Mille Cymru - Welsh 1000 - 23-26/07/2010

[vorsprung]

Hello, I`m 53 and a Norwegian who , on the spur of the moment signed up for this event when some more places where announced in May. I have been on a bicycle in GB once before some 30 years ago. I have no clue as to what I have let myself in for...

But tell me of your homeland: the sweet smelling vallleys, the swooping glaciers, dark bottomless fiords and towering purple headed mountains...  I wonder what a tour of Wales offers you when there is so much beauty where you live?

I expect that the beer is better and cheaper in Wales.  Also the glaciers in Wales are only available in liquid format

When a guy wearing a TT helmet with horns on passes me I'll think "there goes mr Bluetooth"

[thing1]

When a guy wearing a TT helmet with horns on passes me I'll think "there goes mr Bluetooth"

I assume this would this be King Harold Bluetooth, Harald blátönn Gormsson, uniter of Norway and Denmark, and bringer of Christianity to Denmark?


Wales may not be ready for this.

[Hummers]

Will there be groups to ride with ?

Just one thing on this point regarding protocol and the convention in AUK. Upon seeing a group that you may wish to join,  it is customary to sit on the back of the tail-end rider's wheel without saying a word or even asking if it is OK to tuck in behind them for the next 50k.  As you are Continental, you may be tempted to announce your presence or say "Friends. Does one mind if I am joining you please" (as one would think only right and proper) however this is generally frowned upon and can cause unnecessary alarm and consternation to the rest of the riders who are unlikely to know each other either.

No, to avoid offence, it is best to wheel suck on the back of the group and stoically ignore any social interaction with your fellow wheelmen. You may find whistling may help pass the time.

Hope this helps.

H

[JohnHamilton]

Can I mention that I'm a bit scared now?  

Yes. Fear is good. Fear leads to respect. With respect comes the road to enlightenment planning and preparation. Those who do not fear are on the path to the Dark Side pain, suffering and DNF.

If there is no fear then where is the challenge?

[JohnHamilton]

99 Riders! Bl***dy H*ll!

Currently on 86 taking out the DNS. I have no doubt that the dragon will slay a few more before the start comes round.

And there I was last year thinking I'd do well to get 40!

[JohnHamilton]

Hello, I`m 53 and a Norwegian who , on the spur of the moment signed up for this event when some more places where announced in May. I have been on a bicycle in GB once before some 30 years ago. I have no clue as to what I have let myself in for, but hope that I can get some advice here. I have only recently started riding longer distances (did PBP as my first "serious" event in 2007) so I am not very expeienced in riding an Audax by map,. Will there be groups to ride with ? If not (or, heaven forbid, I get dropped) , is the route well marked ? I hope to use my newly bought Garmin 705 but have yet to master the GPS function. What kind of weather to expect ?

Hello Bluetooth,

If you've ridden PBP previously then the distance shouldn't worry you. The terrain in Wales is somewhat more challenging though. PBP is generally reckoned at 9,000m ascent. Mille Cymru is nearly 14,000. So 50% more in 200k less. Generalisations about the type of climbing don't mean much - there's a bit (OK, a lot) of everything - long gradual, short & steep, long & steep!

Audax routes are not waymarked in the UK as previously mentioned (other than signposting some of the controls). The turn by turn routesheet (draft available on the event website) will direct you round the course. I'll be providing a GPS file which will be 1 track per stage. Keep your position on this track on the GPS and you're on route. A map is useful in the event you do go off route.

My current forecast is for 80 riders. So it'll be a very different experience to PBP. The terrain will also tend to reduce the tendency for big bunches to form. With that number it will still be likely that you should find others to team up with, but equally it would be possible to end up riding the whole thing on your own.

As for weather, well as you've probably gathered from the other posts; expect a bit of everything. It can and probably will do anything. So be prepared for all weather. Take advantage of the bag drop to send some clean clothing to Llanwrtyd. If the forecast is good then you can leave surplus there as you'll never be more than a day ride away after the first day.

Feel free to ask questions, either to me direct or on here.

John.

[PloddinPedro]

........Those who do not fear are on the path to the Dark Side pain, suffering and DNF."

I rather think that's where I'm headed however prepared/fearful I am!

[Hot Flatus]

I'm really looking forward to it. 

[Weirdy Biker]

I'm really looking forward to it. 

Me too.  It's a shame we have over a month to wait as I am good to go now 

Respectful rather than fearful best describes my feelings about the challenge ahead.

