S Wales/Bristol DIY/perms

[Panoramix]

Graham,

Where are you in Bristol? do you fancy to get to the start together. I plan to do Greenbank - Eastville - oldbury court - UWE - Parkway - Bradley stoke - Olveston - Chepstow.

[GrahamG]

I'm in Sneyd Park just at the north end of the downs, I'm not too positive that the twinge in my knee will be well enough for this and either way I think I'd be driving to Chepstow!

That said, perhaps I'll join you all anyway and just see how I'm feeling.

[Greenbank]

Where are you in Bristol? do you fancy to get to the start together. I plan to do Greenbank ...

A Greenbank (Bristol) - Greenbank (Liverpool) - Greenbank (Edinburgh) ride has been on my mind for a while. That's:-

Greenbank, Bristol, Severn Bridge, Chepstow, up through interesting bits of Wales, nip by Mancot/Hawarden where my mum was born, then a "Ferry.....Cross the Mersey" to:
Greenbank, Liverpool (I know bits of it well as my brother was at Uni and was in one of the Carnatic Halls in his first year), Preston, Lancaster, Sedbergh, Shap, (bits of Border Raid route), Penrith, Carlisle then either:-

a) LEL Nostalgia route: Longtown, Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Dalkeith, Edinburgh
b) Border Raid route: Gretna, Lockerbie, Moffat, Stanhope, Blyth Bridge or Peebles and up into Edinburgh.

Easy to make it into a 600km-ish ride.

Anyway, that was a nice diversion...

[mattc]

Revised childhood joke:

- Where the hell have you been all day?!?

- Riding Greenbank.

[Panoramix]

Where are you in Bristol? do you fancy to get to the start together. I plan to do Greenbank ...

A Greenbank (Bristol) - Greenbank (Liverpool) - Greenbank (Edinburgh) ride has been on my mind for a while. That's:-

Greenbank, Bristol, Severn Bridge, Chepstow, up through interesting bits of Wales, nip by Mancot/Hawarden where my mum was born, then a "Ferry.....Cross the Mersey" to:
Greenbank, Liverpool (I know bits of it well as my brother was at Uni and was in one of the Carnatic Halls in his first year), Preston, Lancaster, Sedbergh, Shap, (bits of Border Raid route), Penrith, Carlisle then either:-

a) LEL Nostalgia route: Longtown, Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Dalkeith, Edinburgh
b) Border Raid route: Gretna, Lockerbie, Moffat, Stanhope, Blyth Bridge or Peebles and up into Edinburgh.

Easy to make it into a 600km-ish ride.

Anyway, that was a nice diversion...

Well, you know where to stay the night before you start... I can also make you a guided tour of the Bristol Greenbank, its cemetery and cycle path!

[Spikey]

I'd love to join you, but most of my weekends are busy up to christmas with various kids things. Might be interested in a pre christmas ride on 19th December.

[TOBY]

Saturday might be wet, bring a jacket 

[GrahamG]

My knee is still very iffy so I'm just going to do a little local ride - will possibly meet some of you at the Monmouthshire Meander? I've got spare bike rack/car space if anyone wants to share a lift to Cardiff. I'll be the one arriving in a bright red renault clio with a grey/red Hewitt bike.

[Spikey]

I'm planning to ride out that way saturday morning, so I might join you as far as Monmouth (before returning to Bristol via forest of dean). Unfortunately I have to be back home by early afternoon (but 100k is better than nothing).

[Panoramix]

Saturday might be wet, bring a jacket 

And a snorkel?

[Panoramix]

I have put together a GPX (in fact the Brevet Cymru recycled): Audax tracks (Panoramix) (last line)

Feel free to use and abuse, no guarantee on accuracy tho!

[phil d]

At risk of being referred to as a wimp, I am beginning to question the sanity of driving halfway across England for this, given the severity of the weather forecast.  I have a feeling the enjoyment factor could be in short supply.

Will make a final decision later today.

