Author Topic: Dutch brevets in 2020  (Read 28361 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #50 on: 11 November, 2019, 11:53:22 pm »
I'll be there, staying at the hostel the evening before the ride.

I was going to try and do it as a return trip on the 0540 train, but decided that's a stupid idea, have booked a bed at the hostel for the night before and after. If the weather is cooperative I'll spend Friday bagging extra Gemeente in Zeeland.

Meet for a drink in the bar on Friday (didn't we do that last year too? we may have to be careful not to make it into a tradition...)

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #51 on: 12 November, 2019, 06:30:03 am »
I have late shift on saturday so I won't be there (again).

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #52 on: 12 November, 2019, 07:12:59 am »
I'll be there, staying at the hostel the evening before the ride.

I was going to try and do it as a return trip on the 0540 train, but decided that's a stupid idea, have booked a bed at the hostel for the night before and after. If the weather is cooperative I'll spend Friday bagging extra Gemeente in Zeeland.

Meet for a drink in the bar on Friday (didn't we do that last year too? we may have to be careful not to make it into a tradition...)

J

Sound like a plan, 8pm?

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #53 on: 12 November, 2019, 10:17:50 am »
I might turn up too (Saturday morning), i have a RRtY which i would like to keep up and this is my last chance for November.
As was stated earlier there isnt much agreement amongst the weather sites as to what we can expect, should stop looking really.
Regards,

Alan

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #54 on: 12 November, 2019, 01:43:16 pm »
From Ventusky:
GEM reckons Southerly 18kmh
GFS reckons Southerly, 30kmh gusting 46kmh
ICON still to come

I'm hoping for Mondays GFS forecast of a gentle South Westerly when I get off the ferry on Monday morning at Rotterdam over GEMs air-con in the face....

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #55 on: 13 November, 2019, 02:44:14 pm »

Buienradar is pretty much converged on westerly, force 4. The first 80km are gonna be one hell of a slog. The 15k from Vlissingen to the turn at the western most point is pretty sheltered in wind/dunes.

Gonna be one hell of a slog... RatN memories coming back... just with fewer sheep.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #56 on: 14 November, 2019, 09:19:27 am »
The 5 weather models on windy.com are reporting mainly southwest with 4bft upto 5 @ 6 bft in the late afternoon for Vlissingen, further inland a little less.
Should be interesting... all seem to think it will stay dry for the most part.
Regards,

Alan

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #57 on: 15 November, 2019, 03:16:23 pm »
Having bailed last minute on the zwolle ride, I'm deffo doing this one.  It's Zeeland - there will be wind.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #58 on: 15 November, 2019, 06:53:27 pm »

Despite the best efforts of NS's finest ticket Thugs. I'm here.

My Gemeente hunt south of the Schelde was a partial success. I missed one, but got 2. I'm not addicted, honest.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #59 on: 15 November, 2019, 07:38:33 pm »

Despite the best efforts of NS's finest ticket Thugs. I'm here.

My Gemeente hunt south of the Schelde was a partial success. I missed one, but got 2. I'm not addicted, honest.

J

I've changed to another NS card type which might also benefit you, weekend vrij, pay 34,- per month and you can travel freely from friday 18.30 until late sunday evening.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #60 on: 16 November, 2019, 10:05:27 pm »

I survived. 13:15. Way to close to the wire. Did 150km of it nursing a broken spoke on my rear wheel. The headwind after turning at the most northern point took what little I had left.

RRtY keeps going, added 3 more Gemeente, regained my year ranking.

How was it for everyone else?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #61 on: 16 November, 2019, 10:23:30 pm »

I survived. 13:15. Way to close to the wire. Did 150km of it nursing a broken spoke on my rear wheel. The headwind after turning at the most northern point took what little I had left.

RRtY keeps going, added 3 more Gemeente, regained my year ranking.

How was it for everyone else?

J

A nice winter day to be out on the bike and the route was better than last year. At the last control I realized I could get a time well within 8 hours, so cranked up the effort a bit and finished in 7:45. For us faster riders, there was essentially no wind. It only seemed to pick up after 5pm.

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #62 on: 17 November, 2019, 08:41:18 am »
Enjoyed that. Nice route and about as benign weather as you could hope for.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #63 on: 17 November, 2019, 04:58:08 pm »
Enjoyed that. Nice route and about as benign weather as you could hope for.

I think being a bit slower than everyone else, I got hit a bit more by the weather than others towards the end of the ride. When I turned southish at Den Osse, I came up against a persistant headwind that I'd get every time I had anything southern to the direction, the rest of the time it was a cross wind. Amazingly I got no noticable tailwind on the oosterscheldekering, the wind turbines were barely spinning.

The 2nd half of the ride I spent feeling like I had no energy, confused why I was making such slow progress.

Well the answer came a couple of hours after finishing, when I spent most of the night sat on the loo in the hostel, something I ate hasn't agreed with me, which explains why I felt so crap on the ride.

I'm glad I did the ride, and I'm glad I finished it, but I'm not sure I will put myself through this route again next year.

2019 - 206.54km - 11:05:26 moving, total time 13:17:10 ave speed 18.6km/h
2018 - 204.57km - 11:07:49 moving, total time 13:07:07, ave speed 18.4km/h

So more faff, marginally more speed.

