Author Topic: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019  (Read 11148 times)

bairn again

Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« on: 28 December, 2018, 10:23:24 am »
I was doing some forward planning for 2019 and have noticed that there is a new Travelodge in Gainsborough

Its less than 1 mile off route at 377km, just about perfect distance for a posh kip [imho]   


rob

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #1 on: 28 December, 2018, 10:36:28 am »
I was doing some forward planning for 2019 and have noticed that there is a new Travelodge in Gainsborough

Its less than 1 mile off route at 377km, just about perfect distance for a posh kip [imho]

Have you been to Gainsborough ?

bairn again

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #2 on: 28 December, 2018, 10:38:27 am »
I was doing some forward planning for 2019 and have noticed that there is a new Travelodge in Gainsborough

Its less than 1 mile off route at 377km, just about perfect distance for a posh kip [imho]

Have you been to Gainsborough ?
;)

yep.  (I meant relative to sleeping in a bus stop)

Smeth

  • less Grimpeur than Whimpeur...
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #3 on: 28 December, 2018, 01:20:59 pm »
I was doing some forward planning for 2019 and have noticed that there is a new Travelodge in Gainsborough

Its less than 1 mile off route at 377km, just about perfect distance for a posh kip [imho]

Have you been to Gainsborough ?
;)

yep.  (I meant relative to sleeping in a bus stop)
I do recall someone curled up on a pallet of Fosters in the Jet 24hr a couple of years ago. Lavish.

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Genosse Brymbo

  • Ostalgist
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #4 on: 28 December, 2018, 06:21:24 pm »
Gainsborough is the perfect distance for a stop.  I've slept on a piece of open ground there and then a couple of years ago under the entrance canopy of B&Q.  The change of route (Fenlands Friends?) had me worried about a kip stop last year but (un)fortunately I DNSed due to a bout of the trots.  Travelodge sounds excellent.
The present is a foreign country: they do things differently here.

Redlight

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Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #5 on: 28 December, 2018, 09:15:10 pm »
If I recall, in 2014 it got very chilly overnight and several people attempted to sleep on the floor in the Gainsborough service station shop, much to the tolerant bemusement of the staff.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #6 on: 01 January, 2019, 10:19:44 pm »
If I recall, in 2014 it got very chilly overnight and several people attempted to sleep on the floor in the Gainsborough service station shop, much to the tolerant bemusement of the staff.

Indeed, the staff there seem to be broadly tolerant of people sleeping on anything they can find - I expect their profits for 1-4am are somewhat low normally!
To answer originial poster Gainsborough would be about perfect for a stop. I have done goole (too early) and scunthorpe (a bit of a phaff) and bus shelter near Lincoln (wet, horrid) and once right through (grim) so 370k or thereabouts would be good providing you can get there in reasonable time as you could avoid the early morning slow down you inevitably get on a 600.

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #7 on: 09 May, 2019, 04:37:45 pm »
I was doing some forward planning for 2019 and have noticed that there is a new Travelodge in Gainsborough

Its less than 1 mile off route at 377km, just about perfect distance for a posh kip [imho]

Have you been to Gainsborough ?
;)

yep.  (I meant relative to sleeping in a bus stop)
I do recall someone curled up on a pallet of Fosters in the Jet 24hr a couple of years ago. Lavish.

Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk

Just made a booking for the Travelodge. I've never slept in a hotel on an event before so this is going to be a total treat.

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #8 on: 09 May, 2019, 06:30:36 pm »
Wish I'd seen this thread earlier - booked in Goole as the halfway point without realising this would mean a 4AM departure to hit the next control in time.

On the plus side this lends itself to making a very clear decision about whether I'm doing the second half. (First 600 so while I do intend to finish, I'm not gonna burn my boats either).

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #9 on: 10 May, 2019, 09:33:43 am »

rob

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #10 on: 10 May, 2019, 10:18:10 am »
My overnight stay on the edge of Lincoln is sorted.

Not really studying weather that far out.   The met at work sees a return to seasonal/above seasonal temps next week which will be more than welcome.

