Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: trundle on 26 December, 2023, 10:24:49 pm
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It's that time of year. The Poor Student, from Peartree car park, Oxford.
There were a bazillion riders last year, qualifying for PBP. It will be interesting to see the turnout in a normal year?
https://www.audax.uk/event-details/10459-the_poor_student
Clockwise this year. Anti-clockwise (again) this year. So hills early(-ish) on.
I'll remember to stop at the Malmesbury garden centre and save a climb into town.
Who knows what weather we'll get - spin the wheel of winter weather and hope!
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
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Slightly confused as the audax website seems to list the controls in an anti clockwise directed and describes it as an A/clockwise day out! I don’t want to hear the wrong way!
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
Thanks Paul - on another ride, Condordax, we took some cycleways to avoid this during the summer. Not sure if the organiser knows, we'll see when the route is published!
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Slightly confused as the audax website seems to list the controls in an anti clockwise directed and describes it as an A/clockwise day out! I don’t want to hear the wrong way!
I enquired about this, and Paul agreed there was some confusion and kindly supplied the CoRRECT controls list:
"The route is
1. Oxford
2. Shipton
3. Chipping Campden
4. Malmesbury
5. Highworth - info point
6. Shrivenham
7. Oxford
I had a lot of requests to get the hills out the way lol. As it’s my first attempt at organising I went fell to public pressure.
Cheers
Paul"
👍🙃
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I'm a bit confused now - that doubles down on anti-clockwise?
Don't mind either way, personally. Late or early hills are equally shunned in this house ;D
EDIT: Ah - now I get it. He says it IS anti-clockwise this year, as he had lots of requests to have the hills early on! I've updated the first post to reflect.
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I'm a bit confused now - that doubles down on anti-clockwise?
Don't mind either way, personally. Late or early hills are equally shunned in this house ;D
late or early hills make little difference, so it depends whether you prefer riding on the flat into a headwind when you are fresh, OR being gently blown home when you are tired from the hills.
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
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Hope for dry weather then - you might find the section from Wytham --> Godstow Abbey is flooded(*)(**) if not.
(*) To the point of me killing a car / a [unrelated] fatality in prior years
(**) Not that such "Beware of the shark" issues have stopped the loons...enjoyment of...in previous events
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
I’ve had to do the walk several times a week since April. They were supposed to pause the work in October but…
Barring flooding that route is a nice ride, you’ll have to wrestle the traffic round the A34/420 roundabout but it’s usually congested. Once past the roundabout grab the right lane.
Technically the road from Wytham to the 420 is closed to prevent cars doing what you suggest or a variation of it.
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Hope for dry weather then - you might find the section from Wytham --> Godstow Abbey is flooded(*)(**) if not.
(*) To the point of me killing a car / a [unrelated] fatality in prior years
(**) Not that such "Beware of the shark" issues have stopped the loons...enjoyment of...in previous events
oh cr@p - hadn't thought of that!
(I've never seen a flood there, but I know remember seeing news photos :facepalm: )
So I guess it's caveat emptor folks :D
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To put in in perspective the walking bit is a pain but not that bad. Only 100 yards and you pass through early so won’t be many people around
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To put in in perspective the walking bit is a pain but not that bad. Only 100 yards and you pass through early so won’t be many people around
I think we're doing that to END the ride this year (anti-clock). Otherwise, fair point ...
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
That’s the way I always go when I’ve done the Poor Student and Dean, rather than through the city :thumbsup:
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Has a GPX been published yet? I couldn't see it anywhere.
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
That’s the way I always go when I’ve done the Poor Student and Dean, rather than through the city :thumbsup:
Of course it may also depend on whether a city centre PofP is acceptable (instead of returning to Peartree)!
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Has a GPX been published yet? I couldn't see it anywhere.
I believe it's due in a day or so - however, I don't think much will have changed from previous editions https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41677598 - Copied from Iddu
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Hope for dry weather then - you might find the section from Wytham --> Godstow Abbey is flooded(*)(**) if not.
(*) To the point of me killing a car / a [unrelated] fatality in prior years
(**) Not that such "Beware of the shark" issues have stopped the loons...enjoyment of...in previous events
As you might expect in a city with more than its share of scientists, there is data (https://eodg.atm.ox.ac.uk/user/dudhia/rowing/river.html). It looks like the river is high but not close to dramatic flooding currently.
