Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Simon_A on 10 January, 2015, 05:45:22 pm
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I couldn't find a 2015 thread, so here goes and apologies to the organiser if I've jumped the gun by starting one.
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-36/ (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-36/)
I'm signed up and received my route card today. Intending to ECE by riding from home.
Also considering, weather & energy/enthusiasim permitting, detouring to look at Thames Head since it's so close.
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I rode the Flapjack last year and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Only one hill of any note as I recall and enough food to feed a family of four for a week. I've signed up for this year too. :thumbsup:
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I have signed up for this...3rd year in a row although I am yet to make it so hoping there will be no threat of snow/ice or torrential and prolonged rain this year.
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Not many places left, apparently.
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Hoping that we'll both be well enough this year to take the tandem around.
If the route is similar to last year then, a lot of it is fairly flat round the Cotswolds water park area, but the start and end have hills. Wick Hill near the start, then a couple of smaller ones through Castle Combe and Ford at the end. The good news is that the hill out of Ford has been resurfaced, which is a big improvement...
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Hoping that we'll both be well enough this year to take the tandem around.
If the route is similar to last year then, a lot of it is fairly flat round the Cotswolds water park area, but the start and end have hills. Wick Hill near the start, then a couple of smaller ones through Castle Combe and Ford at the end. The good news is that the hill out of Ford has been resurfaced, which is a big improvement...
That is good news, it was in a diabolical state.
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I'm entered, it's a bit of a trek and an early start riding up from near the south coast so hopefully the weather will be good enough to make the trip up. I entered last year but the thought of crossing Salisbury Plain in the dark/wet/wind was enough to make me think twice! I haven't done too much riding around this area before so I'm looking forward to it.
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You're putting me to shame Scampi. I only live about 10 miles away and I'd thought about putting the bike in the back of the car. Not exactly in the spirit of Audaxing I know. I'm going to have a serious word with myself.
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I'm entered, it's a bit of a trek and an early start riding up from near the south coast so hopefully the weather will be good enough to make the trip up. I entered last year but the thought of crossing Salisbury Plain in the dark/wet/wind was enough to make me think twice! I haven't done too much riding around this area before so I'm looking forward to it.
Maybe see you on the road going to the start Scampi. I'm looping down to Kings Worthy before heading NW via Andover, Ludgershall & Devizes. Home is via the A4; well that's the plan but it might turn into a pathetically grovelling call to the wife to rescue her knackered husband ::-)
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Weather's currently not too bad for Sunday, bit cool but looks like it could stay above freezing point which would be welcome. Hopefully we'll see a good turnout this year as the weather has been filthy in recent years (probably not too surprising though given the timing).
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A bit of a review of Sunday's Flapjack and a few pictures too.
http://malmesburyclarioncyclingclub.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/chippenham-flapjack-102km-audax-ride.html (http://malmesburyclarioncyclingclub.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/chippenham-flapjack-102km-audax-ride.html)
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A good do all round on what at times seemed almost like a spring day. Thanks Eric for organising the event and all the Chippenham Wheelers at the various controls, excellent hospitality!!! tonyh, pleased to have met you at the Brinkworth control.
Thanks as well to Helen, Sean and friends from Bristol for letting me tag along, your company was most appreciated and was definitely a great help on a long day.
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Nice write up, MM.
We had a good time on the tandem, couldn't have asked for better weather. Highlights for us were: Hooning down Bowd's lane faster than ever before, The wide open-spaces at Tarlton, lovely villages of Castle Combe, Kemble and Sherston, hospitality and chat at the controls.
We have 2 200s planned next month. Towards the end Erica did start saying, "I really couldn't imagine doing another 100km now", but I assured her audax is always like that, no matter what the distance.
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Thanks JB.
Were you on the yellow tandem that I kept swapping places with between Minety and Kemble?
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A great ride yesterday. As others have said the weather was sublimely good, sunny all day and warm too. The route was lovely, especially the lanes after Kemble and the view on the last bit back to Chippenham. It was mostly new territory for me and I loved it, although I did manage to make a lot of clumsy route following errors, most notably at Cherington where the old OS had to be deployed to get me back on track. After a dark and sometimes misty ride to the start over Salisbury Plain via Shrewton etc., the return home from Chippenham to Romsey was sheer bliss with sun and tailwind, allowing liberal use of the big chainring. Devizes to Upavon/Everleigh was a dream with late afternoon sun, empty roads and expansive Salisbury Plain/Pewsey Downs vistas. Many thanks to Eric & his huge team of helpers for a superbly organised ride.