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #11 on: 10 May, 2019, 05:12:21 pm »
Met is saying cool wet and windy (my bold).

"Rain will become increasingly likely in many parts of the UK from Thursday into Friday along with strengthening winds, particularly in the southwest. These winds will lower daytime temperatures below the seasonal average. The weather for next weekend looks likely to continue in the same unsettled vein, with showers or longer spells of rain for many. Daytime temperatures are expected to stay on the cool side in the south and east but frost is not likely here."

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #12 on: 10 May, 2019, 06:19:14 pm »
The German model says wet and windy, the Canadian one says dry and windy.
Both agree that wind is from the east.

Pedal Castro

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Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #13 on: 11 May, 2019, 01:08:37 pm »
Sleaford Travelodge booked, aiming to get there before 1am and leave at 6.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

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Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #14 on: 12 May, 2019, 07:29:19 am »
Sleaford Travelodge booked, aiming to get there before 1am and leave at 6.

That was what I did in 2016 and it was fine, although as I recall it wasn't a particularly windy edition.  It makes for a nice short second day. 
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

bairn again

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #15 on: 12 May, 2019, 11:13:08 am »
Ive booked the travelodge Gainsborough 377km.  Still pondering whether to go full gentlemans autobus option and kip there til the last possible moment circa 7am or to just grab a shower and catnap. 

The former is tempting but i like getting under the “200km to go” point early as possible on day 2 of a 600 so i’ll probably stop there only relatively fleetingly.   

Graeme

Tomsk

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Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #16 on: 12 May, 2019, 01:59:19 pm »
Information for the arrivee: Angel and Harp have agreed to do food to 21:00 Sunday, though with a reduced menu choice. Pizzas are always good there ...

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #17 on: 12 May, 2019, 08:55:01 pm »
Sleaford Travelodge booked, aiming to get there before 1am and leave at 6.

That was what I did in 2016 and it was fine, although as I recall it wasn't a particularly windy edition.  It makes for a nice short second day.

Crikey, that's quick!  I didn't manage to get to Sleaford on my routecheck until about 4am this morning ... fortunately, the McDonald's is fully open 24 hours, so I kipped on a couch for an hour or so, as I was the only customer.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #18 on: 12 May, 2019, 10:04:10 pm »
Have also gone for the Gainsbourg Travelodge but suspect I might have to cancel booking, or just use it as a refresh stop, being on the slower end of the spectrum I suspect it will be a doss in a bus shelter if I am going to make Arrive before last orders for pizza! Weather will be the main factor for a decent kip or not.. looking forward to it.

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #19 on: 12 May, 2019, 10:06:54 pm »
I’m looking forward to a string of ‘spoons visits.
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #20 on: 14 May, 2019, 09:57:35 am »
I managed to avoid all 'Spoons on my route-check ride over the weekend  :thumbsup: 

FWIW, a few tweaks needed to the routesheet for missing/reappearing signs, etc., and the GPS files are tested and available here.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #21 on: 14 May, 2019, 10:38:49 am »
I downloaded the gpx yesterday, it says a minor change for a beep location. If I’m just following the lines, nothing changes does it??

Thanks

John

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #22 on: 14 May, 2019, 10:58:49 am »
I downloaded the gpx yesterday, it says a minor change for a beep location. If I’m just following the lines, nothing changes does it??

Nothing changes on anything except stage 8, where it now ends 100m later right next to the Green Wellie, that's all.  If you're following the North and South 300km legs, or the full route in one, then no change apart from the beep.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #23 on: 14 May, 2019, 01:36:33 pm »
Cool. If anyone sees a trikie looking confused at the end of leg 8, drag me over to the control!

John

Re: Flatlands 600 : Great Dunmow : 18 / 19 May 2019
« Reply #24 on: 14 May, 2019, 03:08:55 pm »
I rode along very briefly with Tom just outside Saffron Walden today as he was finishing his routecheck. Even with 580k in his legs compared to about 40k in mine, he was still able to leave me for dust  :-[