Poor Student

[scottlington]

Despite my earlier bravado, I too will see how things pan out. Certainly not gonna risk being out injured again so early in the season given the knee seems to be pretty much back to normal.

I must admit, the thought of riding in such conditions in daylight fills me with a sense of boyish adventure  (part of which attracted me to Audax in the first place) but the thought of coming a cropper due to a pesky patch of ice that I couldn't even see cos it was dark (and there will be several hours of dark riding in this ride) doesn't. 

[border-rider]

We had a superb ride on the Gospel pass a few years ago in deep, deep snow - but that's do-able in mostly daylight usually, and the roads that were snowy aren't major.

[Tewdric]

Certainly not gonna risk being out injured again so early in the season

It's also a question of how much you are risking tying up emergency services and casualty departments with avoidable grief!

[Weirdy Biker]

I remember my first audax on Planet Hoth.  Controlling inside a Taun Taun, avoiding the Wampa....

[damerell]

I'm up for this one.

Or not. My knees have an interesting collection of bruises, cuts, and pain from falling over at NYE. Willy Warmer first of the year, I guess.

[phil d]

Despite my earlier bravado, I too will see how things pan out. Certainly not gonna risk being out injured again so early in the season given the knee seems to be pretty much back to normal.

I must admit, the thought of riding in such conditions in daylight fills me with a sense of boyish adventure  (part of which attracted me to Audax in the first place) but the thought of coming a cropper due to a pesky patch of ice that I couldn't even see cos it was dark (and there will be several hours of dark riding in this ride) doesn't. 

It's not just the risk of falling off that has pretty much made up my mind (despite ordering some studded tyres, which may or may not arrive before the weekend) but the idea of sharing two ruts along a road with (probably impatient) drivers is unattractive.  The way things are shaping up, even the main roads will be difficult.

[Philip Whiteman]

The forecast for the day suggests that it will be sunny but temps will be  -2C dropping to -4C that evening with light snow.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Even though it looks I will be a DNS, I would like to thank David Bew for going to the effort of arranging this event. 

[Joolz]

I think it's going to be a DNS for me - it's not really worth falling off and taking all the grief that's involved in this i.e. broken stuff, long-term loss of fitness and loss of confidence.  There will be plenty of other 200 km .........rides to do in later in the year and there is the Willy Warmer and PERMS for January.  Also, Phil and others have a valid point about sharing the road other road users.

My advise is not to ride, loose a bit of fitness and regain it later.  Oh well back to Concept 2 to stop the lard  accumulating,

Joolz

[scottlington]

Certainly not gonna risk being out injured again so early in the season

It's also a question of how much you are risking tying up emergency services and casualty departments with avoidable grief!

Hell, if I thought like that I'd never set foot out of the front door.

[bikenerd]

Just some information for those that are still thinking of riding:

We had 4 to 6 inches of snow over night just South of Oxford and it's still snowing this morning.

[cyclone]

I think that last post was the last nail in the coffin for me 
Unless we have a massive thaw (not going to happen is it!) Can't justify the fun of 3 hrs of M4 plus slippy slidey lanes and run the risk of being sectioned by the Wife, (plus all the other risks of injury / stranding etc).
I'd like to echo Philip Whiteman's comments and thank Dave B for his hard work...

[RichForrest]

I'm out also, saw the fun the drivers at work were having down there last night and cancelled my holiday for Friday night at work earlier.

[phil d]

I'd like to echo Philip Whiteman's comments and thank Dave B for his hard work...

Yes indeed.  It is often forgotten how much work has to be put in by the organiser in advance of the event date, even on an established event.  To see this effort largely put to waste by the weather must be very frustrating.  Though I still have not fully ruled out riding (I'm close enough to make the effort of getting to Peartree reasonable) .....

IIRC NikW used to offer the event as a perm if weather prevented it being done "on the day".  Is that still the case?

[Tigerrr]

I am out - lucky I can blame the weather but I am not fit for this epic.  By the sound of it I would be under the snow on the recumbent anyway!
Thanks to Dave for organising - don't envy his lonely trip to the peartree carpark to see who will ride!

[3peaker]

I have ridden firstly as Calendar, when handlebars snapped off and I nipped home to Cheltenham to Xc steeds. Then in Spring as a Perm; that was nice in the warm sun.

Route does use roads across the Cotswolds, which could be problems with poor whitetop (read: snow/ice) roads/lanes, some late in day, so dark!  After doing 4x200 last Jan, this year I am committed to (my) Perms till March, so glad I did not enter.  Though it might still be difficult to find that decent weather window for a main road 200 Perm.

RRTY-folk are not having it easy this month.

The management (Perms Sec + Events Sec) are quite friendly converting weather-affected Calendar events to Perms.  Org only has to discuss.

SteveP

[JStone]

I'm also out DNS - and beginning to wonder about the Almondsbury 100 the following weekend if the forecast for next week is to be believed.

[red marley]

I'd be keen on doing this one as a perm as I too will now be DNSing it on Saturday. It would be nice if we could have an agreed date where a number of us did it. Perhaps a Pear Tree Double Header on the Sunday after Saturday's Dean (27th/28th March)?

[De Sisti]

I too will be a DNS. Lots of snow in Cheltenham and surrounding area, so The Whiteway
and Compton Abdale would be very difficult.

[simonp]

Think I will DNS too, despite having the studded tyres.  It'll be treacherous because of other vehicles even if the tyres do their job, with refrozen snow.  It's also looking dodgy to drive over with a risk of heavy snow for here on Fri and Sat.

Turbo and erging this weekend.

[Weirdy Biker]

I'd be keen on doing this one as a perm as I too will now be DNSing it on Saturday. It would be nice if we could have an agreed date where a number of us did it. Perhaps a Pear Tree Double Header on the Sunday after Saturday's Dean (27th/28th March)?

Suggest opening up a new thread after Saturday.  I am sure there will be interest...

[scottlington]

So - is anyone still planning to actually ride this event this weekend?

[mtrike]

I think I will have to be a dns as well.  Apart from the nearly 100 mile journey to get to the start which probably isn't sensible given the roads today I also spent an hour out today on the mountain trike and on some roads had all three wheel locked on the compacted snow/ice.  I also watched a cyclist go over in front of me when I was driving and I only just managed to stop before hitting him with all my car wheels locked (at less than 10 mph).

[Bigsybaby]

So - is anyone still planning to actually ride this event this weekend?

I will make my final decision on friday but all indications are that It would be a great unwiseness to have a go.

[marcus]

So - is anyone still planning to actually ride this event this weekend?

Well, I haven't completely ruled it out yet. But I'll only do it if the roads are reasonably clear & would almost certainly stick to main roads rather than the 'official' route (which would be considerably less pleasant, I know). And I'll have to be able to get to Oxford by train on Friday evening, which is somewhat weather-dependent. Dunno.

I'll need to make a decision by Friday morning as I'll have to cancel accommodation if I opt out.

Conditions here in Peterborough aren't too bad at all but I know Oxford & areas to the west have had more snow than we have.

[Weirdy Biker]

So - is anyone still planning to actually ride this event this weekend?

I've not made a decision not to ride it.  I'd be amazed if anyone has made a more positive decision than that.