[LEL17] Alternatives to LEL

[Manotea]

For any riders looking for an alternate long distance challenge for this summer, there are other events still open, notably from my perspective, as I'm keen to drum up some 'full value' company, is the 999 in Italy, 1600km over 6 days from June 24.

See http://www.randonneursmondiaux.org/30-Calendar_2017.html for the LRM calendar.

See https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=100128.0 for discussion of the 999 on YACF.

[postrestant]

Trans Oz -- sounds good:

Be prepared to suffer long daily distances, endless flat and straight roads, boredom, loneliness, cold, rain, headwinds, tailwinds, road trains, wandering cattle, camels, wombats and kangaroos, overpriced accommodation, average food, and sometimes questionable water quality

[Andy Corless]

Entries are still being taken on the Mille Pennines 1000. A UK-based Audax BRM event taking place over the weekend of 07 - 10 July 2017. See AUK web calendar page for more details: http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/17-62/

Andy Corless

[U.N.Dulates]

Mille du Sud https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=101457.0

[thing1]

We're eagely awaiting entries to SFR's spring 1000km to open. Eric's made an amazing looking route - should make a good LEL training ride

http://sfrandonneurs.org/spring-1000k.htm
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18418339

[LittleWheelsandBig]

A few 1000 brevets in western France could easily be linked together.
Wednesday 28 June Train to Poitiers or Niorte, ride 40km to Menigoute
Thursday 29 June 1000 BRM from Menigoute (west of Poitiers), afterwards gently ride north across the Loire a couple of hundred kilometers for
Thursday 06 July 1000 UAF from Change (west of Le Mans), then ride another couple of hundred kilometers north for
Thursday 13 July 1000 BRM from St Germain de Tournebut (just south of Cherbourg)
Sunday 16 July Ride north for an hour or so and catch a ferry to Portsmouth.

Several AUKs rode the previous 1000 BRM from St Germain de Tournebut a couple of years ago and heartily recommend both the event and the organiser.
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=100390.0

HK and I rode the previous 1000 UAF from Change a few years ago and can similarly recommend it. Note: UAF not BRM and accordingly helmets are mandatory. We'll be riding it again.

[Ivo]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht leading through the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany: http://www.randonneurs.nl/event/brm-1000-maastricht-nl-2/
Photo's of last time: https://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/brm1000maastricht2016?DDS=7debvrh7og78emmdo6kjvv0hl4

[Rohnny]

Ivo, I made plans to enter the 1000 Maastricht event. Does it run under the same conditions as last year? No support from the organisation (no beds or a place to stay the night, no food stops, ...)

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Audax Randonneurs South Africa have a 1000 BRM starting Saturday 23 Sept from south of Johannesburg. It might be a good excuse to do some sightseeing.

[Wycombewheeler]

Trans Oz -- sounds good:

Be prepared to suffer ........., road trains,..........

legal minimum distance of 1.5m might not be enough

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht leading through the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany: http://www.randonneurs.nl/event/brm-1000-maastricht-nl-2/
Photo's of last time: https://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/brm1000maastricht2016?DDS=7debvrh7og78emmdo6kjvv0hl4

Just when I thought I had made up my mind on a long summer challenge, although the site is a little short on information

[αdαmsκι]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

[Ivo]

Ivo, I made plans to enter the 1000 Maastricht event. Does it run under the same conditions as last year? No support from the organisation (no beds or a place to stay the night, no food stops, ...)

Indeed, it will be x rated. Plenty of hotels and other amenities along the route though. I didn't use them last year, opting for the full x-rated value (2 times sleeping in a bivy bag and sleeping one night in front of an ATM). A lot of the later controls are in 24 hour service stations so you at least have a chance for a some hot drinks somewhere during the night.

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

Yes, that's it. It's a combination of lumpy hill sections and long valley roads, quite often with the option of a bikepath directly adjacent to the river. In the river valleys the required route is seen as any road following the valley.

[rob]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

I am not doing a long audax this year....
I am not doing a long audax this year....

[phil653]

Alem Tejo 1200 Portugal, 21-25 September.

http://www.randonneursportugal.pt/BRM/portugal-alem-tejo-1200/

[αdαmsκι]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

I am not doing a long audax this year....
I am not doing a long audax this year....

Fancy getting the Eurostar to Brussels and riding the 100km to the start?

[rob]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

I am not doing a long audax this year....
I am not doing a long audax this year....

Fancy getting the Eurostar to Brussels and riding the 100km to the start?

Do you think it's fixed friendly ?

Seriously I don't have the leave this year.   Supposed to be going to France for a couple of weeks without the bike.

[Ivo]

A few days after LEL, 1000km from Maastricht

Hmm. Interesting.  Would the route be like this: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13895001_660763997406149_4131554068785841784_n.jpg?oh=ce2ed658380acae09704d624b14e2f16&oe=58FF213C ?

I am not doing a long audax this year....
I am not doing a long audax this year....

Fancy getting the Eurostar to Brussels and riding the 100km to the start?

Do you think it's fixed friendly ?

