Horspower 200 BRM

[Phil W]

...Often a heavy police presence at club chucking-out time. I always seem to pass through at about 02:00-04:00 on the Asparagus & Strawberries. Early evening 'should' be fine.

Ha I passed through Newmarket around midnight on last year's A&S. Interesting time but as stated police kept them in check.

[bobb]

Enjoyed the ride very much 

Could have done without the incessant head wind on the way back though!

Would have liked to have hung around at the finish, but needed to make a mad dash home for evening plans.

Bring on the next one! 

[Oscar's dad]

 bobb the audaxer!  Who'd of thought???

[Chris S]

We too had a Close Encounter of the Teethgrinder Kind, as we hurtled down the hill through Thaxted.

He gave us a big beaming smile, we yelled "Go Steve GO!!" at the tops of our voices from the tandem, doing at least 50kph 

Properly made our day.

[Halloween]

+1, Steve had a big smile on his face.

Highly enjoyable ride and good to see so many familiar faces. The stampers at Lavenham and Snetterton did a sterling job and Tomsk's soup at the end was a real winner. Big thanks to Tomsk and all the helpers, very smooth. Looking forward to the G&Y Fields now!

[tippers_kiwi]

How good was it in that weather, I know...the wind, but I'll take it with the sunshine. Here are 2 pics from more or less exactly the same place on the road (same approaching trees on the left)

March 7th 2015


January 31st 2015

[Oscar's dad]

It was a very good ride on Saturday.  As tippers' photos above shows the weather could have been much worse.  Whilst the headwind was annoying on the return leg it served me well as I was treating the ride as a training run after a few weeks off me bike, not to mention a PBP qualifier.

The butchers at Lavenham did some epic savories ...



Lady Moe's at Snetterton (which is in Norfolk bobb), whilst being a most excellent control, was I thought, a slightly bizarre place, very much in the spirit of audax    I couldn't quite work out how the impressive model collection, a cafe on a motor racing circuit and a tank all hung together.  And Lady Moe appeared to be something to do with a donkey!

 

With the exception of the Golden Tints in about 2007 I've only ever ridden Tomsk's calender events but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better standard of organisation.  So a big thank you to him, the controllers and the catering crew.

It was lovely to ride with some familiar faces and meet some new ones.  I shared much of the final leg with a very nice chap called Jonathan from Cambridge, I don't think he's on here. 

[scottlington]

I am sorry to hear that Scottlington. You pulled me for 20kms from Snetterton at what was obviously in retrospect too fast a pace. You seemed Ok at Newmarket - just asking for a short extra stop -- but you know me -- it is punch and go --but  if I had any inkling that you wanted some company - even my slow help -- then I would have been up for it.            Major   -- SORRY not to help

Roger - Glad you got back ok but, please, you have nothing at all to apologise for! I'm not your responsibility and I was thankful for your company on the way to Newmarket. It was too little mileage recently and a lack of Audax toughness* which got me. My own fault. Still, it was just shy of 160K for the day so I mustn't be too annoyed with myself. Onwards and upwards

*that's mental toughness more than anything. I blame Newmarket myself; if it didn't have such handy train links through to Cambridge and then on to Standstead, I'd have had little choice but to plod on. 

EDIT - I realise the 'I'm not your responsibility' bit sounds a little off when read, not said - not meant at all like that! You know what I mean. 

[Chris S]

You should have hung around for us to pick you up - nothing like a tandem tow, and fboab could have cheered you up with sweary tales, or just by taking the piss out of me  .

[scottlington]

I did think about it Chris whilst I was struggling to finish the banana in the BP garage. But I had no idea how far you guys were behind (I think about 15 mins behind FB and I when we saw you at snetterton but didn't know if you'd stopped for any length of time). Once I had the SoH failure though, that was me done.... I should have taken FB's advice and just plodded on at 15kph but hey ho...

[Oscar's dad]

... and fboab could have cheered you up with sweary tales, or just by taking the piss out of me  .

"Oi mister, no wonder you're having to work so hard, she's showboating on the back!" 

[wilkyboy]

... and fboab could have cheered you up with sweary tales, or just by taking the piss out of me  .

"Oi mister, no wonder you're having to work so hard, she's showboating on the back!" 

A man of many faces ... I have a few more of you like that

[Oscar's dad]

One should never miss an opportunity to act like a dick!

[JJ]

Thank you Tom, for a lovely day out.  Nice to see so many old friends and to bump into clubmates to ride with.
PS - your lads are a credit.

[Oaky]

I got halfway through writing a lengthy report this morning which got lost due to my session expiring, so I'll keep this one brief.

I had a great day out, discovering that I can still survive a 200 + a bit.

Many thanks to Tomsk and all the helpers at HQ, and to Andrew Cornwell, Dan and Jake for the manned controls at Lavenham and Snetterton park which helped me with my strategy of minimal stoppage in the first half.   

