CHELTENHAM FLYER 200 (+CwR150) 10 MAR 2012

[Feline]

My Garmin is loaded and ready to go. I will be riding the Sabbath for the first time this year 

[Jethro]

Im thinking of riding my Bob Jackson 953 audax bike for the first time on a '200'

Its Red with white panels, so you wont miss it 

[phil d]

See you there.  Haven't decided yet whether it'll be the black Roberts or the Van Nich.  Will look out for fellow yACFers, and others I know.  Looking forward to it, though with a little trepidation as I've had a stiff back for the last couple of days.

[Lordy]

Looking forward to the first 200 of 2012 (very poor i know), but i've just repaid the brownie points from PBP.  I'll be there on an Eddy Merckx fixed, please say hello but only expect a reply on the flat.

[bikey-mikey]

See you there.  Haven't decided yet whether it'll be the black Roberts or the Van Nich.  Will look out for fellow yACFers, and others I know.  Looking forward to it, though with a little trepidation as I've had a stiff back for the last couple of days.

Watch out for me then - I'm gonna be wearing an AUK England winter long sleeve, beard n pony tail!!

I think I'll ride the Stealth, complete with 200km old black campag Athena rear mech, as it is the only bike with me here in Cheltenham TravLodge. 

[BlackSheep]

Im thinking of riding my Bob Jackson 953 audax bike for the first time on a '200'

Its Red with white panels, so you wont miss it 

If it's going to be a dry day, I think I might take my Rourke 953 along too ....

But if it's not I will take one of my Bob Jacksons.

[iddu]

Well, y'all looked OK pootlin' up the High Street.  Thought it would be too cruel to go and snap the grimacing on Spring Hill 

[Hot Flatus]

This was an utterly superb ride in every way. Steve has excelled himself with this one. Apart from a short stretch of main road at the end that was made unpleasant by cars, the whole route was gorgeous. The second control was an absolute gem, run by a church group. The welcome and friendliness was very touching.

I had the pleasure of Phil D's company all day, as well as my friend John. Nice to see Mark Rigby at the start and finish, and also mattc who, although not riding, was lying in wait for me at the first control waiting to show me his PBP medal.

Anyway, Steve, well done and thankyou!

[αdαmsκι]

as well as my friend John.

He braved another audax after the Hummers incident?!

[bikey-mikey]

Yes it was a top notch first class route - and the weather complemented it !!!

Well done Steve and helpers.

[Feline]

I'm now back home and both me and the dogs have been fed. It was an excellent ride, made even nicer by most of the day being in glorious sunshine. There were plenty of yacfers both on the ride and helping, and the village hall controls were both very welcoming and bearers of CAIK. In fact, I ate so much cake I stopped much longer than planned at all of the controls, and ended up craving something savoury which Steve kindly satisfied with a cheese and pickle sarnie at the end 

This ride has it all really, tiny villages set in quiet rolling hills, canals, rivers, locks, thatched cottages and miles of unspoilt countryside. Clearly a lot of time and effort has gone into making the route what it is. The climbing at the end was a little painful coming after the last 25k being mostly uphill. Up ahead of me on the mountainside hillside I could see a rear light wobbling all over the road, and when I finally caught him it was Wobbly doing what he does best on the hills. I wouldn't have fancied the last section on a heavy bike.

The only downside of the day was the nasty crash involving a motorcyclist on the route near Farringdon that must have happened just minutes before I passed, he looked to be in a bad way lying motionless with both him and his bike thrown 30 feet into a field with the initial police waiting for the air ambulance to land. I hope he made it

Thanks Steve and Blacksheep for a great ride 

[Lordy]

Thanks Steve

A lovely day and great controls (esp the 2nd).  What a lovely route and weather (please order it again for next year).

[Bairdy]

A bit gutted I missed this one. Weather was lovely and the route sounds great.
Certainly pencil it in for next year.

[Wobbly]

A great ride (thanks Steve & Mark) made slightly less great by my inability to haul my lardy ass up most of the hills. Not sure why that was - I suspect I left a pair of 24V lorry batteries in my rack bag. Anyway, it was still a great ride (thanks Mr Weather) only made slightly less great by the start of the ride being mostly down hill. Why is that a problem? Well it means that I hurtle to the front of the ride (I was dead first at one point, I kid you not) and then have the ignominy of being passed by everyone shortly thereafter. At least this time I had a way to ease the pain - I had to stop and adjust my rear break which was making the most alarming noises. So I was off the bike as everyone came past and then I was dead last.

