Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: JJ on 12 January, 2013, 08:37:25 pm
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I just had an email to say Terry is putting this ride back on after a hiatus. New HQ should make parking easier, or you could even do it by train from London if you don't mind a 20 mile ride up from Stansted.
I'm rather pleased.
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linky, anything?
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/www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-235/ (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-235/)
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2011 thread on here - https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=44515.0
Report from 2011 from Gareth of this parish - http://blog.ctc-cambridge.org.uk/2011/03/20-mar-end-of-hibernation-200-km-audax.html
Cracking route, and perfect if anyone is looking to do a first 200.
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I just had an email to say Terry is putting this ride back on after a hiatus. New HQ should make parking easier, or you could even do it by train from London if you don't mind a 20 mile ride up from Stansted.
I'm rather pleased.
Smashing, me too -- that's right near us :) The profile looks surprisingly hilly for a ride [mostly] east of the M11. If I'm not mistaken 35km is the Dunwich Dynamo in reverse? Count me in.
[Note the start is only 7 miles from Cambridge station (50mins from Kings X on a fast train, or 25 mins from Ely) or 1 mile from Whittlesford Parkway station (1hr15 from Liverpool St).]
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Yes this is a fab ride.
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Is anybody doing this? I've signed up for the 100km, snow permitting :( Looks a good route if a few more hills than is really reasonable for Cambridge!
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entered for the 200, which will be very comfortable because it'll be a couple of 300s after that which won't be much fun if 200 turns out to be a struggle
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Great that this ride is running again. I'll be doing the Dean the day before and am thus chickening out.
:)
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I'm riding the 200k, nice and close to home so no car needed. Looking at the forecast for Sunday, I think it should be renamed get back into hibernation as temperatures look like hovering around freezing all day :-[
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Yeah am wondering about ice. If it snows all day on Saturday as is predicted I won't be doing this I'm afraid. The route seems to be RIGHT on the edge of the snow band though, so we might be lucky.
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Last night the Beeb was forecasting dry-but-overcast thru Sunday for Cambridge. Now they're forecasting rain and snow between now and then, but at least above-freezing temperatures. However, Stowmarket out at the far end of the route is forecast to go subzero and stay there, so ice definitely a concern. Bollocks! Will this weather never improve? Where's "spring"?
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lets not forget 14 mph ENE wind gusting to 33mph and a predicted high of 1 degree
so what's the windchill for that?
it's going to be a manly day out for me and my jaunty fishing/cycling balaclava
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most sites think a 34kmh wind from ENE which seems to mean a windchill of 8 degrees on top of anything between -1 and 1 degrees base temperature
so working up a sweat into the wind heading out to control one, and sailing along with it at our backs to control two
and perhaps some thoroughly unpleasant cross winds to the finish
and hopefully no ice, no likee ice
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Hmnmhm, having ridden home tonight into that
lovely spring breeze icy easterly blast, I am out for Sunday. Bloody hell it was cold, and Sunday is meant to be colder. Plus there's the uncertainty on the snow. I don't think it will be fun, and that's the point right?
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I for one went for a drink after work with the lady wife
and am training for LEL eventually and some 300s soon
In short I'll be there
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I've ridden most of these roads over the winter months on several DIY 200 to get my RRtY in, temperatures down to -5 without too many problems but will be sticking to my nice fat 1.75 x 26" tyres. Not too worried about the wind which will mainly be at our backs on the return leg.
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Met office forcast has issued ice warnings for tomorrow temp 0 feels like -7 strong NE winds, i'll make a decision tomorrow, conditions look worse than the Bedford Bumble last month and that was cold.
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For all my determination this ride is looking suspect isn't?
A near certainty of prolonged rain and snow the day before, freezing or near freezing temperatures through has to mean ice on those weeny crappy roads?
I can do the cold but ice not so much, I had a nasty fall on a ride last year on black ice on roads that seemed to be dry and clear and have no inclination to repeat that
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Met office forcast has issued ice warnings for tomorrow temp 0 feels like -7 strong NE winds, i'll make a decision tomorrow, conditions look worse than the Bedford Bumble last month and that was cold.
The BB was cold and very wet, at least it looks like Sunday will be staying dry for the most part so conditions should be far better and the risk of hypothermia should be minimal unless you ride in summer kit.
