Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: Wowbagger on 24 July, 2013, 09:21:17 am
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Given that it's half a week since this year's event, I really don't know why Rogerzilla hasn't started a thread about next year's yet. However, whilst sitting around the pizza table yesterday evening on our return from Dunwich, I mentioned that I would be 60 before next year's ride. Jane (gawd bless 'er) looked surprised at this.
I suppose I will have to take part now, just to show that I still can. I'll be a bit more sensible with the amount of kit I take though.
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I mentioned that I would be 60 before next year's ride. Jane (gawd bless 'er) looked surprised at this.
...........she thought you were older!
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12 - 13 July 2014
Here we go again...
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Thanks Dave. Title amended.
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I'll be doing this next year, I know this because my partner is already looking at accommodation.
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Good to know the date, I will need to persuade my wife to come along next year as well! I hope we don't get the misty/rainy stuff again. What does the long term forecast say? ;)
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I'll be doing this next year, I know this because my partner is already looking at accommodation.
A tent on the beach... Purfik
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Well - I shall have to have a go. Last chance ever.
Will be visiting the UK next June/July from Cape Town to get my pensions in order as 65 in July,
and 3 years away from family & friends is enough.
Luckily I have a step-daghter in Leiston, & family in Norfolk.
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Having driven over to Dunwich for a day out by the sea (and to collect a cold and tired husband) Mrs R suggested that next year this might be the beginning of a holiday in Suffolk next year. However, methinks the date will prevent this from happening, as it's before the end of school term. So that's my excuse prepared in advance.
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I had the same thought, but have realised that Boy Wunja's GCSEs should be finished by then.
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I know this is long way away, but would anyone perchance have a tandem that I could possibly borrow for the the Dun Run?
The cogs in my tiny brain are turning and I've got a crazy plan starting to develop.
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I know this is long way away, but would anyone perchance have a tandem that I could possibly borrow for the the Dun Run?
The cogs in my tiny brain are turning and I've got a crazy plan starting to develop.
There's a very under-used Orbit tandem in our shed. I'm sure it would enjoy a trip to Dunwich next Summer.
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Hmmm.
*checks long range calendar*
Slightly better that 50/50 odds.
Anyone got a shortarse-appropriate stoker seat potentially free?
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There is a distinctly underused tandem visible from my kitchen window.
Not currently roadworthy but if a 49cm seat tube is shortarse-appropriate enough, that might give me both motivation and time to give it some TLC - most of the necessary parts are in the cellar ...
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Always say that I'd like to but never make it for a myriad of reasons. Best to accept the inevitable and declare non attendance then!
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Thanks PaulR,
Where is the Tandem based and would it be possibly available for a few days cycle camping afterwards?
Cheers
D.
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The Orbit is in Forest Hill (SE23) and I can't see any problem with it being taken on a post-dunwich camping trip. Feel free to PM if you're interested it taking this further.
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Hmmm.
*checks long range calendar*
Slightly better that 50/50 odds.
Anyone got a shortarse-appropriate stoker seat potentially free?
Quite possibly.
I don't know what my teaching commitment is likely to be next term (next term? That makes it sound more imminent than it is!) but, as has been mentioned above, 12th-13th July is before the end of the school term. It is also one of the few July weekends not being occupied by the nuptial activities (oo-err!) of my brothers' offspring.
It is possible that I will have to get back to Saarfend to do some teaching on the Monday/Tuesday.
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Hi Everyone,
I would like to do the Dunwich Dynamo.
I'm new to cycling and this forum.
I have read a lot about the Dynamo on here and it sounds like a great night ride to do. I know I need to keep training and build up my mileage over the coming months.
How far in advance can cheap train tickets with a bike reserve be booked ?
Regards
Colin
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Hi Everyone,
I would like to do the Dunwich Dynamo.
I'm new to cycling and this forum.
I have read a lot about the Dynamo on here and it sounds like a great night ride to do. I know I need to keep training and build up my mileage over the coming months.
How far in advance can cheap train tickets with a bike reserve be booked ?
Regards
Colin
I think up to three months is the norm.
Southwark cyclists (http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/introducing-dunwich-dynamo/) have for many years had an active hand in organising coaches for the riders and vans for the bikes, for the return trip. For those who don't want to ride back.
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Thanks Jurek :)
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I skipped the Dun Run last year and regretted it.
Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
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Likewise.
I've skipped the last two - last year due to work commitments, the year before due to Limp ick commitments.
I feel drawn to doing it on fixed......
Errrr.... by reverse polarity you're talking about riding back, yeah?
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I haven't done it for 10 years. The semi-detached MrsC has never done it. Nor has C Minor. Time to rectify that.
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I haven't done it for 10 years. The semi-detached MrsC has never done it. Nor has C Minor. Time to rectify that.
Prepare yourself for something of a shock...... ;)
I've done it seven times in the last six.
It has changed....
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Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Errrr.... by reverse polarity you're talking about riding back, yeah?
Naa just start at the beach at the same time as the London start. Then really enjoy the look on the fast one faces as you come towards them on your touring bike - while telling them that the water is a bit cold :)
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Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Errrr.... by reverse polarity you're talking about riding back, yeah?
Naa just start at the beach at the same time as the London start. Then really enjoy the look on the fast one faces as you come towards them on your touring bike - while telling them that the water is a bit cold :)
Exactly.
Peaked cap and sunglasses essential.
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Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Errrr.... by reverse polarity you're talking about riding back, yeah?
Naa just start at the beach at the same time as the London start. Then really enjoy the look on the fast one faces as you come towards them on your touring bike - while telling them that the water is a bit cold :)
Exactly.
Peaked cap and sunglasses essential.
Immediately.
The head-f*ck prospect of this appeals immensely :thumbsup:
Can I?
Should I?
Would I?
Any interest elsewhere?
*Looks into the logistics*
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Last year was my second DD, and frankly I didn't enjoy it that much, unlike 2011, for various reasons. Partly the weather, partly me not having the right gear and getting cold and wet, and mostly down to too many examples of halfwits on bikes. Standard version now best enjoyed in a small group, methinks
Dunwich Headf*ck, on the other hand.......I like that idea!
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Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Ooh! You are norty!
Headf*ck opportunities and also convenient trains home from the finish?
Tempted!
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I think I ought to do the real thing. I may have lost count of the number of times I've done it, but this year is an imperative because it will be the first opportunity to ride it in my 7th decade on this planet.
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See you at the halfway stop, then? :)
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I skipped the Dun Run last year and regretted it.
Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Backasswards ! Have you no respect for tradition ? And do you really want to camp in London Fields...?
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I haven't done it for 10 years. The semi-detached MrsC has never done it. Nor has C Minor. Time to rectify that.
Prepare yourself for something of a shock...... ;)
I've done it seven times in the last six.
It has changed....
Yeah, I'm aware that it's not the parochial little ride it was, with candles in jars lighting the way. Much as I regret that, it's still something of a seminal experience and I should introduce my SOs to that before it goes completely commercial. I also like the idea of the backwards headfuck ride, however....
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Backasswards ! Have you no respect for tradition ? And do you really want to camp in London Fields...?
I'll take hipsters over radioactive earwigs...
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Backasswards ! Have you no respect for tradition ? And do you really want to camp in London Fields...?
I'll take hipsters over radioactive earwigs...
Can you get decent fish & chips in London ? And where would Wow do the traditional Dun Run skinny dip ?? :o
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Backasswards ! Have you no respect for tradition ? And do you really want to camp in London Fields...?
I'll take hipsters over radioactive earwigs...
Can you get decent fish & chips in London ? And where would Wow do the traditional Dun Run skinny dip ?? :o
In the pond in Victoria park or the canal or even the Thames plenty of places :-)
I like the idea because I got a place to crash about 200 yards from London Fields.
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Potentially up for this one (especially the reverse route). Will check on diary commitments :)
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Do london hostels allow/cater for bicycle storage? There is a large one near Kings Cross.
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I could let people kip at the town hall if needed. It's about 2 miles from London Fields.
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Depending on things, I might be tempted by the Nud Nur. One of those things is weather, ie precipitation probability and wind direction. In recent years we have had a couple of occasions when we have been extremely fortunate in that respect.
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Hmmm. I was planning on doing the traditional direction, but if a sufficiently critical mass of YACFers are considering crossing the streams, I might be persuaded to ride it backwards instead.
We could even ride to the town hall, drop bikes off and wander down to the local swimming pool for a shower anna quick dip before a slapup breakfast somewhere?
Mind you, Wowbagger would have to keep his trunks on... ::-)
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So, is this the inaugural YACF Run Dun, Nur Nud, or even the Omanyd Hciwnud?
