Well done Lee for persevering. I certainly agree about GPS - I don't contemplate any events now without it. Partly this is because I've slung away all my lashed-up routesheet holders but mostly I can't be faffed with all the struggle to read them in the rain (I need reading specs) and unfolding and refolding. And also because the standard of routesheet writing is so variable - there seems to be a fashion with some people for cramming everything into the smallest possible space!
However, there's no substitute (apart from knowing the route from previous experience) for some preliminary homework - this was my first attempt at this ride and I wasted a good five minutes wandering about at Alston looking for the correct way across the river. The GPS showed me going off course whichever road I took and foxed me until I remembered having read the instructions at home when studying the terrain on Memory Map - one instance where routesheet readers would have had the advantage! Although to be fair, Ron's .gpx track was deadly accurate.
I managed to plod around this one without stopping too long anywhere, although next time I'll hope to remember to use the garages at the Sainsbury's controls to cut down the time taken wandering about looking for stuff in a vast grocery emporium!
Rather surprisingly, given the state of some of the roads, I avoided any visitations from the P... fairy (Schwalbe Durano Plus tyres; recommended). But I had to stop once, just before dark and after the p.m. rain, to put on an extra layer. The Goretex jacket worked well but I'd sweated into my base layer and was then getting cold - I still haven't cracked this "layering to wick away the sweat and keep dry" thing, which I suspect is a bit of a myth, at least for those of us who can't get along without working up a real lather on t'hilly bits.
Talking of which, I can tolerate the ascents normally - just gear down and plod away - but having the knee-stretchers come right at the lost knockings when technically I've finished my 200k and just want my tea and cake really upset me!
I didn't get to meet any other YACFers, I don't think. I did ask one guy if he was on the forum but he didn't have a clue what I was on about! Perhaps we should get some "bumper stickers" made along the lines of the little round Audax ones, that could go on your rear 'guard/saddlepack?!
All things considered I enjoyed this ride, although there were times when I felt there was a bit too much fast-traffic-roads; this might be just me; I particularly dislike being passed at close quarters by speeding drivers after dark and generally would rather put up with knarly lanes instead, even if it means harder riding. Not sure I'd want to tackle it on icy roads though, as I gather some people have done in previous years.