Stuck to stamp+go at Lavenham and Snetterton Park (where Jake also refilled bottles for me).  Lunched at the Chippy at East Harling and had a mid afternoon snack at the BP garage in Newmarket.

Rode for several sections with the Flying Helmets and tippers_kiwi, until I couldn't hold their wheels any more.  Got a tandem tow for a few miles somewhere after Newmarket from ChrisS and fboab, but I lost them when crossing a main road and, although on many of the subsequent uphills I could see them tantalisingly close ahead, I didn't have the legs/fixed-climbing-juju to catch them for another tow.

Got back around 17:40 after 144 miles.  A lovely, fast, tailwind and group assisted first half followed by a decent workout into the wind on the return leg (thank heavens for wine gums ).

The sun was out for most of the day - I even ditched the armwarmers by about 9:30 and ended up with (very faint) tan lines at my jersey sleeves and just above my wrists where the full finger gloves came up to 

[Lars]

A good weekend helping n' riding. I had volunteered to help out on the day, and
do my helpers' ride the next day. Headed over Fri night and spent the night in the
hall in sleeping bag on the floor. Tom asked me to run the front desk, handing out
brevet cards and answering questions at the start. And receiving and checking
brevet cards from returning riders at the finish. Good gig, enjoyed that! That left a
7 hours window after the riders were off to do something else. So what better than
to go for a ride! Tom is also a perm organiser, with one of the rides being the
Bouddica's Revenge 100. Perfect! And Tom gave me a card "on the house" for
helping out. Jolly good. So after the riders were off I went out and did that one.
In the rush forgot my money and cc in the hall though. Ooops. But got proper
PoP stamps in the Buntingford library and Haslingfield post office! Back at hq 5.5
hours later with plenty of time to eat and relax. First riders back after 8 hours, and
from there it was busy all through the afternoon and evening with a couple of very
busy bursts where 20 or so riders suddenly arrived within minutes! But in the end
all cards checked, stamped and ready to be sent off to the Frenchies! After cleaning up
the hall we returned to Tom's house close up the road from the hall where I spent
another night in the sleeping bag. At 8 out on the road for my helper's ride. Same wind
pattern as the day before but not as hard winds. Was a bit sluggish from the 100 the
previous day, two nights of sleep bagging and from the long day of helping at the event.
But with feed stops at Lavenham, Snetterton and Newmarket got around fine. Good
lane route. The fast laney bit from Lavenham to the interesting Snetterton control was
the highlight of the day. Starting to get the hang of riding fixed. Nice smooth rhythm and
getting more used to climbing out of the saddle. Think the 68.5" gear I have is a bit on the
small side on the flats though. Maybe should gear up a little for Green & Yellow Fields and
Asparagus & Strawberries!

[rob]

Starting to get the hang of riding fixed. Nice smooth rhythm and
getting more used to climbing out of the saddle. Think the 68.5" gear I have is a bit on the
small side on the flats though. Maybe should gear up a little for Green & Yellow Fields and
Asparagus & Strawberries!

I have moved up to 79" this year.   Found it OK apart from the slightly steeper lumps in the last 10 miles.   Will use the same for the 300 & 400.

[Slimline Saxon]

After a winter of viruses, injuries, apathy and overeating, one of Tom's rides was the perfect way to get back in the game.

Just meeting up with so many old friends was a boost, and partnered by the ever reliable Raymond we enjoyed a stress free ride, hitting our time checks almost exactly. One slight detour following a rider who had already gone off track twice, we normally manage a few extra Ks, and a close shave when a nutter raced out of Snetterton and overtook a rider coming the other way as we were two abreast, I was the one he would have hit.

The Chelmer tandem was the only threat to our Lanterne Rouge status, until they rocketed past us on the climb to Radwinter, and we came in on the 13 hour mark ready to help Tom clear up the soup, rolls, onions, chocolate bars and anything else still on the tables. Tom did comment that we looked quite fresh at the end of the ride compared to some, probably because at 110kg I cannot go any faster uphill, so I sit back and conserve the energy.

My focus is the four Essex qualifiers and PBP, these five rides would make a good season for me, the bonus would be to complete the Essex Grand Slam and improve on last year's 60 points before having a go at 100 points next season.

Lots more local events at Ugley, Wormingford and Stevenage this month so hopefully I will catch up with a few friends on those rides.   

 

[wilkyboy]

After a winter of viruses, injuries, apathy and overeating, one of Tom's rides was the perfect way to get back in the game.

It was good to see you out on the ride on Saturday, G 

[Oaky]

Starting to get the hang of riding fixed. Nice smooth rhythm and
getting more used to climbing out of the saddle. Think the 68.5" gear I have is a bit on the
small side on the flats though. Maybe should gear up a little for Green & Yellow Fields and
Asparagus & Strawberries!

I have moved up to 79" this year.   Found it OK apart from the slightly steeper lumps in the last 10 miles.   Will use the same for the 300 & 400.

Yikes - 70" was plenty for me (although I am quite "spinny" even on gears).  I'd have walked a lot on 79", I think.