Author Topic: The Cambrian Classic (Read 25843 times)

The Cambrian · « **Reply #75 on:** 18 March, 2015, 09:17:44 pm »

Yes, we tested the GPS file on Saturday and it worked fine so I didn't bother re-uploading it.

The routesheet had a couple of minor additions so was updated and finalised.

Back to folding brevets....

Philip Whiteman · « **Reply #76 on:** 19 March, 2015, 03:30:47 pm »

For anyone riding The Cambrian - Welsh Marches, Alan Nicholls has published a reminiscence of this audax in 2009....

http://snailmale-anoldwhineinlycra.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/the-gospel-truth.html?spref=tw

Bobbinogs · « **Reply #77 on:** 21 March, 2015, 04:43:55 pm »

Well that was a tough one but I really liked the simple route on the Minor. Let's face it, the ups and downs gave it plenty of character.

It was nice to bump into some familiar faces (who were doing the Cambrian) in the cafe. Would have been good to have a wheel to follow every now and then on the way back as the wind did seem to be in my face for most of it. Stunning ride though, many thanks to the organisers.

wyeride · « **Reply #78 on:** 21 March, 2015, 07:48:59 pm »

Cracking route, tough and demanding as advertised! Great weather made the ride memorable. Organisers pulled out all the stops and deserve special mention.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #79 on:** 21 March, 2015, 08:48:37 pm »

Wow, what a day out!

Quite apart from an awesome route (last 30k was downhill!) the organisation was top notch. Coffee and croissants at the start and a massive unexpected spread at the finish. Thanks so much, Daryl, Luke and co. You deserve kudos for your efforts.

So the ride plan for me was to make as little effort as possible as I picked up a chest cold and cough yesterday and I was expecting to get battered. Plan worked brilliantly! I used 34t front and 26t rear copiously and never felt stretched. In fact the only bit that had me puffing was the return climb out of Llanbister. I finished the ride with ultra fresh feeling legs, but a bit of a weary head.

Was lucky to have the company of top female audax supremo, Rabbit, for all but the last 25k when she tired of my extreme laziness and pressed on to finish.

A great day out!

rabbit · « **Reply #80 on:** 21 March, 2015, 09:58:43 pm »

^wot Flaaatus says!

This has got to be the very best 200 in the Calender, what an event. The route is just stunning, the vistas are heartbreakingly beautiful, the climbs tough but manageable then, just when you've totalled out on the climbing front, there's a 50 km downhill home. Great controls, especially for me with 2 doses on vegan chocolate cake at Llanidloes on the way out and back. Nice to see the familiar faces of John and Linda at the Great Oak. Brilliant catering at the start and finish too, with a fab venue to start from. A leisure centre really is a great choice - toilets, tea and warmth before setting off and finishing.

Thank you so much guys for organising. Highlight of my Audax year so far. OK I had a few (!!) Garmin and chain issues, but the legs felt good and my injured knee actually felt better as the day went on. Must have been all the sunshine therapy! It was positively warm on the climb out of Mach.

That mountain road is my favourite in the UK I have ridden so far.

Great day with Flaaatus talking Audax scene and generally just enjoying being out. Even when I had a proper Garmin-induced tantrum

Also great to catch everyone else, Jamesl8r, Aunt Maud and everyone who's faces I know, but being terrible with names, best not try to list!

jamesld8 · « **Reply #81 on:** 22 March, 2015, 07:28:31 am »

Great ride and in astonishingly good conditions too, usually I`ve been battered by rain and wind on the Staylittle Mach road so yesterday a total treat

Views across to Plymlimon and north to Snowdonia absolutely cracking.

summit Mach road by jamesld8, on Flickr

But by heck was it hilly !!! Although 209km majority of hills packed into 140kmof those, once Llangunllo reached the fun began.

But the return leg back from Llangunllo also had a home coming type feel to it, leaving behind the hills and mountains on a quick return back to the Herefordshire Marches

In contrast to fitter riders above a lot of use was made of a dinner plate combination 34 x 34

---it was good to see a few familiar faces and had great blast back last 5km with Edwin H and Jon S.

