Apologies if this turns into a bit of a life story.
I had a few years away from the cycling scene due to work and family life getting in the way then about 2.5 years ago some work colleagues talked me into doing a charity LeJog ride, have put on a few stone I needed to get fit. I was talked into riding the 2012 Bristol Belter Sportive as my group of work colleagues were riding it, I ended up doing another in 2012 followed by around 6 or 7 during 2013 as the cycling bug re-awakened, 2014 saw me doing another 8 sportive events and feeling a bit disenchanted with them mainly due to the value for money bit.
I re-found Audax end of last year having had a gap of some 20+ years from my last Audax event, and have now ridden two events this year, the biggest difference between sportives and Audax's are the people who ride them. Audax's are far more friendly ridden by friendly and chatty people, I found getting told to get out of the way as some Pinarello'd pleb who's has more money than class rather annoying after a while, and the entry fees are ridiculous I found myself openly questioning what I got for my £30+
The rather naff names are par for the course in sportive land, I never rode any based on the name it was mostly where the route took me rather than being called Merlin's Dragon Killer or whatever.
Anyway having said all of that July see's me riding a certain Italian Sportive
