Author Topic: Dutch brevets in 2020 (Read 28549 times)

Ivo · « **Reply #200 on:** 03 July, 2020, 11:52:30 pm »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 03 July, 2020, 11:20:07 pm

Quote from: farfetched on 03 July, 2020, 11:00:56 pm
I think 1.5m is a vague concept for the average Helmonder, they can probably count to 5 though. except when it's carnaval

South of the river is weird...

J

I'd say the opposite

.

slugbait · « **Reply #201 on:** 10 July, 2020, 07:59:13 pm »

Quote from: quixoticgeek on 03 July, 2020, 09:25:14 pm

Returning to the previous subject of the reserving thing. The site is basically bollocks, you can't easily use it on the phone, so if you have to change anything you can't really do much. Noone checked my reservations, noone checked my bike ticket, noone checked my ov chipkaart. I think the on board staff are doing the bare minimum they can to keep the trains working, with the absolute minimum of contact with the public (NS Really do know how not to waste a good crisis!).

That matches my experience today from Groningen to Nijmegen. The only good thing is that I actually had plenty of space for the bike. Normally, Fridays in Summer are horrible with way too many bikes on trains.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #202 on:** 16 July, 2020, 04:47:56 pm »

I discovered a Randonneurs NL Buff in my mailbox today. I don't know who I should be thanking for this, but it's great, thank you!

J

farfetched · « **Reply #203 on:** 16 July, 2020, 08:46:55 pm »

Me too! Nice gesture, I read somewhere that they were handing them out at last weekends brevet but I can't remember where I read it.

Zed43 · « **Reply #204 on:** 16 July, 2020, 09:20:09 pm »

It was announced on the mailing list.

slugbait · « **Reply #205 on:** 19 July, 2020, 02:18:11 pm »

I think we have to thank Jo Henrich: he spend his Sunday afternoon preparing the packages. I got mine at the start of the first post-lockdown brevet. Great route through the Eiffel with perfect cycling weather.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #206 on:** 19 July, 2020, 02:21:50 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 19 July, 2020, 02:18:11 pm

I think we have to thank Jo Henrich: he spend his Sunday afternoon preparing the packages. I got mine at the start of the first post-lockdown brevet. Great route through the Eiffel with perfect cycling weather.

Was it the same route as last year? It was an amazing ride, bloody hard tho in the heat and all the up. I had 4 minutes to spare!

J

slugbait · « **Reply #207 on:** 19 July, 2020, 03:19:27 pm »

Yep, same route. Next months ride from Heerlen into the Ardennes promises even more climbing. For the non-climbers: next week's event in Groningen packs in a whopping 300m of elevation over 400km and most of that climbing is one 10km section of the ride.

Zed43 · « **Reply #208 on:** 19 July, 2020, 04:40:45 pm »

Speaking of, when will the GPX for next weeks ride be available?

slugbait · « **Reply #209 on:** 19 July, 2020, 04:57:51 pm »

Quote from: Zed43 on 19 July, 2020, 04:40:45 pm

Speaking of, when will the GPX for next weeks ride be available?

Our IT-guy has promised to get them online tonight.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #210 on:** 19 July, 2020, 05:01:02 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 19 July, 2020, 04:57:51 pm

Quote from: Zed43 on 19 July, 2020, 04:40:45 pm
Speaking of, when will the GPX for next weeks ride be available?

Our IT-guy has promised to get them online tonight.

I won't be making the Brevett, but I will be up in Friesland and Groningen bagging Gemeente...

J

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #211 on:** 25 July, 2020, 10:37:32 pm »

I got soaked packing up my tent in Friesland this morning. And am now being battered by storms here in NH. I hope the riders out tonight are ok, this weather is heading their way now.

How many started?

J

slugbait · « **Reply #212 on:** 26 July, 2020, 04:24:16 am »

I noticed that it is slightly damp. In between people finishing I'm mopping the floor. Luckily not too much wind and pretty high temperatures.

My spreadsheet is currently showing 20 finishers, 7 DNS, 5 DNF and 18 riders are still out. One DNS gave as reason not to start that he thought it would be too wet, one DNF due to ill-equiped to deal with this much rain. Most of the riders that are still out are actually in a hotel/B&B etc. Sleeping through the worst of the rain.

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #213 on:** 03 August, 2020, 12:07:31 pm »

Update on the bikes on Dutch trains thing. I tried to take my bike on a train from Hilversum to Amsterdam on Saturday. Forgot I couldn't buy a bike ticket at the machine (tho I did try). Couldn't make the app work, or the website. Got on train anyway. The train conductor, despite helping me get the bike on the train (well he held the door, and told me to calm down he'll wait for me). Then went into the cab and didn't come out again until the next station. No ticket check etc...

This whole new system really isn't working, I don't know quite what NS is trying to achieve, they just seem to be finding ways to miss out on my €7...