Either way, sounds frightfully good fun. ;D
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The local swimming pool is just round the corner, maybe about a 10/15 minute walk. There is bike racks outside too. Plus the cafe is normally open from 5am!
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I skipped the Dun Run last year and regretted it.
Any takers for a reverse polarity version?
Backasswards ! Have you no respect for tradition ? And do you really want to camp in London Fields...?
Only if there's giwraes.
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Which pool are you thinking of? The London Fields Lido (outdoor, heated) is in the park itself only a couple of minutes away. Then there's Kings Hall pool (Victorian traditional, a little grotty, but I like it), which is my local about 5 minutes walk from London Fields. There is also the Olympic Aquatic centre (fuck-off massive, three pools) that has today just opened if you wanted something grander and is only a small 10 minute diversion from the official route if you wanted to finish there.
I'd be up for a reverse run if there are a few of us doing it. I should be up to cycling the distance by then.
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I meant Mile End Leisure Centre but those options deffo sound better.
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Bugger! In their traditional style my choir has chosen the DD date to hold their summer concert, which this year will consist of choruses from Gilbert and Sullivan. I suspect that I am going to have to make a weather-based decision: a prolonged night ride is miserable in the wet.
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Yes the esrever etuor is of interest, especially if I divert off at Finchingfield and cycle home to a warm bed, although it does mean I miss La Boheme (Opera in the Orchard).
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You do realise that there will be those on the Dun Run who will be tired, disorientated, perhaps even a little lost- they will see you on the Nur Nud, and give chase......
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Interesting thought,
Could those of us going London > Dunwich meet with those of us going Dunwich > London and have a YACF cross over picnic?
I like the idea of a middle of the night gathering as our paths cross.
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Could those of us going London > Dunwich meet with those of us going Dunwich > London and have a YACF cross over picnic?
I like the idea of a middle of the night gathering as our paths cross.
I think that would be compulsory. :thumbsup:
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A practical thought for all the Nur Nudists. All the pop-up refreshment stops will be timed for the knackered heading North East. Additionally at the end of last years event I was not really thinking in a joined up manner due to poor nutrition; I wouldn't like to be in that state heading into That London's traffic.
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At 6am on a Sunday London traffic will be easy :)
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A practical thought for all the Nur Nudists. All the pop-up refreshment stops will be timed for the knackered heading North East. Additionally at the end of last years event I was not really thinking in a joined up manner due to poor nutrition; I wouldn't like to be in that state heading into That London's traffic.
So, much like doing it in the proper direction, you can't rely on any of the stops and have to bring enough supplies to last from Dunwich to The Garage At The End Of Civilisation in Epping. On the plus side, it actually *is* downhill all the way from there.
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And it could leave Hciwnud earlier than the London departure.
I foresee camping stoves and supplies in panniers...
What sor tof pace would prospective Hciwnud Omanyd riders be contemplating and would they be considering staying in a pack or going at own pace?
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I think that despite the attraction of the headf*ck variation, if I do this it'll be the conventional way, followed by a solo 26 miles to Diss afterwards.
I've done this a couple of times and confess to really enjoying the contrast between the slightly mentalist Dun Run, and the totally serene Ommmmmmmmmmm-ness of the ride to catch a train home from Diss.
The route to Diss doesn't go through anywhere significant, and there's no one around - what's not to like?
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The route to Diss doesn't go through anywhere significant, and there's no one around - what's not to like?
Waking up in the nettles, IME.
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With or without earwigs?
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At 6am on a Sunday London traffic will be easy :)
That may be true. This looks distinctly like Team Slow to me, so an ETA of 11 am is more likely.
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At the slight risk of seeming like an antisocial so-and-so…no change there then…any prospective Nur Nurdists want to form Team Somewhat Quicker? Even last year (headwind, not enough clothing) I did the regular version in 10 1/2 hours overall, and in 2011 it was nine...(that would be a bit too quick for this variant I think, though).
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There's also the fact that the Nur-Nuders* will have to contend with endless waves of oncoming front lights of fiery death.
*That looks far too like nudists.
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No flashing on the Nur-Nud!
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Darn, drat and pants. Not able to make this year's ride, in either polarity, due to fambly stuff happening that weekend.
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Hi,
Can anyone please give me some advice as to which station would be the best to get off, to then ride over to London Fields ? I will be catching a train at Ipswich on the Greater Anglia line. Looking at the map it looks as if Stratford station is the closest. :)
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I think Liverpool Street will be easier to cycle from that direction. Cycle up the A10 and fork right onto Hackney Road (allow about 15-20 minutes to get to London Fields in Saturday afternoon traffic).
If you really want to minimise riding in London, you can instead take the train to Stratford, then the Overground (which allows bikes) to Hackney Central. The start is about 3 minutes' ride from there.
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I often get off at stratford but getting the bike off is tricky as most of the other dun-runners will be getting off at Liverpool Street.
Mind you I also usually get lost so it's probably best to get off with everyone else and follow the peloton to the start.
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Is there a sensible way to get a bike out of Liverpool Street? I ended up taking mine up an escalator.
(Might have been navigationally challenged at the time!)
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Is there a sensible way to get a bike out of Liverpool Street? I ended up taking mine up an escalator.
(Might have been navigationally challenged at the time!)
I think there is a ramp at the Sun Street Passage side. Once you're on the concourse side of the barrier turn right, go past the ticket office and the stairs/escalators to a tunnel and follow that.
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There's also a lift. It's tiny and inside the ticket office. Best not to bother.
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There is way out of the station via the taxi area - there is a passageway beside platform 10 ticket barriers which leads to the station reception office and then to the taxi point, then exits via a road ramp to Primrose Street. Near the top of the ramp there is a barrier which you will probably need to by pass on the pavement - inconvenient with a loaded bike (or tandem!) but better than an escalator. According to some of the barrier "attendants" they have no way to operate the barrier for you as it is automatic, although our experience suggests this is not the case and barrier attendant attitude may be the relevant factor.
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When heading for the Dun Run I just carry my bike up the escalator onto Bishopsgate (platform 18 end).
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When heading for the Dun Run I just carry my bike up the escalator onto Bishopsgate (platform 18 end).
That's the sensible route geographically.
However I had to abandon my first Dun Run due to bike-on-esclator-induced injuries, so I can't endorse this approach.
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Thanks Dave & Jo, I will get a ticket to Liverpool Street Station. Sounds like I will be carrying my bike up the escalator. :o
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Thanks Dave & Jo, I will get a ticket to Liverpool Street Station. Sounds like I will be carrying my bike up the escalator. :o
I haven't decided yet which version of the Dun Run I'm doing yet. One of the greatest attractions in the ride is to leave the horrors of London behind and head for the tranquillity of North Essex/South Suffolk and the beauty of Dunwich beach. Although I am aware of a lot of lovely people are intending to start in Dunwich and cycle to London, that, to me, misses the point. If I were to do that I would turn left somewhere near Sudbury and just cycle home.
Depending on what sort of speed you are intending to maintain, you might have company. I will be doing well i I can keep up a moving average of 11mph though.
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Thanks Dave & Jo, I will get a ticket to Liverpool Street Station. Sounds like I will be carrying my bike up the escalator. :o
I haven't decided yet which version of the Dun Run I'm doing yet. One of the greatest attractions in the ride is to leave the horrors of London behind and head for the tranquillity of North Essex/South Suffolk and the beauty of Dunwich beach. Although I am aware of a lot of lovely people are intending to start in Dunwich and cycle to London, that, to me, misses the point. If I were to do that I would turn left somewhere near Sudbury and just cycle home.
Depending on what sort of speed you are intending to maintain, you might have company. I will be doing well i I can keep up a moving average of 11mph though.
As it will be my first Dun Run, I want to do it the traditional way that I have read so much about. I hope team slow will have a place for me ;D
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Many of the tradition members of Team Slow will be Maet Wols, starting in Dunwich and cycling to London. As I outlined above, that doesn't appeal at all.
I have done this ride (I think) 6 times in a row now, twice en tandemme. This year, I will pass 60 a fortnight or so before the ride, so I feel that I ought to do it. it also occurs on one of the very few weekends in July in which I do not have a Family Wedding to attend, so that makes it all the more toothsome.
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Reverse polarity misses out on hilarity.
You can't really get lost anywhere in the last 30 miles, join a group that REALLY knows where they are going (not) or anything like that, and you replace the glide into Sudbury with a slog out. No, if I do it, it will deffo be the normal way. Yesterday I did a loop out to Ongar round through Romford, mixing it with Essex drivers all the way; the pleasure of leaving them behind on the DunRun is tangible.
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Wanted to do this but Neil Young at Hyde Park same day...no contest...
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Wanted to do this but Neil Young at Hyde Park same day...no contest...
