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?
Thanks for your kind words, Martin. And everyone else who has responded. You might be out of luck re seeing the Didcot chimney. Three of the cooling towers came down last year, and the other three are due to be demolished sometime in 2016. But I read in the Oxford Guardian recently that something is coming down this Saturday, 26/9. Not sure whether it's the turbine hall, the chimney or both (the article was not particularly clear, and I had imbibed rather a lot of happy-juice, it being my son's wedding the day I read it).
I have about 40 entries so far; about normal at this stage,so I anticipate 80- 100 riders. Mary will be providing her normal excellent hot fare (the leeks are developing well in the garden, so the soup should be good). If anyone has any queries / worries about the event, please email me or telephone (details on the AUK calendar page) as I'm not such a regular reader of these pages nowadays (retired, so less time available).
Note to Mr Weir - it might not have an awful lot of metres of ascent, but few who complete it call it "flat"!
Note to RedEyeJedi - I don't think there has been edition of this ride (and this is about #12) without a good number of first timers.
Note to AndyOxon (andTim Hall and Jochta) - the Spar is in Ambrosden. As you say, right alongside the route just before Bicester. There are plenty of refreshment opportunities in Bicester, including a Subway on the route and a rather big Sainsburys.
Note to MattC - Easterlies to assist the ride between Bicester and CN have not happened yet, to my recollection. But the wind will probably have swung to Easterly by the time you get to Stanford i t Vale! (I'm assuming you are going to enter)
I shall try to get Waterperry to do more bacon sannies this year. They were worried about being left with stock (they don't usually sell bacon sannies) but quickly sold out last year.
P