Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: S2L on 21 April, 2019, 06:12:51 pm
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Just got the email from Black Sheep. My thought was to plow on to Chepstow, but if the control is closed before 6 AM, maybe I am better off enjoying the full value experience and having an extended nap at the night control (km 340). Does anyone know if there are blankets and (I know, I am soft) mattresses of sort?
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I'm wondering if he meant 6pm, rather than 6am.
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I'm wondering if he meant 6pm, rather than 6am.
Who is going to finish before 6 PM?
12 hours on a 400 means 33.3 Km/h
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Does anyone know if there are blankets and (I know, I am soft) mattresses of sort?
Based on the ones I've done (3??), it's a complete lottery. One previous organiser just thinks everyone should ride through, sometimes there is thin mats + blankets (an absolute godsend on the freezing cold wet one I rode!].
I'm sure Mr Blacksheep will advise - he'll probably read this thread, but if not, he's very responsive on facebook.
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I don't recall seeing mats and blankets last year. I just pushed on, filled in my card, posted it through the door and went to bed in the hostel I had booked.
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I'm not going to make an decisions now on whether I sleep at a control or not, but very nice if there is the option. As this is a training ride for a 600 it's would also be good to practice the mental side of stopping, sleeping and then getting going again. Been there many times in that dazed stuper where you think it's the right decision just to ride on through but a sleep is probably the better option.
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Last year when we poled up to Llangattock village hall at about 11pm. I had planned to cycle through and finish in Bulwark around 1am, and kip there, till 6, say. However I learned (from Peter Simon) that the Bulwark Community Centre (Chepstow) would be unmanned till 2am at the earliest because Mark was running that final control (@353km - NB @S2L) and would be staying there to see a good percentage of the field through before driving the 30 miles to Chepstow to open up.
So after some food - thank you Mark and team - I found the quietest corner of Llangattock village hall (but lights full on) and had a lie down doze for 90 minutes before cracking on with a couple of others and had company the whole way to finish around 2:30am. (See 2018 discussion upthread about others arriving in the wee hours and kipping in another rider's van.)
Having received Mark's e-mail:
"The arrivee will not be manned until about 06.00, If you finish your ride before then, [get PoP in Chepstow and] post the brevet card" and PoPs in the sealable plastic bag "through the letter box at Bulwark community centre."
"For all other finishers your brevet card will be collected once the hall is open[ie after 6am]."
This year I want some sleep before driving home. I'll not get that by arriving at Chepstow before 6. So I'll be packing a mat and a sheet sleeping bag and will lay that out at Llangattock and take 4+ hours 'sleep' before finishing off with 50km through Usk to Chepstow at dawn.
There were some judoka mats there (Llangattock village hall) in 2016 which I tried to sleep on, with limited success. The upsides of leaving Llangattock at 0415 riding east were the dawn chorus and a lovely view of the sunrise.
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Thanks...
Don't think I have room for a mat, will just carry some extra clothes. Or maybe I could wrap myself in a bog roll... ;D
It could be fun to see a Brevet from the full value end. I bet there's all sorts of treats for late finishers that grumpy pressed for time randonneurs don't get to enjoy. :thumbsup:
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I have also just received the route from Mark
This will be my first crack at a 400km and, based upon my pace for the two 300km rides I have completed this month I do not think that I will be too worried about sleeping arrangements at the night control!
In his email Mark mentions that the routesheet and GPS track vary slightly. Reviewing the routesheet it seems pretty scanty in details with no distances for turns or info controls.
Can anyone who has ridden this before reassure me that the route is easy to follow (will be using a Garmin 820 with mapping). Also if anyone is planning to break the route into stage based GPS routes and was willing to share that would be really useful. These stage based routes worked really well for me on Helfa Cymraeg Benjamin Allen ar and Heart of England as they made it seem like a series of bite size chunks.
Apologies for sounding like a nervous newbie but this ride will be further than I have ever attempted and will be pushing my limits so any advice/encouragement would be welcome :)
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Hey there Rainbow Dash. I definitely intend in spliting the 400K GPX file into two tracks at least. I use an etrex so I have to split tracks anyway otherwise they contain too many points and won't display the full route on the Etrex. I'll take a look this week at what would be a sensible way to split it. I'm not going to go mad and break it down to every control. Probably more likely just two halves, possibly 3.
I will be riding full value and have a camp site booked for Sunday night just in case I don't fancy the drive home after. Depends what sleep I manage to get.
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Hey there Rainbow Dash. I definitely intend in spliting the 400K GPX file into two tracks at least. I use an etrex so I have to split tracks anyway otherwise they contain too many points and won't display the full route on the Etrex. I'll take a look this week at what would be a sensible way to split it. I'm not going to go mad and break it down to every control. Probably more likely just two halves, possibly 3.
I will be riding full value and have a camp site booked for Sunday night just in case I don't fancy the drive home after. Depends what sleep I manage to get.
You can reduce the number of track points... just load the GPX on Bike hike and use the options to reduce. You don't need more than 2,000.
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I have also just received the route from Mark
This will be my first crack at a 400km and, based upon my pace for the two 300km rides I have completed this month I do not think that I will be too worried about sleeping arrangements at the night control!
In his email Mark mentions that the routesheet and GPS track vary slightly. Reviewing the routesheet it seems pretty scanty in details with no distances for turns or info controls.
Can anyone who has ridden this before reassure me that the route is easy to follow (will be using a Garmin 820 with mapping). Also if anyone is planning to break the route into stage based GPS routes and was willing to share that would be really useful. These stage based routes worked really well for me on Helfa Cymraeg Benjamin Allen ar and Heart of England as they made it seem like a series of bite size chunks.
