Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Audax => Topic started by: LiamFitz on 07 March, 2009, 07:01:34 pm

Title: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: LiamFitz on 07 March, 2009, 07:01:34 pm
Anyone doing this one?

Liam
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: BornAgainCyclist on 07 March, 2009, 07:05:44 pm
Me, the 100k event together with another GS Avanti Club mate
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: toontra on 07 March, 2009, 07:06:29 pm
Doing the 150, as last year.  Let's hope for slightly better weather - it was wet, cloudy, windy and generally a bit miserable if I remember.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: LiamFitz on 07 March, 2009, 07:11:07 pm
I've signed up for the 200 and wondering if there is any YACF wisdom to share...

Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: simonp on 07 March, 2009, 08:18:08 pm
I've signed up for the 200 and wondering if there is any YACF wisdom to share...



Don't get tempted to stop on returning to HQ at the end of one of the loops.

Do take advantage of the excellent food at HQ.

Won't be there this year.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: iddu on 07 March, 2009, 09:21:56 pm
Aye
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Andrij on 08 March, 2009, 09:17:04 am
I'm doing the 200 and really looking forward to it.  It's a nice ride - even better when the roads aren't covered in frogs...
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 08 March, 2009, 11:23:14 am
I will be there.  It was a great ride last year.  Watch out for the frogs if it rains.

The food was superb, as where the organisers and helpers.


Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Greenbank on 08 March, 2009, 12:33:29 pm
Very tempting but starting a 700km ride (well a 300, 200, 200 on subsequent days) the next day so probably not the wisest.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Chris S on 08 March, 2009, 12:52:57 pm
Not this time. Springtime 200 yesterday and Haslingfield 200 at the end of the month is enough for my March fix.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: red marley on 08 March, 2009, 01:04:39 pm
By the end of this week it will be almost seven days since I last rode through Thaxted, so I will be there to get my fix. And to have had a March without the traversals of Rickling Green numbering double figures, is well, not to have lived.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: teethgrinder on 08 March, 2009, 01:55:38 pm
I'm doing the 200 and really looking forward to it.  It's a nice ride - even better when the roads aren't covered in frogs...



Weren't they toads?
Anyway, what's wrong with our amphibeous friends? They are a good feature of the ride.
If youride the Start of the Summertime Special from Stevenage, you do that bit of oad again. It will be covered in squashed toads.

I forgot to enter this one. :'(
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: slowfen on 08 March, 2009, 04:38:07 pm

Anyway, what's wrong with our amphibeous friends? They are a good feature of the ride.
If youride the Start of the Summertime Special from Stevenage, you do that bit of oad again. It will be covered in squashed toads.


I found that.
Whats wrong, they are very slippy
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tiger on 09 March, 2009, 08:47:35 am
I am doing this but don't seem to have had teh route yet - has everyine else got theirs?
Anyone posted a GPS yet?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: pendio on 09 March, 2009, 09:26:25 am
Got mine, arrived middle of last week.  Type face is a bit small for me.   Hope the weather is better than yesterday for the Upper Tea 200 - take me all week to clean my machine :(
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: arabella on 09 March, 2009, 01:21:15 pm
I am hoping to get here all by myself this time (unlike 2 years back), and make a weekend of it, staying in the lovely bungalow both nights (very civilised).
It will all go horribly wrong when I find a way of getting to Clacton by 8:45am on Sunday morning and have to rush back late Sat to take small guy to a judo competition.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Martin on 09 March, 2009, 01:44:22 pm
Hope the weather is better than yesterday for the Upper Tea 200 - take me all week to clean my machine :(

check  :-\

Really odd; the only rain we had was from about Blackdown to Pease Pottage on mostly well surfaced roads, but the recently wetted lanes between there and Fletching managed to produce a goodly layer of skog which is currently on my patio.

re the OP; the Uts does test the persistence of the hardened randonneur; going back once to the HQ is bad enough but dragging oneself out for a third loop in the rain while most of the other riders are putting their bikes back into their cars.....
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 March, 2009, 02:23:13 pm
re the OP; the Uts does test the persistence of the hardened randonneur; going back once to the HQ is bad enough but dragging oneself out for a third loop in the rain while most of the other riders are putting their bikes back into their cars.....

