Severn Across 400k 24/Apr/10 - from Chalf St P

[border-rider]

Is that for the slightly pricey Buckingham Blinder?

That's it

Despite its price, it's cheaper for me than driving to Chalfont St P, staying overnight & paying the Bridge toll on the way back.

[The Seldom Killer]

Makes sense.

Probably cheaper for me to come over the bridge, travelodge and drive back, but the ride plan largely hinges on me passing my home at around 300k for dinner (change of clothes if damp, pack if dead etc) and then be dumped in a nice bed for a few hours before consuming my bodyweight in my mothers Sunday lunch.

Also can do a little peletoning into a likely headwind.

[Weirdy Biker]

Ah.  I see.  It also means you won't be knackered at the start having driven across the country - not my most favourite bit of doing the opposite (i.e. getting across to Wales).

No doubt Mr T will be surprised someone entered his event.  Will he even have a route sheet to send out?

[The Seldom Killer]

Perhaps just a list of controls.

[vistaed]

I plan to do this, actually it really is quite important for me to do this, but not yet entered or thought about accommodation. Really should pull my finger out.

[Redlight]

Me too - need to get that form printed. May join the Uxbridge peloton but more likely just to drive across London to the start.

[MSeries]

What route would people take from Uxbridge to Chalfont St Peter on the Saturday morning ? Is the A40 quiet and relatively safe at that time of the day ?

[Greenbank]

What route would people take from Uxbridge to Chalfont St Peter on the Saturday morning ? Is the A40 quiet and relatively safe at that time of the day ?

Yes. A4020, A40, A413. Perfectly fine. Did that route to get to one of the Chalfont Audaxes (Willy Warmer?) one year.

Bicycle Path - TOCSP at Bikely.com

[vistaed]

I seem to have entered and will be staying at the YHA down the road.

[kcass]

What route would people take from Uxbridge to Chalfont St Peter on the Saturday morning ? Is the A40 quiet and relatively safe at that time of the day ?

I'll be coming thro Uxbridge at around 5 if you want company on the ride up.

[The Seldom Killer]

A 5am start seems like a good idea.

Half an hour of gentle riding up to the start followed by a cup of tea.

[MSeries]

What route would people take from Uxbridge to Chalfont St Peter on the Saturday morning ? Is the A40 quiet and relatively safe at that time of the day ?

I'll be coming thro Uxbridge at around 5 if you want company on the ride up.

Yes please. That'll be great. I was thinking of leaving around 0500

[kcass]

Its a date then. I'll meet you outside the Travelodge. PM me your phone number and I'll send you mine.

[MSeries]

All welcome,

[Chris S]

Entry goes off today.

I will be on fixed, and slow. I may therefore play the A4 gambit after Membury, which essentially trades the rolling Downs of Berks and Bucks for the Killer Chavs of the Kennet Valley .

[The Seldom Killer]

So where do you rejoin the route if you go down the A4?

Also, is there a map that shows the elevation? Bikely suggests that this ride is being held on the fens.

[Chris S]

So where do you rejoin the route if you go down the A4?

Also, is there a map that shows the elevation? Bikely suggests that this ride is being held on the fens.

Rejoin at Gerrards Cross. Take the A4 from Newbury to Maidenhead, then fork left off the A4 just by the railway bridge and pick up the B416 near Farnham Royal. An almost billiard table flat - 53.8km - but you get to miss the joys of Streatley Hill and numerous other stabby climbs. The "proper" route is probably the better one from an "enjoyment" point of view - the A4 variant is just if you want to get it over with .

Profile (not including A4 variant):

(click to show/hide)

[Greenbank]

Also, is there a map that shows the elevation? Bikely suggests that this ride is being held on the fens.

It's got roughly the same amount of climbing as The Dean, maybe a tiny bit more, but spread over 400km instead of 300km.

Swell (just after Stow) was memorable, as is Winchcombe as always. Yat Rock certainly is memorable, and you'll recognise the route from St Briavels all the way to Wootton Basset from The Dean.

The climb up through Medmenham near the end is a bit of a git with tired legs, but not as much as the grimp up past Wooburn Industrial Estate.

[Martin]

So where do you rejoin the route if you go down the A4?

straight on instead of L just after Membury then as far along the A4 as you dare; all the way to Slough if you want (assuming there are no compulsory controls after Membury)

the A4 W of the Reading West M4 junction is not recommended unless you like mixing it with 100mph speed merchants

[The Seldom Killer]

That bit is easy to avoid though. Head through Theale and keep going straight on into a dead end. This will turn into a cycle route that will take you past the junction and drop you out at the Sainsbury's on the other side.

[Chris S]

That bit is easy to avoid though. Head through Theale and keep going straight on into a dead end. This will turn into a cycle route that will take you past the junction and drop you out at the Sainsbury's on the other side.

Indeed. In fact, there's probably something to be said for bypassing Reading completely by using the lanes that hug the M4 to the south of the city, and rejoin the A4 at Twyford.

[Martin]

That bit is easy to avoid though. Head through Theale and keep going straight on into a dead end. This will turn into a cycle route that will take you past the junction and drop you out at the Sainsbury's on the other side.

I was referring to the whole section before you get anywhere near the M4; single carriageway, straight and very fast if you have a 3" exhaust

[MattH]

Getting it together to actually plan this years rides, I'll be entering this now and riding there from home in the morning.

[simonp]

Tempted, but I think I'm also doing the Severn Across.  Something has to give, surely?

Edit: My brain, apparently.

I'm sure you all know I meant the Brevet Cymru.

[MattH]

It was a toss-up between the two for me. I want to do Brevet Cymru at some point, but BCM is a couple of weeks later and I'll be doing lots of riding in Wales this year anyway.