Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?

[Feanor]

<Tales of road closure woe...>

Ah, sorry, I should have mentioned that...

[Whitedown Man]

400k DIY yesterday - broadly London / New Forest / Devizes / London. The first 330k were glorious, everything I love about being on a bike.

The final 70k though, after night had fully fallen, reminded me why 300k remains my favourite distance but 400k my least favourite - I just don't enjoy riding after nightfall. I know this puts me into the 'big girls blouse' sub-section of the AUK membership, but in the words of the poet "eyam what eyam".

[scottlington]

400k DIY yesterday - broadly London / New Forest / Devizes / London. The first 330k were glorious, everything I love about being on a bike.

The final 70k though, after night had fully fallen, reminded me why 300k remains my favourite distance but 400k my least favourite - I just don't enjoy riding after nightfall. I know this puts me into the 'big girls blouse' sub-section of the AUK membership, but in the words of the poet "eyam what eyam".

400K DIY on your own. Not a big girls blouse mate, not at all....

[andyoxon]

On saturday, I did a ~210km DIY (mandatory route) – first solo 200km.  From Abingdon (7am start), I headed around to Wheatley – via Drayton St Leonard, then up to Cottisford (N of Bicester), along to Chipping Norton (via Somerton & Enstone), down to Burford, Fairford, Uffington and back.  Gloriously sunny, but not too hot.  Best bit of the ride was Somerton to Fairford, with Burford to Little Barrington entirely vehicle free.   Had a good lasagne for lunch in The Old Mill in Chipping, and in Fairford, discovered the Mill Lane bridge across the Coln river, is a lovely spot to have a break.  Found a road fully closed to all vehicles & peds at North Aston, so had to do a few km diversion. Didn’t sleep that well the night before so was feeling a bit more tired than usual by the end, but a great day out.

[Paul Rainbow]

Did a nice DIY with a few guys from the club...  2020km in total from Rome to Caen, was a great ride 

https://www.strava.com/activities/950392584

Few pics up at...

https://www.instagram.com/audaxclubbristol/

[Feanor]

Aah, it wasn't a typo!

Cracking ride, well done!

[Cudzoziemiec]

On a rather lesser scale, a DIY 200 yesterday with IanN. Route of his devising, which he's christened Bourton on the Rocks. We rode in dinner jackets with discreet shoulder holsters and laser-powered watches that include a jet booster for the hilly bits. Bristol to Malmesbury went quite quickly, where I ate something Ian claimed was healthy and he displayed the shocking pink "wallet" with cartoon characters he mugged his younger daughter for. Then grovelling into a headwind all the way up to Bourton; at least, I was grovelling, Ian didn't seem too bothered by it. Had to stop and do stretches for an ouchy knee but adjusting my saddle angle helped. Bourton was overrun with tourists. Then along some lovely lanes over the Cotswolds to Cirencester.
This was the highest point of the ride, just south of Compton Abdale (I think):

It was supposed to show you the glorious view but the limitations of my phameracone mean you can't really see that. Still, you can admire my bike instead. 

From here it was a gentle 20mph freewheel all the way to Ciren.
And here's Ian just hitting that high:

You can just about see the road dropping away in the background.

We managed to find some more lumps our side of Malmesbury; roads I'd never ridden despite being so close.

And the sun shone all day. 

[IanN]

Shiny happy Cudzo...

[Cudzoziemiec]

Remind me, Ian, was that before or after we compared ding-dongs? 

[JonB]

Cudzo and Ian's ride sounds (and looks) good. 

I managed a 200 yesterday which was a variant of my first DIY about 3 years ago, since mandatory routing I've been able to cut out Hungerford and incorporate some nicer roads through Ramsbury on the Marlborough Downs and a more direct route to Pewsey.  The route heads north east to Malmesbury from Bristol and then goes north of Swindon before getting into the Lambourn Downs.  Steep but short climb up Blowingstone Hill and then a lovely run into Lambourn.  Cuts across nice lanes to Ramsbury and another short sharp climb (Spring Hill?) before crossing the A4 and onto one of my favourite cafes at Pewsey (The Applecart ... excellent milk shakes).  Skirted Salisbury plain at Urchfont and Potterne and then home via Bath and the cycle track.

Loads of cyclists out, there was a sportive on and I saw lots coming the other way and then got in amongst it going up the hill out of Ramsbury before veering off their route toward Pewsey.  Looked to be a very big event.

Route https://ridewithgps.com/trips/14127798

[Bairn Again]

I did a DIY200 on Saturday which subject to validatio takes me over 20 points for the season

Id originally toyed with doing the port navigation but decided against as I was under orders to be ready for dinner by 7pm which couldnt be guaranteed on the PN with its three ferry rides. 

Instead, I came up with an enjoyable but convoluted Ft William-Kinlochleven-Dunbeg-Kinlocheil-Ft William 200km. (happy to ride the A82 early morning but not at dinner time hence the loop round Loch Eil)

Lots of quiet roads and bike tracks and dry for all but a few minutes after the Corran ferry.   

