Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?

[D.A.L.E.]

Depends on the Org.

I've used selfies.

Which filter did you use? I really like that puppy one.

[JonJo]

Another DIY 200, this time from Newburn to Longtown and back for no other reason than it took me along the Clattering Causeway.

No Garmin routing problems today as the route was a list of villages on a piece of paper. It's a cracking route. Very scenic, huge, wide open spaces, plenty of creature features, lots of caffs and quiet roads. This morning there was no traffic at all on the Clattering Causeway. A bit busier this afternoon with two cars and one walker.

As with Monday's ride, the BBC told me I wouldn't get wet. Also, as with Monday's ride I got almost drowned about six miles from the end which was a real pain as I didn't have anything dry to wear in the pub so didn't get my pint of Sunny Daze at the Keelmans.

[Paul H]

   (My worst nightmare would be a garmin malfunction so ride completed but not validated)

I wish that was my worst nightmare
After a few Garmin failures, some of them might have been my fault, I bought a £25 GPS logger.  Switch it on, stick it in my pocket and forget about it till the end of the ride.  You can change the recording frequency to last up to 60 hours, or plug it into a lipstick power bank an it'll run for days.
This one, though there are others
www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/ce/en/product/373686/GPS-logger-Renkforce-GT-730FL-S-Black?

[halvis]

Yesterday I did the Audax Ireland Midlands Meander to complete a hat trick of summer perms. 

Be warned, while it's certainly true the midlands of Ireland is not mountainous, it can certainly be lumpy as this ride has proven.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1797081871

[Bairn Again]

I had the English bank holiday yesterday so decided on a 200 on using the quietest roads I could find. 

0522 train from Edinburgh Haymarket - Dunblance and up and away through Comrie, eastwards to Perth, round by Stormontfield and Wolfhill to Collace avoiding the A93/A94, lanes to Coupar Angus and to Meigle for lunch at 105km. 

Id a short stretch on the A94 immediately after lunch where I drafted a 20mph tractor and then a turn right to retrace to Perth via Newtyle, CA and Kinrossie. 

Brief stop for a bidon refill near McDairmid Park and back out my route in to Madderty then back to Dunblane via Auchterarder and Kinbuck.

Id just missed the 1558 train back to Edinburgh so had a pint in the sunshine.   

It was wet to start with, but the weather warmed up a bit later on (still arm & leg warmers territory though).

I was riding and climbling quite strongly in the first 100km, but turning back into the SW breeze took its toll and I ran out of puff a bit later on- the dfrag up through and out of Auchterarder was particularly arduous, but I think Ive managed to learn to like the humply road between Gleneagles and Braco now

That (subject to validation) makes 40 points for the season.   
   

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Yep but I started yesterday. For various unimportant reasons, I've not ridden an AUK 200 this month and decided to fit in a later-than-last-gasp perm to keep a RRtY rolling along.

Reader's Digest ride report: Switch off the work computer Friday evening (an hour later than hoped), a Superman change into bike kit and off into the Friday evening traffic on fixed. Kingston to Pangbourne and on to a friend's place in the Vale of the White Horse. A late evening hour spent catching up on each other's doings before I was back out into blackness. A few minutes snacking in a Monks Risborough bus stop before a short walk up to the top of the ridge. Rolling the last kilometres to the arrivee, mostly downhill but with a couple of unwelcome steep pinches. Shower and into bed before dawn arrived - I'll take that.

[Pingu]

Memus 200km DIYxGPS

A well-ventilated and slightly soggy pootle into the wilds of Angus. A late start 'cos I is a fairweather cyclist. Nice tailie home

Spotted: a several of buzzards, a kestrel, heron, partridges, dead deer, dead badger, dead sqrl, live sqrl.

[bairn again]

I rode Edinburgh - Stonehaven one way today for my final 200km of the season.

I left home at 0515 as Id booked a cheap train back to Edinburgh at 1510.