[border-rider]

Oddly enough, since I was the instigator, I'm going to wimp out too

I've been poorly sick this week (temperature etc) and I was giving it until to day to make the final call.  I think discretion, in this case.

I will likely ride in the week or next w/e

Have fun.

[TOBY]

So:

~ Saturday 21st November 8am Chepstow Start ~
the garage by the roundabout

Chepstow Start
Redbrook
Monmouth
Hay on Wye
Builth Wells
Brecon
Chepstow Finish

Comes out at 201.8 on Autoroute 2001

SORTED

Riding:

†⊗ߥ
Panoramix

Mal Volio
Phil d
Vorsprung?

I've got nothing better to do (as tempting as "Celebrity Get Me out of Here" is) so I'm still going, I've got some new "waterproof" gloves to test and someone needs to be there for when Panoramix crashes

[cyclone]

Have a good one! See you next weekend for the Meander?
The weather says it'll be a good test for the gloves 

[border-rider]

weekend after for the Meander, no ? 5th Dec.

Don't turn up a week early

[Panoramix]

So:
 I've got some new "waterproof" gloves to test and someone needs to be there for when Panoramix crashes

I will make sure that I pack my "rainlegs" and I need to remeber where my overshoes are. I will make sure not to get to the bottom of this Grosmont hill at 40+ kph, from experience I know it is silly, I still have marks on my thighs from last year crash!

[phil d]

Looking out the window just now, it looks silly to be bailing out, with a clear, bright and calm day.  But all the weather forecasts are agreed that there is going to be very heavy rain tomorrow afternoon, and a strong southerly to drive said rain into our face on the return.  That doesn't sound like fun to me.

So very sorry, friends, but I'm out.

Can't do either of next two weekends, but would be interested in picking up on another ride as December progresses.

[scampi]

At risk of being referred to as a wimp...

Oddly enough, since I was the instigator, I'm going to wimp out too

The great thing about ducking out of an audax due to heavy rain, is that everyone's a winner: 

Those that ride it get a fantastic day out on the bike that they'll remember a long time after the memories of the nice easy sunny rides have faded. 

Those that don't get to stay at home in the warm and dry and eat biscuits.

 

[phil d]

An interesting point, Alan.  But I'm not sure I remember the very wet, very windy rides with much fondness!  The most recent such ride I did was one of El Supremo's rides, October 2008.  It lashed down with rain, and blew such a gale that it was a painful struggle riding out to the station at Dungeness.  One to try and forget.  My memories of the "Beyond Shropshire" three weeks earlier (warm, sunny September day, virtually no wind) are far clearer and more pleasurable.

But each to their own, of course.

I shall enjoy reading the ride reports from Panoramix and Toby, assuming they ride.

This is, by the way, the first time I've ever DNSd an audax (126 events) in consideration of the weather.  Twice through injury.

[border-rider]

Those that ride it get a fantastic day out on the bike that they'll remember a long time after the memories of the nice easy sunny rides have faded. 

I have those memories from last Saturday - don't want to overwrite them

More seriously, I'm still feeling yucky so a w/e off is called for. The weather detereth I not at all...

[TOBY]

I have put together a GPX (in fact the Brevet Cymru recycled): Audax tracks (Panoramix) (last line)

Feel free to use and abuse, no guarantee on accuracy tho!

I put together tracklogs from Brevet Cymru with the Transporter for the Brecon - Usk section as it's nicer lanes than the A40 it's only a track but I sampled it down to sub 500 points 

[Panoramix]

I think that mine is very similar except that it goes through Abergavenny (probably not very wise!)

[border-rider]

Well this morning wasn't too bad for them - and at least it's warm...

[Panoramix]

Well this morning wasn't too bad for them - and at least it's warm...

Yep, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the weatherman for getting its forecast wrong. As we were expecting to be drenched all day drizzle was considered as a bonus. As motorists were expecting to be miserable they stayed indoors to let us enjoy Welsh road alone!