Tasty Cheddar 03/10/15

[Cudzoziemiec]

The Scots are a nation who are easy to please,
Because they are the fools who buy those yellow lumps of plastic called Scottish cheddar cheese
John Hegley

Only the tastiest, most mature cheddar on this ride. Made with unpasteurised milk from organically farmed herds grazing on the lush green grass of the Mendips and Somerset Levels. It's rumoured they also eat Strawberries.

[arabella]

I'll be there, with gears and aiming for full value.
I think it's flat until we get to the gorge?

[Malmesbury Monk]

I'm in for a slice on Saturday. 

[Assasin]

I think it's flat until we get to the gorge?

It must be.
Last time I went up there it was on your favourite longbarrow and the stoker was asleep.
He had a lie down at the top.
Bottom gear was my friend.

Its only about 10% apart from the 16% bit.

Have fun !!!

[Assasin]

I lied about the 16% !!!
Short steep bit of almost 10% near the bottom and that's it.
Traffic more of a problem than the climb.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Hinton Blewett must be about 16% but only for a short section.

aiming for full value.

There is no other way to ride this one! Either you're naturally slow, or you dawdle on the way round or you make up the value in the pub at the end. I might be doing all three!

Shall be looking out for new forumites!

[Cudzoziemiec]

Despite Joe's Hawaiian shirt, the sun failed to come out as promised. Nevertheless, it was a good day out – perhaps even better, because although it's nice to sit in the sun at Hinton Blewett, it's nice not to be in full glare up Dundry. I trundled round with IanN otp, who was mid-ECE – except when my, erm, freestyle routing resulted in getting a 35km/h tow back to Clevedon from some friendly roadies (who we passed later on the Strawberry Line where they were synchronising Garmins, or something). Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

[titainiumrider]

I know it's is not a race but I had to get finished and home by 2pm. Got back to the finish control, card stamped at 13.01 with no stops, only to find I was the second person back. Chapeau to the guy who got back at 12.58 he must have been flying!!!!

Thanks to Joe, Gary Harris, Jane, Stuart, Hugh and everyone else who organized and help on this event.

[Malmesbury Monk]

It was a great day out. The dash to Portishead saw pockets of riders converging on the town from just about every angle. It was a shame the views out across the Bristol Channel were hidden by the fog, but it wasn't cold and there was little or no wind. This ride is loaded with interesting features; historic dockyard, Avonmouth Bridge crossing, sea views, Cheddar Gorge, Mendip Hills, Ashton Court Estate, to name but a few and is a brilliant curtain raiser to the new Audax season.

My thanks to Joe and the rest of the team.

[arabella]

... Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

I was the one in jeans and a (bright green) woolly jersey (red tshirt after the gorge).  'Cos I iz a serius scyclist innit. Assassin wasn't there.
I managed to cycle up everything albeit with a breather to take off said jersey.
Didn't get on brilliantly with the route sheet, I have 'issues' with anything involving a cycle route as I'm never sure when to go back to ignoring it.  Am toying with supplying an arabella-ified version

[JamesBradbury]

We were planning to ride the tandem over from Chippenham then have breakfast at the Lockside cafe before the start, but when the alarm didn't go off, we found ourselves rushing to get to the start on time. We went for the hopefully-quicker A420 route instead of wiggling north through North Wraxall and Hinton. This was fast at first, but turned out to be nearly as long as the wiggly route and didn't make use of the lovely descent on the Bristol-Bath cycle path from Pucklechurch. Instead we ended up faffing with traffic lights and roundabouts in the outskirts of Bristol. All that stop-start isn't much fun on the tandem - we haven't quite mastered the 2-up track-stand.

Still, we arrived with 5 mins to spare, but no time for breakfast. We enjoyed the relaxed pace down the Pill path and seeing riders on the other side of the river. However, we weren't fast getting to Portishead and after a proper breakfast there we were a bit late leaving. Still, feeling better now we picked up speed and enjoyed the rest of the ride and chatting with Bristol folk.

