Author Topic: Poor Student, 07/01/2017  (Read 35104 times)

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #100 on: 05 January, 2017, 02:08:05 pm »
Just realised that I don't have a provided SAE. Should it have come by now?

Delivere by dainty hand, to accompany your brevet card...

haha ok got ya! All those alternative directions scare me too! I think i am going to stick with a group!

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #101 on: 05 January, 2017, 02:15:28 pm »
haha ok got ya! All those alternative directions scare me too! I think i am going to stick with a group!

For you:-

1) Turn R. Head NW for 60Km
2) Turn L. Head SSW for 67Km
3) Turn L. Head ENE for 80Km.

Better? ;D
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #102 on: 05 January, 2017, 02:56:00 pm »
As the car park has a height restriction, can anyone offer any advice for parking a large campervan, overnight from Friday. thanks.

Peartree Services offer paid parking (costs unknown). 
Five Mile Drive (off the A40/A44 rbt) has restricted parking bays, where restriction is Mon-Fri daytime only. 
There's a layby / scrubland alongside A44, Northbound of the A34/A44 rbt - Very Des. Res. ;)
Otherwise you're going to be scouting round the local suburbs...
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #103 on: 06 January, 2017, 03:03:17 pm »
I've never tracked this on the map before but noticed an interesting little direction at 39.1km.  The route sheet says R@T on the A436, then left, sp Addlestrop.  If I recall, that takes you up a bit of a drag before the turn.  The map appears to show that if you go L@T and then almost immediately right, you end up in the same place, but without the climb.  Am I missing some obvious reason, assuming it's a free route, why you wouldn't take the latter option?
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Jack_P

  • It's just dicking about on bikes
    • Cycling hobo
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #104 on: 06 January, 2017, 04:46:54 pm »
GPX track I have shows the L-R route round Adlestrop park, so guess its just a route sheet anomoly


citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #106 on: 06 January, 2017, 05:29:50 pm »
GPX track I have shows the L-R route round Adlestrop park, so guess its just a route sheet anomoly

That's odd. The GPX track I have (the one iddu sent out by email recently) goes the long way round.

Funnily enough, I plotted my own track on Garmin Connect and had to insert extra waypoints to force it to take the official route rather than the shortcut. Didn't occur to me to just go the short way instead - I've just had a look at it on Google Street View and can see no good reason not to.

Nice of iddu to sneak in an extra hill as a special treat for us, but seeing as I'll be on fixed, I think I'll give it a miss.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #107 on: 06 January, 2017, 05:53:32 pm »
...or you could follow NCN route 442 and go straight on at the junction, missing most of the hill and rejoining the route in Adlestrop. 

So that's along the bridleway - past the cricket pitch - onto the tree-covered grassy track etc.

OK - so there is no Streetview coverage but it is an NCN route so what could possibly go wrong ?

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #108 on: 06 January, 2017, 06:28:43 pm »
The longer way does give you a poem-related sightseeing opportunity:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=adlestrop+bus+shelter&client=firefox-b-ab&tbm=isch&imgil=EujiWdc0dDhSvM%253A%253Blr9La3Fgq_4GSM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252
I wouldnt be at ALL surprised if that's why iddu has done it  ;D


Meanwhile, I had a chat with the weather gods about this dry/mild forecast for tomorrow. They said they had a LOT of water over Oxfordshire (with rather a mean smirk). So I persuaded them to wring out the skies this afternoon and dump all the water on me as I rode home.

If they were fibbing I shall be very very cross ...
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Mr Green

  • LEL, SR, RRtY, 24TT
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #109 on: 06 January, 2017, 09:12:23 pm »
Looking forward to tomorrow. The Poor Student is a classic, and I'm in danger of being a regular now - this will be my 3rd effort + a dns for that very wet year it was cancelled, was it 2015?
 :smug: :smug:
What a lot of effort just for a cloth badge.

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #110 on: 06 January, 2017, 10:02:35 pm »
I've never tracked this on the map before but noticed an interesting little direction at 39.1km.  The route sheet says R@T on the A436, then left, sp Addlestrop.  If I recall, that takes you up a bit of a drag before the turn.  The map appears to show that if you go L@T and then almost immediately right, you end up in the same place, but without the climb.  Am I missing some obvious reason, assuming it's a free route, why you wouldn't take the latter option?

I'd never noticed this before and always followed the route sheet the long way around. The only reason I can see is it's a left then a right off of a main road rather than a right then left but it's up a steep A-road to get there so I will try the shorter alternative tomorrow.

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #111 on: 07 January, 2017, 08:33:04 am »
Impressed - near 90% turnout.

Bonne route, and enjoy the day...
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #112 on: 07 January, 2017, 06:31:53 pm »
A good day out - Thanks Iddu :thumbsup:

Did anyone else with a Garmin 810 have a problem with it turning off an not saving the route?  Mine did it at Chipping Campden and also just before Highworth... Most annoying, but at least I wasn't doing a GPS DIY!