So we'll see you at the Dun Run then!
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We had our first go at the G&S choruses we are singing in choir this term. The concert is on the night of the Dun Run.
I was expecting to be better entertained by the music, but it's disappointingly dull. I reckon I'll be on the Dun Run unless it's full-on Atlantic Depression mode.
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Myself and Mary are hoping to Tandem it.
We may be tempted by some beach side camping.
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Maybe....shall I go fixed gear ;)
Tempted to have a test cycle there and back.
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I can just about do the run its the rest of the logistics that confound me.
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Aargh! Chap Olympiad and DunRun are on the same day. Again. >:(
Sadly, I am sensible enough to not even consider both. Yes, I have been known to ride and imbibe on occasion ::-) but starting an overnight ride like the DunRun when absolutely legless is a Bad Idea.
Have fun, folks. I look forward to stories and pics.
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So I now have a tandem, and my stoker is getting her first ride on the back tonight.
So dear forum, given I like to prattle around on the coast post dun run, how on earth do I get the tandem from somewhere near the start to that london, it's not as easy as the solo?
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Lots of trains take a tandem. Where is 'somewhere near the start'?
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Having never taken one on a train this is exciting. Usually I get on at darsham or saxmundham which is a little station, but change at ipswitch.
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You won't get a tandem on that train.
You will need to meet the Norwich Express, which means Diss, Stowmarket or Ipswich. If you plump for Ipswich then there is a second choice of the very good trains with the Generation Game bog and plenty of bike space.
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Train ticket with bike reservation booked on the 16.43 from Ipswich to London Liverpool St. The train should get into Liverpool St at 17.55 so that will give me plenty of time to get at the start at London fields ;D
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I think we are going to stop off at Pax Lodge in London on Friday night and ride the 30 mins to the start on Saturday. On Sunday we we camp on the dunes and head for Ipswitch station on the monday morning.
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Camping is a tempting proposition. Last year, Jane and I rode home over 2 days and used 4 ferries. I shall have to look at what I'm up to the following week: I don't think I'm teaching on the Monday but I probably am on teh Tuesday.
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Okay, executive decision time. I've booked some extremely well-priced orange cardboard which will hopefully get me to Darsham at 19:00 on the 12th (which I reckon should give enough time to nip to Dunwich for a quick paddle and to say hi to the earwigs before an 8pmish start), and a train back from Euston at 14:00 on the 13th. Not sure about the Ipswich-Darsham train re bike spaces (they're not bookable), but worst case I can head off to intercept the route from there.
The NurNud is go!
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Camping is a tempting proposition. Last year, Jane and I rode home over 2 days and used 4 ferries. I shall have to look at what I'm up to the following week: I don't think I'm teaching on the Monday but I probably am on teh Tuesday.
We are planning to go back to that london on the Monday so If you want to join us for basic camping and tea on the Sunday night It would be grand to share a dune with you.
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That sounds like a tempting proposition.
If I do decide to camp I will probably cheat and drop my camping gear off with My Mate Terry Who Art In Sibton a day or two earlier. Last year I did a half-arsed effort and still carried much too much.
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I think we will take minimal stuff, two sleeping bags and bivi bags plus the jetboil or kelly kettle. and find food in pubs / cafes so will probably squeeze it into a couple panniers though I could take the the front ones if I move the low loaders from the front of the solo thorn to the tandem thorn.
Will there be cups of tea at terry's who art in siberton again?
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Could well be. I must phone him - haven't for a while. I am assuming that he will be there, although of course as a pensioner of leisure he may have hols planned. It was OK while his wife was teaching but she has now retired as well.
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I have picked up my train tickets and one of the cycle tickets says attach to bike. Do I just put a bit of tape on it and stick it to the handlebar's ? is there anything else I need to know about putting my bike on a train ? ???
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Quite often I completely forget to attach a ticket to my bike. Tucking it in the spokes or under a brake lever is quite a common method. You could always punch a hole in it and tie it on with string.
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I tent to attach them to the handlebars with a Mk 1 elastic band, or on the Streetmachine, tuck them into the bundle of cables running along the boom, but failing that the spokes are a reliable way to secure them.
Most people don't seem to bother attaching them, but that's a pain in the arse for other people with bikes, who won't then know when you're getting off (in order to appear at the relevant station to play Sokoban).
Tell us what train you're getting and someone will be able to explain how the bike process works for that particular combination of operator and rolling stock.
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I tent to attach them to the handlebars with a Mk 1 elastic band, or on the Streetmachine, tuck them into the bundle of cables running along the boom, but failing that the spokes are a reliable way to secure them.
Most people don't seem to bother attaching them, but that's a pain in the arse for other people with bikes, who won't then know when you're getting off (in order to appear at the relevant station to play Sokoban).
Tell us what train you're getting and someone will be able to explain how the bike process works for that particular combination of operator and rolling stock.
Thanks Wowbagger and Kim.
I will be traveling on the Greater Anglia line from Ipswich to London Liverpool St. :)
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Guards van is at the Ipswich end of the train.
Open the door of the carriage nearest to the guard's van first.
As long as that remains open, there's your guarantee the train will not pull away before someone has come along to unlock the guard's van for you.
Simples.
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Guards van is at the Ipswich end of the train.
Open the door of the carriage nearest to the guard's van first.
As long as that remains open, there's your guarantee the train will not pull away before someone has come along to unlock the guard's van for you.
Simples.
Thanks Jurek, that's good to know :)
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Since you are getting on at Ipswich then won't both ends be the Ipswich end of the train? :P
[/pedant mode]
Quite a lot of the stations have signs up telling cyclists where to wait, and Jurek is right.the guard's van is at the back of the London-bound train.
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I did reconsider that which I had written, and that I should've referred to it as the Norwich end of the train.
Pedant's delight.
Unabated on a Bank Holiday ;)
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Tell us what train you're getting and someone will be able to explain how the bike process works for that particular combination of operator and rolling stock.
Alternatively you can always try asking the station staff. However, once when I did this (cos it was an unfamiliar train for me) the helpful member of East Cost platform staff informed me that "the bike accommodation is at the front or the back, unless it's in the middle" :facepalm:
When in doubt I always position myself at the back end of the train (i.e. at the end of the platform that the train approaches from). That way, as the train passes me, I can look for the bike symbol on the carriage door. If I'm at the wrong end, I can see it immediately and then have the opportunity to ride down the platform as the train slows to a halt.
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I think those traditionalists amongst us who are doing the Dun Run ought to incorporate an official "Team Slow" and ride together - for a given value of together. Last year I took too much kit and poor Jane almost froze waiting for me in the dead of night. This year I shall travel much lighter.
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Indeed, although we are en-tandem we shall be part of team slow this year (as with all years).
- Mostly because I like stopping for tea and snacks at the various hostelries and not feeling bad about it.
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If I'm at the wrong end, I can see it immediately and then have the opportunity to ride down the platform as the train slows to a halt.
Overlooking the legality of cycling on a railway platform, there's usually the small matter of a trainful of passengers trying to get off, and the other trainful of passengers trying to push past them to get on to make that impractical.
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My strategy is usually to wait near the middle. Then I have a good chance of making it to either end in the short amount of time available. There are some tricks such as the yellow painted bar on the coupling at the 'Club' class end of the Virgin Voyagers, the opposite end to bike storage, and that if a Virgin Pendolino carriage displays a large '1' in a circle on the side then you're at the wrong end for bike storage.
I usually ask platform staff because they are then more aware of you and your bike than otherwise might be the case.
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Yes. The best approach is to use cycle-forum-based trainspotter knowledge to have a reasonable idea of what to do before you arrive, and to follow that up by asking platform staff.
(The yellow plate above the coupler rule applies to CrossCountry Voyagers, too.)
Also, this is the situation where all the helmets and hi-vis actually come in useful. By looking like a cyclist, staff are liable to approach you, even if they can't actually see the bike.
...except at Mordor Central, where it's a gloomy noisy crowd-crush and the staff hide in their office until 30 seconds before the train appears.
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I still haven't figured out why Cross Country Voyagers had their bike stowage changed from one end to amidships. The stowage is exactly where most people congregate to board and the extra faff and hassle of the hanging bike stowage causes unnecessary delays both alighting and boarding. A problem made worse by non-bike passengers depositing house-sized cases where the bikes need to be.
At least having bikes at one end removes most of the non-bike passenger conflict and generally leaves the bike stowage luggage free too.
Nil points to Cross country for using their noodle and nil points for the shittiest bike stowage on any train that I have ever used.
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Hopefully I wont be the only Dun Run cyclist on the platform waiting for the train :)
What pace does Team Slow expect to do ? When does Team Slow normally get to the beach ?