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yes but ice? shags of rain/snow the day before and freezing over night and indeed the following sounds like the perfect conditions for ice
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Stowmarket on the met office is shown -1 with wind chill at -8 around 12pm, this is black ice conditions, hopefully the temp will keep above freezing
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Stowmarket on the met office is shown -1 with wind chill at -8 around 12pm, this is black ice conditions, hopefully the temp will keep above freezing
Current forecast has maximum temps of 0, so at or below freezing all day and not one ray of sunshine to brighten the day. My current plan is to ride to the start and if the roads are OK I'll ride, otherwise I will just partake of the breakfast and ride home again.
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... My current plan is to ride to the start and if the roads are OK I'll ride, otherwise I will just partake of the breakfast and ride home again.
That's my plan too. If all I do is ride to the start and back that's still 35km and given the season so far I'll take it.
It's snowing just north of Cambridge at the moment, although the roads are mostly melted now. BBC weather is reporting 0ºC, but my car disagrees (2ºC) and the snow on the roads definitely melted loads between 8am and 10am when I went out (ungritted lane).
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DNS for me. Have developed a decent cold during the last two days, and don't want to risk the Arrow on Friday. Even though it looks like, at least right now in Cambridge, snow isn't sticking. Too bad with a very local Audax I've enjoyed the two times I've done it in the past! Best of luck to those going for it! :thumbsup:
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Hellfire, it appears I will indeed be riding, bah
another tough day out, look out for my debonair fishing hat, a king of peaked balaclava
done cold before not happy about the wind a charming 17mph ne and -1 degrees forecast until noon and then a nice warm 0 degrees and the wind naturally dropping to 12mpg once behind us
oh well, train hard and all that
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v1 prototype of a coathanger forward of handbars routesheet holder mounted
two pairs of/all merino socks laid out, a base layer, 2 ls tops (one rather warm) and the all conquering nightvision top laid out
I'd dearly love to find the glove inners, fat chance so cold hands likely, hoping a warm core will help there
some repairs imminent to a disgraceful pair of overshoes that should have been replaced months ago
one riding partner has pulled, the other is making doubtful noises so there's a distinct prospect of riding solo/right behind a total stranger into the lovely ENE wind
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You won't be riding very fast if the stranger is me :). Hopefully I've sorted the right layers to keep toasty without sweating too much. Really glad I bought some nice waterproof winter boots last year, I hate facing with overshoes.
The snow that settled on the road outside my house earlier seems to be vanishing rapidly so ground temperatures can't be that low (or is that just wishful thinking)
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Good luck to those riding tomorrow! Since walking round the corner outside my house I was slapped in the face by needles of ice in a lovely north-easterly gale this morning, not sure that will be very much fun on the bike but I know some people enjoy pain more than others!
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I will probably DNS this one: I just walked up our lane to the main road at the top and, while it's certainly rideable at the moment, it's not going to be fun at all. But if the temperatures stay low and it freezes in places then a fall could really ruin the year. Final judgement at the 6 of the AM, but I am not expecting conditions to improve enough for me :-\
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Things certainly seem to be deteriorating, and those back roads in the hillier sections are likely to have a few inches of snow on them tomorrow morning. Still planning to ride to the start for some porridge unless there if heavy snowfall over Cambridge tonight.
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DNS for me.
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Just got up and looked out of the window more snow and the main road is not gritted, so i am doing a DNS, shame is awas looking forward to this one.
Good luck to you all who brave the conditions.
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Just back, drove up from London with an increasingly heavy heart as it clearly got icier and snowier, the M11 has slush and snow over a long stretch of the fast lane ffs, the promised wind seemed not to be about but it was way past my ice limit
A stalwart half dozen were setting off as I got back in the car, even the most seasoned were mumbling about seeing how it wenting and plenty of places to packing
So all the way there for porridge and a cup of tea, sweating like a June bride currently in three layers of jersey
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christ, as the org suggested, I hadn't actually entered
And my cycling shoes seemed to be in the hallway by the door where not even an idiot could miss them as the exited the house
so all worked out quite welll really
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christ, as the org suggested, I hadn't actually entered
Isn't there something on AUK site that you can check that now?
DNS for me: I got up at 6am, took a look outta the window at our very white lane and got straight back into bed. However, by 10 when I woke up again the lane was, of course, clear: the fields and hedges are like a snowy picture postcard, with a black, wet ribbon winding through, so I wouldn't be surprised if those that started go on to finish. It also doesn't look as windy out there as forecast.