Apologies for sounding like a nervous newbie but this ride will be further than I have ever attempted and will be pushing my limits so any advice/encouragement would be welcome :)
Basic route sheet yes, but if you follow the GPS, I have worked out a few key points
If your GPS is a simple breadcrumb like mine (no maps), then every time there is a T junction in the trail, bear RIGHT... all of them
Controls are at 82, 151, 199, 237, 300, 356km
INFO should be at ca. 109 and 183 km, but refer to the brevet card.
The AAA section, the harder one is the loop on the west, so from Llandovery back to Llandovery (so 151 to 300 km, give or take), before and after is all gentle stuff, maybe with the exception of the last climb to Chepstow, which was a pig at the BCM and so I expect it to be just as bad after all those miles.
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In his email Mark mentions that the routesheet and GPS track vary slightly.
Can anyone who has ridden this before reassure me that the route is easy to follow (will be using a Garmin 820 with mapping).
. . . any advice/encouragement would be welcome :)
Basic route sheet yes, but if you follow the GPS, I have worked out a few key points
If your GPS is a simple breadcrumb like mine (no maps), then every time there is a T junction in the trail, bear RIGHT... all of them
Controls are at 82, 151, 199, 237, 300, 356km
INFO should be at ca. 109 and 183 km, but refer to the brevet card.
The AAA section, the harder one is the loop on the west, so from Llandovery back to Llandovery (so 151 to 300 km, give or take), before and after is all gentle stuff, maybe with the exception of the last climb to Chepstow, which was a pig at the BCM and so I expect it to be just as bad after all those miles.
The route is mostly easy to follow - but one person's easy to follow is another's navigational nightmare. Load the gpx on RwGPS (say) and look through it. Get a road atlas and trace out the route on it from the route sheet: all towns/villages passed through Mark has shown in capital bold font. Will your "Garmin 820 with mapping" give you 20+ hours service?
Pretty certain the only main difference between the routesheet and the gpx is the first leg to Hay, The gpx takes the longer route via the Golden Valley whereas the routesheet offers the lovely road closer to the Black Mountains through Michaelchurch (I have ridden both in recent years). Riders will split at the 38km point "LEFT on RIGHT-hand bend, $ CROSS ASH 2 1/2" with some turning left and others carrying on right.
The routesheet and the gpx differ east of Brecon (336-343k) - imo the routesheet gives the optimum route, but we both rode the gpx route on Helfa Cymraeg Benjamin Allen ar 17 days ago. No control at the Talybont shop on this ride and it's dark so tips the balance towards staying on the A40 for another few minutes. Could stay on the A40 all the way to Crickhowell and then cut south across the Usk straight to the Llangattock control: the navigationally easiest and best road surface option, which one year I chose for the benefit of a very tired young riding companion I'd 'collected' on the Brecon by-pass.
Note that the first info control is at a different (earlier) junction than 'normal' - I think it's at 100km (not the 109km suggested above) at this turn "LEFT at T, $ Aberedw (B4567)"
As far as the climbing distribution is concerned, these figures will allow riders to judge where the hard bits are. (All climb measurements are from the gpx track loaded into RwGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29780341?beta=false )
Start to Hay (0-82) 82k + 905m
Hay to LL'y (82-151) 69k + 561m
Ll'y to Tregaron (151-200) 49k + 537m
Tregaron to NQ (200-238) 38k + 458m
NQ to Ll'y (238-299) 63k + 815m
Ll'y to Ll'gatt (299-356) 57k + 497m
Ll'gatt to Chepstow (356-408) 52k + 421m
I've always found the stretch from New Quay to above Llanbydder hardest (238-269) - New Quay's fish and chips can be a two edged fuel.
But just before New Quay, the 9.2km from Ystrad Aeron to above Mydroilyn (220-229) packs a 263m punch.
At night the 40k on the A40 after Llandovery is best ridden in company, imo.
Turnings to pay attention to:
Rockfield (31km)
The back door into the outside seating area of Llandovery's West End cafe (SW side of the building) - safer for bikes. Mark has said he'll be 'stamping' in the cafe from noon.
Cymann (183km, also info): going downhill fast (traffic allowing), houses both sides, when the road says 'ARAF' slow down for the right turn and know what the question is.
After Tregaron's shop, after one mile (201km), don't miss the turn right: "RIGHT, B4342, $ LLANGEITHO"
After the top after Synod Inn (247km), don't miss the turn left (eff SO) "LEFT, $? (as road bends right and drops)"
In Llansawel (277km) don't miss the left (eff SO) "LEFT by Angel Inn, $ Llandwrda"
In the dark, just before Llangattock, look out for the right: "RIGHT, $ DARDY 1/4" If you miss it, just carry on to the lights and take the next right. (NB look at a large scale street map of Llangattock and fix in your mind how to get to the village hall, and streetview it beforehand.)
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=320995&y=217446&z=0&sv=320995,217446&st=4&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf
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Thanks, plenty of good info!
I think I'll stick to the golden valley, 2.5 km longer, but flatter and probably still on a fast wheel by then...
As for the A40, I think I'll again follow the GPS and abandon it at the earliest opportunity, the alternative B road looks on the OS map big enough to be fast flowing
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Dunno about avoiding the A40, I've found it to be quiet enough but depends on when you get there.
I don't have this email despite being on the start list - will have to contact Mark to get the updated info. Not that there's much different between now and when I first rode this event in 2007.
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Dunno about avoiding the A40, I've found it to be quiet enough but depends on when you get there.
I don't have this email despite being on the start list - will have to contact Mark to get the updated info. Not that there's much different between now and when I first rode this event in 2007.
Key points to note:
Park near start with respect for residents.
Bulwark CC will open at 5am but rooms will close promptly at 6am with cards left in the foyer for late comers.
First info control is at different (earlier) junction.
Stamping control at West End, Llandovery, both ways (BRM(PBP)).
Bulwark CC (arrivee) will not open till 6am (note thread topic) - before that get PoP in Chepstow (eg 24 hour BP garage 200m L off roundabout with a km to go) and post through Bulwark CC letterbox with brevet (NB signed) and other PoPs.
