Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Manotea on 01 May, 2016, 10:25:59 pm
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The Ditchling Devil Thread for 2016 seems to have disappeared, so here it is again. Same great route starting from Wimbledon Common down towards the coast and back, with three fully catered village hall controls included in the entry fee. Click the graphic below for full details.
The controls are catered by local voluntary groups but I'd appreciate some help at some of the controls; at the start (to hand out cards), Highbrook (to direct riders) and Chiddingfold (to stamp cards). If you'd like to ride on the day we can probably arrange for that. PM me for details. Thanks, Paul
(http://events.paudax.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/LDD2016.jpg) (http://events.paudax.com)
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Bloody hell, that's soon! Better get out on the bike a few times before then...
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Bump. Three weeks to go. :)
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Entered.
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In.
I'm trying to persuade some non-audaxers to accompany me. When might entry close (I know site says 2 weeks)? Some spousal passes take longer to negotiate than others...
Thanks
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We currently have 240 entries and are on track to achieve a capacity field of 300 in the next week or so, at which point entries will close. Best chase up those passes now!
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Many thanks :thumbsup:. Message passed on!
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What's the best way of getting from the finish to the start?
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What's the best way of getting from the finish to the start?
Avoiding cross country action on Wimbledon Common:
Out of Roehampton Gate (right near the finish)
Turn right at MRB into Danebury Avenue
Over main road at lights and onto Putney Heath
Right on Telegraph Road past the pub and onto a bit of bike path
Under the roundabout aiming for Wimbledon Park Side and then ride along that until Windmill Road
Can't be more than 5km
If you can't be bothered with bike paths, don't take the Telegraph Road way - carry on and then turn right at the bus parking bit onto the top of Putney Hill and then straight over the big roundabout. Can't add too much on.
Edit - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13873153 - the non bike path route. 5km.
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Thank you Marcus.
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Now - I have just realised that this only applies to those who finish at the cafe in Richmond Park. Later finishers go to the pub, which adds 3ish km onto the trip back. Probably best through the park. From the pub, either go up Nightingale Lane (if your legs are still strong) or Star and Garter Hill if your legs are only at half strength. If there's no strength in the legs, then curl up in a ball and cry as there's lumps to get over Richmond Park unless you go a much longer route.
Go through the Park from Richmond Gate to Roehampton Gate (wheeeeeeee.......down the hill) and pick up my suggested route there. If it's really late, the vehicular gates will be locked and you have to dismount and use the pedestrian gates.
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Fiendishly, the routesheet contains directions from the Roehampton Gate Cafe (Finish) to the Windmill Tea Rooms (Start). I'll extend that to reference the Duke of York as well.
The routesheet also used to contain a map (as below) but the storage limits on AUKweb meant I drop it. I'll make up up some handouts on the day as there are always some who ask.
Doubtless its possible to take a shortcut through the park and across the common but I reckon it's as fast sticking to the road and with less chance of getting lost. Its just 10 minutes or so either way.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/26765083/DD%20Start%20and%20FD%20Finish.bmp)
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Doubtless its possible to take a shortcut through the park and across the common but I reckon it's as fast sticking to the road and with less chance of getting lost. Its just 10 minutes or so either way.
Indeed, it'd be very hard to describe the most direct route via the common (Danebury Av, Roehampton Lane and then nip off left and use the underpass by Scio pond) and if there's been any rain in the few days before it could be interesting on road tyres.
Whatever you do don't go back South from Roehampton Cafe and out of Robin Hood Gate and onto Wimbledon Common from there. There's definitely no easy cycling down on that bit of the common.
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Simple - arrive at the start under your own steam and then you don't need to return there at the end. From the pub it's a swift downhill ride to Richmond station :hand:
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With a week to go we're extended the entry to 400. This may involved a staggered start to help the controls... more on that later.
Online entry closed for a while but has re-opened pro-tem, so if you're planning on riding please enter asap.
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Last few days, and we're almost there! We just neeed a couple more volunteers at Richmond to sign in the returning riders, so you have an hour or two spare we'd be pleased to see you. PM for details. lashes Thanks, Paul
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A huge field methinks. Saw many many cyclists going through Turners Hill as I was out bimbling this morning. Helped a bloke with a busted chain by the simple method of flagging down Dogtrousers (not OTP) and blagging a go with his chain tool and quick link.
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Just back from helping out at Highbrook (first control). I think there were getting on for 400 riders registered and not many DNSs. Great to see so many non-AUKS. Let's hope that some of them, having experienced the delights of both a great route and superb catering at all controls, return for more!
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+1; have never been so busy sticking numbers into cards. Sorry if I didn't have time to chat. Hope the infos were still there after my 200 perm yesterday
A truly ground / mould breaking ride! every big London club represented with a huge turnout.
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Yet of the first 4 people back I think 3 were regular Audaxers. Hopefully the "oh noes spordax" thread can now quieten down.
What a lovely day! And lovely food! And lovely people! Awesome/10.
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First time I'd done it and I had a great day. Paul has created a wonderful event. There must be hundreds of people for whom it has been their first audax and, some of them are bound to get hooked.
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Weather was great and the controls were really good. The final control I could have stayed there all afternoon in the sun drinking and eating. As it is I had a bike ride to complete. Many thanks to Paul and his merry band of helpers.
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This has to be the best organised Event in the Calendar. The staggered Start made for much safer early miles. The Food and Organisation at each Control was beyond First Class. And what lovely views in the sunshine. Coombe Lane was as cruel as ever and a Triathalete from SWRC ripped my legs off up this one, but I felt better when I found out that she was the fastest lady today. With such a large field there was plenty of company the whole way round. And I was very lucky to link up with Helen and Chapman.
Very many thanks to Paul and his amazing Team
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Great event but fail for me. It's a step too far for my fitness and it would seem the injuries sustained in last years accident are still around. My neck was really stiff and painful and I had pins and needles in my right hand. Tha and I am just too damn fat. Bailed at Chiddingfold knowing I wouldn't manage the Surrey Hills stretch coming up.
The event is just superb though and if I am in a better state next year I will be there to get round like the first time!
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That was great fun. Thank you very much to Manotea and his band of helpers. Great controls, great food and great weather.
I was a little concerned when I heard numbers were c400. No need though - it felt like it was one of the quieter audaxes I've done.
The perm is good but this was better!
Thanks
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The first time for me on this event, and with such a large field, I thought it would be more like a Sportive, but I was wrong. "Barleys and Beards" were few and far between but the friendliness and such brilliant helpers at each and every control were, well, brilliant although I suspect some were pushed to their limits in trying to cater for so many riders, especially at Upper Beeding which had to be seen to be believed!
For someone that doesn't do hills, I didnt think it was too hilly, that was until I came to Coombe Lane and going thru' a bad patch at the time. I had to get off and walk the last bit and never really recovered, although I may have been a bit dehydrated and not used to such heat.
A truly brilliant event though. A huge thank you and well done to all the helpers and to everyone else involved in putting this event on.
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There was a Wiggle sportive overlapping some of the route before the last control. I was riding along on my own and got passed by five or six riders. So I jumped on their wheel and rode with them for 5 or 6 miles, almost to the control. It was a pleasant change of tempo and gave me a bit of lift at a quiet point.
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I wish I'd taken a photo of the stack of bacon and egg rolls - it was very impressive.
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I shall long remember Sunday 5th June. Thanks a million to all