Author Topic: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013  (Read 13222 times)

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #25 on: 13 April, 2013, 03:43:40 pm »
I am not audaxing (of course) but may pop along to say hi to the curry eaters.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #26 on: 15 April, 2013, 08:53:14 am »
We have 11 on the curry list so far. Auntie Helen will be most welcome to join us, as will any hangers on, Audax groupies, carers, men-in-white-coats etc....

Last year the other large group at the 'Mogul' was a rather jolly funeral wake  :-\

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #27 on: 15 April, 2013, 11:58:07 am »
Looking forward to this now (just hope the weather stays reasonable).

ECEing from London and back (back the long way). 
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Mike Conway

  • Wheel builder and general bike rider
    • 23mm-wheels
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #28 on: 16 April, 2013, 07:35:25 am »
How are you all coping with the start at midnight?

My plan involves trying to shift my days backwards during this week, waking an hour earlier each morning and going to bed an hour earlier each night, so that by Thursday morning  I'm waking at 4am, going to sleep by 9pm, then crucially on Friday, waking at 3am and sleeping by 4pm - getting in around 5 hours of sleep before waking at 9pm to head off to the start, plus an hour's sleep on the train....

That's the theory anyway...

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #29 on: 16 April, 2013, 07:45:23 am »
It is a challenge, and a tough week with my workload will make it quite hard. I rode the hard boiled with it's 2 am start a couple of weeks ago. In that, and rides like the green and yellow fields, Hereward the wake etc., I always get a dip around dawn where I need a short nap. It will be hard, especially as I have 2 nights of riding (200km to ride home afterwards). I will probably be carrying my emergency bivi bag this weekend so I can grab an hour or two sleep somewhere.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Chris S

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #30 on: 16 April, 2013, 08:45:54 am »
Pick somewhere warm Marcus, looks like it'll be a frosty night.

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #31 on: 16 April, 2013, 09:04:24 am »
Pick somewhere warm Marcus, looks like it'll be frosty night(s).

Fixed that for you.

Might not be my smartest idea with 2 nights on the road.  I should be able to find somewhere to get a bit of shuteye.  Beauty of an ECE is the bottom speed dropping to 14.3 giving me a couple of extra hours.

It will be fine.  Probably.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #32 on: 16 April, 2013, 09:28:48 am »
It always makes me smile when people do huge prep for rides like this.

I'll be getting up at my usual time, and going to bed at my usual time. I've got Friday off work, but that's so I can pick up the keys to my new house and ferry a couple of car loads of stuff there. We'll start riding down to M'tree about half six or 7 and just keep riding till we drop.

Of course, it could all go horribly wrong...

rob

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #33 on: 16 April, 2013, 11:06:27 am »
I have to fit these things around normal life.   I've got a full working week and will pop home to have some dinner and pick up the Audax bike Friday evening before riding back into town to get the train up.

I did really struggle with the dozies about 9 on Saturday morning last year, but I was on my own.   Fidgetbuzz caught me up and we then rode to the finish together.


Rob

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #34 on: 16 April, 2013, 11:51:54 am »
Last year I sat at home playing at Audax widow, nursing broken limb.

Mr Smith's running SMS commentary was, erm, not always wholly positive.
(click to show/hide)

Beauty of an ECE is the bottom speed dropping to 14.3 giving me a couple of extra hours.
Speed on this one is 15-25 so no point in racing round anyway.

rob

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #35 on: 16 April, 2013, 12:53:07 pm »
Mr Smith seemed to be flying last year.   I saw him precisely once which was at the start.

Chris S

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #36 on: 16 April, 2013, 01:52:04 pm »
Mr Smith seemed to be flying last year.   I saw him precisely once which was at the start.

Mr Smith was having some MoJo issues as I recall :facepalm:.

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #37 on: 16 April, 2013, 06:25:56 pm »
I have 2 nights of riding (200km to ride home afterwards).

Am I right in assuming this means you won't be doing the Surrey Hillier 100 on Sunday anymore?  If not, that's an amusingly mental plan you have there.


Providing my new wheel turns up in time i'm still hoping to do both, minus ECE, of course.



marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #38 on: 16 April, 2013, 07:22:24 pm »
It's not ruled out.  But it doesn't look too likely.  I'd got it planned to get some more km of the ECE done pre-Green and Yellow Fields by setting off around midday.  That's not going to work out now with some business stuff to deal with.  I'll let Billy know one way or t'other as soon as I make my mind up.

See you there (I'll have no spare wheels on board to help out this time!).
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Mike Conway

  • Wheel builder and general bike rider
    • 23mm-wheels
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #39 on: 16 April, 2013, 09:01:40 pm »
It always makes me smile when people do huge prep for rides like this.

I'll be getting up at my usual time, and going to bed at my usual time. I've got Friday off work, but that's so I can pick up the keys to my new house and ferry a couple of car loads of stuff there. We'll start riding down to M'tree about half six or 7 and just keep riding till we drop.

Of course, it could all go horribly wrong...

Indeed, I usually treat 'normal' 200's on the weekend without much prep, but a midnight start is new to me... Only thing I can relate this to is the Dunwich Dynamo, but as the start is around 8pm, I don't do much prep rather than sleep in until 11 on Saturday morning...