When I did this ride in 2007, I was just leaving the 'uts for the second loop when jwo arrived.  I wondered how, as a general GPS guru, he had managed to go so horribly off-route as to be about an hour behind me.

Until the horrible truth dawned.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 09 March, 2009, 02:36:36 pm
I am hoping to get here all by myself this time (unlike 2 years back), and make a weekend of it, staying in the lovely bungalow both nights (very civilised).
It will all go horribly wrong when I find a way of getting to Clacton by 8:45am on Sunday morning and have to rush back late Sat to take small guy to a judo competition.

I can take you home after, unless you want to stay an extra night?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: damerell on 09 March, 2009, 05:26:25 pm
I'm in for this one - the 200 out of that neck of the woods on Saturday went well, what can go wrong?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Chris S on 09 March, 2009, 07:05:58 pm
Forecast is looking wild blowy windy breezy. Have fun folks!  :)
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: bazzerp on 09 March, 2009, 07:12:06 pm
Forecast is 25mph, gusting to 35 - will the Frogs fly ?

Doing (or is that was doing) the 100, saving myself for Haslingfield 200  :)
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: drossall on 10 March, 2009, 11:57:30 pm
I'm on the 150.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: arabella on 11 March, 2009, 10:15:30 am
I can take you home after, unless you want to stay an extra night?
tempting.  I've decided that the judo competition is out (no way of getting there on time due to train work etc), if I don't feel dead I may stay for the extra km on Sunday, otoh a full Sunday to lounge about work in the garden is also good.
I'll let you know on the day unless you need to know beforehand.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Rob on 11 March, 2009, 11:09:55 am
Will be on the 200.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 11 March, 2009, 05:04:05 pm
I can take you home after, unless you want to stay an extra night?
tempting.  I've decided that the judo competition is out (no way of getting there on time due to train work etc), if I don't feel dead I may stay for the extra km on Sunday, otoh a full Sunday to lounge about work in the garden is also good.
I'll let you know on the day unless you need to know beforehand.

No problem Arabella, just let me know on the day.  Do you want a lift down in the morning?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tiger on 11 March, 2009, 05:15:47 pm
Chain is oiled and legs are waxed.  Ready for the off. I see it is mostly downhill which is good.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Martin on 12 March, 2009, 12:44:11 am
Until the horrible truth dawned.

he'd done all 3 loops in an hour longer the time it took you to do one?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: arabella on 12 March, 2009, 11:42:53 am
No problem Arabella, just let me know on the day.  Do you want a lift down in the morning?
no, but thanks.
I'm trying to get a few miles in my legs.  I shall bimble over in a leisurely way from 4pm onwards tomorrow. (feel free to join me!)

When I did this ride in 2007, I was just leaving the 'uts for the second loop when jwo arrived.  I wondered how, as a general GPS guru, he had managed to go so horribly off-route as to be about an hour behind me.
Until the horrible truth dawned.
Same thing happened to me that same year.  This was the time I tried and failed to draft you on your 'bent.  jwo had finished 3 loops in the time I had done 2.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 12 March, 2009, 12:08:14 pm
No problem Arabella, just let me know on the day.  Do you want a lift down in the morning?
no, but thanks.
I'm trying to get a few miles in my legs.  I shall bimble over in a leisurely way from 4pm onwards tomorrow. (feel free to join me!)

Hmmm. Am tempted.  Let me look at the logistics.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Mr Larrington on 12 March, 2009, 12:08:22 pm
Until the horrible truth dawned.

he'd done all 3 loops in an hour longer the time it took you to do one?


Not beyond the bounds of possibility, but he was just finishing the second as I left on same, finding myself wondering why I hadn't taken the sneaky option:


 ;D
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 13 March, 2009, 01:24:29 pm
Does anyone know the official start time of the 200?  One of the sheets of paper says 08.00 and the other 08.30!

Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: delthebike on 13 March, 2009, 01:30:10 pm
0830 on the AUK site.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 13 March, 2009, 01:32:49 pm
0830 on the AUK site.

