Author Topic: The Irish Mail. 21st May.  (Read 11690 times)

JohnHamilton

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #25 on: 18 May, 2011, 06:47:44 pm »
And then there were 32. Slightly disappointing, smallest field so far. Guess everyone's got their fill of Wales last weekend.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #26 on: 18 May, 2011, 07:22:50 pm »
If anybody else needs accom, drop me a PM.  I have a spare bed in a twin room here:
Tayleur Arms  [5 miles away from start]

Cost was £40 room only, so looking for 50/50...

Andy

'Accumulating kilometres in the roughest road conditions'...

Chris N

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #27 on: 19 May, 2011, 09:39:45 am »
The seaweed worriers at the Met Office are talking about another "glorious" weekend

In parts - mostly other parts of the UK.  Currently looking like it'll be overcast, dry and breezy for most of Saturday with rain spreading east and the wind switching to a tailwind as we head back to Shrewsbury overnight.

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
    • Audaxing
Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #28 on: 19 May, 2011, 09:47:42 am »
Here's my current guess at the weather, using various sources (cross post with chrisn who is slightly more optimistic)

We will leave Upton Magma in the dry and head towards Lake Lake Vyrnwy.  It might rain a bit on the way but we'll see sun too.  There will be a noticeable cross wind from the south.

Once we climb up into the hills the rain will be heavier and the wind stronger.  It does not look like it will rain solidly for the entire crossing of the mountains to Llanberis.  It does look like there will be sunny bits too!  The wind will pick up a little bit.  Once we get to Anglsea the current predictions seem to say there will be some rain arriving from the south but we may miss the worst of it as we'll have left again by teatime

Once we get on the A5 in the dark it does look like it will rain a bit more but the wind will move round somewhat and has a definite westerly component.  The ideal wind direction for a tailwind is something like NW and the wind will probably be SW veering to W later but hey!

So overall not quite as good as 2009 but not madness to be riding in.   We might even get the odd nice view!

There is still plenty of time for the details to change....

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #29 on: 19 May, 2011, 12:26:30 pm »
Here is my prediction based on living in Wales for 10 years and not looking at the forecast at all:

Set off in sunny and light wind conditions from Upton Magna and get burnt on the way to Vyrnwy.  Enter Wales via Powys where it remains sunny but windy.  Enter Gwynedd to find hurricane force winds and torrential rain in the mountainous areas.  Cross the Menai Bridge into glorious sunshine and ride to Holyhead.  Turn in Holyhead to find a 40 mph headwind all the way back to the bridge, upon which it will start raining (Gwynedd!).  The rain will drop to a drizzle as you pass the Conwy County sign on the A5 and you'll be surprised to find everyone in Upton Magna telling you that they've had no rain at all all day.

That, or it will be really nice al day.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #30 on: 19 May, 2011, 01:12:12 pm »
Sounds about right. And not forgetting the horizontal rain through Bangor.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #31 on: 19 May, 2011, 01:27:30 pm »
2008 Irish Mail - Continuous rain for the 200km from Lake Vyrynwy to Bangor. It had been warm and sunny leaving Upton Magna, and we were
surprised to find everyone in Upton Magna telling [us] that they'[d] had no rain at all all day.

All the best to Mr U.N.D. and the riders. It's not for me this year.  I'll be starting 1km from my house at Pontardawe and cycling to Poppit Sands and back with: considerably fewer than the 32 projected for this ride, 100 fewer kms distance, and fewer cms of rainfall.

Maverick

  • One of the rural idle
    • Twoberries
Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #32 on: 20 May, 2011, 08:34:45 am »
Bugger I have to DNS! I have a cold/chest infection, been trying to fight it off all week, but given how I feel this morning, not riding is the only sensible option. Good luck and have a good ride to those taking part.
I'll be back for another round with the Welsh hills on the Offa's Dyke in a couple of weeks.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #33 on: 20 May, 2011, 12:11:45 pm »
Sorry to hear that  :(
At least you've already ridden most of the pretty bits in BCM and Mille Cymru.

Maverick

  • One of the rural idle
    • Twoberries
Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #34 on: 20 May, 2011, 12:13:54 pm »
Sorry to hear that  :(
At least you've already ridden most of the pretty bits in BCM and Mille Cymru.

