Grimpeurs du Sud

[Martin]

I think I might show my ugly mug on that one. ☝︎

I know a lot of yous will breeze it after a certain ride across the Channel but I don't think it's for me, 200 hilly k in the SE is quite enough for me, plus I'll have just come back from Bella Italia the night before (not cycling either)

[hillbilly]

If people want to train up for this lumpy 300, then a possibility would be to ride either of my 200km permanents (Around Weald Expedition or the Meridian Hills) on the Saturday and then the following day tackle a 100km ride.

I've done a fair bit of the 300km route being put on by ACH, and if you can get to the end of the Meridian with enough in the tank to do 100km the next day then getting around the 300km is well within reach (if the time can be spared).

I'm planning on being elsewhere that weekend (club is organising a weekend long event) otherwise I would have done it.  It has some great cycling, well worthy of inclusion in the rides listed as GdS.

[Martin]

did a final check of the route sheet for AAA Milne calendar event (July 4) today; lovely day to be out there, reserved a spot for hot dogs on Ashdown Forest  & met a gaggle of vintage bikes and almost as vintage riders outside the pub in Barcombe

managed to spot 3 steam trains too 

[Aunt Maud]

I've got a Meridian Hills perm card plus some others to use up, so I was thinking of "training up" a bit the day before and 'training down" a bit the day after, if the weather's fine. 

It'll be nice to get back into The GdS groove after PBP.

[danrough]

I'm hoping to get a GdS qualifying 400 in before PBP, before I go planning a DIY by GPS starting in Herts, does anyone have one that they're either planning to ride over the coming weeks, on which they wouldn't mind company, or one that they wouldn't mind somebody else riding?

[Martin]

my brother lives in St Albans & I've long wanted to do a 100k GdS "King of Herts" but generally stymied by the relative lack of concentrated hills required; there are little pockets around Wheathampstead Kimpton and Whitwell but the only serious hills are Dunstable Downs with only a couple of roads up & down

over 400k you'd have more luck if you went round (just outside) the M25 anticlockwise & then did the Surrey Hills and North Downs

[danrough]

Thanks Martin, good to know. I'm in Tring which is quite close to Dunstable. It's quite near the end Chiltern Ridgeway and so I've been thinking of playing with either this route which takes in the whole of the Chiltern Cycleway: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7902776. Alternatively I have another 300 which I might extend out to the North Downs / Surrey Hills as you suggest: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/8180711.

I'll report back here for anyone interested.

[Martin]

Just been putting some flyers together for Tour of the Hills; normally towards the end of the season (until 31.12.15 for the GdS) there's not a lot apart from perms but thanks to RideHard we have a full programme 

https://sites.google.com/site/grimpeursdusud/

still trying to work out the translation but I'll be there for Plodder's Nov 14th event 

[Aunt Maud]

Looking forward to getting back on the GdS slopes next month.

[Aunt Maud]

.....for The Greenwich Mean Climb and The Crown + ECE.

See you there.

[Martin]

sadly can't make either but may bump into some of you whilst on Meridian Hills on the Saturday

[TigaSefi]

Where exactly is the start of Greenwich Mean Climb ? I need to work out a route from Bromley by bike at 5 in the chuffin' morning  .

[Aunt Maud]

Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich.

http://audaxclubhackney.co.uk/events/greenwich-mean-climb/

[Ivan]

Yes, GMC starts at Cutty Sark Gardens by the Gypsy Moth Pub. I'm doing a final route check this weekend and will send out the routesheet/GPX in about a week's time. Note that the return route is through Bromley, Grove Park, Lee & Blackheath so you could probably just use that to get to the start, though the Arrivée is at my house, so don't end up there, but carry on down Crooms Hill after the Tea Hut.

[TigaSefi]

Thanks guys! hopefully I won't be too hungover from the night before too! Some judicious planning there by my good self.

Just seen a route on RWG and the return leg literally goes past my starting point too! Ooof! Brasted Hill should be laugh after 180 miles!

[Ivan]

Just seen a route on RWG and the return leg literally goes past my starting point too! Ooof! Brasted Hill should be laugh after 180 miles!

Note that's not the official route, someone has just plotted something between the listed controls I believe, but it's pretty close. I made the mistake of trying to route check that section on 79" fixed and enjoyed the walk up, looking back at a gridlocked M25.

[TigaSefi]

Just seen a route on RWG and the return leg literally goes past my starting point too! Ooof! Brasted Hill should be laugh after 180 miles!

Note that's not the official route, someone has just plotted something between the listed controls I believe, but it's pretty close. I made the mistake of trying to route check that section on 79" fixed and enjoyed the walk up, looking back at a gridlocked M25.

Understood. i am waiting on the official one but it nice to see what I'll be tackling!

[jelhinks]

Completed my first GDS with the down to downs perm end of August..
Toys Hill was not as bad as expected given all the tales I'd heard
Brasted is surely spelled wrong tho..

[Martin]

Completed my first GDS with the down to downs perm end of August..
Toys Hill was not as bad as expected given all the tales I'd heard
Brasted is surely spelled wrong tho..

well done Jel  88th GdS added to the roll of honour; wonder who will be number 100?

did a route check of the Mid Sussex Hilly & Hillier this weekend; it will be going online in the next couple of days

[RideHard]

Steam Ride : The London Grimpeur (150) AAA2
http://aukweb.net/events/detail/15-617/

Final route check ride over the weekend 

Last few Brevets available, see you all early Sat for a 8:00 start 

1km Roubaix section optional diversion LG150_div
https://sites.google.com/site/steamride/home/the-london-grimpeur

[Martin]

really enjoyed the London Grimpeur; bastard hard ride for the 2AAA but some lovely views; ECE'd up to 200 a no-brainer as the ECE leg was flat if extremely urban

shame to miss Kop Hill as every old banger & motorbike was charging up it this weekend so it was verboten to mere cyclists

Thanks RideHard 

[Huff n Puff]

shame to miss Kop Hill as every old banger & motorbike was charging up it this weekend so it was verboten to mere cyclists

So, did you go up Wardrobes Lane / Pink Hill or the dreaded Whiteleaf as an alternative to Kop Hill?

[RideHard]

Unexpected road closures 

Feel free to DIY by GPS, Kop Hill Challenge
https://sites.google.com/site/steamride/home/chiltern-hills-60-perm

new..
Sunday 1st November 2015
Steam Ride : The Chilterns Pub Crawl 200km 3AAA
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-601/

[Martin]

shame to miss Kop Hill as every old banger & motorbike was charging up it this weekend so it was verboten to mere cyclists

So, did you go up Wardrobes Lane / Pink Hill or the dreaded Whiteleaf as an alternative to Kop Hill?

well actually neither as there was no control at the top having already gone up to the Whip Inn; we went up some bastard hill towards Lacey Green soon after P R

trying as always to wring some extra AAA (even for the almost flat ECE section) I think 2AAA is fair; it might have been a couple of 100m either side

shame will miss the CPC (due to other steam trains) but look forward to more GdS from Ride Hard 

[cotteredcrank]

Another thank you to RideHard and his London Grimpeur.

A lifetime ago I was a member of the Bath Road Club and our club runs often ventured into the Chilterns. It was nice (?) to revist old haunts.

The route was great. Fantastic views, no truely nasty climbs,  fast descents and wonderful weather. The sound track of Red Kites added to the occasion.

It was a shame that Kop Hill was only accessible to petrol heads. I'll sign up for the 200k Chilterns Pub Crawl on November 1st to see what I missed out on.