Author Topic: London-Wales-London  (Read 67544 times)

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #225 on: 02 May, 2017, 05:24:19 pm »
Oh! So that's you napping next to the handsome dude in the orange, white and blue jersey?

Yes. Do you know him?

;)
He looks familiar!
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #226 on: 03 May, 2017, 01:01:02 pm »
I really enjoyed it, got a bit lonely at times but really happy with how it all went, tried my LEL set up for the first time.

Really impressed with that dry stone wall that was being built between Woodstock and Tewksbury.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #227 on: 03 May, 2017, 03:17:15 pm »
Really impressed with that dry stone wall that was being built between Woodstock and Tewksbury.

I remember seeing that.  It looked as though it was being built to last - but somehow just looked incongruously new, don't you think?

Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

JJ

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #228 on: 03 May, 2017, 04:37:14 pm »
So it was that I did the classic of packing and then riding home along the route.  My reward was a delicious breakfast in a community shop in the next village after Lambourn, and a sunny morning’s ride punctuated by multiple sleeps in sun on village greens and verges.  “Are you OK Mate?”
Bad luck, but the end as you describe it here doesn't sound quite so bad really :)

Bad preparation, albeit not all under my control, but not a bad ending at all!

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #229 on: 03 May, 2017, 06:24:42 pm »

Really impressed with that dry stone wall that was being built between Woodstock and Tewksbury.

Has Donald Trump become mayor of Woodstock?

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #230 on: 03 May, 2017, 09:16:44 pm »
Really impressed with that dry stone wall that was being built between Woodstock and Tewksbury.

I remember seeing that.  It looked as though it was being built to last - but somehow just looked incongruously new, don't you think?

Coping stones didn't look right.

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #231 on: 07 May, 2017, 07:35:11 pm »

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #232 on: 08 May, 2017, 08:43:20 am »
Another nice write up on Road.CC http://road.cc/content/blog/222231-go-west-and-then-come-back
Wow!  We all had our own highs and lows on that ride. You can tell he writes for a living. Great shot of my knees under the table too.
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #233 on: 08 May, 2017, 08:56:38 am »

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #234 on: 08 May, 2017, 09:32:42 am »
And another write-up/Tribute to Mike Hall in the Guardian from Craig Cunningham! https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/may/08/completely-shattered-but-incredibly-high-inside-the-mind-of-an-ultra-distance-cyclist

It was me who talked Craig into entering LWL. He'd never done an audax before this year, but I enticed him in with the Poor Student, persuaded him that LWL would be a good idea, and then he also entered the 3Down of his own accord.

He did well for his first 400 - much better than I did on my first 400. At the end of it, he was swearing 'Never again!' but I knew he would feel a bit differently about it all once the pain wore off.  ;D
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: London Wales London (Severn Across as was...)
« Reply #235 on: 08 May, 2017, 09:37:28 am »
And another write-up/Tribute to Mike Hall in the Guardian from Craig Cunningham! https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/may/08/completely-shattered-but-incredibly-high-inside-the-mind-of-an-ultra-distance-cyclist

It was me who talked Craig into entering LWL. He'd never done an audax before this year, but I enticed him in with the Poor Student, persuaded him that LWL would be a good idea, and then he also entered the 3Down of his own accord.

He did well for his first 400 - much better than I did on my first 400. At the end of it, he was swearing 'Never again!' but I knew he would feel a bit differently about it all once the pain wore off.  ;D
that was me at the end of last year's event. 12 months later finished again and felt much better too. Interested to find out if a 600 is worse or not.

Eddington  127miles, 170km

AK

    • Bloggy blog
London-Wales-London
« Reply #236 on: 16 April, 2018, 04:16:43 pm »
Had a look and couldn’t see a thread for this one. I managed to get an entry for it and looking forward to it. Finally plucked up the courage to tell the wife that I would be disappearing for a bit on that Bank holiday weekend.

whosatthewheel

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #237 on: 16 April, 2018, 04:36:39 pm »
I am really looking forward to this... should be a stunning ride... with a bit of help from the weather

alfapete

  • Oh dear
Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #238 on: 16 April, 2018, 07:59:43 pm »
Looking forward to welcoming you all in Tutshill. And test riding just a quarter of it tomorrow...
alfapete - that's the Pete that drives the Alfa

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #239 on: 16 April, 2018, 09:33:38 pm »
This is coming just under 5 weeks after I cracked a rib or 2 in a crash. I know the mantra is "6 weeks" for ribs but I can't bear the idea of missing this one!!
How much can a koala bear?

whosatthewheel

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #240 on: 17 April, 2018, 07:28:04 am »
This is coming just under 5 weeks after I cracked a rib or 2 in a crash. I know the mantra is "6 weeks" for ribs but I can't bear the idea of missing this one!!

