Author Topic: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018  (Read 60105 times)

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #250 on: 23 June, 2018, 09:27:11 am »
As I haven't made any since St David's day, today's the day for a test batch of my Welsh Grandma's Bakestone Cakes recipe to gauge quantities. Allowing ??? per rider for an additional bit of momentum for your descent off the Black Mountain  ;D

I'll just make loads, they keep ok, but somehow you might all have an appetite by then.  :thumbsup:

Thanks Tom, useful notes on food etc very handy. A small GF something would be nice at the tea party :-)
A

I'll pop out and get some gf flour to test too. I'll have a few alternatives anyway on Friday, something savoury too.

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #251 on: 23 June, 2018, 09:07:52 pm »
I'll pop out and get some gf flour to test too. I'll have a few alternatives anyway on Friday, something savoury too.

GF flour is a shit to work with (xanthum gum is sometimes suggested as an additive) but buckwheat flour may be worth experimenting with - it works really well in *some* recipes.

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #252 on: 23 June, 2018, 10:34:32 pm »
I'll pop out and get some gf flour to test too. I'll have a few alternatives anyway on Friday, something savoury too.

GF flour is a shit to work with (xanthum gum is sometimes suggested as an additive) but buckwheat flour may be worth experimenting with - it works really well in *some* recipes.

Yeah, GF baking is really hard to do, don't put yourself through it! Grab a packet of biscuits from the supermarket :-)

Phil W

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #253 on: 24 June, 2018, 04:19:13 pm »
Good luck all.  Looks like you are going to have a hot one.

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #254 on: 24 June, 2018, 09:10:22 pm »
Wish I was doing it, but I’m in sunny Jersey 😎. I’ll wait for the perm, if I can start it in Towcester 😉.
Bikes are for riding, not cleaning!

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #255 on: 25 June, 2018, 08:02:05 am »
Yeah, GF baking is really hard to do, don't put yourself through it! Grab a packet of biscuits from the supermarket :-)

Tell me about it! We have friends with extensive gf baking experience - I doubled the egg in the recipe, still a little more crumbly than standard, but they survived in my bar bag on the Windmill 200 yesterday.

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #256 on: 25 June, 2018, 08:27:00 am »
I've just noticed that this goes past my house (Rhos, after Pontardawe, 572km). I would have lined the roadside, or offered refreshements, or a bed or two, or at least put out a 'Go ACME 1000 riders, Go!' sign, but, sadly, I'll be in Greece.

Bon courage!

rob

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #257 on: 25 June, 2018, 09:27:30 am »
I've just noticed that this goes past my house (Rhos, after Pontardawe, 572km). I would have lined the roadside, or offered refreshements, or a bed or two, or at least put out a 'Go ACME 1000 riders, Go!' sign, but, sadly, I'll be in Greece.

Bon courage!

Leave the key under the mat ?

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #258 on: 25 June, 2018, 10:37:14 am »
I could try 'They're not strangers, they're just dirty sweaty cyclists (sleeping in our beds and eating our Coco Pops) that we haven't met yet' with my wife, but I don't hold up much hope.

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #259 on: 25 June, 2018, 05:44:36 pm »
Spare accommodation due to DNS: Barry Premier Inn, Friday 29th June; Nag's Head, St Neots, Saturday 30th June.

Interested? Contact me and I'll put you in touch.

Jonah

  • Audax Club Hackney
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #260 on: 25 June, 2018, 08:27:33 pm »
Anyone got a GPX?

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #261 on: 25 June, 2018, 08:30:56 pm »
Anyone got a GPX?

If you look up the thread a page or two, you'll find a wilkyboy post where he has linked to many varieties of the route, depending on the device you have.

Eddington: 133 miles    Max square: 43x43

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Jonah

  • Audax Club Hackney
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #263 on: 25 June, 2018, 09:49:14 pm »
Thanks folks...
JX

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #264 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:45:00 pm »
Dear All
Fast approaching start date, and not quite ready yet....The start is too far to ECE so I will need to drive and park up. Is there anywhere that anyone could recommend to park up for the duration? I think I have managed to read most of the ACME grand thread and haven't seen car parking so sorry if this has been already asked and answered.
Thanks!

rob

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #265 on: 26 June, 2018, 12:56:18 pm »
I'm going to park in one of the residential streets on the right as you head into town from the South - there's no official parking.    I've street viewed it and there's a few possibilities and it's under a mile to the pub HQ.

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #266 on: 26 June, 2018, 07:25:18 pm »
Just a thought on timings.  Both LEL and PBP I managed to get around at something like 21.3kph moving average.  Let's say I do the same again this week, then that's almost exactly 50 hours' riding over 1060km of the route, leaving 25 hours for controlling, eating and sleeping.  Sounds like plenty, but ...

