Author Topic: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?  (Read 152845 times)

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #275 on: 10 July, 2017, 09:08:08 pm »
I guess that the clue was in the name.



Bairn Again

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #276 on: 18 July, 2017, 10:37:14 am »
I took advantage of yesterdays warm weather to bag a 200.  I managed to finish work sharp and was under way from home in the west of Edinburgh just before 1700.  I was heading for Bridge of Allan and decided to go via the FRB and north of the Forth for a change.  Despite the westerly wind I made good time through Culross ("Coo-russ"), Clackmannan and Alloa reaching Brdge of Allan (60km) just after 1915. 

After a quick banana from my pocket I set off on the return. I should have been faster, but wasn't and stopped for a sandwich and coffee at Bowtrees and was sufficiently refreshed to feel better on the return to home where I arrived just after 2200.  120km in 5 hrs, not bad. 

A big bowl of pasta leftovers, arm and legwarmers and reflective gilet on and I was away just before 2245.  Glorious "simmer dim" kind of night, front light really only required to help other road users and the view was clear over to Kinghorn in Fife. 

All but the last 15km east to Dirleton has streetlights so when I reached the "dark" stretch I knew that the turn was close.  I stopped in Aberlady to pop the radio on for the midnight news.

Another pocket based banana at Dirleton and the return into a very light headwind for the final 40km home.  A Monday night meant it was quiet with not too many revellers to cause distraction which helped swift progress.  I decided to go for the tourist finish, up on to Princes Strreet with loads of space as the trams stop running about 2330.  Lots of folk milling about Princes Street as it was such a fine night including a guy painting near castle Street.

There has to be one place that opns late and the ratpack at the West End looked like it was just turning out about 0130.  I gave the pavement a wide berth and didn't freewheel in order not to give any idiots advance warning. 

A quick jink past Haymarket Station, past the back of Murrayfield Stadium and Carrick Knowe golf course and I was home at 0215.  One of my quickest 200s in a while helped by exceptionally benign conditions.

I had to drag myself out the house at 120km but once under way on the last bit I didn't regret it. 

Long lie this morning and dialled into my 0900 meeting from home

5km commute to work was draggy, I will need to get out at lunchtime and spin the legs.         

   

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #277 on: 20 July, 2017, 09:20:20 am »
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.
No. It's just ley lines  ;)

Weird. Mine does the same at &searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf]Kirknewton, or it has done the last couple of times I rode along that stretch of road, and I was blaming the military as Otterburn's not far off, but maybe it's The Mystical Powers of the Ancient Kings of Northumbria.

The previous couple of times I've been through Kirknewton my eTrex switched itself off. On the Border Raid this weekend I was waiting for this to happen, but it stayed on! Maybe the map (OSM) has been fixed?

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #278 on: 26 July, 2017, 11:17:58 am »
A Solo 600km DIY Audax by GPS

Day 1 started at 0440, the sky was grey and it was quite chilly with a northerly wind. I was joined on the Deeside Line by a fox, the first wildlife encounter of the ride. A second breakfast of a bacon and egg roll was taken at Bean for Coffee in Ballater. By this time the sun had come out and suncream was applied. After Ballater the scenery was fantastic, good views of Lochnagar and the mountains around Braemar. The ascent up the Cairnwell was aided by a tailie (!) and it was very warm. The descent was fast (84 kph max), but I got a rather scary speed wobble at the bottom of the steep section which fortunately didn't last very long. I stopped at Kirkmichael for a cold Irn Bru and some clothing removal. The ascent of Moulin Moor was it's usual draggy-self with a red squirrel spotted scrabbling at the side of the road just after Kirkmichael. Lunch was taken at the Moulin Hotel in Pitlochry with a Moulin Light for isotonic purposes. The next section to Kinloch Rannoch was lumpy with great views of Loch Tummel to Schiehallion. I passed the infamous Noodley corner and encountered another red squirrel on they way. Then it was up the Schiehallion road and a nice long descent to Aberfeldy. I grovelled up Bealach na Craig, but enjoyed the long, gentle descent to Dunkeld. From there the road rolled to the secret control at Eck's in Kirriemuir. He kindly plied me with beer (non-alcoholic) and toast, we talked about LEL and stuff and I prepared myself for the night section. This last 100km or so was a bit chilly and slow and it started raining just before Stonehaven. There were hares and bats to help me on my way and I was glad to get into bed at about 0130. Mrs P said zzz and I set my alarm for 0530.