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Hope for dry weather then - you might find the section from Wytham --> Godstow Abbey is flooded(*)(**) if not.
(*) To the point of me killing a car / a [unrelated] fatality in prior years
(**) Not that such "Beware of the shark" issues have stopped the loons...enjoyment of...in previous events
Drove through this afternoon and it wasn't too bad compared to other chunks of the route! Generally the section from Chipping to Cirencester is awash in quite a few places but that might just be because of the downpour this morning. However, unless you bring a snorkel I would recommend a Left by the Stone Cross in Poole Keynes (The GPS file has been amended).
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
As you come down the ramp to the A34 there's a small cycle path sign on a post (in front of a dirty great roadworks sign) which directs you onto the quieter road down to Wytham BUT i saw (from my car) that that road is closed as well - I think it's not a proper road closure (just something to do with the roadworks at the RAB) but if someone is local it would be interesting to know.
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
As you come down the ramp to the A34 there's a small cycle path sign on a post (in front of a dirty great roadworks sign) which directs you onto the quieter road down to Wytham BUT i saw (from my car) that that road is closed as well - I think it's not a proper road closure (just something to do with the roadworks at the RAB) but if someone is local it would be interesting to know.
I’m “pretty sure” it’s just there to stop drivers from doing what your planning and using the road through Wytham as a rat run whilst the roadworks are in place.
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trundle you’re probably aware of this but the Botley Road is closed so that means people will have to walk the 100yds or so from Friedswide Square to the Botley Road.
I did that walk about a month ago and found it rather tedious! I think this (https://cycle.travel/by/matt_chambers/botley_peartree) works as a diversion* , but I have NOT seen the official route, the Org may have a better solution ...
*(note you are NOT on the A34, just a brief bit of path adjacent to it, then 3km of quiet/rural roads. I've walked most of this, never ridden it.)
As you come down the ramp to the A34 there's a small cycle path sign on a post (in front of a dirty great roadworks sign) which directs you onto the quieter road down to Wytham BUT i saw (from my car) that that road is closed as well - I think it's not a proper road closure (just something to do with the roadworks at the RAB) but if someone is local it would be interesting to know.
I’m “pretty sure” it’s just there to stop drivers from doing what your planning and using the road through Wytham as a rat run whilst the roadworks are in place.
I use this route once a week and it is open to cyclists. It is, however, closed to cars; the bit of road between the cyclist's 'gap through the hedge' and the A420 is being used as site compound for the roadworks on the roundabout.
With the recent rain, there is a good chance the road from Wytham to Wolvercote will be flooded later this week as it was only a few cm below the road last weekend.
BTW, to use the cycle path from the B4044 (after Cumnor Hill) that joins up with the 'gap through the hedge', you turn left onto the path just before the A34 flyover. This takes you up alongside the A34 exit sliproad to the crossings at the end of the A420 on the Botley roundabout. Using the crossings means you end up on the cycle path that runs alongside the A34 N entry sliproad without having to bunny hop up the curb from the sliproad. It's only shared pavement, but can save a hairy moment trying to get onto the pavement from the sliproad in the path of oncoming lorries.
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Hope for dry weather then - you might find the section from Wytham --> Godstow Abbey is flooded(*)(**) if not.
(*) To the point of me killing a car / a [unrelated] fatality in prior years
(**) Not that such "Beware of the shark" issues have stopped the loons...enjoyment of...in previous events
Drove through this afternoon and it wasn't too bad compared to other chunks of the route! Generally the section from Chipping to Cirencester is awash in quite a few places but that might just be because of the downpour this morning. However, unless you bring a snorkel I would recommend a Left by the Stone Cross in Poole Keynes (The GPS file has been amended).
Thanks for updated file Liam. Can Paul send an e-mail update?
I imagine most riders don't follow on YACF (the heresy!) Some people might have synced the route to their device before the update - I only thought about this last night and resynced.
I'm looking forward to the ride. But I think I'll go shopping on this website, just in case https://www.marinesuperstore.com/marine-instruments/depth-instruments (https://www.marinesuperstore.com/marine-instruments/depth-instruments)
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Considerable flooding of the Thames just downstream in Abingdon/Culham area (I became a train refugee this afternoon - the shame!)
