Author Topic: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?  (Read 152900 times)

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #675 on: 08 November, 2020, 08:47:16 pm »
I had planned to start my mandatory DIY 200km at 08:30 yesterday morning but I waited an hour until the ice melted and the fog lifted a bit. It was still cold and misty, but the sun eventually broke through and winds were light so a great day for cycling.
My route zigzagged around the South Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire lanes, keeping well within 10 miles of home at all times. On the map it looks a bit like a flower with petals going off a central loop. At 101km it went past my house before doing the same loop in reverse. It was good to ride on some lanes that I hadn’t ridden for ages and I was surprised how tiring my local wolds are.
The late start meant a couple of hours in the dark and I was glad of my PBP gilet to keep my core warm when the temperature dropped. The worst bit of route was arriving at my home village and then having to ride another 10 mile loop in the cold and dark at the end. I polished this off reasonably quickly on familiar roads and made it home for tea at six o’clock with slightly aching legs.


Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #676 on: 09 November, 2020, 06:05:16 am »
I paid for some virtual brevets but never heard back from the DIY organiser

The DIY organiser could have presumed that you would (and will) go ahead and enter something.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #677 on: 09 November, 2020, 07:31:00 am »
I don't expect anything from my DIY org when I buy brevets?

(Although it is always lovely to hear from him)

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #678 on: 11 November, 2020, 10:17:51 am »
A DIY from home yesterday.  I usually drive about 30 miles to start / finish somewhere different to my local roads, thought I'd try a home start as it seems in the spirit of the current restrictions and it's also a while since I did this.

Even at 6.00am it felt mild helped by hardly any wind.  The temperature didn't change much through the day and some nice sunny spells - perfect cycling conditions.  Quiet roads to start with just a few early morning commuters.  It got busier through the morning, the lanes South of Sedgefield are used as rat runs, and I got to Newton Aycliffe in time for the school run.  One stupidly close pass, and one dozy school run Mum.  Then onto quiet roads through North Yorkshire and down to Northallerton.  Zig zag back, including my least liked road through East Durham.  A series of steep ups and downs through former pit villages - hard work as I was quite tired by then, and the villages aren't very scenic.

Still a nice day out though, hopefully that's my Covidian RRtY no.3 completed.
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #679 on: 11 November, 2020, 01:34:30 pm »
Not the Brace of Bramleys 200.  I paid for some virtual brevets but never heard back from the DIY organiser so I just rode the route  inna slightly anarchic way.

The purchase of DIY brevets is different to actually entering a DIY. Did you also do the latter?  I’m still using up a batch of DIY brevets I bought a few years back.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #680 on: 11 November, 2020, 02:12:41 pm »
Not the Brace of Bramleys 200.  I paid for some virtual brevets but never heard back from the DIY organiser so I just rode the route  inna slightly anarchic way.

The purchase of DIY brevets is different to actually entering a DIY. Did you also do the latter?  I’m still using up a batch of DIY brevets I bought a few years back.
I’ve got 200 to 600 perm cards going back to 2013 (a 3peaker one) I should have used by now, but they all require travelling to the start.
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

bairn again

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #681 on: 11 November, 2020, 02:14:32 pm »
Not the Brace of Bramleys 200.  I paid for some virtual brevets but never heard back from the DIY organiser so I just rode the route  inna slightly anarchic way.

The purchase of DIY brevets is different to actually entering a DIY. Did you also do the latter?  I’m still using up a batch of DIY brevets I bought a few years back.

I recall many years ago a local rider who would set off on a DIY ride without having submitted an entry and would collect receipts as he went.  If he felt like continuing would complete a 200 and submit his card for validation. 

His ad hoc arrangement hit the buffers when megajoules expenditure took over DIYs in Scotland and started applying the rules correctly!

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #682 on: 11 November, 2020, 10:33:25 pm »
I don't expect anything from my DIY org when I buy brevets?

(Although it is always lovely to hear from him)

I usually only hear from my one when I cock something up.
Like when I somehow managed to enter 3 DIYs without realizing it and so my count and his were out.

And also when I did something daft on Mull because I believed that "not the same road twice" was actually a rule and not "internet bullshit" and that there had been nothing wrong with my original plan to Figure of 8 the island using the Saline-Gruline road twice Westwards, instead increasing my distance by 20km hand going over Ben More twice... I was slightly late for my Ne'ers day meal.

bairn again

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #683 on: 12 November, 2020, 11:20:30 am »
I don't expect anything from my DIY org when I buy brevets?

(Although it is always lovely to hear from him)

I usually only hear from my one when I cock something up.
Like when I somehow managed to enter 3 DIYs without realizing it and so my count and his were out.