Day 2, the alarm didn't go off and I didn't leave the house until after 7. Later on I felt glad I had the extra hour's sleep! The weather was damp and dreich with the occasional shower thrown in and another northerly wind - waterproofs on. I stopped at Fraserburgh for a sandwich accopanied by a hopeful herring gull. The waterproofs stayed on until I got to Portsoy for lunch. The run to Rhynie was aided by a tail wind and an occasional glimpse of sushine. Then it was a 'reverse Snow Roads' to Chapel of Garioch and what seemed like an interminable rolling road back home. Day 2 was real slog. Mrs P provided sustenance and Belgian isotonics and the I was ready for bed.

My first solo 600 done subject to validation, ect, ect. Many thanks to Eck for the secret control and Mrs P for looking after me at the arrivée :)

Here's the route: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16362093

Lochnagar:



IMG_9025_01 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Schiehallion (no sunrise):


IMG_9030_01 by The Pingus, on Flickr

hillbilly

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #279 on: 26 July, 2017, 11:24:14 am »
Well done on your first solo 600 Pingu.  Looks a lovely route, if a little bit on the hard side, taking in some of my favourite roads.  I didn't see mention of Comrie - I'm surprised Eck let you get away with avoiding it  :)

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #280 on: 26 July, 2017, 11:26:10 am »
Wonderful. Severe attack of nostalgia now in progress!

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #281 on: 27 July, 2017, 03:14:16 am »
My riding buddy, Gaz and I did the Cheddar Gorge 300 perm on Sunday, starting in Marlborough. We agreed to meet at 0500 to start and in a rush of blood to the head, I decided to extend it slightly by riding over from Lacock, leaving the house at 0345 in thick fog, which played havoc with my vision as my specs were covered in droplets.

Our first control was Bradford on Avon, where the papershop had just opened in time for a yoghurt and choccie bars, then onwards to Wells. This section was quite tough with loads of short, steep climbs on nadgery lanes in the Avon valley. Descents were cautious affairs with blind bends and gravel aplenty!

Arrived at Wells shortly before 9am and grabbed one of the sofas in Costa for breakfast rolls and coffee/hot choc with all the trimmings. Just as we headed out for the next leg, the heavens properly opened (rain was forecast from 1300 for a few hours, so this was a bit gutting!) and we donned jackets for a soggy schlep to Cheddar.

Not wanting to stay static and get cold, we controlled at a pound shop just off the bottom of the Gorge road. Unfortunately the receipt didn't give full location details, so we took a quick snap outside the showcave as backup evidence. One of my other passions is caving. Seeing the amount of water running down the gorge made me think of some of my favorite subterranean haunts which would be very much off limits to all except those with gills! (There are however, many caves where the extra water would've just upped the fun factor!)

The rain cleared as we crested the Gorge and as we began our descent off the Mendips towards Chew lake, we cheekily stopped in a driveway for a quick snap of the epic view. The resident turned out to be a lovely bloke called Nigel who is also an AUK member, so we ended up chatting about all things Audax for a while before heading off to the next control at Wick. This was another quite challenging section, negotiating flooded roads and lots of hills. We enjoyed a wonderful bit of cycle track alongside the Avon Valley Steam Railway and were fortunate to see a running engine near Bitton.

