The Dean

[Chris S]

Looks good enough for me...

Oh, I'll say!
Compared to what this ride can throw up...that looks positively most agreeable.
Have a good ride.

Quite! How many finishers in 2013?

[Audax Club Hackney]

Do you remember the story of that poor bloke who was kept alive and tortured in a shed in the forest a few years back..?

[SoreTween]

As a forester I say that story was entirely unjustified. There was no squealing and no little piggies. Pure fiction.
Oinkay?

Happy to do emergency assist this weekend. Pm if in need or if organiser.

[grams]

I've mapped the route from the updated routesheet:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19767841

It appears to be exactly the same, but the organiser-supplied GPX has low resolution routepoints so you might like to use this one if you have a modern GPS and want a nice clean red line to follow.

[simonp]

zOMG, realised yesterday that I first rode this event in 2007.

[JJ]

Looking more than a bit iffy for this one, as I still haven't shifted the lergy.
It's a real shame as it's one of very few rides that I can fit in this year.

I wonder if it exists as a perm..

[Wycombewheeler]

Looking more than a bit iffy for this one, as I still haven't shifted the lergy.
It's a real shame as it's one of very few rides that I can fit in this year.

I wonder if it exists as a perm..

it does

[JJ]

it does

I'd better look into it, but it won't be anything like as much fun.

OTOH, anything beats leaving the M4 services at 9pm with a hacking cough!

[simonp]

Oh that's a shame. GWS.

I'm glad we didn't enter HORR as I'd have missed this for nothing. Mind you I could have entered on the line.

[Wycombewheeler]

weather outside is great. Forecast to be the same tomorrow. Can't wait!

[simonp]

Forecast winds seem to have dropped. It looks as though the tailwind out is stronger than the headwind home.

Having said that, similar conditions led to me bonking at Chepstow in 2015 (iirc) and having a really bad patch for the next 50km. Gotta pace myself.

[simonp]

BTW, did ACH send out rider emails? Because I don't seem to have one and wonder if I'm off the entry list (I've paid according to Paypal - on Jan 9th - but the auk page went wrong and said my entry was canceled at the time).

I guess since entry on the line is permitted it shouldn't be an issue.

[TigaSefi]

BTW, did ACH send out rider emails? Because I don't seem to have one and wonder if I'm off the entry list (I've paid according to Paypal - on Jan 9th - but the auk page went wrong and said my entry was canceled at the time).

I guess since entry on the line is permitted it shouldn't be an issue.

I haven't got an email either apart from confirmation which should be enough.

[Wycombewheeler]

no email.  GPS and route sheet is download able on AUK website.

[simonp]

Thanks both.

Already got those - just checking if I had fallen into the cracks in the entry system.

[halhorner]

Looking forward to this as my first ever 300 (and only second ever audax)... excited and nervous in equal parts!

[Wycombewheeler]

fantastic ride.

lovely weather, lovely scenario.  Challenging but not punishing.

[TigaSefi]

Best Audax I've done in a long time. Fantastic scenery in Wales!!

[Wycombewheeler]

Best Audax I've done in a long time. Fantastic scenery in Wales!!

The only bit of Wales is between Chepstow bridge and the Severn bridge.

[TigaSefi]

Best Audax I've done in a long time. Fantastic scenery in Wales!!

The only bit of Wales is between Chepstow bridge and the Severn bridge.

That's the joke.

[nolongertries]

A grand day out. It was great to see the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds resplendent in the sunshine. I particularly liked the 'Valley of Clouds' somewhere in the Cotswolds and the sunset over those little bumps by the white horse etchings.

Thanks to FrankC for really great company from Marlborough to Oxford and to Mark, Grant and chap from Reading at various stages earlier.

Arrivee was great fun as we waited for cold stew and then burnt spuds. Not a serious word was spoken for about 15 mins - great craic. Thanks to Jonah for giving me his coat as I had a dose of the shivers. He must have been freezing.

Suitably refuelled, I headed off on my 100k ECE leg. Tired and sore when I got home but happy after a grand day out.

[Audax Club Hackney]

Hello folks
We hope you all enjoyed riding The Dean. It was great to hear you all enjoyed the wonderful sunset. From our vantage point in the glamorous bus shelter, we enjoyed the view of stew and beavertown ales, which we hope you enjoyed to. The fact that it was all gone before 2:30am suggests you did.
All our thoughts are now with Mark Walsh, who collided with a car in Newant. 5 broken ribs and a bike that split in two... ouch. Hope the bike recovers soon 😉
Audax Club Hackney are proud to keep this classic ride going... any feedback and comments are most welcome.
Hope to see you all again next year...
❤️ from ACH

[vistaed]

The booth and beavertown were very welcome. Thanks for running a great event guys

[simonp]

5 broken ribs. Don't make him laugh. 

I had a really nice day only marred by coming across the incident and a close pass.

The weather was truly stunning. My performance was not and there is a lot of work to be done. Only one 24" deployment though. Some great company on the road. Thanks to everyone who kept me company.

[simonp]

PS and thanks again to ACH for keeping this event in the calendar.