Have you been out today on a Perm or DIY?

[trundle]

An over-distance 100km on fixed to have a natter, curry and cake.

I rather like the fact you can get fixed challenge points with 100km rides... and BP timings leave loads of time to ride somewhere and stop for a couple of hours.

The byways were in excellent condition - so no trouble on 28mm tyres. Lovely weather all day and a new (to me) path along the Windsor Railway into Eton Wick from Slough.

[John Stonebridge]

Wall to wall sunshine for a one way 200 from Edinburgh - Stonehaven.

Legs were good enough to last 122km for lunch in McForfar but the heat was rising sufficiently to warrant a stop for a milkshake and ice cream at Montrose some 30km later (though I had covered that distance in just over an hour!)

More of a touring pace for the remaining 50km and very enjoyable.  Watched the football and had dinner at The Station Hotel before an unusually busy Sunday evening train back to Haymarket.  Still warm enough for short sleeves and shorts for the 5km ride home even at 10pm. 

That's 40 points this season so far and 740 lifetime so progress being made and goes a little way to assuage the recent let down of a DNF on PBP. 

 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/133494741

 

[vorsprung]

Went to Bruton and back yesterday, 200k

It was a bit hot later on

My front mudguard is still squeaky

[sparklyfish]

Squeaked a DIY into August on Wednesday last week, which was rather lucky. Got lots of lovely veloviewer squares and visited Holme Fen, the lowest point in UK:



The posts are weird in a slightly scary way, but Holme Fen is really very lovely.

Top bag of crisps at the village shop in Great Gidding:


I have not done LEL. But bizarrely, on my way home through St Ives, Garmin started telling me I should visit the LEL St Ives control on my way to Loughton.
Am guessing either:
a. Garmin is more optimistic about my capabilities than me, or
b. my partner (with whom I share this Garmin) has been inadvertently pinning LEL controls.

[sparklyfish]

September audax today, to visit the Trinity Bridge in Crowland.


Passed the world's most well-bollarded water pump:


and some graffiti that my offspring tell me is meme-worthy:

[Wycombewheeler]

Took advantage of the incredible weather for a late season perm ride of the Dean. It was of course as lovely as always except for some sort of horse event going on at badminton and the typically dangerous driving by the horsists who insist that THEY should be passed at no more than 10mph and at least 5m away, but they will pass other vulnerable road users at speed as close as possible. Had to dive for the verge at one point as some tool who should not be allowed to tow a trailer showed absolutely no understanding of the fact the trailer was wider than their car when they passed me at less than two feet. (luckily oncoming on a single track road so I could see the trailer heading for me.)

Almost all of the worst passes and near misses I have had have been from these people moving their animals around.

Anyway the ride was lovely, started at 8 (lazy) and finished at 23:00, for my fastest ever completion of the course. Including a leisurely lunch of two courses at my favourite weatherspoons in Chepstow, sat outside of course because it was lush.

Services closed at Pear tree at the finish, so no food, and my local McDonalds (desperate) which officially closes at 2am every day but was inexplicably closed at 11:45.

[John Stonebridge]

A very cold and well ventilated 200km today.

Anti clockwise loop from Edinburgh - Bridge of Earn - Comrie - Dunblane - Edinburgh

Tough to Bridge of Earn - very tough after that until Comrie

The magic carpet tailwind helped after Comrie but not before the lang climb of Langside. 

Tried an alternative way through Stirling and got a bit lost (was tracking ride via my phone which was in my pocket given I "knew" the way  ). 

Bo'ness and Winchburgh have expanded greatly in recent years and made for unpleasant cycling - Bo'ness especially had traffic flying towards it from Grangemouth - there is no conceivable reason to rush towards Bo'ness.  Id have been better coming back on the north side of the Forth. 

A few other twiddles made for 209km on the day which was plenty thanks. 

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/137309010

[3peaker]

POTHOLE-PUNCTURE AND LOST IN PORTISHEAD

I write a note after most of my RRtY rides. Here is the last of AUK season 2023:

15 Oct 2023: AUK Glos, Wilts & Mendips 200 Perm: Trek. Super weather forecast but one supporting that Autumn has been restored. A 2nd Oct 200 to maintain my RRtY long-term ambitions? I had arranged to visit school friend Jill (we go back to 1958), so my route starts in Stroud to enjoy a Mendips traverse. Late start from Stroud through Nailsworth, Tetbury and Malmesbury, then Chippenham, Lacock and Melksham. A clever bus/bike route after Melksham avoids main roads to cross the Canal. Then, with sun in my eyes I did not spot potholes before traffic-calming bollards. Many stopped to confirm I needed no help. The P* stop cost 40 mins and resulted in very oily hands to release a jammed chain; job for dry leaves and grass. On, over the canal, to Trowbridge and the Mendips traverse to Radstock and the Greenway (ex-rail line) to Midsomer Norton. I called at Tesco to clean/wash off the hard grease, phoned Jill with timing update and continued past Paulton and Farrington Gurney to join the A37. At Jill’s I borrowed track pump to restore high pressure and enjoyed tea and cakes, together with a chat. With the P* and break, I had taken over 7hrs for 100km, on the max time limit with ave now at 13.3kph. Need to minimise stops, with still more lumpy Mendips through Blagdon! It was lights from Clevedon and through Portishead I took a wrong L turn and ended near the marina; lots of water on my Garmin screen! A resident advised a route to return to find Sheepway; that 20min off-route wander could prove costly, as I was on minimise stops. Sheepway found and now on familiar ground for the M5 bridge cycle path for Avonmouth, A430 to Pilning and lanes to Thornbury. I sensed time was critical, so made for the A38, for a faster (?) ride to the Dursley turn and crawl up Taits Hill. From Dursley, and knowing I would struggle (with exercise induced asthma, I have to keep HR low) up Crawley Hill, I opted for a Stroud route via Frocester round the base of the Cotswolds, a few Km longer but safe. I sensed (confirmed by gps) a tight finale after Dursley. It was - my Tesco ATM recorded 00:17 after a start ATM at 10:18 – phew! And, as the air chilled to zero deg, I could not afford the time to put on my Goretex and thicker gloves. Just managed to stay warm. Back at the car a quick bite to eat and drive home to arrive at 01:00. After a light meal (HM carrot soup, scrambled egg), I wrote my ride notes, and to bed at 05:00! Slept till noon.