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Thanks, plenty of good info!
I think I'll stick to the golden valley, 2.5 km longer, but flatter and probably still on a fast wheel by then...
As for the A40, I think I'll again follow the GPS and abandon it at the earliest opportunity, the alternative B road looks on the OS map big enough to be fast flowing
I took the B road from Brecon to LLangattock last time. The A40 to Brecon was fine in the gloaming, but was getting fully dark by Brecon. I took the ring-road around Brecon, which i wouldn't recommend, that informed my decision to drop onto the B road at the earliest opportunity. :o
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Thanks, plenty of good info!
I think I'll stick to the golden valley, 2.5 km longer, but flatter and probably still on a fast wheel by then...
As for the A40, I think I'll again follow the GPS and abandon it at the earliest opportunity, the alternative B road looks on the OS map big enough to be fast flowing
I took the B road from Brecon to LLangattock last time. The A40 to Brecon was fine in the gloaming, but was getting fully dark by Brecon. I took the ring-road around Brecon, which i wouldn't recommend, that informed my decision to drop onto the B road at the earliest opportunity. :o
Good call, I might take the B road into Brecon then
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I think I'll stick to the golden valley, 2.5 km longer, but flatter and probably still on a fast wheel by then...
As for the A40, I think I'll again follow the GPS and abandon it at the earliest opportunity, the alternative B road looks on the OS map big enough to be fast flowing
I took the B road from Brecon to LLangattock last time. The A40 to Brecon was fine in the gloaming, but was getting fully dark by Brecon. I took the ring-road around Brecon, which i wouldn't recommend, that informed my decision to drop onto the B road at the earliest opportunity. :o
Good call, I might take the B road into Brecon then
As Mark's routesheet says:
"LEFT from [Llandovery] control on A40 thro BRECON. ......
.... either thro town or around by-pass."
Comment: 100m less through town and half the climb.
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I think I'll stick to the golden valley, 2.5 km longer, but flatter and probably still on a fast wheel by then...
As for the A40, I think I'll again follow the GPS and abandon it at the earliest opportunity, the alternative B road looks on the OS map big enough to be fast flowing
I took the B road from Brecon to LLangattock last time. The A40 to Brecon was fine in the gloaming, but was getting fully dark by Brecon. I took the ring-road around Brecon, which i wouldn't recommend, that informed my decision to drop onto the B road at the earliest opportunity. :o
Good call, I might take the B road into Brecon then
As Mark's routesheet says:
"LEFT from [Llandovery] control on A40 thro BRECON. ......
.... either thro town or around by-pass."
Comment: 100m less through town and half the climb.
A40 - motons.
Brecon - drunks.
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"Brecon - drunks."
Not when you're powering through at 9 o'clock, surely.
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"Brecon - drunks."
Not when you're powering through at 9 o'clock, surely.
You might be there at 9pm. I’ll be after midnight. My earliest finish is 3am and we had a tail wind both ways. Probably cancelled out the being on fixed that year.
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As far as the climbing distribution is concerned, these figures will allow riders to judge where the hard bits are. (All climb measurements are from the gpx track loaded into RwGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29780341?beta=false )
Start to Hay (0-82) 82k + 905m
Hay to LL'y (82-151) 69k + 561m
Ll'y to Tregaron (151-200) 49k + 537m
Tregaron to NQ (200-238) 38k + 458m
NQ to Ll'y (238-299) 63k + 815m
Ll'y to Ll'gatt (299-356) 57k + 497m
Ll'gatt to Chepstow (356-408) 52k + 421m
I find the average climbing figures are a useful guide when planning out a ride, so thanks for the above. How do you get the amount of climbing for each section from RwGPS? Is it a pro feature?
EDIT: Just worked it out, by dragging on the route profile the section of interest. Learn something new every day :-)
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(https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29780341/elevation_profile)
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Last year at the night control there were judo mats and if you ask which I did there was a dark room to take a mat to and get some sleep.
Also last year the distance of the night control on the brevet card was a bit short so I got a bit flustered thinking I had missed it.
And watch out for naked men walking down the middle of the road in Talybont
Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
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(https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29780341/elevation_profile)
That's for the Golden Valley route, isn't it?
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Route from the issued gpx (short answer: 'yes')
Here is the routesheet profile:
(https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29804527/elevation_profile)
from this RwGPS plot: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29804527?beta=false
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I prefer to divide longer rides into sections, and usually replot them in RWGPS so I get the TbT directions that it generates. If anyone's interested, I've got the Chepstow - Hay section, as per the GPX track, and as per the route sheet:
GPX route, 81.5km, 883m: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29804750?privacy_code=CgdfBG2tXqTML3aJ
Route sheet, 78.2km, 1028m: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29804840?privacy_code=jZi7K9iejpnhp2dp
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Looking at the profile, I don't see the route sheet version being particularly popular... ::-)
Who uses route sheets as primary info for navigation these days?
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The Golden Valley is lovely if the sun's out.
I only did the high level route once, but regardless of the extra climbing I didn't much like the pot holes on the lively descent down to Hay (admittedly 2016, so maybe they've been repaired...yeah right).
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Looking at the profile, I don't see the route sheet version being particularly popular... ::-)
Who uses route sheets as primary info for navigation these days?
Just a guess ... but I'd say that anyone without a GPS would?
[I can commend the higher level route, but I'm pretty sure it will cost you a little time. I don't remember the descent being too sketchy - but I'd avoid it on a wet day.]
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I can commend the higher level route, but I'm pretty sure it will cost you a little time.
Not much a problem of time, but that means losing the benefit of riding in a bunch at least to Hay, possible all the way to Llandovery... once you've lost the wheels, you've lost them and you're on your own for the rest of the day...