No regrets: I didn't really fancy a cold, wet ride, having done two already this season; I already have March in the bag for RRTY; and I clearly needed the extra sleep to be capable for the other parts of my life. And now I have a day with nothing else happening, perfect for a spot of DIY, She'll be pleased to remind me :facepalm:
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Not sure about that, I am in Newmarket and it's been snowing all day so far despite the 'forecast' that there would not be any more snow, there is actually more than yesterday. Roads in Suffolk will be OK but as soon as you enter Cambridgeshire there will be no gritting, not unless they have finally decided it is cold enough to do it.
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there was certainly plenty of water, slush, snow and ice about and it was still -2 when I drove home at 8.30 and it only wants a dark bend or anything really to make black ice seems to me
My calendar shows me as entered but I might have done it manually and I have no email I can find, and I did enter a lot in rapid sucession, no harm done I guess
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Tynan I hope you paid for the porridge and tea ::-)
I was also a DNS but decided last night rather than getting up early.
See you in a couple of weeks, Three down then SSOST 500km weekend. Have you remembered to enter ? :-*
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I was entered at the time of the porridge and tea
Defo entered for 3Down, you're doing the SOS the day after? I think a 300 will do for me, spec after missing the rather sensible 200km step up
I might have do a ride to somewhere and back next Sunday, Southend maybe as the charity route goes very close to here
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I was one of three starters on the 100k. I rode the 17k to the start and it wasn't too bad, but once we started and got to Caploe Hill (an exposed, single track road), things got a bit worse. Lots of snow and ice on the road with a biting, cross wind for good measure. I had a pair of Conti Top Contact Winter's on my bike and I was very impressed with them. Very surefooted on the frozen snow. It was still slow going though. By the time, we got to Saffron Walden, it was snowing pretty heavily and the call of home just a couple of miles away was too much so I called it a day. I only managed 40k riding for the day but I'm glad I did manage to get out. It was fun. :)
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Well I was one of the 5 who set off on the 200 this morning. The one fast guy dropped us very quickly and the rest of us stuck together for the first part of the ride. One of our number was a young women riding her first audax. She had ridden the distance in the past in the summer but had naively thought she could get round in the ten hours as per previous summer rides, so was not particularly well equipped (particularly in the lights and pump departments). Of cause the puncture fairy struck her paper thin tyres 20km in which really should have been a sign to head home, but she was determined to carry on.
The starting weather was not to bad with winds somewhat lighter than expected but this did not last to long and along with the wind we got a lot more snow and sleet than expected. Our group of 4 got split in two with us two fatter guides getting dropped but we get into Tubby Ts shortly after them and our young companion seemed to be suffering from the cold, not helped be the skinflints who run the cafe not having the heating on ???. We had arrived here with 20 mins to spare but the next 40 to One House proved difficult with sleet and snow blowing on our faces and quite a bit of climbing up to some very exposed places where snow had drifted across the road. When it became obvious that we were going to be over time into the next control My riding companion (Geoff) had decided we were going to pack and get the train from Stowmarket.
It is possible we could have made the time up with the wind in our tails but with a lot of water on the road and our bikes starting to gather a considerable amount of ice as water and slush was solidifying to various parts of the frame riding on just did not seem a sensible option. At the cafe we caught the other 2 and both were set on carrying on although our young lightless friend really did not seem in a fit state to do so, and I'm pleased to say we persuaded her to join us on the train (well bus from Stowmarket to Bury)
So only 107 k ridden but I have lost my audax DNF virginity.
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christ, as the org suggested, I hadn't actually entered
And my cycling shoes seemed to be in the hallway by the door where not even an idiot could miss them as the exited the house
so all worked out quite welll really
Brilliant!
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I can't remember last years ride but I'll certainly remember this years. I left Cambridge half an hour after intended to get to start. I really didn't want to get up and after I'd met that challenge I really didn't want to go outside, especially on a bike. The estate roads where a mixture of hard pack and loose snow. I scooted the bike to the nearest main road, which was clear other than at the edges. I kept telling myself that if I came across a road I couldn't ride I would turn back. I never did.