And also when I did something daft on Mull because I believed that "not the same road twice" was actually a rule and not "internet bullshit" and that there had been nothing wrong with my original plan to Figure of 8 the island using the Saline-Gruline road twice Westwards, instead increasing my distance by 20km hand going over Ben More twice... I was slightly late for my Ne'ers day meal.

Aye I think the guidance is there to avoid folk blatantly doing laps.  The official wording is "A route may visit a control more than once, but routes consisting of repeated passes over the
same circuit will not normally be approved


An excellent Borders calendar 200km features riding the same short section between The Glen Cafe and Cappercleugh, once as a retrace from the control to the turnoff to Talla, and again on the return to HQ from Moffat.  A similar distance as the bit on Mull.   

vistaed

  • Real name: James
    • Everyday stories
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #684 on: 12 November, 2020, 10:06:09 pm »
Feel like I'm breaking radio silence. I've just organised my first ever DIY, a mandatory 200 from home heading south into the Cotswolds on the 22nd. I have the same feeling of excitement that normally comes from entering a calendar event.
after hardship comes ease -
 www.strava.com/athletes/188220

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #685 on: 14 November, 2020, 11:56:24 am »
A couple of weeks ago I plotted a 120k route to tidy up the northern edge of my Veloviewer square.  As the forecast for this weekend wasn't great and Friday looked good (once the early rain had passed through) it seemed like good use of a day of holiday.  To make even better use of the day I trimmed the VV spikes off my route and tacked on an 80k loop around Leicester to make a mandatory DIY route for November's 200k.  This would also allow me to refuel at home and maintain my antisocial distancing.

The VV part of the route started off going though Newstead Abbey and ended up near Southwell.  The only sensible way to the start was through Nottingham and the route that Brouter picked for me seemed pretty decent apart from the flint-based visitation on the outskirts of Hucknall.

Newstead Abbey was impressive and surprisingly busy for a lockdown Friday.  There were a few busy roads that were unavoidable but plenty of pleasant lanes.  The route also cut through a section of Forestry Commision near Blidworth.  I was concerned about the surface after the overnight rain but all the tracks were in excellent condition.

Having finished the tile gathering I crossed the Trent at Gunthorpe and picked up my fairly standard laney route home from there.

I arrived at my pit stop at 3:45pm, the sunshine had now disappeared and it was getting a bit gloomy.  Motivation to get out and finish the DIY was low but the thought of 'wasting' the entry fee and the 120k that I had already done got me back on the road just before 5pm.

The roads seemed a bit quieter than a normal Friday evening rush hour but far busier than during Lockdown #1.  I made steady progress on an anticlockwise loop of Leicester on mostly familiar roads.  I have done hardly any night riding this year and enjoyed existing in the tiny world illuminated by my front light.  I had promised myself that I would pick up a posh Waitrose pizza and some beer on the way home but got there just after their 9pm closing time so had to make do with something not quite so posh from the Co-op.

3peaker

  • RRTY Mad 42 up
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #686 on: 17 November, 2020, 07:33:17 pm »
2nd Lockdown suggested I search for a ‘Local’ route. So, I designed a route of 2 loops from Cheltenham to stay close and realised the Controls matched my SP45, Glos & Worcs 200, so that is the route I rode. Dull day with some headwinds going South and hints of warm rain throughout; turn after Dursley and a glorious tailwind returning North. Managed 140km in daylight so a coffee in Upton as it was now dark, for a 60km night phase. That is 3x 200 for Nov, with 2 pre-LD.
SteveP

Promoting : Cheltenham Flyer 200, Cider with Rosie 150, Character Coln 100.

bairn again

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #687 on: 23 November, 2020, 09:35:18 am »
I managed out for a 200km yesterday. 

A beautiful but chilly day, I started just before 7am and finished in just over 10 hours.  By that time it was still light enough to see, but lights were required. 

I recorded the ride on my phone which was in my pocket so Id no speed or distance measurements other than when I stopped.  It felt very slow, but in reality wasnt too bad especially given that the previous week had been spent doing very little other than eating and drinking too much at my mother in laws while on annual leave, and Im carrying much extra timber.   

Thats 2021 under way, and is now 4 months of at least 1 event of 200km+.  I'll need to be careful!

Edit - a few pics

Jim Baxter looking cheery as well he might.



Rush hour in rural Perthshire (passed Davie Husband amid a gaggle of Angus CC riders just after this).



Time for tellytubbies?



Beginning to look a lot like Christmas


Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #688 on: 23 November, 2020, 09:54:04 am »
Second 200k DIY of the month yesterday.  The first one completed my third RRtY, I've been doing two each month since the re-start in August so this was number 4 of attempt number 4.

