IOW Randonee 2010 Sunday 2nd May

[Riverman]

Thanks.

Doesn't apply to the Southampton Route though. All I'm saying is this ferry is used by people to commute to work. Granted most people will buy season tickets but I still think it's stupidly expensive.

I mean £13.40/day for a foot passenger. It must make it very difficult for people on the isle of wight to work on the mainland.

 

[Riverman]

By the way, if anyone wants to park at my house on the 2nd of May, I have space for one car. Well, I have access to the communal car park. There are 12 flats here spread over three old houses. There's space for 9-10 cars.

There should be space but it's not 100% guaranteed. I don't drive so I'm not sure but if I did I'd expect to be able to use the carpark.

I will look into the councils allocation of parking permits around here and get back to you as that would make parking guaranteed. You could park outside the house, rather than use the car park. However I really don't think parking in the car park is a problem.

I live in a nice area, near the bottom of hill lane, not far from the ferry terminal. :-)

 

[redjedi]

I suppose it's just one of the expenses you have to take into account when you're moving there or looking for a new job.

Train journeys aren't any cheaper for the thousands who do it every day into London. E.G. Kingston in SW London to Waterloo costs about £10 return during peak times.
Then you will probably need a travel card for the tube/bus.
If you live as far as Reading it will cost £40 return, but only takes a little over an hour.

Which is why many of us choose to cycle to work.

 

[Paul_iow]

The IOW randonee is a great day out, especially if the weather is good otherwise it can be a bit of a slog around the bottom of the island.

With regards to the ferries, it is the bain of my life. They are extortinate and when they were using the old ferries it seemed you werent even given a comfortable ride. Try looking at car prices, they are even more ridiculous.

I dont think any of the ferry companies charge for bikes so you will be able to book a passenger ticket and take the bike for "free". The portsmouth journey is quicker but you will have to ride from Ryde/Fishbourne to the checkpoint where as the southampton leg is longer but a checkpoint is in the car park pretty much. It doesnt make too much difference really.

 

[Riverman]

You know what. I wonder if it would be cheaper just to hire a boat! lol

 

[PpPete]

If you want to visit the IOW "on the cheap" there is always this.
Looks like an interesting route, but I don't like the idea of having to go round asking for a minimum amount of sponsorship....especially as will be asking for donations towards another charity when I do my JoGLE in August.

 

[PpPete]

I live in a nice area, near the bottom of hill lane, not far from the ferry terminal. :-)

Ooh ... I used to live off Hill Lane, near the Bellemoor pub. Up the road a little now, in Chandler's Ford.

 

[Norm]

All I'm saying is this ferry is used by people to commute to work. Granted most people will buy season tickets but I still think it's stupidly expensive.

I mean £13.40/day for a foot passenger. It must make it very difficult for people on the isle of wight to work on the mainland.

My Old Man lives in Cowes and I was discussing the ticket prices with him last Saturday. My step mother commutes and Island Residents get books of saver tickets, which work out at £7.88 a day.

By way of comparison, £7.88 for that 12 mile journey is almost exactly the same as the return train ticket for the 25 mile journey from Maidenhead to Paddington is £17.30, although it's not a straight comparison as that's for a day ticket rather than a season ticket. The way that the ticket books work doesn't allow for a direct comparison.

 

[ufkacbln]

Tis one of the most expensive stretches of water to cross in the world though. Feels a lot less satisfying when you realise that. :/

I believe the Hayling Island Ferry is more expensive per mile!

 

[Headgardener]

Argh! Just found out that the first Hythe ferry on a Sunday doesn't leave Hythe until 09:40 which means that I can't get onto the Island until 11:00 by which time the ride will be half over. I will have to instigate plan B which is to ride round really early in order to catch the 08:00 ferrry from Southampton.

 

[Riverman]

Don't want to take this off topic too much but I must mention the need for a Portsmouth to Southampton ferry.

It would reduce congestion no end. Alas it would probably cost a fortune though to buy a ticket and therefore no-one would use it.

 

[Archie]

Anyone driving the bike down to the Portsmouth ferry may be interested in the Park&Ride just to the north of the city. It's in the IBM Northharbour office car park, and available at the weekends. What I'd suggest is you park and, well, ride down to the ferry. Exit M27 for Portchester heading East, or Hilsea heading west.

This suggested route takes you from the car park down to the Wightlink ferry using roads only. Hilsea roundabout (M27 exit) is pretty busy but it's fine after this, although keep an eye on traffic entering Old London Road. I've missed Mile End Road which is more direct, but with traffic coming off the M275 it's not a pleasant route.

Anyone who prefers the slower but slightly more picturesque cycle lane route via Hilsea Lido can follow this route instead. Your riding on the path next to the sea (or mud) for the first part, then a short on road section down to the subway at Rudmore Roundabout. There's more than one exit so if you take the wrong subway out just keep heading south and eventually you'll end up at the same place. From Flathouse Road you'll follow the old city walls on the right, then past Unicorn Gate to the only slightly dodgy section (cyclist dismount signs past there), then rejoin the road at HMS Nelson. Kent St/College St are dead ends for cars, not bikes!

I hope to be there with a friend; with the bling bike if it's nice weather, otherwise the old workhorse.

 

[ufkacbln]

This year all the checkpoints have preregistration.

I have received this from the organisers, and I hope they don't mind me reproducing it here:

2010 Isle of Wight Randonnee
The Randonnee is fast approaching - Sunday 2nd May 2010.

To help avoid the registration queues, this year we again have an optional preregistration process for all the checkpoints. Our objective is to try and improve the speed of getting participants registered on the day and off on the ride.

If you would like to pre-register for the event, simply follow the link below and complete your details. You will receive an automated mail confirming your registration.

Please remember to bring a printed copy of the automated e-mail you receive as it contains your participant number. You will need it on the day to present at the checkpoint.


The Randonnee Team

I don't want to add the email address, so if anyone is interested PM me and I will forward the details

 

[mistral]

they are at the moment that's for sure

I'm sort of thinking of cycle down, do ride and cycle back(though depends on the beer monster), it's about 45 miles from my place to the ferry.

Teef, Red, you could consider a really early London start(SNRTTC), bite to eat here then we head on or I could meet you en route somewhere. Alternatively you could stay over at mine on the Saturday night. Probably need to head off about 0400hrs, could arrange to meet Bollo on the way as well.

I'm keen to join in the fun, should we be considering pre-registration & Ferry bookings?

 

[PpPete]

I got same e-mail as Cunobelin.

Preregistration sounds like a good plan (assuming the organisers are able to match up pre-registrations efficiently)

Pre-booking the ferry certainly is a must, I would say.
Let's make sure we all book the same one !

Given that bikes travel on car deck of the ferry, and passengers have to go upstairs, I'd take some bungee cords/a small cable lock to secure your bike to a bulkhead.