I was thinking the same.
I think I'll see what the reviews after the "race" say about it. Then maybe drive up early one Saturday, do the route (before the midges come out for the summer) with a bivi on route and a drive home the next day.

Not sure I really understand this ... surely, it's taking part in the event that counts here, not the route. Why not just get a map out and plan your own 200km route in the same area?

To be fair on the price, it does has three food stops and one at the end, plus they are route marking out 200km of track, which will take a long time to do, then they'll have to recheck the directions in the days leading up to the event (so that is at least two sweeps of the track in the week before the event), plus insurance, waste+loos etc etc, so £45 seems like good value to me. Ok, not quite the same as the bearbones valueness but the events are different.

Just my two cents worth

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Not sure I really understand this ...

I suppose it was the tight ar$e side of me who typed that, because of the early start/distance/finishing time for me it would make it a 3 day & 2 night accomodation event.
Drive, sleep, event, sleep, drive home

I'm quite looking forward to the social side of the event.

I'm quite looking forward to riding my bike at a reasonable speed for a long time and then partying like a MoFo after a nice shower and some grub. Before more grub and whisky.

Less than a month now.

Do we have a final list of whom of this parish is going?

#1 Me

I am going.
Anyone know what the surface conditions will be like.
Pea sized gravel or potato?

GregMay wrote:Less than a month now.

Do we have a final list of whom of this parish is going?

#1 Greg May
#2 Kumquat
#3 Johnnystorm
#4 Mountainbaker

Kumquat wrote:I am going.
Anyone know what the surface conditions will be like.
Pea sized gravel or potato?

I did the Kielder 101 last year and that was a mixture of fire/forestry roads and trail centre style singletrack. The forestry roads were pretty compact and well bedded in, biggest stuff might have been table tennis ball size, I'd have been happy on a CX for those sections.

#1 Greg May
#2 Kumquat
#3 Johnnystorm
#4 Mountainbaker
#5 JezS

Getting slightly scared by the distance....a month of colds has scuppered training!

Anyone camping (at a campsite - I want some "luxury") before and after?

JezS wrote:
Getting slightly scared by the distance....a month of colds has scuppered training!

Anyone camping (at a campsite - I want some "luxury") before and after?

Me.

#1 Greg May
#2 Kumquat
#3 Johnnystorm
#4 Mountainbaker
#5 JezS
#6 ctznsmith

Also camping at the campsite on the Friday/Saturday. I can cycle the distance it's the climbing that might do me in.

I've have done absolutely zero 'training'.

JezS wrote: Anyone camping (at a campsite - I want some "luxury") before and after?

I'm camping with Jeff from Grit and two others.

I believe we will also be feeding you lot beer.

I'm so used to camping on my own that I hadn't even considered camping 'with' other people. I think my lift up has booked some poncey hut.

With Gabes flying in from China the day beforehand and me driving up from Suffolk we'll be Travelodging the night before. And possibly afterwards!

Me, bringing a couple of other Southerners. We got real poncy and booked a static caravan. Figured a shower before the pub might be a wise idea.
Not bothered about the climbing, but the distance is mildly worrying. Its kind of crept up on me and I'm trying to do some last minute practice.

I dithered about doing this but it was full when I finally decided to put in

So if anyone (JohnClimber?) wants to do the route another time I'd be interested.

For those wanting to ITT the route, there are 3 bothies very close - approx 60km, 100km and 170km. Happy to share details here after April 16. It is 'gravel' though, so a distance challenge on fire roads and similar surfaces, suited to drop bar, 35-40mm tyre type bikes. MTB on fast rolling tyres will be ideal too. There are many more interesting, technical 'mountain bike' routes around. For a proper race on singletrack, there's the K101. For those who know Kielder from days of yore - a lot of trees have been clear felled and we've aimed for views and visual interest (take your mind off the the pain?...). Scratch your left ear when you sign in so we know the bearboners.

Minipips and I are in.

Hi im fairly new to this sight. I thought 200km was just a bit to far for me this year so im a volunteer . not sure if im maning up a feed station of the broom wagon yet.
Up driving up thursday night to get out and ride on friday.
When i no. What im doing il post it up.
Looking forward to meeting everyone

James

JohnClimber wrote:
I was thinking the same.
I think I'll see what the reviews after the "race" say about it. Then maybe drive up early one Saturday, do the route (before the midges come out for the summer) with a bivi on route and a drive home the next day.

wouldnt worry about the midge. even the summer is not that bad. do it any time.

I'll be there.

That's the route posted...a shade under 200km and only 3711m of climbing

http://www.dirtyreiver.co.uk/event/

It's only 3140ish m of climbing.
Surfaces are mostly very good - smoothish and hardpacked (with some memorable 'chunkier sections').
Don't forget to keep your head up, as there's some great scenery and you're not surrounded by trees for that much of it.
Please let it be sunny and calm.....

[quote][It is 'gravel' though, so a distance challenge on fire roads and similar surfaces, suited to drop bar, 35-40mm tyre type bikes. MTB on fast rolling tyres will be ideal too. /quote]
Reccied 135km of the route this Sunday on 32mm light tread cx tyres.

Tam wrote:I'll be there.

That's the route posted...a shade under 200km and only 3711m of climbing

http://www.dirtyreiver.co.uk/event/

Come round my way, I can get that into a 99km ride :)

Yeah, 18.5m per km isn't actually that much. Actually given those numbers, I'm predicting an almost flat course.