Essex PBP Seminar - 11th October, 8pm

[Tomsk]

Anybody else got any good photos? Just doing a report for the local paper......

[Cycling Redemption]

Thanks to Tom for setting up this interesting and entertaining evening.  Fascinated by the various experiences and pointers on how to proceed.  I have long way to being ride fit but I can see there are great possibilities, the evening has spurred me on rather than put me off, I look forward to meeting many of you in the qualifying events leading up to PBP.

[tippers_kiwi]

Thanks Tomsk for setting it up and thanks to all those for sharing their experiences. Just a case of 'Craking On' now I guess.

It was good to put a lot of faces to names (or Aliases)

[oldcycler]

Thank you, Tom, for setting up a great seminar and gathering so much experience in one place for our benefit and thanks to all the past riders for turning up to share their thoughts. No excuses left, it's down to us to get the miles in and enjoy the learning curve.

[Tomsk]

^ Happy to help

[alotronic]

Hmmm, must be getting used to this Audax thing as I found it a very pleasant use of a Saturday night, but when I told work colleagues that I'd spent the night in the middle of Essex listening to some mad English folk wax lyrical about riding four days straight, an Aussie talking about how to avoid getting pissed on and, whats more, that the evening was run by a guy with badger scars they thought I was nuts. But then they just sat around watching movies and box sets <= dull dull dull!

Thanks for a great night Tom, and now I have more faces to names and a little circle of flashy metal I feel a little more like a Audaxer and more like someone who might actually do the PBP - now that I've said it aloud to other members of the cult I feel obligated to follow through.

And thanks to to LitteWheelsAndBig and HK for your contribution - a fine double act.

[jsabine]

Aye, I'll add my thanks to Tomsk for organising, to everyone else who contributed words of wisdom, and to Redlight for transport services from SE London - it was all very much appreciated.

All fairly reassuring in many ways in terms of the ride itself being just another bike ride (albeit a long and busy one ...), but really helpful in terms of helping clarify some of the logistical issues and ensuring that the mystique of PBP doesn't become a barrier in itself.

[Redlight]

I thought it was a great evening and look forward to meeting everyone again on the road next Spring.

In the meantime, Tomsk, is this your bar bag mascot at 5.55?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7XBWB9cLB0

[Tomsk]

^ Fame for Boggis the monkey! [Frequently referred to as an 'Urs', but only apparent as a 'Singe' if you get a glimpse of his long tail]

He had a tartan ribbon for LEL.

[Oscar's dad]

I'm thinking of taking Marion the Marmotte glove puppet. She was adopted during our trip to the Alps in June.  She's a bit of a moody cow so might not like being strapped to the back of my bike for 4 days.

[Redlight]

Tigger's looking forward to his 3rd PBP sitting on my bars.  He knows the route pretty well now so all those people pinching direction signs on the way back won't present any problem.

[i cycle]

My medal turned up yesterday wish I could of made to pick it up in person, seemed I missed a good evening. 
Thanks Tomsk for a great SR series will be back next year looking to do the Essex Grand Slam for the first time.

[Justin(e)]

Just doing a report for the local paper......

Post here ...

[Tomsk]

Ok - didn't get into last weeks edition due to lack of space apparently, fingers crossed for this week. Here you are:

Essex Super-Randonneur Medal Presentation and Paris-Brest-Paris Seminar at ‘The Compasses’, Littley Green.

On the evening of Saturday 11th October, 30 long distance cyclists from Essex and London, along with partners and family [‘support crew’] met up at ‘The Compasses’, Littley Green, near Felsted, for an evening devoted to endurance cycling. A presentation ceremony also took place for the Essex Super-Randonneur award, for riding Essex events of 200, 300, 400 and 600 kilometres in the 2013-14 season. Of the 24 riders achieving this award, 13 were present to receive their medal in person, in total a doubling of the numbers over last year, which was the first time the medals were awarded. Once again, Flitchbikes of Great Dunmow kindly sponsored the cost of the medals.
The main item on the agenda was discussion of the forthcoming epic 1200 kilometre Paris-Brest-Paris [PBP] ride, in 2015. First run in 1891, PBP now comes around every 4 years; over 6,000 elite long distance riders from all over the world have to complete qualifying events in order to take part. Riders have up to 90 hours to complete the distance, including time off for eating and sleeping. Tom Deakins of Flitchbikes CC, invited several veterans of the event and led discussion of the many challenges and pitfalls of such an arduous ride, and also reassured and encouraged newcomers to endurance cycling. Judith Swallow and Dave Minter also brought along memorabilia from past events, including medals belonging to Barry Parslow, the first British rider to complete PBP in 1966.
Tom Deakins is organising four of the Essex qualifying rides next year, two of which will start from Churchend, Dunmow and two from Manningtree:

7th March: ‘The Horsepower 200km’
11th April: ‘Green and Yellow Fields 300km’
9th May ‘Asparagus and Strawberries 400km’
23rd May ‘The Flatlands 600km’

Full details on www.aukweb.net or from the organiser  tom.deakins@btinternet.com

[Bairn Again]

loving the use of "epic" and "elite"...thats us.   

[Tomsk]

loving the use of "epic" and "elite"...thats us.   

....to pre-empt the cries of 'nutters and deviants' ! Anyone being interviewed about their, possibly rather extreme, achievements ends up with them having to justify climbing Everest/cycling round the world/running back-to-back marathons etc.....or simply cycling to the pub.

[tonyh]

That's a really good article - gets lots of points across clearly, and has lots of general interest too. 

[Oscar's dad]

Late this afternoon, on behalf of Tomsk, I presented Christophe with his Essex SR medal ...

[Christophe]

Many thanks to Tomsk for organising the Essex SR and medal.
Also thanks to OD for dropping the medal off.

The pleasure was all mine!

[delthebike]

If I ever get an Essex SR shiny I would like my podium girl to have a shave! 

[Oscar's dad]

If I ever get an Essex SR shiny I would like my podium girl to have a shave! 

Mate, I don't think you're in any position to be picky 

[Christophe]

If I ever get an Essex SR shiny I would like my podium girl to have a shave! 

When he presented the bouquet the peck on the cheeks wasn't too pleasant!