The Poor Student 7/1/2012

[Datameister]

Cracking ride, route splendid as ever, many thanks to Mr Iddu for taking this one over.

The wind was annoying on the first leg but the scenery great, the weather balmy (or is that barmy, is is after all only January).

Apologies to Fungus for not sticking around but for some reason (probably the loss of 4 stone) I was on a mission. The final leg is most enjoyable in the daylight (never ridden it in the daylight before) but does look completely different. I've never had a navigation problem in the past, but didn't recognise any of it until it got dark.

Rolled into the finish at 17:03, in company for the first time and three hours prior to any previous arrival on this event. My fastest ever calendar 200..........in January. 

[stevevw]

iddu
Thanks for organising the ride, most enjoyable. But was a wake up call on a number of counts 1. Ride the bike more after a major repair to let it all bed in and make the necessary adjustments at home and not at the side of the road. 2. 18st me and 2st bike is hard to get up some of those hills even with 34-28 low gear. 3. Spend much less time at the controls. 4. When you change to deeper rim wheels make sure you take longer valved tubes with you. 5. All Audax riders are very helpful and a pleasure to ride with. 6. I need to do a lot more miles and loose a lot more weight if LEL is going to be achievable.

zigzag
I looked out for you at the start, guess you was up the road before I even started  See you next Saturday?

[Mathman]

Hi ppPete, Yes, a thousand thanks, thanks to your Super-link I managed to scrape in a Chipping Campden dead on the limit and finish at 9:30. Hope to see you on future events. Entertained a couple of senior citizens in Malmesbury, they knew a bit about cycling but had never seen a Super-link before.

Well done that man !
Glad I was able to be of some assistance.   - and also hope to see you on another ride sometime (if only to be sure there is someone behind us !)

Have just entered the Burford Bumble, maybe see you there.

[phil d]

I struggled more on this year's PS200 than any 200 I can recall since about 2003 (when I stupidly tried to ride a hilly 200 a day after giving blood!)

I found the wind on the first section sapping, and then I did not refresh my calories sufficiently so arrived at Chipping Campden feeling like death warmed up.  Almost (but not quite) took the joy out of the scenery around Compton Abdale.  A veritable feast at the Bantam tearooms (and don't they know how to charge!) did the trick, and the last section passed at a more respectable speed.

One mechanical - a puncture shortly before Shrivenham.  A thorn that I suspect was picked up up last time I was out on a bike in early December.

This is a great route, and as others have said I'm grateful to Iddu for picking up the organiser's baton

[scottlington]

Great ride - glad I've finally done this and deserves all the plaudits. Thanks Iddu for keeping this alive.

Bit rushed but left only a few minutes after 8. Quickly figured out the shortcut through Oxford which meant I immediately caught up with the front runners. Equally, it meant I suffered the ignomony of everyone passing me over the next 15k...

Rode solo for the first leg and as reported the wind made it harder work than it ought to have been.  Having said that, it wasn't that bad and I made reasonable progress to Malmesbury. Chatted briefly to Pete Turnbull for the final few k into the control where I partook of Co-Ops finest (no room at the inn cafe). Didn'r really linger for that long and set off towards Chipping Camden in good spirits.

The climb up the WhyteWay was great even if I was passed more times than I passed...  Lovely views and then the final lumpy 25k to Chipping Camden done with company in the form of LycraMan and a couple of chaps I'd met on the SBWW last month. Lovely hour spent grumping up hills and seeing just how good my brakes were on the way down 

At CC, I spent some time in the cafe consuming Beans on Toast and cake, chatting to LycraMan and being introduced to MarMiteGeoff and others. Said a quick hello to Phild also whilst there. Went to set off with LycraMan but some last minute faffage meant he went off first - last I saw of him until the end.

Ended up setting off again with the two fellas mentioned earlier (didn't catch names stupidly, although one was called Justin I think...) and had a nice ride back to the finish.

I was suprised to find out it had taken us 11hrs 20 mins to complete and thought this was rather slow, especially as it seemed quicker. Maybe I upset LycraMan at the end with my 'that's positively glacial!' comment - I didn't mean to. Sorry! 

Anyway, a very nice ride indeed made better by good weather and excellent company. I'd love to do this again as a perm in summer time. Hmmmm....

[Lycra Man]

Scottlington - you are fine. I was very pleased with my own time, and either didn't hear, or notice, your comment.

Unlike other speedy folk, I haven't seen the CC to Oxford leg in daylight, so I might be up for a summertime perm.

