Porkers 400 - 4th May 2014

[Reg.T]

I was rewarded by more stunning oak forests and bluebell woods

Indeed...

A great and memorable ride. My most rewarding 400 to date.

[Edit: link corrected. Taken just after sunrise before the descent down to Winterborne Whitechurch. Low light and phone mean the quality isn't that great, but you get the idea....]

[PloddinPedro]

Well, it's a DNF from me - bugger.
...........................................................

So, I'm on a train, and I'm nearly home, and I'm just a bit frustrated. Ah well, it's only a bike ride

Bad luck John. Bale out options too close/easy can be one of the perils of Audaxing! But as you say, it's only a bike ride and there's always next time!

[Jonah]

Looks like you guys had a great time!

[RideHard]

The hills and chills are Spectacular on this southern rollercoaster of a ride.. glad of the swiss stops
An even tougher ride than I was expecting, but thanks to great team km's flew by 
Big thanks to Shawn the organiser and volunteers for (wo)manning great controls and event.

[swiss hat]

Another most excellent Wessex adventure.
Wish I had a camera to capture the sunrise yesterday!
The Porkers was my first Wessex event in 2002 and so it's always a bit special.
I'd add my thanks to all the helpers and Shawn too.
Just a few days to get your Brimstone 600 entry in 
 

[mikek]

I missed out on the Wessex SR last year for failing to make the start of Porkers 2013 so I was determined not to miss this year's running. Last year my new saddle was badly positioned and after cycling 200k to Poole I was cut to ribbons and unable to sit on the seat for 400m let alone 400k.

This year was a different story despite the warm up ride being a 300 mile breeze around the Brevet Cymru and cycling some of the way from Chepstow to Poole. I made the start after spilling my Caffe Nero in spectacular fashion in Poole (my sleep debt showing early signs) and arrived at the start to find the happy gathering awaiting Mr Shaw's arrival.

I'd been building this double 400 event up for several weeks and in fact was so nervous of failure that I'd eaten very little on Friday apart from my evening meal with joolz. I'd already jokingly mentioned to him that it was unlikely that I'd be seen again on any Audax ride if I failed to complete these rides. I actually wasn't joking, so important had these rides become to me. I've had so many troubles with my knees over the last 4 years, so many ups and downs and there is only so many times you can pick yourself up, heal and try another setup before giving up altogether.

I'd felt a bit weak cycling in from Salisbury and wasn't too confident at the start. I resolved to listen to teethgrinders words of wisdom about taking it steady and working in fat burning mode. As the first slight hills started on the way to Portland I made no effort at speeding up and let the peloton disappear. I felt gradually better and better keeping to as minimum effort as I could.

The leg from Portland to Beaminster is my favourite on this event. As you hit the minor roads after the climb to Hardy's monument, the landscape changes akin to the Yorkshire Dales. The views are spectacular, blackbirds are singing their goodnight lullabies, the first of the night's badgers are awaking and a deep sense of peace settles on you like a blanket. If you've done this ride then you must recognise this moment.

I didn't really eat enough at the next few controls as despite trying to ride slowly, these legs are just too hilly to keep effort so low to operate in fat burn mode. I guess that you get better at this if you train like this though. Nevertheless I managed to get an hour's sleep before hitting the road again at 4 ish from the sleep control. I knew I'd finish the ride OK from there and indeed did with plenty of time in hand.

I think the Porkers is certainly the hardest 400 that I've ridden. I've taken at least 2 hours longer than my normal 400 pace on the 2 times I've completed it. Shawn, you are a master of the art of route planning and I thank you so much for putting this classic event on again for us all to enjoy.

All in all an excellent 3 days out on the bike. 925k and about 13000m of climbing gives me an improved chance of completing Mille Cymru. It's been a long time coming.

[daniele]

Another Porkers blessed by fine dry weather, which enormously helps on a ride like this.
But you can always make it complicated, why not?
Decided to go for a fast start, as I remembered the excellent cream tea at the always stunning Portland Bill on the previous year, and wanted to enjoy it again.
And while at that, why not trying a flat-out hopeless chase to the guy on a red yacf shirt on the first 15 miles?
Paid that, on the remaining 300 and a half kms or so, as the early shot out legs worked intermittently for the rest of the ride; but at least no queue for the cream tea 

All manned controls were absolutely excellent. Lovely food, warm, and smiley faces when you most needed them.
A bit less excellent, a few riders #farting and #burping (new trend? ) just under the nose of kindly volunteering ladies/children.
Or just at the eating table. It's called Porkers, but it's not required to behave like pigs. Thank you.
Personal food nomination of this year: the pie with chilli beans at W Buckland.