J

slugbait · « **Reply #214 on:** 03 August, 2020, 07:20:34 pm »

At least on Dutch trains there is a plenty of space: everybody seems to be avoiding public transport. Last weekend I cycled to Hamburg and took a bunch of regional trains back to Groningen. Very crowded and, while everybody was wearing masks, people were not keeping distance at all. Especially Hamburg Hbf was a big mess.

On topic: Weather forecast for the Heerlen audax is looking terrible. 35 degrees celsius according to some...

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #215 on:** 03 August, 2020, 08:37:18 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 03 August, 2020, 07:20:34 pm

At least on Dutch trains there is a plenty of space: everybody seems to be avoiding public transport. Last weekend I cycled to Hamburg and took a bunch of regional trains back to Groningen. Very crowded and, while everybody was wearing masks, people were not keeping distance at all. Especially Hamburg Hbf was a big mess.

Hamburg hbf is always a mess. It is an appalling design. It has taken me 10+ minutes just to get off the platform in the past.

Quote

On topic: Weather forecast for the Heerlen audax is looking terrible. 35 degrees celsius according to some...

That seems... Toasty. Esp for an event with so much climbing. Drink more water people!!

J

Ivo · « **Reply #216 on:** 03 August, 2020, 09:04:46 pm »

I won't be starting. My shoulder is still causing issues so I can only ride on my tourer. I'm fit enough for a flat 200 on this bike but not for this one.
So I'll go to Luxemburg to chase some municipalities, with a much slower average speed.

slugbait · « **Reply #217 on:** 04 August, 2020, 12:06:49 pm »

The route is also 6km under distance. Some tips to get rid of that annoying underdistance (and get the elevation over 3000m). First, in Bévercé (descent towards Malmédy) take a right turn up the Ferme Libert (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/ferme-libert) and descend back to Bévercé (+2.5km). Second, after descending into Stavelot, take a u-turn right before the bridge and climb up the Stockeu (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/stockeu), take a left turn at the Eddy Merckx statue until your back en route (+2.5km). Third, after you enter Partij you realize that you cycled around the Gulpenerberg. So, head back to Gulpen over the Gulpenerberg (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/gulperberg-partij) until your back en route (+5km or so).

quixoticgeek · « **Reply #218 on:** 04 August, 2020, 12:07:59 pm »

Quote from: slugbait on 04 August, 2020, 12:06:49 pm

The route is also 6km under distance. Some tips to get rid of that annoying underdistance (and get the elevation over 3000m). First, in Bévercé (descent towards Malmédy) take a right turn up the Ferme Libert (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/ferme-libert) and descend back to Bévercé (+2.5km). Second, after descending into Stavelot, take a u-turn right before the bridge and climb up the Stockeu (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/stockeu), take a left turn at the Eddy Merckx statue until your back en route (+2.5km). Third, after you enter Partij you realize that you cycled around the Gulpenerberg. So, head back to Gulpen over the Gulpenerberg (https://climbfinder.com/nl/beklimmingen/gulperberg-partij) until your back en route (+5km or so).

Masochism :p

J

slugbait · « **Reply #219 on:** 04 August, 2020, 12:54:48 pm »

When I'm in a masochistic mood, I go to Yorkshire. Way worse than the Ardennes

Zed43 · « **Reply #220 on:** 04 August, 2020, 07:55:28 pm »

Will not come to Heerlen this weekend as I registered for the BRM600 in Oostende. Hope to pitch my tent at a small campsite ("boerencamping") near Sluis, just next to the route. Forecast: bloody hot and force 4 winds (cross, mostly)

slugbait · « **Reply #221 on:** 05 August, 2020, 08:19:57 pm »

Quote from: Zed43 on 04 August, 2020, 07:55:28 pm

Will not come to Heerlen this weekend as I registered for the BRM600 in Oostende. Hope to pitch my tent at a small campsite ("boerencamping") near Sluis, just next to the route. Forecast: bloody hot and force 4 winds (cross, mostly)

Why Sluis? That's not very close to Oostende. Or is there are you talking about a different Sluis (not in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen).

Weather forecast (at weerplaza.nl) seems to think that Friday is the hottest day, with temperatures in the weekend more managable (33 degrees in Heerlen, 31 degrees in Stavelot). Nonetheless, my escape plan is to follow a river valley to Liège and take a train back to the hotel.

Zed43 · « **Reply #222 on:** 05 August, 2020, 08:30:52 pm »

Sluis because its strategic location near the route and the fact that is (just) inside the Dutch border; saves me the trouble to do all kind of covid registrations. Oostende is 45 minutes by car (well, with my dad's 2CV a little longer

)

slugbait · « **Reply #223 on:** 06 August, 2020, 09:10:38 am »

Isn't that everybody's new pastime? Dodging COVID-19 rules

But good luck this weekend. I'm waiting for Boekelo in September for the big ride of the year.

markcc · « **Reply #224 on:** 19 August, 2020, 09:10:38 pm »

Maasland 300 this weekend. Any takers?