Looks like I'm going to Skeggy

[BobScarle]

Just printed my entry form, sorted and addressed the envelope and written the cheque. That's my entry for "Everybody Rides to Skeggy" done. Except that I have never ridden a 300 before. The route looks flat but I have heard stories about the wind making seem like it is all uphill. Anybody with any experience of the ride?

[Hot Flatus]

It is flat, and yes, parts of it are quite exposed to wind.  Its an ok ride, fun to go to the seaside, and Woodhall spa is nice, but its  a bit bereft of scenery. Probably a good choice for a first 300

[DCLane]

Anybody with any experience of the ride?

I rode it last year - and should be riding it again. We had a headwind for all of the way out which meant a quick return.

It's a nice route with open countryside, if a bit urban at the end.

This year I intend to get an ice cream at Skeggy since the group I was riding with simply got there, turned left and headed for home 

[dasmi]

As with all Alfreton CTC rides we guarantee weather on the day

The real turning point on this ride is Sutton on sea 160 k, have a good feed here and you will be set up for the return leg.

There will be a warm welcome at arrivee.

dave

p.s I like this ride.....it can be easy/hard......you never know until the day

[jhob]

I did it last year and the wind direction was the opposite of what it normally is so we had a tail wind on the return leg rather than the out leg, which was nice.  It wasn't even that windy either.  It's a nice route and a good challenge whatever the weather conditions.

It was my first 300 and the step up from a 200 wasn't an issue.  I did ride to the start and back so did about 350km in total - the last 25km were killer, my legs had given up by that point.

I'm riding it again this year (potentially ECEing to 400), so I'll see you on the start line!

[Jethro]

I rode it a few years ago and it was a headwind all the way back.  I never thought I was ever going to get back to Alfreton and it certainly took a lot more out of me than I thought.

If I had stopped for a decent meal in Sutton-on-Sea things would have been easier I am sure.

Looking at either the Rough Diamond 300 or Wonderful Wessex 300 both in July now.

[IJL]

I've entered this as my first 300, I hope the weather is a bit kinder than it was on the last Audax I did out of Alfreton.  Straight on Rosies was a bit wild. 

[jhob]

I've entered this as my first 300, I hope the weather is a bit kinder than it was on the last Audax I did out of Alfreton.  Straight on Rosies was a bit wild.

I did that one too.  'A bit wild' rather underestimates quite how tough that ride was!

[Wobbly]

I've done the Skeggy ride a few times. Not sure if I'll be on it this year as it's the week before the Brevet Cymru.

The ride's pretty easy but entirely depends on the wind. First time I rode it we were all blown to Skegness by a fierce tailwind  The ride back was brutal though.

It's a shame the route no longer goes into Skegness; in fact, unless you're very tall, you don't even see the sea now

[BobScarle]

I'm quite looking forward to the ride now, in a nervous sort of way.

It's a shame the route no longer goes into Skegness; in fact, unless you're very tall, you don't even see the sea now

I noticed that we do not go into Skegness. I think if I am riding 100 miles to the sea I am going to have to spend 5 minutes finding it. I live just about as far from the sea as possible so I like to see it whenever I can.

[MattJH]

I've done this ride quite a few times now, and personally I love it.  I can't really understand the comments about it being bereft of scenery.  While the Lincolnshire fens can be flat and a bit bleak, and yes, they are subject to the wind, there are some beautiful country villages.

Admittedly the route on the way back is a bit "main-roady" along the A57, and the run in to Alfreton isn't the best, but I still love it.  It's my go to route now whenever I need a long training ride on my own, or some time away from the kids.. 

If you want to see the sea, I would recommend not bothering to do it in Skegness.  It'll be much easier after you've headed north along the coast towards Sandilands or Sutton on sea, or make a breif diversion to the beach cafe at Anderby Creek   

[paulworthington53]

"You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky..."

I'm looking forward the the A57 on the east side. I ride it Liverpool to Warrington every week and it can't get much worse than that.

[Wobbly]

Perhaps the ride should be renamed Everbody rides to Sutton on sea...

[jhob]

I did actually go to skeggy on last year's ride to find a bike shop in a vain attempt to get a new spoke.  Trust me, You're missing little by not going there!

[tonyh]

"You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky..."

"...For the sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky          
     Lay like a load on my weary eye..... "

But the event looks great, not an "Ancient Mariner" experience at all!

[dasmi]

Did this yesterday with Roy Clarke as a perm/route check.

Had a nice tail wind going out but a strong headwind coming back.

Used the waterrail trail from bardney to Lincoln......couldn't face a beating across bardney straight.

Lincolnshire county council seem to have found some money for road repairs, with various resurface works planned on the route........non of which affect the day of the ride ( there will still be plenty of potholes to go round ).