... although probably that's what randonnering should be about... ::-)
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The higher level route was used for the first time due to subsidence damage to the road on the usual route after a bad winter. It seems to have stuck in the route sheet.
I've only done it that year. I was on fixed and I think it slowed me down quite a lot.
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It's not only considerably slower but also has a leg sapping climb.
If energy levels and time are unimportant then it is the more scenic route, but at a cost.
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It's not only considerably slower but also has a leg sapping climb.
If energy levels and time are unimportant then it is the more scenic route, but at a cost.
In short, nobody will use it...
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On the contrary, many if not most will.
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On the contrary, many if not most will.
That's been the experience these last few years, I think. And if riders want a gpx for the Michaelchurch (routesheet) route, they can export it from the RwGPS route I have drafted here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29804527?beta=false (caveat randonneur)
to go with Mark's excellent routesheet.
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Is the final control really not opening until 6am? I will finish about 4 hours before if I push on through and this is encouraging me to stay at the sleep stop as long as possible. I always travel to long Audax rides by train and will be catching the train at about 9am.
There could be a number of us huddling in the doorway of the Community Centre :(
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Is the final control really not opening until 6am? I will finish about 4 hours before if I push on through and this is encouraging me to stay at the sleep stop as long as possible. I always travel to long Audax rides by train and will be catching the train at about 9am.
There could be a number of us huddling in the doorway of the Community Centre :(
"Is the final control really not opening until 6am?" I think the final control will be open well before you get there on Saturday evening and close at about 0530. Or do you mean the finish?
Did you receive Mark's e-mail?
Which part of the section about this was unclear?
"The arrivee will not be manned until about 06.00, If you finish your ride before then, please get [a PoP from Chepstow]. You are responsible for ensuring your card is suitable for validation, so make sure you sign the back of the brevet card once you finish the ride. Please put your arrivee proof of passage in the poly bag initially provided along with you brevet card, and post through the letter box at Bulwark community centre. For all other finishers, your brevet card will be collected once the hall is open."
I am in a similar boat to you and will sleep at the final control till 4ish.
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Is the final control really not opening until 6am? I will finish about 4 hours before if I push on through and this is encouraging me to stay at the sleep stop as long as possible. I always travel to long Audax rides by train and will be catching the train at about 9am.
There could be a number of us huddling in the doorway of the Community Centre :(
"Is the final control really not opening until 6am?" I think the final control will be open well before you get there on Saturday evening and close at about 0530. Or do you mean the finish?
Did you receive Mark's e-mail?
Which part of the section about this was unclear?
"The arrivee will not be manned until about 06.00, If you finish your ride before then, please get [a PoP from Chepstow]. You are responsible for ensuring your card is suitable for validation, so make sure you sign the back of the brevet card once you finish the ride. Please put your arrivee proof of passage in the poly bag initially provided along with you brevet card, and post through the letter box at Bulwark community centre. For all other finishers, your brevet card will be collected once the hall is open."
I am in a similar boat to you and will sleep at the final control till 4ish.
I will ride at a lower pace and arive at about 6am.
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I really must get around to doing this ride again...it’s been too long and I’m missing it!
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Is the final control really not opening until 6am? I will finish about 4 hours before if I push on through and this is encouraging me to stay at the sleep stop as long as possible. I always travel to long Audax rides by train and will be catching the train at about 9am.
There could be a number of us huddling in the doorway of the Community Centre :(
"Is the final control really not opening until 6am?" I think the final control will be open well before you get there on Saturday evening and close at about 0530. Or do you mean the finish?
Did you receive Mark's e-mail?
Which part of the section about this was unclear?
"The arrivee will not be manned until about 06.00, If you finish your ride before then, please get [a PoP from Chepstow]. You are responsible for ensuring your card is suitable for validation, so make sure you sign the back of the brevet card once you finish the ride. Please put your arrivee proof of passage in the poly bag initially provided along with you brevet card, and post through the letter box at Bulwark community centre. For all other finishers, your brevet card will be collected once the hall is open."
I am in a similar boat to you and will sleep at the final control till 4ish.
I got back at about 02:30 last year, missed the instruction about getting PoP in chepstow, filled the card in and signed before posting, and was given a finish time of 6am or whenever the controller got there, no big deal, a finish is a finish. I guess it depends on whether you have somewhere to stay in Chepstow. no sense rushing back to a closed hall if you have nowhere to go, but if a bed awaits somewhere it doesn't matter too much if the control is open.
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Checked my brevet card to confirm my memory. I slept a while at the sleep stop last year and arrived at 4:30. The control was opening and functioning with many people sitting or sleeping.
So it must have opened some time between 2:30 and 4:30am.
The only time I have arrived and the control was shut was when I was much faster and finished at about 11pm. Will be much slower this year :thumbsup:
BB
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Ditto similar to Bianchi Boy, but THIS year Mark has stated that he won't be at the Arrivee until 6am. So DONT expect him there any earlier
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Last year arriving at about 11pm at Llangattock, I had planned to cycle through and finish in Bulwark around 1am.
But we learned that the Bulwark Community Centre (Chepstow) would be unmanned till 2am at the earliest.
So I paused there and had a lie down doze for 90 minutes before cracking on to finish about 2:30. The centre wasn't open so we posted our brevet (+) timed and signed, through the letter box.
The upside of waiting (or riding at a lower pace) is that, weather permitting (and it's looking good at this forecasting distance) leaving Llangattock after 4am riding east offers the dawn chorus and a lovely view of the sunrise.
https://www.ventusky.com/?p=50.92;-2.61;7&l=wind-10m&t=20190504/2100
https://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Wales/Brecon/long.html
Sunset at Llandovery is 20:44.
Sunrise at Llangattock: 05:36.
https://app.photoephemeris.com/?ll=51.859920,-3.137710&dt=20190505000700%2B0100&z=15&spn=0.01,0.04¢er=51.8599,-3.1377
New moon (which means a full one for BCM).
