Rowlands RAAAmble

[Laid Back Rich]

Like London buses, SW London rides come in threes: Ditchling Devil in June; Cogidubnus in August; and now...

Rowlands RAAAmble, 11th September

Click the link, read the blurb, ride the ride!

[tonyh]

Looks excellent!!

[marcusjb]

Superb! Great to see some really good events for summer from SW London.

Let me know if you want some new eyes to check your route sheet nearer the time.

But, I will almost certainly be riding this!

[Hummers]

Are you using the Rowlands Castle cafe as a control?

You should be OK if you are turning up around lunchtime however if it is nice weather there are normally a lot of cyclists there at elevenses. Failing that, there is a shop and two pubs and a CoOp down there - or a kindly local may offer to host a control on the green 

H

[Laid Back Rich]

Thanks H, we are planning to do a free choice control in Rowlands Castle and recommend the Village Coffee Shop

It had occurred to us that a member of the Portsmouth Massive might like to stamp our cards, thanks for the offer 

[Hummers]

Thanks H, we are planning to do a free choice control in Rowlands Castle and recommend the Village Coffee Shop

It had occurred to us that a member of the Portsmouth Massive might like to stamp our cards, thanks for the offer 

You are welcome 

I have already commenced negotiations on the home front but am sure the Pompey Wednesday Night Pub Ride massive will be able to offer a stamping body of some sort.

Very wise to go for a free control option. I doubt the cafe would still be in existence if it were not for the cyclists who regularly use it however from 10:30-12:00 on a Sunday it is usually rammed and they are quite stretched. There is the Castle pub just around the corner (which is OK) and the Robin Hood on the green (no idea on this one any more - quite pricey from what I remember) but failing that there is a Co Op to buy cakes and a big village green where you can sit and eat them.

I am hoping you have covered all eventualities however I strongly advise that a planning and preparation meeting takes place (perhaps more than one) to ensure that nothing has been overlooked or even remembered the morning after. 

H

[Laid Back Rich]

I am hoping you have covered all eventualities however I strongly advise that a planning and preparation meeting takes place (perhaps more than one) to ensure that nothing has been overlooked or even remembered the morning after. 
H

Wise advice as ever from the H corner, thanks. We did have this in mind, another training evening at the Wibbas Down in Wimbledon would we feel admirably suit requirements. Probably in March...watch this space!

[menthel]

So close to home! I may well put in a speculative entry but the hills may defeat my legs...

[Martin]

Added to the GdS 

[menthel]

Speculatively entered. I may be writing cheques my legs can't pay...

[Hummers]

I am hoping you have covered all eventualities however I strongly advise that a planning and preparation meeting takes place (perhaps more than one) to ensure that nothing has been overlooked or even remembered the morning after. 
H

Wise advice as ever from the H corner, thanks. We did have this in mind, another training evening at the Wibbas Down in Wimbledon would we feel admirably suit requirements. Probably in March...watch this space!

Excellent!

I would hate for someone to attempt this Randonee under prepared, not fully equipped or fully sober 

H

[marcusjb]

I am hoping you have covered all eventualities however I strongly advise that a planning and preparation meeting takes place (perhaps more than one) to ensure that nothing has been overlooked or even remembered the morning after. 
H

Wise advice as ever from the H corner, thanks. We did have this in mind, another training evening at the Wibbas Down in Wimbledon would we feel admirably suit requirements. Probably in March...watch this space!

SW London org's co-ordination and strategy meeting?  With special representation from Portsmouth CTC's potential controller at Rowland's Castle.

Sounds a perfectly valid excuse for a get together!

[Nelson Longflap]

Fantastic!! I'm very tempted ... but need to check on other potential commitments in September. It will be a lovely ride 

[postie]

Mr hummerstone. Rowlands castle has 3 pubs in the village centre(you should know this).Now i could be interested in riding this as the surrey hills feature.

[Martin]

I'm in!

