PBP Qualifier - Cambridge - 27/4 - The Capitals of East Anglia 300

[FiveFives]

I've just signed up, looks like a great route, hoping for a reverse in the prevailing winds to make the most of the fens heading home.


https://www.camaudax.uk/rides/the-capitals-of-east-anglia-300/2019/

[Phil W]

I am doing this one as well. I did Nick's Tour of East Anglia perm in 2017 which will have much in common with this event's route I think. Did the perm on my recumbent but will be doing this event on road bike. Just got the Easter Arrow to get out the the way the week before first.  Think Nick is doing route check this weekend.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I'll be tandeming it with the Wee McTaggart.

[wilkyboy]

I just hadn't gotten around to it, that's all 55s.  Here's the promo blurb, with a photo of me on Dunwich beach staring at the North Sea pensively, hoping for an onshore breeze to blow me home:

A brand new 300km event from Cambridge Audax that heads far out into the ‘wilds’ of Suffolk, dipping a toe in the North Sea at Dunwich, and then to the civilisation that is Norfolk, before heading back to Cambridge via the ‘badlands’ of Fenlandia.

The route visits five capitals of East Anglia on its way, although the real interest is the predominance of very quiet lanes and B-roads that make up this route, taking you through some very picturesque farming landscapes of one of the most important agricultural regions of the UK, as well as visiting the Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB.

[wilkyboy]

I'm riding the route-check tomorrow morning, and — lucky me — it looks like I'll have the aforementioned onshore breeze    I've just got to fight it to Norwich 

I don't know what a good-sized field looks like for a 300, as this is our first, but I think it's going to be a decent size.  There's still plenty of space, though!  Baking doesn't start for another ten days

Website here — https://www.camaudax.uk/cea

[wilkyboy]

I am doing this one as well. I did Nick's Tour of East Anglia perm in 2017 which will have much in common with this event's route I think.

The routes are the same to Tuddenham, about 5km after Ipswich, where they diverge, before rejoining thru Norwich and splitting once more on the other side.  They don't rejoin until 2km before the end.

Really, after Ipswich they are quite different routes, but with a very similar feel.

Both go below sea-level thru Fenlandia 

[wilkyboy]

I'll be tandeming it with the Wee McTaggart.

Apart from Hartest Hill, this is a very tandem-friendly route 

Also fixed-friendly — even on fixed, Hartest only takes 2.5 minutes of tacking up the 10% bit from bottom to top, East Anglia is not known for its mountains 

Edit — and, as Phil says further on, 'bent-friendly too, as there's not a lot of winching, and plenty of gently rolling, or very-flat, to really stretch the legs.  In fact, if the wind is prevailing, some sort of 'bent or vélomobile would be the preferred option 

[Nik's Nick]

No mountains, but plenty of dutch hills normally available.

[Phil W]

And recumbent friendly as well having done the Tour of East Anglia perm and other events in that area on the recumbent.

[Wycombewheeler]

Looks great. But after doing 3down and the Easter arrow a 3rd all day ride in April is pushing it.

[wilkyboy]

Route check done.

It snowed — SNOWED!! — and temperature varied from -5° to + 7°C and back again!!  Where did April go?!! 

Blimey, that was a tough one.  No major changes but some updates to follow.

[Wobbly]

Blimey.

Chapeau!

[Phil W]

In fact, if the wind is prevailing, some sort of 'bent or vélomobile would be the preferred option 

If the forecast wind speeds turn black like the Pork Pie then I may well turn up with the recumbent.

[FiveFives]

Weather is looking 'lively', not too horrible, but certainly would of been nice to have this weekends weather (and wind!) instead!!

[Alex B]

Weather is looking 'lively', not too horrible, but certainly would of been nice to have this weekends weather (and wind!) instead!!

For those unfamiliar, riding from Lakenheath to Ely into a 30 km/h headwind will be a gentle introduction to what Fenland riding is all about.

[alotronic]

Well at least it's a new route so, not being a local, I won't be able to anticipate where the bad bits are I will be in Normandicat training mode (eg riding alone, strictly to HR) so those long headwind legs will hurt.... but in the right way... Might even pop on the tribars to affect that full #farfast look, because it's what you look like in black and white photos that matters.

[wilkyboy]

For those unfamiliar, riding from Lakenheath to Ely into a 30 km/h headwind will be a gentle introduction to what Fenland riding is all about.

Yes, exactly as Alex said 

Still, at least it will be warm    By which I mean "not cold" 

Just some final tweaks to go into the routesheet from helpers' ride on Saturday (which was in near-perfect conditions) and I'll send some more information out to entrants.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Hopefully there won't be overly gusty sidewinds for our tandem.

[wilkyboy]

Hopefully there won't be overly gusty sidewinds for our tandem.

No, I think it'll be more a stiff breeze than a gusty wind.

You'll have mostly-tailwind to Dunwich.  The crosswind section is Dunwich to Norwich, but this section is quite well hedged-in and mostly lanes.  And then headwind all the way from Norwich to Watton (mix of hedged and exposed), and to Ely (very exposed, typical big-skies, character-building Fendland section), and back home (more hedgery).  I'm not expecting anyone, even tandems, to have any specific wind-related issues, excepting the into-the-wind-suffering to Ely.

Thinking through the route, the only section that might feel exposed-crosswindy is from Feltwell to Lakenheath, and the wind will be from your right, which is the preferred I think.  You'll be there after 7pm, some well after that, so traffic will be light anyway.  The surface is smooth and I don't recall any potholes to avoid.

[quixoticgeek]

Is this an annual event? I can't do this year, but would love to try it next year.

J

[wilkyboy]

Is this an annual event? I can't do this year, but would love to try it next year.

J

First running of a 300 by us this year.  We'll see how it goes, but I'm hopeful it will turn into an annual event.

[Phil W]

Bottom bracket developed a creak on the Easter Arrow.  It developed during hotter part of day and disappeared as it cooled down overnight.  Suspect (hope) it has just worked a bit lose and needs taking out, regreasing, and refitting. Anyway that is today's job.

The Pork Pie brought strong winds, The Easter Arrow brought the first warmth, and ( inadequately dressed for ) night section freezing temps for me.  If we get a headwind and the forecast rain then that will add to the conditions ridden in on this years brevets.  Always worth getting reminders as you move back up the distances of what you might encounter.  Helps you refine your kit choices rather than get lulled into  those I'll be wam enough, it won't rain type thoughts.

[wilkyboy]

Looking on the bright side —

If we get a headwind ...

Every headwind comes with a tailwind, Phil    Except on The Flatlands 2015, which was just 600km of headwind 

... and the forecast mere possibility of rain ...

FTFY.

... then that will add to the conditions ridden in on this years brevets.

Which is all grist to the mill for PBP preparation.

You're welcome 

[rob]

I'm having a slightly more relaxed weekend on the Heart of Anglia 200.   Looks like the routes sort of cross in the fens but I think you'll all be through by the time I get there.

[duncan]

It's looking pretty windy and wet for this weekend at the moment

https://www.metcheck.com/WEATHER/dayforecast.asp?zipcode=Ely&locationID=57514&lat=52.4&lon=0.3&dateFor=27/04/2019