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Last year I was exceptionally slow. I arrived at the beach around 1 pm, I think. Mind you, I did spend at least an hour nattering with my mate Terry who art in Sibton. The previous year I got in around 9 am.
I expect my moving average, unladen, to be about 10 mph. in 2012 AndrewC, Dave Lodwig and I spent most of the night in one another's company.
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Last year I was exceptionally slow. I arrived at the beach around 1 pm, I think. Mind you, I did spend at least an hour nattering with my mate Terry who art in Sibton. The previous year I got in around 9 am.
I expect my moving average, unladen, to be about 10 mph. in 2012 AndrewC, Dave Lodwig and I spent most of the night in one another's company.
Thanks, I was thinking about telling my lift home to be at the beach for 8 am :)
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That was my mistake last year. I had arranged to meet my cousin at the beach before 9am, and by the time I had realised that the Team Slow pace was... erm... slow, and broke away with Jane, I was too late.
I will happily ride with Team Slow again, but ensure there are no constraints on my arrival.
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If I'm at the wrong end, I can see it immediately and then have the opportunity to ride down the platform as the train slows to a halt.
Overlooking the legality of cycling on a railway platform, there's usually the small matter of a trainful of passengers trying to get off, and the other trainful of passengers trying to push past them to get on to make that impractical.
Agree - if the platform is full of people, there's plenty of time to find the right bit of train. However, travelling at silly o'clock I tend to find myself on a deserted platform at an unmanned station - there's no-one there to tell you which end.
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Well, I have just had a good natter with My Friend Janet who art Terry's wife and who also art in Sibton and they are expecting to be about for 12th/13th July. This is excellent news. I think I may well be camping on the Sunday night and pottering home on the Monday, after having done a suitable bag drop at their house a day or two before.
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I think those traditionalists amongst us who are doing the Dun Run ought to incorporate an official "Team Slow" and ride together - for a given value of together. Last year I took too much kit and poor Jane almost froze waiting for me in the dead of night. This year I shall travel much lighter.
Last year I intended to do this, lost everyone at the start, and never saw them again in spite of having a pint in every open hostelry in the hope that they would attract lost Wowbaggers.
This year tajasel (of this parish) and I are riding it (the right way around) on the tandem, which has never done a Dun Run, but IIRC she has a train booking which means leaving Darsham northbound at just gone midday, so if Team Slow are _very_ slow we may need to get a move on, but we'll be at the start with a green touring tandem with S&S couplings.
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Can an inexperienced individual enquire as to the projected start time of this ride? Thinking of giving it a go. Would be driving from Devon, trying to park car for 48 hours somewhere, have a kip, ride to Dunwich, ride back, the drive home, again with a kip along the way. Working on the Monday, sort of. Feasible?
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There is no 'official' start time...
...or official anything else for that matter.
Leave when you like. Some will start at 6pm, most leave as it starts to get dark, the ultra cool leave after midnight.
I prefer to get past the cattle grids while it is still easy to see them.
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Our normal procedure has been to arrive at the pub for 6 - 6.30, have a couple of pints and a load of chow mein from the Chinese restaurant round the corner and then shuffle off. It is a shuffle to begin with, but once on the Lea Bridge Road the ride spreads out rather.
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An interesting little snippet here from National Rail Enquiries
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/76352.aspx (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/76352.aspx)
'Extra trains between Halesworth and Ipswich' - the cynic in me says that the number of extra trains might just be zero.
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Hmmm, had it in my head this was in June when I'm on holibobs. As it's actually in July would team slow or team nurnud like another member?
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No destitute pootler ever turned away.
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An interesting little snippet here from National Rail Enquiries
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/76352.aspx (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/76352.aspx)
'Extra trains between Halesworth and Ipswich' - the cynic in me says that the number of extra trains might just be zero.
Last year it was not. The southbound service was hourly not two-hourly, using different stock with more room, and station staff were allowing bikes to be packed on anywhere they didn't obstruct the aisles (eg, I saw several stacks on tables).
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National Rail Enq is showing trains for that day every hour from 8:36 to 14:36 then two-hourly. But it also gives an engineering warning.
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It's unlikely I will ever get a lift back from Dunwich in future, but my last one was the fastest run of the lot, mostly enjoyable, and on fixed, so I don't mind too much. The numbers are getting silly anyway.
I have the kiddies on the 12th so probably can't make it to the start, but I'll be there in spirit.
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I appear to have just bought tickets to do the backassward thing :facepalm:
Some clever person needs to rig up a tracking app that shows where the 2 Team Slow factions are, and where they will collide in the middle !
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It's all starting to sound a bit like a particle physics experiment...
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It's all starting to sound a bit like a particle physics experiment...
The Large Cyclist Collider...... has a certain ring to it... :D
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It's all starting to sound a bit like a particle physics experiment...
The Large Cyclist Collider...... has a certain ring to it... :D
That seems to imply that you and I might have a clash of Thorns in the Hedinghams.
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I've just checked the Wiki page for this event..... it mentions this legendary feat..... :D
"2009 was the first year that the ride was attempted—and completed—on a penny farthing."
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I've just checked the Wiki page for this event..... it mentions this legendary feat..... :D
"2009 was the first year that the ride was attempted—and completed—on a penny farthing."
That would be our Charlotte, last year the bar was pushed even higher with someone not only riding the event on a Penny, but riding home again afterwards.
I will be there again this year, although once again I will be riding in the blue train of the Dulwich Paragon. (if I can keep up).
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It's all starting to sound a bit like a particle physics experiment...
The Large Cyclist Collider...... has a certain ring to it... :D
That seems to imply that you and I might have a clash of Thorns in the Hedinghams.
I think the London-Dunwich thorns will win, one solo and and a tandem vs a solo.
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I've just checked the Wiki page for this event..... it mentions this legendary feat..... :D
"2009 was the first year that the ride was attempted—and completed—on a penny farthing."
That would be our Charlotte, last year the bar was pushed even higher with someone not only riding the event on a Penny, but riding home again afterwards.
Yes, it was our Charlotte, she's well Wiki'd :-)
Sounds like she's got a rival though, there & back on a Penny! My arse goes numb at the mere thought!
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I seem to recall that Charlotte has asked that someone shoot her, should she suggest doing this again.
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Despite starting this thread and having had the full intention of carrying on doing this ridiculous ride into my 7th decade, I now find that there is the possibility that a grandparental duty may get in the way. My daughter is having an examination under general anaesthetic that day and we may well be looking after her children.
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Despite starting this thread and having had the full intention of carrying on doing this ridiculous ride into my 7th decade, I now find that there is the possibility that a grandparental duty may get in the way. My daughter is having an examination under general anaesthetic that day and we may well be looking after her children.
I hope everything goes well for your daughter. It's a shame the dates clash.
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Despite starting this thread and having had the full intention of carrying on doing this ridiculous ride into my 7th decade, I now find that there is the possibility that a grandparental duty may get in the way. My daughter is having an examination under general anaesthetic that day and we may well be looking after her children.
I will miss spending time in team slow drinking tea & beer and eating cake with you but your family comes first. Hope everything goes well.
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I'm working on the Saturday, and won't be home (Sudbury) till about 9pm. I'm considering riding Sudbury - Dunwich - Sudbury. Happy to await Team Slow (or whatever this year's moniker is) and accompany from here. (all plans subject to modification or scrapping at the behest of Sir Woolly Jumper).
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Any more takers for Team NurNud?
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If I do ride I am sure it will be in the conventional direction. I have the annual chin wag with My Mate Terry Who Art In Sibton to take into consideration.
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Hope you all enjoy the ride, folks. 2011 was the last time I did this one and the logjam at the start point and for some time after start was more than I want to experience again. FNRttC is about as many people as I want to go on a ride with.
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I am considering the possibility of a solo/small group ride from Southend to Dunwich, which was the plan a couple of years ago when Nutkin was indisposed on DD day, maybe the following week. It would be quite fun, and of course much easier to get back again without the crowds.
If anyone wants to have a crack at this I'm always up for a bit of company. Southend is a much nicer starting point than London because you are out in the country after about 3 miles and it's 10 miles shorter.
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I've booked my tickets and the really helpful man on the first great western phone booking service even sorted out and understood the tandem.
We are catching the train direct from Stroud into Paddington and returning via Ipswich to London and then Paddington to Stroud on the Monday. Just need to get the bike in order now.
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I doubt I will be riding the Dun Run this year (can't really manage consecutive weekends of overnight rides). I may, however, go and camp somewhere for the weekend near the route and then sit in a pub in finchingfield or thereabouts and wave a few people on.....maybe....
