Mille du Sud 2016

[andyp]

I'm in!

I have had it in mind to enter since this thread started, but wasn't sure if i'd have done enough... but the last couple of months have been pretty good, and overall I've done a lot more than i'd done before the Mille Cymru in 2014 and i got round that (just) so i'm going to give it a go. It'll be an epic adventure.

At the moment my plan is to ride through the first night to try and get over the Galibier in daylight on Thursday, then after the descent find somewhere to sleep until i'm almost out of time, and then ride using up time gained (if there is any) to sleep on Friday night, finishing within a couple of hours of the cut off. Hopefully on the right side of it.

My tracker is on it's way back after it's ACH Iceland adventure, so assuming the mail is functioning, there'll be dots on a map here: http://bit.ly/27Z5BcZ from wed morning next week.

andrew.
ps the website has announced route changes this evening, so will get to do the openrunner > basecamp > garmin game again tomorrow ;-).

[Jonah]

Best of AP! I saw a_kin's video a while back - it looks amazing!

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I'm in!

I have had it in mind to enter since this thread started, but wasn't sure if i'd have done enough... but the last couple of months have been pretty good, and overall I've done a lot more than i'd done before the Mille Cymru in 2014 and i got round that (just) so i'm going to give it a go. It'll be an epic adventure.

At the moment my plan is to ride through the first night to try and get over the Galibier in daylight on Thursday, then after the descent find somewhere to sleep until i'm almost out of time, and then ride using up time gained (if there is any) to sleep on Friday night, finishing within a couple of hours of the cut off. Hopefully on the right side of it.

My tracker is on it's way back after it's ACH Iceland adventure, so assuming the mail is functioning, there'll be dots on a map here: http://bit.ly/27Z5BcZ from wed morning next week.

andrew.
ps the website has announced route changes this evening, so will get to do the openrunner > basecamp > garmin game again tomorrow ;-).

Good luck Andrew.  I was really looking forward to this until I hit problems earlier in the season.  Bet you will have a fantastic time.  And hope the weather is kind to you.

[fussballclub]

I'm in!

I have had it in mind to enter since this thread started, but wasn't sure if i'd have done enough... but the last couple of months have been pretty good, and overall I've done a lot more than i'd done before the Mille Cymru in 2014 and i got round that (just) so i'm going to give it a go. It'll be an epic adventure.

At the moment my plan is to ride through the first night to try and get over the Galibier in daylight on Thursday, then after the descent find somewhere to sleep until i'm almost out of time, and then ride using up time gained (if there is any) to sleep on Friday night, finishing within a couple of hours of the cut off. Hopefully on the right side of it.

My tracker is on it's way back after it's ACH Iceland adventure, so assuming the mail is functioning, there'll be dots on a map here: http://bit.ly/27Z5BcZ from wed morning next week.

andrew.
ps the website has announced route changes this evening, so will get to do the openrunner > basecamp > garmin game again tomorrow ;-).

Looks like you are going to climb the Galibier imminently. Envious. Take care, esp. on the descent from the Lautaret later today.

[Dave_C]

Looks like you are going to climb the Galibier imminently. Envious. Take care, esp. on the descent from the Lautaret later today.

Wow, that's is some climb!! Go Andy!

[mattc]

He is almost exactly at the top of the Telegraphe climb (1754 BST). It's very roughly another 2 hours to the top of the Galibier (at fairly tired Audax speeds), so its touch-and-go to get down in daylight.

Bon courage!

[veloboy]

Damn - Wish I was there, but used up all of my 'cycling leave' on Mille Miglia (+ Le Douze Cents)....

Maybe next year.... 

[Frank9755]

He is almost exactly at the top of the Telegraphe climb (1754 BST). It's very roughly another 2 hours to the top of the Galibier (at fairly tired Audax speeds), so its touch-and-go to get down in daylight.

Bon courage!

Unless the weather cuts in rough it's no biggie to be doing it in the dark.

[Jonah]

Keep pedaling Andy Pandy!

I also wish I was there...

[TigaSefi]

I really wanted to do this so glad to see Andy doing well! I will do this one day but not next year as Italy beckons.

[Pete Mas]

Go Andy! Last time I rode with him was for a stretch on Porkers this year. I have ridden Telegraphe / Galibier and down the valley to Bourg probably 7 times, but never yet at night.

[andyp]

hi,
glad the tracker worked! thanks for the good wishes  -  that was a truly epic and wonderful and very hard ride, with huge passes that just kept coming at us ...just about able to stay awake, so will sort out the track and photos tomorrow, and try and say something coherent about it.