Thank you :-*

That means I get to rest a little longer.  I had thought about cycling up with Arabella tonight and back on Sunday but not up to that for another couple of weeks.  Could do the ride back but that would mean leaving my car at the Uts.  There isn't a train link in the early hours so am reluctantly driving over in the morning..... that is unless I can get Mr A and JC out of bed at the crack of dawn to drive me there.  Hmmmm.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: BornAgainCyclist on 13 March, 2009, 08:19:43 pm
I'm about to load carbo - a large scotch & dry ginger ana packet of crisps. If you see an old bald geezer in a GS Avanti jersey tomorrow- that'll be me, come up and say hello, its always sometimes occasionally good to put names to faces :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: iddu on 15 March, 2009, 12:14:17 am
That means I get to rest a little longer.

masseurs - FRONT AND CENTRE - ppd (petite pretty damsel :-* ) wants mid-ride relief.
c'mon, c'mon; form an orderly queue, you bunch of reprobates...

Select field for the 200 - there's the fast group, and then the rest of us kooks & spooks. Seem to have been running at a pace where I rode solo for most of the day, but it was still enjoyable (even with the cooling breezes).  Lotsa flat bits (with no shelter) and the rest rolling (with no shelter  ;) ) - so a good workout.

Saw a 'wowbaggus velopedius' in the wild, looking resplendent in spring plumage  ;D

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2633.jpg)
It's no use pretending you're 'Schnozzle' Durante - we know who's to blame...

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2634.jpg)
"Riders little helper"

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up the Uts/CIMG2635.jpg)
"Toast - am I bovverred?..."

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2636.jpg)
So eager

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2638.jpg)
One dressed for the Artic, One for the day, and One for Summer - that seems to cover all perms...

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2644.jpg)
Inspired desire for bacon butties at the end

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2645.jpg)
Sprung hast Sping

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2650.jpg)
"I am enjoying this. I am enjoying this. I am enjoying this..."

(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r200/iddu/20090314-Up%20the%20Uts/CIMG2652.jpg)
Well, dem Flies can just bug right back out of my business!

Bathed, dusted, and a lot less fragrant; see y'all next time ;D
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 15 March, 2009, 12:35:32 am
Just home after dropping off Arabella. 

131 windy and rather painful miles, more of that later. 

Great company, very pleased with myself.  No massage at any point so quite disappointed.

More tomorrow when I have bathed and tended to my injuries/wounds.  I am wondering if a trip to A & E might be in order but trying to explain why I need them to look down there might be too much for a Saturday evening, a bit of DIY will have to suffice for tonight.

Will say more later today.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 15 March, 2009, 06:02:37 am
Well that was quite a day.

Lots of YACFers at the start, in fact more than I have seen in a long time. 

Best dressed prize goes to Iddu for his most interesting and colourful socks :)

The weather was interesting, there weren't any toads this year, well perhaps just the one sitting watching from the side lines.  The wind was not our best friend, thoughts of just doing the 100k entered my mind but were soon forgotten after yet another round of apple pie and custard.

Neither Arabella or I had tackled a 200 since November and in my case it felt like November 2 years ago.

We formed a nice little grupetto, myself, Arabella, Andrij and Dave.  We also rode briefly with Roger and Janet minus John.  Andrij left the bosom of the group in favour of riding with the fast guys and girls but we all know it was the sight of the pink bootees that lured him into a false sense of security.  We were to meet again at the lunch stop.

Sadly the cafe at Stisted only had fruit filled cake, I don't do dried fruit in any shape and had to settle for yet more toast, not the best food for a Pixie on a windy day.  Next time I will take my own, if there is a next time.

When the going got tough, Arabella and I were motivated by the sight of Dave's thighs, a girl has to have something to chase and this worked for us.  Sadly they weren't visible in the dark so that is something that we will have to work on for the future.

OK, how many times can a person visit Rickling Green, it isn't as if there is anything worse visiting there, best to just ride like fury and get out the other side.

That reminds me, I didn't get swallowed up by the Henham Triangle this year, just as well as ChrisS wasn't there to rescue me.

We did play silly games, 'eye spy' kept us amused for well over an hour and no we never did see Roger again until the finish so what was that last 'R' all about?  We also played some other games but perhaps they are best left to the iimagination.  A few bad words were had later on when both Dave and I began to suffer the effects of two many bumps and holes.

I had thought of calling a taxi, probably around the fifth time we went through Rickling Green.  The crew kept me going and offered words of wisdom, at least I think that's what they were.
 
