Hereward the Wake 300km, Friday 13th July 2018

[Bairn Again]

Bishops Stortford is nearer (about  8 miles) and there are more trains.

Was about to say the same! And don't worry too much about the restrictions on bikes on Stansted airport trains, we have never known it be enforced at Bishops Stortford, although it sometimes is leaving London. Also quite a lot quicker, so it would need to be a very strong westerly wind to favour Braintree!

We're in too, only done this once before in 2015 when I seem to remember a warm night, looks like even more so this year.

thanks!   

[Tomsk]

06:00 start for the Helpers' Ride: JEM and Carlosfandango in the team. Rush hour traffic not too bad until the outskirts of Cambridge. Cyclists everywhere of course!

Some minor changes to our route here and there due to the different start time and traffic etc. Useful cyclepathy bits through Cambridge and later around the A1 at Norman Cross, breakfast at 'Sarah and Shelley's' in the Market Place. Busway from Girton to avoid the busy A14 junction on the Histon road.

Quite cloudy north over the Fens and not really hot until Whittlesey. Quick garage stop there and onto the long 85km stage to the Pag. We needed a pub stop at the Racehorse in Catworth and then had a cafe lunch in Olney therefore bounced through Newport Pagnell. Ice cream and Lucozade in Marston Moretaine - needless to say we were getting through lots of water and soaking clothing at regular intervals. Millbrook was tacked successfully by me on 75", as there was a merciful lull in the late afternoon traffic - been baulked here before and had to walk it.

'Maggot Hill' had the wind blowing agro-pongs away for a change and later the scent of roses wafted in from the flower farm at Broom, lovely! The pine woods at Chicksands were a welcome bit of shade. I knew the ice cold springs at Ashwell would refresh us, so we practically dived in and cooled to something like normal temperatures.

A last pub stop near closing time in Clavering and on emerging we needed an extra layer for the final crawl home.

A couple of minor alterations needed to the route sheet, nothing drastic.

[Tomsk]

Route sheet slightly edited for clarity; new version uploaded to AUKweb.

Following the route check:

Stage 3, instruction #9] Talbot Inn at Stilton is on R not L; look for the phone box mentioned in the instructions, you can't miss it.

Stage 5, instruction #9] One $ missing - 1st R $ ASHWELL, after Dunton.

Curry is at 19:00, not 18:00 as previously stated in the info sheet.

[Bernster]

I'm not able to ride Hereward, but all going well I'll be along for the curry and to lend a hand at the start as a 150k control in a 200k DIY. Will be good to have a catch up with people 

[rob]

Stage 5, instruction #9] One $ missing - 1st R $ ASHWELL, after Dunton.

I think that one was missing towards the end of the Grand coming from the other way.   I rode to Dunton before realising I was 1) tired and 2) not really paying attention.

[jiberjaber]

I'm not able to ride Hereward, but all going well I'll be along for the curry and to lend a hand at the start as a 150k control in a 200k DIY. Will be good to have a catch up with people 

Me too - apart from the DIY 200km bit that is!  

[Nik's Nick]

Clearly it's all about the curry...

[Bikeabilityman]

In 2013 I did the Buzzard on my birthday, as I wanted to get the suggested second 600 in before LEL. As I enjoyed last years veggie byriani, I was tempted to do this one on my birthday, but I’m putting the family first (like I did during the ACME grand 😂).

I hope you all get a cooler weekend!

[Chris S]

Looks like we'll get gently cooked on Saturday, but 2/3rds of the ride are overnight, so shouldn't be too bad.

Then again, I suppose I'm turning into a Northerner now, so even 18c overnight will feel hot!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

As long as it is dry, I'm happy.

[Chris S]

As long as it is dry, I'm happy.

You're Australian - you're always happy 

[cygnet]

OK, the Clayton-Smith tandem is in. We've done this one before. The only time I've had to wait at a level crossing for a train, at 2am. We're nowhere near as fit as previous occasions, so towing opportunities will be (a) minimal and (3) comical.

but will there be tunes?

[L CC]

There are always tunes. This time it may be more dirge than anthems- we're taking March fitness into a July event.
 

[alotronic]

There are always tunes. This time it may be more dirge than anthems- we're taking March fitness into a July event.
 

Marching tunes then?

[oggy]

Looks like we'll get gently cooked on Saturday, but 2/3rds of the ride are overnight, so shouldn't be too bad.