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It'll be the Dun-DunRun for me, joining the megapeloton in Dunmow [its not cheating, really...is it?] and riding back, probably via Woodbridge, Ipswich, Nayland, Bures, Halstead. Wilkyboy otp is turning it into a MUCH bigger ride; the plan is for him to refuel here, and possibly another Dunmovian will join us on the Dun-Dun leg.
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I hope to ride this again, from London the traditional route...
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Hope you all enjoy the ride, folks. 2011 was the last time I did this one and the logjam at the start point and for some time after start was more than I want to experience again. FNRttC is about as many people as I want to go on a ride with.
I think that was my last one too.
In the venerable company of the inimitable Sgt. Pluck, no less.
Although part of me hankers after it, just to see whether enough of the route remains in what passes for my BRANES, to be able to do it without reference to map, routesheet or GPS - and part of me thinks 'F*ck that! - too many bloody cyclists for my liking'
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Negotiations today have made it more probable that I can attend.
Car trip to Sibton with panniers and camping kit on Fri 11th, light journey to Dunwich, camp, then either train home or two day pootle back. Probably the former.
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And a phone call this evening has pretty well ruled it out. Mightily pissed off!
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I'm out too. :( clashes with family hols, and I'd not realised... Oops!
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The forecast is for a lovely westerly wind ;D ;D ;D
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I am still working on this. The commitment to grandchildren can be done by Mrs. Wow and Dez. I may still make it.
Apart from Dave Lodwig and Mary, who else from this parish is going in the traditional direction and camping on the beach?
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Who is doing the route backwards ? So far as I can tell it's just Kim & myself ... Any others ?
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...And I'm not so sure about me. Think I'm going to have to bail on tonight's FNRttC, as I'm too allergic. I'm not sure I'm up to 200k, as the 100k rides I've done in the last few weeks have all killed me. :-\
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I did it without a map in 2012. If you have a light with sufficient spread to read the direction signs, all the villages are signed so it's OK. Sadly I am unlikely to be doing this for a while until I can work out some logistics. Maybe the Inbred is tough enough to survive the furniture van?
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My plans are still fluid. Daughter wants me to look after gcs, not Dez, and her reasons are sound. I suspect that I will be taking my bike to Maidstone and then deciding on the day whether I am up to the job. The trouble is that I think I know what the answer will be.
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As this will be my first time on a train in years and the first time with a bike, what do people do with your bike luggage. Do you just leave it attached to your bike with all your belongings in the guard van or keep everything with you in the carriage ?
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The guy who sold me my Velomobile, Alex (roffa OTP) from Rotterdam, is travelling to the UK just to do this.
Some of you chatted to him at my leaving do. If you see him, do say hello!
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As this will be my first time on a train in years and the first time with a bike, what do people do with your bike luggage. Do you just leave it attached to your bike with all your belongings in the guard van or keep everything with you in the carriage ?
That depends on the train. If you are catching a train with a guard's van (Norwich - London), it's often easier to take the luggage off. If the guard says you can leave it on, fine. If you are catching the Ipswich-London train (ie no guard's van) put your bike in a doorway to the right of the train (pretty well all the platforms are on the left) and sit close by.
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Did the ride last year but only got to Finchingfield before my rear wheel died :demon:. Fortunately for me I actually live relatively near to Finchingfield so Mrs F was able to provide a rescue service. I'll be riding this year with a couple of friends. Last year we decided that if we did it again we wouldn't go to the start as its too much hassle and dreary riding to get into and then cycle out of London. So instead we'll be starting from Haverhill, riding to Finchingfield, then to Dunwich and then following a different route back to Haverhill (via Laxfield, Debenham and finally Wally's cafe in Acton). At the moment the weather forecast is not looking too good for the ride back :'(
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As this will be my first time on a train in years and the first time with a bike, what do people do with your bike luggage. Do you just leave it attached to your bike with all your belongings in the guard van or keep everything with you in the carriage ?
That depends on the train. If you are catching a train with a guard's van (Norwich - London), it's often easier to take the luggage off. If the guard says you can leave it on, fine. If you are catching the Ipswich-London train (ie no guard's van) put your bike in a doorway to the right of the train (pretty well all the platforms are on the left) and sit close by.
There's always been a guards van when I've caught the train from Ipswich but thats usually because I've caught the one that stops at Ipswich from Norwich to London.
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Thanks Wow and Dave. I will be prepared to take the rack bag off. :)
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Okay, it's with some reluctance that I'm defecting to the Tamworth 100k.
My lungs are being unreliable and my legs are crap. This is a much bigger deal in the depths of Suffolk at 3am than it is a few miles from Leicester on a Saturday afternoon, and I reckon I stand a better chance of actually enjoying it[1] if it's just 100km.
Maybe next year?
[1] Thanks to andrewc for reminding me of the importance of this particular point.
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Will meet all in the park...
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I don't think that there will be that many of us this year. I'm still by no means 100%.
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One of the reasons I joined this forum was because of the numbers riding the dun run together in the different paced groups. It does seem from all the old posts relating to the dun run, that there is not the interest in it that there has been in past years.
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Sorry, but I'll be missing DR this year. Too much to do on the house to take a weekend out.
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One of the reasons I joined this forum was because of the numbers riding the dun run together in the different paced groups. It does seem from all the old posts relating to the dun run, that there is not the interest in it that there has been in past years.
People grew tired of having to help with the annual service of the rear wheel of my tandem.
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And I was thinking it was because I was doing it ,that people were not riding it this year
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Another phone call this morning has once again swung the pendulum very firmly towards "not riding". Medical/physical problems with daughter and grand-daughter mean that we are likely to be called away tomorrow, which I had earmarked for a trip to My Mate Terry Who Art In Sibton with a car laden with cycle camping kit.
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And I was thinking it was because I was doing it ,that people were not riding it this year
Providing you don't mind riding with team slow (onna tandem) then you are welcome to ride with us, we will probably stop at everywhere that sells tea on route though.
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One of the reasons I joined this forum was because of the numbers riding the dun run together in the different paced groups. It does seem from all the old posts relating to the dun run, that there is not the interest in it that there has been in past years.
For me at least, the Dun Run's been done.
It's logistically difficult (ending miles from anywhere), a bit too far for anyone doing Team Slow pace to fully enjoy, and you have to deal with an awful lot of clueless and antisocial riders in the first part.
FNRttCs, overnight forum rides and audaxes seem like a more attractive way for many people to get their night riding fix.
The Dun Run is a fantastic experience purely for the sheer number of riders it attracts, but there are better night rides, some of which don't even involve guerilla wheelbuilding. ;)
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I have unfinished business with the Dun Run...DNF a few years ago.
I am sufficiently immodest to believe that I am capable of doing the ride:the only reason I have not returned is the logistics of getting away from Dunwich
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But don't you arrive with a bicycle? :P
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One of the reasons I joined this forum was because of the numbers riding the dun run together in the different paced groups. It does seem from all the old posts relating to the dun run, that there is not the interest in it that there has been in past years.
The Dun Run is a fantastic experience purely for the sheer number of riders it attracts, but there are better night rides, some of which don't even involve guerilla wheelbuilding. ;)
I might be doing more FNRTTC rides from now on. Guerilla wheelbuilding opprtunities may abound!
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But don't you arrive with a bicycle? :P
allow me to elaborate...
:the only reason I have not returned is the logistics of getting away from Dunwich
without incurring an unacceptable amount of inconvenience wrt time,cost & effort after being without sleep for probably 24hrs,a good deal of which has been spent riding a bike thru, the night.
As Kim says..
It's logistically difficult (ending miles from anywhere),
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Indeed. The bicycle-to-get-you-home-from-Dunwich approach is good in principle, but in practice requires that you bring either camping kit, or someone to pull you out of the hedge when you doze off.
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or someone's wife drives to Dunwich,collects oneself & 3 others who will be dropped off somewhere mutually convenient on the way back to
Stoke wherever & share petrol costs.
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Hmm. There I was thinking of a nice pootle to Dunwich from Ipswich (100km round trip).
Does this mean there won't be anyone there?
Incidentally, previous return routes have included cycling to Diss/Ipswich/Norwich for improved bike-onna-train options, it tends to be busy at Darsham.
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I understand that there were extra trains from Darsham last year.
I'm wondering about the possibility of starting in Southend and joining the main ride at Sudbury. 10 miles shorter, no irksome trip to London, no irksome trip out of London. I'm still living in a fantasy world though. I don't suppose I will be anything like alert enough for a night ride.
Off to bed now.
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some of which don't even involve guerilla wheelbuilding. ;)
These?
(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/KmXdqq1WrsE/hqdefault.jpg)
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I understand that there were extra trains from Darsham last year.
There are extra trains this year too, according to a post on the facebook Dunwich Dynamo page (needs a facebook login - sorry).
