The London Orbital 300km - Saturday August 11, 2018

[BeMoreMike]

Be positive about the weather, there's even a bit of sunshine forecast for later in the day. It's looking like near perfect conditions (that's definitely cursed it !!)

http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/954d551c-9cf0-4ddb-a02a-c775262fac5f

You'll only get wet if you fall off the ferry...speaking of which, i'm a tiny bit anxious / curious on how that's going to work with 150+ cyclists. The only time I've ever used it, albeit in the other direction was also mid Saturday afternoon, i remember it being fairly busy, with several other bikes on board.
As always though with any Auk event, i'm confident it's been well planned and all will be just fine.


See y'all on Friday / Saturday.
Ben.

[citoyen]

You'll only get wet if you fall off the ferry...speaking of which, i'm a tiny bit anxious / curious on how that's going to work with 150+ cyclists. The only time I've ever used it, albeit in the other direction was also mid Saturday afternoon, i remember it being fairly busy, with several other bikes on board.

I'll be one of Tom's cat-herding team in Gravesend and I won't put up with any funny business from you lot. You'll wait your turn and do as you are told. 

[BeMoreMike]

I'll be one of Tom's cat-herding team in Gravesend and I won't put up with any funny business from you lot. You'll wait your turn and do as you are told. 

I like to think i'm more sheep than cat when it comes to being herded.

Does waiting in turn and doing as your told also extend to the locals with their beat up mountain bikes and bags of shopping ? It's the unknown quantity of these that i can see being more problematic than a bunch of bike riding Morris Dancers !!

[Phil W]

Gravesend is 100 miles in, so I am sure there will be a reasonable spread of riders on the route by then.

[citoyen]

Does waiting in turn and doing as your told also extend to the locals with their beat up mountain bikes and bags of shopping ? It's the unknown quantity of these that i can see being more problematic than a bunch of bike riding Morris Dancers !!

No idea, tbh. Wait and see!

But I trust Manotea when he says he has done the maths with regards to ferry capacity, and he's an experienced organiser. There will be a few of us in place at Gravesend to ensure order is maintained and manage expectations (riders arriving during the busiest period shall have to put up with a bit of a wait, but the pub next to the pier looks good so it could be worse).

[BeMoreMike]

Seconded, i have complete faith, trust, confidence it'll all be fine. I tend to overthink these things...it all adds to the excitement !!

Having experienced the charms of Gravesend a couple of times, imo it gets a bad rep based pretty much on nothing other than an unfortunate name.
I've always found the riverside area fascinating, and The Three Daws pub by the pier is a fine place to kill time.

[Martin]

Checked the profile, very little to scare those unused to AAA, Newlands Corner hear Guildford and a couple over by Wrotham, never done the route up to Exedown that way

[citoyen]

Checked the profile, very little to scare those unused to AAA, Newlands Corner hear Guildford and a couple over by Wrotham, never done the route up to Exedown that way

Just had a look at the route... I've not done that road in that direction either, but have done it as a descent.

That little climb from Ightham Mote is a bit of a tester as well, but at least it's not One Tree Hill.

[Phil W]

That little climb from Ightham Mote is a bit of a tester as well, but at least it's not One Tree Hill.

Routing via One Tree Hill is 1km shorter and Rooks Hill is 2.5km shorter.  But in return you get steeper grades.  I suspose it depends on how much you like hills and whether the shorter distance makes up for the steeper grades.

[bludger]

There is only one small change I am tempted to make - there is one point on the return leg where the route dips just inside the M25. For no other reason than I want to be able to claim to have "ridden around the M25" I am weighing up whether it would be wise to do a small detour to enable staying outside of the orbital for the whole ride.

It doesn't make a big difference but there's something about it that is weighing on my mind!

To be honest I will probably wuss out and stay with the pack because I'm sure there'll be someone with a 600 lumen beast lamp who I'll want to stick with.

[Martin]

Checked the profile, very little to scare those unused to AAA, Newlands Corner hear Guildford and a couple over by Wrotham, never done the route up to Exedown that way

Just had a look at the route... I've not done that road in that direction either, but have done it as a descent.

That little climb from Ightham Mote is a bit of a tester as well, but at least it's not One Tree Hill.

can't see any reason not to go straight through Ightham and up Exedown Hill a la Invicta Grimpeur (the easier half) appears to shave a bit off; might be up for Rooks Lane too...

[Phil W]

There is only one small change I am tempted to make - there is one point on the return leg where the route dips just inside the M25.

oh, where abouts?  That is the sort of thing I'd be likely to want to do.

[bloat]

Checked the profile, very little to scare those unused to AAA, Newlands Corner hear Guildford and a couple over by Wrotham, never done the route up to Exedown that way

Just had a look at the route... I've not done that road in that direction either, but have done it as a descent.

