Author Topic: Oasts and Coasts 300Km (Read 28182 times)

BikinOn · « **Reply #25 on:** 20 April, 2015, 01:44:33 pm »

Hillbilly's right, you can't believe the forecast this far out and if it's the BBC you can't believe it at the moment they give it, last year they informed me I might drowned on a 200k I was doing, after carrying full waterproofs all day my main problem was I got back with a mild case of sun stroke!

As I recall last year there was a little rain in the morning then it was nice all day.

TigaSefi · « **Reply #26 on:** 21 April, 2015, 09:26:07 am »

Quote from: BikinOn on 20 April, 2015, 01:44:33 pm

Hillbilly's right, you can't believe the forecast this far out and if it's the BBC you can't believe it at the moment they give it, last year they informed me I might drowned on a 200k I was doing, after carrying full waterproofs all day my main problem was I got back with a mild case of sun stroke!

As I recall last year there was a little rain in the morning then it was nice all day.

haha oh dear....

Lady Cavendish · « **Reply #27 on:** 22 April, 2015, 01:26:24 pm »

I think the forecast has improved slightly since yesterday. Not overly keen on getting soaked all day!

hillbilly · « **Reply #28 on:** 22 April, 2015, 02:03:27 pm »

It is going to be fine. Trust me.

citoyen · « **Reply #29 on:** 23 April, 2015, 04:25:03 pm »

By the way, for anyone who is interested in such things, there are three outstanding fish & chip shops on the route - well, three that I know of and can vouch for personally.

The first is the Little Fish Shop in Sandgate at 160km:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g1096575-d3498410-Reviews-The_Little_Fish_Shop-Sandgate_Folkestone_Kent_England.html

The second is the Smokehouse in Folkestone, at 163km:
http://www.thesmokehousefolkestone.co.uk/

The third is VC Jones in Whitstable at 236km:
http://www.vcjones.co.uk/

The first two are a bit too close together to visit both, but the Smokehouse is my favourite of the three so that's the one I would go for if you're only going for one.

The Kettle O'Fish in Rye (120km) is also good but it's slightly off route. There may well be others that I either don't know about or have forgotten.

The route also passes within about 100m of my old house, which would have been very handy.

hillbilly · « **Reply #30 on:** 23 April, 2015, 05:53:22 pm »

Never mind fish and chips, I am going to try and batter myself on this event based on the forecast. I just hope I don't fry myself out and have to cash in my chips early.

If xcweather is right (and in my experience it is one of the better ones at this timescale out) we are going to have decent weather, with light precipitation at the start but otherwise gentle sun, with the wind as friendly as it could have been and pleasant temperatures. Conducive to full on audax power that is.

citoyen · « **Reply #31 on:** 23 April, 2015, 06:02:43 pm »

Sounds promising.

BikinOn · « **Reply #32 on:** 23 April, 2015, 07:21:00 pm »

Personally I'm looking forward to the Macaris Ice Cream Parlour, I had a great slice of Coffee Cake there last year! Of course I'm dreading The Light Railway Restaurant, AKA the slowest restaurant in Kent, with this many people on the ride I may be loosing the will to live by the time I get a sticker

While the chances of some sprinkles are there, the weather reports I'm seeing are pretty good, probably it'll be like last year a few spots in the morning and then a nice day. Light rain jacket only me thinks.

hillbilly · « **Reply #33 on:** 23 April, 2015, 07:22:50 pm »

Not convinced of its accuracy based on my experience of the Heart of England, but this funky little site gives an idea of weather around the course for someone expecting to finish at around 8 to 8:30pm.

http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/b470bfb1-cd32-4336-bff8-998f2fb21f09

citoyen · « **Reply #34 on:** 23 April, 2015, 10:23:38 pm »

BikinOn - the fish & chip shop in Folkestone is only another 10km on from Hythe.

Just sayin', like.

(Last ride I did that used the railway cafe as a control, I bounced it and went to the Saibsburys round the corner for food.)

jsabine · « **Reply #35 on:** 23 April, 2015, 10:42:46 pm »

Granted, it wasn't at all busy on Saturday, but as I said above, the cafe in Hythe seemed brighter and fresher this weekend and I think the menu may have been rejigged: I wouldn't write it off because of past experiences.