Think I will end my 2023 Audax season at that and enjoy a couple weeks of Club riding; and let my whiplash (accident on 23 Sep where I wrote off another helmet as I landed after a driver drove out of his drive and blocked my path!) neck heal!

Distance: 209.97 km (Off distance 202km)
Timing: 13:57:50; Time 10:54:24 Moving Time 13:57:50 Elapsed Time (ATM time 13h 59m)
Elevation: 1,760.0 m Total Ascent
Pace Speed: 15.0 kph Avg Speed: 19.3 kph; Avg Mov Speed; 54.9 kph Max Speed
Temperature: 6.4 °C Avg Temp; 0.0 °C Min Temp; 24.0 °C Max Temp

[BobScarle]

A little late writing this but still. I rode Mark Rigby's excellent Hay in a Day in September and following that thought I would once more try some more DIYs. I haven't ridden any for a few years. I chose a route from Worcestershire, through Warwickshire and into Leicestershire. If anybody is interested, https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28088702 I have ridden several times from home to Great Barr and my Mother in Law's house so the first 50 miles or so were well known to me.

So it was that on Saturday 7th October I set out on a 200km DIY from my home in Redditch. Good weather was promised so I was hopeful of a grand day out. Out into the lanes of Warwickshire, through Ullenhall and Balsall Common to Meriden. This is a favourite stopping point, a bench on the green by the cyclist memorial. It is a quick coffee and flapjack stop from the cafe just behind.

Coffee time over it was onwards towards Arley and bypassing Nuneaton. For reasons that I cannot quite remember I changed to route to miss out Atherstone and head for the A5 via Hartshill. That was a poor decision! Very urban and very busy. I shall go back to Atherstone in future. Crossing the A5 was fine, only had about 25 metres to ride on it. Soon back into the countryside, now largely flat and heading for Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and the cafe. They do a lovely bacon sandwich there. That and a pot of tea and ready to roll again.

Now on unknown roads I went round the north side of Mallory Park racing circuit, couldn't hear any thing going on, to Earl Shilton then turned south. I was heading for Lutterworth where my sister lives. She promised cups of tea so I had to really. She also insisted on feeding me cream sponge. I did put up a fight but resistance was futile.

The town of Lutterworth was busy and I was pleased to get back out into the countryside. I thought that this might be the worst part but it turned out to be quite easy. I headed towards Rugby, passing through the outskirts on the east. Got past without really noticing. A Co-op stop in Long Itchington provided some needed sustenance, coffee, crisps and cake, sat on a bench in the church yard opposite.

Off again. Past Chesterton Windmill, a 17th century corn mill, back onto local (ish) roads. Heading towards home now, up that nasty little climb the other side of the Fosse Way roundabout heading towards Ashorne. Through Barford and Norton Lindsey then home. No, can't go the direct way. Remembered in time that I had to add a little to make the route over 200k. Those extra bits felt hard. Sat on a bench for 5 minutes in Aston Cantlow putting warmer, reflective clothing on as it was dark by now. Familiar roads but different without the daylight. Got home about 8:30 after 9 hours riding time but 12:45 total time. I really must cut the faffing down, and probably the tea drinking as well. Great day out.

I have entered another of Mark Rigby's rides in November so that will be a third 200. I might just be catching the audax bug once more. It's been a while but I have missed them.

[John Stonebridge]

Been having a bit of a crappy time at work recently so decided to treat myself to a short notice day off and get a 200km done yesterday. 

I've ridden Edinburgh - Stonehaven dozens of times but a weekday demanded a quieter route so I caught an early train to scenic Cowdenbeath and tried to stick to lanes where possible.   Recent floods meant I was almost certainly not going to be able to ride the route exactly as planned and so it turned out.  The road at Stormontfield north of Perth was closed (though it looked to be as a result of roadworks - no harm, just a couple more km on the A93 was actually quite pleasant) and the bike path between Montrose and Hillside was a complete nono.  The minor road off the A932 at Pitmuies had a "road closed" sign but it was just a short bit through bottom bracket deep water so I chanced it and was fine. 

The long term closure of the bridge at Marykirk meant I had to cross the North Esk at North Water Bridge - my legs started protesting on the climb after Hillside and I regretted not having stopped to refuel in Montrose (my lovely breakfast in Meigle now being a distant memory).  I really hit a wall and realised that Id not get to Stonehaven without sustenance in the interim.  Thankfully the Fettery Shoppe was open so i wolfed down some sweets and a full fat cola in a most undignified fashion.  That made the final leg a bit more palatable but the laney route to Auchenblae was a crud fest. 

The rain started around the final climb past the farm so i just ploughed on and arrived in Stoney just after it had got properly dark about 17.30.

Despite the tailwind most of the way I found it tough - winter levels of fitness and poor planning on refuelling made it a slog at times.  Still, nice watery sunshine at times and that's me got points on the board for 2024 (and hopefully the first piece of the jigsaw for my 18th SR) 

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/144488880