Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: Fab Foodie on 19 June, 2015, 12:57:44 pm
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Dears
My plan for the Dun Run has been blown again and so I'm throwing caution to the wind and organising an all-comers at their own risk night ride from Oxford station to Cafe Paulo in Acton for a smashing brekkie.
Many here know the score. Rock-up at Oxford station on Friday evening for an immediate depart at Midnight.
This will be the easier route so newbies can attend. That means:
Oxford, Cowley (for wildlife), Horsepath, Wheatley (more wildlife), Thame even more wildlife), Chinnor hill (for hot badger action), Bledlow ridge, High Wycombe, Loudwater, Beaconsfield Services for grub.
Then Potkin lane, Welders lane, Chalfont St Peter, Harefield, Northolt, Sexual Ealing and Acton.
Will plot the route and post later.
Approx 60 genteelish miles.
I'm running this as a 'Newbie to Night Riding' with our Abingdon Freewheeling and others as it should be warm and only around 4+ hours of lighting are fully required. I'll invite the LBC crowd too. I'll probably Brommie it too.
Last minute I know .... but such is life!
Let me know if you're coming as I need to make sure Paoulo has enough bangers!
FF
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This would be a very tempting (and logistically simpler) excuse not to attempt the Dun Run with my marginal fitness...
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This would be a very tempting (and logistically simpler) excuse not to attempt the Dun Run with my marginal fitness...
Happy to provide the excuse, Kim :thumbsup:
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In better days I'd consider this a lovely prelude to the DunRun. These are not better days.
If I'm not out too late Friday night I'll try to ride out and meet you for breakfast.
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I think I'm free... if I am, count me in.
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I think I'm free... if I am, count me in.
Woo hoo!
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Thought I'd give this a bump to see if there are any other takers from here.
We have others from Freewheeling and CC, so we're certainly going!
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This is looking good, a nice size grupetto.
From CC: Topcat, Slomotion
From yacf: Kim and Matt C (75%)
From Freewheeling: Adam D (+2?), Andy K, John B, Jonathon B, Chris ‘B’ H
Will get the route up later today with more info.
Kim, you still up for this?
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Room for one more potter-er? Having revised my dun run plans to not dun running, this is now do-able. Hopefully I won't lower the Ave speed too much ;D
Spare socks packed....
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Room for one more potter-er? Having revised my dun run plans to not dun running, this is now do-able. Hopefully I won't lower the Ave speed too much ;D
Spare socks packed....
Space and spare socks booked! ;D
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;D
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You have PM
Just need to sort the logistics of it all now.
Will probably drive to Acton and find somewhere to park the car and then get the train some of the way to Oxford.
Looks like it will be a very warm night for it.
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Kim, you still up for this?
Yep. And I've taken delivery of orange cardboard.
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...
If I'm not out too late Friday night I'll try to ride out and meet you for breakfast.
If I'm lucky I should get home in time to hop on my bike and head back across town for breakfast (assuming my vertical hold is functioning). Is your ETA 06:30?
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If I'm not out too late Friday night I'll try to ride out and meet you for breakfast.
If I'm lucky I should get home in time to hop on my bike and head back across town for breakfast (assuming my vertical hold is functioning). Is your ETA 06:30?
Around then to 7 I should think. As it'll be fairly light, we should make good progress, see you there!
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Looks like we're a possible 12 souls ... most excellent!
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If I can wiggle out from under the duvet, I may join you in Paulo's for brekky.
Gotta have brekky somewhere onna saturday.... :)
ETA - K Have you called Paul to let him know he should expect ~12?
I know he'll appreciate the early warning.
020 8740 0591
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And me! I should be about for this, and could do with stretching my legs.
My current plan is to get to Oxford mid-evening and fill in that annoying gap in my Strava heatmap before we leave ;)
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If I can wiggle out from under the duvet, I may join you in Paulo's for brekky.
Gotta have brekky somewhere onna saturday.... :)
ETA - K Have you called Paul to let him know he should expect ~12?
I know he'll appreciate the early warning.
020 8740 0591
Good man Jurek!
Yes, I was going to call Paulo, appreciate the reminder!
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And me! I should be about for this, and could do with stretching my legs.
My current plan is to get to Oxford mid-evening and fill in that annoying gap in my Strava heatmap before we leave ;)
Ooops, left you off the roll-call ... apologies for that!
Well at least Oxford Station is never boring on a Friday evening :-)
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From CC: Topcat, Slomotion
From yacf: dibdib, Moltonaught, Jethro, Kim and Matt C (75%)
From Freewheeling: Adam D (+2?), Andy K, John B, Jonathon B, Chris ‘B’ H
Plus Jurek and Andrij rolling over for an early Brekkie
We’re rockin’ and rollin’ …..