MASSIVE Kudos too to tandem couple, amazing to ride all those hills on it

Many thanks to Daryl for organising, a great spread of food at finish too

Great Oak cafe was excellent on both out and in legs, quick service and tasty food although 2 x cakes on way out maybe a bit too much !

CountrySickness · « **Reply #82 on:** 22 March, 2015, 09:16:45 am »

Wow what a day on the bike! Many thanks to Darryl, Luke et al for the great organisation and brilliant idea to revive this classic.

Such a combination of weather, route, controls (especially for the vegans) and company (sorry for being an anti-social b'd and abandoning you Kevin) made for one of the year's great cycling days. The spectacular views of Cader etc from the mountain road ~~erased~~ eased the pain of hauling my unfit carcass up such unforgiving gradients, I haven't used my 26x28 gear so much since the Tregaron Dragon.

Chris S · « **Reply #83 on:** 22 March, 2015, 09:38:35 am »

Stunning scenery, ideal conditions, great organisation.

Balance those against an unfit pilot and a thoroughly miserable stoker made, in the end, for a rather wearing day. Not one of our best tandem experiences which was nothing to do with the ride.

oliveriles · « **Reply #84 on:** 22 March, 2015, 09:54:10 am »

Having done this ride back in mid December in sub zero temperatures and ice everywhere resulting in 3 crashes what a joy to come back and ride it yesterday.

Flew arond in sub 9 hours and was first back. Loved every minute of it.

With it being an out and back route I got to see everyone coming the other way. I have nothing but total admiration for the riders towards the back who were 40k behind me. In my book you are truly audacious, well done for what must have been a long day out.

Weather amazing, views amazing and I had forgot there was a spread of food at the end, a very present surprise.

Thanks to Daryl and Team for putting on a great event.

L CC · « **Reply #85 on:** 22 March, 2015, 10:11:24 am »

I'm utterly poisonous at the moment and it's a reflection of how bad if spring sunshine, gambolling lambs and possibly the best scenery on any ride I've done wasn't enough to penetrate my heart of ice.
Pfft. I'd still rather be miserable on Welsh hills than the same old roads at home.

The Cambrian · « **Reply #86 on:** 22 March, 2015, 12:51:55 pm »

So it seems everybody had a grand day out yesterday!? It was our pleasure to host you all and feedback on the route and hospitality was universally positive. We were blessed with beautiful spring sunshine which showed the Cambrian mountains at their very best, just check out Jo's photos!!

Provisional results are at;
Cambrian 210km : http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2015/listevent/?Ride=15-260
Cambrian Minor 148km: http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2015/listevent/?Ride=15-449
Cambrian Welsh Marches 84km: http://www.aukweb.net/results/archive/2015/listevent/?Ride=15-154

It's a privilege to be custodians of these great routes for the foreseeable future, The Cambrian will return in 2016.

If yesterday didn't satisfy your itch there's always the permanents?
http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/DS01/ http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/DS02/

Many thanks to all our riders, volunteers and co-organisers. You made it a very rewarding experience!

Cheers,

Daryl

PAC · « **Reply #87 on:** 22 March, 2015, 07:01:06 pm »

An absolutely superb event & although I didn't think I would, I dodged the train and rode 186k back to Reading today with strong legs in remarkably sunny conditions

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #88 on:** 22 March, 2015, 07:11:24 pm »

Splendid.

Nice to see faces old and new. 5* route, 7* catering.

Chris S · « **Reply #89 on:** 23 March, 2015, 09:11:37 pm »

Thank you for posting your pictures folks!

Those sparkling blue skies and clear vistas have helped me purge the memory of La Col du Landfill at the top of Llanidloes. Pretty sure that wasn't there when we rode in 2011. What an utterly grim place. Humans - we can be fucking disgusting, can't we?

jamesld8 · « **Reply #90 on:** 23 March, 2015, 09:13:50 pm »

Quote from: Chris S on 23 March, 2015, 09:11:37 pm

Thank you for posting your pictures folks!