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I will be in the Llandovery area next weekend.
I might pop in to the West End around lunchtime, depending on transport and friends' plans.
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Cause of front derailleur grief identified... not cable tension as initially thought, but basically a semi-seized mechanism... now cleaned, oiled and functioning again... it will be nice to be able to use the small ring on Saturday again :thumbsup:
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I will be in the Llandovery area next weekend.
I might pop in to the West End around lunchtime, depending on transport and friends' plans.
If you are there from 11.30 you'll probably see the first riders (except Nik if he's riding)
I'm entered but coming back after a virus and a month off the bike so still not certain to ride. If I do and you are there I'll come and say hello.
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I got back at about 02:30 last year, missed the instruction about getting PoP in chepstow, filled the card in and signed before posting, and was given a finish time of 6am.
No instruction missed last year. Though if you'd written in a 'finish time' on your brevet before posting, that's what would have been recorded (well it was for me). Last year Mark was content that riders who arrived before he'd opened up just posted their cards through the letter box - no PoP in Chepstow required. He implied in his recent e-mail that it had to be a bit 'tighter' this year because of BRM(PBP), hence the need for PoP for Chepstow if before 6am.
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Don't eat too many chips at the seaside there is a bugger of a climb straight after!
Edit: Climb not Limb! But you may have buggered limbs after the climb.
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Don't eat too many chips at the seaside there is a bugger of a limb straight after!
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Wise advice!
HOW many times have I posted that, in HOW many threads?
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Don't eat too many chips at the seaside there is a bugger of a limb straight after!
Sent from my LLD-L31 using Tapatalk
A pair of buggered limbs, perhaps: 150m up to Cross In; another 150m up to the high ground beyond Synod Inn.
A little later look forward to the 200m odd climb over Mynnyd Llanybytther, up from Llanbydder (NB Londis on LHS after the bridge).
On (another) plus side, there's forecast to be a nice tailwind all the way from New Quay to blow us up those hills.
https://www.ventusky.com/?p=51.87;-3.28;7&l=wind-10m&t=20190504/1800
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Anyone know the control times ?
Can't see on Mark's email or the route sheet but maybe I'm not looking at the right angle!
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You can work them out if you know minimum speed and distance of control (I don't know it) Max speed is 18mph so that will tell you what time control opens.
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Based on measured route distance so may deviate slightly from official times:
Control 1 80km 08:40 11:20 (Hay)
Control 2 150km 11:00 16:00 (Llandovery)
Control 3 200km 12:40 19:20 (Tregaron)
Control 4 237km 13:54 21:48 (New Quay)
Control 5 299km 15:58 01:56 05/05 (Llandovery)
Control 6 355km 17:50 05:40 05/05 (Llangattock)
Control 7 407km 19:34 09:00 (Chepstow)
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You can work them out if you know minimum speed and distance of control (I don't know it) Max speed is 18mph so that will tell you what time control opens.
2 mins per km opening, 4 min per km closing BRM finishing time 9am...
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Looks cold... max temp around 10 degrees, min overnight around freezing... annoying the control in Chepstow won't open until 6 AM... it means a long wait at the previous and a freezing cold ride to the arrivee... I could have been done and dusted by midnight... but don't want to pay money for a room in Chepstow :P
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Last year you could put your (signed) brevet card through the door at the end. No need to wait about in the cold. Not sure if this is the case for this year. I'm sure Mark will let you know.
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Last year you could put your (signed) brevet card through the door at the end. No need to wait about in the cold. Not sure if this is the case for this year. I'm sure Mark will let you know.
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I got that... but then what am I going to do at midnight at Bullwark? I then need a room somewhere (£££) ::-)
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I take it you are not arriving by car?
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I slept in my car for an hour then drove home.
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If I finished at midnight I'd consider myself very lucky.
This might be a condition of use of the hall to avoid noise at night; or it might be due to helpers not being available.
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I take it you are not arriving by car?
You clearly haven't seen my car... it fits comfortably in a 1970s garage, with room for bikes at each side :thumbsup:
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Can you not stick your feet out of the window?
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Looks cold... max temp around 10 degrees, min overnight around freezing...
Last year spoiled us with regards the weather, that was the first time I have ridden in shorts all of the way around. First year I rode it was sideways rain at the top of the Passo de Alpaca, second year it was below freezing.
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Can you not stick your feet out of the window?
I'll probably rather stay in the relative warmth of the control at 356 km until they boot me out and then cycle the last couple of hours in the freezing cold... I'll carry extra clothes
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Forecast for overnight temperature has dropped from benign to be zero - from 10pm to 6am and then only 2 degrees by 7am, bathing in the morning sunshine. Sounds like the tights will make a reappearance after a month in shorts/threequarters. And winter gloves.
ETA: On the plus side, should be a tailwind, more or less, all the way back from New Quay, more so from midnight onwards.
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It's a nuisance having to carry 4 seasons clothing. But not as bad as feeling the cold when tired.
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Based on measured route distance so may deviate slightly from official times:
Control 1 80km 08:40 11:20 (Hay)
Control 2 150km 11:00 16:00 (Llandovery)
Control 3 200km 12:40 19:20 (Tregaron)
Control 4 237km 13:54 21:48 (New Quay)
Control 5 299km 15:58 01:56 05/05 (Llandovery)
Control 6 355km 17:50 05:40 05/05 (Llangattock)
Control 7 407km 19:34 09:00 (Chepstow)
Cheers (all) .. just helpful when considering my fate ;D
Oh and any more helpful tips on the non disruptive on road parking options ?... google maps seems to suggest a lot would be directly outside someone's house... or will parking at the venue be easier than I think ?
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Maple Avenue is really long and only has houses on one side
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Maple Avenue is really long and only has houses on one side
Tah... the less problem solving and thinking I have to do before the start the better!
Was just a little suspicious of literally NO cars parked that side on street view.