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Tentative for breakfast meet. :)
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Tentative for breakfast meet. :)
:thumbsup:
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I have half a plan to join you for this. I would appreciate a copy of the route so that I have something to beep at me.
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I have half a plan to join you for this. I would appreciate a copy of the route so that I have something to beep at me.
Good stuff!
I hope to plot the route after lunch tomorrow and will post it. We will ride as a group anyhow so nobody should get lost, but it's nice to know where you're heading. :-)
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I have half a plan to join you for this. I would appreciate a copy of the route so that I have something to beep at me.
Good stuff!
I hope to plot the route after lunch tomorrow and will post it. We will ride as a group anyhow so nobody should get lost, but it's nice to know where you're heading. :-)
This ride does have form for people getting lost, too... :-[
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I have half a plan to join you for this. I would appreciate a copy of the route so that I have something to beep at me.
Good stuff!
I hope to plot the route after lunch tomorrow and will post it. We will ride as a group anyhow so nobody should get lost, but it's nice to know where you're heading. :-)
This ride does have form for people getting lost, too... :-[
Several times! But hopefully we're getting better .... You coming along?
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You coming along?
Yup! Said so up there somewhere...
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You coming along?
Yup! Said so up there somewhere...
Just checking :-)
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Route is here!
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/8807812
Final destination is here:
http://www.cafepaolo.co.uk/home.html
Please PM me for an exchange of mobile phone numbers.
We depart Oxford Station on the stroke of Midnight (after singing 'Happy Birthday' to Shaun).
Roll call:
Topcat
Slowmotion
dibdib
Kim
Moltonaught
Matt C (75%)
Jethro
JonBuoy
Adam (+2?)
Andy K
John B
Jonathon B
Chris 'B' H
Shaun C (Birthday Boy)
Maurice A?
Yee Haa!
Andrij, Clarion et al, see you for bangers :-)
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Weather forecast for Friday night/Sat morning has improved significantly! Somebody loves us :-)
It will be warm all night though ....
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sorry but I'm now out.
Enjoy the ride though.
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Setting off for Mordor Central shortly...
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Setting off for Mordor Central shortly...
Goody!
We've got a 15 y/olds party going on in the house at the moment .... it's hardly relaxing preparation ....
Be glad to get to Oxford!
See ya later.
FF
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sorry but I'm now out.
Enjoy the ride though.
Bummer!
Another time :-)
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And we're at Paulo's.
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My body is in Paolo's... Brain is still a mile or two back up the road.
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Well done all of you :thumbsup: .I hope you all had a good ride :)
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Oops.
Set alarm. Alarm went off. I woke up thinking "why is the alarm ringing at this hour?!", switched it off and went back to sleep. :-[ :-[
Sorry I missed you. Hope you had a good ride.
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What a splendid night!
Firstly thanks for all that came and rode, a group that naaturally flowed along the road in good spirits.
Oxford station was unusually undramatic, the toilets worked and people were generally milling around with intent to catch trains. The departure from Oxford via the Cowley road was mellifluous despite *ahem* an enthusiastic jumping of a red ..... It was coming to the end of the Cowley road that I thought I spied the first flashes in the sky.
Out on the road proper towards Horsepath the flashes became more obvious and they were loitering in the general direction of travel.
Wheatley reigned supreme for wildlife this night, broken glass being swept from the road before us and a woman who left the outside the pub to run alongside me for a chat (soon followed by a possible suitor). Now for a girl who didn't run for a hobby and was not gifted with a long stride, she fair shifted and in her mildy narcoleptic state managed a pretty coherent discussion over 100m of Wheatley high street about what we were doing this time of night etc, etc.
Thame dissapointed, it just did ... even the kebab wagon had packed by the time we arrived around 1:30. But enough of wildlife for now. Prior to arrival in Thame the heavens they did open and the lightning did flash mightily. As the stair-rods ensued I spied a suitable hedge to dive under to liberate some waterproofs. As soon as they were donned, the rain stopped and we then reversed the donning process immediately without leaving (the admittedly crap shelter of the hedge I'd chosen). Around Thame the roads were wet, but we only suffered one other short-sharp shower where we manned-up and took it like .... well, like er .... men.
As prescribed, we met Moltonaught as we exited Thame and headed onwards to Chinnor hill, which was a grind as usual. Strangely silent though, no Badgers and absolutely no dogs barking .... spookey.
High Wycombe caused a moment of brief panic when it seems one of our number in a moment of joyous bonhomie did alarm a local resident who verily did come amongst us spoiling for a fight. How he didn't get run over I shall never know.
