[LEL17] Mid-week DIY 600k on LEL route in June - Pocklington-Loughton and back

[DCLane]

I can't get a weekend's riding in June for a 600k distance. Therefore I've decided to try and do it mid-week, probably 27-28 June, and ride the LEL route having gone a bit brain-addled at the end of PBP on a single night's sleep. The only problem is I'm in the north, so that'll be where I'll start.

My plan is to start from a hotel near York/Pocklington, ride south on the homebound route to Loughton, stop (possibly) and ride north on the outbound route back to Pocklington and sleep.

Any thoughts?

[Wobbly]

Seems like a plan to me.

[CrinklyLion]

The CrinklyDen is in York, conveniently located for heading in a Pock-wards direction, and can offer a luggage storage facility and, potentially, a bed on the night of the Wed 28th/Thurs 29th after if either of those help?

[Redlight]

I'd probably skip the last schlep into Loughton itself, which is not ranked highly on Trip Advisors "50 Places You Must Visit On A Bicycle" but, if you're going to take a break around there, perhaps book into one of the Travelodge/Premier Inns around Epping or even Stansted.  It's fairly easy to add any extra km that you need to make it up to a 600 by routing along some of the north essex lanes.

[madcow]

Following on from the above,why not start in Thirsk ?
It's quieter than York, you can avoid the York traffic and if you cut out Castle Howard and go by Coxwold and Stamford Bridge to Pock ,it's relatively flat.  That way you could drop the Loughton bit and save the excitement of Essex for the actual event.

[DCLane]

@madcow - I've done Thirsk to Pocklington so it's the bottom bit I'm wondering about. I know most of the roads around there.

The CrinklyDen is in York, conveniently located for heading in a Pock-wards direction, and can offer a luggage storage facility and, potentially, a bed on the night of the Wed 28th/Thurs 29th after if either of those help?

Thanks for the kind offer. Hold that thought as I may be in touch.

I'd probably skip the last schlep into Loughton itself, which is not ranked highly on Trip Advisors "50 Places You Must Visit On A Bicycle" but, if you're going to take a break around there, perhaps book into one of the Travelodge/Premier Inns around Epping or even Stansted.  It's fairly easy to add any extra km that you need to make it up to a 600 by routing along some of the north essex lanes.

Could do. Nice thought. I'll start doing the mapping now I've got through a 400.

[madcow]

Yes ,I guessed you might have when I was writing it .Essex is mostly uncharted territory for me as well but it can stay that way until the ride itself.
I am hoping to glide or grovel my way into Loughton whilst most people are still in bed.

[Graeme]

You'd be welcome for a coffee just before the Humber Bridge, I'm just off the route... And with a little diversion from High Hunsley to Welton and then to the bridge it would hardly add anything. If you're interested let me know.

[DCLane]

OK, so this is a go for 27/28 June I hope. Just need to get the time off work confirmed. My route is the LEL route south from Pocklington, cutting across at Hemel Hempstead to the north-bound route and then back to Pocklington. 660k: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/1638723527/

You'd be welcome for a coffee just before the Humber Bridge, I'm just off the route... And with a little diversion from High Hunsley to Welton and then to the bridge it would hardly add anything. If you're interested let me know.

Thanks - that's a possibility although it's likely to be fairly early in the morning.

Thanks to @CrinklyLion for the offer of accommodation. I'm going to drive over from home early am as it's about 50 miles rather than stay over, leaving my car in Pocklington for the night.

[DCLane]

This was planned to start tomorrow but the forecast is wet, wet and more wet. Yes I know that LEL could be wet all the way. But I'd prefer a pre-ride to be just a bit dry.

So I've decided to postpone the ride until I've next got 2 days off work, which is the 12/13/14 July.

A bit close to LEL but I over-did the prep last time and had to stay fit from mid-June to mid-July.

[DCLane]

I finally got the chance to ride a previously planned ride this week: setting off Tuesday from Pocklington (York) through to Great Easton, cutting across to Welton and then back north. 730+km in total as a DIY event:https://www.strava.com/activities/1082409933

Thanks Graeme for the offer of a coffee - it wasn't until about 5am of the Tuesday I decided I was OK to ride.

It all went well until just before what will be the Great Easton control when a spoke snapped at 11pm. Couldn't someone have been there just in case practice riders have a mechanical ;-) Hobbling to McDonald's at London Stansted they must've wondered about the oddity with wheel parts sat there - I fitted a Fiberfix Emergency Spoke which took a while but did the trick until Richardson's Cycles in St Ives fixed it properly and quickly. All credit to them for just getting on and having me back on the road in under an hour. All otherwise fine except for my routing with MapMyRide taking me up an umade bridleway. Oh, and I nearly ended up in the River Cam whilst trying to weave through students at 9pm!

Given I'm not able to ride a bike well due to injuries suffered last year this'll do and rider Q40 will be there for a 10.30am start on the 30th.

[Graeme]

Well done! I hope you enjoyed the Welton diversion too.