All the controls were good – the church hall in Burbage especially so.

Although I used my GPS I overheard quite a few AUK chuntering on about the route sheet. Now, kudos to Steve for fitting it onto less than one sheet of A4 but I have to say some of the instructions were a little cryptic. “Poor lineage” springs to mind. What on earth does someone’s ancestry have to do with anything? And “18T limit by Market Place” shows a little insensitivity for the fatter riders, don’t you think?

But, hint taken, I’m going on a strict diet before the next ride.

And It was a pleasure to meet Feline of this parish. May I ask that some of the other YACFeffers make the effort to look a little more like their avatars. Mr H Flatus, I’m looking at you there…

Edit: Oh, and a I forgot to add. That last hill from the final roundabout is a bugger. Not just that it's, well, a hill, but the passing traffic was more than a bit busy and fast. May I suggest that next year, during the ride, you have the final control towed down to the foot of the hill please.

[Hot Flatus]

Edit: Oh, and a I forgot to add. That last hill from the final roundabout is a bugger. Not just that it's, well, a hill, but the passing traffic was more than a bit busy and fast. May I suggest that next year, during the ride, you have the final control towed down to the foot of the hill please.

Of course it is up to Steve where he routes the final few km, and he will have his reasons for it, but when I ride next year I will probably take this diversion which adds 2k and 20m of climbing:

click for gpx file

[Jethro]

+1 for all of the above.

The route was superb and a lovely start out through the Coln Valley to Bibury and then a flat, fast bit out through Lechlade and a very quiet main road to Faringdon (sorry about the motorcyclist accident).

The controls were also indeed excellent and I felt like a superstar with the VIP treatment at Burbage.  The weather just seemed to get better throughout the day too and I soon began leaking a little on the hills.

Met PhilD just before Lacock complaining about his B/B but as Lacock looked a bit busy, I decided to continue to Tetbury for a stop and then had just over 20 miles to the finish, although I always suffer on those long exposed drags to Seven Springs.  The last hill completely threw me which took a lot more out of me than I had expected, but then a nice final couple of miles to the finish at 17.42.

Thanks Steve and Mark and Louise for an excellent event.  Might have to ride it as a Perm sometime as I dont think I can wait another 12-months to ride it again.

[phil d]

As everyone has said, a great day out.  Enjoyed HF's and John's company for most of the ride, and seeing many yACFers on the road.

I think I was more apologising for the noise of my bottom bracket than complaining about it, Steve.  It got noisier and noisier as the ride progressed, and several people wondered whether it would make it to the end.  It did, eventually.  And will be replaced later today.

Thanks to SP for taking on the event, and for modifying the route.  And to all of the helpers around the route and at the arrivee.

[gustibus]

A day of firsts for me

First 200 in a year or so, my first post on this forum and first Audax!

Couldn't have picked a better one I think, it was a lovely route, very friendly and helpful people at the controls and everyone I met was fantastic.

Thanks to all the organisers and helpers on the route, was a really great day.

[BlackSheep]

Of course it is up to Steve where he routes the final few km, and he will have his reasons for it, but when I ride next year I will probably take this diversion which adds 2k and 20m of climbing:
click for gpx file

Unfortunately this is the price you pay for having such a good route for the previous 199km. The Cotswolds have the ability to present a double-edged sword - a joy in daylight, but difficult to work with in the dark. As Hot Flatus indicated, there are alternatives - and the one demonstrated doesn't add too much pain.

Steve's problem is geeting the stragglers back to arrivee without using lanes that suddenly have a 90 degree bend after a one-in-six incline. All the lane routes back to arrivee have these - hence the main road bit.

For me, the route in the link quoted would seem to offer the best compromise of 1). Least added distance, 2). Least added climb, 3). The best chance of doing the down-hill drops in daylight. OK the last few km are a retrace of what you cycled first thing, but hey! - they were very pretty to cycle along, so more of a good thing isn't bad. And the climbing is very gentle, so even the tirest lags won't complain too much.

Steve, Lou and I were debating this issue for some time as we waited for the lantern rouge, even to the point of using another start location, but that would probably add too many other compromises.

I'm sure Steve will welcome constructive comments on what's already a fine route, and for a first-running of the event (and keeping it all in perspective) there was far more praise than grumbles. Well done Steve 

[Feline]

A day of firsts for me

First 200 in a year or so, my first post on this forum and first Audax!

Couldn't have picked a better one I think, it was a lovely route, very friendly and helpful people at the controls and everyone I met was fantastic.

Thanks to all the organisers and helpers on the route, was a really great day.