I wonder how much quicker I'd been if I hadn't been ill. I also wonder what the northern half of the route looks like in day light, I've never see it...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #64 on: 17 November, 2019, 04:59:51 pm »
 While I agree that for Zeeland it probably won't get much better than that, I struggled a little with the cold. Its my own fault as I tend to ride the first 100km above my comfort zone, fine in the zomer but in winter conditions cold gets me after the first control. It happened to me a few years back and since then I've not done any winter brevets. Body never seems to get warm again, speed goes down, get colder... vicious circle I guess.

Anyway first 100km in 4 hrs (Domburg) second 100km in 6.5 hrs, we spent an hour in front of the open fire at a pancake House off route. It's was a nice brevet for my club friend because he comes from Zeeland and the route went past his old home in hoedekenskerk.

If I want to keep my RRtY going then I will need to change my approach (clothing, food, ? )  I didn't really enjoy yesterday that much and it will probably be colder in Boekelo next month.

@quixoticgeek nice to speak to you at the start even if it was very briefly. The last part was always going to be challenging as parts where close to open water and the wind did pick up a bit from the south.
Regards,

Alan

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #65 on: 17 November, 2019, 05:09:22 pm »
If I want to keep my RRtY going then I will need to change my approach (clothing, food, ? )  I didn't really enjoy yesterday that much and it will probably be colder in Boekelo next month.

- Carry a spare base layer, swap at the control, this means you have a dry layer next to your skin.
- When you stop, put your gloves inside your jersey, this keeps them warm, so you don't have to warm up any moisture in there when you start again
- Change socks at every stop if necessary
- shoe warmers are worth their wait in gold https://amzn.to/37d0FWK

Quote
@quixoticgeek nice to speak to you at the start even if it was very briefly. The last part was always going to be challenging as parts where close to open water and the wind did pick up a bit from the south.

And you too. Slightly worrying you recognised me from my bike, and not from being one of 5 women riding :p

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #66 on: 17 November, 2019, 06:30:06 pm »

- Carry a spare base layer, swap at the control, this means you have a dry layer next to your skin.
- When you stop, put your gloves inside your jersey, this keeps them warm, so you don't have to warm up any moisture in there when you start again
- Change socks at every stop if necessary
- shoe warmers are worth their wait in gold https://amzn.to/37d0FWK

The problem is more to do with my body area so a change of base layer is worth considering if I can find the space. Feet and hands are usually fine even with mild frost.


Quote
And you too. Slightly worrying you recognised me from my bike, and not from being one of 5 women riding :p

J

I've seen your bike on lots of foto's here and there but not you, to be honest at the start I don't usually pay much attention as to whose riding, once underway more so. One thing I have noticed is that there are lots of riders (always male) who really have no idea how to ride in a group. Saw at least 3 near misses with traffic, especially in Vlissingen where it was 'zwarte piet' time again. I don't get why riders take risks to stay in the group when the control is a couple of km's away. (Actually risk at any time is a mystery to me!)
Regards,

Alan

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #67 on: 18 November, 2019, 07:13:27 am »
Friday I did not feel very good, had a slight cold. So I did not start.
Maybe I will ride the 200 from Boekelo, depending on the weather.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #68 on: 22 January, 2020, 08:31:07 pm »

Anyone planning to goto Bunnik on Saturday?

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #69 on: 22 January, 2020, 09:54:09 pm »

Anyone planning to goto Bunnik on Saturday?

J

I'll be there. I booked a bed in the hostel for both friday and saturday night.

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #70 on: 22 January, 2020, 10:37:28 pm »

Anyone planning to goto Bunnik on Saturday?


I did the route check earlier this month because I'm working this Saturday (not what I signed up for as a semi-"civil servant"). But I'll be present again in Nijmegen and Heerlen.

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #71 on: 23 January, 2020, 06:16:27 am »

Anyone planning to goto Bunnik on Saturday?


I did the route check earlier this month because I'm working this Saturday (not what I signed up for as a semi-"civil servant"). But I'll be present again in Nijmegen and Heerlen.

I'll be in Nijmegen as well and am planning to be in Heerlen (I haven't got my shift plan yet for that weekend so I can't be sure).

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #72 on: 23 January, 2020, 09:34:42 am »

Anyone planning to goto Bunnik on Saturday?

J

I will be riding this one.
Also the Nijmegen and maybe the Heerlen one.

Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #73 on: 23 January, 2020, 10:10:20 am »
I'll be in Nijmegen as well and am planning to be in Heerlen (I haven't got my shift plan yet for that weekend so I can't be sure).

It's a pity that we can't use the Stayokay in Maastricht for the "Festina Lente"-ride. Maastricht is a considerably nicer town to spend the weekend than Heerlen.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Dutch brevets in 2020
« Reply #74 on: 23 January, 2020, 12:09:16 pm »
It's a pity that we can't use the Stayokay in Maastricht for the "Festina Lente"-ride. Maastricht is a considerably nicer town to spend the weekend than Heerlen.

Oh, I hadn't noticed that the Festina Lente ride had moved to Heerlen. That's a bit of a pain, there's a lot less affordable accommodation in Heerlen than in Maastricht :(

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/