It says:
Hello, hope you don't mind me putting info but if you are travelling back by train there are extra services from Darsham to Ipswich on Sunday morning. Trains leave at 0844/0946*/1044/1146*/1244/1346*/1444. Special trains which go fast to Ipswich are marked with *
Please spread yourself out during the morning so we can get as many people safely on board. The extra trains will be able to take more bikes as they are put on just for you! At Ipswich we'll do our best to accommodate you on trains going forward, there are departures at XX43 and XX09 towards London.
It then goes on to say:
We are aiming for around 30 per service train and maybe 40-50 on the specials. Bit of a suck it and see on the day but we'll do our best.
and then:
We are well aware the hoards are coming! We can fit around 30-odd per London train but if they are slimmer bikes then maybe more. I don't want to promise a number but I will promise we'll get as many people on as we can. The trains that leave at xx:09 to London are a little slower but have room on as well but you'll need to spread out through the train and we'll be there to help you do that. Hope this helps?
This was all posted by someone called James Steward who seems like a very helpful chap and will be at Darsham station on Sunday. Apparently they will do their best to get as many bikes on trains as possible. Quite a refreshing attitude.
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My spy on the ground tell me that there has been torrential rain , with flooded roads in Suffolk. Hopefully it will clear up for Saturday & Sunday!
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East Suffolk has not had much rain. :) No flooding that I know about.
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I have just spent the day in Suffolk, with My Mate Terry Who Art in Sibton, and although it has been murky and humid, it hasn't rained.
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This was all posted by someone called James Steward who seems like a very helpful chap and will be at Darsham station on Sunday. Apparently they will do their best to get as many bikes on trains as possible. Quite a refreshing attitude.
That's basically what they did last year. I was going Northbound, but they were fairly stuffing them in the southbound trains (and using bigger stock on the "specials"); the one I saw go left no-one on the platform.
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There is a severe weather warning in place for this afternoon in the form of localised thundery downpours. It would sppear that any heavy rain should go in the evening but I would imagine that if such storms materialise, they will give increased amounts of gravel on the road. For the ride itself the weather is looking perfect.
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East suffolk is bathed in glorious sunshine now after early rain this morning.
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I'm still wondering if I can do this ride, or a version of it. The biggest obstacles are that I am in Maidstone and I haven't got a bike with me. However, if I can be home in time for an 8pm departure from Southend i reckon I could be in Sudbury for 2 am, and that would place me about 2 hours ahead of my normal schedule.
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Well I'm at London fields with Mary and no one else is so far. The sky occasionally makes banging noises but its mostly OK.
Beer is being fetched.
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Well the Chinese takeaway is shut so Mary's headed off. Looking for carribean food. Failing that a londis.
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Good luck & hope you have fun.
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Hope it goes well for everyone. Gerwinium and I had a good day on the very hot and insecty Tamworth 100k audax. No earwigs, though.
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I have just arrived home from Maidstone. I have been examining the logistics of doing some sort of train-assisted ride via Marks Tey - maybe an out-and-back, which was what TimC was considering when we were nattering on Wednesday. However, we have just driven around the outskirts of what appears to be a significant thunderstorm towards Chelmsford and possibly beyond. If the weather had been fine, and promised to be fine for the night, I might have set off, but I am going to keep my powder, and everything else, dry.
Have a good ride, Dave & Mary.
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The weather in Sudbury is best described as biblical! An enormous thunderstorm has just passed through, and there are others in the area. it's moving quite slowly, and I'm pretty sure it'll cause flash floods locally. Should clear fairly quickly, though. Any seriously quick riders may have been caught in it, but most will probably be behind it.
As I've only just got home from work I'm going to pass; the detached MrsC and a team from Boxford are doing Bildeston-Dunwich-Boxford at 4am, which will probably work quite well weather-wise.
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Soemthing about the Dun Run by Sam Walker - yes that Sam Walker!!
http://road.cc/content/blog/123389-dunwich-dynamo-xxii
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Its raining, quite a lot. We are at Sible Hedingham and are knackered. Getting this far with the stuff for camping has broken us both so we are planning on sticking the tent up somewhere and calling for rescue.
Oh well.
DNF :(
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Soemthing about the Dun Run by Sam Walker - yes that Sam Walker!!
http://road.cc/content/blog/123389-dunwich-dynamo-xxii
The Great Leader was always an entertaining writer.
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I spoke to Dave at about 6.30, having glanced at this thread at bladder o'clock. They were hunkered down in the porch at Sible Hedingham church contemplating bail-out plans. I suggested a train from Braintree, which is not far away and are due to start running at 8 am.
After returning to bed I slept through to after 9.30, which is most unusual for me. During my slumbering extra time I had a curious dream that Mrs. Wow and I were on a very wet tandem ride with Dave and Mary and that we bailed at Braintree Station. Apart from adjourning to an early morning pub that served ale with its full English, the most memorable part of the dream was that there was a hearse that had been converted to run on rails waiting at the platform.
So I have had the best of both worlds in that I have had a pretty good night's sleep while at the same time believing that I have been out getting soaked on my bike. I've no idea why the hearse turned up though. Better not to ask, I suppose.
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After returning to bed I slept through to after 9.30, which is most unusual for me. During my slumbering extra time I had a curious dream that Mrs. Wow and I were on a very wet tandem ride with Dave and Mary and that we bailed at Braintree Station. Apart from adjourning to an early morning pub that served ale with its full English, the most memorable part of the dream was that there was a hearse that had been converted to run on rails waiting at the platform.
So I have had the best of both worlds in that I have had a pretty good night's sleep while at the same time believing that I have been out getting soaked on my bike. I've no idea why the hearse turned up though. Better not to ask, I suppose.
Apart from the rail hearse, this sounds like an ordinary Day Out with Wow, no? :)
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Soemthing about the Dun Run by Sam Walker - yes that Sam Walker!!
http://road.cc/content/blog/123389-dunwich-dynamo-xxii
... lubricated socialising ... scheduled grogging hours ... no doping. Nothing harder than jelly babies. ...
2009: The first part of the ride was uneventful, until sometime after Epping, where I acquired a group of potheads on skip-quality bikes, who decided to stick with me on account of my bringing a) a copy of the route and b) lights. The latter became particularly important just after Morton, where I turned a corner, avoided an enormous pothole, and then heard a loud clunk and yelp behind me. Spent the next hour or so riding at does-he-have-a-head-injury-or-is-it-just-weed speed, and eventually became separated.
I sense a theme developing here.
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But sober or kites, I remain both slightly envious of all Dun Runners - particularly those who did it many years ago, before it was such a Thing - and at the same time, glad I'm not there. Chapeau to you all!
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I'm sure the original pioneering spirit can be recreated simply by organising a sufficiently challenging overnight ride from somewhere inland to somewhere coastal, although I'll grant you that some coastal towns are very much better than others in this respect. Nottingham to Mablethorpe, for example, would be like cycling through the pages of a novel by D. H. Lawrence, but without the forget-me-nots.
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Am back at Marys folks now having been rescued. I am drinking an isotonic ale and contemplating a shower. A full exciting ride report to come when I'm human again.
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Well, just back home in warm'er' Somerset, having completed my first ever Dun Run...and what a night that was. Despite not having put in much in the way of cycling in that last month I was quite happy with the distance, in fact legs feel positively glowing. The standard of some riders though, wow :facepalm: Riding two abreast isn't an issue normally but when one is on the gutter and the other is on the white line and if you call and tell them you're going between they then close up as if in some weird DunRun pincer movement.
Saw some of the comments about weather, it was bonkers. The group of 3 I was in got well and truly drenched in a storm that seemed to move along at the same speed we were cycling, rain was bouncing back of the road and hitting us in the face!! :o. it was so bad that 1 or our number went a$re over elbow putting his bidon back in the holder but he carried on. At the pub in Finchingfield we met a couple of riders who they said had been sitting there for 10 minutes and they wondering why we were complaining about rain, they'd not seem any :-\
Not sure why we bothered with the Village Hall at halfway (ish!?) because we'd just stopped half and hour earlier. Moreton had been laugh with the street virtually blocked by bikes while they watched the fireworks, so much for be quiet through the villages.
Really don't know why some people do this ride because they are a danger to themselves and others. Saw numerous people spearing off down wrong streets and turning the wrong way at junctions just because someone had done it in front of them.
We had started to dry out at Needham Market and really enjoyed the hotdog stand, top dogs :thumbsup:. We were making good time but 1 of my group was getting the sleepies and we had to back off and stop almost anywhere to get caffeine for him. The daylight run into Dunwich was fun right up until the next downpour but it didn't break any spirits and in fact although soaked to the skin due to useless coats we didn't feel cold waiting to get into the cafe for breakfast.