Congratulations 
I think I know who you might be!

[BlackSheep]

Thanks Steve and Mark and Louise for an excellent event.  Might have to ride it as a Perm sometime as I dont think I can wait another 12-months to ride it again.

Don't forget Shirley - Steve's wife.

Shirley arrived at about 1 o'clock and prepared all the sadwiches, cakes etc at arrivee.

And your starter - Ron, your previous organiser who set you all on your way.

[gustibus]

A day of firsts for me

First 200 in a year or so, my first post on this forum and first Audax!

Couldn't have picked a better one I think, it was a lovely route, very friendly and helpful people at the controls and everyone I met was fantastic.

Thanks to all the organisers and helpers on the route, was a really great day.

Congratulations 
I think I know who you might be!

Well, you went past me often enough....... 

[Hot Flatus]

I'm sure Steve will welcome constructive comments on what's already a fine route, and for a first-running of the event (and keeping it all in perspective) there was far more praise than grumbles. Well done Steve 

I'm sure Steve will, as he will be wanting to iron out any wrinkles, and as this was the only one in an otherwise utterly brilliant day of route and controls there is an easy fix.  No need for a change of start venue.

[3peaker]

I'm sure Steve will welcome constructive comments on what's already a fine route, and for a first-running of the event (and keeping it all in perspective) there was far more praise than grumbles. Well done Steve 

I'm sure Steve will, as he will be wanting to iron out any wrinkles, and as this was the only one in an otherwise utterly brilliant day of route and controls there is an easy fix.  No need for a change of start venue.

Hi All- my turn
I am deeply moved and encouraged by the reactions I read and, believe you me, I also hate that final climb.  Big difference, though, is I am normally riding it solo and it is only a few minutes of hassle from an otherwise hassle-free (and from what I read and secretly know - great) ride.  The BIG Q remains “do I (should I) as Organiser” inflict this ‘risky hill’ on 80+ other riders?....if there are ‘easier (and safer?)’ routes.  The easier routes below do work well but are best in daylight; so, the remaining Q is ”which is ‘not too bad’ at night?”
I see the HF alt from Park Corner>Daglingworth>Perrotts Brook>Whiteway>Whithington>A; big problem there is the descent through Withy Woods with poor surface and nasty L bend. Otherwise, fine. I respect HF’s local knowledge.
Another alt would be to continue from Park Corner> Winstone>(under) A417>Colesbourne>Withington>A
The current route does have Bubbs Hill, so somewhere returning there is going to be a nasty descent and bend.  Solution is to find the least painful. Of course, anyone with local knowledge can ride how they want from Tetbury, or even Lacock.
My thoughts are to use Winstone> Colesbourne>Withington and I will certainly research this. It avoids going too deep into the R Churn valley and from previous (Cal Corker) riding, should work well. The return from Withington is quite benign and will be familiar to those finishing in the dark.

You probably saw I had a very small team working for you yesterday.  I would rather see cyclists on their bikes than standing at a Control.  With Black Sheep/Ewe’s great help and my cycling-widow Shirley womanning the kitchen (did you notice I even ‘let’ Black Ewe ride a quick-Corker before inflicting her on you?).
Sorry about the 11.5km ‘extra-Value’ around Faringdon. I was also caught out as I rode to the Uffington WI Control, but fortuitously picked up 2 very late 150 starters and we made Uffington at close time.  I am overjoyed that the U & B Controls worked so well and will forward YOUR comments to the 2 Teams. I am sure they will be there next year together with an improved finish.

Thought??  My return ride from Uffington was fairly direct through Highworth, Lechlade, Fairford, Chedworth and Withington.  This, with the route to Uffington, gave me a ride with the only common section to/from Withington.  That could make a nice little relaxing 100-ish km mini-Flyer. How about that?

Do note you can ride it as a Perm with a Charlton Kings S/F, so you have a flying finish down Lillybrook Hill, rather than "that" climb up Chatcombe Pitch.

It is a huge weight off my mind to feel that the New Flyer might have a future after Ron’s sterling work over more than 20 years. And it was a real pleasure that Ron was keen to Start you off.
SteveP

[phil d]

I would hate to think that comments regarding about 1km out of a 204km ride gave any impression that this was anything less than a great route.  It was only the hill that was unpleasant - once speed picked up and effort dropped off at the top it's remarkable how much better it seemed!

But I think we'd all struggle to recall a route that had no bad patch at all.  I think it was only because it was so close to the end, and so fresh in the memory, that there was so much comment.