We controlled at a garage on the A420 at Wick, devouring a veritable feast of sarnies, crisps, yoghurts and milkshakes. We even found an outside tap round the back of the building for a freebie bottle refill. Sadly, within minutes of setting off, a single clap of thunder signalled the start of a biblical downpour that lasted a good 20 minutes and soaked us to the skin. Still, we pushed on towards Cirencester, enjoying some faster miles on the flat alongside the M4. Shortly after Malmesbury, Gaz ground almost to a halt with a pretty severe case of the knock. With teeth firmly gritted, we got to Cirencester at about 5pm, finding to our surprise a brilliant cafe still serving cake which we gorged upon!

Next stop, Witney, and we dialled back the pace a bit and made steady progress on the now flat route. A bit of a walk down memory lane for me, as we rode past the gates of RAF Brize Norton (Gaz is still serving, I left in 2015), then controlled at the busiest garage in the world, queuing for about 15 minutes for another calorie fest.

Witney to Lambourn was the turn for home and into a slight headwind. This was my favourite section of the whole day. To my great surprise, I felt really strong on the climbs up onto the downs near Uffington and the views were spectacular in the now glorious evening weather. My only issue was a sore arse, but to be fair I was on a new saddle (Brooks C15 carved), I'd neglected to bring chamois cream and I'd been in wet clothes for the best part of 15 hours. We controlled at a cashpoint in Lambourn, eating the last of the rations we had on us rather than buying anything else.

Lambourn to Marlborough took us straight past my (future) in-laws house in Mildenhall, which gave me the idea of asking for a lift back to Lacock, rather than riding as I'd originally planned. Yeah yeah, I know I'm a wimp, but I had a caving trip planned the following day and wanted the extra hour's kip! Dave (father-in-law in waiting), kindly agreed and met us in Marlborough high street after collecting the final cash point slip of the day.

This is a brilliant ride, with the bonus of 1.75 AAA points. The terrain is really varied, with some really poorly surfaced, technical lanes, cycle paths and everything in between. it goes without saying that the views on the Mendips and Lambourn downs are worth the effort and there are tons of really interesting control options; we chose some pretty dull ones in fairness and I'd plan this better if I did the ride again.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #282 on: 30 July, 2017, 08:07:54 pm »
While some are wimping it up with meals waiting at every control on a mere 1400km and others are swanning over Europe, IanN otp and I decide to ride a 200 over the Somerset Levels and then back up over some decidedly unlevels. Down over Kenn Moor to Yatton then along the Strawberry Line, except it was closed in two separate places. The official diversion was a muddy track so found a longer way round on roads. First control at Sweets near Wedmore, which I've often ridden past but didn't realise it was a cafe! Well, it's evidently a cyclist haven, with long lines of bikes outside and only two of the many customers inside were not gimped up wheelies! Then some nice laney bits over to Castle Cary, through Wincanton and over a couple of hills.Somewhere or other we stopped to degunk my back mudguard, true by wheel and straighten my brake blocks. Nothing wrong apart from that! By now it had started to rain, and then to rain heavily, so we decided a hot, nutritious break was called for. We spent an age looking for the Red Lion in Kilmingdon, but despite both of us having visited it before, we could not find it. We only managed to gain zero distance and put ourselves up against the time limit! So we carried on and a little later we spotted a pub. A different pub in a different village, but it was open. We went in to the Seymour Arms in Witham Friary and entered a time warp. Small bar, or should I say counter, directly in front of the door. Small rooms either side. Dart board. No visible signs of anything else, though I believe there was electricity. No food, but we got a packet of crisps and the landlord made us cups of tea, which we drank while chatting to a friendly extended family from Shropshire, Plymouth and Essex, celebrating granny's 81st birthday.  :thumbsup: Not quite sure how they ended up there.