There are 18 controls, plus the ACME Party up Black Mountain, so 19 stops.  Remove 3x 3-hour sleeps leaves 16 hours over 16 stops.  Just an hour each — if I bounce a few it should be easy to build up some sort of buffer  :thumbsup:

Given the forecast heatwave and advice to "slow down when hot", plus silly AAA (wherever did that come from?), I can see my average slipping down towards 20kph.  If so then that would mean 53 hours' riding and just 22 hours' stoppage  :-\

I have to say my Achille's heel is sleep-dep — I've been trying to get good sleep the past week, but the heat has put paid to that, so I think I'll be starting tired.  I'm planning on bivvying my way around — I'll be sleeping in a freezer bag as an experiment*, so it might not all be quality sleep ???  If I find I do need to sleep more than 3x3 then I'll be even more up against the ever-ticking clock.

I'm coming to realise, this could be a challenging ride, even more so as it's fully X-rated  :o

Now, do I ECE it or try to catch the train down?  :P


* not strictly true.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Alex B

  • Headwind specialist
    • Where is there an end of it?
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #267 on: 26 June, 2018, 07:44:10 pm »
I'm coming to realise, this could be a challenging ride ...

Too right!

I remember still basking in a post-LEL glow I recommended this ride to a friend as "bound to be a laugh".

I'm not laughing right now. 1060 km in 75 hrs, with plenty of lumpiness and some serious climbing in Wales (e.g. a 20% ramp out of Pontypridd - and that's just the hors d'oeuvre). Then there's the numerous time-sinking controls, the absence of TLC (Essex tea-party excepted), and the likelihood of extreme heat and a headwind after the turn.

Is there such a thing as a type 2 laugh?

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #268 on: 26 June, 2018, 07:56:15 pm »
^ On my Grand DIY I was under my PBP/LEL average by a couple of kph or so, 'cos it is hillier and I wasn't as fit in early May as I would be by July/August. But made up time by bouncing controls, at least as far as Penarth [over 600km in]: only three sit down meals up to that point [Subway, St Neots; McD's, Towcester; Pontypridd 'spoons brekky  :thumbsup:], oh yeah and my evening pub stop and wash n'brush up + night layering at Upper Brailes in the Cotswolds. Much more relaxed on the final 400km - took about 26 hours for that.

Finish time was at the upper end of my 68-72 hours 1000km time on the longer rides.

Sleep: 3 hours in a proper bed in Penarth, afternoon nap at Wellesbourne, two short naps on the last night.

If the heat gets to you, ride more at night, nap more in the day. Works for me. Short of water = churchyards often have a mains tap near the road.

Hills - really don't worry, let them come to you, use your granny gear, walk if necessary to save your legs, enjoy the views and the wonderful descents  ;)

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #269 on: 26 June, 2018, 08:53:15 pm »
Good info, thanks Tom  :thumbsup:

If the heat gets to you, ride more at night, nap more in the day. Works for me. Short of water = churchyards often have a mains tap near the road.

I was thinking of doing this.  It's just easier to find a "secret bivvy" in the dark than the light, because they don't have to be that secret.  At the moment I've got a few bivvy spots marked between Tewkesbury and Barry, but, as you say, I'm tempted to push on through the cool of the night and find somewhere much later up Sarn Helen for an hour or two in the sun.  Then bivvy in the morning after Chepstow on the return.

I tried the church-tap thing up Dolfor on TINAT, but, frustratingly, neither of the two churches had an outside tap.  Fortunately I had my Sawyer filter with me, as it was that sort of middle-of-nowhere-in-Wales event, and filled up from a stream.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

D

  • DD
  • DD
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #270 on: 26 June, 2018, 09:06:33 pm »
Good Luck to everyone riding this event, hope all goes well for everyone. Deniece

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #271 on: 26 June, 2018, 09:17:06 pm »
Good Luck to everyone riding this event, hope all goes well for everyone. Deniece

 :thumbsup: All welcome to see off the Intrepid Elite on Thursday and welcome [some, maybe most of] them back on Sunday at the 'spoons. Faster finishers can of course, have a sleep and turn up for Sunday breakfast all refreshed. Or go home and post their brevet in, promptly, mind...

Phil W

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #272 on: 26 June, 2018, 09:42:32 pm »
I will probably take a picnic and liquid refreshment plus my kindle and cycle over with the SLR to Roe Green (phone box, kids playground, cricket pitch) just beyond Sandon at 75km.  Will aim to get there for 1:30pm and hang around till about 3pm when most should be through.

rob

Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #273 on: 27 June, 2018, 10:47:40 am »
It actually doesn't look that hot - I've ridden in worse.   Probably 24/25 degrees during the day with a North-Easterly blow to take the edge off.

I'll probably bounce the earlier controls to get a bit of time in hand so I can enjoy the mountain ride on Friday before getting to the hotel at Barry.   I've already reduced the amount of kit I'm taking.

mmmmartin

  • BPB 1/1: PBP 0/1
    • FNRttC
Re: ACME Grand 1000km 28 June 2018
« Reply #274 on: 27 June, 2018, 11:00:43 am »
My RainlegsTM will stay at home.

But as I'm planning to ride in Wales, I've packed a rain jacket.
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.