[LEL] Nice/funny/strange etc. anecdotes from en route

[StevieB]

Is it such standard practice that noone feels it worth commenting on ...

the (nameless) rider who pulled a full-size glass bottle of Jack Daniels from his saddle-bag?

[Tynan]

orange tricksy bike?

the famous teethgrinder

[Salvatore]

I was passed by a Finn/Brit duo 20-30 km before Edinburgh. When they were about 100m ahead of me, they do a U-turn (led by the Finn) and stop at the side of the road. Finn whips out his camera and points it at a dead badger (which looks bloated and ready to burst). Brit looks at me and shrugs his shoulders. When they pass me again there is an explanation of sorts: "They don't have badgers in Finland."

[Chuffy]

I was passed by a Finn/Brit duo 20-30 km before Edinburgh. When they were about 100m ahead of me, they do a U-turn (led by the Finn) and stop at the side of the road. Finn whips out his camera and points it at a dead badger (which looks bloated and ready to burst). Brit looks at me and shrugs his shoulders. When they pass me again there is an explanation of sorts: "They don't have badgers in Finland."

That was me and Markus. 

The pic was for his girlfriend. Who says romance is dead? 

[coops456]

I mentioned the badger crash to a foreign rider at Great Easton and then had to attempt to describe what a badger is. Surprisingly tricky!

[simonp]

As I was waiting at the lights to turn left onto the A1123 leaving St Ives northbound, I saw a tandem riding up the hill from the centre of St Ives. Briefly, I wondered if they were on the event and had missed the turning for the control, but then realised the stoker was a kid, so decided not. I passed them on the hill, then thought little more of it, but they caught up with me on the flat heading north on the B road past RAF Wyton. So they rode with me for a bit, and each asked where the other was going. "Edinburgh," I said. "The Lake District," they said. They were heading for Nottingham that night, then the Lake District the next day, so not trivial daily milage by any means. They were carrying a couple of well-filled panniers, and were going well on the flat, but not quite so fast on the gentle inclines north of St Ives. I think they probably had a very nice holiday, and it was nice to see a bloke and (presumably) his teenage son - 12 years old or thereabouts, at a guess - enjoying cycling together and taking on a decent challenge. We parted company when LEL riders turned right towards Kings Ripton.

[DrMekon]

Ahhh, is *that* DrMekon. From Emmen!

Indeed - the joys of sub £5 second hand jerseys from eBay. Delighted to know its provenance.

[Pip]

Little rise from King's Ripton up to B1090, young fellow wearing cap glances at me and spins furiously past, no greeting just a withering look. On the main road his cap blew off.

At the next junction, on another rise to the RAB, he catches me again, same thing, no greeting, just the look.

The kid inside me reacted and overtook him before the RAB.

He shouted "Git!" as I went by

[eeymsmo]

I mentioned the badger crash to a foreign rider at Great Easton and then had to attempt to describe what a badger is. Surprisingly tricky!

I had that with some oregonites as well. I think there was an assumption of something cute, fluffy and charming about the size of a rabbit

Unfortunately we'd lost contact before the corpse hove into view. I was mildly tempted to stand there and wait just to say "told you"

[jefmcg]

My alaskan ride buddy on day one was rather startled by a corpse on the road I didn't see.  Clearly it was a badger, which apparently they have in Alaska, but they are very rare.

(Personally I was startled by a road-kill hare, which had huge back legs and I though for a minute was a Wallaby)

[Chuffy]

My alaskan ride buddy on day one was rather startled by a corpse on the road I didn't see.  Clearly it was a badger, which apparently they have in Alaska, but they are very rare.

(Personally I was startled by a road-kill hare, which had huge back legs and I though for a minute was a Wallaby)

I saw something on Day one which I swear was a peeled monkey. Didn't stop to investigate though.

[Phil W]

Riding south from Pocklington the rain started. As I headed up a hill there were thousands of tiny frogs trying to cross the road, picked out in my lights. I zig zagged with the best of them as I attempted to weave a path through. I think I succeeded.

[Somnolent]

Riding south from Pocklington the rain started. As I headed up a hill there were thousands of tiny frogs trying to cross the road, picked out in my lights. I zig zagged with the best of them as I attempted to weave a path through. I think I succeeded.