Despite friendly family's conviction that we'd never get back to Bristol on a packet of crisps and a cup of tea, we did. It got rather hilly though, with the downs being as testing in the wet as the ups. Through Wellow into Bath and a final bash along the rly pth. Made it, taking full value to its limits!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #283 on: 10 August, 2017, 10:28:35 pm »
A DIY by GPS to Lossiemouth and Braemar. Both days were quite well ventilated. The first day was a slog to Findhorn followed by a taillie over the scenic section to Aboyne. The second day had a welcome taillie back home from Braemar. The second day was quite warm :-) Spotted loadsa buzzards, roe deer, dead badgers, hares (one really close on the road) and an osprey.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16776645

I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about validation for my previous DIY by GPS as it hasn't appeared in the results on the AUK website yet  :-\

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #284 on: 11 August, 2017, 01:15:49 am »
I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about validation for my previous DIY by GPS as it hasn't appeared in the results on the AUK website yet  :-\

I believe your friendly local DIY organiser may have been otherwise engaged recently, ensuring that everything was in hand to welcome 1400 waifs and strays from THAT LONDON, and then send them on their way.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #285 on: 11 August, 2017, 09:54:14 am »
I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about validation for my previous DIY by GPS as it hasn't appeared in the results on the AUK website yet  :-\

I believe your friendly local DIY organiser may have been otherwise engaged recently, ensuring that everything was in hand to welcome 1400 waifs and strays from THAT LONDON, and then send them on their way.

 :) Indeed. It's like waiting for an eagerly-anticipated parcel, thobut.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #286 on: 11 August, 2017, 12:06:04 pm »
I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about validation for my previous DIY by GPS as it hasn't appeared in the results on the AUK website yet  :-\

I believe your friendly local DIY organiser may have been otherwise engaged recently, ensuring that everything was in hand to welcome 1400 waifs and strays from THAT LONDON, and then send them on their way.

 :) Indeed. It's like waiting for an eagerly-anticipated parcel, thobut.
I'm not sending you a f*cking present as well!
It didn't look at all like that in the photographs

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #287 on: 11 August, 2017, 10:36:04 pm »
I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about validation for my previous DIY by GPS as it hasn't appeared in the results on the AUK website yet  :-\

I believe your friendly local DIY organiser may have been otherwise engaged recently, ensuring that everything was in hand to welcome 1400 waifs and strays from THAT LONDON, and then send them on their way.

 :) Indeed. It's like waiting for an eagerly-anticipated parcel, thobut.
I'm not sending you a f*cking present as well!

Arf  ;D It would be like getting Haribo from Wiggle  :)

αdαmsκι

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Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #288 on: 11 August, 2017, 10:50:59 pm »
Yatton then along the Strawberry Line, except it was closed in two separate places. The official diversion was a muddy track so found a longer way round on roads.
Don't I know it. I used the Strawberry Line yesterday on  my LEJoG and followed the diversion, which was a mistake especially as I'm essentially riding a road bike with a Carradice. I wasn't amused.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

rob

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #289 on: 12 August, 2017, 07:34:34 am »
300k DIY perm around the edges of Norfolk yesterday.

Norwich-Acle-Cromer-Hunstanton-Ely-Newmarket-Diss-Norwich

Beautiful sunny day all day with a bit of a headwind in the fens (isn't it always).   Forgot how much I love the road along the North Norfolk coast.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #290 on: 13 August, 2017, 03:04:13 pm »
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

IanN

  • Voon
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #291 on: 13 August, 2017, 04:16:24 pm »
Report here.
I don't know why I bother...

I've been concocting a few routes based on a tour of Abbeys (ruined or otherwise) since Graeme did his Easter arrow as pilgrimage last year. This one went via Glastonbury Abbey, Sherborne Abbey, Cerne Abbey, Milton Abbey (now a school), over the new forest to Romsey Abbey, nearby Mottisfont Abbey and via Bath Abbey back to Bristol. Took in Wells and Salisbury cathedrals for good measure. For the most part on nice lanes and NCN routes. I had a somewhat flatter version but Cudzo insisted on going to Cerne Abbas.

The desolate 11pm Warminster Spar shop visit was very welcome as I was down to my last Nine Bar and Bath was 30km away. Amazing how you can sink 1100 calories and scarcely notice.

A little over 325 km for a double century in about 20 hours. As a DIY, we technically had time in hand. Should have slowed down!

