Coming soon - the all new Windsor-Chester-Windsor

[Bugloss]

Strangely I mentioned to my wife that there were places left on this ride & she said that if we confirm our holiday plans & we're still here on 9th/10th Aug then I can enter!  I almost fell off my chair

I just need to hope this does not fill up before 23rd May as that's when we're likely to have the holiday plans agreed with friends

You might be able to have my place if it fills up as I've double booked with the H-B-K-H.

[Ningishzidda]

I'm now double booked with an old biker pal's wedding.
I no longer dress up in Belstaff and ride round on a Moto Guzzi, so Belbroughton wins.

Maybe I can nip out at eight o'clock-ish and be back in the small hours.

[Keeff]

We'll be spending a few days next week route checking and visiting the area.

When we looked at the first stage a couple of weeks ago - Windsor to Eynsham (75km) - we decided to change the original roadside control from a "man sitting on a bench signing cards" to a "fill your bottles and grab some snacks from a campervan while you get your card signed."  We also took the opportunity to move the control from the town centre at Eynsham to the junction with the A40, a couple of kms further on.

We are still looking at Chipping Campden.  Can someone with local knowledge tell us if it would be good enough to have a free control there on both Saturday (124km) and on Sunday (491km).  We think of it as being very touristy, and it will be in school holidays. The times are such that it's unlikely that riders will arrive outside shopping hours.  If necessary we will bung for a village or church hall in the vicinity, and put a small team in there.

There will be good controls at Belbroughton, Chester, and Upton Magna.

Anyone got an opinion to offer about Chipping Campden?

Keith

[3peaker]

CC has one (1) ATM, an HSBC, so folk using it need to draw out £10 min. Couple café (Bantam opp Market Place) and local shop. Also Hotel once used on Poor Student (under Nik Windle) as Control. As long as folk know, no need for costly Control and team, unless strategically useful.

I use CC as a Control on a couple Perms. Limited to how much I can do at the moment (neck brace!) so cannot (yet) offer to recce on convenient Perm.

Hope this helps. Actually thinking about riding this one.

[teethgrinder]

Anyone got an opinion to offer about Chipping Campden?

Keith

Can't think of anything in CC to add to what 3peaker said.

I think that a village hall type control would be nice. It's getting some way into the ride and coming back it would be a good place to have a breather before the last bash to the finish. Faster riders would be arriving in the early hours and might be in need of a nap at that point. Easy to think that you're OK to go through the night and get caught out a few hours later with feeling sleepy.

I'll help at the control if need be. Preferably just for Sunday, but both days if you need someone for both. (I'd like to see the start of the Transcontinental in London that weekend)

[Veloman]

CC has one (1) ATM, an HSBC, so folk using it need to draw out £10 min.

Could you ask for a 'Balance' rather than cash withdrawal?

I did this on Easter Arrow and Chirk 200.  Crossing out any information the rider does not wish to share is usually acceptable.

[Bobby]

Yes although I did a perm with that cash machine at 2am one Sunday morning... I got balance & the very last piece of paper - my mate couldn't get any validation (but had me + gps track as proof)

[teethgrinder]

You can get a free balance from cash machines which charge you for taking money out of them.

[francisbarton]

The Start (and finish) is from the Clewer Scout & Guide HQ which is situated on a private road directly behind the Windsor ambulance station on the Maidenhead Road (A308) accessed from opposite the BP garage.

Windsor central Travelodge is about a 5-minute walk away.

Is there any chance of camping at the scout hq Friday night (and Sunday too if poss?)

A village hall type control at Chipping Campden sounds like a lovely luxury if it can be arranged.
(I'm going to try to put some karma behind this wish by considering for which rides I might be able to volunteer to help at a control, in turn... never done that before).

[Ningishzidda]

I can Recce Chipping Campden from my caravan in Evesham.

The control could be changed to The Speckled Hen cafe at 'All Things Wild'/'Domestic Fowl Trust' in Honeybourne.

I'd enjoy that. What would the times be?

There's a 24 hour McDonalds at the A46/A435 junction at Alcester.

[dasmi]

The Start (and finish) is from the Clewer Scout & Guide HQ which is situated on a private road directly behind the Windsor ambulance station on the Maidenhead Road (A308) accessed from opposite the BP garage.

Windsor central Travelodge is about a 5-minute walk away.

Is there any chance of camping at the scout hq Friday night (and Sunday too if poss?)

I was informed ? yesterday that sleeping at the scout hut was an option.......can this be confirmed yet ?