I can vouch for the (Gales) Fullers pub at the turn. Re Leith Hill climbs which did you have in mind? (Tanhurst Lane is not the correct answer!)

[Hummers]

Mr hummerstone. Rowlands castle has 3 pubs in the village centre(you should know this).Now i could be interested in riding this as the surrey hills feature.

Yerbut there are only two worth mentioning and the Castle is the best of the bunch - unless you want to pay over £4 a pint. 


H

[Laid Back Rich]

A pleasing 21 entries in already for this event. As it's our first we are limiting it to 100 riders. So get your entry in if you don't want to miss the inaugural KWAC ride!

[Laid Back Rich]

We have 70 riders now signed up for this inaugural Kingston Wheeler Audax 200 on Sunday 11th September, and we must stick to the 100 rider limit.
So if you know you want to ride, now is the time to get your entry sorted!
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-368/

[Laid Back Rich]

This is neat...: https://www.relive.cc/view/666849431 - Bit of fun… Rowlands RAAAmble in the style of a stage of the Tour de France!
NB 231km includes from Dom's front door and back, the event itself is about 215km.

[Martin]

who's in? apparently sold out at 100 riders, Way to go Rich on your first event !!

Am I deluded in thinking Leith Hill Place (and not even the whole way up a la TotH) is the toughest climb? the whole route looks very "tough but fair" and scenic with a medium c; really looking forward to it!

[Laid Back Rich]

who's in? apparently sold out at 100 riders, Way to go Rich on your first event !!
Am I deluded in thinking Leith Hill Place (and not even the whole way up a la TotH) is the toughest climb?

75% of entries are temp audax members, so presumably many of them newbies. 45 Kingston Wheelers. Let me know what you thought the toughest climb was when you get back...sports recovery drinks will be available 

[Pete Mas]

I was out testing the route last Sunday, and its a nice ride, which takes you well off the beaten track at times.Despite having breakfast before I started I was surprisingly hungry by the time I reached the first café control at Hindhead, and enjoyed a sausage bap plus latte. I used a combination of the route-sheet and GPX to navigate. If anyone is just relying on the paper route-sheet be aware where it says a turn is 'easy -to-miss.'

I look forward to riding it all again on Sunday! For all the newbies to 200km distance  don't forget to take it a bit easier than you normally do on shorter rides, eat and drink sufficiently, and keep something in reserve for Leith Hill and then final climb to Headley near the end. Take care on descents, especially the narrow ones, as local traffic sometimes appears as if from nowhere on even the quietest roads.

[JamieD]

Pete

What were the cycle lane components of it like? I was looking over the route on OSM and it looked like there were quite a few non-road sections.

[Pete Mas]

Pete

What were the cycle lane components of it like? I was looking over the route on OSM and it looked like there were quite a few non-road sections.

I cannot remember any difficult to follow sections. just watch out for pedestrians and joggers on the Devil's Punchbowl path. Near the end the cycle path alongside the busy A24 is easy to use, then take the underpass under the road to switch sides at West Humble, before joining the road just past the RAB to Juniper Hill. There's one very small stretch of path earlier in the South Downs which was a bit muddy and bumpy, but overall I got around OK on a bike without guards.

[Greenbank]

Near the end the cycle path alongside the busy A24 is easy to use, then take the underpass under the road to switch sides at West Humble, before joining the road just past the RAB to Juniper Hill.

Funnily enough I rode exactly that way the other week (after bashing my legs around the CTC's Hilly 50 route).

The signage for the underpass is typical bonkers contradictory stuff.

There's a blue cycling and walking sign for "Box Hill via underpass" with a picture of pedestrians and a bicycle on it pointing you down to the underpass. On the same pole is a blue "Subway" sign and a blue "Cyclists Dismount" sign. Luckily they're only advisory. There are also NCN 22 signs directing down that bit.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.2528285,-0.323542,3a,48.8y,347.06h,85.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slANY4YwKpGZ53saKiNzvWQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I'm not afraid of main roads but that bit of the A24 is nicely avoided by the underpass.