A fun ride and good to do something new to me.
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Just back and hoping my legs catch up with me.
The rain was very strange. Didn't get rained on once but every inch of the roads past Feyfield was saturated. At the village hall asked a pack of riders from Horsham if it had rained on them and they said "no" also (managed not to laugh since they were mudguardless roadies and some of them looked like they had been in the middle of a hard cyclocross event).
Having spent the day in Dunwich where I and partner were camping, I had initially regretted not having brought my own skinny racer as the day had been perfect and weather forecasts seemed plain wrong. In the end glad I had mudguards and disc brakes; lots of debris, huge puddles and spray. In one town the water was descending the road in great torrents. So clearly, somehow by luck I remained always just behind/ahead of wherever the rain was occurring. Warm too, did the whole ride with just thin top and arm warmers.
First time doing the run with a GPS, very different and meant I did a ridiculous pace at the start. In fact overcooked it and after a stellar first 50 miles the only direction for the speed was down. My handlebar lighting arrangement meant that the GPS screen was just a black space as I had the brightness set to minimum to extend battery life. But at every junction needed it would suddenly burst glowing into life. So it became a matter of trust to keep pedaling straight on until told otherwise by the machine.
Being able to just crawl into a tent and sleep at the end was a joy, certainly will be doing that again. The only near fly in the ointment was the lack of foresight that the trains into London would be packed on the Saturday night. That said the train and station staff took it all in their stride and friendlier than most in my experience.
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Nottingham to Mablethorpe, for example, would be like cycling through the pages of a novel by D. H. Lawrence, but without the forget-me-nots.
I have prior art for the Anderby Outfall. Mud, drainage, cabbages, no point arriving before the afternoon. One day I might even ride it.
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Nottingham to Mablethorpe, for example, would be like cycling through the pages of a novel by D. H. Lawrence, but without the forget-me-nots.
I have prior art for the Anderby Outfall. Mud, drainage, cabbages, no point arriving before the afternoon. One day I might even ride it.
That's a ride to rival the Rollrights Stones. I'd be there.
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We joined the ride at Finchingfield about midnight having ridden over from Haverhill with two friends. Got to Dunwich about 5:45 having seen no rain up to that point. The heavens opened just as we were leaving to ride back to Haverhill and then proceeded to rain at intermittent intervals the whole way back. Finally got back to Haverhill about 13:45.
Key memories of the ride are the mist rising from rapidly drying roads so that as the night progressed the mist became thicker and thicker. Almost pea souper like in some places. Punctures: the puncture fairies were out in force last night as it seemed there were little huddles of folks mending punctures every 100 yards or so. The three of us riding had one puncture each which is almost unheard of. Lots of people riding without lights(!!!!). The 24 hour service station at Needham Market being closed. Bacon rolls and tea from the girls scouts about 10k after Needham Market. Free bananas and muffins at Dunwich (god bless the lady handing them out whoever she was). The Co-Op in Laxfield being open at 7:30 am on A sunday morning. The desperate dash on failing legs from Lavenham to Wally's cafe (we made it by 1 min to 11 in time for breakfast).
Although I bailed at Finchingfield last year I did drive over to Dunwich to pick up my fellow riders to save them having to ride back to Haverhill. My comparison of last year and this year is that Dunwich was much less busy at 6 am ish this year as the car park was more than half empty, whereas last year I only just managed to park.
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A bit of an epic ride for all the wrong reasons.
I got drenched about 5 minutes from home (seems like a DD tradition) and then rolled into Battersea to find the sun shining, the roads dry and people swanning about in summer dresses. It was absolutely surreal, I literally had water dripping off me at the lights and there was no sign that there was a storm anywhere.
I met my riding partner (Mark) at Liverpool Street and we rode onto London Fields. We were later this year than in previous years and were surprised to see comparatively few cyclists about. we decided not to hang about and set off at about 9pm. As we rode on we were soon caught up to the back end of the string off riders and assumed that either the numbers were really down (seems to be the case from reports from the half-way stop cafe) or we were late.
The traditional pub stop at Moreton came up as a surprise (as always) and we stopped for a refreshing pint before heading off once again.
Further on we kept coming across soaking wet roads, rising mist (steam almost) and out biggest problems was actually feeling too hot.
Then, rounding a corner we saw people on the road, shouats and the next thing I knew was a load bang, a heavy thump and a groan of pain. I stopped, turned around and saw Mark in road. He was absolutely immobile with pain. We moved the bike out from under him and then heard other riders approaching. This time we were able to divert them away from danger, got a survival blanket under Mark. There was a lady with first-aid training who checked him over, then when he was able to we moved him to safety and to my relief after a few minutes he was able to walk stiffly about.
I grabbed a GPS fix of the location for insurance and took a couple of photos. We were also able to find some road cones in a nearby field to mark out the location of the hole and riders coming were then able to avoid the danger without further incident.
There was another guy sitting in a car. He had a suspected broken arm, the ambulance service were completely useless and he'd been waiting nearly two hours and had gotten very cold and was shivering, so we gave him the survival blanket. The car drivers then decided to take him to hospital and drop Mark off at home (he's a local).
I'd heard and seen on other fora, loads of reports of accidents at the same location.
So I rode on alone, arriving in Dunwich at about 8am.
A very sobering ride.
However, I have to say that throughout, I found the drivers very calm and responsible. My ride onto Ipswich after breakfast on the beach was delightful, with drivers universally giving me loads of space and slowing down for me.
Of course, after a kip on the train, my emergence, blinking onto London's streets soon disabused me of this bucolic dream of a nation of responsible car drivers!
Before you ask, the bike (a beautiful classic 90's Specialised carbon composite Allez) was utterly smashed in two, the head-tub totally broken away from the frame. I've not had reports of the rest of the damage, but with Carbon Record shifters, I'd be surprised if they aren't scuffed to hell as well.
My fill that hole report, together with GPS co-ords for the hole is here:
http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/hazard/106152
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I saw Dave and Mary at about 30 miles, but spent most of the night riding alone, tajasel having not been able to come for tandem shenanigans.
This was partly because, for some reason, I really _really_ can't climb hills at the moment with more than about 30 miles in my legs. Anything steep, I'd have to crawl up at 4mph, with people shooting past me who I'd then pass on the flat (or downhill, with the adipose advantage... or, for some of the very racey looking groups, as they all waited yet again for someone to fix a puncture) so we could do it again at the next hill.
I didn't see any storms but had a steady drizzle for most of the night. At one point it rained hard enough that I put my jacket on in order to take it off again, but I spent basically all ride in jersey and shorts.
Outgoing text messages tell me that:
Arrived late, started about 21:15. Almost no-one around.
21 miles: pint! Slight tailwind. Very warm.
30 miles: pint! Also 2 Twixen.
44 miles: pub open but no pints sold. However, at 32 miles was in tearoom with two Ordinaries. Highly recommended.
51 miles: formal feed stop, as ever, planning not to rely on it turned out to be the right plan, but I did get tea (coffee was Nestle, alas) and a flapjack.
62 miles: pint! Impressed by the 24-hour bike shop just beforehand. Somewhat sorry for the enterprising 24-hour cafe just up the road, who are within 10 miles of the formal feed stop and whose sign you tend to blow past at 35mph.
81 miles: loos at the lake, pretty well fuerked, rain stronger, and cyclecomputer failed. I was not happy, and over the next few miles was suspecting I really should have eaten something and looking for a dry place to stop.
86 miles: Scouts with tent, coffee, bacon rolls. Rain off. Cyclecomputer mysteriously started working again just after despair at 81 miles. Still fuerked, but fuerked in high spirits.
105 miles: in Peasenhall, where advertising annual pea festival with pea activities, pea eating, and pea games.
Finish: 0845, so riddle me this, yacf, why when I enter a formal 200 the weekend beforehand am I beaten at 1/3 distance, but I can ride the Dunwich Dynamo at audax speed while stopping every time someone offers to sell me booze?
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The DD got a mention on BBC 6 music earlier, I think the producter rode ~120 miles.
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Finish: 0845, so riddle me this, yacf, why when I enter a formal 200 the weekend beforehand am I beaten at 1/3 distance, but I can ride the Dunwich Dynamo at audax speed while stopping every time someone offers to sell me booze?
Well, it's either the booze, or the not having to get up in the morning...
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I had an excellent DD.
Spent the whole night watching the lightning and looking at the very wet roads wondering how I was still not getting caught in the rain.
I was swimming in the sea before 5am which makes it my quickest DD too.
Numbers did seem down this year, but I still had a great ride chatting to randoms.