TigaSefi · « **Reply #36 on:** 24 April, 2015, 10:50:23 am »

4.30am wake up call here I come. Thanks for the fish and chips shop recommendations. Smokehouse it is.

Frank9755 · « **Reply #37 on:** 24 April, 2015, 06:56:17 pm »

Good news is that the weather forecast does look pretty good. Bad news is that I'll have to get up at 3:30am. It hardly seems worth going to bed!

ianrauk · « **Reply #38 on:** 24 April, 2015, 07:25:04 pm »

and probs you getting home not far off the same time....

Frank9755 · « **Reply #39 on:** 24 April, 2015, 08:43:13 pm »

I hope to be back a bit before that!

Redlight · « **Reply #40 on:** 24 April, 2015, 10:58:06 pm »

Gutted that I can't this but, sadly, my last surviving uncle died yesterday and my mother, the last survivor (from a brood of 9), needs some tlc.

citoyen · « **Reply #41 on:** 25 April, 2015, 06:32:54 pm »

I'm currently at home, having taken a diversion after Herne Bay, debating whether or not to go out and complete the ride...

It's been fab so far - started in chilly drizzle as far as Uckfield, then was just a bit grey as far as Battle, and then the sun came out. The run down to Rye then across the marsh with a tailwind and the sun on my back was most splendid. Even the Rye-Brenzett racetrack only had one incident of note when a wankerinabeemer coming the other way came across into my lane to overtake some other cars that were only doing a mere 60mph.

Forgot just how evil that climb out of Folkestone is, but the reward is some majestic views. Likewise Castle Hill in Dover.

Coming back along the sea wall to Reculver was somewhat less fun with the headwind, and I was really starting to flag by then.

Was very tempted by the ice creams in Macari's but pressed on to get home sooner.

Nothing left in the tank at the moment but I've still got plenty of time in hand so we'll see how I feel after a bit of a rest. It's been a long, hard week at work so I'm leaning towards thinking the rest is more important than finishing the ride at the moment. I've done 240km, which isn't a bad day out.

Still got to go back to Meopham to pick up the car though...

Anyway, this is a seriously lovely ride, especially on a day like today.

hillbilly · « **Reply #42 on:** 25 April, 2015, 10:05:31 pm »

One of the nicest routes in the whole of the UK. Should be on everyone's list as one to do.

Whitedown Man · « **Reply #43 on:** 26 April, 2015, 01:08:24 am »

TigaSefi · « **Reply #44 on:** 26 April, 2015, 08:51:50 am »

Simply brilliant route and scenery. The climbs at Folkestone and Dover was rewarding in the end. The less said about that sea wall section the better! Thanks to everyone that I chatted to at the cafes

Whitedown Man · « **Reply #45 on:** 26 April, 2015, 09:10:32 am »

The sea wall sections are, I guess, this ride's "marmite" factor. For me, they give the ride something unique, as well as ensuring that you get the max in terms of riding alongside the sea (not to mention being Kent's equivalent of pave). I loved them, and loved the ride as a whole (weather and snapped gear cable after 200km notwithstanding).

hillbilly · « **Reply #46 on:** 26 April, 2015, 09:33:30 am »

Rested and about to head out for breakfast.

I'm so glad I did this event. It is a showcase for rides in the southeast, that shows off some of the best scenery in the area. The coastal sections are sublime, albeit weather dependent. The countryside sections splendid. And just enough climbing to make it interesting but not gratuitous. The controls were also well placed and were swift.

It's not perfect. Some of the road surfaces are poor, but an understandable compromise because it makes large stretches traffic free and opens up the ride to some special vistas. A sturdy bike is much recommended, with sensible gearing and well tuned brakes. Also minor things like putting signs up outside the arrivee. But these are trivialities in a route that has the potential to grow into a national classic.

So good it made me realise I can't come up with a better 300 route in the South East. But I humbly submit my 300 in August for those not going to PBP...

Frank9755 · « **Reply #47 on:** 27 April, 2015, 09:02:28 am »

Agreed: that was a quite stunning ride. All the coastal scenery made it one of those rides that needs a bit of time to take it all in; there was so much beautiful and varied land and seascape.

It was a very well researched and designed route. I've cycled a bit in Kent and had been to much of the route before but there were little lanes and paths I didn't know about that joined it all together very tidily and without either climbing or laney-ness for its own sake.