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IIRC, the Bryan Chapman joining info last year instructed people NOT to park on Maple Ave (?) in the interests of neighborly relations. It does lend itself rather well to being an impromptu temporary carpark though. I suspect the problem is less the cars being there all weekend, and more the chatter and banging of car doors directly outside peoples houses at 5am on a Saturday.
For BC last year, I used the public carpark behind the Severn Bridge Social Club. Being an industrial area, it was also pretty quiet for when I was catching up on zzzz's in the following morning. I had also identified the train station carpark as a potential bolt-hole too. Both free on weekends last year.
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This is a new (and welcome) problem for me this year, having always been too cheap to pay the bridge toll so parking in England and riding across. I'm too old / fat / lazy (no need to delete, all appropriate) to consider that in 2019 with the financial incentive removed. :)
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IIRC, the Bryan Chapman joining info last year instructed people NOT to park on Maple Ave (?) in the interests of neighborly relations. It does lend itself rather well to being an impromptu temporary carpark though. I suspect the problem is less the cars being there all weekend, and more the chatter and banging of car doors directly outside peoples houses at 5am on a Saturday.
For BC last year, I used the public carpark behind the Severn Bridge Social Club. Being an industrial area, it was also pretty quiet for when I was catching up on zzzz's in the following morning. I had also identified the train station carpark as a potential bolt-hole too. Both free on weekends last year.
In 2017 the info said to park on Maple Avenue or on the industrial estate.
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IIRC, the Bryan Chapman joining info last year instructed people NOT to park on Maple Ave (?) in the interests of neighborly relations. It does lend itself rather well to being an impromptu temporary carpark though. I suspect the problem is less the cars being there all weekend, and more the chatter and banging of car doors directly outside peoples houses at 5am on a Saturday.
For BC last year, I used the public carpark behind the Severn Bridge Social Club. Being an industrial area, it was also pretty quiet for when I was catching up on zzzz's in the following morning. I had also identified the train station carpark as a potential bolt-hole too. Both free on weekends last year.
According to National Rail website, the station car park has 11 spaces. Edit: but the monmouthshire council website says 55.
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I dug out the email from Ritchie Tout dated 15/05/18. Obviously, this isn't Ritchie's event but "the more you know..." etc etc. Also has thorough details of the alternatives:
Parking – change to previous instruction
There have been serious complaints about parking from residents living around the community centre in Chepstow. We need to be able to use this venue for a number of AUK events so please park with care.
We have been advised that riders must not park on Maple Avenue. Here are alternative parking facilities (all within 1 mile of the start):
Behind Severn Bridge Social Club Bulwark Rd, Bulwark NP16 5JN
Chepstow Leisure Centre: Welsh St, Chepstow NP16 5LR
Behind Wilkinson’s on Welsh Street – cost £4 and free on Sundays 24 Welsh St, Chepstow NP16 5LL
Chepstow station 2 carparks – both free one opposite Tesco and the other right by the station NP16 5PD
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I'm not riding this weekend, but BC2018 was one of the highlights! Good luck all, I hope the weather is on the kind side of the current forecasts.
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Leaving car parking 'battles' till at least tomorrow morning (I have parked on Maple Avenue in the past and while there are houses only one (the other) side of the road, parked cars can make it a little harder for residents to pull out/back in to their short driveways, so I shall park elsewhere and ride in).
Battles:
Monmouth 1233 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monmouth_(1233) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monmouth_(1233))
Grosmont 1405 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grosmont,_Monmouthshire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grosmont,_Monmouthshire)
Glasbury 1056 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasbury (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasbury)
Orewin Bridge/Cilmery 1282 (just west of Builth Wells) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orewin_Bridge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Orewin_Bridge)
Usk 1405 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pwll_Melyn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pwll_Melyn)
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Yes, I'll avoid parking on a residential street. The Bulwark Community centre is such a great location for many audaxes it would be good to keep residents friendly. I wouldn't want people slamming car doors outside my house at that hour both Saturday and Sunday.
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Thanks for the parking advice, Peat. Now all my worries are over ;)
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Just in case anyone does read this and is travelling or intending to travel up the A40 via Cheltenham and Gloucester I advise you to go another way. I am sitting in a huge traffic jam with a head-on collision just ahead of me been here an hour now and it's not looking good I could be sleeping in the car tonight. Road completely closed with the fireman currently Getting the cutters out for the cars
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Cheers Ultradiscostu. Hope you don't have to wait too much longer (and that the crash on M48/M4 junction has cleared by the time you get there).
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Bloody hell that was cold. My toes may never forgive me.
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Was zero (according to my Garmin) across the Usk valley at 6am so the '0100-0500/brevet through the letterbox' riders will have had it lower.
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My astronomical friends here near Llandovery got VERY cold!
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Thanks everyone for the wonderful hospitality during the ride. The route was awesome as was the weather! One ride to be itched into my mind for many years to come!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDans92dD1M
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Despite the heavy overnight rain, the roads were reasonably dry as the field in general made swift work of the road to Monmouth. I tucked in behind a beautiful classic-style white tandem a couple of times which was going downhill like a graceful bullet.
Just after the unofficial route split, on the hills out of Monmouth, I reached down for some water only to find my bidons were absent – I’d left them behind in the car at the station car park. A sprightly chap on a green steel bike loaned me one of his water bottles until Hay which was incredibly decent of him, and, after getting my brevet stamped by Mark went on a quest to find something to quench my thirst. By the time I’d found some bottle-cage friendly bottles (sorry for the single-use plastics Greta), I was just in time to see Ivor disappearing up the road, presumably to catch Ian. No worries, I now had two bottles of melting French glacier water at my disposal and the route stretched on before me, wending along the upper reaches of the Wye Valley.
