Upper Thames 5th November 2022

[Jaded]

And the pictures are here:Photos

Yay! I'm in a photo! 

[Tim Hall]

Who is the bloke in the tea room shot, with is phone to his ear?  He came steaming up beside me on the way to Brize Norton, extolling the virtues of energy gels:

"I used to fear hills. Now I RELISH them!"

And nice pic of the cyclist in action amongst the bare trees.

[Jaded]

[pipsuds]

Who is the bloke in the tea room shot, with is phone to his ear?  He came steaming up beside me on the way to Brize Norton, extolling the virtues of energy gels:

"I used to fear hills. Now I RELISH them!"

And nice pic of the cyclist in action amongst the bare trees.

The relish-er of hills on left of photo is a friend of mine, Mark who joined me for this ride but then spent most of it trying to regain contact having had to go off piste to Thame to get a broken spoke fixed after Waterperry.  Jaded's captions ought to be reversed as I (on phone in right of picture) made numerous calls between Bicester and CN trying to find out where Mark had got to...

[Tim Hall]

Ah! You'd be the Salty Sea Dog, yes? Leastways, riding in RNRMCA colours.

I was the bloke in the tatty looking AUK top, hoovering up pearl barley soup at the end like it was going out of fashion.

[phil d]

I was the bloke in the tatty looking AUK top, hoovering up pearl barley soup at the end like it was going out of fashion.

Good job you specified the top, else you'd have been just like a lot of others  .  That soup is very popular.  Can't say it's to my taste, but perhaps at the end of a November 200.....

[Manotea]

I'm more of a vegetable pasta chap. Very nice.

[Frank9755]

It was almost worth riding 130-odd miles for that soup! 

Great event.   The Chilterns on a sunny day in November are as pretty as anywhere.   The two-stop layout gave the right mix of continuity and rest and it is good to feel you've done the bigger hills early on rather than having them in the dark when tired.  Route sheet and organisation were first class.   

Only problem was the punctures.  I've never seen so many up-turned bikes.  Then I got mine next to the dry stone wall that was being (re)built before CN.  Luckily I got a bit of sun as I fixed it, to help me avoid getting cold.

[phil d]

Results are now on the AUK website, and I received the validation stickers today.  So I hope to get the brevets posted tomorrow, though 24 hours slippage could occur.

Thanks for all the positive comments.  See you all next year.

[Chris S]

Results are now on the AUK website, and I received the validation stickers today.  So I hope to get the brevets posted tomorrow, though 24 hours slippage could occur.

And attributed to 2009/10 results! That's two Upper Thames's in the same year.

Howzatworkthen?

[phil d]

Results are now on the AUK website, and I received the validation stickers today.  So I hope to get the brevets posted tomorrow, though 24 hours slippage could occur.

And attributed to 2009/10 results! That's two Upper Thames's in the same year.

Howzatworkthen?

I'm sure it will be moved once a new year is opened on the results page.  I think that has happened before.  I imagine there could still be one or two "open" events in the old year.

[Martin]

couldn't find a more recent thread so I'll recycle this one like PhilD does with his SAE's 

An excellent Big Field Autumn 200 ( you are rarely out of sight of other riders along the whole route)and one of the unofficial Brevets des Chilterns  with excellent catering all round and sublime leaves along the section after Chippy;

and a rare chance to see the Didcot chimney moving Eastwards at 20kph (well it seems to as it never gets any nearer) with a spectacular pyrotechnic backdrop for most of the dark section

Who's in?

[Bianchi Boy]

Who's in?

Me

[Manotea]

Me to.  I cannot see me matching my last outing though (a barely credible 9:40*, thanks for asking). I'll be happy just to survive get round...

*I can still hear Phil calling, 'Mary, look who's here!'.

[Chris S]

'Mary, look who's here!'.

Well, that's a Sig, right there!

[simonp]

I did my fastest outing last time courtesy of having a train to catch.

[Marmitegeoff]

Me I have unfinished business.  along with Fungus (I think).

[Fab Foodie]

Tempted ....

[jochta]

Planning to ride this again. Must remember to take plenty of food as I did last year as it's a damn long way to Chipping Norton from Waterperry and I usually arrive there well after my tummy's telling me it's lunchtime

[Ray 6701]

I'm most definitely in 

Thanks Marmitegeoff "again" 

[TheRedEyeJedi]

Tempted ....

I fancy it too as my first Audax- ride to start and back would make it a nice 150 miler to end the year.   Will discuss with you at freewheelers!   I think my mate Adam who did a London ride with you might fancy it as part of his Lejog prep as well.

[L CC]

Us as we love soup. And fireworks.

[andyoxon]

'm in.  Would be nice to have 16C & sun again...  I'll also plan to have a tad more to eat at Waterperry, as if memory serves I didn't get to Chippy until ~3pm.   Had a good burger n'chips, but this time perhaps better go for soup...

[mattc]

'm in.  Would be nice to have 16C & sun again...  I'll also plan to have a tad more to eat at Waterperry, as if memory serves I didn't get to Chippy until ~3pm.   Had a good burger n'chips, but this time perhaps better go for soup...

Wise words! Unless we get a rare Easterly wind, ChippingN  is always a long way, with uppy bits.

(but dont forget we go through Bicester with its billion shops; can be quicker/cheaper than Waterperry. Personally I just make sure my pockets are full leaving WP )

[Tim Hall]

Planning to ride this again. Must remember to take plenty of food as I did last year as it's a damn long way to Chipping Norton from Waterperry and I usually arrive there well after my tummy's telling me it's lunchtime

There's a convenience store on the edge of Bicester (I think) that the route goes right past. The army place anyway. On my two goes on this ride I've filled up with pies there.