Those sparkling blue skies and clear vistas have helped me purge the memory of La Col du Landfill at the top of Llanidloes. Pretty sure that wasn't there when we rode in 2011. What an utterly grim place. Humans - we can be fucking disgusting, can't we?

1. the smell alone was bad

2. and did you notice the bungalow next to it aptly named `Valley View `

PAC · « **Reply #91 on:** 23 March, 2015, 09:24:24 pm »

Quote from: jamesld8 on 23 March, 2015, 09:13:50 pm

Quote from: Chris S on 23 March, 2015, 09:11:37 pm
Thank you for posting your pictures folks!

Those sparkling blue skies and clear vistas have helped me purge the memory of La Col du Landfill at the top of Llanidloes. Pretty sure that wasn't there when we rode in 2011. What an utterly grim place. Humans - we can be fucking disgusting, can't we?

1. the smell alone was bad

2. and did you notice the bungalow next to it aptly named `Valley View `

It did wake up the nostrils...not in a pleasant way, though!

andyp · « **Reply #92 on:** 24 March, 2015, 09:53:31 pm »

Quote from: fboab on 22 March, 2015, 10:11:24 am

I'm utterly poisonous at the moment and it's a reflection of how bad if spring sunshine, gambolling lambs and possibly the best scenery on any ride I've done wasn't enough to penetrate my heart of ice.
Pfft. I'd still rather be miserable on Welsh hills than the same old roads at home.

Hi,
I was out on my bike tonight, thinking about this post, and realised that (probably like most people) i felt sad that wonders of The Cambrian had failed to lift your mood, and have been sending warm and supportive thoughts in your direction since ...but that I hadn't said anything. So resolved to post something to let you know that I (and i'm sure everyone else) very much hope that things improve soon.

Seems hopelessly inadequate now i hit 'preview', but decided that it was better to say something than nothing.

The Cambrian · « **Reply #93 on:** 12 January, 2016, 01:45:34 pm »

Afternoon,

Just a bump for this thread.

We return with our, "5* route, 7* catering" for the 2016 edition of The Cambrian Classic on Saturday 2nd April!

No changes this year (why would we?!), all of the controls are delighted to host us once more. The Great Oak has had a change of ownership but retains the old charm and menu, they've even expanded next door so will be more space for you all! We will be in British Summer Time by then with an extra hours daylight, which will be a welcome bonus at the end of the ride.

Weather is guaranteed, will we get the sparkling blue skies of last year that made the day so memorable?

Further details available at https://sites.google.com/site/thecambrianaudax/home including an updated gallery from last years event (photos, Andy Cox)

Entries open now!

Daryl

rabbit · « **Reply #94 on:** 12 January, 2016, 03:49:55 pm »

Excellent

Adored this last year. Hoping to drag the other half out for this this year.

Philip Whiteman · « **Reply #95 on:** 13 January, 2016, 10:18:47 am »

Expect a number of people coming over from the Beacon RCC.

L CC · « **Reply #96 on:** 13 January, 2016, 11:34:51 am »

A couple of people hoping that moving North suddenly makes them not flatlanders.

Dunno if we'll be tandem or not, yet.

freeflow · « **Reply #97 on:** 17 January, 2016, 06:51:57 pm »

It was a cracking ride last year. I'm in despite breaking my collar bone on yesterday's Willy Warmer <sigh>

jamesld8 · « **Reply #98 on:** 20 March, 2016, 07:37:32 pm »

Not long now to the day out

Am looking fwd to it all, unless real poor weather will be using my Ti road race bike for lightness, not as last year full steel steed with saddlebag. so here`s hoping for decent weather !!!

rabbit · « **Reply #99 on:** 20 March, 2016, 08:02:39 pm »

Damn I'm not going to make this as arm won't be fixed in time, but hope everyone has a good ride out, this is such an absolutely stunning ride.