PBP website live...

[simonp]

In my somewhat brain-addled state on the final night on the way to M-a-P at about 2am having not properly slept the night before, there were suddenly no riders.

I immediately became worried about the lack of red lights ahead (and also I was beginning to think I was in Yorkshire).  Having the gps and being on the correct track was very reassuring (and I was getting so tired I was also struggling to read the GPS screen).

Fortunately I perked up after a while and didn't need to sleep on a haystack like vorsprung.

[Salvatore]

I immediately became worried about the lack of red lights ahead (and also I was beginning to think I was in Yorkshire). 

That's a long way off course. On that stretch in 1995 I thought I might be in Devon.

[Ivo]

Another advantage of the GPS, as I remarked during my lonely ride off the back of LEL, is that in the dark you can use the line on the GPS screen as additional information about possible turns ahead during dark descents. And to know if a right turn is immediately followed by a left one or not. Now, if there would be a head up display for this function....

[tkatzir]

Another advantage of the GPS ... is that in the dark you can use the line on the GPS screen as additional information about possible turns ahead during dark descents. And to know if a right turn is immediately followed by a left one or not.

+1

I used it in LEL on the way back, into Thorne, when 3 Germans and me did 25-30 km/h as a small peloton for quite a long way, while I shout before each turn whether it's a sharp one or not.

Tal.

[frankly frankie]

And to know if a right turn is immediately followed by a left one or not. Now, if there would be a head up display for this function....

Voice prompts 

[MSeries]

I was just looking at my 2007 card and Mrs MSeries walked in, I was too late to hide it, she found me out. "Oh god, not that again, is it next year ?" she asked. "Yes, 2011" I said. "Don't know if I'll do it though". "Go on, you know you want to" she said.

 

that's the main hurdle over.

She added "so long as you don't come back then break your pelvis again"

[MSeries]

The pre-registration by riding BRMs this year seems to me to be designed to get people better prepared and to encourage BRMs to get more money to ACP. In return that country gets more places and the riders have pre-registration. Can't see how it will control numbers much. It might if people are not able to ride this year but in all honesty I don't think it'll affect many randoneurs. Newbies in 2011 may be caught out but as I say I think it's designed to get more experienced riders and lower the DNF number. To put it another way, designed to permit the experienced riders to get a place in PBP and give them a chance to potentially avoid a lottery when entry opens after the 600s in 2011.

[mattc]

If I'm not mistaken, Peter Marshall wrote his piece for the new Arrivee before he saw the pre-qual info on the 2011 website
(e.g. his comment "ride a 400 BRM" ).

Sums it all up really, doesn't it? :rollseyes:

[LiamFitz]

I was just looking at my 2007 card and Mrs MSeries walked in, I was too late to hide it, she found me out.

Isn't that the key selling point of the current Microsoft 'I'm a PC advertising campaign..."

[LiamFitz]

the arrow tip is reflective; you get these at every intersection

Another reason you need GPS - some bloke from Kent nicked all the direction signs...

[LiamFitz]

If I'm not mistaken, Peter Marshall wrote his piece for the new Arrivee before he saw the pre-qual info on the 2011 website
(e.g. his comment "ride a 400 BRM" ).

Sums it all up really, doesn't it? :rollseyes:

Sorry - not sure I follow your point?

[mattc]

Liam:
Forgive me if my 5-month recall is less than perfect, but I'll try to answer this ...

The way the rules have been published/announced/leaked has been somewhat chaotic. I think I was saying that if Peter had been misinformed, what hope is there for the common rider?

But February was a long time ago ...

[Ivo]

The aim of the 'leak' was to test if the new rules were acceptable to the riders. The ACP has been using the French forum for quite some time now to tap onto the resources of the riders themselves and asking teh active people of this group about their opinion. Quite a change from the past and a very positive one. The disadvantage of course is the risk of some misinformation.

[valkyrie]

Somethings about French organisation are very impressive. For example, the website includes a full menu for the food at the Carhaix control. They've got their priorities right! 

I'm still not entirely sure what I'll be serving at my audax this Sunday

[cyclone]

Yeah but! It was actually saying on the nutrition section how unsuitable the fare is for long distance cycling.....(According to the nutrition company Overstims)

[Redlight]

A French randonneur can do a 200km on no more than a ham and garlic roll and a carafe of cheap red wine.

A reasonable bottle of Burgundy can get him around a 600.