Mille Cymru - Welsh 1000 - 23-26/07/2010

[Hummers]

Is it me or is anyone else concerned that so many riders have been riding sections of the route in advance of the event?  

Why only this weekend, I understand that an event was deliberately organsied (on the same Sunday as my local Club Run) that covered a sizeable chunk of the land they call Wales.

Call me sensitive but I feel this is not only is this unsporting and therefore un-British but it also not in the S O A* and falls into the same black hole of loathsome activity as training, diets, cycling computers, GPS, route sheets with intermediate distances between instructions and buying new tyres.

Surely, this will give these riders an unfair advantage over those of us who have been restricted to the flatter countryside of the south coast and south west of England and are 'making do'?

Live and let live, I say but feel it only reasonable that anyone who has been to Wales in the past 3 months (on a bike or otherwise) is penalised in some way for having the bareface temerity to find out what they have let themselves in for in just over a month's time.

I doubt I am alone in thinking this and suspect that there are many other right-thinking paid up members of AUK that feel exactly the same and are nodding their head in agreement as they read this.

The question is, what is going to be done about this?

H

[Shinna]

i rode the Snowdon and Caost this weekend, which covers a chunck of the first leg. I definatley don't feel that this now puts me at am advantage. Better not to know what awaits I thimk! 

[Needham-matt]

Is it me or is anyone else concerned that so many riders have been riding sections of the route in advance of the event?  

I'm playing by the rules, I'm not going to cycle anywhere but East Anglia for the next 6 weeks, I've got a funny feeling this ride is going to sting a bit.

[Weirdy Biker]

It will be interesting to see whether those of this fraternity who rode longer rides in Wales (400+) that share lots of tarmac (and sheep sh*t) with the MC1K (Snowdon and Coast being the most obvious) get as much enjoyment out of the route as those of us who have the ride unfold for the first time.

I am purposefully avoiding such rides so as to hold out for that "wow" factor I suspect this ride will have.  Or should that be "ow" factor?

[Hot Flatus]

Any preference for which point during the 3 days that you would like me to ask you that?
 

[Weirdy Biker]

I suspect it will have to be within 5km of the start, which is likely to be the last time I see you before you disappear over the horizon....

...after that, our contact will be limited to the possibility of me snoozing in your crusty remnants 
 
That reminds me, must dig out mummy sack.

[Plodder]

Is it me or is anyone else concerned that so many riders have been riding sections of the route in advance of the event? 

Why only this weekend, I understand that an event was deliberately organsied (on the same Sunday as my local Club Run) that covered a sizeable chunk of the land they call Wales.

Call me sensitive but I feel this is not only is this unsporting and therefore un-British but it also not in the S O A* and falls into the same black hole of loathsome activity as training, diets, cycling computers, GPS, route sheets with intermediate distances between instructions and buying new tyres.

Surely, this will give these riders an unfair advantage over those of us who have been restricted to the flatter countryside of the south coast and south west of England and are 'making do'?

Live and let live, I say but feel it only reasonable that anyone who has been to Wales in the past 3 months (on a bike or otherwise) is penalised in some way for having the bareface temerity to find out what they have let themselves in for in just over a month's time.

Now let me see, Mr H, those of us who rode the delightful and enjoyable 405k of the well-organised Snowdon & Coast earned ourselves 2 AAA points climbing only 4194m, an average of 10.36 m/km.

You, who rode the Sussex Corker, also earned 2 AAA points by climbing 2080m, giving an average of 19.44 m/km, which is twice the intensity of our little jaunt around that beautiful Principality, the land of my fathers, and nearer the intensity of those Wessex rides we have enjoyed this year.

You also rode to and from the event, which means crossing the southern half of the South Downs twice, so in terms of training you missed out on nothing.

I doubt I am alone in thinking this and suspect that there are many other right-thinking paid up members of AUK that feel exactly the same and are nodding their head in agreement as they read this.

The question is, what is going to be done about this?

1. Remove wooden spoon from H's stirring hand.
2. Send H to another continent for a couple of weeks and feed him a diet of local wine and smelly cheese to further disadvantage him. Bon voyage, mon brave.

 

[Hummers]

Plodder: I have no idea what you are talking about but I certainly object to your tone and am considering reporting your post to the moderator.

As for the rest of you, those that have gone on furtive scouting missions into the (for the rest of us) unknown, I trust that you will be able to reconcile your feelings of guilt with the feel of that shirt on your cowardly yellow flesh.