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Ah yes, I do remember seeing you in green on that nice flat bit.
Glad you got home safely, Scampi, good effort. Nice chatting with you at the controls. Sorry I didn't manage to find tonyh and thank him for his encouragement with DIYs.
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Sorry I missed both JB and Scampi, amongst the happy crowds.
Very glad to speak to Simon_A on his fine 300. Scampi also on a 300?
Great to see so many and various enthusiasts out!
Thanks again to Eric and Gill for running it all so very smoothly.
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Fantastic day out. Thoroughly recommend this one for anyone as, for only 100k, it pretty much has got the lot: fine food and lot's of it, some nice climbs with varying character, flatland spinning, fabulous views...all finshed off with a diverse and happy crowd. My bike is bloody filthy but I am ignoring it :-)
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Anyone down to do this one this year? It really is one of the best 100k rides out there, although it does little to help post-xmas diets :thumbsup:
I think it is full now so should be a good turn out even with the chilly start.
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I shall be there. Looking forward to the beans on toast and all the rest of it. Looks like being a cold day but dry and still, so should be quite pleasant.
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I'm in and looking forward to it. :thumbsup:
I might go easy on the cake and flapjack this year, and try and save a bit of space for the soup and rolls at the end. Then again . . . . .
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Yeah, I'm in, first audax on the trike. Barring torrential rain ill be there, actually properly looking forward to it.
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That was a wonderfully pleasant ride. Bumped into Malmesbury Monk and possibly some of the others in this thread, but mostly rode round with some Bristol CTC people and a couple from Bath who had lost their route sheet. All good company. Mostly, I'm just pleased to have finished it at last! Entered 2012, got to the start and it was snowed off. Entered 2013 but DNS due to family stuff. 2014 DNF due to weather and puncture (but still enjoyed it!). Did not enter last year. This year, finally, weather, mechanics and life all aligned! Mostly that's down to weather, I'd say. It really was beautiful, if cold, weather. Because I'd taken the train in, I rode home via Colerne and Bath, another 56km. It only remains to recommend this ride to anyone who's thinking of it and thank the organiser (though I very much doubt he reads yacf!) for the most efficient audax controls I've ever encountered, especially Kemble.
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That was a wonderfully pleasant ride. Bumped into Malmesbury Monk and possibly some of the others in this thread, but mostly rode round with some Bristol CTC people and a couple from Bath who had lost their route sheet. All good company. Mostly, I'm just pleased to have finished it at last! Entered 2012, got to the start and it was snowed off. Entered 2013 but DNS due to family stuff. 2014 DNF due to weather and puncture (but still enjoyed it!). Did not enter last year. This year, finally, weather, mechanics and life all aligned! Mostly that's down to weather, I'd say. It really was beautiful, if cold, weather. Because I'd taken the train in, I rode home via Colerne and Bath, another 56km. It only remains to recommend this ride to anyone who's thinking of it and thank the organiser (though I very much doubt he reads yacf!) for the most efficient audax controls I've ever encountered, especially Kemble.
Good to catch up with you in between Bowds Lane and Brinkworth, and JamesBradbury who was handing out the brevet cards at the start. The controls have definitely got things down to a fine art, particularly the team serving beans on toast at Kemble.
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Nice to see so many at the start. Actually quite enjoyable handing out the cards and actually learning (if not remembering) people's names!
Nice looking trike, Derv. :thumbsup: How did it go?
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Cheers! She is a bit of a looker that trike isn't she.
Yeah it went well until about 50 odd k into it when the guy I was riding with and I got lost, somewhere in the cuds up by Cirencester way. That put us waaaay behind then. I ended up with five or so miles to the next control and ten minutes to do it in, so abandoned unfortunately and triked back home.
My first DNF due to me and not weather.
All in all, it was quite a nice little day out wasn't it, apart from that lane with the cratered surface of the moon on it!!! Certainly blew out the cobwebs from just being on the rollers all winter (should read - shock to the system)