Author Topic: Oasts and Coasts 300Km  (Read 28018 times)

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #75 on: 23 April, 2016, 10:57:29 pm »
Superb ride and sea wall was a piece of piss with the tailwind :D Thanks to all the helpers.

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #76 on: 24 April, 2016, 10:18:40 am »
Many thanks to the organisers for a such a great scenic ride.
And for not kicking us out immediately when we arrived at 2.06am with nine minutes to spare.
All the best, Paul.

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #77 on: 24 April, 2016, 11:19:21 am »
Goodness - that was a bit of a testing day out. Who knew that Kent1 could be so lumpy, or that an Arctic wind could be so, well, Arctic?

I don't think I helped myself by the fact that yesterday probably about doubled my year's mileage, but had a very pleasant ride round, largely with Matthew (NOTP, though maybe an occasional lurker) - he'd had Garmin issues, so I provided navigational services, while he offered moral support and the occasional boost to my fitness issues ... It *is* a lovely route - with the possible exception of a scrotty lane before Hollingbourne - and I'm pleased to have laid my demons from a couple of years ago, in that this year I got home with a bike that had the same wheelbase as when I'd started.

Thanks to Tom and the rest of the crew - all very much appreciated.


(Someone needs to tell me that I'm mis-remembering what I read on the brevet card of the first person to complete the O&C on a trike - for which chapeau - and he's not actually called James Barrow ...)


1 Yeah, yeah. And East Sussex.

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #78 on: 24 April, 2016, 02:56:13 pm »
Enjoyed that - the cycle paths worked really well and were a nice change from the usual audax roads, the views over to France and elsewhere were spectacular, good company enroute, but the less said about the wind the better. The only stress was breaking a front spoke just after Rye probably due to some wind-borne debris. Wobbled my way to Hythe, re-trued the wheel there and was fine after that, if a bit nerve-wracking on dark descents. So much for those that say a 24-spoke wheel will be unusable after such a failure.

Thanks to Tom & co.
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Planet X Paul

  • The Green Machine
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #79 on: 24 April, 2016, 05:08:26 pm »
Well, my first 300 completed, and I think I enjoyed it.  That headwind was horrible and there was no escape from it on the exposed marshes.  Some testing climbs, particularly out of Folkestone & Dover.  Got 2 punctures with half a mile of each other on that long lane before Hollingbourne, one from a thorn and the second from a piece of flint or glass.  Thanks to the kind person who donated a spare tube to me.

Some of the roads were quite rough and I don't think they had been repaired since the Luftwaffe bombed them  ;D

Finally finished just short of 17 hours, so quite pleased with that.

Thanks to Tom and crew for a well organised event and my first foray to the flat lands of Kent.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #80 on: 24 April, 2016, 05:33:36 pm »
Thanks to the kind person who donated a spare tube to me.

That was probably me. The piece of mind from having a spare tube in the bag is worth the weight.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #81 on: 24 April, 2016, 07:09:18 pm »

I was hoping it was going to be easier than last year, but then we didn't have the arctic winds. I think we were actually quite lucky with the weather, as we didn't get rained on to any extent, while just inland they had some proper downpours. I also think that the marsh section could have been worse beacause at the time we were on it, it was more of a NW wind giving a bit of side-on, and mercifully it had swung around to NE by the time we were on the sea wall section.

My stomach did the usual trick on these long rides of refusing to digest anything, so the last thing I ate was a baked potato at Hythe. This made for a challenging last section in the dark, when added to the cold I felt awful. Riding wasn't too bad, just everything else - navigating, keeping warm etc.

Just as I swooped into that right hand turn at Cuxton in the dark I hit a peice of metal, thought it was a tin can but Andy later told me was a bit of exhaust tail pipe. I could so easily have gone down then and I wouldn't have got up. Felt guilty about leaving it in the road but at that stage I couldn't stop. I hope nobody else hit it.

Limped back to the hall by about 10.45, brevet deposited, then dash outside to heave - profuse apologies to anyone who stepped on my bile in the grass - I did try to wash it down!

I'm amazed the latecomers made it back without freezing solid, the temp was down to about 4 degrees when I was in the car driving home. It was a good call to wear normal winter gear, I wasn't too hot at any time, even the morning's lumpy bits.

Thanks to Tom and co for a challenging day out, great route.



LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #82 on: 24 April, 2016, 07:14:45 pm »
Just as I swooped into that right hand turn at Cuxton in the dark I hit a peice of metal, thought it was a tin can but Andy later told me was a bit of exhaust tail pipe.

It made a hell of a noise when you hit it. I was a little surprised that somebody could hit something that big and not go down.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Planet X Paul

  • The Green Machine
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #83 on: 24 April, 2016, 07:34:46 pm »
Just cleaned my bike and noticed another big piece of flint embedded in the rear tyre.  Dug it out and has left quite a hole.  That could have been puncture number 3.  That may have just about finished me mentally.  I think the organiser should go out and sweep the roads before next years event  :P

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #84 on: 16 April, 2017, 02:23:48 pm »
So, who's in this year?

And any thoughts on sensible ECE routes from central/north London?

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #85 on: 16 April, 2017, 03:05:56 pm »
So, who's in this year?