Jelly beans were consumed and after that I became a very silly Pixie and was found to wave to anyone and everyone, complete with smile and a wink.

I am sure I have more to write but right now I need to eat my breakfast and consider my future in the saddle.  I don't think I will be sitting down for some time to come.

Thanks to the organisers and for the great company. :-*

On the plus side, I can descend much faster and being unable to sit now means I have done the washing, had my second salt bath, made breakfast and unloaded the car. 

Sadly we said goodbye to Ben at the Stisted cafe due to a rather nasty looking down tube failure/crack.

I apologise to everyone for the sight of me wandering around in a sheet at the Arrivee.

Thanks to the kind gentleman at the lunch stop, who after 47km of his 100km decided to call it a day.  We were offered his bananas and didn't waste time in snapping them up, there was one for both Arabella and myself and a third for emergency 'between the cheeks' therapeutic application, instead it went to Andrij.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: mike on 15 March, 2009, 07:06:33 am
Tsk.  My fault enirely, I should have put my yacf shirt on a flagpole outside the house and you could all have popped in for tea and cake...   We're just before the info control in Chrishall.

Sorry all - next time!
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tiger on 15 March, 2009, 09:54:05 am
Lovely day out. Smashing morning, lovely lanes, bread pudding at the cafe stop, soup at lunch - what could be better?
Just after setting off from the HQ after lunch passed some returnees in raceface - they must have caned it all the way.  Then a few k on - discovered I had left my new phone 'somewhere' so had to retyrn to HQ to find it under a table. The energy just seemed to drain away at that point so I decided to make my way home while still happy.
Chiltern Cotswolds nest week! wind. wind. and more wind.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Rob on 15 March, 2009, 10:36:27 am
Chatted to a few acquaintances at the start.   Met Andrij for the first time even though, it transpires, we have a exchanged mails several times professionally.

I had a fast run to Stisted in the company of Mick and Matt Cant and Lucy and Dick, down South for a few days.   We turned into the wind and I remembered that I had had a busy week and still wasn't very fit, so it was a steady plug into the wind back to the HQ.   Found Malcolm from the Suffolk DA stuck at the roadside with a seized rear wheel.   When we got it out the rear tube exploded.   The hub turned out to be fine and it looked like the rear tyre had popped off and seized against the chainstays.   Could have been a lot worse.

Back at the HQ, I had a quick sandwich and cake and got straight back into the wind which became more of a struggle.   I knew I would be on my own for a while so plugged into the i-Pod which helped the morale.

I got back to the HQ at 4.45 and had another sandwich and apple pie.   The first bit of the last loop was steady due to the wind and a few lumps, but I finally turned for a wind assisted 20k back to the finish.   It had just got dark on a fast B-road and I started to enjoy myself, singing along to the i-Pod.   I'm glad the road was deserted at that point.

Rolled into the finish in just under 11 hours which I'm quite happy with for the time of year.   Bit sore today, but nothing too bad.   First 300k of the year in just under 2 weeks.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: iddu on 15 March, 2009, 10:38:00 am
Best dressed prize goes to Iddu for his most interesting and colourful socks :)

Yerzzz - rather retching, wern't they  ;)
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: damerell on 15 March, 2009, 12:38:52 pm
More tomorrow when I have bathed and tended to my injuries/wounds.  I am wondering if a trip to A & E might be in order but trying to explain why I need them to look down there might be too much for a Saturday evening, a bit of DIY will have to suffice for tonight.

I was half wondering if I had actually done you a favour by fixing your headlight at 160k and enabling you to collect an extra 50k worth of injury.

Quite a pleasant ride for me apart from the left hand - I stabbed myself in it two days ago with the end of a rivet and it was quite painful.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: annie on 15 March, 2009, 01:18:59 pm
More tomorrow when I have bathed and tended to my injuries/wounds.  I am wondering if a trip to A & E might be in order but trying to explain why I need them to look down there might be too much for a Saturday evening, a bit of DIY will have to suffice for tonight.

I was half wondering if I had actually done you a favour by fixing your headlight at 160k and enabling you to collect an extra 50k worth of injury.

Quite a pleasant ride for me apart from the left hand - I stabbed myself in it two days ago with the end of a rivet and it was quite painful.

You did, I am not one to give up easily. :-*

The damage had already been done and I had every intention of getting to the end come hell or high water.