The A57 out of Lincoln is a wide single carriage way with a shoulder most of the way along it.

cheers

dave

[marlan]

Dasmi, I think I saw you. I was the runner that said hello just as you were coming out of Lincoln just before the old Racecourse. Said to myself..they're Audax riders

[dasmi]

Dasmi, I think I saw you. I was the runner that said hello just as you were coming out of Lincoln just before the old Racecourse. Said to myself..they're Audax riders

Yea that was us......

[bikey-mikey]

I've just looked at the GPS routes on the AUK website.

One is a 2011 bikeroutetoaster TCX version, listed under 'website', coming out at 303.48 kms

The other (the zip file) is a GPX file but it goes around TWICE coming out at 613.43 kms, and it seems to use slightly different routes on the second time round, as if the files of two different riders, who rode slightly different routes, were joined...

Probably both will work, but I'm about to do a comparison - I imagine that if they all go through the controls then not too much of a problem...

I would appreciate some guidance here, if anyone has done the ride a few times before.

I shall also email Tom to keep him in the loop.

[dasmi]

Afraid Tom doesn't do GPS......but someone must have an up to date GPs file..

dave

[oggy]

I used this last year both as a calendar event and as a perm

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5936515

if you want the gpx email me at oggy.dude@gmail.com

[bikey-mikey]

Thanks both.. and I appreciate the offers.

I've been checking the BRT one against the route sheet, and correcting as I go, making the lines fit the actual roads, coursepointing the controls and info, and getting the roundabouts to show as roundabouts, knocking out the pee stops etc...

I'm over halfway now, so as I've started I might as well finish - always nice to get to know the route a bit better, though I rode a lot of it the other way round recently on Bomber County!!

I don't have problems when orgs don't do GPS - that's entirely their right, and it is their ride after all !!

However, if it's on the AUK calendar event website, then unless there was a clear warning, I would assume that the org either did it or got someone else to do it, and that it was therefore correct.... 

It'll all come out in the wash so I shall look forward to seeing you all on Saturday !!

[BobScarle]

That was quite a ride, my first 300 in fact. I could have easily not gone.

Sitting at home on Friday evening the doubts started to creep in. "You're not good enough to ride 185 miles", "You will want to pack in and get the train back". I tried hard to resist but even as I tried to sleep I could not shake that feeling. Not that I got much sleep, a combination of nerves and excitement and a 3:20 alarm saw to that.

Saturday morning was chilly at home but when I drove into Alfreton there was a layer frost on the cars. Frost!!!! I hadn't considered that. It was spring not winter. Started the ride just on 6 am, straight downhill. That is normally fine but the cold morning the cold air was a bit of a shock. Out of town now, a bit lumpy but nothing too mountainous. Gannets cafe in Newark was busy, all cyclists as far as I could see. Coffee and toasted plum bread was lovely. Back out and on through largely flat terrain, only one climb of note, towards Woodhall Spa. The sun was out and shining brightly and the chill of the early morning had now gone. It was a lovely spring day. The section across Timberland Fen and along the river Witham was really pretty.

Heading now towards Skegness and the sky is starting to darken. It looks like rain ahead but I am hopeful that I will miss it. I don't. It starts to rain, then hail, then sunshine again. Poppy's Restaurant for lunch, omelette and chips. That was good. The route now headed north, straight into the wind. The ride between Skegness and Sutton on Sea was, at least for me, the hardest part. With very little shelter I was battered nearly into submission by the headwind.

Sutton on Sea looked a pretty typical seaside town. I would have loved to run down the beach to the sea for a paddle, maybe another day though. A couple of pictures will suffice for today. Now turning for home I headed towards Horncastle. On through the Wolds. The scenery is pretty, not dramatic in a Snowdonia sort of way, but lovely in it's own way. Horncastle was pretty much closing when I got there. I sat on a bench by the market, which was being dismantled and put away for another day. My only negative thought of the day. As I sat, eating a bag of crisps, a bus pulled up. It had a sign "Horncastle to Lincoln" on it. I could catch that then I've only got to get back from Lincoln. The thought disappeared as quickly as the bus and I pressed on.

I have to say that I wasn't looking forward to finding my way through Lincoln. As it turned out, it wasn't too bad and I was well looked after by Mr Garmin. After controlling with several others at the Co-op it was back towards Alfreton. Feeling tired now and starting to get cold. My average speed started to drop. It was mostly main roads back, not the nicest but generally ok. Got back about 10:15, cold tired and wet. But I made it.

I am so glad that I didn't listen to the negative thoughts. I am so glad I made the effort to get up and go out on Saturday morning. Thank you to Tom and all the organisers, especially to the lady who gave me a cup of tea at the end. And thanks to the riders whom I chatted with, sometimes just for a moment, sometimes for longer.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1139934165/share/0?lang=en if you are interested.

[tonyh]

Thanks Bob, excellent riding and writing!

[dasmi]

it that time again....300 k of LEL training....hoping to be able to keep up with my LEL team mates

who else is riding.....remember the weather is guaranteed 

cheers

dave