Cider with Rosie 100/200 11 October

[3peaker]

I do not know if there are any postal problems around but entries for my Cider with Rosie 100 and 200 on 11 October seem a touch low.  (They will NOT be cancelled; I need the Points!). The 200 visits/passes some classic historical and picturesque locations, matching Cotswold rivers, Wiltshire and Berkshire thatched villages, Ridgeway and the Lambourn ‘Valley of the Racehorse’, Hungerford canal, Silbury Hill and a couple White Horses for a memorable ride. And to top it you can visit ‘Laurie Lee made-famous’ The Woolpack Inn in the delectable Slad Valley.  The 100 cuts off the southern section but still oozes Cotswold charm with the R Coln, the Cotswold Water Park and the Slad Valley.  I have also placed both routes on GPS files.  You can view the 100 on bikely.com as AUK Cider with Rosie 100.

The routes promise to become Classics, so do not missed the 1st Edition.  I have already recced the 200k 9 times in my RRTY campaign, so every turn is carefully logged to 10m (-ish) accuracy on the .xls Routesheet.

Also, for the future I am planning a S-N 200 over the Gospel Pass, a great route crossing the Rivers Severn and Wye twice each with pub lunch stops.

Hope to hear from some of you. I do not want too many EOLs as it could upset catering.

SteveP

[border-rider]

You're the same weekend as the Willesden 100/200.  That can't be helping.

[Ray 6701]

My entry will be in the post this weekend  

[3peaker]

You're the same weekend as the Willesden 100/200.  That can't be helping.

Yes, but a day and 90miles apart, so the geographic split is around Oxford.  It is a long drive to clash and the W is on Sat so a super keeny could do a double.

SteveP

[Jethro]

Going to London for the cycle show on Saturday, so will probably be a very long day and nor getting home until late Saturday night.

Will therefore most likely be entering the 100k as a winding down, end of season ride.

[Jaded]

I'm quite interested in the 200km, but slowly! It is possible that I'd make it my 5th 200km of the year. Is there a gpx of the route anywhere?

[3peaker]

I'm quite interested in the 200km, but slowly! It is possible that I'd make it my 5th 200km of the year. Is there a gpx of the route anywhere?

I have plotted a GPS version on my Garmin mapping.  I plan to ride the 100, possibly on Tues and the 200 on Fri 2 Oct, both on GPS (fingers X-ed).  File too big for event GPS download but I can email programme; I will note on Event Info sheet and will have available as download at the start.

Mind you, the Route Sheet is pretty accurate, as I did the distances from GPS to 10m accuracy and have ridden the 200 route x9 this year, as my Thames and Avon 200 Perm often with the Slad Valley added as route check.

After Slad, the route finishes on some quiet lanes, through a couple beautiful villiages; but not recommended if you are in the dark, for which I advise an A/B road (normal carriageways) alternative.

Would appreciate quick entry, so I order enough Brevet Cards.  Look forward to seeing you Jaded.

SteveP

[Bones]

Looking forward to this Steve and no postal problems obvious here but I never heard what the result of the postal workers ballot for an all strike was. I don't know when you are planning on sending route sheets out but it would probably be worth having a few at the start for people whose SAE's never get back to them in time.

[Jaded]

My entry is on the way. PM to 3peaker!

[3peaker]

Looking forward to this Steve and no postal problems obvious here but I never heard what the result of the postal workers ballot for an all strike was. I don't know when you are planning on sending route sheets out but it would probably be worth having a few at the start for people whose SAE's never get back to them in time.

R/S and Info sheet ready for duplication and distrib this week.  Been delayed by Perm 200 yesterday (5th 200 in Sep to reach 101 Trikie points!!!) and garden and bonfire today/night.  As mentioned earlier I intend to have my Laptop and printer at the Hall.

SteveP

[iddu]

Arse - somedays you just know you should have stayed in bed...

Front sidewall blowout descending Bowden Hill on fixed at evens, giving a brown shorts moment for 100 metres.

Pity, as the bits I had checked where very pretty - you'll all enjoy it if it's like today.

[Jaded]

My entry is on the way. PM to 3peaker!

I'm  a DNE, sadly. Sorry, 3peaker. Too tough a start to the week.

[iddu]

You're all mad


Grumping Eastbury Chute

[Mr Larrington]

Grumping

What an excellent word!

[Datameister]

I'm never going to hear the end of this.

Middle of Stroud, 14km left, and despite the gps on the bars succeed in adding a totally unneccessary additional 24km.

In my defence:
1. Mine wasn't the only gps
2. I'm colourblind and couldn't tell that the road did not have the route overlaid over it
3. For 3km I was busily engaged in trying to catch companions much faster than me
4. I almost got it right, taking the second turn at the first mini RBT of a double, rather than the second
5. I am terminally stupid

Next time I say "don't follow me" BELIEVE IT!!

Mind you, Cirencester does look quite good in the dark........even if it is 20km off route

[Philip Whiteman]

Rain, rain, rain  

Curse those people at the Met Office but thank the lovely 'drying out' cafe at Laycock.

Was it completely my imagination or was there a head on wind around the entire circuit?  I  am sure that we had a southerly in the morning and a north westerly by evening.

[Jaded]

There's always a head wind round here.

[Bones]

Rain, rain, rain 

Curse those people at the Met Office but thank the lovely 'drying out' cafe at Laycock.

Was it completely my imagination or was there a head on wind around the entire circuit?  I  am sure that we had a southerly in the morning and a north westerly my evening.

No it wasn't your imagination! It was definitely a SSW on the leg to Hungerford and had moved round to the west by the time I was slogging along the A4. Then it gradually moved towards the NW and was almost a northerly by the time I reached Birdlip but it had dropped off by then.

The metoffice should be taken out into the mid Atlantic and sunk! I for one wasn't mentally prepared for the rain and wind as the night before their website didn't show a drop of rain anywhere near where we were going.


Thanks to Steve and helpers for putting on a well organised event

[Datameister]

Oh dear.... don't tell me you rode down the very horrid main road from Stroud to Cirencester and went up that steep hill from Chalford?

Erm, yes.  And if you mean Cowcombe Hill up to the Gliding Club, yes to that too.

But I won't make that mistake again (lets face it, there are plenty more fresh mistakes to make first...)

[Climberruss]

I enjoyed this ride but found it harder than expected. A lot of climbing - especially that killer right at the end!!  The rain didn't help much either and to cap it all I fell of right outside the cafe at Lacock - front wheel skidded on the gravel. I now have a very sore hip. Made it back in just under 10 hours which was quite good considering I did a 200km out of Alfreton the day before. I am so stiff today though that I can hardly move!!

[Bones]

I enjoyed this ride but found it harder than expected. A lot of climbing - especially that killer right at the end!!  The rain didn't help much either and to cap it all I fell of right outside the cafe at Lacock - front wheel skidded on the gravel. I now have a very sore hip. Made it back in just under 10 hours which was quite good considering I did a 200km out of Alfreton the day before. I am so stiff today though that I can hardly move!!

Ouch! Hope it settles soon. However not surprised you're a bit stiff anyway with the 200k the day before! 
Although I know the areas we rode through it was still hillier than I was expecting and like you that last little hill before the Kilkenny Inn was one too many. I had gone quite well up the Slad Valley (although in the dark I find it impossilbe to judge speed) but for that last little lump I needed my granny!