Where is your audax future?

[Phil W]

This prompted by the audax elitism and celebrations threads.

Where do you think your audax riding is heading towards, for the future?  What would you like to be doing in your audax space, and are you getting there?  Are you settled in a nice equilibrium , or trying to change your audaxing?   

For me I seem to have settled into an SR each year, plus a big event every 2 years.  I think I'd like to try more perms, and tackle some of the classic multi day ones I've seen on the auk site.

What direction is your audaxing heading in?

[marcusjb]

To infinity and beyond.

[Phil W]

To infinity and beyond.

What's the time limit Buzz?

[T42]

This is mainly where I'm heading:

http://diagonales.homelinux.net

2 in the bag, 7 to go.  Then there's Eurodiagonales as well. In this weather Dunkirk-Copenhagen seems like a good idea.

[zigzag]

one sr per year and one longer ride over 1000k somewhere new

[Aunt Maud]

I'll stay mainly in Europe doing BRM's and long perms.

I've got a few ideas for long perms up to 2500km which I'll have a go at next year. I'd also like to go further East and ride some brevets in for example; The Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary and Poland if I can find some BRM's to fit in. They'll have to be 600 or longer to justify riding over from home and I'll complete a long perm to get there.

I've got fed up with DIY by GPS as I find it sterile and too complicated, so I've gone back to carrying a brevet and collecting stamps, as I like the interaction you get with people in shops etc. when you ask them for a stamp and it gives a good excuse to take a break off the bike.

I'm getting interested in the combination of long perms and multi day BRM's, so I'll play with that for a while looking at multiple 600km + rides in a row.

I have a plan to ride up to the Super Randonée in Norway, which will give about 1800km's. I'll try that next summer.

[Whitedown Man]

Annual target: each year to repeat this year's firsts - SR and RRtY

Longer term: LEL in 2017, supported by riding my first 1,000km perm in 2016 as a stepping stone

Always: to continue to enjoy the company, camaraderie and support I've discovered in audaxing

[IanDG]

Just ride 'em when I get the chance and carry on organising my event.

[Manotea]

Its all downhill from here....

[Wobbly]

I appear to have nailed myself to the cross that is Randonneur Round the Year. Therefore shall have misery at least once per month through the winter.

[Pancho]

I'm 45. I haven't ridden an audax for almost 10 years. And that wasn't a long one. So, looking into my crystal ball, I see "200s - possibly", and through the misty swirls, "full value - always".

I need to rejoin AUK first!

[Kim]

I expect my audax future will be much like my audax present - a series of excuses for bike rides as the opportunities arise.  Beyond that, I can't really say, but I would like to maintain a level of cycling fitness where I can complete a 200 without completely breaking myself.

[Andrew]

This is mainly where I'm heading:

http://diagonales.homelinux.net

Ditto. Since moving to France, my audaxing has nose dived because there is next to nothing happening within an acceptable distance of me. This means I pretty much ride on my own. So it's only logical to extend that DIY philosophy to the diagonals.

[Bairn Again]

I reckon that PBP this year will represent a full stop on my audaxing.  Ive been doing it pretty seriously for over a decade and I want to make time for other cycling - chiefly off road and racing.   

[Grandad]

Its all downhill from here....

It has been for a few years now.  High spot of this year was route checking a Flat 100, ambition is to be able to do it again next year, if not there is always the 50k

[vorsprung]

Family commitments mean that the SR and PBP are cancelled this year.  I'd done the 200,300,400 but didn't go to the BCM 600 despite having a Travelodge booked etc

I might do a 600 later if things calm down before the end of September

Next year I won't be doing any audax rides except a test of the 400km event I'm running, and maybe the Dartmoor Devil 100km

After 11 years I am one SR short of an Ultra (that's 10 x SR) but really, who cares?  I do the long rides because I like long rides.

MIght be back on the case in 2017, maybe LEL.  Dunno, see what happens

[Banjo]

Just enjoy each ride as it comes . While God and my health will allow keep doing what I do.

No real ambition to go further or faster so long as there's cake and a bit of fun involved.

[Ben T]

I want to try and get on one of the audaxes in america next year.

Tried to once before but the waiting list was too long.

This year's first year in about 6 years I haven't done an SR. And probably won't unless there's any 600's in september near me, cos booked up with other holidays. Main reason being I am losing the inclination to travel long distances to and from the start.

[D O G]

SR next year, LEL 2017.  God knows after that

[Andrew]

but really, who cares?  I do the long rides because I like long rides

That sounds like where I'm at.

If I do some diagonals (as mentioned above) it could well be at a fast tour pace rather than for formal accrefitation. It's the riding I like.

[SR Steve]

I'm planning to cut down a bit after a couple of 100 point years. Probably still do SR, 50+ points and just keep one RRTY going instead of two.

I'll keep a look out for interesting events in the UK and abroad, possibly combining them with family holidays.

Also plan to do some off road touring and more family cycling.

[tonyh]

Well....
I've just claimed my guaranteed place on LEL 2017.
Very long shot, as it will be 75 years since I was born, and enthusiasm is in short supply this year... but, only need 3+4+6 for an SR!

[TimC]

I'm hoping to move to part-time at work, which may at last give me access to (some) weekends with a degree of predictability, and so end a frustratingly long period of dithering about entering things or entering and DNS-ing. If it comes to be, I would hope to achieve a few 200s among the BPs.

[Vince]

I'd like to do one.

[hillbilly]

Riding
I've found this year well balanced, riding a local BR event each month or so and travelling to a small number of (highly regarded) events further afield.  I'm also finding 300km is my preferred distance and that I'm viewing anything less than 100 miles as not requiring a structured event to facilitate (largely because my club offers pleasant social rides at the weekend that cover these shorter distances).  I had pondered a big audax/AAA year in 2016, but its simply not getting me excited and so will not happen (instead I'm going to train up for a 24hr TT).

Organising
I will put on at least one local BR event each year, but doubt I will organise a full SR or a 1000.  I had thought for a while that I might build up to running a full SR series in the next PBP year, but if I'm honest my heart is not really in it and so my commitment just isn't there.  I'll continue to offer occasional help to other local organisers who run events in Surrey and Sussex, particularly if they are BR events.

Other
It is inevitable that I will stand for the Board at some point in the next decade, assuming I remain involved in the organisation.  Whilst a niche activity in the world of cycling, Audax has a peculiar standing as a regularised endurance sport which facilitates regular exercise (often into old age) in a genuinely social, non-competitive framework.  I think its important that this is developed in a way that is sympathetic to our traditions but in tune with how cyclists adopt new ways of doing their sport.  And the best way to do that will be from a position of influence and responsibility.