ACME Ride to/from PBP (all welcome)

[Tomsk]

Ride from Dieppe to Rambouillet (Thursday 17/08) and back (Friday 25/08). Overnight ferry both ways: meet at the Flying Fish, Denton (outskirts of Newhaven) from 20:00. make your own booking if you want to eat there: https://www.flyingfishdenton.co.uk/

We'll use Phil Whitehurst's excellent route from 2019: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30108965

As I recall, we had an early breakfast stop in Neufchatel-en-Bray, a pâtisserie stop at Étrépagny and lunch in Bonnièrres-sur-Seine, arriving at Rammers late afternoon. I'll maybe sort out a whatsapp group nearer the time to minimise cat-herding issues ...

[Lightning Phil]

Ha, I also still have the route sheet I created for that.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5yh63tfq4tya9in/Dieppe%20-%20Rambouillet.pdf?dl=1

I haven’t checked since; to see if cafes, bars noted etc are still there.

[Wycombewheeler]

seems very early to me, are 2 days necessary to recover? or is it just about soaking up the atmosphere?

[Lightning Phil]

Not sure whether Tomsk meant overnight ferry on Thu, ride Fri to Rambouillet.  As for returning Fri, that’s the day after the 90hr finish deadline.

[Wycombewheeler]

I took it to mean ride thursday, therefore ferry wednesday, but ferry thursday seems to work

[Lightning Phil]

I was going on what the modus operandi has been for 2015/19. Thus intent rather than the day actually put. Anyway, unless you are desperately short of time; an extra day in France ahead of PBP is no bad thing. Some would say the ride down and back is the best bit, a good social catch-up with cider, turning it more into a holiday 

[Wycombewheeler]

I was going on what the modus operandi has been for 2015/19. Thus intent rather than the day actually put. Anyway, unless you are desperately short of time; an extra day in France ahead of PBP is no bad thing. Some would say the ride down and back is the best bit, a good social catch-up with cider, turning it more into a holiday 

one more day off work, I've currently booked 5. I can see booking an extra 1 to ride on Friday. but booking 2 more would be a problem.

[Bikeabilityman]

I’m in. Enjoyed the ride to and from Paris the last two events. Ferries booked, but not sorted sleeping in Paris/Ram yet.

[Tomsk]

  Thursday night ferry, so ride over on Friday.

[Wycombewheeler]

  Thursday night ferry, so ride over on Friday.

sounds great, since I will be car free by then that sounds like a good plan. Are the trains to Newhaven likely to be rammed with bikes, or does everyone cycle in the UK as well?

hmm, no bikes leaving trains between 4 and 7, so either a late train or an early train (in which case just ride down)

[Tomsk]

I will get the train down on Thursday afternoon, to Brighton, and then ride along the coast to Newhaven. It's about 11 miles to the Flying Fish pub, or the ferry terminal.

[Lightning Phil]

I think check in for ferry closes at 21:30. Trains are modern Thameslink 12 carriage, with horizontal bike storage in carriages 3 and 10. But plenty of space in other carriages.  As above, train to Brighton.  There’s a below cliff promenade you can cycle along as far as Saltdean, then cycle path on right up hill to Peacehaven, then drop down to Newhaven and across to pub.

[felstedrider]

Tomsk will know this but there’s a cycle path that follows the Undercliff out of Brighton and (I think) most of the way to Newhaven.

I’m travelling during the day on Wednesday and riding to Rambouillet over 2 and a bit days.   I haven’t entirely worked out how I’m getting back yet.

[Lightning Phil]

Photos from ride down in 2015

[Lightning Phil]

It is a nice way to relax on way to start, and does at least ensure you have all the essentials to be able to ride your bike.  Just don’t forget your passport.

[Wycombewheeler]

It is a nice way to relax on way to start, and does at least ensure you have all the essentials to be able to ride your bike.  Just don’t forget your passport.

that applies to every means of getting there. No one will leave enough time for a return journey home for a passport.

The big advantage on getting the same ferry as everyone else, is a relaxed group for easy pacing to the start. If I rode solo, I would probably go far to fast burning energy that I should be saving for the big ride.

[Lightning Phil]

It is a nice way to relax on way to start, and does at least ensure you have all the essentials to be able to ride your bike.  Just don’t forget your passport.

that applies to every means of getting there. No one will leave enough time for a return journey home for a passport.

Except if driving, you won’t realise you’ve forgotten your cycling shoes, or some other important item.  Cycling down you’d soon know you’d forgotten your cycling shoes, because you need them for the ride down. Riders have been known to turn up to LEL or PBP without their cycling shoes.  A rider who drove over, did just that for my Jelly Fish Legs 400 earlier this year. They didn’t start.

[Wycombewheeler]

It is a nice way to relax on way to start, and does at least ensure you have all the essentials to be able to ride your bike.  Just don’t forget your passport.

that applies to every means of getting there. No one will leave enough time for a return journey home for a passport.

Except if driving, you won’t realise you’ve forgotten your cycling shoes, or some other important item.  Cycling down you’d soon know you’d forgotten your cycling shoes, because you need them for the ride down. Riders have been known to turn up to LEL or PBP without their cycling shoes.  A rider who drove over, did just that for my Jelly Fish Legs 400 earlier this year. They didn’t start.

yes I was only focussed on the last sentence. Obviously if you leave home by bike, then you (probably) can't forget shoes/helmet/water bottles/lights/gps etc.

[Jas1970]

Thanks Tom, I would like to join this if possible. I’m already booked on the overnight ferry from newhaven Thursday night. I have a hotel booked in Chevreuse, 19k from Rambouillet so ideal for me. I’d be cycling back to Dieppe on the Friday (all being well)
Cheers all

[vorsprung]

I thought that the ride to / from Paris was the best bit of PBP last time TBH

If I ever do PBP again (not this time) I will not go via Newhaven as it is super difficult to get a train there / Brighton from Devon

[grams]

Is everyone staying in (or at least riding to) Rambouillet or will there be a contingent for Versailles / SW Paris?

[thing1]

I thought that the ride to / from Paris was the best bit of PBP last time TBH

If I ever do PBP again (not this time) I will not go via Newhaven as it is super difficult to get a train there / Brighton from Devon

Train to Guildford, then a pleasant 50mi pedal 

[Wycombewheeler]

check in for the ferry is 21:30, about 10 miles from Brighton. slightly over an hour on the train from Victoria, and no leaving before 19:00. So need to catch a train leaving between 19:00 and 19:30

Are the trains just after 19:00 likely to be turning bikes away, due to too many?

[grams]

If you’re worried about time, there are half-hourly trains to Newhaven Town* with a change in Lewes. Currently £6 advance!

No one counts how many bikes are on trains. None of these trains have guards and theres plenty of space in vestibules. If you’re worried go to somewhere like Farringdon or Blackfriars where the trains are even more spacious and much too frequent for anyone to have time to argue.

(* Town is closer to the ferry than Harbour)

[vorsprung]

I thought that the ride to / from Paris was the best bit of PBP last time TBH

If I ever do PBP again (not this time) I will not go via Newhaven as it is super difficult to get a train there / Brighton from Devon

Train to Guildford, then a pleasant 50mi pedal 

That's probably the best route.  I didn't do this