WYLYE AND EBBLE VALLEY 200 - 28 Sep 2014 (Denmead 200)

[bikey-mikey]

Mr Mikey, Please can you have a word with your friend, the AAA man?

(my GPS says 890 + 802 + 643 = 2,335m, should = 2.25 points!)

Thanks!

I've just uploaded mine, and the figures differ - don't they always   

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/601156510

As regards AAA, I think this is something that should first be raised with Postie Paul - it's his ride..

If P-P is happy, Steve Snook could take my stats and run them through his special software

[tonyh]

2,335m, should = 2.25 points

Only if the average climb rate is over 14m/km, which needs 2800m for 200km.
(Mikey's reading is 2733m.)

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/audaxaltitudeaward/aaaevents.html

[Cycling Daddy]

Well I am now enjoying the memories of this ride.  Many thanks to Postie and to Hummers +1  for the biscuit/coffee starter.  Some lovely varied scenery in stunning weather a great last ride of the Audax Year. Great to meet several peeps that have so far only known virtually.
L

[Hummers]

2,335m, should = 2.25 points

Only if the average climb rate is over 14m/km, which needs 2800m for 200km.
(Mikey's reading is 2733m.)

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/audaxaltitudeaward/aaaevents.html

Indeed.

I suspect it would need a lumpy return from Cranborne to push it into the realms of a AAA ride as it is relatively flat and fast run back.

H

[Danu]

How he manages to get good weather every year is eerie
Shame that organisers seem to get negative feedback, ride goes over a few lumps as stated on the tin
great to meet up with old and new faces and Barry

[LEE]

The first real climb, out of Wylye (Wylye being hidden from view in the valley way below).

With Dave Minter and my buddy Min Spooner (no relation to John).



Although this is the first real granny-gear climb I have to say that I'd forgotton just how consistently rolling the ride is (until you get on the final run-in from Otterbourne/Marwell.)

Great day on the bike though, the drizzle this morning reminds me how lucky we were to get summer weather in (almost) October.

[postie]

well that went well, the new first control seem to have great cake well the best choc cake i have had for a while.
with the weather you got to see the route at its best then the new finish worked very well and such was the great weather we were sat outside at 8-30 last night. i had 58 entries 45 starters and 41 made it to the finish. of the 4 non finishers 1 stop at romsey have ridden there from the morning,2 phoned to say they had gone home and one as not been in contact so could be missing.

one last thing the ride who thinks the last bit of the route is wrong (you kown who you are), having checked with other rides and looked myself its not!!!!!

[Hummers]

one last thing the ride who thinks the last bit of the route is wrong (you kown who you are), having checked with other rides and looked myself its not!!!!!

That was me for one. 

Then again, I was on auto-pilot from the Woofdords onwards and in dire need of a beer. I took the first left to Swanmore not the left at the traffic lights.

H

[bikey-mikey]

Personally it was an outstanding ride.  A superb mix of quiet but good surfaced roads, with some A roads blended in, but never scary, always sensible traffic.

Roads that even I have never ridden, though I often crossed ones I had at junctions.

Lumpy in a way that I like - short sharp hard steep out-of-the-saddle go-for-it efforts.  I remember the climb photoed above, indeed I nearly stopped just to take that same photo... Of course that one was a different longer sort of climb!

Talking of climbs, I also experienced a couple that didn't suit me, coming back across the New Forest - I'm talking nearly five kilometre at 2.5% up, into a headwind unstinted by trees or buildings... It looked like it was flat, but oh no it wasn't.... I just don't have the power to do that at close to 25 kph - well I did on Sunday, but I was more knackered than climbing from Wylye!!!

I also remember quite a few enormously fast descents, again on good surfaces, with good sight lines..

Folks put this one on your 'to do' list 

[Cycling Daddy]

Talking of climbs, I also experienced a couple that didn't suit me, coming back across the New Forest - I'm talking nearly five kilometre at 2.5% up, into a headwind unstinted by trees or buildings... It looked like it was flat, but oh no it wasn't...

I wondered why that seemed so hard thought I was bonking.  Might be a slow (in my case very slow) thrash but great to see the openness of the New 'Forest'

[scampi]

One of my very few audaxes this year and lovely to meet up with and ride with some old friends.  The weather was the icing on the cake.

[Nelson Longflap]

Thanks for the photo Lee. That spot is always worth a brief stop to turn round to enjoy the view, with added heat haze yesterday, and in my case a banana. This is one of my favourite rides with its three distinct flat - hilly - flat stages, even better this year with the new control with tasty snacks, really good coffee, and of course the absence of A303.

A big thank you to Postie and the organisation team for facilitating such a great day out 

[Bunker22]

well that went well, the new first control seem to have great cake well the best choc cake i have had for a while.
with the weather you got to see the route at its best then the new finish worked very well and such was the great weather we were sat outside at 8-30 last night. i had 58 entries 45 starters and 41 made it to the finish. of the 4 non finishers 1 stop at romsey have ridden there from the morning,2 phoned to say they had gone home and one as not been in contact so could be missing.

one last thing the ride who thinks the last bit of the route is wrong (you kown who you are), having checked with other rides and looked myself its not!!!!!

Hope that wasn't me. I did text the number on the Brevet card around 10.30am to say I had had mechanical issues so was packing.

[thesloth]

the best choc cake i have had for a while.

I'll second that!

Some photos for your viewing pleasure:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3R64JX

[Hummers]

Talking of climbs, I also experienced a couple that didn't suit me, coming back across the New Forest - I'm talking nearly five kilometre at 2.5% up, into a headwind unstinted by trees or buildings... It looked like it was flat, but oh no it wasn't...

I wondered why that seemed so hard thought I was bonking.  Might be a slow (in my case very slow) thrash but great to see the openness of the New 'Forest'

It's that bloody New Forest.

Neither of you were alone in finding the 'L sp Bramshaw' a long time coming. I don't know why but from them on it changed back into a fine ride.

H

[LEE]

My ride buddy was flagging as we got to Fordingbridge and up onto the exposed forest roads (somebody plant some bloody trees in the forest).

I did my best lead-out-man impression to tow him into the headwind and it was a really tough 10km until that welcome left turn into tree cover and descent to Bramshaw.

The bit that got to my legs the most however was the run of fairly small lumps from Romsey to Otterbourne, they seemed quite relentless.
I know the road well and never had any problems before. 
Maybe I was just running low on fluids (soon after I had to bail into Bishops Waltham CooP for a milkshake and more water pretty urgently.)

[Cycling Daddy]

the best choc cake i have had for a while.

I'll second that!

Some photos for your viewing pleasure:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3R64JX

Not just the quality but the quantity too was impressive

[Hummers]

the best choc cake i have had for a while.

I'll second that!

Some photos for your viewing pleasure:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3R64JX

Cracking pics there that man!

H

[Somnolent]

The bit that got to my legs the most however was the run of fairly small lumps from Romsey to Otterbourne, they seemed quite relentless.
I know the road well and never had any problems before. 
Maybe I was just running low on fluids (soon after I had to bail into Bishops Waltham CooP for a milkshake and more water pretty urgently.)

And as I recall it was your encouragement that got me through that self-same stretch in 2010 !