Beaconsfield services provided sustenance.
Then onwards to Londinium via the winding and gravel strewn single tracks of Welders lane et al. By this time the big light switch in the sky had been activated and the world looked a different place. Due to the time of year it was notably lighter earlier and with an early morning fog was quite magical in places.
The sharp bend was flooded, the terminal moraine all but washed away.
Another of our number managed to lose a nut somewhere around The Chalfonts. The nut and associated bolt or pin being the one that held his brake lever in place .... this being a single-speed with only one brake (naughty) was a tad worrysome. However, the truly capable Kim leapt into action with bolts, nuts and tools to make a 'proper-job'. Every ride in the night, in the middle of sleeping nowhere needs a resourceful Kim in it's midst.
The final leg into London past the Jurek bus shelter and other landmarks of note passed gently and unremarkably. Having some new to this route could also chuckle at 'Fine Bush Lane' and Ladygate road being in close proximity.
Paolos was attained and humongous brekkies consumed heartily by all.
A good night out, good company, lots of giggles and some spectacular aif a little scary heavenly fireworks. We needn't have worried, had one of us been struck by lightening .... Kim would have fixed us up with the contents of her saddle-bag. ;D
Cheers Y'all. Time for a kip.
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Point of order - I womaned[1] up and took the second downpour like someone who was considering, but hadn't yet got round to, removing her gilet and rainlegs. :P
Also, a badger - presumed to be Sonic - was sighted lying in the verge looking suspiciously dead at the foot of Chinnor Hill. (Apologies to Moultonaught for pointing this out in an alarmingly ambiguous manner.) Perhaps the hounds met a similar fate?
Otherwise, as above really. Temperature of 18-19Cish for most of the night (it got down to 17C at one point). Extremely humid, with condensation on everything, but that adds up to reasonably comfortable cycling conditions when you're not in direct sunlight. I'm a lot more dehydrated than I thought I was.
Lots of lovely fresh tarmac in the High Wycombe area. Someone appears to have molished a decent segregated cycle lane out of K-rails on the annoying flyover bit.
I lost track of the list of things that were declared cool, but it included: Heavy touring recumbents (hmm); SPD sandals (I'm sorry - sandals are never cool. Practical, comfortable and appropriate, sure but not cool); tan lines (just no); titanium bikes (fair enough); DI2 (no arguments there); and M5 bolts (I reckon this is all about the context).
[1] Incidentally, this ride failed the cycling equivalent of the Bechdel Test, in that there were fewer women than people called John
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Sounds like a good time was had. :) I wondered if you'd experienced any thunderstorm activity, having had a few rumbles overhead here. Perhaps I'll be able to make it next time around.
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From topcat1:
Wot Fab said ^^ with bells on.
Thankyou Kevin for an excellent night ride, guys if you're missing the FNRTTC, this has everything going to fill that full moon hunger.
I've spent every day for the last 2 weeks riding up to the ballet school in Richmond park ( due to the off in april my right knee has taken longer to recover, so the plan was to ride any hill slowly for the first half and then push hard the second half ) it worked Chinnor was a breeze I rode it in one go.
I have some pics
https://flic.kr/s/aHskeUmWpj
funny........While waiting for the regroup just before High Wycombe with Kim one of the riders says to me "you've got Dura Ace " to which i nodded then" whizz waar" " You've got DI2" in the highest pitched voice i've ever heard a man make.
Kevin,Kim, guys thankyou
tc1
can someone link the pics over the road please
Great photos Dave!
Thanks for coming along, good to see you :-)
EDIT:link posted on yacf
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Another of our number managed to lose a nut somewhere around The Chalfonts.
Fnarrr!
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Another of our number managed to lose a nut somewhere around The Chalfonts.
Fnarrr!
I thank you!
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Another of our number managed to lose a nut somewhere around The Chalfonts.
Fnarrr!
I thank you!
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Sorry I didn't turn out. I realised I didn't have enough money for breakfast. :(
Glad it was a good ride :thumbsup:
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Thanks FF - I really enjoyed this. You did a grand job herding us cats.
I particularly enjoyed the light show and the way that the rain kept teasing us without properly drenching us. The bacon butties in Paolo's were good too!
Apologies for sloping off at the end but my bed overlooking the Serpentine was calling me.
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Is that the ISS bus shelter?
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Is that the ISS bus shelter?
???
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The bus shelter from which one ride to London viewed the ISS.
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Is that the ISS bus shelter?
Yes, but it's more commonly known as the Jurek bus shelter.
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The Fridays have stolen our idea! :o
https://www.fnrttc.org.uk/21-september-london-to-oxford