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Maybe we've passed peak Dun Run and it's worth doing it again (I did 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012, 2007 being a DNF due to stupid weather and 2012 being the fastest by far, on Marathon Pluses and a fixed gear!). Does anyone fancy it next year? I'll just ride my commuting bike and it can take its chances in the furniture van.
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Clarion's sister met some YACFers on a tandem, who I assume were DaveLodwig and Mary :). She was very excited :D
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Yes that'll be us, she slowed for a bit for a chat and then shot of.
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Does anyone fancy it next year?
No. But I never do at this point. Ask again in 11 months and I probably will. :-)
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Dun Run Done
I left the pub in the park at 8.10pm when there was a steady flow leaving so I had people to follow out of London. It was a lot different riding through the streets of London to the country lanes I'm used to. At times the volume of cycles stopped the traffic while a steady stream of cyclists flowed across the road. One moment that brought a smile was a couple standing on the side of the road watching. I heard the man say ' they can't be critical mass, they all look to nice '. The out to Epping was busy but easier than I thought it would be. Chatting to all sorts of people at a comfortable pace, stopping and starting at all the traffic lights as we ride northwards.
The right turn at Epping was a comfort and relief to as I knew I had made it out of the city and on to the type of roads I'm more used to. I was caught up by a man I had chatted to at Ipswich railway station and we had another chat for a few minutes before he rode of at a faster pace than I was comfortable with at this point in the ride. In what seemed no time at all, I was sweeping around the corner to be greeted by the crowds outside to two pubs in Morton. I decided to make this my first stop and had something to eat while watching the riders that where trying to make their way though the crowds.
I'm not sure how long I stopped at Morton. Maybe ten minutes before I headed off towards the Rodings. I didn't chat much along this part of the route. I was feeling comfortable with being on the little lanes and I was ether passing people or being passed. No one seemed to be riding at a similar pace. Just as I reached the Axe and Compasses pub. I felt the first few drops of rain. So I pulled over to the side of the roads just past the very busy pub. I was just taking my jacket off my rack bag when a lady stopped just in front of me. I offered my assistance to prevent her bike falling over as she put overshoes on. I put my jacket on and she left as I was putting the cover on my rack bag.
I caught her up after a few minutes and we chatted, her name was Jess. Very soon after the heavens opened and it poured with rain. A very quick stop and she put a rain cape on. We rode on together hoping to find some shelter or it would stop. After a matter of minutes we hadn't found anywhere to stop and we were bother soaked. The rain stayed with us as we chatted all the way to and thought Great Dunmow. Just before Great Bardfield it finally stopped. She had lost the group she was riding with so we stopped outside the pub in Great Bardfield just long enough to look for them and remove our rainwear. We then rode on at a comfortable pace to the feed station at a Sible Hedingham.
We both had some food and filled our water bottles. When Jess came out of the hall she had found her group and we all agreed to ride together. We headed off on the longest part of the ride. I think it was about one o'clock when we left the feed station. As we rode though Castle Hedingham and on towards Sudbury it was clear that the group of us where very different in pace. Some quicker then Jess and I and some slower. We all re-grouped at the roundabout as we left Sudbury, where one of the group decided to tell us it was time for him to re-apply some Sudocrem. That somehow descended into a conversion about problems people have with their bum.
We rode on again though the darkness with red flashing lights ahead of us. It was still lovely and warm riding in shorts and a short sleeve top. We all re-grouped again at Bildeston. When a small group who had stopped a little farther on from us, met Mr Angry who came out of a driveway waving and banging what looked like a baseball bat from where we were. The small group made a quick exit, I didn't blame them for getting out of there.
We all left Bildeston up the long hill towards Needham Market. That was to be the last time the whole group were together again. Jess and I continued to ride at the same comfortable pace. We passed a few people on the small descent at Barking and carried on to the lake at Needham.
When we arrived at the lake the bikes and riders were all across the road. We found a spot against a wall to lean our bikes. To our delight we found the toilets were unlocked so we made use of them. We then looked for the other members of the group but we didn't see anyone. We had a coffee and waited for awhile to see if anyone would turn up. After we finished the coffees we made our way onwards towards Dunwich.
We were now on roads that I know like the back of my hand. After we had turned of the short section of duel carriageway, we could see it was starting to get light even with the thick cloud cover. I had the only mechanical of the whole ride, when my chain jumped off as I changed down on the short sharp climb out of Hemingstone. With Jess holding the back wheel off the ground, I quickly got it back on with a turn of the pedals and we were on our way again. A quick stop at brandeston to call my partner Linda so she could meet me at the beach.
We rode though kettleburgh and again passed people on the decent leading to Framlingham. Jess said as we passed the still closed garage in Framlingham that it was open when she was here last year. So was pleased to be making better time than last year. We rode on past the last pop up stall, which was doing a good trade. We had fun passing people as we descended into Bruisyard . With my local knowledge I knew we could get around the corner at the bottom at full tilt. To her credit Jess stuck with me even thou she didn't know the road like I did. As we went over the bridge I had to shout to a group of riders that were then taking a wrong turn. Unfortunately them turning around forced Jess to brake and she lost her momentum for the climb out of Bruisyard. That climb took it out of Jess so we had a quick stop just outside peasenhall where I give her a muesli bar as she was out of food.
The food and a little rest did the trick and we were soon on our way for the leg to Dunwich. There were several other riders on that last leg, some looking good some not so good. As we approached thee A12 at Darshsm there was a man standing on the A12 waving us out of the junction. Which was a great help as we didn't need to stop. Just before we got to Westleton we saw someone being pushed along by other rider. As we got close we could see the man being pushed must have had a leg problem as he was holding it out straight off the pedal. The road to Dunwich was busy with bikes and traffic, the last couple of miles were slow but I had no complaints about that as I knew we would both make it to the finish. We came to a stop in a traffic jam on the final descent as a car and coach were trying to pass on the tight bend. We waited a couple of minutes for that to clear and free wheeled down to the junction, at 6.30 am. Were we said congratulations and goodbyes as Jess's group were waiting for her outside the Ship and I went into the car park to be greeted by my partner Linda. I had a quick waist deep paddle before we left for home.
That was my first dun run and despite the rain it won't be my last. I didn't see any of the accidents and I wish all the riders involved a speedy recovery. I know I was lucky to have meet and ridden with Jess who was great company and whose pace was just right. We were lucky to have missed all the big potholes and to have a gentle tailwind the whole way. The dun run would be a very different beast if battling a headwind the whole way.
Total distance 112.5 miles
Total time 10 hrs 20 mins
Moving time 7hrs 49 mins 19 secs
Moving avg. 14.4 mph
(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2920/14663276355_68fc626eba_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/okK8cz)Needham Lake Dun Run (https://flic.kr/p/okK8cz) by colincycle (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
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Maybe we've passed peak Dun Run and it's worth doing it again (I did 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012, 2007 being a DNF due to stupid weather and 2012 being the fastest by far, on Marathon Pluses and a fixed gear!). Does anyone fancy it next year? I'll just ride my commuting bike and it can take its chances in the furniture van.
I will be riding it again next year ;D
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Great report, Colin! But you are too fast for Team Slow! My earliest to the beach was 7.30 when I averaged over 13 mph. I was at least 2 stones lighter then.
I reckon you could be a good recruiting sergeant for YACF if you get into a group that are talking about the state of their bums on a first meeting.
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Clarion's sister met some YACFers on a tandem, who I assume were DaveLodwig and Mary :). She was very excited :D
Yes that'll be us, she slowed for a bit for a chat and then shot of.
But did she sing for you?
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Great report, Colin! But you are too fast for Team Slow! My earliest to the beach was 7.30 when I averaged over 13 mph. I was at least 2 stones lighter then.
I reckon you could be a good recruiting sergeant for YACF if you get into a group that are talking about the state of their bums on a first meeting.
A recruiting sergeant that sprays the road during the Tour De France ;D
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/14601121772_db2d9afb16_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/offyNQ)YACF (https://flic.kr/p/offyNQ) by colincycle (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr
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it's taken me a while to write this so for your reading pleasure.
http://www.davelodwig.co.uk/blog/2014/07/dunwich-dynamo-xxii/
D.
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Soemthing about the Dun Run by Sam Walker - yes that Sam Walker!!
http://road.cc/content/blog/123389-dunwich-dynamo-xxii
The Great Leader was always an entertaining writer.
He really doesn't like penny farthing riders, though ::-)
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Soemthing about the Dun Run by Sam Walker - yes that Sam Walker!!
http://road.cc/content/blog/123389-dunwich-dynamo-xxii
The Great Leader was always an entertaining writer.
He really doesn't like penny farthing riders, though ::-)
You don't think he still harbours a grudge, do you? O:-)*
*Compulsory smiley.
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:) :P ;) :D ;D