Then again, I suppose I'm turning into a Northerner now, so even 18c overnight will feel hot!

Yea its too hot down south

[Tomsk]

Too hot? This is the perfect summer ride: crack on through the night, shorter stages towards the end = more ice creams, beer; dunk in Ashwell Springs, paddle in the ford on the infant River Stort at Clavering [just before the village shop for a final cold drink/ice cream] what could be nicer? 

I'll get plenty of ice in for the arrivee, and the bucket and sponge will be by the door...may even set everything up outside.

[Bairn Again]

just about to start getting packed up changed and over to Liverpool St for the journey out to the start and the pre event curry. 

its lovely and warm.

still cant bring myself to leave the arm and leg warmers behind even though min temperature overnight looks to be 15 deg.  That's a summers day in Edinburgh.       

Suspect I will need the sun cream more!   

[tippers_kiwi]

Too hot? This is the perfect summer ride: crack on through the night, shorter stages towards the end = more ice creams, beer; dunk in Ashwell Springs, paddle in the ford on the infant River Stort at Clavering [just before the village shop for a final cold drink/ice cream] what could be nicer? 

I'll get plenty of ice in for the arrivee, and the bucket and sponge will be by the door...may even set everything up outside.

A wheelie bin plunge pool

[Tomsk]

47 starters, including three tandems. 3 DNF notifications so far.

Should have had a lovely cool night ride, but it's going to be a hot one today.

[Tomsk]

...And 42 finishers. 

Audax Club Mid-Essex all back, with a comfortable margin. 

Thanks to Soupy and D for helping run the arrivee, also to various members of the crew for assisting at the start.  It was hot work in the kitchen, I sweated off a few pounds...

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The Wee McTaggart and I rolled round without too many dramas on an event new to me. The first couple of stages were spent in loose formation with a fairly new but very strong tandem couple, Nick (usually I only see him blasting off at the start) and a couple of happy hangers-on enjoying the tow. After that, we decided to keep the rolling average below 30 and to spend more time at controls, which went pretty well. The 2am to dawn leg was a drag for me as always and some potholes were tough to avoid at speed but overall a worthwhile ride with good company.

[Bairn Again]

Thanks to Tomsk for another great event.  Pre event curry was most enjoyable, but it emerged that the majority of diners werent doing the event! 

I managed to nab a tow on a few reasonably rapid groups until about 75km where i reverted to solo riding but still managed to reach the 100km mark in just under 4 hrs.  Id been in short sleeves n shorts til then and added leg/arm warmers at that point.  It was a long old slog to Newport Pagnell - 85km with no shops open so i stopped at a bus stop around midway for a flapjack and 5 mins off the bike. 

Long stop admiring the splendour of the Pag then onwards in mercifully smaller distances to Biggleswade where it was very hot and still not 9am where i reverted to short sleeves and slapped on much sun cream.  I was slowing up at this point and wasnt feeling very good at all but was still ahead of  20kph overall, so time was no issue.  I stopped briefly at Reed but pressed on slowly trying to ensure i was following the correct route.  Tiredness, heat and a few digestive issues meant i wasnt enjoying the ride as much as i should have.  Many pretty villages and many quiet lanes later i crawled into Great Dunmow for a quick turnaround and off to Braintree for the train (nice cycle path, if a little bit “track”-y. 

Thanks to Tomsk, hes had a bumper year as organiser.   

Nice to see The McTaggarts too - even if took an event 300 miles from home. 

[stefan]

and a couple of happy hangers-on enjoying the tow

Thanks! One tandem would have been a bonus. Two was absolute luxury 

Great event. Many thanks to Tomsk for the excellent organisation, and the (second?, third?) brunch at the end.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Glad you enjoyed it. We encourage hangers-on (the long rear mudflap is for them) as the company helps the miles pass. I'm a little sorry that there was more solo riding later on.

[jsabine]

Oh, you needn't worry about Stefan riding solo later on - he and I hooked up shortly after The Pag and rolled round the rest together, talking nonsense around a variety of subjects ... As you say, it made the miles pass more easily.

A ride of two halvesspeeds for me, I think - the pre-match curry and tows from a couple of fastish groups got me to about 150km in a frankly flattering six hours, at which point I started seeing giants in the hedges and took that as my cue for half an hour's kip - or at least shut-eye - in a handy gateway. The remaining 160km took nine hours, even with Stefan's help ...

My thanks too to Tom and everyone else involved - a fine night (and day) out.