Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: mattc on 15 August, 2015, 07:55:23 pm
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I have a query about this for the organiser(s):
Just had a bounce from Tim ( who I believe is riding around Versailles this week); is anyone else involved behind the desk free for a chat?
Or are you all en France?!?
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Maybe; what's your question?
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Thanks Matt for starting this, a liitle busy riding in France this year :thumbsup:
Steam Ride: Oxford-Cambridge-London 'University Challenge' 19th Sept 2015
ACH manned Controls : @ Puckeridge 'Something Lovely Tea Rooms' , Cambridge Weatherspoons, Ruislip Lido Arrivee Water's Edge
Start outside Lido Cafe (Green Pagaoda shelter) - there are Macdonalds enroute for breakfast @ 40km & 100km
Fixie Friendly: i.e. No steep climbs on the University Challenge 300.
Info: www.steamride.co.uk
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I've entered the 150 but cannot find either a route or gpx track on the website(s) ???
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I've entered the 150 but cannot find either a route or gpx track on the website(s) ???
Found the gpx now :)
hmm; an ECE beckons
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I can't decide whether I want to do the 300k or the 150k as both look good for different reasons!
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Any parking at start ?
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The Free Car Park gets locked occasionally over-night I'm informed to deter long-stayers (gypsies etc), suggest to arrive early to check situation and make plan to use local side streets... :facepalm:
50+ entries, ... still OK to enter :thumbsup:
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Thanks to RideHard for putting on this excellent addition to the calendar. The weather was just about perfect, sunny with the lightest of wind made for a fast day out. A 6am start in the dark felt a little strange, more like a winter 200 but a few short climbs out to Hertfordshire got the legs warmed up for the day ahead. I had a few garmin navigational issues on the way to first control and rolled in alone having made a few unscheduled detours. I chose not to stop and hooked up with Stu on the way out of Hertford, we had a good natter and the miles flew by. Cambridge looked lovely in the sunshine, we stopped at the 'spoons for a surprisingly good, and cheap, coffee and carrot cake.
The route then turns westwards towards Oxford, and the open roads exposed us to a slight headwind for muchof this leg. Stu was using a powertap to keep his effort consistent for the entire ride, great when I tucked in behind him but tricky to keep him on my wheel, every slight rise and i'd pull away, every descent he would be off the front. Still it was great to have company and before long we reached the 180km Waitrose control, I do love a lunch perched among the potting plants and compost bags.
I was feeling good at the the 200km mark but an hour later I started to feel the lack of decent miles over the summer, mentally that extra 100km can seem quite challenging when you used to a steady diet of 200's. Wheatley Services arrived just at the right time, and joy of joys, a Subway to restore flagging spirits. After that, Aston Hill was tamed and the subsequent blast down to Wycombe chasing my ride companion who'd opened the throttle. From there it's fast, familiar roads back to Ruislip, arriving back still in daylight at 7pm on the dot. I had a pint and chat with RideHard about his upcoming events, some interesting longer rides in the offing for next year.
The event had 50 riders signed up and 35 on the road, a smaller filed than i'd expect even for a new event. Its' post PBP and late in the season but on a glorious early Autumn day it was a fine place to be. Thanks again to all those involved in making