Beautiful scenery and the bike path to Oban gave the ride a "Sem Fed" feel that even two punctures couldnt spoil.

Nice to see the bike path between Ballachulish and Connel being used so much (and that the shop in benderloch sells spare inner tubes!)

Next big decision is whether to ride the Auld Alliance as a DIY this weekend or not.  Weather being studied.   

 

[Ray 6701]

I did a version of the old Wem we get there audax as a diy yesterday.  Tamworth - Bramshall  - Wem - Penkridge - Fradley - Tamworth.  It was my 1st 200k since January 2016.  I found the 1st leg easy then it was a headwind all the way to Wem + a diversion due to a now closed road.  Wem to penkridge was pretty easy with a tailwind then it was tough climbing through Cannock Chase but once I'd got through that & found the co-op in Fradley it was just a case of pushing on back to Tamworth for a well earned ice cream in the castle grounds 

[Ray 6701]

Another diy for me yesterday... Tamworth - East Leake - Bottesford - Uppingham - Lutterworth - Tamworth
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4777317?privacy_code=Arnp8RPHd26tgjVJ
I've only done this route once before & forgotten how hilly it was... suffered a fair bit after the stage from Bottesford to Uppingham which is really tough & groveled home to finish in around 11 hours.

2 rides of 136 & 138 miles + 4 11/12 hour shifts pulling 900 kilo pallets around pretty much did me in... feel better today though & next diy pencilled in for a week Tuesday 

[Bairn Again]

I did an inverse York Arrow, starting at 12 noon Sunday and riding back home to Edinburgh for  a 400km DIY. 

I zig zagged my way north up through Ripon and Northallerton to Darlo, so the wind was either cross tail or head, either way it was strong.  After darlo it was right behind me and I enjoyed riding on new roads for me through Whorlton to Barnard Castle.   

Id aimed to make dinner at Langdon Beck and got there about 1930 where I had the bar to myself where I had  a large plate of ham egg and chips and got ready for the night section.  I plodded over Yad Moss, the first time Ive cycled this road heading north.  I got a bit lost trying to find my way to the Carlisle Truckstop / McDs but found three gents heading home from the pub who kept me right.  Feeling not sleepy at all I had a quick cuppa in McDs and left shortly after midnight aiming to get to the Lockerbie truck stop for a snooze. 

A few lorries coming towards me on the B7076 had full beam on which caused Mr tetchy to appear but I soon reached the sanctuary of Lockerbie where I stayed for  a couple of hours.  I had to prise myself aay at about 0530 only to discover my back wheel had a puncture.  I suspect that I've bought a dud batch of conti inner tubes as Id had a flat earlier and it was the valve at fault and I think the same had happened here.  I replaced it with a Halfords cheapie bought in haste at Northallerton and this lasted the rest of the ride. 

I grovelled my way up towards Abington where the grippy surface of the 7076 just gets poorer and poorer while listening to the Today programme, and against my better judgement popped into the garage for a Costa fortune and some donuts.  When paying the woman asked me "Any fuel?" and I lifted the pack of donuts to show her.  Honestly!

Turning back into the wind I slowed up considerably but I was enjoying the warm sunshine while listening to tales of torrential rain in Birmingham via the radio.  Enjoyment levels increased once I got off the A73 at Thankerton then it was mostly country lanes apart from the short stretch on the A70 after Carnwath. I shunned the shorter route home via the much nicer route by Auchengray and Woolfords.  Livingston is a bit of a maze but I seem to have found a good way through it now after about 20 years of trying.   

I reached home by 1300 so 25 hours for a 400, jut a tad slower than the equivalent by Arrow.

Starting at 1200 was a new approach for me, I found it quite a good way to go as it split the ride up naturally into three. 
 
Yesterday was my wedding anniversary (24 years) so after a bath and a snooker assisted snooze I met my other half for dinner in central Edinburgh.  I sometimes crave strange stuff after a long audax but on this occasion both of us were in agreement that a steak was in order.  A large ribeye was therefore dispatched along with a glass of red.         

G&Y 300 next week, looking forward to it!
         

[Lee Killestein]

I rode the Majorca Moonpig perm today, which is...erm in Majorca! It's a fantastic route starting in Port de Pollensa up and over Puig Major, dropping down to Soller, over the Col de Soller and its silly amount of hairpins, Col d'Honor into Orient before climbing back up Col de Sa Bataia and finishing with the genuinely 'weeee' descent of the Col de Femenia! Great cafes all along the route. I'd definitely recommend the route if you get the chance.

[Banjo]

Not as exciting as Majorcan hairpins but I had a great day out on a GPS DIY Started in Magor south Wales then through Chepstow and across the Forest of Dean to soak up the colour and beauty of the forest  at this time of year then for a magnificent breakfast at the Heritage center.Free range eggs local sausages and bacon plus mushrooms beans tomatos hashbrowns etc etc and a gallon of tea all for a very reasonable price.

