1,000k DIY permanent: a daft idea?

[eck]

Is this a daft idea or a cunning plan? I need to do a 1,000k ride this year to get my brevet 25.000.
I'm hoping to ride Megajoules' event in August, but that leaves things a bit late if that ride goes pear shaped. So... having thought about a DIY, I'm tempted to make it three different loops of 333.333k (approx  ), allowing me to have a short kip, shower, change etc at home rather than sleeping in ditches and bus shelters. The time limit seems to be 75h 11m, so just over three whole days and two nights on the road.

Apart form the obvious*, why shouldn't I do it this way?
*I know it will be more tempting to pack at home as opposed to some service station on the A6. And, Mrs Eck can be trusted to shove me out of bed whenever necessary.

[MSeries]

No. I am planning something similar, similar format with three loops for next year, also for Brevet 25000 and 5000

[Wowbagger]

Completely crazy.

[border-rider]

Good plan, good luck

I suspect that with a strong driver (you need the 1000) you may do it.  I know I couldn't.

  It's a hell of a long way for a DIY perm though. 

[Ivo]

. So... having thought about a DIY, I'm tempted to make it three different loops of 333.333k (approx  ), allowing me to have a short kip, shower, change etc at home rather than sleeping in ditches and bus shelters. The time limit seems to be 75h 11m, so just over three whole days and two nights on the road.

Doing a 1000k from a fixed spot is not a bad idea. If home should be that spot remains debatable, to much things which could distract you.
A good way of km division would be an evening start to begin with and doing 475km for the first loop, second loop 275km and finishing off on the 3rd loop after 250km. In that way you compensate for getting tired.
Another option would be starting at 12h00 during the first day and doing 200k the first day, 2nd day 325, 3rd day 300 and 4th day 175km, finishing at 15h00 on the 4th day.

[Ian H]

Apart form the obvious*, why shouldn't I do it this way?

I can only think of the 'obvious'. Though, on the other hand, I do like to plan rides that go somewhere. So in your shoes I'd probably look at somewhere useful as a control around 500k south, then work out a route.

[MSeries]

What Ivo describes as his first 'plan' is not too dissimilar to mine. I know my routes and know how long they have taken me in the past though I haven't done all three together before.

[arabella]

or a 600 with an extra 400 tacked on at the end that way you're in company for the first part including one night.

that's what I'm planning for a 700 round a 400, only I have chunks at both ends

[teethgrinder]

DIYs make good sense, especially if you have a limited amount of time for traveling to and from events. You can start from your doorstep and plan the ride around yourself.
I do like my rides to go somewhere. I think that just riding for the sake of riding is much harder than riding for fun or a reason.
One downside to riding DIYs is that you will most likely end up riding at least 1050km, if your navigating is good.
No problem if you are fast enough, but could be awkward if you are close to the time limit.

[frere yacker]

Just a thought, but could you not route test Lucy's 1000 if you want to do it beforehand?  Based on control and (obvious) route between them, looks like a nice ride that can easily be done as a DIY.  Admittedly without the home comforts of returning back home at set points.

Possible alternative is a diagonal up to Ullapool (around 500km from Kirrie, I guess: it was going to be 600km from Dundee) then a 300 based on your Snow Roads then a 200km based on a look around Loch Tay/Killin way?  That would have been my DIY 1000, were I so minded.  That said, you know your way around that part of the world more than me(!)

The advantage of smaller loops is that you can better entice people along for company - very few are up for 1000, but most will stretch to a 300.

[valkyrie]

Eck,

If it was me, I'd pick some where warm(ish) and flat(ish) and go point to point. Get yourself on the Rosyth Ferry and do something like Zeebrugge to Nice. Passing home makes it just too easy to give up. Even at Ardgay last year on the 400 it was surprising how many people gave up at 300km. Heading back out into the rain and headwind when your sleeping bag (or bed) is close at hand is hard to do.

Cheers,

Neil

[MSeries]

I have actually considered a trio of diagonales in France too. Three sides of a triangle, each about 1100km in length. The benefit of doing three loops from home though is no advanced booking required and one knows what one is going to find at the overnight control.. Also no travel issues, spae bikes, less kit to carry.

[eck]

he benefit of doing three loops from home though is no advanced booking required and one knows what one is going to find at the overnight control.. Also no travel issues, spae bikes, less kit to carry.

These are largely the reasons I'm planning to do it this way. I'm well aware of the temptations involved, but IMO they are outweighed by the benefits outlined by MSeries.

I just hope I'm right. 

Edit: Valkyrie, your wheeze of Zeebrugge to Nice sounds a great idea. Sadly it's a bit beyond my budget these days. 

[Ivo]

I have actually considered a trio of diagonales in France too. Three sides of a triangle, each about 1100km in length. The benefit of doing three loops from home though is no advanced booking required and one knows what one is going to find at the overnight control.. Also no travel issues, spae bikes, less kit to carry.

The official diagonales have a slightly lower timelimit as DIY permanents do (except for the longest) So you'd need some juggling with overnight stops to get it approved.