The wind helped where it was most needed. I'd be surprised if I've ever done a section of an audax as quickly as the Rye to Hythe section. I expected the pull along the north coast to Reculver to compensate and it did, but this was the better way round as the coastal path there is too bumpy, and too pretty, to blast along, while the smooth, marsh roads are made for doing so.

My favourite bit was probably the top of the cliffs after Folkestone. I've not ridden there for about five years, and the views were a reward for the sharp climb up to them. The run in to Folkestone via the park was also lovely, and the lanes after Dover, and the views to France ...

My ride went well. I didn't linger at the cafes so ended up seeing a few faster riders, who had lingered, quite a few times as they passed me. Going through the Marshes, I jumped on the back of the fast group of six, and clung on for a while, which was fun, but even with the tow I was having to work harder than I knew I could sustain for the rest of the day, so dropped off after a few miles - but thanks guys for the draft if you are reading.

My only problem was my own fault: hot foot, caused by leaving my overshoes on too long. I should have taken them off at Hythe but by the 190km point they were hurting and I had to make several stops to loosen straps further and further and, eventually take off a pair of socks to give my swollen feet maximum room. It made some of the latter climbs a bit more slow and painful than they otherwise might have been.

I was hoping to finish in daylight, because it is a nice thing to do, because it is (for me) a challenging but achievable objective and because I realised early on in the ride that my front light batteries had run down. Daylight always felt achievable so I didn't bother to buy any batteries at the Premier, and I rolled in at 7:45 (making it probably my quickest 300), ready for a debate about where exactly the infos had been. I'd been confused on the road but, once I'd seen them, they had all become reasonably clear.

BikinOn · « **Reply #48 on:** 27 April, 2015, 09:08:59 am »

Completely agree with all above, a great ride, thanks again to the organisers.

Weather in the morning was a bit worse than last year and a tactical mistake of using gatorskins instead of 4 seasons tires made for some suboptimal descending and a minor spill at one point. On the bright side I wasn't one of those getting a visitation from the puncture fairy. It looked like the really rough bit of road in Deal had been relayed, so I didn't need the tough tires anyway!

I enjoyed the coffee and cake at Herne bay, but I messed up my fuelling a bit and was definitely feeling low powered on the last hills.

Thanks to Graham and Alistair for the company at the end and yes, that really was the minimum setting on my rear light

PaulOlmo · « **Reply #49 on:** 27 April, 2015, 01:42:05 pm »

Haven't done a 300 for a few years so not sure what to expect of myself. Felt fine most of the time (easy does it up Jib Jack's) and made good progress, especially flying along the Marsh with that tail wind. I thought the climb out of Folkestone was a bit of a slog on a not too interesting bit of road, but the climb up to Dover castle better - I guess because I knew that would be the end of climbing for a while.

Went a bit wayward at Deal and ended up on the worst cycle path you can imagine - next to a gravelly road, strewn with gravel and full of walkers enjoying the sun. Front tyre split and blew while negotiating one group, but fortunately the tyre was intact so was able to repair.

Rode with another guy through to Reculver in the head wind - thanks, whoever you were!

The coffee & cake at Macari's was sublime.

Quick detour to see if my friends were in their garden at Whitstable, to say hello, then back into the wind up to Faversham.

From here, things went downhill, just as I needed to go uphill again. Started feeling icky which slowed me down, but got to Hollingbourne before I needed my lights on. GPS ran out of charge so I no longer had the distance, then, as I was coming up to Boxley, heard in front of me a horrific crash, and arrived in the aftermath of this: http://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/fatal-crash-in-maidstone-35820/

Called the services as I was amongst the first on the scene but as I was speaking a Police car turned up - I still can't work out how they were on the scene so quickly - unless they just happened to be in the area - I might add they were coming from the opposite direction so weren't chasing. I couldn't add anything to help, so carried on. It was dark at this stage and I struggled to read the route sheet, which hampered progress.

Met up with some riders who were local, and steered me back through to the lanes leading back up to Meopham (thanks again guys). Got in around 10 I think.

Still feel queesy now, so think I picked up a bug along the way, however I hope I'll remember this ride for all the good parts, which was most of it.

Author Topic: Oasts and Coasts 300Km (Read 28182 times)

hillbilly

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