... and many thanks to LadyVet - again on that last climb - with flapjacks and chocolates to signify that all riders getting there have done something remarkable in the previous 20+ hours.
She predicted that, at the slowest I could ride, it would take me no more than 2 hours to complete the remaining 40Km.
Well...I took me 3 hours and 10 minutes to finish, got distracted a few times with the turns and I had no more ...

Many thanks to Shawn, to all the controllers/helpers, and to the groups of riders I had the pleasure to join from time to time.

[Ian H]

All in all an excellent 3 days out on the bike. 925k and about 13000m of climbing gives me an improved chance of completing Mille Cymru. It's been a long time coming.

Well done, Mr K. I'm not in the least bit jealous.

[Reg.T]

And while at that, why not trying a flat-out hopeless chase to the guy on a red yacf shirt on the first 15 miles?

Sorry... cf Audax: a personal competition?

[marcusjb]

All in all an excellent 3 days out on the bike. 925k and about 13000m of climbing gives me an improved chance of completing Mille Cymru. It's been a long time coming.

Chapeau to you and TG for an astonishing ride. Massive respect.

[LadyVet]

All in all an excellent 3 days out on the bike. 925k and about 13000m of climbing gives me an improved chance of completing Mille Cymru. It's been a long time coming.

Chapeau to you and TG for an astonishing ride. Massive respect.

And from me too  Sorry Mike, I didn't realise you'd done the double too - it didn't show 

Quote from Daniele:-

"She predicted that, at the slowest I could ride, it would take me no more than 2 hours to complete the remaining 40Km.
Well...I took me 3 hours and 10 minutes to finish, got distracted a few times with the turns and I had no more ...
"
It is always a pleasure to meet and talk with you Daniele. You still looked strong - sorry it did take a bit longer than the 2 hours 30 mins I would have thought ( ) - but you still made it well in time 
Take care. Mags.

[Lars]

Thanks for volunteering LadyVet, and for the encouragement to us late stragglers during the headwindy section 7 slog back to Poole!

And of course to all other great volunteers, which I forgot to express gratitude to in the previous post!

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

All in all an excellent 3 days out on the bike. 925k and about 13000m of climbing gives me an improved chance of completing Mille Cymru. It's been a long time coming.

Chapeau to you and TG for an astonishing ride. Massive respect.

Mikek - you looked less weary at the finish than I did.  Wouldn't have guessed that you'd been out for more than a club run.  Chapeau.

[teethgrinder]

Cracking good ride. The differences in the route to my last Porkers were a big improvement IMO. I liked the monument climb, the last control by the lake and a much better way of entering Poole than before.
The Wessex series seems to have got a whole lot better! Sunshine probably helps too and I hope that the Brimstone is just as lucky with the weather.
Good to see MikeK getting back into the swing of it again.
I did struggle with staying awake at times in spite of 8 caffeine pills. The odd doze here and there helped me through. I had a really good one in the sun in the Wyle Valley while Marcus JB and all rode past, probably without noticing. I was probably asleep for half an hour.

Roll on the Brimstone...

[LadyVet]

The odd doze here and there helped me through. I had a really good one in the sun in the Wyle Valley while Marcus JB and all rode past, probably without noticing. I was probably asleep for half an hour.

They did - notice 
Told me you'd be along "in a while  "

[Hummers]

The Wessex series seems to have got a whole lot better!

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Porkers with you and Postie. I think Mr Shaw has turned up the wick once more whilst still making it a very fine ride.

Roll on the Brimstone...

You will find this slightly different to your last visit in 2009 with me, Lawd Audax and MattH. With the previous editions, I felt that after Exmouth, the ride settled into a relatively benign expedition however with the new 'refreshed' Brimstone, I would say that interest is maintained throughout. 

H

[teethgrinder]

I was hoping that would be the case Hummers.
I should be quite fresh for Brimstone too as I intend to cycle down on Friday and sleep in my tent Friday night.

[Hummers]

I was hoping that would be the case Hummers.
I should be quite fresh for Brimstone too as I intend to cycle down on Friday and sleep in my tent Friday night.

 

I think Mr Shaw's ability to share some excellent routes and fine views is only matched by people's willingness to enjoy them.  I think people either get that - or they don't.

On a slightly different note, I rode up Draycott with Postie in February. This time, it was in daylight and although the day after the Quantocks and Coasts 200k (and there had been a hail storm), we were nowhere near the +300k one approaches it on the Brimstone.  It was still a f***er though. 

H