Many thanks to Joe and all his helpers.   

[Cudzoziemiec]

This ride always seems to attract a lot of tandems, despite the Hinton Blewett climb seeming to be rather tandem-unfriendly. At a guess, the best (fastest) way in from Chippenham might be A420 then cycle path from Warmley for maximum directness and minimum traffic lights.

... Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

I was the one in jeans and a (bright green) woolly jersey (red tshirt after the gorge).

Don't recall any bright green woolly jerseys, but I do approve!

[JamesBradbury]

This ride always seems to attract a lot of tandems, despite the Hinton Blewett climb seeming to be rather tandem-unfriendly. At a guess, the best (fastest) way in from Chippenham might be A420 then cycle path from Warmley for maximum directness and minimum traffic lights.

Yes thanks, I think you may be right. I'll check it out so I know where the entrance is. Next time hopefully we'll have the time to do the scenic route.

We found the climbs OK on the tandem, but we have a fairly low bottom gear. Though sometimes the narrow lanes were a bit crowded and we really didn't want to stop or we might've found it very hard to start again! Next time I'd avoid the Strawberry line because of the narrow gates. I was quite amused to be using the 2+ lane near Clevedon (I think).

[Cudzoziemiec]

Coming from Chippenham, it's on the right at this pelican crossing. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4596441,-2.4745064,3a,75y,270h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4pXcqVB3SMHlKCn73rCM_Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

[Malmesbury Monk]

... Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

I was the one in jeans and a (bright green) woolly jersey (red tshirt after the gorge).  'Cos I iz a serius scyclist innit. Assassin wasn't there.
I managed to cycle up everything albeit with a breather to take off said jersey.
Didn't get on brilliantly with the route sheet, I have 'issues' with anything involving a cycle route as I'm never sure when to go back to ignoring it.  Am toying with supplying an arabella-ified version

In which case, I'm fairly sure that it was you who spoke to me at the top of Dundry and pointed out the view over towards Bristol. Me and my companion were both in our green club kit. We'd stopped as he was suffering with cramp.

[arabella]

... Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

I was the one in jeans and a (bright green) woolly jersey (red tshirt after the gorge).  'Cos I iz a serius scyclist innit. Assassin wasn't there.
I managed to cycle up everything albeit with a breather to take off said jersey.
Didn't get on brilliantly with the route sheet, I have 'issues' with anything involving a cycle route as I'm never sure when to go back to ignoring it.  Am toying with supplying an arabella-ified version

In which case, I'm fairly sure that it was you who spoke to me at the top of Dundry and pointed out the view over towards Bristol. Me and my companion were both in our green club kit. We'd stopped as he was suffering with cramp.

yes, that was me.  wish I'd spent longer admiring said view.  I almost felt like an impostor earlier on as your green was similar to mine (my jersey is a co-incidental very old Willesden, before it went lime and then acquamarine)

... Spotted various forumites and a whole load of ACBers (the latter mostly up to their characteristic hijinx in the Nova and elsewhere  ) but not, as far as I know, Arabella, Malmesbury Monk or Assassin. There's always next year!

I was the one in jeans and a (bright green) woolly jersey (red tshirt after the gorge).

Don't recall any bright green woolly jerseys, but I do approve!

why, thank you.

[NeilP]

Having never ridden this event before I was a little confused about "you will need lights for the tunnel" but it did twig when I got there. I was getting a bit concerned as I entered the car park by the football pitch and then spotted the path down to my right. It's pretty dark in there without lights 

[HeltorChasca]

In Virginian robes I'm planning to do this as my 1st event. (2016) I've paid so hopefully that'll decrease the chances of me backing out.

I've managed to sort out a GPX file for my Garmin, but being a traditionalist snd incase of failure, has anyone got a PDF of the route card? Past or present. It doesn't matter. I've never seen one in my life, so it would be interesting just to see one and all the funny abbreviations.

Many thanks.