More or less the same route from home as the last one, this time on a Sunday so thankfully no sign of the frantic rush hour / school run traffic.  I started quite early so the first two hours were in darkness, but this meant that I got back home just as the sun was setting and before it was fully dark again.  A couple of gritter trucks passed me, suggesting the possibility of slippy surfaces, so I took it easy especially on the downhillls and corners.  No incidents though, I think it was just above the critical temperature.

Once the sun came up it soon turned into a lovely day and felt warm despite a breeze.  Quiet lanes in County Durham / North Yorkshire, and food stops using a flask, water bottles and food that I carried with me so no need to visit any shops.  It was quit cold once I stopped moving, so the stops were short.

Final stretch along the relentlesly undulating roads of East Durham, I was relieved to get home and after a hot shower, re-hydrate with some tasty Weisen beer.
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

3peaker

  • RRTY Mad 42 up
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #689 on: 02 December, 2020, 04:00:51 pm »
2nd Lockdown suggested I search for a ‘Local’ route. So, I designed a route of 2 loops from Cheltenham to stay close and realised the Controls matched my SP45, Glos & Worcs 200, so that is the route I rode. Dull day with some headwinds going South and hints of warm rain throughout; turn after Dursley and a glorious tailwind returning North. Managed 140km in daylight so a coffee in Upton as it was now dark, for a 60km night phase. That is 3x 200 for Nov, with 2 pre-LD.
Then Lockdown was due to end on 2nd Dec. The forecast was fine for 1st Dec but crap for 2nd. So, I just repeated the former route; weather was fine (in Winter gear). Bonus was completing RRtY33! Checking gps, rides were within 5 mins and ave speed within 0.1kph. Same bike too.
SteveP

Promoting : Cheltenham Flyer 200, Cider with Rosie 150, Character Coln 100.

bairn again

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #690 on: 03 December, 2020, 09:59:34 am »
For the first time in my working life, I was granted a free extra days leave as something of a non cash bonus with a proviso that it was taken by the end of December.  I decided to use the day to do a 200k DIY.   Given it was midweek I avoided A and B roads.  It had rained overnight and continued for the first two hours of my ride (6am start) and there was much mud and "Belgian toothpaste" on the roads especially near farms.  I was dreading a puncture but thankfully there were none. Im not sure a bike with disc brakes would have coped.   

Finished in daylight at 15.45 so quite a nice day out after the initial murk. 

That's 5 months in a row, will definitely have to be careful now.   

I know that there are plenty folk who ride DIYs midweek and it dawned on me that quite careful planning is required to avoid roads that are a no-no Mon-Fri, or maybe folk just ride the same or similar route every time.             

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #691 on: 03 December, 2020, 11:28:46 am »

I know that there are plenty folk who ride DIYs midweek and it dawned on me that quite careful planning is required to avoid roads that are a no-no Mon-Fri, or maybe folk just ride the same or similar route every time.             

Reasonable weather forecast for yesterday so I did my December DIY - number 5 of my 4th RRtY.  And yes, planning needed to avoid the worst of the weekday traffic.  Although needing to do a route that started from home and stayed in Tier 3 meant that my choices were limited.  Early start but this meant I got through the urban delights of Sunderland, Gateshead and Newcastle before the traffic built up.  Then quiet rural roads up to Mitford, across to Hexham, and back down the Tyne valley.  The last section was a lot busier, back through urban roads.  Most of the drivers OK, just a couple of close passes.  And quite hilly by my standards (6,000' of climbing) so an even slower time than usual.  Hopefully by January it will be OK for me to drive to a start / finish a bit further away so that I can avoid the busy roads.
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #692 on: 05 December, 2020, 09:11:24 pm »
With a northerly forecast, and an urge for a long ride, I dug into my virtual stock of DIY brevets and plotted a route that included most of my Highland Fling route to the Tyne Cycle tunnel (with a detour to check out the old railway path route - it's alright but a bit rough and busy and won't feature in the event), Shiremoor Waggonway, Seaton Burn and the A1 cyclepath past Stannington's palatial bus shelters to Morpeth. It started to hail. I stopped at a (less well-appointed) bus shelter to put my jacket on, and order my Costa via the app. By the time I'd fought my way through Morpeth's mad traffic, it was ready, and I spent probably ten seconds inside, which was the only time I went inside anywhere on the ride.

