47 pm »
Any more for a Flatliner on the 19th? We have potentially a spare place or 2, maybe ... If anyone is watching the weather, I can adjust the start date forwards or backwards by a day, without throwing anything out too much. (Work is taking a back seat that week, but I'm aiming to get a couple of days in.)

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #31 on: 10 September, 2020, 01:32:57 pm »
I'm bikepacking that weekend.

I'm thinking about trying to fit in appropriate rides for an SR. I've got a first draft of a leisurely 600km around East Anglia. Will see if I can fit it all in.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #32 on: 10 September, 2020, 03:51:18 pm »
Any more for a Flatliner on the 19th? We have potentially a spare place or 2, maybe ... If anyone is watching the weather, I can adjust the start date forwards or backwards by a day, without throwing anything out too much. (Work is taking a back seat that week, but I'm aiming to get a couple of days in.)

Running my calendar events that weekend. I suspect my 600 won’t be till end of October for that late season dash for an SR completion. Going to try a 300 on 25th Sept and if goes well, moves towards the 400 mid October and 600 end of October.

Subject to lockdown rules overtaking us again.

rob

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #33 on: 11 September, 2020, 08:14:46 pm »
Flatliner last 2 days.  After the last fail I changed strategy a little and booked a room at Gainsborough Travelodge for the princely sum of 32 quid.  There was a slight NWly all day Thu which was a little niggly and kept a lid on temperatures.  I got to Gainsborough at 10:30 and stupidly skipped dinner despite passing a chippy, a pizza place and a McDs.

I was consequently sluggish today with more stops than normal.  The wind had also switched to a SWly and strengthened which was a pain in the Fens.  It warmed up around Cambridge and the last 2hrs were enjoyable in the sun.

A few observations on doing this ride on a weekday(s) :-

- Day one is OK as you’re in the lanes pretty quickly.  It’s a little busy around Spalding and Boston but nothing terrible.   There are loads of places to feed.
- Leaving Gainsborough at 6:30 means you hit the roads into Lincoln at rush hour and it’s a bit busy into Lincoln and between there and Sleaford.
- Similarly you hit Cambridge at evening rush hour, although the pedestrianised bit is far quieter than on a Sunday.

It would be possible to rollout later on day 2 and take longer stops.  I did need to be back pre-dinner although I did get back to an empty house.....

Just a 400 left now, but I’ll be avoiding the Fens after the last couple of weeks.

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #34 on: 12 September, 2020, 05:27:12 pm »
I did look at a mid week option but I plan to make use of some 24 hr McDs and at the moment it’s only Fri / Sat that some are 24 hr.  Given the time of year I think I will opt for a Travelodge or Premier for the 600. It’ll be end of October by time I go for that one.  For the 400 I’ll chance that I’ll be good to ride straight through with short naps before the cold gets me going again.

Bernster

  • ACME (Herts Branch)
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #35 on: 13 September, 2020, 01:09:36 pm »
Also rode my 600k over Thursday and Friday, very favourable weather and an enjoyable loop out into Suffolk/Norfolk on day 1 with a half midnight finish, some dinner and 7 hours sleep in a real bed. Day 2 was a fairly standard 210k loop up to St Ives which I use for 200k RRTY DIYs. Definitely the best I've felt on a second day of a 600, so it seems a combination of a good nights sleep and the 400k last week conditioned me fairly well. What you don't get doing two loops from home is the sense of really traveling somewhere that you get from a 'normal' 600, but very happy to have this completed now. I've not actually done a 300k either this season, but will likely try to do that as my October RRTY ride.

Chapeau to Rob, and good luck to everyone else lining up a late season SR  :thumbsup:

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #36 on: 13 September, 2020, 04:41:13 pm »
Chapeau Rob! Going back to the Fens after a recent 'mare of a ride there takes guts.

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #37 on: 15 September, 2020, 09:01:35 pm »
400 and 600 routes now planned. Hotel booked for the 600. Church porch booked for the 400. The 300 and 600 fail the Essex test though.

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #38 on: 15 September, 2020, 09:10:22 pm »
Just been doing a bit of planning for next week. I'm tempted to trim the distance on my DIY (A&S-ish) 400km by taking the old A120 (B1256) to Colchester. Some bits on the proper 120, but not too busy at early o'clock (06:00 start from Dunmow) - I've done this a few times to Manningtree and it's much shorter (by about 12km in my reckoning), flatter and less laney/fiddly than the pretty route through Bures to the Vale of Dedham. Some lorries about, but the traffic doesn't get too bad until the A12 crossing, then it's cyclepaths (ok, a bit stop/start) alongside the Avenue of Remembrance and Cowdray Avenue, then out of town onto the old Harwich Road to Ardleigh and Manningtree.

All this is hypothetical if you're on a mandatory route by gps, but I'll be collecting traditional p-o-p.

For my 300km I'm doing the opposite, for the sake of riding some new areas in Norfolk, adding only about 6km, I think and staying off the roads we'd normally be riding in the dead of night.

rob

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #39 on: 15 September, 2020, 09:45:01 pm »
I’m thinking of a round Norfolk 400 on the 25th, but I did the A&S route quite recently.   I might go round the opposite way so might see you heading the opposite way.

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #40 on: 16 September, 2020, 09:30:35 am »
Just been doing a bit of planning for next week. I'm tempted to trim the distance on my DIY (A&S-ish) 400km by taking the old A120 (B1256) to Colchester. Some bits on the proper 120, but not too busy at early o'clock (06:00 start from Dunmow) - I've done this a few times to Manningtree and it's much shorter (by about 12km in my reckoning), flatter and less laney/fiddly than the pretty route through Bures to the Vale of Dedham. Some lorries about, but the traffic doesn't get too bad until the A12 crossing, then it's cyclepaths (ok, a bit stop/start) alongside the Avenue of Remembrance and Cowdray Avenue, then out of town onto the old Harwich Road to Ardleigh and Manningtree.