...setting off alone up the valley to the Galibier with the sun setting felt audacious - but the weather was good, and didn't look like changing, so it wasn't a big risk. I'd hoped to see the Galibier before darkness fell,  (i'd never ridden on any of the roads covered by the ride) but by the time i'd stopped to put some warmer kit on, and winched myself up, it was fully dark. Luckily a transit van overtook me just as i descend to the foot of the climb so i stopped to watch it drag up the ramps in second gear headlights shining up into the sky... and then i followed it in 1st. i went for it because i didn't have much time in hand, and didn't fancy descending as temperatures dropped through the night. The stars were amazing and i was the only one on the road above the tunnel.

[mattc]

The stars were amazing and i was the only one on the road above the tunnel.

[tonyh]

 

[chrisbainbridge]

Congratulations. Must be an amazing feeling.

[andyp]

Congratulations. Must be an amazing feeling.

Yep, amazing. The endorphin rushes descending in the dawn toward the finish only 40km away, were amazing too 

It is an epic ride, i wasn't sure i'd be able to do it - it's not possible to be absolutely sure when you're stepping up a notch, but that's part of the challenge, and part of the fun... but by the secret control just above the tunnel on the Galibier I still had the 4 hours in hand that i'd gained by the end of day 1 and I felt ok enough to be able to do it all again (the control was @ 540km) and to use up some of the time sleeping, and without the fear of missing the cut off hanging over me at every control and dismount, not that i would have minded greatly being listed as out of time, but knowing it was unlikely meant i could relax on the occasions i did stop.

250+ photos here: http://bit.ly/2cbqq2b

The big differences to any other audax i've done before were the

- lack of places to buy food and/or eat, some food at the secret controls, but nothing massive: your body has to be able to pedal pretty much on it's own resources for long periods of time, but it's wonderful being so far out into the mountains on such quiet roads;
- huge views, incredible gorges, and beautiful roads;
- length of the climbs, and the sometimes endless descents
- a night before meal, and applause at the arriveé

and the stuff that is like other audaxes but more: the spirit on the road ;-)

it's not to be taken lightly, or without experience - you can't will your way round it, the climbs are hard and long, and the power has to be there or it becomes impossible (there's always a fair few DNFs), - but I would really encourage people to think about this ride - next year will be perfect with LEL in our legs: keep going after that and a MDS would make an epic end to the year.

[Jonah]

Good effort Andy!
We never doubted you 

[stuartm9999]

You might have passed me asleep in my green bivvy on the way up. I later wrapped it around me on the descent.

Epic ride that gives everything but forgives nothing.

It's not just the climbs but the heat, cold, rain and lack of shops that make it tough. But, it is doable.

[mattc]

And all on <4 hours sleep. I couldnt even do THAT part! [I had 7-8 hours on the BofB 1k. And usually a little more on the other Ultras I've ridden.]

_{We need a Super-Duper BRM category - like those 50hours 600s with >LOTS of climbing, MJB did one - to give an achievable time-limit for plodders, but still get some official Audax bling.}

More importantly: sounds like a great adventure. I shall file alongside the TCR, as wonderous journeys to follow.

[LMT]

Superb effort, well done.

[Phil W]

Brilliant stuff Andy. I'll pace myself through all your photos iver the next few days,

[andyp]

And all on <4 hours sleep. I couldnt even do THAT part! [I had 7-8 hours on the BofB 1k. And usually a little more on the other Ultras I've ridden.]

_{We need a Super-Duper BRM category - like those 50hours 600s with >LOTS of climbing, MJB did one - to give an achievable time-limit for plodders, but still get some official Audax bling.}

More importantly: sounds like a great adventure. I shall file alongside the TCR, as wonderous journeys to follow.

Ah. i was exaggerating  there was a 1 hour siesta on Friday afternoon @1pm - i've edited the fb account.

...i would've slept longer on the last night, but i'd acquired a panicking French rider with a non-functioning GPS at about 6am, he was in a state of high anxiety, and really worried about being out of time* so i agreed to just give it the hour to calm him down Next time, (all things being equal) i'd have the confidence in my legs to sleep on night 1 too.

The MDS is great in that Sophie records finishers, and keeps the final control open for another 3 or 4 days if needed (she just asks us to let her know when you'll be back).

* he was really worried about everything, proof of passage, riding in the middle of the night, even the route into town at the end, but faster than me, and at 62 and his 1st 1,000 i couldn't leave him- it was funny how he shared all these worries at length and in high speed french, even though i barely understood a word. in the end i started chatting back in English, which seemed to communicate the futility of it better than 'je ne compered pas' which seemed to translate in his head as 'could you say that again differently, and perhaps faster and at greater length' 

[andyp]

Brilliant stuff Andy. I'll pace myself through all your photos iver the next few days,

 cheers, i've already had someone email say he's going to save them for the off-season.

in my tired state i seem to have been excessively impressed by limestone formations on the last day, but that was a good thing for me, because there's an awful lot of them! ...i take a lot of photos partly so i can remember better what quickly turns into a blur otherwise. it seems to help.

[Jonah]

And how is the Mayor of Casterbridge after such a long time in the saddle?

[tonyh]

Possibly too tired to go on the Firmity?