ACME Anvil Winter Series

[huggy]

I could manage that!

I might not!  It'll be a c75 mile day which is more than I have done in a looooooooong time!

It's less than 7km for you to get to the start. You could do that blindfolded!

Don't encourage him to show off his circus skilz too!!!

[Oscar's dad]

I could manage that!

I might not!  It'll be a c75 mile day which is more than I have done in a looooooooong time!

It's less than 7km for you to get to the start. You could do that blindfolded!

True, it's the bit in the middle that might be a problem!

[felstedrider]

I've got my ECE planned for the Kelvedon Oyster, using gritted roads in the morning. Currently the forecast is looking a bit chilly, but largely dry.

I will ride to and from the event but not ECEing.   Probably a century with a loop early on.

[Can’t swim won’t tri]

Afternoon all, I’m new here, and new to audaxing. [waves at computer]

I’ve just entered the Kelvedon Oyster as my first ever audax, and have a few questions.

Route - there’s a .gpx file on the audax website, but this doesn’t go to the first place named as a control (Pebmarsh) in the text description of the event.  Am I using the right .gpx?

Brevet card. Do I get this at the start?

ECE - I live precisely 50k from the start, so could ECE there and back to be a nice round 200.  Is the completion of the event itself independent of completing the ECE?  I.e. if I’m knackered by the end and get the train home, have I “failed”?

Thanks in eager anticipation, hope to meet some of you in Kelvedon!

Dave

[psyclist]

Afternoon all, I’m new here, and new to audaxing. [waves at computer]

Welcome!

I’ve just entered the Kelvedon Oyster as my first ever audax, and have a few questions.

Route - there’s a .gpx file on the audax website, but this doesn’t go to the first place named as a control (Pebmarsh) in the text description of the event.  Am I using the right .gpx?

Probably. The info control is at Countess Cress, not Pebmarsh itself. Sometimes there is somebody physically stamping cards there, but if not this may be an info control, with the question being on the Brevet card.

Brevet card. Do I get this at the start?

Yes.

ECE - I live precisely 50k from the start, so could ECE there and back to be a nice round 200.  Is the completion of the event itself independent of completing the ECE?  I.e. if I’m knackered by the end and get the train home, have I “failed”?

The 2 are sort of independent. The ECE will only count if you have completed the calendar ride. But if you don't complete the ECE the calendar ride will still be valid if you have ridden that in full.

[telstarbox]

Do just remember that if you end up running late on the morning bit of the ECE, the start and end times for the 100km 'main course' are fixed so you could run out of time. If you're a fast rider anyway then don't worry

[Can’t swim won’t tri]

Thanks @psyclist and @telstarbox!

I’m confident in judging how long the first 50km to the start will take, so I won’t be late.  Thereafter… I guess that’s the fun of it

Next noob question… do most people follow the .gpx route or do many go their own way between controls. I’m trying to workout whether there’s a social aspect to this beyond cake consumption.

[felstedrider]

Thanks @psyclist and @telstarbox!

I’m confident in judging how long the first 50km to the start will take, so I won’t be late.  Thereafter… I guess that’s the fun of it

Next noob question… do most people follow the .gpx route or do many go their own way between controls. I’m trying to workout whether there’s a social aspect to this beyond cake consumption.

Route between controls is free.

In practice the majority follow the prescribed route but you'll get the odd local that has a preferred route.

[psyclist]

Thanks @psyclist and @telstarbox!

I’m confident in judging how long the first 50km to the start will take, so I won’t be late.  Thereafter… I guess that’s the fun of it

Next noob question… do most people follow the .gpx route or do many go their own way between controls. I’m trying to workout whether there’s a social aspect to this beyond cake consumption.

Most do simply follow the GPX, or the route sheet if that is their preference. Sometimes somebody will deviate from the route, for instance to visit a particular shop, or it might just be their preference on roads they are familiar with. Some people will ride with others for the whole duration, either planned or they just so happened to be riding together on the road. Others will chat for a while if riding at the same pace, and then ride on or slow down. Others might just ride by themselves. There's no set way of riding. But virtually everybody is friendly and will chat at the stops, so if you do find yourself riding alone, you're bound to bump into people further along.