All this is hypothetical if you're on a mandatory route by gps, but I'll be collecting traditional p-o-p.

For my 300km I'm doing the opposite, for the sake of riding some new areas in Norfolk, adding only about 6km, I think and staying off the roads we'd normally be riding in the dead of night.

For the 400 I have entered advisory route, so can tag along with whatever route anyone is comfortable with, I'm not fussed either way.

I just need to control at: Great Dunmow, Manningtree, Ixworth, Haleworth, Acle, Wells Next to the Se, Barton Mills, IP28 6AE and finish at Great Dunmow :o).
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #41 on: 16 September, 2020, 10:11:54 am »
I’m thinking of a round Norfolk 400 on the 25th, but I did the A&S route quite recently.   I might go round the opposite way so might see you heading the opposite way.

You could always flesh out Green and Yellow up to 400 with a start from home.

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #42 on: 16 September, 2020, 04:40:20 pm »
For the 400 I have entered advisory route ...

 :thumbsup: If you get fed up with traffic or boring roads on stage one, then any left turn takes you up to the longer scenic route on the NW of Colchester. I once rode up the main road way to the Santa Special in December - dark, misty and cold, but preferable to the wiggly, lonely lanes in those conditions. Anti-social rear light turned up to 11 though.

rob

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #43 on: 16 September, 2020, 09:50:42 pm »
I’m thinking of a round Norfolk 400 on the 25th, but I did the A&S route quite recently.   I might go round the opposite way so might see you heading the opposite way.

You could always flesh out Green and Yellow up to 400 with a start from home.

Yeah, I’m thinking of going out via Swaffham and up to Hunstanton before following the North Norfolk coast road round to Mundesley.  I’ll play with a route over the weekend.

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #44 on: 23 September, 2020, 09:15:02 am »
Flatliner 600km at the weekend, with Mick Gray and Grey Sheep. Novelty factor: Tailwind back after struggling north!

Solo 300km yesterday: Green and Yellow Fields-ish route, with lots of new lanes to explore and about 20 bonus kms. Stayed west of the A1065, but hit the American Airbases at just the wrong time, around 07:30, so about 30 minutes of heavy traffic on rat-run lanes. Avoided Dereham by controlling at Snetterton services and Woolpit. Managed to find a stretch of Norfolk desert with no pubs or village shops, just as fluids ran low around lunchtime. Still air out and strenghtening headwind on the way back. Character building. Only about 3 hours of night riding, so not too bad time-wise.

Lower temperatures forecast for the weekend - how many pairs of socks can I wear with my sandals?

bairn again

Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #45 on: 23 September, 2020, 01:13:55 pm »
Flatliner 600km at the weekend, with Mick Gray and Grey Sheep. Novelty factor: Tailwind back after struggling north!

Solo 300km yesterday: Green and Yellow Fields-ish route, with lots of new lanes to explore and about 20 bonus kms. Stayed west of the A1065, but hit the American Airbases at just the wrong time, around 07:30, so about 30 minutes of heavy traffic on rat-run lanes. Avoided Dereham by controlling at Snetterton services and Woolpit. Managed to find a stretch of Norfolk desert with no pubs or village shops, just as fluids ran low around lunchtime. Still air out and strenghtening headwind on the way back. Character building. Only about 3 hours of night riding, so not too bad time-wise.

Lower temperatures forecast for the weekend - how many pairs of socks can I wear with my sandals?
Excellent going Tomsk. 

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #46 on: 23 September, 2020, 01:19:37 pm »
Nice one Tomsk.

Just to confirm, what's the plan on Saturday? Meet at yours at 6am? Or somewhere on the high street to grab a receipt and go?
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #47 on: 23 September, 2020, 04:21:30 pm »
Nice one Tomsk.

Just to confirm, what's the plan on Saturday? Meet at yours at 6am? Or somewhere on the high street to grab a receipt and go?

Yup, the former's just about it! I was just about to email you. We can roll out via the High Street for a receipt, so leave mine just before 6.

If we get back around 07:00 Sunday, that'll be just right for breakfast at the 'Paradise'. I'm thinking we could also visit the 'Melton Spice' Indian takeaway in Melton Constable on the stage up to Wells and have a twilight feast in the village bus shelter as per 2019: bring your spork. (There's also a pizza & kebab place, Chinese and a Co-op ... )

Deano4

  • Trouble
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #48 on: 24 September, 2020, 05:49:36 am »
Nice one Tomsk.

Just to confirm, what's the plan on Saturday? Meet at yours at 6am? Or somewhere on the high street to grab a receipt and go?

Yup, the former's just about it! I was just about to email you. We can roll out via the High Street for a receipt, so leave mine just before 6.

If we get back around 07:00 Sunday, that'll be just right for breakfast at the 'Paradise'. I'm thinking we could also visit the 'Melton Spice' Indian takeaway in Melton Constable on the stage up to Wells and have a twilight feast in the village bus shelter as per 2019: bring your spork. (There's also a pizza & kebab place, Chinese and a Co-op ... )

Perfect, sounds like a plan to me! See you on Saturday.  :)
ACME - Suffolk Branch

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Essex Super Randonneur in a (Long) Week, 19 - 27th September 2020
« Reply #49 on: 25 September, 2020, 07:11:56 am »
Looks like a bit of a slog up to Wells into the 15mph northerly breeze, with a tailwind back. Not exactly shorts and sandals weather, but temperatures not dropping much overnight.