"Audax chat" thread

[cyclingtiger]

Severn Across is indeed in April but you can do it ITT style any time of year. However, I am pondering what sort of start time would warrant a kip at Severn View. On the usual 6am start I've never passed through there later than early evening. Anyone who does fancy a kip usually dosses in a corner of Membury Services before knocking out the last leg home.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Stupid question if you'd be so kind ... what constitutes a Randonneur year?

Thank you.

[atk]

Stupid question if you'd be so kind ... what constitutes a Randonneur year?

Thank you.

In what context?

Audax UK's season runs from 1st October - 30th September

There's also RRtY - Randonneur Round the Year, an award you can claim for a 200+ events over any 12 consecutive months http://www.aukweb.net/results/other/rrtyclaim/

[atk]

Been reading some accounts from the Bryan Chapman at the weekend. This happened in 2011... https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topi ... #msg943411, same thing happened to someone this time round too apparently!

[Chew]

Great story. This is why I like Audaxing

F*** it, that's it, I'm going. And turned right......

[Bearbonesnorm]

Audax UK's season runs from 1st October - 30th September

That's the answer I was after, ta.

[johnnystorm]

Great story. This is why I like Audaxing

F*** it, that's it, I'm going. And turned right......

Brilliant!

If I haven't already said so on this thread I think I'm going to give this audax lark a whirl this autumn.

[chris n]

Been reading some accounts from the Bryan Chapman at the weekend. This happened in 2011... https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topi ... #msg943411, same thing happened to someone this time round too apparently!

Garry's a legend. Rode PBP (or maybe LEL?) on a home made recumbent too, IIRC.

[littlegirlbunny]

Bumped into the BCM unintentionally this weekend when I was on this little jolly 300 km DIY

Everyone looked pretty happy to be zooming down the Mach Mountain road when I was pedalling back up it! They certainly had cracking weather. Some great stories coming out as normal.

I've booked onto the Blacksheep 400 in a couple of weeks - looks like a nicely hilly jaunt into Wales. I really should possibly start riding other places that aren't Wales again tho.......maybe....

[DrMekon]

This is my weekend's fun. Have been feeling really awful, but after 4 days off the bike, I'm feeling keen again. Suspect by Saturday my legs will feel fresh and my guts will have stopped gurgling.

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/16-380/

[DrMekon]

Been reading some accounts from the Bryan Chapman at the weekend. This happened in 2011... https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topi ... #msg943411, same thing happened to someone this time round too apparently!

The exploits of "McNasty" fill me with similar joy:




George Berwick doing 500km on a frame held together with zip ties. That is audax to the core. Someone else described audaxing as the "Lidl of sportives" - that seems unkind to me. How we do it seems more in the spirit of building planes in sheds, Bikepacking and ITTs seems to have the same DIY ethic. I'm glad I found both - means when one becomes a grind, I can switch to the other.

[Bearbonesnorm]

George Berwick doing 500km on a frame held together with zip ties. That is audax to the core. Someone else described audaxing as the "Lidl of sportives" - that seems unkind to me. How we do it seems more in the spirit of building planes in sheds, Bikepacking and ITTs seems to have the same DIY ethic. I'm glad I found both - means when one becomes a grind, I can switch to the other.

I find a lot of similarities between it and 70's punk. The DIY ethos and grassroots participation is what makes it brilliant and thankfully, just like punk ... not everyone 'gets it'

[DrMekon]

Just part of the lovely pre ride letter from JayP for this weekend's 600, that included a link to the GPX. It starts from his house, costs £10 to enter, and he's not kidding about food and drink!

.
Aust Village Hall Control: This is the only manned control. Get your card stamped here. Please get a receipt showing time and place at all the others. If you intend to take nap at Aust there will be airbeds available and your drop-bag containing a sleeping bag, fresh clothing and small personal items will be waiting for you and again at the finish (provided I get back before you). If you're going to want blankets let me know before you set off. There'll be food and drink available.

Controls

Prees Heath. The Raven Cafe. Traditional transport Cafe.

Newtown. Morrisons Petrol forecourt or there is an in-store cafe.

Builth Wells. There are two filling stations and burger-place before you cross the bridge into town. Cafes on the main street.

Llandovery. The West End Cafe. Possible the best cafe in Wales. Have a good feed here - The next stage is 100km+.

Magor Services. Dire. Get a receipt for something cheap and be on your way.