There are, it seems, several routes to Painscastle, and there was some disagreement about how many miles it was to get there. No matter. Jot them all down and hope for the best. The road that had been a railway was sweet and rolling. Everywhere flowers were flowering and blooms a-blossoming. Wales was wearing a gay May Day garland and we were surrounded by nature’s glory on all sides.
At Builth Wells I cracked when I saw a Greggs and pulled over (I’d skipped a bite to eat at Hay as the regular café there was pretty busy). Not finding a door into Greggs I bought a Subway breakfast panini instead and sat on a picnic table in a sunny patch (it was a cool day despite the sunshine), and watched a few riders go by. Some saw me stuffing my face and ended up in the garage too. The double-shot coffee did the trick which was handy given the climb on the road to Llandovery – beautiful coasting descents too, mind you, so no complaints – particularly as most of the climbs were on steady A-road gradients.
On the hills bikers had been blasting past us at a pretty steady rate. At Llandovery it was clear to see what they were in a rush for – the West End Café’s full roast. Bikers and cyclists in equal measure were queuing for a veritable feast that would fuel a ravished army. Slightly groaning from the generous portion, it was off into the hills again – this time with added headwind! Two friendly old men were happy to point out some spidery ironmongery that could have said almost anything, although certainly not a recognisable number, before bidding farewell and off along the lovely benign Teifi Valley into an energy sapping breeze. In Tregaron I met those magnificent Bristolians again – at least one of whom was riding fixed – and soaking up the late afternoon sunshine. Kevin of Mile Failte fame was also there (although the wind had completely blown my memory away and I called him Andrew). A short break and then the rolling road to New Quay.
The endless headlands that kept appearing, clambered over, and replaced by yet more headlands made me begin to wonder if I’d ever see the sea at all. But eventually, of course, it did appear tantalisingly close yet hidden behind precipices that made me begin to long for some climbing tackle. Another set of interminable traffic lights with not a jot of work to be seen, and then it was a slog up and over the final hill and into the waiting fish and chip shop restuarant. Judging by the number of bikes outside it looked like half of the field were seated inside in the warmth. As I queued, Ian, Ivor, Kevin and a few others I recognised were setting out.
Refuelled on pie, mound of mash-for-five, and gravy, I hit the hill out of town as the breath-taking evening sun began to slowly sink into the sea behind me. A stream of bikers cruised respectfully down the hill towards me wearing some white American-style outfits: were they aligned to some bikers in the Southern States of the US, I wondered? One at least seemed to be on a Vespa scooter, so perhaps they were the biking equivalent of the broad-churched audaxers? Eventually the last of the not insignificant holiday home parks were gone and the road rolled on in a generous fashion in south-easterly direction. On the descents the air began to get a distinctly chilly feel and it was clear that, given that the sun was some way from setting, that the night was going to be rather cold. No one passed me on this section (apart from a few hip-looking youngsters who commented on my Flying Gate as they effortlessly breezed by me on the first steep hill away from the coast: a managed to gasp out a wheezing cough in appreciation) and I was making good time and getting into a nice rhythm as the light and colour gradually faded from the scenic view.
Somewhere along this stretch, just prior to re-joining the route we’d taken earlier, I joined forces with Mike who was clearly suffering with a bad cough and what he described as proper “man-flu”. He didn’t sound well at all, but had a nice light carbon bike and seemed happy to tolerate my slow plodding pace back to West End Café. It was properly cold now and the café was half-full of half-frozen cyclists in various shades of blue. Some were slumped over their plates half-asleep. I reached into my pannier and put on my next layer. Here I made the mistake of having two mugs of strong coffee, two apple pies and custard, and a solid custard slice which rendered me just a little nauseous all the way to the rest stop at Llangattock.
Mike and I set out again, this time on the A40. A steady ramp to Trecastle helped warm us up and then down, down, down through Sennybridge, where we picked up the River Usk, around Brecon (does enough traffic ever fill this dual-carriageway?) and then swooping off and under the A40 and right onto a grippy little lane. There was the Talybont Stores café again: the one we’d tried to warm up our bones frozen to the marrow on the 300k Rough Diamond. It was cold then and it was cold now. Cars were covered in frost and the fields along the valley floor turned white with frost. It was only a short way along the valley now and tucked into a hall in a corner in a hidden close of a tiny hamlet was a welcome of warming soup and hot mug of tea. Ivor, Ian and many others were scattered around in various statuesque poses thawing out under the bright hall lights. I found a welcome foam matt hidden behind a curtain behind the incredible stamping Mark and took a deep 60-minute sleep, slipped on yet another layer, and had a warming bowl of soup from the cheery kitchen staff.
It was tough to go back out into the chilly night again, but it was a familiar route – not as familiar as it was to poor Mike who had to pedal past his home further down the Usk valley, which was now frosted white, quiet and calm beneath the watchful eye of a bight star, or was it a satellite? The light regained control over the pitch darkness and the outline of the hills began to show clearly. The chip shop in Usk that served me life-saving chips and gravy on the Rough Diamond was now firmly closed, but I was warm as toast under my layers, pedalling along on a heavy steel-framed bicycle which made me work a little harder and keep a little warmer. Mike confirmed that this was the start of “that hill”. Chocolate was required. The special offer Tregaron purchase had magically turned from dead weight to energising fuel and its effects soon kicked in as a layer of sweat emerged some scores of metres higher up the road. A large tawny owl sat silently on a contorted branch with a perversely twisted neck watching me labour up: was this wise one counting us back? Ian passed me: looking good. A chap with a Derby jersey going even stronger. I felt myself both going upwards but also almost backwards as a few riders glided by. Eventually over the top and sweeping down to Chepstow and the hall where we’d started 25 hours earlier: 2 hours in hand and one hour of sleep seemed like a good result: cheers Mike. Mark looked like he’d just riding 400k too! I thanked him for another great ride and very slowly clambered back up Bulwark towards the station where I’d left my car. Just a 600 to do now. Just.