Just don't laugh too hard

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #241 on: 17 April, 2018, 11:15:51 am »
This will be my first 400km ride. Simultaneously really excited but also dreading it. No idea how my body's going to cope. Was okay(ish) on a 300, have since had a bike fit and hoping I can manage my eating a bit better so that I can finish.

whosatthewheel

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #242 on: 17 April, 2018, 11:15:58 am »
Anyone staying in the hall the night before who wants to go for a beer?

whosatthewheel

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #243 on: 17 April, 2018, 11:49:44 am »
This will be my first 400km ride. Simultaneously really excited but also dreading it. No idea how my body's going to cope. Was okay(ish) on a 300, have since had a bike fit and hoping I can manage my eating a bit better so that I can finish.

Wouldn't worry about that. The temptation on a 200-300 is to go a bit too hard... typically on a 400 you will keep a much more relaxed pace. The only time limit that would make me go quicker is if I am in sight of Chalfont and it's not 11 PM yet... being able to rush to the pub for the last order would be a massive plus for me.  ;D :thumbsup: But that means being back in less than 17 hours, which is a tall order.
My feeling is that at LWL there will be some very fast guys, so I'll have to refrain from sticking to their wheel at 30 km/h... if I lose them early on, I'll just do my own thing and I know how to manage my pace and food intake. I recommend you do the same

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #244 on: 17 April, 2018, 12:30:42 pm »
Will be my first 400 too having done just the one 300 in 2016. I have a 300 this weekend which I'll be doing my best to pace at what I believe will be my 400 pace, in all likelihood it won't be a lot different.
I just need to put my powermeter to good use and stay restrained on the drags and hills.

AK

    • Bloggy blog
Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #245 on: 17 April, 2018, 05:03:07 pm »
My first 400 too. Need to get myself a decent front light sorted for this as the cheapy one I bought has already packed up. Might treat myself to a small bar bag too.

whosatthewheel

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #246 on: 17 April, 2018, 05:08:14 pm »
My first 400 too. Need to get myself a decent front light sorted for this as the cheapy one I bought has already packed up. Might treat myself to a small bar bag too.

You will need a spare battery too or an Anker battery charger. My experience is that if used at full power, typically LEDs around the 400-600 Lumens last 2 to 3 hours.

AK

    • Bloggy blog
Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #247 on: 17 April, 2018, 07:56:36 pm »
My first 400 too. Need to get myself a decent front light sorted for this as the cheapy one I bought has already packed up. Might treat myself to a small bar bag too.

You will need a spare battery too or an Anker battery charger. My experience is that if used at full power, typically LEDs around the 400-600 Lumens last 2 to 3 hours.

Thanks whosatthewheel. I've got a pretty good charger already, but was thinking about a AAA or AA battery powered unit. 

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #248 on: 17 April, 2018, 09:21:39 pm »
You will need a spare battery too or an Anker battery charger. My experience is that if used at full power, typically LEDs around the 400-600 Lumens last 2 to 3 hours.
One thing to be aware of is that many, if not most, USB-rechargeable lights turn off when an external power source is connected. At least the  Lezyne 800XL and CatEye 1600 exhibit this behaviour.

Personally I find the 150/200 lumens "economy" mode of these lamps to be sufficient for riding on (UK) roads.

Re: London-Wales-London
« Reply #249 on: 18 April, 2018, 09:18:19 am »
I am really excited by this. I am riding the Heart of England 300 on Saturday and LWL two weeks after. Wimped out last year after suffering a horrible bonk on a ride. I still have work to do on food, and I am getting my head sorted out slowly.