[vorsprung]

Don't do what I just did

Don't download the "Schedule Planner" spreadsheet and put realistic numbers into it

It predicted I would finish at 12:51 monday lunchtime

[Bluetooth]

Thanks for amusing,friendly and helpful answers. I am really looking forward to visiting the UK again. I shall silently suck the rear  wheels of you tweed-clad gentlemen and try not to prod anyones backside with my horned helmet.

[Hot Flatus]

and and try not to prod anyones backside with my horned helmet.

Expect at least three attempts by Hummers to touch your genitalia.  If this happens you can alert his carer by shouting out the safety words "JEREMY BEADLE! JEREMY BEADLE!"

[mattc]

What kind of weather to expect ?

The UK climate is changeable, Wales even more so. If you did PBP 2007 then that's one end of the scale of what could happen (I didn't ride it but I read the stories).

Plan and prepare for rain but bring suncream. It may be cool at the top of the passes (you only go up to 600m elevation max) and you'll get cold on the descents if wet. Temperature drops quite a bit after dark (see below) but never below freezing in July.

Here's a photo of Snowdonia (you'll be going through here on day 1):-

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/IMG_0910.JPG

Quite a few people got a bit of sunburn that day. Later that night it rained (the faster riders would have missed that). On another day you'd get 30mm of rain there.

Daytime temperature should be mid 20s ^oC but a rare heatwave could push that up to low ^o30s C, at night it shouldn't go below 5^oC but that means you'll need an extra layer (arm/leg warmers, windproof gilet/jacket and possibly a skullcap/headwarmer).

I would plan for PBP-2007 weather, but 3-4' colder at night. (and then be grateful if it isn't!)

With regards earlier comments about Recce Rides: I believe I rode a 400 in May that  avoided all but a few k of the 1000*. Where does this put me on the wheel of karma?

*that I'm aware of, anyway ...

[mattc]

My current forecast is for 80 riders.

John:
What is the check-in procedure (other than normal event stuff)? It's an 0600 start now, what time will sign-in commence?
Will we collect Jerseys on the day?
Any special bag-drops arrangements?

[i'm only asking this early so we know what time to arrive. And hence what time to go to bed / checkin to accomodation ... !]

[Justin(e)]

My current forecast is for 80 riders.

I predict 46 finishers.  Anybody else care to have a guesstimate?

[vorsprung]

My current forecast is for 80 riders.

I predict 46 finishers.  Anybody else care to have a guesstimate?

No.

[JohnHamilton]

Much the same as normal really.

The hall will be open from about 5pm on the Thursday, so anyone arriving the night before can come and register then (less to do at silly o'clock on Friday). Anyone who's entered online will need to sign a standard AUK form (which will be supplied) and you can pick up your Brevet card, jersey and a tag for your bag drop then.

Bag drop - attach your tag and dump your bag in the designated bag drop area any time before 0600.

The actual start will be staggered over 30mins from 0600-0630 to split the field up into smaller groups (most likely 3x25 at 00, 15 & 30). First come first served and your card will be marked with your actual start time (same as PBP), which will be taken into account when working out your actual finish time (and the finish closing time so if you start at 0630 you still get 75 hours to 0930 on Monday)

I'm doing a route check of leg 2, plus some of 3 and 4 next weekend, after which I'll be posting out full arrangements for the end of the month. Then it's the helpers ride on the weekend of the 9th July after which the final routesheet will be available.

What is the check-in procedure (other than normal event stuff)? It's an 0600 start now, what time will sign-in commence?
Will we collect Jerseys on the day?
Any special bag-drops arrangements?

[i'm only asking this early so we know what time to arrive. And hence what time to go to bed / checkin to accomodation ... !]

[TOBY]

I notice there's a small mention of this ride in this months C+

[TOBY]

 

[Nuncio]

What did C+ have to say about it.  Was it just time/place/distance?

[Hummers]

 

I say!

How spiffy.

H

[Weirdy Biker]

 

My precioussssss.

[MattH]

What did C+ have to say about it.  Was it just time/place/distance?

It's in a feature called "Your best summer yet", with lots of snippets about training, nutrition, health etc.

Under on of the "fun" topics, it lists "Audax, my boy...". There are a couple of sentences about what Audax is (self sufficient distance rides, not as glamorous as sportives, but "... they easily beat them for a challenge."

In a single sentence it describes Mille Cymru as "epic", says that it is full, and gives the aukweb URL.

Pretty balanced.

[Manotea]

Fabtastic. I suspect they will not come easy!

Martin Malins will be spitting blood! He'll have to ride the next edition now....

[Nuncio]

Thanks Matt.