Oh, and I owe you a quarter of a chocolate square. You can claim it back on the Kennet Valley Run, if you like!!

Lycra Man

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Having gone round the KVR at a similar clip and in similar nick last year would venture that its about 45mins easier than this.

[drgannet]

The Poor Student makes a lovely ride in the summer (I live close to the route so have ridden it a few times as a perm). it is also interesting to ride it in reverse - the descent into Compton Abdabs is rather fun, but then the climb out of Chedworth is probably harder. And, of course, you get to ride down the Whiteway.

[PAC]

The Poor Student makes a lovely ride in the summer (I live close to the route so have ridden it a few times as a perm). it is also interesting to ride it in reverse - the descent into Compton Abdabs is rather fun, but then the climb out of Chedworth is probably harder. And, of course, you get to ride down the Whiteway.

Sounds like a good idea....potential tailwind from Malmesbury back to Oxford as well

[iddu]

Sounds like a good idea....potential tailheadwind from Malmesbury back to Oxford as well

Hah Hah Bonk - you poor deluded boy; FTFY 

[mattc]

The Poor Student makes a lovely ride in the summer (I live close to the route so have ridden it a few times as a perm). it is also interesting to ride it in reverse - the descent into Compton Abdabs is rather fun, but then the climb out of Chedworth is probably harder. And, of course, you get to ride down the Whiteway.

Sounds like a good idea....potential tailwind from Malmesbury back to Oxford as well

Hmm... the lumpy middle bit is almost guaranteed an againsterly. (I've heard awful tales of the Whiteway in a headwind... )

[scottlington]

Scottlington - you are fine. I was very pleased with my own time, and either didn't hear, or notice, your comment.

Unlike other speedy folk, I haven't seen the CC to Oxford leg in daylight, so I might be up for a summertime perm.

Oh, and I owe you a quarter of a chocolate square. You can claim it back on the Kennet Valley Run, if you like!!

Lycra Man

Thanks LycraMan - note sure I'll be at the KVR this year but I;m sure I'll see you on the road at some point. 

[Gadget]

Hi Bob... it was me (Gadget) and Justin that chatted to you all the way to Oxford! Sorry we didn't catch your name!

[Lycra Man]

Gadget - was that you on fixed I shared the descent into Chipping Camden? Admirable full beard, too?

Lycra Man

[Laid Back Rich]

thanks Iddu, great ride like everyone says, though felt bit silly doing it on fixed especially on the middle bit, and still feeling silly because now I cannot find your mailing address anywhere to post back the brevet card and till receipts...

[Jonah]

I was the expert scout navigator - like a nocturnal Navajo tracker, but riding a horse made of iron

Great ride, slightly spoilt by my rasping rear hub

[Mike Conway]

Jonah - was that you that helped me out with a zip-tie for my rear mudguard (the Blue Pinarello)? If so, thanks very much - it stayed on the whole day

[Lycra Man]

Jonah!

<waves>

Lycra Man

[Gadget]

Not me with the beard, i was the handsome one of the two!

[PAC]

Sounds like a good idea....potential tailheadwind from Malmesbury back to Oxford as well

Hah Hah Bonk - you poor deluded boy; FTFY 

You cruel man Iddu...I can hope...all the times I seen to go west from Oxford there's a headwind!

[zigzag]

zigzag
I looked out for you at the start, guess you was up the road before I even started  See you next Saturday?

sorry to miss you stevevw, i started with everyone else at 8am.. what's on next saturday? if anything to do with cycling i might pass; two numb fingers and sore body parts that will not recover until weekend. can't sit properly on a bike now and that causes various pains and strains

[phil d]

thanks Iddu, great ride like everyone says, though felt bit silly doing it on fixed especially on the middle bit, and still feeling silly because now I cannot find your mailing address anywhere to post back the brevet card and till receipts...

Go back to the event page in the AUK calendar - you'll need to adjust the start date of the search to one week ago.

[Ray 6701]

His address is also in amongst the perm rides.

Twas a great day out btw 

Even if it was after a week of being as sick as a dog 

[Somnolent]

Go back to the event page in the AUK calendar - you'll need to adjust the start date of the search to one week ago.

Why didnt I think of that ? 

[Laid Back Rich]

Go back to the event page in the AUK calendar - you'll need to adjust the start date of the search to one week ago.

Why didnt I think of that ? 

well not that obvious to me, maybe I am being extremely dense  anywhere to save others the trouble it is
Pat Hurt
10 Newbury Road
Lambourn
RG17 7LL