Think on!

H

[cyclone]

As for the rest of you, those that have gone on furtive scouting missions into the (for the rest of us) unknown, I trust that you will be able to reconcile your feelings of guilt with the feel of that shirt on your cowardly yellow flesh

So Welsh residents shouldn't ride in Wales  only The South West....be easier if they hadnt delayed the ferry to N.Devon 

[Hot Flatus]

Hummers is like Rasmussen claiming to be riding in Mexico when in fact he is mountain training in Italy.

Whatever smokescreen he may be trying to put up, or whichever shabby tactics he is using to demoralise and discourage other riders, he'll be found out.  When the AUK authorities hear of this, and I've every intention that they will, expect a minimum of disqualification from the Mille and if there is any justice, a two year ban.

For this is an ignoble and profane violation of that precious and most venerable of things.... The Spirit of Audax.

[thing1]

Call me sensitive but I feel this is not only is this unsporting and therefore un-British but it also not in the S O A* and falls into the same black hole of loathsome activity as training, diets, cycling computers, GPS, route sheets with intermediate distances between instructions and buying new tyres.

I refer the gentleman to his own admission, in this thread. Now, if scurrying off to climb mountains of a Continental Nature does not qualify as training, I'm not sure what does. Hmmmm?



The tension building up on here is glorious. Perhaps adding this to your signature will help it along further:

[Manotea]

Personally I think the amateur status of anybody living outside the M25 is rather suspect.

And as for AUKs who move to Wales, well....

[Greenbank]

As for the rest of you, those that have gone on furtive scouting missions into the (for the rest of us) unknown, I trust that you will be able to reconcile your feelings of guilt with the feel of that shirt on your cowardly yellow flesh.

May I take you back to a warm summers day in Dalkeith Rugby Club last July?

In amongst the frankly rather disturbing and frightening comments from you that I've still not completely managed to blank out I'm sure there were some compliments for my earlier reconnaissance ride of the LEL route and the posting of details thereof.

Yours, etc...

[Bluetooth]

Hello, I`m 53 and a Norwegian who , on the spur of the moment signed up for this event when some more places where announced in May. I have been on a bicycle in GB once before some 30 years ago. I have no clue as to what I have let myself in for, but hope that I can get some advice here. I have only recently started riding longer distances (did PBP as my first "serious" event in 2007) so I am not very expeienced in riding an Audax by map,. Will there be groups to ride with ? If not (or, heaven forbid, I get dropped) , is the route well marked ? I hope to use my newly bought Garmin 705 but have yet to master the GPS function. What kind of weather to expect ?

[Hot Flatus]

Hello, I`m 53 and a Norwegian who , on the spur of the moment signed up for this event when some more places where announced in May. I have been on a bicycle in GB once before some 30 years ago. I have no clue as to what I have let myself in for, but hope that I can get some advice here. I have only recently started riding longer distances (did PBP as my first "serious" event in 2007) so I am not very expeienced in riding an Audax by map,. Will there be groups to ride with ? If not (or, heaven forbid, I get dropped) , is the route well marked ? I hope to use my newly bought Garmin 705 but have yet to master the GPS function. What kind of weather to expect ?

Hello Bluetooth

This is the right place to ask about this event.  The route will not be marked at all, but the routesheet will be good. As long as you keep an eye on your bike computer distance it will be easy to navigate.  Maps will not be needed, but can be carried as a backup. I too will be using a 705 and hopefully not using the routesheet at all. You'll need some sort of external powerpack for your GPS as the internal battery will only last about 15 hours.  I'd suggest finding a good web-based site to plot routes, download them as gpxx (not gpx) and experiment with all the settings well in advance.  Bike Trails, Paths & Routes From Over 40 Countries at Bikely.com will work in Norway but doesnt offer gpxx.

There will be gpx files available here  and you can also download the routesheets on the same page to get an idea

There are about 100 riders so there will be groups strung out for miles and miles.  By the end of the first 350k, the difference between the first back to the sleep base and the last may be as much as 6 or 7 hours.  As far as weather is concerned come equipped for rain and temperatures up to high 20s. It is unlikely to be windy but you never know.

[Greenbank]

Can't wait to read some of the replies to this. These are just my opinions so don't take them as fact, there will be plenty of different viewpoints along shortly...

Will there be groups to ride with?