Waste of time mate, they'd all been squished by the time I got there 

[Chuffy]

I rescued a few toads, as well as the newt I found on the road to Eskdalemuir. I also found a very large water vole sitting on the road. It was looking rather traumatised, as if something really horrible had just happened. I picked it up and put it safely on the verge, but I don't hold up much hope for it. 

[STMS]

I had a badger run across the road towards me, it was 5/10M in front and it decided not to jump up the verge and ran ahead of me for about 50M then jumped up the verge which seemed of identical height to where it had crossed originally? not a very bright badger 

[jefmcg]

Ratty, Badger, Mr Toad and I saw a dead mole:

[Peter]

I rescued a few toads, as well as the newt I found on the road to Eskdalemuir. I also found a very large water vole sitting on the road. It was looking rather traumatised, as if something really horrible had just happened. I picked it up and put it safely on the verge, but I don't hold up much hope for it. 

Good man (I presume?).   I'm always rescuing stuff and wondering whether they make it.

[Chuffy]

I rescued a few toads, as well as the newt I found on the road to Eskdalemuir. I also found a very large water vole sitting on the road. It was looking rather traumatised, as if something really horrible had just happened. I picked it up and put it safely on the verge, but I don't hold up much hope for it. 

Good man (I presume?).   I'm always rescuing stuff and wondering whether they make it.

Man? <checks under towel> Oh yes, so I am. 

I really hate seeing squashed wildlife, so I'll always stop and relocate it to a verge if it's sat on the tarmac looking daft. I'm also very good at recognising shapes in poor light, so I can usually spot a toad, where most people would just see a rock.

The watervole confused me. It was on the top of a hilly-ish section and seemed out of place. I did wonder if it had been dropped by something, which would account for it's bewildered and lethargic demeanour.

[Kim]

The watervole confused me. It was on the top of a hilly-ish section and seemed out of place. I did wonder if it had been dropped by something, which would account for it's bewildered and lethargic demeanour.

Are voles allowed to participate in Audax?  Would seem to fall foul of the 'human-powered vehicle' rule.  Not surprised it got dropped on a hilly section though, even with short cranks it would have to make a serious effort to keep up...

[DarkerSide]

I seemed to encounter a large number of spectacularly suicidal rabbits. I'm not sure if it was some aspect of the recumbent that confused them, but almost to a bunny they would sprint from the verges to run about my front wheel. Caused a couple of frantic swerves and clenched moments.

[Hedgebanger]

Rabbits
They'd be taking part in their national competition of 'Chicken'. Seems to be held late spring through summer.
B and A roads  hold preliminary rounds, with semis' on dual carriageway and final on M25. Knockout rounds in all cases ! There's sometimes a 'pot' for the runner up.   

[Kim]

Rabbits
They'd be taking part in their national competition of 'Chicken'. Seems to be held late spring through summer.

I'm fairly sure they're actually playing 'badger'   

[arvid]

Thanks arvid (reaches for Google Dutch translator, but realise with my basic level of Afrikaans I can actually follow quite a bit)

With my level of Afrikaans (which never really progressed much beyond "Hoe gaan dit?" and "Hardloop! Dit is die SAP!") I gave up trying to understand it after the first few words!

Lets cross-quote here. The black velomobile and I had received an alternative route to the Howardian Hills on the return. Where we went off the official route, two ladies followed us. At some point we arrived near a railway where we couldn't find the road or track we were supposed to take. He and I had a discussion in Dutch about how to continue, the scenic way or the A19. We didn't agree so we thought "well now we have to explain our options to these ladies and have them have a voice in it" because it had become apparent that they had no idea how to get back on route nor had a GPS, we felt we should at least guide them back to the official route. And then one of them reacted "oh, we understood you, Dutch is very much like Afrikaans and we're from South Africa" and then continued in Dutch with less of an accent as the average Flemish.
"Oh... OK."
We were both quite surprised and hoped we hadn't gossiped about them within hearing distance.

[simonp]

Cat calling women at the roadside from the French group I got towed by for 20-30km. And female riders too. Made me a bit uncomfortable.

[Aidan]

I was manning the bag drop at Brampton during the return leg and a lovely french rider with an impressive moustache brought his bag to me , to be put in the van for return, and in very broken english asked me to take special care as , I worked out, he had put something fragile in it which he'd bought in Edinburgh. So, OK , its a bit daft buying an unboxed  china mug and putting it in a drop bag, but I did make sure it got down to London safely and handed it to Sue. I do hope it was in one piece when he got it back.