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the Usk valley, which was now frosted white, quiet and calm beneath the watchful eye of a bight star, or was it a satellite?
Meanwhile, about 100K south of you, up over the Blackdown Hills that same bright light was being discussed on the Porkers 400.
Some thought Venus but the consensus was Jupiter.
Must learn more about Astronomy, its a good combination with Audaxing.
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Nice write-up, LF.
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the Usk valley, which was now frosted white, quiet and calm beneath the watchful eye of a bight star, or was it a satellite?
Meanwhile, about 100K south of you, up over the Blackdown Hills that same bright light was being discussed on the Porkers 400.
Some thought Venus but the consensus was Jupiter.
Must learn more about Astronomy, its a good combination with Audaxing.
I was fairly certain it would be Jupiter but didn’t check, and too bloody cold to care!
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For those not on BookFace, here's a write-up of the ride I did for CTC Cambridge: https://bit.ly/2vIZahg.
I think my body has just about returned to normal temperature now ...
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It's a shame that the highlights here were the cold headwind & even lower than expected overnight temperatures... where clearly the route is the gem :)
Here's what I wrote on the strava thing for those not following the link.... (cos I think basically you all know the route!)
So that was Saturday. With an advertised 5000m of ascent this was never going to be an easy day out. Turned into a really nice day albeit with a biting northerly headwind. Early climbs were nice and steady mostly a roads, the 3rd 100km was the one that worried me and rightly so, consistently steep climbing and dropping temperatures. Good if time consuming controls but much food needed due to the cool conditions. Very hard to maintain any body heat overnight on long descents and a few spells of the dozies but got around in a touch under XXhrs overall.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2342623377
Until I find otherwise I'm going to claim first Edward home.
Thanks to Mark (& his tiny team!) and all the cafes/controls.
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Just a quick vote of thanks to Mark for a well organised event - especially the snacks and cake at Llangattock. My only change would be to persuade West End Cafe and the Mariner's chippy to have a choice between "order and wait" versus "grab and go". But then I'm sure the waits had a restorative effect. FYI I took an alternative and quieter route off the main road for 10km between Garth and Llantwrtyd Wells - worked well.
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Was zero (according to my Garmin) across the Usk valley at 6am so the '0100-0500/brevet through the letterbox' riders will have had it lower.
My Garmin showed down to -2 on the final leg from Llangattock to the Arrivee (finished around 01:30) although I didn't see any frost. Was shaking with cold for the first 5 minutes or so after leaving the control until I got the legs moving again. Was glad of the long climb past Golden hill. It generated enough heat to see me to the end without getting chilled again.
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Was zero (according to my Garmin) across the Usk valley at 6am so the '0100-0500/brevet through the letterbox' riders will have had it lower.
I am so glad my Garmin thingy does not do temperature. My feets and hands were telling my it was fffreezing.
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Was zero (according to my Garmin) across the Usk valley at 6am so the '0100-0500/brevet through the letterbox' riders will have had it lower.
I am so glad my Garmin thingy does not do temperature. My feets and hands were telling my it was fffreezing.
If we're playing that game.. we saw -3 at some points new-quay to Llandovery .... then strangely warmer leaving Llandovery . but dropped again on the way to that other place :D
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Our spies within 10km of Llandovery recorded -3C.
Cue frozen astronomers!
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I wasn't sure I believed my Garmin saying it was -3.
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[Veering OT] It's fortunate your Garmin continued to function.
The astronomers' batteries went flat PDQ in the cold and equipment malfunctioned.
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[Veering OT] It's fortunate your Garmin continued to function.
The astronomers' batteries went flat PDQ in the cold and equipment malfunctioned.
Only battery device that failed was my iPhone. Garmin has external battery which may have helped.
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Just a quick vote of thanks to Mark for a well organised event - especially the snacks and cake at Llangattock. My only change would be to persuade West End Cafe and the Mariner's chippy to have a choice between "order and wait" versus "grab and go". But then I'm sure the waits had a restorative effect. FYI I took an alternative and quieter route off the main road for 10km between Garth and Llantwrtyd Wells - worked well.
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My clubmate/ride partner and I also took the quiet very pretty and slightly hilliier route from Builth, most of it on Cycle Route 43 via Llangammarch Wells, and tirabad. The lanes ran paralell to the main road (occaisionally you culd still hear the motorbikes in the distance) and emerged half way down the decent to Llandovery on the A483 at Cynghordy. They were stunning lanes, worth the few more meters of climbing.
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I took an alternative and quieter route off the main road for 10km between Garth and Llantwrtyd Wells - worked well.
My clubmate/ride partner and I also took the quiet very pretty and slightly hilliier route from Builth, most of it on Cycle Route 43 via Llangammarch Wells, and tirabad. The lanes . . . emerged half way down the decent to Llandovery on the A483 at Cynghordy. They were stunning lanes, worth the few more meters of climbing.
I took the 10km Garth to Llanwrtyd road last year but the guy I was riding with this year was unwilling to risk leaving the main road. It's about a km shorter but a bit more climb, on minor roads.
I like the look of the road the other side of the Irfon, on through Tirabad and btw, coming off at Garth, that route is a mile shorter than plonking down the A road via Beulah, yet only 15m more climb. On my 2020 'to ride' list.
I thought my (shorter but bit more climb) variation north from Llandovery on the minor road through Siloh/Porthyrhyd was superior in riding enjoyment to the routesheet/gpx route rolling down the A40 (at lunchtime) and then grinding up the long (6km) A482 climb, being passed by countless cars round those corners.
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Wasnt really a question of risk, more than the run in to Llandovery from Garth is pleasant, predominantly downhill, and largely traffic free.
Plus my arse hurt.
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I take the Shiloh option too.
Much more pleasant after a big lunch.
And there's also the Dolauhirion bridge to cross.
https://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/23969/details/dolauhirion-bridge