That little climb from Ightham Mote is a bit of a tester as well, but at least it's not One Tree Hill.

The last climb of the day is going to be hard work, Stony Lane at 306km, luckily only a couple of hundred meters long, but its steep!

[BeMoreMike]

There is only one small change I am tempted to make - there is one point on the return leg where the route dips just inside the M25.

oh, where abouts?  That is the sort of thing I'd be likely to want to do.

Yes, i was thinking about that. It's km278 - 283. The shortest reroute actually knocks 1km off the total, but has 2km of the A414 North Orbital, or you can skirt through the very south suburbs of St Albans, which adds only an extra km.

[Phil W]

You can forget the A414, it's motorway in all but name.   Right St Albans it is. Alternate route plotted to stay outside M25.

[citoyen]

Routing via One Tree Hill is 1km shorter and Rooks Hill is 2.5km shorter.  But in return you get steeper grades.  I suspose it depends on how much you like hills and whether the shorter distance makes up for the steeper grades.

I've never ridden up Rooks Hill. Even the Invicta Grimpeur avoids that one.

[BeMoreMike]

You can forget the A414, it's motorway in all but name.   Right St Albans it is. Alternate route plotted to stay outside M25.

Indeed...I've just done a street view of the A414; it's got squashed written all over it !!

What detour are you looking at ? i'm thinking through Colney Heath, over the A414 footbridge and 1st left down Barley Mow Lane. Rejoining the route just before the Starbucks/Garage control.


Now that i've plotted it more precisely it actually knocks 2km off the total distance. Bonus 

[Phil W]

London Colney as per your choice, then across to B5378 which goes over A414 on a bridge then left into Cottonmill Lane. Then across through St Julians estate to B4360 and thence control. There is signed cycle route through the estate as it is near the end of the Alban Way. Cycle route 6/61. 

[Phil W]

Routing via One Tree Hill is 1km shorter and Rooks Hill is 2.5km shorter.  But in return you get steeper grades.  I suspose it depends on how much you like hills and whether the shorter distance makes up for the steeper grades.

I've never ridden up Rooks Hill. Even the Invicta Grimpeur avoids that one.

I am tempted, as the 2.5km saving should offset slower progress. There is about 300m (with the first half still involving climbing)  of leafy bridleway at the top which should be pretty dry.  Time wise probably not a lot in it.

[Phil W]

Forget my last London Colney route comment. I had only looked from where the route crossed the M25.  Yes Colney Heath over bike bridge then will head down Colney Heath lane to Alban Way. Alban Way is paved traffic free greenway and dumps you out in the right part of St Albans to get to the control.  Saved an additional 2km as well.

[BeMoreMike]

Forget my last London Colney route comment. I had only looked from where the route crossed the M25.  Yes Colney Heath over bike bridge then will head down Colney Heath lane to Alban Way. Alban Way is paved traffic free greenway and dumps you out in the right part of St Albans to get to the control.  Saved an additional 2km as well.

I like that Phil; it's another 700m off my noodle through the housing estates, and everyone loves a bit urban greenway...well, me anyway !

Most importantly, it takes us even further away from the M25 

[Phil W]

Forget my last London Colney route comment. I had only looked from where the route crossed the M25.  Yes Colney Heath over bike bridge then will head down Colney Heath lane to Alban Way. Alban Way is paved traffic free greenway and dumps you out in the right part of St Albans to get to the control.  Saved an additional 2km as well.

I like that Phil; it's another 700m off my noodle through the housing estates, and everyone loves a bit urban greenway...well, me anyway !

Most importantly, it takes us even further away from the M25 

Yes, it is nice bit of smooth Greenway. You get to ride the full length plus three other greenways on my Hertfordshire Greenways 100 in September http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-268/.  Will be doing route sheet check the following Sat. Was going to do it last Sat but couldn't be bothered in the heatwave. So it was a no brainer to use it when I saw the options plus I am familiar with that way.

Make yourself known at start and if we are in touching distance by Leaden Roding it may be worth doing that section together.

[Martin]

You can forget the A414, it's motorway in all but name.   Right St Albans it is. Alternate route plotted to stay outside M25.

note from Colney Heath to StA you will have to ride a little way along the A14 on what's known locally as the Longabout, a bit of an accident blackspot, take care!

[Phil W]

You can forget the A414, it's motorway in all but name.   Right St Albans it is. Alternate route plotted to stay outside M25.

note from Colney Heath to StA you will have to ride a little way along the A14 on what's known locally as the Longabout, a bit of an accident blackspot, take care!

It is the A414 not A14 and no you don't need to ride on the longabout section of the A414 dual carriageway. There is a seperate cycle track on the pavement there next to the A414 that takes you to the Colney Heath road and away.  In total about 200 metres of cycle track to cover to get you past the A414.

[Martin]

ok thanks for that