Need to decide if sleeping with 100 snoring, farting, teeth grinding cyclists is worth saving £40 

cheers

dave

[Veloman]

Need to decide if sleeping with 100 snoring, farting, teeth grinding cyclists is worth saving £40 

Honestly?

Pay the £40 and enjoy the sleep!

[mattc]

Hard to answer. £40 has different 'value' to different people.

[teethgrinder]

£40 spent in a comfy bed works on a sliding scale of value for money.

On a distant El Supremo 600 which went over the Gospel Pass, at night, in torrential rain, after a lot of very rainy miles. I thought that the £40 I spent on my 4 hours kip was a fantastic bargain as I lay in bed with a nice hot cuppa, listening to the rain lashing against the windows and thinking of the poor sods who would be out in this all night while I lay snugly and smugly in bed before I dozed off. It would have been an even better bargain if my room mate made it and we split the cost, but it was a tough ride and he wasn't up to it on the day. When I got going the next day it was like a zombie movie on bikes!

On the other hand, when I'm feeling fresh and it's a nice, warm midsummer night with a full moon and no wind, why would I waste £40 on sleeping when I could have a fantastic night ride!?

[Keeff]

We spent the day yesterday doing a final check in both directions between Windsor and chipping campden.

For the most part the route is brilliant. A good mixture of lanes, b-roads and a few short stretches of As. Not flat by any stretch of the imagination,  but no gratuitous hills. You get the feeling that you've a destination.  Lots of it is out and back, but there are some good changes to the return half to keep the ride interesting.

Sleeping at the start is possible, but we have only a couple of people who have asked for it so far.  We'll be writing to entrants next week to ask you to give a firm indication.  You'll also be entitled to a bag drop at Belbroughton,  which you'll visit twice.

We're pleased to say that entries have topped 100, and we are now closed.

[Philip Whiteman]

News on the Belbroughton Control

Hello All, and welcome to the finest control en-route (just kidding) at 182km and 433km.

For recent Kidderminster Killer riders, you will be aware of this control's location.

For those unaware of the Control location, it is shown by a Highway Sign as "Recreation Centre/Tennis Club".  Do not be perturbed by private appearance of the drive.  Just follow it until the bitter end.

Facilities

Designated anteroom for sleepers. 12 beds only

We have twelve campbeds plus blankets. I may also be able to procure some additional matting.

Showers for those that pack a towel.

Food - outbound

- cake
- bacon sandwiches
- cold sandwiches
- beans
- self-help toast
- bananas
- High 5 sports drink (subject to availability)

Food - return bound

- porridge
- Wheatabix
- pasta and a tomato sauce - with or without bacon
- bananas
- bacon sandwiches
- extra strong caffiene laden coffee!!

If anyone has special dietary requirements, then please let me know. Veggie options will of course be available.

Sundries

Some inner-tubes (23-28) and energy gels for sale. 

Bailing out?

Hopefully there will be no DNFs, but if you blow-up then the nearest station is Stourbridge Junction with regular services into Birmingham and beyond.

[Bugloss]

I have decided to do the H-B-K-H, so my space is available. If I'm able to offer it up that is?

[Andrew]

Will the final route be made available before the off?

[citoyen]

Philip, that sounds like incredible levels of luxury! Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday afternoon and, all being well, some time early Sunday morning.

Andrew, I thought the version on the website was the final version...

[Basil]

Looking forward to meeting you all too. 
No, I'm not riding it. (Don't be silly) I'm helping at Belbroughton.

[Andrew]

Andrew, I thought the version on the website was the final version...

Maybe it is, I don't know in truth. Last time I looked I thought there was a message to the effect that the finalised route would be published late July (or sumesuch).I assumed mention would be made of it here too... but I do get confused!

I start my journey to Windsor early next week and I wanted to leave all prep'ed and ready to go.

[Keeff]

The final version of the route sheet was put up on the AUK website yesterday, together with a zipped file containing tracks for all 10 sections of the ride.

This afternoon, we've emailed riders with copies of these, together with a page of information about the event.  If you were expecting the email and didn't receive it, please let us know.

We now have 92 on the start sheet.

Thanks

Keith

[bikey-mikey]

So a roll call?

Bikey-Mikey n Bairdy

[PAC]

Me

[citoyen]

Me!

I'm working in Teddington tomorrow so I've booked a room at the Heathrow/Windsor Marriott and will ride over there after work tomorrow - rare opportunity to have an early night before a ride. Yay!

Slightly concerned about the state of my bike, since I haven't had much in the way of fettling time lately, but the gps is primed, clothes and spare clothes are sorted, and as long as I don't change gear too often, I should be fine.

Btw, I advise anyone doing this ride not to look at the weather forecast - it's not happy reading.