Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: tippers_kiwi on 21 March, 2017, 02:28:34 pm
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Tomsks new 400 Perm is now up on the AUK website. The route, named in a nod to the TV Series, goes from Billericay in Essex to Barry Island in South Wales. I have a plan to ride it in both directions as 2 x 400 over 2 days with a night in the Premier Inn in Barry Island to split it and thought I would put it out there if any one wants to join me.
The current plan is to start from Billericay at around 8pm on Monday 17th April and then return from Barry leaving around 9 or 10am on Wednesday 19th April.
I am hoping to be somewhere in the 20 - 24 hour range for each direction and plan to use it as a bit of a reality check for LEL training progress.
Let me know if there is any interest in joining the fun in either direction. Trains should be pretty easy to sort for a return trip from either side if only one direction is of interest.
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That sounds like a fantastic ride there and back Nik, unfortunately I will be resting between Arrow and LWL.
Looking forward to hearing all about it! :thumbsup:
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Come on....you know you want to...I am riding the Oasts and Coasts on the Saturday (2 days rest is plenty). Martin from Thanet RC has said he is coming along.
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The current plan is to start from Billericay at around 8pm on Monday 17th April and then return from Barry leaving around 9 or 10am on Wednesday 22nd April.
Have you found a calendar void that gives you 6 days in the space of 3 weekdays? Cunning planning!
Fun as it sounds, I'm in the jiberjaber camp of resting between the Arrow and Porkers 400. I would like to do the ride later in the year though, possibly just one way.
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I still fancy the Stacey Gavin version (better chance of a tailwind) but not necessarily a couple of days after the Arrow.
Never say never though.
If Malcolm ever finishes my wheels I might have more enthusiasm...
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The current plan is to start from Billericay at around 8pm on Monday 17th April and then return from Barry leaving around 9 or 10am on Wednesday 19th April.
Have you found a calendar void that gives you 6 days in the space of 3 weekdays? Cunning planning!
Whatever do you mean ;)
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Interesting, one for me in the opposite direct if I can ever manage to drag my arse back on my bike for a long ride again. (currently I seem to be an ex-audaxer :( )
(though I suppose I could get the train out and ride back home - that might be the better move if I was to ever consider it).
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Ok to ride in reverse, just haven't written a route sheet for that permutation...yet.
Still awaiting cards, but fingers crossed :P
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Cool plan, hope the wind is behind you there and back.
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This might be useful — https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19716008 (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19716008).
And the Return of Gavin and Stacey — https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19726299 (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19726299).
Caveat I haven't ridden them to test :P
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This might be useful — https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19716008 (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19716008). Caveat I haven't ridden it to test :P
Ta, I've plugged it all in on base camp as well on a per leg basis as per the route sheet so this will be a good overlay.
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It looks a really nice route :)
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You've got a real brute of a hill there towards the end - If you ride Penheol Ely road in Pontypridd the other way then you better bring your climbing boots (that's got to be the nastiest hill I know of in the whole of South East Wales) on but from the east that's the better side.
It seems to save all the savage climbing for the end there. Just when you need it on a 400 :-D
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It seems to save all the savage climbing for the end there. Just when you need it on a 400 :-D
I would never have expected something like that from an Audax organiser, especially Tomsk ;D
He's gone a long way to find those hills for the end in this case. I'll pack my hiking shoes :facepalm:
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Pontypridd does exist at a a point of singularity anyway but there are definitely easier ways to go through it that that. As I said, at least you're not doing that slope the other way. I have never made it up the Golf Course road as it's known. 800 ft, that starts at a about 20% and gets worse from there.
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Pontypridd does exist at a a point of singularity anyway but there are definitely easier ways to go through it that that. As I said, at least you're not doing that slope the other way.
I think that is the plan, with the return journey scheduled for the Wednesday.
@Tippers, we'll be scrutinising Strava to confirm you've stuck to the route :)
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you can always flip over to your 69" for the return journey.
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This all sounds like jolly good training for The Heartbeat 400....I might need to talk to Tomsk about some potential hill dodging long cuts!
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So I rode the route from East to West last week after packing on it at the last attempt. A 4pm start from Billericay meant I got to see most of the 'scenic' bits in full HD.
I would agree with Caerau's comments up thread about the route out of Pontypridd for West > East being pretty testing, I am normally a pretty confident on descents and I did more or less stop on the way down a couple of times trying to decide if walking would be the safer option. The only good thing about going up that would be it is near the start of the ride.
