Hir oes i'r Elenydd! (Sat 14th April 2012)

[Philip Whiteman]

Being totally selfish, having been a borderline DNS due to cold, I now feel vindicated for being a non-starter.  More seriously though, I hope the weather improves for the rest of you.

It is quite curious how the weather can differ only a few miles to the east.  Here in Worcestershire it has been a fine day.

Keep the effort up and enjoy the day.   

[hellymedic]

Llandovery weather now dry, warmer and brighter. Not sunny but OK nonetheless.

[Mike Conway]

Was riding with the front group until Shobdon... Hit the wall with the next 2 hills and with 4 hours of rain and cold decided to call it a day 10k from Bulith Wells - rode back to travel lodge in Telford via Knighton. Still clocked up 190k in total so don't feel too bad for quitting. The snow on the mountains was beautiful... Hope the rest of you have a good ride!

[lawriej]

Was riding with the front group until Shobdon... Hit the wall with the next 2 hills and with 4 hours of rain and cold decided to call it a day 10k from Bulith Wells - rode back to travel lodge in Telford via Knighton. Still clocked up 190k in total so don't feel too bad for quitting. The snow on the mountains was beautiful... Hope the rest of you have a good ride!

Well done, very good effort considering the conditions.

I withdrew earlier this week due to a bad back... think I would have struggled today 

[JohnHamilton]

It was pretty grimover to Builth, but it cleared up afterwards and by the Devil's Staircase was actually quite pleasant. Nagging headwind all the way back to Shrewsbury though.

First riders back about 30 minutes ago.

[marcusjb]

Rather harder than my previous ride of the old elenith.

Weather was tough, rain, very cold, even a bit of hail.

It did actually get a little sunny towards the end of the day.

Some bruising head winds on the return.

Bonked in the elan valley. Was all over the place.

Brilliant organisation. New final control was lovely, beef stew!

About to get a few mins shut eye and then pedal to hotel to sleep for a long time.

[eeymsmo]

All new to me as I never rode the previous version.
Did most of the ride with wet feet due to not checking the depth of a ford near the start (yes, no spare socks is a rookie mistake, but I do carry moistened wipes). And then the rain kept coming.

The road to Tregaron was stunning, though I think some of the sparkling bits may have been down to hypoxia from the climbs. 2 dismounts and about 5 metres walking on the devils staircase. Glad I replaced my brake blocks just before the ride, only scared myself once on the drop to Tregaron when the Cantis didn't have quite the power I wanted and I started to run out of road.

Almost clipped a couple of sheep dropping into Rhayader. Wheelwrights was a welcome sight. Walking out into a downpour less so. The last 20km were pretty much downhill as stated which was most welcome.

Great catering at the finish set me up for the drive home. Top event.

[Revellinho]

Well, I have just got back to the sunny South Lakes and when I got the tent out of the car it was still covered in little 'bullets' of frozen rain - don't tell me it wasn't cold!  Anyway, that's my first 300 under the belt, albeit slowly (I didn't get in till 1:40am) but was still pretty pleased to get round in one piece and have lots of 'magic moments' to look back on.  Well organised, I am sure this version will soon become a classic.

[Manotea]

Well done, chaps, especially the (well) after midnight brigade.

Gosh, checking the records, I only rode the old Elenid in 2006 and 2007. 2006 was a wet year. I have a memory of climbing out of the Tregaron into sunshine and looking back down into the valley shrouded in drizzle.  The weather was a lot nicer in 2007 which was just as well as I was distinctly less fit then I was in 2006, but I decided to go anyway.

Here is a picture of me at Tregaron in 2007 by John Spooner contemplating the fact that I was shattered, behind the clock with 150km to go, and wondering how the hell was I going to get back to Kidderminster?

Happy days.

[Chris N]

A great day out.  Terrible weather from Shobdon to Builth, really wet and cold, though the tailwind was welcome.  I went into the new bike shop in Builth to see if I could buy some winter tights I was that cold - they didn't have any, and fortunately it cleared up by the time I got to Beulah.  Lovely stroll up the Staircase, as usual, and I was pleased that the wonderfully smooth tarmac on the descent into Tregaron hadn't broken up.  Back into the wind from Tregaron, but at least it was mostly dry for once along the Ystwyth and Elan valleys.  Lovely road from Penybont to Knighton - the first time I'd ridden that section, really enjoyed the climb from Monaughty in particular.  The stew and crumble at Wheelwrights was very welcome and set me up nicely for the walk up the Long Mynd.

[bikey-mikey]

I'm about 80km into my homeward 200 DIY, and the legs still work...

I never had enough clothing so froze for the first leg, and I also had two completely wet feet. Reaching the airfield I decided to strip down to bare feet, and I stayed there for one hour and three seconds.. About the last to leave!!!

I ripped through the next leg, meeting (in passing) quite a few that I hardly ever see, which was good. Apologies for sprinting up a steep bit past a couple of riders, going too fast to say more than "hi"...