Yes and no. It's going to be much smaller than PBP (100 riders vs 5000) but small groups of similar paced riders will still form. You'll have to work at it though, be prepared to chat to the other riders and share the workload (or apologise for not being able to do your share). Silent wheel-sucking will win you no friends.

Also, with a much smaller field there's less chance of jumping between groups if, for example, some people want to stop at a control for longer than you want to, or vice versa.

If not (or, heaven forbid, I get dropped) , is the route well marked ?

No, Audaxes in the UK aren't marked at all. One or two controls may be marked but it's usually obvious from the number of bikes piled up outside. See next answer though...

I hope to use my newly bought Garmin 705 but have yet to master the GPS function.

Master your GPS and you'll be fine, there are plenty of people on here who will give you advice on how to use it (tracks/routes/etc), how to make it last for multiple days (you'll need an external battery pack of some sort as it is unlikely that you can rely on recharging it by plugging it in anywhere).

I use an Edge 705 for Audaxing and, properly setup, you shouldn't need the routesheet except as a backup.

Navigating by routesheet isn't that difficult but you'll definitely need to have some idea how to do it just in case.

What kind of weather to expect ?

The UK climate is changeable, Wales even more so. If you did PBP 2007 then that's one end of the scale of what could happen (I didn't ride it but I read the stories).

Plan and prepare for rain but bring suncream. It may be cool at the top of the passes (you only go up to 600m elevation max) and you'll get cold on the descents if wet. Temperature drops quite a bit after dark (see below) but never below freezing in July.

Here's a photo of Snowdonia (you'll be going through here on day 1):-

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/IMG_0910.JPG

Quite a few people got a bit of sunburn that day. Later that night it rained (the faster riders would have missed that). On another day you'd get 30mm of rain there.

Daytime temperature should be mid 20s ^oC but a rare heatwave could push that up to low ^o30s C, at night it shouldn't go below 5^oC but that means you'll need an extra layer (arm/leg warmers, windproof gilet/jacket and possibly a skullcap/headwarmer).

[Thing2]

Oh dear.

There is no place to hide anymore.

Can I mention that I'm a bit scared now?  

Emma

[Manotea]

99 Riders! Bl***dy H*ll!

[Weirdy Biker]

The usual suspects....

[Nuncio]

... plus Bluetooth.

[simonp]

Three flatlanders at least: Needham-matt, Nick Jackson, yours truly.  Does Marcus also count as a flatlander?

I was fixed-gear training in Scotland yesterday

[Hot Flatus]

I was fixed-gear training in Scotland yesterday

Excellent Simon. I take my hat off to you for attempting the Mille on fixed 

[simonp]

I was fixed-gear training in Scotland yesterday

Excellent Simon. I take my hat off to you for attempting the Mille on fixed 

Don't be silly. I rode along a pan flat coast road.

[marcus]

Does Marcus also count as a flatlander?

Well, I live in Peterborough and you can't get much flatter than that. 

[Hummers]

Hello, I`m 53 and a Norwegian who , on the spur of the moment signed up for this event when some more places where announced in May. I have been on a bicycle in GB once before some 30 years ago. I have no clue as to what I have let myself in for, but hope that I can get some advice here. I have only recently started riding longer distances (did PBP as my first "serious" event in 2007) so I am not very expeienced in riding an Audax by map,. Will there be groups to ride with ? If not (or, heaven forbid, I get dropped) , is the route well marked ? I hope to use my newly bought Garmin 705 but have yet to master the GPS function. What kind of weather to expect ?

Hello and welcome Bluetooth.

It would seem that you, like me, are a stranger to Wales.

I have heard there is much to see there and the climate and people are generally hospitable yet I would imagine, as with Cornwall, there are bound to be exceptions to this.

As others have kindly pointed out, there will be no cheating in the way of way-marking for this event and you would be wise to measure the guidance of those who eschew the use of those traditional companions of the Audaxer: the route sheet, a set of 1:25000 OS Maps and a spirit of self-reliance that cannot be recharged or replaced with fresh AA batteries. I trust the point I am trying to thrust home will not be blunted by the barrier of our tongues.

But tell me of your homeland: the sweet smelling vallleys, the swooping glaciers, dark bottomless fiords and towering purple headed mountains...  I wonder what a tour of Wales offers you when there is so much beauty where you live?

Unless of course, you, like me, see this event as a journey into the unknown and one fraught with hardship and suffering brought about by our own hand and no one else's.

I hope this is the case and look forward to meeting you at the start.

H