The Cambridge Autumnals 100 + 200 — Saturday 21 October 2017

[De Sisti]

I don't recall going through a tunnel (0:48).

[Alex B]

I don't recall going through a tunnel (0:48).

That would depend on whether you chose the road, or the cycle path, for the first crossing of the A14.

[scottlington]

A great day out! I entered fairly last minute (thank you Nick!) and then a very busy leadup to the weekend almost saw me DNS. As it was I did manage to get myself onto the start line but lack of bike prep made it's presence known within the first kilometre....back brake sticking to the point I couldn't effectively use it. Then I discovered the rear derailleur wouldn't shift down the block (again probably due to sticky cable or mech spring). So, I had to set it halfway down and ride round with effectively two gears. Made for unpleasant grunting uphill and spinning out down and on the flat bits (especially on the tailwind assisted way back). So, two gears and only a front brake. Enjoyed myself though!

As some have noted, although the wind was strong and gusty it never really felt it was head on much on the way out. Many tall hedges and some cunning routing meant a much easier run out than I expected. I got in with a small group on the run out to the first control that split and then re-joined on the way to Thaxted. A faerie visit a few k outside Thaxted saw me out of that group unfortunately. Quick pit stop in Thaxted and then figured I would stop at Saffron Walden at the bicycle café for some much needed Colnago p0rn 

It was a largely solo run back to the finish. I'd somehow forgotten to replenish my water bottle at SW so stopped at the next available shop. This saw me yoyo a little with Tom Deakins and his riding companion. Luckily for me, the second time I caught them was literally a the info which had failed to make itself known on my Garmin  . I was very surprised at how quickly (or short) this leg felt; all of a sudden I was descending into Fulbourn. I then got caught in the one rain shower that seemed present in the sky. Horizontal due to the strong side wind. Made for a hairy descent (especially with only a front brake and spinning out ). On the whole, vehicle drivers were pretty good today but on the Fulbourn descent I got passed literally within a foot by someone in a people carrier. I was fuming. No need for it and I could easily have taken a gust at that point that pushed me that foot over before I'd have a chance to react. I was desperate for a set of traffic lights up ahead to vent spleen at the asshg0le driving....but alas. It's a long straight road....

An interesting run back through Cambridge as always. I think someone noted above some audaxers running red lights. I must say I saw two cyclists running red lights and both were what I would call casuals - ie, just out, not on an event or club run or anything, both looked just kinda normal on normal everyday bikes. I did point out to one that she had blatantly run a red light and that that behaviour does nothing to help the attitude towards the larger cycling population and that she should really think about what she's doing etc etc. Well, I would have done but she ran some more and I didn't so never caught her.... The second was a fella on some beaten up MTB who casually rode past the massed ranks of other cyclists waiting at the crossroads before the castle hill out of Cambridge; and then immediately got off to walk up the other side. He caught up later at the red traffic lights at the top as we were all waiting there....he didn't.... just annoys me that I will get tarred with that same brush by the general populace.

Lovely soup at the end, thanks Ewa! Thank you also to Nick as always and to all the helpers. A really lovely route and extremely well organised. See you next year 

[Alex B]

And all my photos from the day can be seen at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/albums/72157687633509700

[wilkyboy]

And all my photos from the day can be seen at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/albums/72157687633509700

Nice one, Alex, there are some really good photos in there — a suitable mix of grins, gurns and thousand-yard stares 

[psyclist]

And all my photos from the day can be seen at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/albums/72157687633509700

Nice one, Alex, there are some really good photos in there — a suitable mix of grins, gurns and thousand-yard stares 

I agree, great photos and it's very interesting to see riders who I rode with and saw on the day, and many more who I might have glimpsed at the start or finish but who were on a different time path. Best thousand-yard stare must be jiberjaber ... https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/24023896738/in/album-72157687633509700/

[De Sisti]

And all my photos from the day can be seen at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/albums/72157687633509700

Did you ride the 100 or 200?

[Alex B]

Did you ride the 100 or 200?

Neither - I rode the 200 as a Helper's Ride the weekend before, and then on the day bimbled around taking photos and stamping cards on both events.

[jiberjaber]

And all my photos from the day can be seen at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/albums/72157687633509700

Nice one, Alex, there are some really good photos in there — a suitable mix of grins, gurns and thousand-yard stares 

 



I agree, great photos and it's very interesting to see riders who I rode with and saw on the day, and many more who I might have glimpsed at the start or finish but who were on a different time path. Best thousand-yard stare must be jiberjaber ... https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexbrn/24023896738/in/album-72157687633509700/

Best gurn is saved for last (though narrowly pipping Carlos's race winning face)
Cambridge Autumnal audaxes by Alex Brown, on Flickr

Race Face...
Cambridge Autumnal audaxes by Alex Brown, on Flickr

That 85mm lens seems to work quite well

[wilkyboy]

Best gurn is saved for last (though narrowly pipping Carlos's race winning face)

The look of someone who hadn't had much sleep the night before 

Anyway, JJ, I was thinking of you when I wrote about the thousand-yard stares, you looked a bit ker-buggered when you weaved wearily into the arrivée    Nothing a cup'o'tea and slice of cake couldn't fix, mind 

[jiberjaber]

Best gurn is saved for last (though narrowly pipping Carlos's race winning face)

The look of someone who hadn't had much sleep the night before 

Anyway, JJ, I was thinking of you when I wrote about the thousand-yard stares, you looked a bit ker-buggered when you weaved wearily into the arrivée    Nothing a cup'o'tea and slice of cake couldn't fix, mind 

Yes - I was in my own little world till the tea & cake kicked in... 