Highlights for me would be the road down off the Cotswolds into Tewksbury and the climb up to Eglwysilan Common which involved 2 small walks, one due to loosing traction on a cow pat and one because I just had too ;D. The view from the top was amazing and I always love that feeling of being up higher and looking down on the houses in the valley below.
I am working on a write up which I will post a link to here in the next few days.
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Sounds like a great adventure
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Indeed it was. A word of warning for those that think Tomsks Essex rides have a sting in the tail, this one has a Hornet sized sting in it if travelling East to West. The views and scenery are well worth it though!
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That explains the random FB posts and absence on A&S - well done, looks like a nasty last 40...
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I've finally managed to finish the write up for the ride! I'm not the best writer and it is wordy but I've broken it up a bit so you can skip over the bits that don't interest you!
Gavin and Stacey 400 km Perm - Breve Number 1 (http://thebrunners.com/blogs/onthebike/2017/06/13/gavin-and-stacey-400-perm/)
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Good write up of a good ride... Love the concept, very witty. :thumbsup:
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Last weekend I too completed the Gavin and Stacey. The reports and advice here were very helpful, so I thought I would share my 'story' of what happened when I did to in case it helps anyone else thinking of doing it.
Gavin & Stacey 400km: Write up.
At 05:30 on Saturday 6th April I found myself outside a cash machine in Billericay about to attempt the Gavin and Stacey 400km for the third time. The first time I lost all my motivation to cycle 400km, the second time the bike needed essential maintenance, so hopefully third time would be the charm.
That being said I faced the hardest part of the ride (at least mentally) on the way to the first control. I went past the turning which would take me home and back to bed, all I had to do was turn left and cycle up the hill. 40 miles as a decent distance right?
I managed to resist the temptation and arrived at Buntingford around 08:35 and tried to get a receipt from the CO-OP cash machine with no luck. I went a little bit further in town and found a proper cash machine and had more luck there. I had a snack from my bag and then started the next 42km to St. Neots where there was a Wetherspoons which I was looking forward to.
From what I can remember this stage was fairly uneventful and I reach the 'Spoons at 10:59. The place was already busy but luckily I was able to find a free table. Eyes bigger than my belly I ordered the large veggie breakfast but couldn't finish it even though I knew the next stage to Towcester would be long at 62km. Maybe I would be more hungry at the McDonalds.
I was making good progress I though and was a head of the schedule I had mapped out. Having a snack every ten miles for a reward and to keep the engine running.
The next two stages were fairly uneventful, I arrived at Towcester at 14:59 and Banbury at 17:10. I stocked up for the night at the Tesco in Banbury and also ate at the McDonalds (which for some reason took me a while to find!)
Not far after Banbury was the half way point, so that is always an encouraging thought but I wasn't quite close enough to the finish to start thinking about the nice nap I was going to have on the train back to London.
By now I was in the Cotswolds hills and snapped a picture at sunset. I suppose it was a blessing that it was getting dark so I couldn't really see how big there would be but my legs sure let me know. Not much I could do about it though but press on.
I passed through the village of Chipping Campden where all the buildings were made of the same yellow / cream bricks which was quite interesting.
An hour and a half after Chipping Campden I reached the next control at Tewkesbury. It was now 21:36 and Chepstow was a further 65km away and by the time I got there everything would likely be closed, so I had my last sit down meal inside of the ride at a takeaway. Some kind of spicy chicken burger with chips and a coke.
On this stage I really started struggle. I guess it was because I was approaching my normal bed time but I had real problems staying awake. My speed came right down and I started to lose all the time I had in hand (or at least that's what it felt like, I didn't want to check my watch) and started to find excuses to stop. At one point I found a bench and just sat down and closed my eyes for a few minutes. Nano nap? This and another snack seamed to help a bit and I carried on to Chepstow and finally got there at 01:55. I got a receipt from the cash machine and sat on the bench nearby and ate the sandwich I bough in Banbury with my eyes closed. - Multitasking!
My mood lifted that the next stage to Pontypridd was the last long stage I was back on the road. I had some extra encouragement up the hills from the local 'party goers' heading home. Once away from them I seemed to flying along the now deserted A road (can't remember which one.) The road signs gradually started to turn Welsh which was also encouraging and the roads had 'ARAF' painted on them.