For a while in the middle I was not too cold and took off my boil in a bag to climb the staircase - bit of an anti climax to tell the truth - but made my heart rate soar...

Wheelwrights a success - I was down a bit and someone passing said "apple crumble and custard at the next control". I flew...

Finished quite early and chatted for hours.

Next year I will be sweltering with too much clothing!!!

But I'll be back

[eeymsmo]

Just sorting the washing out ad realised I'm missing a glove. Don't suppose anyone spotted a lonely black sealskins glove lying in the hall or the field did they?

[Salvatore]

Just sorting the washing out ad realised I'm missing a glove. Don't suppose anyone spotted a lonely black sealskins glove lying in the hall or the field did they?

A glove answering that description was handed to John this morning.

[Salvatore]

Offical Rule Change

The Spooner rule of "Rhyader by 7pm  Picklescott by 12:30am and you'll be fine"

[JohnHamilton]

Just sorting the washing out ad realised I'm missing a glove. Don't suppose anyone spotted a lonely black sealskins glove lying in the hall or the field did they?

A glove answering that description was handed to John this morning.

I've also got a couple of other items of lost property. If anyone's lost a helmet, head torch, pair of gloves and/or and AUK cap get in touch so I can repatriate them.

[vorsprung]

Just sorting the washing out ad realised I'm missing a glove. Don't suppose anyone spotted a lonely black sealskins glove lying in the hall or the field did they?

A glove answering that description was handed to John this morning.

I've also got a couple of other items of lost property. If anyone's lost a helmet, head torch, pair of gloves and/or and AUK cap get in touch so I can repatriate them.

If it's a red helmet with a PBP number sticker on the side it's mine.  Please bin it, it's old and it stinks!

If it isn't a red helmet I guess left it on the train
Sorry to dump my crappy old plastic hat with you, it wasn't deliberate...

[Peter]

Well done everyone.  I met Bob Bialek today on Spring Into The Dales, which he was doing after having completed The Elenith and then had one hour's sleep.  A Man Of Steel.  Manotea, I've just clicked the link to your photo.  Was that really necessary?!  Mikey, i'm not sure we like people who refer to The Devil's Staircase as a bit of an anticlimax.  You have done just a bit more riding than most, this season!  (I'm glad it is going so well for you.)  Revellinho, chapeau!  You can pick 'em!

Thanks, everyone for your reports and to John for organising what seems to have been a wonderful event.

[Manotea]

Manotea, I've just clicked the link to your photo.  Was that really necessary?! 

I call that photo, 'The Spirit of Audax'.

[Peter]

Manotea, I've just clicked the link to your photo.  Was that really necessary?! 

I call that photo, 'The Spirit of Audax'.

 

[Chris N]

someone passing said "apple crumble and custard at the next control".

That was me.  I was very pleased that they actually had crumble and custard.

[Jonah]

someone passing said "apple crumble and custard at the next control".

That was me.  I was very pleased that they actually had crumble and custard.

The apple crumble & custard was better than my mum's

[vorsprung]

I've also got a couple of other items of lost property. If anyone's lost a helmet, head torch, pair of gloves and/or and AUK cap get in touch so I can repatriate them.

I've 'fessed up that the helmet, the head torch and the gloves are me.  Ooops.  Sorry.

[JayP]

I met Bob Bialek today on Spring Into The Dales, which he was doing after having completed The Elenith and then had one hour's sleep.  A Man Of Steel. 

+1 The man is a machine.

Staircase (which I got up in one hit)

I am witness to this fact and also that Martin's feet never actually touched tarmac for the entire Tragaron road other than to wait for his companions.
 Didn't spot famous toad anywhere. 

Did most of the ride with wet feet due to not checking the depth of a ford near the start (yes, no spare socks is a rookie mistake, but I do carry moistened wipes). And then the rain kept coming.

That 'ford' is usually dry. I did have two pairs of socks but unfortunately I was wearing both of them.

JH (and Linda) now have the logistics needed for these big field epic Audaxes off to a fine art. Superbly well organised. I'm looking forward to the day when they turn their attention North East of the Shire?

[vorsprung]

A few pictures on the blog now

[JohnHamilton]

Did most of the ride with wet feet due to not checking the depth of a ford near the start (yes, no spare socks is a rookie mistake, but I do carry moistened wipes). And then the rain kept coming.

That 'ford' is usually dry. I did have two pairs of socks but unfortunately I was wearing both of them.

Both fords along the Roman Road are usually no problem. The first is nearly always dry, the second rarely has more than a trickle. We were unfortunate with lots of heavy showers this week and rain on Friday.

I'm looking forward to the day when they turn their attention North East of the Shire?

NE of Shrewsbury is generally pretty dull until you get to the Peak District which is quite a way away. South & West is where all the good stuff is. And it's where I know best.