[Phil W]

a video of part of yesterday's ride:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBtlhcnr47I&feature=youtu.be

Can see it on a PC but not iPad.  Yep that is me at 3:17 and 6:19 into the video.  It was a bit warmer than I thought it would be.  At the first control (the bus stop in Thurlow) I peeled off my top layer down to a t shirt.  Could have done the ride in shorts and t-shirt plus gilet I reckon.  If it is the same this Sunday I'll will be a bit more lightly dressed for the Stevenage End of  Summertime 100.

[stevie63]

a video of part of yesterday's ride:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBtlhcnr47I&feature=youtu.be

Can see it on a PC but not iPad. 

Yeah that's because the video features copyrighted music

[earthloop]

This was my second ever audax, my first being LEL, and it was a nice day out in good company on a pleasant route, well organised and catered.

LEL had ruined my knees and had me off the bike for many weeks, and every attempt to get back on had failed with knee pain until in desperation I tried 125mm cranks and the knee pain vanished like a cake at a cycling event. I was soon back up to commuting full time on my botched 1x10 using the 34T chainring from my old compact double. A few weeks ago I'd done a 200 on it without coming to any harm, so I was now ready for something a bit longer.

Mrs Earthloop (LELers may know her as Lesley at Barnard Castle) was away on a course this weekend, so I planned to ride from home in Epsom Downs to Girton, do the audax and then ride home. That would give me 460km for the day, and good test of knee happiness. A week before, Nick's update email mentioned ECEing and I wondered what that was, looked it up and found that I needed to give 14 days notice. Oh well, next time.

I left home at 0250, the highlight of the ride in was encountering four lads dressed as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Morden, none of the revellers in Balham or Clapham could compare with that. Riding north I was quick, this cycling lark is easy. Tailwind ? No, I'm just awesome I got to Cambridge early enough to ride a little of the route before going to the start, racking up an extra 15km.

Registration and the off was very smooth, but just after overtaking most of the pack I unshipped the chain while changing up and had to wait while everyone passed me to get going again. This happens sometimes on my temporary botched testing setup, so I'm just living with it for now (and commuting single speed) until I decide if 125mm cranks are for me and get it set up properly with an MTB double or some such.

About 50km in I got a sudden sharp pain in the right buttock, and a few seconds later I realised that I'd been passed so close and so fast that I'd been fetched a stinging slap on the arse with a wing mirror. The car was almost out of sight before I realised what had happened, so I had no chance to get the plate and I'm not even sure which of a couple of cars it was This was not a high point, it bloody hurt.

There was scenery and wind and stuff, and then Framlingham for a re-stock of the front shopping basket at the coop. Off again on the return leg, more scenery and wind, and then I was stung by a bee in the upper trouser area. This was not a high point either, but as upper trouser area stings go the target selection of inner thigh was relatively merciful. There were no bits of bee sting left in the wound and it stopped hurting just in time for me to enjoy my flapjack and coffee at Maglia Rosso.

The final leg was tiring mentally us much as physically, being blown around by gusts of wind is unsettling. My front shopping basket is great for treating an all day bike ride as a long distance eating competition, but not all that aero and far from fantastic in a gusting crosswind. The km ticked down, towards the end I was leapfrogging an Audax Cambridge guy who's name I didn't get who stopped to put on warmer clothes (due to lack of flab, I expect) and then passed me again. I rode the last few km about 100m behind him, and it was very helpful to have a native guide through the insane peds and casual cyclists of Cambridge. Thank you for that, whoever you are.

Girton, and it turns out I have correctly obtained a receipt at my first ever commercial control, audax done

I need to get home before I'm too sleepy and there are too many drunks on the road, so there's no time to enjoy any soup and I hit the road again. I calculate that I need to average 24km into the headwind to make it by 11pm, and for the first couple of hours I'm just about doing that. The worst of the gusts seem to be over, things are looking good. I'm a bit worried about the dual carriageway in Harlow and have a slower bailout option ready, but it turns out fine with the very light motor traffic keeping well away from me over in the fast lane.

But once I hit central London evening traffic (and it's still windy in central, I was hoping for much more shelter) I slow right down, eventually getting home at around 2330.

Every part of my legs hurt now, but the knees are amongst the least hurty bits, so that's good. Maybe these short cranks are going to work out after all

[psyclist]

A week before, Nick's update email mentioned ECEing and I wondered what that was, looked it up and found that I needed to give 14 days notice. Oh well, next time.

Nice write-up. Sounds like a very long but interestingly eventful day. For future reference, the 14 day notice is only if you want the route to be checked. Otherwise you can enter the ECE right up until the last minute before you ride.

[jiberjaber]

Great adventure Earthloop! 

If you are ECE'ing by mandatory GPS route, you can usually put your entry in almost a few hours before you hit the road, though I usually put it in a day or so before.  I think the longer lead time is if you are using traditional proof of passage and require a paper brevet for that.

Impressed at the ride to and from Epsom, I considered riding from home but decided 90km back in to a headwind would put a dampener on the ride for me!

[wilkyboy]

That's a great write-up earthloop — it sounds like you had an epic day on the bike and an October 400 is a serious undertaking 

If you are ECE'ing by mandatory GPS route, you can usually put your entry in almost a few hours before you hit the road, though I usually put it in a day or so before.

Mandatory or advisory route, it doesn't matter — so long as you submit it before you start, even just a few minutes before you set off, then that's all good and fine.  Even a classic-brevet-ECE can be submitted at short notice, collect proofs-of-passage on the way to/from the event, then fill in the brevet and return to Martin a few days later when the brevet arrives.  I do usually book my ECEs the night before or earlier, as it's then one less thing to worry about on the day itself.

[earthloop]

Thanks all for the ECEing tips