Hope your hand is a little less sore today.  Give it a clean as it looked a little bit nasty.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: LiamFitz on 15 March, 2009, 02:29:39 pm
I ended the final section of the 200 in much better spirits than expected.  A nice start with Werner, Peter T and some bloke on a recumbent who seemed blessed with an uncanny ability to miss the worst lumps!

But the post lunch grovel in the wind had me wondering if I'd bother with loops 2 and 3 - I think if i'd had to go back for my phone I know i'd have ended up in my car on the way home.  Not helped by seeing during the first visit to Rickiling Green a fast group finishing that stage (anyone remember Bill and Ted's Bogus Adventure - or whatever it was called).

Got lost after Chrishill - went right despite clear instruction to go left - but had the fantastic bonus of 1o minutes at 35kph downhill with a tailwind.  This was in fact what made me very happy at the end.  Did last loop with Peter and after the last info there was still enough of a taol breeze to drive us almost all the way through the last 20K. 

After a day of slogging away 20K at speed wipes away all evil memories.

Great organisation - really nice crew working the kitchens and keeping everything cheery all the way through.

Liam
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: drossall on 15 March, 2009, 02:58:39 pm
The first part of the 150k event was fine of course with wind assistance. I rode briefly with toontra between Bardfield and Shalford, dropping him easily on one downhill only to get dropped far more decisively as the road turned up. You may draw your own conclusions from that. I only spotted his YACF jersey from the back as he disappeared up the road.

I quite enjoyed the challenge of the windy section back from Stisted, and did bit-and-bit with one Southend rider back into Bardfield, which is where it all went wrong. I didn't handle the handful of miles of rolling countryside into Thaxted at all well, and punctured half way there. That was it really - with a little more time lost, and reduced to a grind, I decided that I wasn't going to make it round the final loop in time for our evening dinner with friends. Shame, as there were still riders coming in behind me as I loaded my bike into the car - and then toontra came down the hill having got an entire loop ahead of me :-[

Good ride as ever though...
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: toontra on 15 March, 2009, 03:21:33 pm
Good to meet you drosall.  Punctures can really upset your rhythm and are unwelcome at the best of times, let alone when on a stiff leg into the wind, so sympathies.  I also encountered Andrij outside the Speciality Tearooms, who was wearing the only other YACF jersey I've seen so far.  Wowbagger was omnipresent, patrolling the Essex lanes and making sure they are fit and safe for forum members.

I was theoretically with a group including three Ironman women (if that isn't tautologous) who were doing their first audax, which they enjoyed and promised to do more.  Very pleasant day all round, if a little windy.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: arabella on 15 March, 2009, 05:04:53 pm
I cycled over on the Friday - all roads lead to Thaxted, the only road leading away was the wrong one, a few extra km, never mind.  I stuffed my sarnies and rice pud and off the bed.  Thinking the ride started at 8:00 I got up in plenty of time, to discover I could have had 30 mins more sleep, oh well.

I failed to recognise iddu until I noticed tigger-onna-bike and connected that with the socks.  Having failed to change shoes before I left my paltry attempt at jolly socks stayed hidden in my cat boots.  My feet were comfy nonetheless.

The wind was 'orrible for the first 70km, I never spotted the bit where we should've had a tailwind.  Luckily each subsequent loop was shorter.  We spotted jwo (young-looking chap, still, but then I have 5 months on him age-wise, alas I feel far more than that older than he looks)  finishing his second loop as we finished our first, and then off to the station as we finished our second.  Alas Annie and I never got around to attaching ourselves troika fashion behind him with a handy bungy.

Eventually the wind dropped.  We ribbed those spendthrifts who'd not got such good value for money.  The most popular 1-spy item was 'r' for road as we never caught Roger who for some reason didn't spend ages at the controls.  There was only one Richard Phipps and we saw him but at the start and end of the ride. (Ditto most other people).

I wimped out of cycling back today and caught a life*t with Annie.
*strange typo

Nice day out in the compny of Annie, Dave, Andrij, Janet, Ben etc.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Rob on 15 March, 2009, 05:46:48 pm
Did last loop with Peter and after the last info there was still enough of a taol breeze to drive us almost all the way through the last 20K. 