Aust Village Hall. AUK manned. Food Loos Snooze

Strensham Southbound Services. Busy retail plaza and forecourt.

Alcester. Esso filling staton, on R as you enter town, or Tesco Express, on L as you leave town.

Meriden. Home of the famous cyclists’ monument, opposite which is an all-day Spa grocery.

Fradely. Small newly built parade of shops in an industrial estate. There is a Coop food store, an ATM and cafe 'Munchies' open till 1230.

Finish. At the finish please sign your card and give it to Elaine together with all your receipts.

That’s it. Any questions send me an email

vaguely exciting - went I get more time I'm going to organise an event.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just part of the lovely pre ride letter from JayP for this weekend's 600, that included a link to the GPX. It starts from his house, costs £10 to enter, and he's not kidding about food and drink!

Not done a Bear Bones event have you?

[DrMekon]

I was at BB200 - was with Stu C up front when my Chupacabra took a hu-uuge nail that went in one side and out of the rim :( 50km ride back on road was depressing. Hope to be back this year, quick trigger finger on the entry permitting.

I very much enjoyed the copious tea and toast at the start :)

[Bearbonesnorm]

I was at BB200 - was with Stu C up front when my Chupacabra took a hu-uuge nail that went in one side and out of the rim :( 50km ride back on road was depressing. Hope to be back this year, quick trigger finger on the entry permitting.

Apologies ... now you mentioned the nail, I'm with you

[slarge]

That 600km monster goes past my house! (Near Meriden) - not sure if cheering them on is in the spirit, more cup of tea and directions to a bus shelter to kip in

[Richard G]

I consider myself pretty damn fit, but some of these rides seem freakishly difficult to me. I guess the key is going without sleep as much as possible, but screw doing that on roads. Scary enough doing it on trails.

[DrMekon]

I've had a really dodgy gut this last week, so I'm taking this one easy - rather than ride through or kip on the village hall floor at the turn, I've booked in to Severn View services. I'll have a shower, a couple of hours kip, and there will be a travel lodge breakfast box waiting for me. £35 of pure luxury.

I know, shameful backsliding. I should just sign up to a luxury sportive with a sag waggon. I'm very embarrassed by my impure ways.

If you need to kick me off the forum, I'll understand.

[Richard G]

Sounds like pretty much the only way you'd get me to do one of these.

[Chew]

rather than ride through or kip on the village hall floor at the turn, I've booked in to Severn View services. I'll have a shower, a couple of hours kip, and there will be a travel lodge breakfast box waiting for me. £35 of pure luxury

Burn the witch........

I have a similar dilemma on the 3 coasts 600.
Either stop and sleep at the control with everyone else, or take a 1/2 mile detour and sleep in my own bed. Dont know if thats a good thing or not

[Dyffers]

I've added 6km to a 400km audax before in order to 'cheat' and have a shower at my house at 300km.

On a calendar event, especially if you have your car at the finish, the motivation to leave again is enough.

On a 3-loops-from-home DIY 400 though, what d'ya reckon I chose when my arse was planted on my sofa with 100km night ride to go back out for? Never again

[Dyffers]

Done a few DIY audax miles in the last week making sure my legs are where I wanted them to be for the Mille Pennine 1000k.

Bike is fettled with my MTB rear mech and an 11-36 cassette because I'm a rouleur not a climber and I've ridden Hardknott Pass before. In fact, the bike isn't far from what I might ride on the Torino-Nice; change the pedals and tyres and we're good to go.



Looking forward to Friday. Anyone else joining in? Mekon? Andy?

[mjsmart]

I'll be there too and looking forward to finally meeting a few people off here.

I reckon I'll be treating it as 4 different rides, making use of the control for sleeping and just seeing how it goes as it'll be pushing my limits to say the least.

Now just to work out what kit/clothes to take....

[DrMekon]

Yep - bike is all set. Will load up the GPX that MJB made this weekend. Will do a 100km tomorrow then taper next week. That SimonP and Marcus are there is reassuring. We all made it around Pendle fine, and speaking to Andy C at the end of Heartbeat400, he was saying that MilleP is easier - "same hills, more spread out" was his summary. Still, I only got an hour sleep on Pendle, albeit in foul weather. I couldn't have done a 400 at the end, flat or not.

Think I've got my kit sorted - it is the overnight temps that scare me. I spent hours at 2c on heartbeat, shivering on the bike. It won't be that bad, but if its wet and windy, it will be rough.