(Thanks to TonyH our marvellous SW+Wales perm org for enabling all this nonsense)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #292 on: 13 August, 2017, 06:10:22 pm »
 ;D Sometimes I'll do words, sentences, paragraphs, make a ride into a story. But you've got to keep the readers hungry (for words, not pasta from Spar).

More report.

Never lose sight of the glamour.  8)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #293 on: 18 August, 2017, 03:50:22 pm »
Audax is a wonderfully clean and healthy branch of cycling. We don't have the drug scandals of road racing. Besides, we know where those drug cheats end up, don't we? They end up at the foot of the Malverns.



And we don't have those long, boozy lunches favoured by the CTC, either. And where do those drinkers end up? That's right, they end up a bit nearer Tewkesbury:
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=382220&Y=230435&A=Y&Z=120

What on earth is there to do after drink and drugs? Stop at a pub, of course! The Red Lion at the bottom of Wainlode Hill. Not for anything as vulgar as alcohol. No, this was to obtain my drug of choice: a mug of black tea! And a sandwich, which came with a delicious, refreshing salad and a plate of chips. Maybe chips at the bottom of Wainlode Hill weren't such a wise idea... but sensible gearing makes all hills ridable. All hail the 32 sprocket, the great enabler! It deludes portly middle-aged gentlemen (not me, I've no illusions of being a gentleman) that they are athletes. Or could be, if only they really wanted. Maybe next year...

Those chips were nicely digested by the time I got to the big hill, Birdlip Hill, which proved hot and fumy thanks to busy traffic. It's at least 20 years since it ceased to be a main road and got bypassed by the "new" A417, where is all this traffic going? So at the top of that I really needed some drink and drugs, and probably looked as if I'd had both. Instead, I found something more heartily sustaining:



Presumably it's a house or farm, but maybe it's an event. Plum Pudding Festival? Pudstock?

On through little windy lanes near Miserden, where I got a little fed up of being forced to stop while winding uphill on single-track lanes because oncoming drivers couldn't control their cars, panicked, and skidded into the banks. Then on towards Tetbury on high, broad Cotswold hills, through fields of corn with dry stone walls and the occasional small wood. Just outside Tetbury I saw a gentleman (neither middle aged nor portly) riding an old-fashioned black roadster, rod brakes and big dynamo headlight. In a city he'd have had a big, square beard and displayed tattooed biceps, but this being Tetbury, he was dressed in tweed with a leather satchel, like a 1950s schoolboy's bag, over his shoulder. A gamekeeper, perhaps. Or had the revolution started while I was lost in the drink and drugs (or climbing Birdlip Hill, similar feeling) and rural estate agents had forsaken their SUVs and sharp suits in favour of bicycles and hard-wearing, practical outdoor clothing? Tetbury itself displayed neither blood nor pitchforks nor heads on stakes, so probably not, but I didn't stop, just in case.

Weatherbagel had promised me a warm, dry though overcast ride, but there were large black clouds on the horizon coming my way. It started drizzling, the temperature fell. I stopped under a tree by that pottery near the sign to Westonbirt (you know, surely? No, I can't remember its name and I've never seen any pots there but there's a triangle of trees at a junction of two lanes, all quite idyllic... or did I hallucinate that?) to put my waterproof on. And then I rode on and got home.

Oh, looks like I've been doing words again.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #294 on: 20 August, 2017, 11:06:56 pm »
Today, an experiment - 200 km using as many of the converted railway lines in Durham as possible for a mainly traffic-free ride (and we have a lot).

(click to show/hide)

It nearly worked. It should have been a lovely ride. Aidan was excellent company, and we nipped back to his place so he could let the dogs out. I also chucked in the cyclepaths along the Tees, with its fabulous bridges and astonishing industrial architecture. A trip through Saltholme Nature Reserve theoretically saved us from the schlep along the A178, but I kinda like that bit across Dormans Pond. Poolie was a good laugh, and I stuck two fingers up at the opposition when we passed Victoria Park.

But the problem with the railway paths is that they're all in cuttings. It was more-or-less a day of riding through tree tunnels.