Very cold and dark for the 1st hour where I was a bit sluggish.  It remained chilly til Perth (70km) where I decided to stop for breakfast, way earlier than Id normally stop. Thankfully it warmed up a bit around Perth Airport and I started to pick up speed helped by the tailwind. 

I went round Forfar avoiding McDs and missed out Montrose in return for a clockwise run round the basin, scoping out an info control for the Auld Alliance on the way.

Quick stop in the sun at Hillside then it was a wee bit tricky heading out to Fettercairn with strong side gusts.  After that it was a block tailwind almost all the way to Stoney where I arrived at 1430.

Quick change, wash, pint, train snooze, and a 6km ride home from Haymarket. 

Very tired after a super early rise.     

42 points for the season - Id have been over 50 were it not for a couple of piss poor DNSs but WFT. Bring on 2019



   

[Pingu]

A DIYxGPS.

A bit frikkin' cold in the morning, 1°C in Banchory, numb fingers. Otherwise a lovely sunny, autumnal day punctuated with a couple of showers. Some sort of cycle event going on on the south Deeside road from Aboyne, judging bythe number of cyclists. A few new roads to me, some of which I might even cycle again.

I declined to use the public toilet in Fyvie because Trainspotting 

Spotted: a several of deer, a several of buzzards, a lapwing being bullied by gulls, a kestrel sitting on a roadside verge.

[Manotea]

Waiting in Burger King , Guildford to meet-up with Mr Malins, 45km in to a 200 round Hampshire.  Lovely day to be out.

Blue skies, soaring above, nothing but blue skies, from now on.

[j_a_m_e_s_]

Ditchling Devil Permanent.Entered and exited at Hampton Court Bridge, for my first foray into freewheeling, I thought I'd coast my way to the coast and back.
Having come into Audax, indeed any cycling, on fixed, this was my first ride of any distance coasting. 42/20 singlespeed, incredibly spinny on the flats, but I wasn't sure how I'd climb. As it turns out, I left before the rush hour and made it back in time for the school run(ish), without any real struggle over Ditchling and Coombe Lane.

[Ivo]

Finishing my 3rd RRtY yesterday with a DIY 200. Highlights of the tour were a relatively new nature park on the grounds of the former UK amo depot near RAF Brüggen and the sunset.
The old amo depot is now the Brachter Forst protected area. Some of the old structures are still in tact and are slowly taken over by nature. The old military roads crisscross the area which makes for great cycling:











Access via small gates so not suited for anything but standard bikes and short recumbents.





While returning the evening sun was superb





It was the first DIY 200 of my new audax bike:





On the satalite pics the former amo depot is easy to spot.
https://www.relive.cc/view/1894857842

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Yesterday HK and I trundled down to Lymington via a doglegged 205km route to get to the Gridiron start. A persistent southerly meant I spent a chunk of time on her wheel. Unfortunately, more than three weeks off the bike seems to have demolished most of my summer fitness. Hopefully I'll get most of it back before winter sets in properly.

The heavy and persistent rain this morning means we're having second thoughts about riding the Gridiron today. If we're sufficiently lightweight, perhaps we'll just drift over to Southampton for our train back to the Big Smoke.

[bairn again]

I DNSd yesterdays Gala 200 given the yellow weather warning so instead did a DIY 200 today which doubled as a route check for the first and last 100km  for next years Auld Alliance 400km. 

Cracking autumn day on a bike, not fast but with 11 hrs daylight there was room for much checking, photos, two cafe stops and still got home before dark. 

Much enjoyment and a few tweaks to the route.  Id forgotten that the vast majority of the 60km from Causewayhead to Haymarket in Edinburgh can be ridden on lovely tarmac bike paths. 

Just after the turn, nr Gleneagles, enjoying our famous Scottish sunshine. 



Nr Kincardine.  "L sp Fife Coastal Path"



Our oldest and loveliest bridge looking majestic in the autumn sun.  The Queensferry crossing was visible (and very shimmery) from as far as Culross about 17km away, but I couldnt get a snap that didnt have pylons in it (ditto The Kelpies at 45km)

[Chris S]

 

[Tomsk]

Boudicca's Revenge 200km yesterday. Weird: Summer temperatures, but with low autumn sun; started and finished needing lights [though not to see by].

Some riders out early in full winter kit, whereas the afternoon wedding party at one village had men in shirt-sleeves and ladies in short summer dresses. There were a few showers [and rainbows] about in the morning: Caught a downpour near Ashwell and goodness me the warm southerly wind was strong all day. Took 2 hours to do the 20 miles back across the Fens from Chatteris to the A14 services. At least there was some shelter after that from hedges and trees. Took the hill-dodgers long-cut down the Cam Valley avoiding the exposed chalk hills. Lack of long miles since the Fenland Friends helpers' ride in August also influenced my decision ...

[JonJo]

Did Socks's 200 DIY from Heighington today - a flat trundle down and back up the Vale of York to Great Ouseburn.

About as easy as a 200 can be but I managed to turn it into a bit of a grueller.

Firstly bad timing. I set off at 20 to 5 so when I got to Northallerton two hours later there was nowhere open for breakfast. Didn't get anything to eat until 50 miles in at Easingwold where I was ready to eat my own fingers. Also need to remember that every pub in North Yorkshire is closed on a Monday and the best you can hope for at dinner time is a brown lettuce & turkey sandwich from the Post Office in Scorton.

Secondly, my bib shorts and bib tights don't work well together. Feel like I've had a cheese wire up my snicket all day.

Nice day though and pleased to have been out all day after the recent bad weather.

[Socks]

Did Socks's 200 DIY from Heighington today - a flat trundle down and back up the Vale of York to Great Ouseburn.

About as easy as a 200 can be but I managed to turn it into a bit of a grueller.

Firstly bad timing. I set off at 20 to 5 so when I got to Northallerton two hours later there was nowhere open for breakfast. Didn't get anything to eat until 50 miles in at Easingwold where I was ready to eat my own fingers. Also need to remember that every pub in North Yorkshire is closed on a Monday and the best you can hope for at dinner time is a brown lettuce & turkey sandwich from the Post Office in Scorton.

Secondly, my bib shorts and bib tights don't work well together. Feel like I've had a cheese wire up my snicket all day.

Nice day though and pleased to have been out all day after the recent bad weather.

If the timing is right the Oak Tree Inn at Helperby does a fab scrambled eggs on toast - roughly half way round the route.  And a nice parking area otherwise known as the beer garden.  I've called there a few times on winter rides, they seem to be open from about 9.00am for breakfast.

[JonJo]

If the timing is right the Oak Tree Inn at Helperby does a fab scrambled eggs on toast - roughly half way round the route.  And a nice parking area otherwise known as the beer garden.  I've called there a few times on winter rides, they seem to be open from about 9.00am for breakfast.

Thanks, I'll remember that. The Angel at Topcliffe also does a good breakfast from 8 o'clock.

[j_a_m_e_s_]

London Orbital Audax on Monday.

What a great route.
 Despite being during the week, a distinct lack of traffic. (caveat - started at Sunningdale at 0615 and it is half term, so that my have been a factor.)
A couple of lumps, but really nothing of note and I think a good intro to 300s for people.
Being circular, I thoroughly recommend to anybody within a stones throw of the route - GPS can start anywhere. I managed to get the first train out and had loads of time before the last train. I'm not exactly a whippet either. Plenty of oppurtunities to stop around route (from the ferry to Leaden is a bit sparse, but load up before the ferry and you'll be fine. I didn't didn't but found at least 2 shops/garages along the route. Could have been more. I cant count that high though). The weather was nice too, even in Darkest Tilbury.

There's not a great deal to not like about this one.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Yesterday was last chance saloon to keep my RRTY going. Well technically that would be today, so let's say yesterday was opening time at the last chance saloon. Up to Gloucester for food at Peppers Cafe, where I bumped into an old randonneur called Alastair, friend of the owner, who asked me if I knew Richard Clements. (Name's familiar but I can't put a face to it – hello if you're reading this!) For some reason RWGPS had routed me on the opposite side of the canal from normal – I'd never even noticed a path there before, and it turned out to be more suitable for walking than cycling, due to mud and sticks. However, the normal towpath was closed – when it reopens it will have a tarmac surface, which I suppose is a nominal improvement but TBH the compressed dust surface was pretty decent. Then on past the airfield and following the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire leisure railway (which was running, to my surprise) before a long but not steep climb on to the top of the Cotswolds. Beautiful feeling up there! Nice descent into Stow, which was busy, but I found a cafe where the lad serving showed remarkable powers of deduction: "Are you cycling?"  Then more up through the Rissingtons and the Barringtons before crossing the A40 and almost forgetting to turn right onto the B4425 (I think) instead of going straight over as I normally do.

Somewhere between here and Cirencester it got dark, so after a bowl of soup and a cup of tea in Ciren I put my waterproof on. This kept me nice and toasty all the way home, apart from my legs. My thighs did get a bit frosty – should probably have worn shorts with another layer over rather than biblongs. Round Grittleton it was supposedly sub-zero. However, there was no frost and the night sky was amazing! I could see the Milky Way, the Pleiades (I think?) and zillions of other stars I cannot name. The only constellation I can reliably identify is the Plough, and I could see that too! Even in Bristol it was only 2 degrees (and I could no longer see the stars – besides, riding in city traffic while looking at the sky is a recipe for disaster!). Got back home and my son said "You look cold." Well, my body was warm enough but my thighs suffered, and I was feeling pretty happy.

[Pingu]

...Stow, which was busy...

Stowed out.

[FifeingEejit]

...Stow, which was busy...

Stowed out.

 

Discovered someone from Kelty who didn't know what that meant...

[bairn again]

...Stow, which was busy...

Stowed out.

 

Discovered someone from Kelty who didn't know what that meant...

Ho Chi Minh City is busier. 

<gets coat> 

[Socks]

I was supposed to be doing a 200k from Galashiels today, to complete my RrTY.  However DNS after seeing the forecast for rain and strong winds - not my favourite conditions.  Instead a hastily arranged DIY yesterday, the forecast for Friday in North Yorkshire being a sunny calm day in between the spells of wind and rain.

Unusually busy, with a lot of traffic including HGVs on the A167 between Croft and Northallerton, so either a road diversion elsewhere; or Friday is party time in Northally.  I took it easy for the first hour or so, as it was still frosty and the sun was low in the sky.  Then once it warmed up a bit a lovely day with quieter roads once South of Northallerton.

So, subject to validation, that's my first one completed after starting the sequence in December 2017:

    1   DIY 200k from Sedgefield
    2   DIY 200k, Sedgefield again with a slightly different route
    3   DIY 200k, as above
    4   DIY 200k, found a better start point with quieter roads from Heighington.  My planned calendar event was postponed
         due to dangerous weather.
    5   DIY 200k, Heighington again
    6   As above
    7   One way trip from home to Lincolnshire to visit relatives and attend a wedding.  A bit over distance but a nice trip.
    8   200k calendar event (Tocky 200 - pleasant flat route in North Yorkshire)
    9   200k calendar event (Four Tops - geet hilly in the North Pennines)
   10  Middle Marches 200k.  A lovely route, with lots of climbing and spectacular views in the cloudy, windy weather.
   11 One way trip to Wooler, with a following wind a lot of the way but a strengthening gale against me for the last ten miles.
        An early start (5.30am) to get clear of the busier / urban roads before the traffic got heavy.  Rain in the first section,
        dried out, then got soaked again in the last hour.