I passed another McDonalds which looked open and I could have really used another cup of tea but I was mindful of the time I had wasted stopping in the dark so didn't want to risk another half an hour stopped, so reluctantly cycled passed it.
Approaching Pontypridd I was 'welcomed' by the biggest and steepest hill! My tired legs refused to cycle all the way up it and my brain was willing to let them give up and walk it. However I am not sure if that was any easier and my arms started complain about pushing the bike. Needless to say the descent was quite fun and scary in the dark. They certainly tested my brakes!
I found it a struggle finding a cash machine in Pontypridd that actually existed and had the time and place printed on the receipt and I wasted more time until I finally found one next to a Spar. Still at 06:02 I had a couple of hours left to make it to Barry. Maybe I could have had that tea after all?
Thankfully the last stage was short and once I was out of the valley in Pontypridd it was mostly down hill to Barry and I finally got there at 07:45 and this time was able to get the receipt from the first cash machine I saw.
That was a lot harder than I thought it would be and I really struggled in the night but overall I quite enjoyed it, I think! I bought too much food and water at Banbury which didn't help with the Pontypridd hill! Now all I have to do is gather up the courage to face it again and back again on the 'ACME Ten Tonnes' perm!
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Well done that man! Have we fully inducted you into the ACME fold? By which I mean have we made you eat a pickled egg on a Wednesday evening?
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Well done Dean - it's a tough ride :thumbsup:
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Well done that man! Have we fully inducted you into the ACME fold? By which I mean have we made you eat a pickled egg on a Wednesday evening?
So far I have managed to avoid the induction ceremony ;D
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Well done, Dean, and a great write up too. I'm impressed when people remember their ride in detail.
Interesting that you started early in the day. That's probably a good strategy for the ACME Ten Tonnes, but for Gavin and Stacey my preference would have been to start late in the day, get the night section out of the way whilst still fresh, then enjoy the Welsh scenery in the light. Actually, a 3pm start might work better if getting a train straight back, rather than stopping in the Barry Butlins (if it is still there).
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Well done that man! Have we fully inducted you into the ACME fold? By which I mean have we made you eat a pickled egg on a Wednesday evening?
So far I have managed to avoid the induction ceremony ;D
We’ll need to get this situation resolved at some point!
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Well done, Dean, and a great write up too. I'm impressed when people remember their ride in detail.
Interesting that you started early in the day. That's probably a good strategy for the ACME Ten Tonnes, but for Gavin and Stacey my preference would have been to start late in the day, get the night section out of the way whilst still fresh, then enjoy the Welsh scenery in the light. Actually, a 3pm start might work better if getting a train straight back, rather than stopping in the Barry Butlins (if it is still there).
Well other than the controls I only remember the other place names as I took a photo and the geo-tag told me.
As for the early start, I wanted to be home on Sunday afternoon. :)
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Well done, Dean, and a great write up too. I'm impressed when people remember their ride in detail.
Interesting that you started early in the day. That's probably a good strategy for the ACME Ten Tonnes, but for Gavin and Stacey my preference would have been to start late in the day, get the night section out of the way whilst still fresh, then enjoy the Welsh scenery in the light. Actually, a 3pm start might work better if getting a train straight back, rather than stopping in the Barry Butlins (if it is still there).
I'd probably look for 3pm start too, with a premier inn/travelodge booking at 200km getting 5 hours in a bed and setting off at dawn feels like it will give a similar total time, with higher moving speeds and less suffering. 3pm start means 6pm finish, so setting off again at 6 gives 12 hours for the second 200 which seems feasible to me. The compensation for riding 400 as a solo perm is that intermediate control times are less rigid.
Pushing through the night solo is very impressive, chapeau Deano
Although I can't see myself ever doing a 400 perm, definitely my least favorite distance. I was very skeptical on hearing of someones plan to make PBP 3 400km sections. Even though it did allow checking into a hotel for 2 nights at 400/800km. 4 300km sections seems much better, but that means going all in on the 84 hour schedule
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I started not long after 3 when I rode it (on a Tuesday) and found some of the climbs out of the Welsh towns were too busy, might be different on a weekend though. Ponty was the worst for me plus there was no footpath to walk along. I think I based my start time on breakfast at Tewkesbury 'spoons.
I thought I had done a proper write up on strava but see I just made a few lines and that's it!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1576264151
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On the 1000 I hit Barry in rush hour twice - Friday breakfast and evening.
I found the Welsh traffic a bit much.