And any thoughts on sensible ECE routes from central/north London?
As you will be leaving London early. The most direct route is the Old A2, over Blackheath, Shooters Hill and into Dartford. Then on the other side pick up the B260 through to Longfield and then into Meopham.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #86 on: 16 April, 2017, 03:10:03 pm »
I'm in, and I'm riding to the start as well - but coming from East Kent so I doubt my route would be of much help to you.

I used to ride from the South Bank to Gravesend regularly and I would probably use the same route as far as Dartford - A200 to Greenwich, up Maze Hill, A207 over Shooters Hill and through Welling - then cut south from Dartford through Longfield to Meopham. (ie pretty much what trickedem said)
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #87 on: 16 April, 2017, 07:12:06 pm »
Cheers. Is there any reason not to take the A210 via Eltham to avoid the top of Shooters Hill? I need to a little bit of distance anyway to make it a 100 km round trip.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #88 on: 16 April, 2017, 10:30:33 pm »
Worth noting that the London Marathon is also on this Sunday. I doubt it will be a problem if you are ECE-ing for a 6am start as the fun doesn't get stated until about 7am but you may find there are some road closures (easily bypassed) in place at Blackheath.  It won't be a problem by the time you come back   :D

Also, yes, go to Dartford via Eltham, Blacken and Bexley and avoid the drag up to the water tower on Shooters Hill. 
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #89 on: 17 April, 2017, 10:13:21 am »
...and miss out the fun of the descent to Welling! ;)
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

ianrauk

  • Tattooed Beat Messiah
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #90 on: 17 April, 2017, 11:58:10 am »
I'm in. See y'all there, or there abouts.

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #91 on: 17 April, 2017, 06:10:08 pm »
...and miss out the fun of the descent to Welling! ;)

Fun and Welling - two words not often seen in the same sentence
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #92 on: 19 April, 2017, 03:01:17 pm »

I'm in. Forecast looking like last year's.

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #93 on: 19 April, 2017, 10:54:25 pm »
Worth noting that the London Marathon is also on this Sunday. I doubt it will be a problem if you are ECE-ing for a 6am start as the fun doesn't get stated until about 7am but you may find there are some road closures (easily bypassed) in place at Blackheath.  It won't be a problem by the time you come back   :D


Also worth noting that O&Cs is on Saturday (phew, you had me going for a moment!)

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #94 on: 20 April, 2017, 08:26:07 am »
Also worth noting that O&Cs is on Saturday (phew, you had me going for a moment!)

If you're getting your money's worth it's on two hours of Sunday plus however long grinding back into town takes.

Forecast looking like last year's.

Is that good?

Redlight

  • Enjoying life in the slow lane
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #95 on: 20 April, 2017, 08:30:13 am »
Worth noting that the London Marathon is also on this Sunday. I doubt it will be a problem if you are ECE-ing for a 6am start as the fun doesn't get stated until about 7am but you may find there are some road closures (easily bypassed) in place at Blackheath.  It won't be a problem by the time you come back   :D


Also worth noting that O&Cs is on Saturday (phew, you had me going for a moment!)

Ah.  That'll be me putting on my glasses to read the calendar next time.  :-[
Why should anybody steal a watch when they can steal a bicycle?

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #96 on: 20 April, 2017, 10:45:16 am »

Forecast looking like last year's.

Is that good?

No, not particulary. Some head wind across the marsh and potentially getting quite cold at night - last year I got very cold despite wearing winter gear. At least it's looking dry.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #97 on: 20 April, 2017, 10:49:34 am »
Tailwind down to Battle, headwind across the marsh and up the East Side, then tailwind home. Could be a lot worse!

http://www.weatherbagel.com/f/a57f5e23-1e09-4745-84b2-dc7d7486fc76
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #98 on: 20 April, 2017, 03:19:52 pm »
This'll be my first 300 and back on some of the roads I grew up with; I used to avoid Romney Marsh like the plague!

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Oasts and Coasts 300Km
« Reply #99 on: 22 April, 2017, 10:46:17 pm »
On the train home. Shattered. Ride to the start went well, but it left me a bit drained for the first leg to Uckfield and my riding companions soon dropped me. Had a fortifying breakfast at the excellent Poppins but was still struggling on the leg down to Battle, where I caught up with my riding companions. Rain started just as we left Battle but perversely, I was feeling pretty good by this point, and it was my turn to drop them. Matt and Paul passed me near Udimore but we regrouped in Rye. Tried to hang on to the ACME express train as it steamed past us across the marsh but could only stay on board for a few km - the stiff headwind meant that any small gap that opened up, eg at a bend, quickly became a chasm.

Paul pressed on from Rye while me and Matt ate, soon joined by Martin and Richard. They all then went to Aldi while I pressed on. Was expecting to see them again soon, especially as I was grovelling up the hills out of Folkestone and Dover at barely walking pace, but they never materialised. Once we turned the corner at Deal, the wind became very favourable. And I was back in the groove again so really took advantage. Caught up with Paul at Herne Bay, but not for long - I'm sure he must have been packing something illicit in his pannier as well as all the Haribos.

Final leg went quite well until about 10km from the finish when my legs turned to jelly, but I made it back to Meopham by 21.45, which I'm pretty pleased with.

365km clocked up for the day, which is by far my longest ride since June 2015.

Good to meet some old faces and make new acquaintances too. An excellent and very sociable ride.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."