Ah.   It was me that rode with you on and off (actually mostly off) for the last loop.

Rob
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: damerell on 15 March, 2009, 06:56:56 pm
Hope your hand is a little less sore today.  Give it a clean as it looked a little bit nasty.

It's fine, actually, I think yesterday it was just leaking a bit of claret which looked like dirt when dried.

Nice ride overall but the headwind on the first loop was a bit stiff. Why are headwind legs always on the dead flat exposed bits of the course, eh?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: LiamFitz on 15 March, 2009, 08:52:45 pm
Did last loop with Peter and after the last info there was still enough of a taol breeze to drive us almost all the way through the last 20K. 

Ah.   It was me that rode with you on and off (actually mostly off) for the last loop.

Rob

It's funny how you can cover vast distances on an audax within 50m of someone but never really say hello...

What was on the ipod?

Liam
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: PloddinPedro on 15 March, 2009, 09:18:32 pm
A good ride - dry, always a good start - but I found the wind bl**dy irritating and combined with a bit of an "off" day, legswise, suffered rather more than usual. Got there good and early, so a leisurely preparation. Chatted with Arabella, Peter T., Annie and others (names unknown) before the off. Let the fast bunch go (no choice really!) and teamed up with Mick and Matt Cant, Jane S., Lucy, Dick and a couple of others. Stayed with them as far as the turn towards Wickham St. Paul where I stopped for a comfort break and never got back on, finally giving up when the rear tyre went soft. Rolled into Stisted and stopped for tea and cakes with Mick, Matt and Jane. Matt was on on 81" fixed and contemplating the headwind back to Henham sensibly decided to save his knees for another day! Mick and Jane towed me out of Stisted and Bocking but into the wind up the long drag through Panfield and Jasper's Green I gradually lost touch with them; and then the rear tyre flatted again.

Flogged on back to the HQ, spotting Wowbagger and another (DeltheBike?) enjoying the tailwind across Andrews Airfield. Got caught by a speeding toontra, who paused briefly to check the answer to the Stebbing Green info before racing off into the distance. After apple pie and custard at the HQ, set off into the bl**dy wind again. Also came to an unnecessary halt alongside some other riders, to look for the answer to the Chrishall info question before I realised we were in Elmdon and they were doing the 100k! Regaining the HQ after the second loop, Mick and Jane kindly paused for an extra five minutes for me to latch on and I then enjoyed having my legs ripped off again all the way around Furneaux Pelham and Great Hormead until we finally made Great Chishall after which my surplus avoirdupois came into its own and we tanked down the hill all the way home, pausing only to switch on the illuminations.

Still a good route, through pleasant country, although I didn't appreciate the extra kilometres at the time. No doubt I'll be back for more next year!
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: BornAgainCyclist on 16 March, 2009, 12:32:04 pm
Belated report from me, (haven't been near a 'puter Since Friday).
We whimped out of the 150/200K to concentrate on the 100K (that was enough for me at this time of the year).
Me and my Avanti clubmate didn't arrive until the 200k'ers were long gone and left for home before the 150K and 200K riders got back, so didn't get a chance to meet any YACF'ers.
Organisation and warmth of reception was great, the volunteers running the kitchen were stars!
The lack of hedgerows in Essex caused us some grief during the middle of the ride, exposing us to the full force of the cold westerly headwind.
This was my first ever Audax, and I learn't a few things from it (like keeping the route sheet and card in a polythene bag in your back pocket is a PITA). Oh, and when you see riders in the group you are following- writing in the card in advance - don't expect them to stop at information controls. Otherwise you'll have to backtrack a mile or so for the information and loose your tow.
I did enjoy the event and look forward to doing another one. Now I'm off to Google one of the those little plastic route sheet holders that everyone seems to have on their handlebar extension.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tiger on 16 March, 2009, 01:33:10 pm

 I then enjoyed having my legs ripped off again all the way around Furneaux Pelham and Great Hormead until we finally made Great Chishall after which my surplus avoirdupois came into its own and we tanked down the hill all the way home, pausing only to switch on the illuminations.


Was that the Solidlight upgrade I sent you? works?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: BornAgainCyclist on 16 March, 2009, 02:04:41 pm
. . . Now I'm off to Google one of the those little plastic route sheet holders that everyone seems to have on their handlebar extension.