Aidan finally took me to Pedalling Squares in Blaydon, though, which is a great cyclists' cafe transposed from Hoxton to Swalwell, and I loved the switch from riding on roads and watching for traffic to riding on shared use paths, slowing for pedestrians and smiling and waving at them all, sharing a joke, stopping to pet friendly dogs and all the other stuff that you do on shared use paths. There's a great route in there, but I'll need to work on it a bit.

BUT we did visit the Tom Simpson memorial in Haswell, which I've been meaning to do for aaages.


Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #295 on: 22 August, 2017, 04:28:09 am »
This is the sort of thing I've been doing over here in exile, Dean.  I've managed to test 3 200s, using old railways but especially canals.  The ones with the railways in are quicker (though you have to work to bring them in on time) but I agree about tree tunnels.  The views on the canals are better!  How long did yours take (yes, I know there's an age difference!)?

Peter

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #296 on: 22 August, 2017, 01:51:21 pm »
I reckon it would've been better if we'd have included the Waskerley Way up to Parkhead.

12 hours overall and 9 hours moving, so it wasn't quick. But there was a ferry in there as well.

Dave_C

  • Trying to get rid of my belly... and failing!
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #297 on: 22 August, 2017, 03:48:52 pm »
Sunday, me and a friend rode a DIY 400 from my house in West Fife. The weather was fantastic, no wind, warm and dry. But oh I am so unfit, and I've developed a painful achillies tendon injury. It started off on a 300 in May on the right, so I rested but now its back in both. I've tried resting it but it didn't help.

Anyway, 26 hours later we arrived back home, tired and hungry. The overnight was a lot colder than the forcast, and a couple of bouts of the dozies were a nightmare!

Dave C

IMG_20170820_111125 by David Crampton, on Flickr

IMG_20170820_111249 by David Crampton, on Flickr
@DaveCrampton < wot a twit.
http://veloviewer.com/athlete/421683/

Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #298 on: 29 August, 2017, 09:28:14 pm »
Cool pics!

Today saw me complete Iddu's EWE Baa or WEWTTTL* as I'll now know it. It was a slow day awheel as I'm not fully recovered from the lurg that caused me to miss Rondom Luxembourg 1,000 earlier this month.

As a London-dweller the route to Caversham was excellent - snarly drivers, busy roads, diesel fumes and plenty of rubbish about. The route to and from Lambourne was so weird - eerily quiet, polite drivers, great views. I couldn't wait to get back to Caversham for the comfort of the rush-hour**.

Actually, the country section was so beautiful I may have to try one of Iddu's calendar events.

*WestEastWest to that there Lambourne
** I may have this the wrong way around

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?
« Reply #299 on: 03 September, 2017, 09:39:18 pm »
[Mr Evans] our new 400 route -  4 of us rode on Saturday, we think it’s a good’un. Hope you do too, thanks![/Mr Evans]

Well, I'll be the Judge of that.  I needed(*) a 400 for the SR, so decided to check out proposed route of his Dauntsey Dawdle (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19400260)

I decided to start/finish from Lechlade, so had a evening kip at the office, for a midnight start, meaning that apart from the hump over Howe Hill to Henley, most of the ride into THAT LONDON was easy peasey.

The urban section seemed to be much less urban that that of the EWE Baaa - quite pleasant tracking in/out alongside the river bank.

But OMG - once you're out the sprawl - the lanes, the lanes...pre-online, he'd have spent a week peering at maps to find some of those.

A fabulous set of swoopy whoopy rises that goes on for miles and miles.  I'd almost class it 100% FRF (fixed/recumbent friendly), but then he marred it by throwing in Bexley Hill, and 2Km of skoggy lane Shawn S would be proud of.  But once past such it was back to more of the same glorious riding...

If you get a chance to enter the Calendar event, and the day is anything like yesterday was, you'll have a fabulous time.

P.

(*) FFS you dick - if you're DIY'ing by GPX, make sure the tracklog is on :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.