Seriously I don't have the leave this year.   Supposed to be going to France for a couple of weeks without the bike.

There are a few steep hills, in the first and last parts and the bit between Saarbrücken and the Mosel valley. Plus lot's of flat sections on former railroads and through rivervalleys. A wellknown US fixed rider did the final 400k as part of the then 600k around the Eifel and regarded it as fixed friendly.

[αdαmsκι]

fixed friendly.

There you go Rob. Now you just need to figure out how to get extra leave you'll sorted.

[rob]

fixed friendly.

There you go Rob. Now you just need to figure out how to get extra leave you'll sorted.

Stop it.

[fussballclub]

fixed friendly.

There you go Rob. Now you just need to figure out how to get extra leave you'll sorted.

Stop it.

Pretty sure that the Maastricht 400k route along the Eifel I used on a 200k just before New Year is the same as the 1000k and it was brilliant. And I remember thinking how did Ivo find these lanes to Aachen?

[hippy]

Are there any resources for someone wanting to ride the LEL 2017 route as a DIY?

Obviously the route is available and that should do, I'm just wondering about route notes that some audax rides have? ie. "definitely buy food here, there's nothing for next 300k" kind of thing?

Also, if I had any notes/comments regarding the route, once ridden, who's best to pass them onto?

Didn't want to create a new thread, sorry if this is wrong spot.

[Greenbank]

Are there any resources for someone wanting to ride the LEL 2017 route as a DIY?

The whole thing or just one way? What kind of schedule are you looking at? (fast I guess, 3 and a bit days?)

The sparse bits will be the northern sections (North of Thirsk or Barnard Castle) as there's not much outside the major towns on the route and not much that's 24h.

For example, coming South, after you leave Edinburgh and start to climb the Moorfoot hills then there are just shops open during normal daylight hours in places like Innerleithen and Langholm. The first 24h thing you'll come across will be Longtown and then I can't think of anything else 24h until Barnard Castle (and maybe not even there).

[hippy]

Are there any resources for someone wanting to ride the LEL 2017 route as a DIY?

The whole thing or just one way? What kind of schedule are you looking at? (fast I guess, 3 and a bit days?)

The sparse bits will be the northern sections (North of Thirsk or Barnard Castle) as there's not much outside the major towns on the route and not much that's 24h.

For example, coming South, after you leave Edinburgh and start to climb the Moorfoot hills then there are just shops open during normal daylight hours in places like Innerleithen and Langholm. The first 24h thing you'll come across will be Longtown and then I can't think of anything else 24h until Barnard Castle (and maybe not even there).

Of course the whole thing! I like Edinburgh but there's only so much whisky I can drink before I need to work again.
I wouldn't say fast but under 4 days would be nice - that work thing again.

Thanks for the tips - I'll make a note to stock up otherwise I guess it'll be a fair way off-route to find 24hr stuff.

[Greenbank]

OK, so a halfway stop in Edinburgh maybe and then end of day 1 and day 3 will be somewhere halfway up/down, e.g. Somewhere between Pocklington and Thirsk.

I take it you'd be hotel/B&B-ing rather than bivvying...

With a schedule like that:-

Day 1: Stops in St Ives, Spalding, Louth. Stock up on the edge of Kingston Upon Hull (there should be 24h garages near the bridge).

Thirsk has a big Tesco and almost certainly has 24h garages.

Day 2: From there it's pretty empty to Barnard Castle from memory, there's a shop and cafe in Middleton-In-Teesdale but more in Alston that would be open depending on your schedule. Don't know about Brampton (it was dark both times I went through there on LEL and I'd day 2 of my one way LEL route test in 2009 started in Alston so we had only been on the road for a short while when passing through Brampton).

Longtown should have a 24h garage plus shops, cafes and a few takeaways. From there there's almost nothing 24h until Edinburgh. You might find something at Moffat depending on timings, and you pass reasonably close to Johnstonebridge Services (Annandale Water) so could detour there.

Day 3: Again, stock up in Edinburgh but you would pass through Innerleithen at a good time and there's the Gordon Arms too, otherwise nothing except the odd pub between there and Langholm (a few things) and then Longtown again. Same as Northbound to Thirsk-ish.

Day 4: Again, control towns should be ok and you get the benefit of going through Cambridge on the way back.

[Deano]

There's nothing 24-hour in Thirsk or Northallerton - it might be easier to go off-route and through York to eat/stock up.

Nowt 24-hour in Barnie either, but Barton Truck Stop World Heritage Site is on the route (where it crosses the A1), and the forecourt is 24-hour. Or Scotch Corner is just up the road.

After that, I don't think there's anything 24-hour until you hit the M74 corridor - Gretna Services, Johnstonebridge and Lockerbie Truck Stop. The Spar garage at Alston opens early (6, I think), and there's plenty in Brampton that'll be open early.

If you are coming south from Edinburgh in the small hours, there probably won't be anything open until you get to Langholm. A mate rode through Eskdalemuir overnight a few weeks back, and had to top up his bottles from rainwater in the puddles.