Cheers Matt. You have a good one :thumbsup:

αdαmsκι

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Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #35 on: 20 May, 2011, 04:16:21 pm »
Time to waterproof up; throw away the suncream; and pack the overshoes. Oh well, it was sunny for the Brevet Cymru. 
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #36 on: 20 May, 2011, 04:34:51 pm »
Time to waterproof up; throw away the suncream; and pack the overshoes. Oh well, it was sunny for the Brevet Cymru. 

Yep.

One reason I come to the IM, together with unfinished business from 2007, is to cross Pen-y-pass in daylight. Of the two times I've been over there on the BCM, it's been dark. So that's nice.

But..[looking at forecast] it also gives me a first class opportunity to get thoroughly
and utterly drenched for the remainder of the 400km! Not so nice.
Garry Broad

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #37 on: 20 May, 2011, 05:08:40 pm »
Hey VB, you taking your BCM "farmer's special" bike?

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #38 on: 20 May, 2011, 05:51:01 pm »
Hey VB, you taking your BCM "farmer's special" bike?

No, I'll probably keep that exculsively for going to the pub crop-sowing now, best not push my luck.

I've swapped everything over to one of the last remaining frames now - this 1980s Raleigh. Feels a wee bit harsher than the other one, and even harsher than my 501 Falcon, that I still have, and might even revert back to.
Garry Broad

JohnHamilton

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #39 on: 21 May, 2011, 07:12:43 am »
27 starters. Nice sunny morning here in Shropshire. Don't think it's going to last though, looking wet tonight.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #40 on: 21 May, 2011, 08:27:40 am »
27 starters. Nice sunny morning here in Shropshire. Don't think it's going to last though, looking wet tonight.

Hi John. Hope all goes well on today's ride - for riders, you & Linda.

So you've also garenteed the weather to be there as they cross Pen-y-Pass - good man.
where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that. Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #41 on: 21 May, 2011, 08:32:13 am »
I'm having a much needed lie in, rather than breakfasting in Lake Vrnwy. All the best to everyone. At least the daylight part of the ride will be superb

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #42 on: 21 May, 2011, 08:41:34 am »
Hello All,

Have a great ride, this is one of the best 400 km on the Calendar (sorry Mark).  Have a chip butty and a pint of tea for me at Pete's eats.  Wish I could be there but after a BCM last weekend and a 180 km commute this week I also need a lye in.  Off to Waitrose to get soon good food and cyder.  Then clean the Hewitt for the Beast for the East.

All of you enjoy and have a great ride,

Julian

simonp

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #43 on: 21 May, 2011, 09:54:02 am »
BoL to the riders. Sorry I can't be there but the weekend off will do me good.

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #44 on: 21 May, 2011, 05:14:06 pm »
Not the nicest of days for it today.  I think it's been raining in Southern Gwynedd all day.  It's just started to rain here in Bangor. They'll have had a tailwind to Holyhead, but I feel sorry for them when they turn round there - the coast road on Anglesey is evil for wind exposure in that direction.  Some soggy riders have been spotted in the Penmynydd/Llangefni area, so there's definitely been some rain.

JohnHamilton

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #45 on: 21 May, 2011, 05:59:33 pm »
Word from llanberis is "lashing it down". Wind is pretty strong even here in Shropshire. So it must be terrible on Anglesey.

adamski has bailed for the train at Bangor so down to 26.

Just about to head for Glyndyfrdwy. With extra towels ;D

red marley

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #46 on: 21 May, 2011, 06:11:29 pm »
Oh dear. If adamski's packed, then it must be pretty tough going. Good luck the rest of the riders. I think we may be getting some epic war stories on their return.

simonp

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #47 on: 21 May, 2011, 06:14:33 pm »
*suddenly glad to be injured*

This ride seems to attract Weather.  Of course it was lovely when I rode.  :smug:

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #48 on: 21 May, 2011, 06:42:08 pm »
It p'd down when I rode this event, but it was still a great ride, except for the "Raspberry Jam" incident, the evidence of which was indicated on my till reciept at Bangor. Much to U.N. Dulates amusement!

Re: The Irish Mail. 21st May.
« Reply #49 on: 21 May, 2011, 07:08:05 pm »
Just seen Andy in Bangor.  He's going ok, but apparently the wind is serious on the coastal section of the island.

Horizontal rain here now...