[Lightning Phil]

Next noob question… do most people follow the .gpx route or do many go their own way between controls. I’m trying to workout whether there’s a social aspect to this beyond cake consumption.

Not much point entering a calendar event if you are just going to make your own route up.  You might make the odd tweak as above.  But otherwise riding a nice route put together by someone else is half the point even if local.  You can ride your own routes anytime you want.

Have fun. I’m signed up for the February one.

[drossall]

Route - there’s a .gpx file on the audax website, but this doesn’t go to the first place named as a control (Pebmarsh) in the text description of the event.  Am I using the right .gpx?

I think you're probably seeing a hangover from the 2020 route change - before then it did go via Pebmarsh, and now it turns a little short.

[Can’t swim won’t tri]

I think you're probably seeing a hangover from the 2020 route change - before then it did go via Pebmarsh, and now it turns a little short.

Thank you, that would explain it!

& thanks all for the rest of the info. Looking forwards to the event.

[drossall]

Organisers generally send out a final route sheet after the route check, in the final days before the event.

I'll see you there. Probably on a green Pompino fixed.

[ElyDave]

sorry all, have not followed this thread recently, will there be a gpx file update at any point?  Or should I take one from the ACME website?

[huggy]

Ted may be along soon with all the details for this year's edition of the Kelvedon Oyster, in the meantime the GPX can be downloaded from the AUK event page or the ACME RwGPS page
The route is unchanged from the last edition so any documents you have saved will get you round too.

[tedshred]

Route checks are complete and the GPX on the website is current.

Route and information sheets went out by email this afternoon.

Entries closed yesterday.  Allowing for some DNSs, it looks like there will be about 100 on the road.

[ElyDave]

and there it is, an e-mail with all the relevant files sat in my inbox 

[psyclist]

and there it is, an e-mail with all the relevant files sat in my inbox 

Just don’t mention the link to the route doesn’t work. Suspect it’s the addition of a full-stop in the URL. I’m sure not an insurmountable problem for recipients.

But in all other respects, all questions seem to be answered 

[ElyDave]

no commercial control at West Mersea any more, did I mention I don't do raw oysters?
Anyone want a spare token?

[Lostboy23]

I'm having trouble with the .gpx file, when trying to import to Garmin it says file has issues (it does show as 0kb). Is the file from the 2020 event the same as I've already got that on the device?

[psyclist]

I'm having trouble with the .gpx file, when trying to import to Garmin it says file has issues (it does show as 0kb). Is the file from the 2020 event the same as I've already got that on the device?

Yes, the 2020 version is the latest.

[Can’t swim won’t tri]

Thanks to Graeme (and anyone else involved in organising the Kelvedon oyster).  I really enjoyed it and even managed to complete my ECE arriving home just before it got too dark.  Have to admit the choice of cookie vs oyster at the halfway mark wasn’t a hard decision tho…

I joined a peloton early on for a while, and marvelled at the efficiency and smoothness of it all.  The lightest pressure on the pedals, and freewheeling down everything. Felt like I was putting no effort in (coz I wasn’t) but looked down and saw we were cruising nicely at 23kph.

[JellyLegs]

As always, thanks to the organiser for a great day.  Another nice route.  The day started cold and misty but as I waited for my cuppa at Mersea Island, the fog lifted and the views improved.  My ride home was capped by cycling into a beautiful sunset. Just the Knights Templar to go to complete my ACME winter series.

[ElyDave]

Unfortunately DNS today on this one, for various reasons, but sounds like the usual well manage ACME event

[bhoot]

If anyone has a candidate for "rider of the month" photo for the website please send it to webcontent@audax.uk - we haven't featured anything from Essex for a while!  (either from this ride or from the Stansted Express in December)