Chatted to Kay she seems quite bitter at the way she has been treated but accepts now that nothing can be done and has stopped the petition.I wished her best of luck with her new café near Cannop .



Fuelled up with Kays breakfast. Plodded up the hill and gradually the forest gave way to farm land on the way to the Royal Hop Pole in Tewkesbury for more food (pretty average this time tbh )  A nice touch is the big glass container of cold water on the bar which is great for filling bottles.

Off again towards Gloucester via Apperley and Sandhurst to avoid some of the A38.



Used Blacksheeps almost traffic free route through Gloucester then on through the lanes to the Severn Bridge and back into Gods own country to finish in about 12.5 hours (good result for a full value person like me  )


https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20585318   Strongly recommend this DIY and it could easily be modified to start in Bristol if required.

[Banjo]

Another diy for me yesterday... Tamworth - East Leake - Bottesford - Uppingham - Lutterworth - Tamworth
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/4777317?privacy_code=Arnp8RPHd26tgjVJ
I've only done this route once before & forgotten how hilly it was... suffered a fair bit after the stage from Bottesford to Uppingham which is really tough & groveled home to finish in around 11 hours.

2 rides of 136 & 138 miles + 4 11/12 hour shifts pulling 900 kilo pallets around pretty much did me in... feel better today though & next diy pencilled in for a week Tuesday 

I work a mixture of 12 hour days and nights. I have found that to really enjoy a ride I need at least one rest day and two nights in bed prior to a ride makes a huge difference.PS I can only dream about 11 hours for an over length 200 

[iddu]

Bah

330km mandatory to York. Sense of humour failure after 180km of NE againsterly, which doesn't look like letting up, so on the train from Derby.

Bet it sodding turns into a South-Westerly on Sun...

[iddu]

Ah, that' s better...

To stand high in the Wolds, and discern through the velvety gloaming the garish lights of Membury on the far horizon, knowing my sweet & a warm bed lie below, fair brings a tear to my eye.

Or it could just be the rememberance  that there's the sod of Blowingstone to climb after 320km.

Normal (dis)service now resumed

 

[renard]

Did a 100km DIY yesterday in Argyll.

Drove to Gourock and then ferry to Hunter's Quay, Dunoon.

Cycling in lovely weather with quiet roads went north to Strachur and bagged a BCQ clue.  Then south to Otters Ferry for an al fresco pub lunch.  It then got rather hilly going the long way to Tighnabruich and back yo Dunoon with a detour to take in Bealch Maim, a rather steep hill in Another 100 great climbs book.

A great day out.

[/url]IMG_20170508_114132797 by Daniel Fox, on Flickr[/img]
Waiting for the ferry to Hunter's Quay

[/url]IMG_20170508_120534909 by Daniel Fox, on Flickr[/img]
Strachur

[/url]IMG_20170508_151253633 by Daniel Fox, on Flickr[/img]
Kyles of Bute

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/14442003

[Bobby]

200k diy after work last night, work crisis kicked in at 10pm, had to call and email whilst by the side of the road, didn't get home until after 4:30am, kids woke me at 6:30, then on emergency work teleconference at 9am.

Knackered.

[Bairn Again]

Rode the first half of the auld alliance 400km as a DIY200 route check. 

Misty wet and cold! 

Had to really work hard to keep the bike straight on at Dunblane railwaystation, the first 100k was a real trial, compounded by the 5am start to get a cheap train home.  Enjoyed the last few hours though.

[nolongertries]

200 mandatory route diy for me today. I opted for a re-run of my Jan diy 200 "A Convolution to Henley". It was a much better day than the -7C Jan effort with a damp start followed by a mostly tailwind ride back. Nothing to report other than another Garmin 810 crash on the same stretch near Thorpe Park at 170km. I ride this stretch regularly and have only suffered a Garmin failure on these two diy rides - weird.
I managed to recover the file so the drama was only temporary.

[Whitedown Man]

There is one spot (descending into Salisbury) which I ride regularly where my Garmin always (100% without fail) switches off. I'm the least techie person in my universe so conclude that this must be evil spirits on that very specific street corner. But nevertheless, there's clearly a Garmin glitch that something localised and signal-related causes a shut-down.

[Bus Shelter Bertie]

There is one spot (descending into Salisbury) which I ride regularly where my Garmin always (100% without fail) switches off. I'm the least techie person in my universe so conclude that this must be evil spirits on that very specific street corner. But nevertheless, there's clearly a Garmin glitch that something localised and signal-related causes a shut-down.

I understand that this is a map issue.Two tiles do not join together correctly and the Garmin cannot cope. You could prove by changing map or turning off map. Alternatively you could just put up with it. My solution is to not use maps - in return I get 100% Garmin reliability, a rare beast.