Met guy who rescued my day at the Shaftesbury a few weeks ago by lending me some glue to fix a tube at the start, sorry still can't remember your name, approaching the HQ. there where about 6 others at the HQ at 8am. Five of us set off for the 200, not sure what the entry was but it was many time that. Went past the 3 that where ahead of me which included Camrider. I didn't really want to hang around because I expected some slow going later on, make hay while the sun shines and all that, figuratively speaking that is of course. I was still telling myself I would turn back at the first unrideable road. I expected that to be Beechwoods, our club hill climb which is the hill, by Cambridge standards anyway, to Fulborn, but surprisingly that was clear. The next expected problem was the lane to Dullingham and that didn't disappoint, I scooted to the brow and saw is was white for some distance so I went the long way round via Brinkley using the B1052. The rest of the stage to Stradishall whilst hard and cold into the biting easterly was reasonable incident free, all the lanes where clear other than the occasional drift. Hands hurt a bit due to cold despite double gloves but I arrived at T's cafe in good shape. They had superb apple pie and custard and real coffee here which was exactly what I needed.
The next stage to One house is reasonably short. A drift had blown across the road just after Haretest which I had to walk through.
(http://www.ngjackson.talktalk.net/back_towards_hartest.jpg)
Bleak
Other than that is seemed a bit warmer with the wind less biting than the first stage. I noticed that for some inexplicable reason my brakes and gears stopped working but other than that all was good, got to One House at about 12:20. Had cake and more coffee than took a look at the bike with a view to trying to make the controls work again. It turned out evey part of it below the guards was covered in ice - spokes, forks, mechs, rack, inner chain ring that I don't us in these parts. I guess this was due due to the bizarre phenomenon of todays weather where the snow on the road had been turned to spray despite the fact that the days peak temperature was -1 degree. All that spray had frozen on to any bike surface it touched.
(http://www.ngjackson.talktalk.net/ice_bike_crop.jpg)
Frozen, note the aero forks
The next stage to Finchingfield was fast with the biting headwind converted to a tail wind. The snow, still falling appeared to drift down vertically rather than being blasted into my face. I really enjoyed this stretch, appreciating the beautiful country scape.
(http://www.ngjackson.talktalk.net/lane.jpg)
Pretty
The snow stopped falling at Sudbury.
In Finchingfield, Bosworths was nearly empty, no cyclists or bikers in sight. The staff were really friendly and quick. I had more coffee and a splendid lump of chocolate cake. Probably not the best performance food but certainly energy. Next stage to the info control at Great Hormead was a continuation of the previous, but there the course took a righ turn up Andersons Lane. This frozen sludge across it but there was a clear line that meant it was not too much of a problem but the road had snow right across it above this. I did consider continuing to Hare Street then blasting up B1368 but decided to stick to the lanes. The new direction was north east to the wind became the enemy again. Added to that my juice bottle was running out and the water bottle had frozen, although I had planty of food on me. Running out of drink meant my energy went down and the cold started to get to me again. It was about 4 o'clock and the temperature was dropping back to -2 from the afternoon high of -1 as well. The lanes around Anstey are the narrowest on the event so there were quite a few occasions where the drifts, although reasonably short were right across the road so concentration was need.
Not before time I was on the 1386 with a clear road to Newton and thence to Wittlesford finish control at 5:50pm. When I arrived there was a finisher from the 100km group, one of only 3. I also learned that 3 of the 200km group had abandoned at One House. There was one rider still on the road,t he guy from the Shaftesbury event. He had left the others with a view to finishing, due in at about 9. I hope he finished Ok.
All in all a good day, especially considering the outlook at the start. It wasn't the coldest or the most uncomfortable ride I've done int the last few years.
150 miles door to door, average temperature about -1.5, 200k time 9.5 hours.
Thanks to Terry for his organisation, it is a shame more riders couldn't benefit from it.
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Nick J - is that you? (think I recognise the bike) If so, having followed your wheel on a grotty DIY200 to Harwich with John Juckes a few years back (where you broke the bottle cage you've replaced with a black one), if I would have had to pick someone to get around, it would have been you.
Chapeau.
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i also recognise the bike (https://picasaweb.google.com/zigzag510/BCM600k2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCIWHs8DArMmY1QE#5744970760099568722), well done Flatlander :thumbsup:
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Yes we'll done, stage two for us was terrible with the worst weather conditions of the day, so it sounds like riding stage one faster had its reward. I really hope the last guy made it although I know he had a couple of bail out options should things become too difficult.
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Nick J - is that you? (think I recognise the bike) If so, having followed your wheel on a grotty DIY200 to Harwich with John Juckes a few years back (where you broke the bottle cage you've replaced with a black one), if I would have had to pick someone to get around, it would have been you.
Chapeau.
The evidence is compelling.
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wow, first off, getting round a 200 in those conditions is outright heroic, bravo
second off, I feel very very sensible about not setting off :smug: