DIY and Travelodge questions

[MattH]

As I sit here contemplating a rather insane DIY in January (riding to a reunion rather than driving as usual), I have a couple of questions I hope someone can answer.

1. My route looks like being around 370K.  Due to timings, potential weather issues and the fact I'll be doing it in reverse a couple of days later, I probably want to do the shortest route rather than add a loop to bump it to a 400. So, if that nice Mr Uttley agrees that the distance is 370, and I enter it as a 300K DIY, do I get a maximum time of 370/14.3 or 300/14.3?  On the DIYs I've done so far, the distance has only been 20K over, and I've finished well within time so it hasn't been an issue, but 70K over on a slow winter ride could put me out of time.

2. Never having stayed at a Travelodge with my bike, what do people normally do with the bike? Is there normally just stripped (easily removable lights etc taken off) and locked up outside, or will they let you take it inside (with the potential of it being rather damp in January and leaving puddles in the room) ?

[Greenbank]

1. If 370 is the agreed distance of the ride then you get 370/14.3 = 25h52m. Just make sure you put the distance on the entry form as 370km not 300km.

2. Take it into the room, they don't mind and the usually encourage it. If there's a petrol station (often is next to a Travelodge) near by the nip over and grab some paper towels to give it a cursory dry.

[MattH]

2.  If there's a petrol station (often is next to a Travelodge) near by the nip over and grab some paper towels to give it a cursory dry.

Thanks. I know there is a petrol station there - it's the Bangor services as used as a control on the Irish Mail.  Crossing Snowdonia at the back end of January should be more, er, "interesting" than doing it in May   

[dehomag]

You could always get your last control somewhere around 300km, you don't have to make it your final destination, then ride the last 70km to where you want to be.

[MattH]

Thanks, I'll consider that. I did think about the option of splitting the ride into two with an overnight in the middle, but the problem is that I need to get to the destination and can't afford to spend a couple of days doing it. The Audax bit is secondary (but if I'm doing the miles then I might as well get some points).

My Audax pace is my normal riding pace; whilst 300k in 21 hours wouldn't be a problem, 370k may be. If I get to 300K and decide that I can't continue, I'll have worse things to worry about than losing the 3 points; it'll be more about bivvying in Snowdonia in January.

[tonyh]

Looking forward to the Report!

[Ian H]

PeterM and I did a 385k 300 to the AUK reunion one year. He wouldn't contemplate adding another 15k. It was okay; BR AUK rules allow extra time for over-distance.

[teethgrinder]

I'm almost tempted to ride a 599km DIY. Just for the hell of it 

[Greenbank]

I think Martin did a 298km 200 this year. :-/

[Martin]

I think Martin did a 298km 200 this year. :-/

I made it 301 but it was nearer 267 if you believe the Official Route 

[Mr Larrington]

I think Martin did a 298km 200 this year. :-/

Fairly standard practice for certain Willesden members

[MattH]

Well, I did it 

At least part 1, from sunny Hampshire up to Bangor - about 370K. The weather was pretty good, except for a bit of rain around lunchtime heading towards Gloucester.

I have two confessions to make.
1. I spent money in Halfords.
One of my bottle cages broke on the approach to Shrewsbury. I managed to keep the bottle secure using a velcro reflective ankle strap (which I actually rarely carry, but with a lot of dark riding on my own thought would be sensible). Dropping into Shrewsbury heading towards the Sainsburys I'd decided would be a control, there was a Halfords on the same trading park so I grabbed a new one.
2. I used a cyclepath for a few miles.
Coming out of Shrewsbury along the old  A5, there is actually a pretty good path on a very wide pavement. Normally I disregard them, but the road is fairly narrow, it was evening rush hour so quite busy and it is mainly uphill. There were no pedestrians around so it seemed a reasonable option.  It also got me past the queues approaching each mini roundabout without needing to filter, and crossing over the roundabouts there is a central refuge on the triangular bit that separates cars leaving the roundabout from those joining. It is big enough to trackstand on, and almost without exception cars waiting to join the roundabout waved me across.  Quite pleasant

The A5 through the mountains is definitely best done in company. It isn't particularly hard - mainly 4% gradients - but they go on and on. Having someone to chat to like on the Irish Mail makes these easier mentally (physically they are fine).

I got to Betwys-y-Coed with minutes to go before the 24 hour garage closed its doors for hatch-only service, meaning a quick loo break and a hot latte were possible. The final stretch past Llyn Ogwen was quite magical, with the mountains shrouded in mist.

Then I got to the Travelodge and the guy behind the desk claimed I'd not got a booking Not what you want to hear at the end of a ride. Luckily he found it when I dug out my reservation printouts.

I was very lucky with the weather; in past years I've driven up through sleet and snow, sometimes with the road being barely passable.

Now I've got to decide whether to ride back tomorrow (with a few hours kip at the Travelodge in Stroud), or take the train on Monday. The weather forecast is a bit worrying; it looks OK tomorrow, but Monday promises to be tough going. I'm not sure if it will be worse riding from Stroud to Basingstoke, or coming out of London to Basingstoke in the evening. I'll make a decision later.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Belated congratulations, I found winter 200s tough enough.