Actually perhaps that's the way I should treat this - go to bed silly late on Thursday and have a massive lie-in on Friday.... sounds a lot more fun ;)

Chris S

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #40 on: 16 April, 2013, 10:11:58 pm »
I notice that Swaffham McDonald's (here) claims to be 24/7 these days, so could be an opportunity to thaw out around the coldest time of the morning, if need be. It's not much of a diversion off route - a couple of km.

It was Cold O'Clock when we passed through Swaffham last year. It's about the only indoor opportunity to kill time if you've hammered it through the forest, and are in danger of beating the control at Burnham Deepdale. Might be better to burger-up at McD's and then bounce the control at the coast?

ETA: I suspect the drive-thru is the 24/7 part, but the restaurant probably opens at 5.

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #41 on: 17 April, 2013, 10:17:46 am »
I notice that Swaffham McDonald's (here) claims to be 24/7 these days,
ETA: I suspect the drive-thru is the 24/7 part, but the restaurant probably opens at 5.

Just checked. It is open at 5.00am. May use that as an alternative as am guessing Burnham cafe may be busy with 50 riders passing thru..... ::-)
Thanks for ths tip Chris.

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #42 on: 17 April, 2013, 01:31:59 pm »
just booked a ticket for 22:30 train from liverpool st

i'll be riding back though :thumbsup:

αdαmsκι

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Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #43 on: 17 April, 2013, 05:04:45 pm »
Last year I had a normal week at work, which meant getting up each day around 05h45 / 06h00. On the Friday night I had dinner at home before catching the train to Manningtree. During the ride I got very sleepy around dawn, which for me is always the worst part. After Wyndonham (sp?) I realised I had loads of time to get back to Manningtree before my allotted train, so I had a short snooze in the sun before Andy found me and we then had a leisurely last ~70 km.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

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Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #44 on: 17 April, 2013, 06:07:19 pm »
How are you all coping with the start at midnight?

My plan involves trying to shift my days backwards during this week, waking an hour earlier each morning and going to bed an hour earlier each night, so that by Thursday morning  I'm waking at 4am, going to sleep by 9pm, then crucially on Friday, waking at 3am and sleeping by 4pm - getting in around 5 hours of sleep before waking at 9pm to head off to the start, plus an hour's sleep on the train....

That's the theory anyway...
I had a busy day at work last year before the G & Y and also had the curry. Did not make any changes to my schedules, and most importantly, did not get any siesta in before the event. Had two rough patches at 4 am and then the following day at midday. Because of that, and the rubbish weather, it really was a tough event for me.

I then did the Hereward the Wake, with a 9 pm start, and made sure I slept a couple of hours before the event. That made a massive difference, and finished in good spirits and not really sleep deprived.

If you get 5 hours sleep right before the event I think you will be absolutely fine

Mike Conway

  • Wheel builder and general bike rider
    • 23mm-wheels
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #45 on: 17 April, 2013, 11:43:55 pm »
I'm taking the day off Friday, so will have a late morning and probably catch a kip for a couple of hours before setting off - no sweat ;)

I just saw Tom's email about the right turn onto the B113 at Gt Blakenham having been restricted for cyclists to make. He's suggested some alternatives, which seem OK, but I've just notice a possibly much easier method. Hop onto the bike path on the RHS of the road about 100m before the junction and simply follow it around onto the dual carriageway. You'll be on the opposite side of the road, but there is a cyclist crossing anther 100m further down as illustrated by this cyclist cross the road on street view:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=google+maps&ll=52.101774,1.096755&spn=0.003691,0.009109&client=safari&oe=UTF-8&hq=google+maps&hnear=London,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=52.101518,1.096503&panoid=AKm4Oulv8BdO5soQiiqzTg&cbp=12,227.44,,0,0.85

Tomsk

  • Fueled by cake since 1957
    • tomsk.co.uk
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #46 on: 18 April, 2013, 09:18:22 am »
Huggy reckons it's still do-able at the junction, having driven that way recently - well, lots of choices, but none really ideal from a cyclist's point of view. Probably won the Highways Dept. an award, though ::-)

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #47 on: 18 April, 2013, 07:16:00 pm »
Right - cleared much of my workload (what's the point in owning a company if you can't sneak out on a Poet's day once in a while?); so planning to ride around 185km to Manningtree and then 125km home - means that I don't spend 2 nights on the road with little sleep and get home some time midnight(ish) on Saturday night.

Looks like that wind dies a little over the weekend I hope.  And looks generally okay - dry but chilly towards dawn on Saturday. 

Should all be good fun. 

Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #48 on: 19 April, 2013, 04:56:20 pm »
Looking forward to this  :)
On the 9pm out of Liverpool St so hope to see some of you at the Mogul shortly after 10.15pm

Re: Green & Yellow Fields 300km, 00:01 Saturday 20th April 2013
« Reply #49 on: 19 April, 2013, 05:56:05 pm »
will we need a lock for the mogul? Or are we bringing bikes inside?

I'm only bringing a cable lock for the cafe control en route, but if we'll need to lock up for the curry as well I may bring my d-lock then leave it in manningtree till the end.

Bladdy locks...