Cheers,

Peter.
DJR (Dave Russell) now retired. Carbon Beone parts bin special retired to turbo trainer, Brompton broken, as was I, Whyte Suffolk dismantled and sold. Now have Mason Definition and Orbea M20i.

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #113 on: 07 January, 2017, 06:34:48 pm »
thanks for a fantastic route and flawless gps file.

What do you use to make the file? and how do you get one gpx to create 3 routes in garmin? Great for not missing controls. Turn instructions also great, mine are always a bit hit and miss.

Definitely the best 200 I have ridden.

Eddington  127miles, 170km

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #114 on: 07 January, 2017, 06:43:29 pm »
Cheers Pat, I had a good day out on the bike.  :thumbsup:
Eddington Number 75

Mr Green

  • LEL, SR, RRtY, 24TT
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #115 on: 07 January, 2017, 07:09:43 pm »
Cheers Pat,
Great ride, and the weather was kind this year: no ice, mild temperatures, and no rain or wind. I even quite enjoyed the atmospheric fog.

Arthur.
What a lot of effort just for a cloth badge.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #116 on: 07 January, 2017, 07:59:55 pm »
Great route, etc., but I was Mr Legs of Lead today and am only now on the train back to London. Don't know what happened but I was definitely not firing on all cylinders.
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #117 on: 07 January, 2017, 09:00:07 pm »
Great ride as usual! Thanks for organising Pat. Liked the mist :)






Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #118 on: 07 January, 2017, 09:27:45 pm »
Very nice set of three!

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #119 on: 07 January, 2017, 09:39:20 pm »
I saw the ElliptiGo bikes parked under the market cross in Malmesbury at about 4.30pm, as I was driving my son back home after he'd raced in Bath. Assuming they were on the Poor Student, I hope their riders made it back in time.

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #120 on: 07 January, 2017, 09:42:39 pm »
Good day out and weather behaved! Legs misbehaved till I had full English in Malmesbury!

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #121 on: 07 January, 2017, 11:48:16 pm »
That was hard work, but I made it. Might have had to walk a few times around the Compton Abdale area but considering that's my first proper ride on fixed for a few years, I'm pretty pleased really. I'm going to feel it tomorrow though.

I was a bit late setting off after my companion was delayed getting to the start, so by the time we got to Chipping Campden the Bantam was heaving. I had to kick up a minor fuss when the waitress went to take the order of a group who had arrived a good 10 minutes after us. Never mind.

At least I got to try on an LEL 2017 gilet while I was waiting - thanks Phil!

Conversely, by the time I got to Malmesbury the Summer Cafe was almost empty and I got served pretty quickly. Although they didn't have much food left by then.

Another yacf name/face combo ticked off when I rode with fellow autobusser Redlight for a bit.

All in all, a good day out - thanks Pat. Legs and lungs live to fight another day.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #122 on: 08 January, 2017, 09:02:15 am »
Thanks Pat for a fun day out. Ditto to the praise already given above.
It's been a while since I have done such a well attended Audax. Lots of chattter in the numerous groups I rode with.
Bit strange sitting in Starbucks with loads of muddy faced cyclists.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

LFCC

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #123 on: 08 January, 2017, 10:05:12 am »
Finally, Manotea has come back to the Poor Student. Its been a while and everything seems to changed, including the route which was the wrong way round...

A late arrival - note to self, must get to bed before midnight the day before an Audax event - meant that I started even after Mr Kirkland but a quick stop at Chipping Camden put me back in company. The morning mists rather obscured the fine views offered by the Oxford Alps. This was the first time I've ridden this section in daylight which seemed remarkably hilly - no wonder it seems such hard work coming the other way. I'd always put that down to fatigue at the end of the day but perhaps its not all down to me after all. After Chipping came the ride to Compton Abdale. Whilst I enjoyed the long descent to the village the climbs after seemed even longer. Seems to me the route is harder the sinister way... it seemed plausible I might one day make all the climbs in the regular direction but that feels a far off dream 'a sinister'. We shall find out next year. Meanwhile I suspect I didn't lose 'road position' whilst in the 24" gear.  The pay off for all this was the run home from Malmsbury. This was mostly flat and with a gentle tailwind, and fuelled by a second breakfast from the Malmsbury Garden Centre - and some illicit apple crumble - the KMs flew by. There was a mild sting in the tail - the last few KMs through the heart of the Oxford - but all done soon enough and then a quiet snooze at the Welcome Break before the drive home. Excellent!

We get to do it all again in a couple of months on the Dean but before then comes the Willy Warmer. See you there. :)

Re: Poor Student, 07/01/2017
« Reply #124 on: 08 January, 2017, 11:12:30 am »
I couldn't enter yesterday but would like to ride it as a perm one day. Malmesbury is the closest corner for me so I was thinking of starting there and going North first clockwise to do the hilly bit early .

Does that seem a good plan?