I had an extra loop out via Pigdon and back to Mitford and Tranwell, where it pissed down. And again after I'd rolled past Kingston Park and across the Town Moor into the city centre. I enjoyed riding down Grey Street, which really is one of the finest streets in the land, but I didn't stop to take any photos. And I think I'm finally getting the hang of Newcastle's cycle lanes, though the lads using the underpass on Dobson Street as a skate park presented a challenge.

Back over the Tyne, then (apart from a slight detour to Sacriston), it was pretty much the A167 all the way home. It's not a great deal of fun once you're past the Angel, but easy enough with a tailwind, and not horrendously busy even though I was an hour or two earlier than I'd expected to be.

Not a bad day out considering the amount of urban riding.


Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #693 on: 06 December, 2020, 09:00:10 pm »
Third consecutive weekend with a DIY200. It was cold, frost on the fields, in the morning and wet in the afternoon. The new pogies helped. Using these DIY to bag tiles, so a non-trivial amount of riding is on unsurfaced paths, or the path appears to exist only in Garmin's imagination :P Bike came home properly filthy... Managed to get back to the station with less than 5 minutes to spare; which was a good thing as the next train would be in an hour and with all this COVID stuff (no pubs open, no waiting rooms) it would have meant waiting on the platform, shivering.

ps Deano, that is a stunning picture, I love the composition, emphasising those vertical and diagonal lines.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #694 on: 06 December, 2020, 09:08:28 pm »
Third consecutive weekend with a DIY200. It was cold, frost on the fields, in the morning and wet in the afternoon. The new pogies helped. Using these DIY to bag tiles, so a non-trivial amount of riding is on unsurfaced paths, or the path appears to exist only in Garmin's imagination :P Bike came home properly filthy... Managed to get back to the station with less than 5 minutes to spare; which was a good thing as the next train would be in an hour and with all this COVID stuff (no pubs open, no waiting rooms) it would have meant waiting on the platform, shivering.

ps Deano, that is a stunning picture, I love the composition, emphasising those vertical and diagonal lines.

In February, you commented on the amount of stuff I had on the bike for a simple 200. Part of that was a big fluffy jacket for when I miss the train and have to wait 58 minutes on a cold platform for the next one.

Proper filthy you say...



J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #695 on: 06 December, 2020, 09:15:11 pm »
I know that there are plenty folk who ride DIYs midweek and it dawned on me that quite careful planning is required to avoid roads that are a no-no Mon-Fri, or maybe folk just ride the same or similar route every time.             

I guess it depends where you are, there's some A and B roads that are pretty quite due to lack of day trippers mid-week out of tourist season.

First time I rode up Glen Ogle was a quiet Wednesday, second an off-season Saturday, third time was summer...

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #696 on: 06 December, 2020, 09:22:24 pm »
I guess it depends where you are, there's some A and B roads that are pretty quite due to lack of day trippers mid-week out of tourist season.

First time I rode up Glen Ogle was a quiet Wednesday, second an off-season Saturday, third time was summer...

In a civilised country, it doesn't matter because of sensible cycle infrastructure...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #697 on: 06 December, 2020, 09:25:27 pm »
There is an MTB track up the railway in Glenogle but...

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #698 on: 07 December, 2020, 08:23:17 am »
In February, you commented on the amount of stuff I had on the bike for a simple 200. Part of that was a big fluffy jacket for when I miss the train and have to wait 58 minutes on a cold platform for the next one.
<grin/>
My packing list for this weekend
  • rain jacket + full rain pants
  • puffy jacket
  • 2 spare tubes + simple tools (allen keys, 8/10mm wrench)
  • "first aid" kit (most important: bog roll, some generic pain / stomach pills "just in case")
  • small Abus wire lock
  • spare pair of gloves
  • 9 mini krentebollen (that's food to you UK folks, ~ 1000kcal)
  • 3 cereal / nut bars
  • Kobo ereader (for in the train / waiting for the train
All of that fitted in this:

COVID meaning riding all in one go, no sit downs for coffee and cake (and warming up...)
Even with a down jacket and an ereader for company spending an hour on a wet and cold train station is best to be avoided IMO.

ps yes, your filth beats mine  :-* the one advantage of riding slicks in these conditions I suppose: the mud doesn't cake on that much  ;D (makes for interesting riding though, slicks on wet mud)

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #699 on: 14 December, 2020, 08:53:02 am »
A very wet 200km diy yesterday,  up to amesbury( first vist this year and didn't stop) over the edge of Salisbury plain and pewsey vale found a nice brick bus shelter for lunch. Back via whitchurch and new alresford .
Picked up a slow flat on the last bit, fortunately it got me home without a change in the dark needed.

Highlight of the day, spending £2.10 on a takeaway tea. First time I've spent any money on a bike ride in 6 weeks,