Palace to Palace Ride: 7 September 2008

[Regulator]

Anyone fancy doing this?  Could be fun - somebody who did it last year said the organisation and support was excellent.  The Prince's Trust may not be everyone's cup of tea but it does do good work.

Perhaps we could enter a yACF team.

[Andrij]

Sounds like fun.  That's also the same day as the London Sightseer 100km.
(Then again, I probably won't be doing either ride...)

[Regulator]

Sounds like fun.  That's also the same day as the London Sightseer 100km.
(Then again, I probably won't be doing either ride...)

Buggrit.  I fancy doing both the Palace to Palace and the London Sightseer 100....

[Ian H]

Reading between the lines I'm suspicious. Is there a tarmac option?

[Andrij]

Reading between the lines I'm suspicious. Is there a tarmac option?

Sergeant Pluck and I did BHF RichmondLondon-Windsor last year.  Some bits were along the Thames Path.  I would assume that if you want a tarmac-only option you'd need to create your own detours.

EDIT: Take the A4 and turn south at Slough? 

[Greenbank]

The joy of the search button on bikely.com:-

Bicycle Path - Palace to Palace at Bikely.com

If it is the real one it really doesn't look like the nicest of routes and there's huge scope for short cuts and detours to "nicer" roads (but would be unsuitable for 3000 cyclists if you see what I mean). Fair play of them to shove Broomfield Hill in there though.

I'm glad I did the London Sightseer last year, but once is enough.

[Gandalf]

Sounds like fun.  That's also the same day as the London Sightseer 100km.
(Then again, I probably won't be doing either ride...)

Buggrit.  I fancy doing both the Palace to Palace and the London Sightseer 100....

Come on Reg, make your mind up!    Then I'll have a better idea.  I'm considering either of those or the New Forest 100 for my first Audaxy outing.  I've read so much about this Audax lark I want to get a piece of the action.

From what I can gather from reading interweb postings, the London Sightseer sounds frustratingly stoppy starty with bits of meanderthal dodging thrown in.  Then again the start is easy to get to for a Sarf Lundun boy like me.

[Ian H]

  I'm considering either of those or the New Forest 100 for my first Audaxy outing.  I've read so much about this Audax lark I want to get a piece of the action.

From what I can gather from reading interweb postings, the London Sightseer sounds frustratingly stoppy starty with bits of meanderthal dodging thrown in.  Then again the start is easy to get to for a Sarf Lundun boy like me.

The Sightseer is a nice ride, despite all the stops and starts, but it ain't really like an Audax event. Or at least there are no others like it. So it won't turn you into a randonneur.

[Gandalf]

  I'm considering either of those or the New Forest 100 for my first Audaxy outing.  I've read so much about this Audax lark I want to get a piece of the action.

From what I can gather from reading interweb postings, the London Sightseer sounds frustratingly stoppy starty with bits of meanderthal dodging thrown in.  Then again the start is easy to get to for a Sarf Lundun boy like me.

The Sightseer is a nice ride, despite all the stops and starts, but it ain't really like an Audax event. Or at least there are no others like it. So it won't turn you into a randonneur.

With my current level of ability it would take a major medical breakthrough accompanied by Six Million Dollar man reconstructive surgery to do that, but you gotta start somewhere. 

[robgul]

I did the Palace ride the first year they did it (2006) - OK route with a few bits on the towpath. 

Organisation was OK-ish ... although they under-estimated the speed at which riders would cover the course and the drink stops etc weren't set up ... I did it on a fixed and apart from one short lung-buster near Virginia Water it was easy. Started at 0800 - Windsor at a bit after 1015 IIRC.    Great to ride down the "Long Walk" (usually not allowed) to Windsor Castle.

All the stuff they put on at the end is a bit of a waste of time - I finished and rode to Slough to get the train home.

If you're in the Midlands (or anywhere really) try the MacRide on 7 September at Stratford-upon-Avon - the charity ride with a difference - over 95% of the money raised goes to Macmillan Cancer Support  (last year : £25,000+ with <£200 in costs) - secure online booking at  www.macride.org.uk

Rob

[marna]

From what I can gather from reading interweb postings, the London Sightseer sounds frustratingly stoppy starty with bits of meanderthal dodging thrown in.  Then again the start is easy to get to for a Sarf Lundun boy like me.

And if you end up quitting, it's easy to get home! I am thinking of doing it, but it's the day after my birthday, so I might be ded-inna-bin instead.