[eck]

A good way of km division would be an evening start to begin with and doing 475km for the first loop, second loop 275km and finishing off on the 3rd loop after 250km. In that way you compensate for getting tired.
Another option would be starting at 12h00 during the first day and doing 200k the first day, 2nd day 325, 3rd day 300 and 4th day 175km, finishing at 15h00 on the 4th day.

Ivo: I like the look of your second option. I'm trying to avoid as much night riding as I can, so any leg over about 350k would be out.
How does this look as a variation? Start at 08.00 on day 1 and do 300, day 2 do 350, day 3 do 250 (or 300), leaving 100 (or 50) to do by 11.00 on day 4.

I'm hoping to bribe persuade a pal or two along for some company for parts of the ride. Last LEL, I did 4 days averaging about 290, with about 240 on day 5. "fairly" comfortably, and I think I'm fitter now.  I'd like to do it in three days of 350, 350 and 300 but I think that's pushing it a bit. I see that there are almost infinite permutations... 

[Ivo]

Ivo: I like the look of your second option. I'm trying to avoid as much night riding as I can, so any leg over about 350k would be out.

I'd personally choose the opposite being a rather slow rider but loving nightriding.

How does this look as a variation? Start at 08.00 on day 1 and do 300, day 2 do 350, day 3 do 250 (or 300), leaving 100 (or 50) to do by 11.00 on day 4.

If you only have 50k to do it's a waste of time to go home and sleep and do it the next morning, with the risk of oversleeping.

[eck]

If you only have 50k to do it's a waste of time to go home and sleep and do it the next morning, with the risk of oversleeping.

Aye, Ivo, you're not wrong there, but I very much doubt if I could manage a whole 350 in one go on day 3; 300 maybe, 250 hopefully no problem. I think 100 on the last day is the most likely scenario.

[valkyrie]

Edit: Valkyrie, your wheeze of Zeebrugge to Nice sounds a great idea. Sadly it's a bit beyond my budget these days. 

I've just got round to checking. Outbound on the Superfast costs £54. Return from Nice to Edinburgh with Globespan costs about £85. Googlemaps gives the distance as 1154km. This was a fairly flippant suggestion but I'm starting to feel an obsession coming on...

Anybody else interested in a little French vacance next Summer?

[eck]

Edit: Valkyrie, your wheeze of Zeebrugge to Nice sounds a great idea. Sadly it's a bit beyond my budget these days. 

I've just got round to checking. Outbound on the Superfast costs £54. Return from Nice to Edinburgh with Globespan costs about £85. Googlemaps gives the distance as 1154km. This was a fairly flippant suggestion but I'm starting to feel an obsession coming on...

Anybody else interested in a little French vacance next Summer?

La la la la la, I can't hear you Mr Valkyrie. 

[Ivo]

Edit: Valkyrie, your wheeze of Zeebrugge to Nice sounds a great idea. Sadly it's a bit beyond my budget these days. 

I've just got round to checking. Outbound on the Superfast costs £54. Return from Nice to Edinburgh with Globespan costs about £85. Googlemaps gives the distance as 1154km. This was a fairly flippant suggestion but I'm starting to feel an obsession coming on...

Anybody else interested in a little French vacance next Summer?

This summer is allready planned. But it would be a nice spring or autumn ride. With a bit of tweaking Zeebrugge-Nice could be changed into 6x200k which would give some time for sightseeing. F1 and similar hotels are in abundance along this route (www.map24.com does the routechecking while listing the F1 hotels along the route). For this autumn or next year it sounds interesting.

[MSeries]

Edit: Valkyrie, your wheeze of Zeebrugge to Nice sounds a great idea. Sadly it's a bit beyond my budget these days. 

I've just got round to checking. Outbound on the Superfast costs £54. Return from Nice to Edinburgh with Globespan costs about £85. Googlemaps gives the distance as 1154km. This was a fairly flippant suggestion but I'm starting to feel an obsession coming on...

Anybody else interested in a little French vacance next Summer?

LEL next year and a possible distillery tour of Scotland with a certain Swede, maybe 2010 though.

[eck]

Well, not such a daft idea after all. 

My clubmate David and I set off at 9 on Sunday morning and finished about 1018k later at 11.21 yesterday.

We had three days and a morning on the road, with six or seven hours off the bike each night, with a shower, a proper bed and clean clothes. It meant we had to keep up a decent pace on the road, which was sometimes made difficult by strong westerly winds, but plenty of food stops, fairly familiar roads and no big dramas made it a generally relaxed affair.

Sunday was a loop up north to Aberdeenshire then back down the coast to Carnoustie; we went west to Tyndrum on Monday then back to Kirriemuir via Callander and Dundee; Tuesday was south to St Andrews, out to Crieff and back via Perth, then a quick outing eastwards to Auchenblae and back yesterday morning.

Many thanks to David for being his reliable, unflappable self throughout, and to Megajoules for helping put the route together. Full report may follow, once I've had even more bacon sarnies and a snooze during this afternoon's stage of the Tour. 

[y lee g]

Excellent work chaps. 

Look forward to reading / hearing all about this epic. 

Graeme   

[marcus]

Well done! Sounds like you did the ride in a very civilised fashion.

What next?

[MercuryKev]

Eck, you are a cycling machine   Here's me fretting about a wee 400!  It sounds like an excellent plan, well executed.