Levels generally risen all week. I wouldn't be taking any risks if I were riding on Sat. Botley:
https://twitter.com/OxfordCity/status/1742876854543913230?t=HCp1Yopx6T4cMOm2UMop0w&s=19
The bit South of Cirencester often floods after downpours, so I'd be heeding Liam's advice :thumbsup:
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Theses probaly still time to knock up your own special equipment https://www.thepatentprintshop.com/product/1920-periscope-patent-print/
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Maybe it should be renamed the Pool Student for this edition?
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You should all just about be OK along the Botley Road into Oxford tomorrow. The Thames is still rising, but slowly; some roads off the Botley Road are flooded, but provided no continued rise it should remain passable. The Wytham diversion is completely out, of course.
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You should all just about be OK along the Botley Road into Oxford tomorrow. The Thames is still rising, but slowly; some roads off the Botley Road are flooded, but provided no continued rise it should remain passable. The Wytham diversion is completely out, of course.
In a live update :) My wife has just got back from town and reports minor flooding around Bridge Street; buses are getting through but she didn't want to risk her new boots ;D
As it's between the two "outbound" bus stops its also not that extensive and as we have no rain forecast should have abated by tomorrow
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(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV840qF7FqbGh9pFY-Vhyo0r0jsNhSqpaNecmQfK61IejrYZEt0DWuxbKOnXypAdc8339dtgovIAqhHwJfQypdxgQOiRhFWkhk60kPBeXvrOI6Q2icWY=w2400)
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ha ha. Luckily it's been a sunny day in Oxfordshire. [I didn't ride!]
I live just south of the route, and flooding is about as bad as I've ever seen it. The good news is that lots of tarmac is dry (thanks to the mild temps), so some bits of the ride should be really nice.(much of it is on much higher ground than here)
Facebook post shows at least a score of riders setting off, good luck to everyone out there :thumbsup:
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Surprisingly little flooding out there today (compared to last year it was like a desert). I think the only really big puddles were in Oxford itself on the way to the finish.
A really good day out as always with what I thought was a surprisingly good turn out, considering the time of year.
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Fairly dry on the whole but the alternative route to avoid Oxford center didn't work out. Just after the village where you take a tight right and go over the bridge, the road was completely flooded. Whilst we stood there in the dark guessing at the depth and weighing up options we could see a light coming towards us, that turned out to be a lad pushing a bike in wellies and waders. He said it was knee-deep at its worst. We promptly turned around and went back to Oxford. :)
(https://www.composite-projects.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PXL_20240106_180309928.jpg)
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Fairly dry on the whole but the alternative route to avoid Oxford center didn't work out. Just after the village where you take a tight right and go over the bridge, the road was completely flooded. Whilst we stood there in the dark guessing at the depth and weighing up options we could see a light coming towards us, that turned out to be a lad pushing a bike in wellies and waders. He said it was knee-deep at its worst. We promptly turned around and went back to Oxford. :)
(https://www.composite-projects.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PXL_20240106_180309928.jpg)
In my day we swam around icebergs and killer artic sharks just to prove superior local knowledge... what's wrong with you boy?????
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(https://i.imgur.com/2rCBeJS.jpg)
I had Sydney onboard, so was never going to be bothered by other Selachimorpha... ;D
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Fairly dry on the whole but the alternative route to avoid Oxford center didn't work out. Just after the village where you take a tight right and go over the bridge, the road was completely flooded. Whilst we stood there in the dark guessing at the depth and weighing up options we could see a light coming towards us, that turned out to be a lad pushing a bike in wellies and waders. He said it was knee-deep at its worst. We promptly turned around and went back to Oxford. :)
(https://www.composite-projects.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PXL_20240106_180309928.jpg)
Yes, well, faced with the flood and 2miles left of the ride OR backtrack and probably have 4 times that to ride I decided to go for it...it was axle deep, and very cold!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV86FRG4RkoGodVkg5JEa7oGkQbJxRW3qkVOb9CUMT8bLeF-y62V-4_SBqin2WMjLUf_AvyfXuZqQWVuiMVC3iP7g82ftp-Uk1oth0pfK47EnIlFApB1VcS5hkdQ6z63ftJkITBbr1lRsYNgwR_NPx4QgxA=w1106-h1475-s-no-gm?authuser=0)
Could have done with a fresh pair of socks for the drive home...
Other than that flood, the rest of the ride had much less flooding that I had expected. Enjoyed the ride overall - shame that the mist took the views away from the scenic bits, I remember them being quite worthwhile when I rode this a few years back.