Err! Having a bit of a problem trying to source one of these. Anyone got a link?
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Rob on 16 March, 2009, 02:12:25 pm
What was on the ipod?

Starsailor followed by Elbow.   Rounded the day off nicely.

Rob
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tim Hall on 16 March, 2009, 05:09:22 pm
. . . Now I'm off to Google one of the those little plastic route sheet holders that everyone seems to have on their handlebar extension.

Err! Having a bit of a problem trying to source one of these. Anyone got a link?

Try Rixen Kaul Mini Map holder. Or Maptrap.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: PloddinPedro on 16 March, 2009, 06:52:35 pm
. . . Now I'm off to Google one of the those little plastic route sheet holders that everyone seems to have on their handlebar extension.
Err! Having a bit of a problem trying to source one of these. Anyone got a link?
The Polaris "Map Trap" is the commonly used plastic spring clip thingy - try:
POLARIS Map-Trap Spares 2008 :: £5.99 :: PARTS & ACCESSORIES :: Miscellaneous Items :: Bike Shed UK/bikeshed/bicycle shed/bicycleshed/schwinn/giant/kona/saracen/base/mission/da bomb/dabomb/trials bikes (http://www.bike-shed.com/products.php?plid=m2b7s124p2101)

but if you Google determindly you can find them at SJSC, the CTC shop and other places I think.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: PloddinPedro on 16 March, 2009, 06:55:05 pm

 I then enjoyed having my legs ripped off again all the way around Furneaux Pelham and Great Hormead until we finally made Great Chishall after which my surplus avoirdupois came into its own and we tanked down the hill all the way home, pausing only to switch on the illuminations.


Was that the Solidlight upgrade I sent you? works?
Embarrassed to admit I haven't yet plucked up the courage/got around to fitting this yet - holidays got in the way - but it's high on the jobs list, since I'm now looking to get the 300k and 400k in.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Manotea on 16 March, 2009, 09:44:10 pm
. . . Now I'm off to Google one of the those little plastic route sheet holders that everyone seems to have on their handlebar extension.

Err! Having a bit of a problem trying to source one of these. Anyone got a link?

Try Rixen Kaul Mini Map holder. Or Maptrap.

The Polaris Maptrap is the epitome of good design. Whilst apparently similiar, the Rixen Kaul effort is not.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 16 March, 2009, 09:49:47 pm
BornAgainCyclist, I was about to offer you my Rixen Kaul one but, as Manotea has indicated, it's crap.

The mounting system on the Polaris is better if you bar setup allows it.

If you'd prefer the RK, let me know.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: drossall on 16 March, 2009, 10:36:56 pm
I get on fine with the RK one. I'm on my second, because one did break on the Manifold Valley trail, riding rather fast to get help for a broken arm (not mine!) on the rough roads. That's useful because I have several bikes to fit the bracket to so I got a second bracket that way.

I think this second map trap actually rattles less than the first, as well :)
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Tim Hall on 16 March, 2009, 10:42:28 pm
I've just bought my second RK one, having lost the clip part somewhere in shedspace. I never had any trouble with the first one.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: damerell on 17 March, 2009, 01:28:58 am
Zefal used to do a two-velcro-strap one (they now do a three-strap one, the Doomap, which is useless if you mount anything else on your bars, sigh; but if you look up the Doomap and imagine one like it with two straps at one edge, that is what the one I refer to is like). One very like it is now made with a Michelin stamp on it, which means you can only mount it one way up because the other side has a damnfool logo on it which you will inevitably want to cycle under.

However I still use it because it has no clamp on the bike itself so is useful with multiple bikes.
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: BornAgainCyclist on 17 March, 2009, 10:19:27 am
Thanks for all the info. In view of wot's bin said, I've ordered a Polaris Map Trap from cycleshopping.co.uk (they used to be cobr.co.uk), for £16.66 inc delivery. :)
Title: Re: Up the uts - 14 March
Post by: Greenbank on 18 March, 2009, 06:20:37 pm
The RK one is perfectly fine. I've got too much stuff on my handlebars to fit a MapTrap.

I used one for 2 years before I switched over to GPS (I just carry the routesheet and a few elastic bands to attach it to my arm in case the GPS stops working). Still have the mount on the handlebars though, just in case I do need it.