Isle of Wight Randonnée - Sunday 1st May 2011

[PpPete]

My better half and I are doing the 100k tomorrow. Both of us on our new bikes so really looking forward to it. Going across on 8am Southampton ferry if I can get organised, 9am one if not organised. Shame we wont recognise any fellow cyclechat members.
RuthieB

Look out for a blue tandem with large captain (me) and a very young stoker (William)..... matching black & yellow tops with circular logo on the back which reads "CFMCYC 2010 JOGLE " I think my daughter (on her own bike) might be wearing one of the those tops as well. Other members of the family have decided to dispense with the "corporate identity" on this ride.

 

[Dave Davenport]

My better half and I are doing the 100k tomorrow. Both of us on our new bikes so really looking forward to it. Going across on 8am Southampton ferry if I can get organised, 9am one if not organised. Shame we wont recognise any fellow cyclechat members.
RuthieB

I'll be wearing a Sotonia CC jersey, although so will about 20 other people. I'll be the one slogging up the hills on a 72" fixed gear.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Look out for a blue tandem with large captain (me) and a very young stoker (William)..... matching black & yellow tops with circular logo on the back which reads "CFMCYC 2010 JOGLE " I think my daughter (on her own bike) might be wearing one of the those tops as well. Other members of the family have decided to dispense with the "corporate identity" on this ride.

Are you getting the 8am Pete?

 

[PpPete]

Dave, yes, 8am's the one we've booked..and got e-ticket for. Getting 3 of the 4 kids out the house and riding for 7 am is going to be a bigger challenge than the ride itself.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

... and what did your fiancee say when you arrived home?

Fortunately she said yes two weeks into our relationship some 27 years ago.

 

[adds21]

Well, I've just finished the Rabdonnee. Lovely ride, although I didn't see all that many other riders! (I started at 9 on the dot from Yamouth, so I think I just kept ahead of the crowds). Nice weather for it, although I could have done without quite so much wind! Pretty hard going in places, although I understand that's part of the fun with this one!

My first time, but I may well be back!

 

[2PedalsTez]

Was a good day.
Highlights -
The weather being warm and dry. (I even have a bit of a glow!)
The turnout seemed very good, in particular a real mix of riders including families and lots of different bikes.
Most people seemed really happy (although I did hear one rider refer to another as he was overtaken on a hill as a "shitbox")

lowlights -
THE WIND!
Having to pedal downhill into the wind.
The guy built like Hagrid (Harry Potter film) wearing what I can only describe as 'hotpants'

I do have an opinion on the route and checkpoint/finish system, but I guess it would spoil the idea of it being such a flexible day.

 

[Paul_iow]

Did this again today, would be rude not to do my local event. Was a good day but my god it was windy around the south of the island. Some of the headwinds felt like you weren't moving at times! However was a great day and much better than last year with the weather.


PpPete - I think I passed you on your tandem as I recognised your jersey.

2Pedals - What's your oppinion on the route?

 

[Wightdragon]

Back at home relaxing after that. Good day out and wind was interesting! Saw a few of you, or at least the same jerseys, on way round.
I live on the island and I am glad I don't have to get a ferry home, not sure I would get up again. Tired now but that may have something to do with the imperial ton yesterday!

 

[2PedalsTez]

I overheard some riders on the ferry talking about how they felt at the end of the ride which got me thinking..
Would it be possible to have one start/finish point for both rides (maybe somewhere in Newport)? This would allow for a bit more 'razzmatazz' as riders finish their rides. Currently you get your route card stamped and the certificate (which I hasten to add, is great considering there is no entry fee etc)
The route seems to fall over a bit at East Cowes/West Cowes floating bridge. Could the route not skip this element and drop into Newport/outskirts (maybe even cover views of the castle) and back towards Cowes?
Also the route could dip into areas such as Alum Bay (or as close as allowed), maybe Ryde/Appley area for views.
I must add that my suggestions are only thoughts and often the implementation of them is far harder for lots of reasons (including keeping riders away from main roads etc)
Plus changing this event too much could have the potential of spoiling the charm of this 'non-commercial' feel it currently has....

 

[Wightdragon]

I overheard some riders on the ferry talking about how they felt at the end of the ride which got me thinking..
Would it be possible to have one start/finish point for both rides (maybe somewhere in Newport)? This would allow for a bit more 'razzmatazz' as riders finish their rides. Currently you get your route card stamped and the certificate (which I hasten to add, is great considering there is no entry fee etc)
The route seems to fall over a bit at East Cowes/West Cowes floating bridge. Could the route not skip this element and drop into Newport/outskirts (maybe even cover views of the castle) and back towards Cowes?
Also the route could dip into areas such as Alum Bay (or as close as allowed), maybe Ryde/Appley area for views.
I must add that my suggestions are only thoughts and often the implementation of them is far harder for lots of reasons (including keeping riders away from main roads etc)
Plus changing this event too much could have the potential of spoiling the charm of this 'non-commercial' feel it currently has....

 

[Wightdragon]

2pedals
There are some good points there but I think that you are right that it would take away from the event and it's non commercial nature.
The main problem with one start point is that there are four ferry routes to the island that carry bikes. If there was one start point, say in Newport, that would mean a 16 mile ride from Yarmouth to the start and a 16 mile ride back from the finish. Equally if people are landing in ryde that would add a lot of miles. I think residents would also find it difficult to get to one start.
I agree about the chain ferry but there is little choice really. The roads to Newport are busy and not very cycle friendly. The ferry adds to the experience I think, and it is nice to see bikes take over for once!!

The castle would be a nice addition, save that it is difficult to pop into the route, worth looking at though.
Hope you enjoyed your trip over.

 

[Chris.IOW]

Hi, new to the Forum and only recently got into Road riding, but living on the Island I had to enter this event.

Great ride today, although the Wind along the south of the Island was so draining. And a particularly strong cross wind gust nearly had me in the sea as I descended down towards Compton Beach Car park!

Some of the suggestions on the Route would mean seeing some great bits of the Island, I guess the big advantage of the current route is it follows fixed signs meaning only a few supplementary signs are required, a big consideration for a free event.

It was very amusing to see so many bikes on the Floating Bridge, I use it to get to work every day and it certainly looked very different today.

Looking forward to next year already.

 

[RUTHIEBAV]

It was a great day although I didn't remember it being so hilly last year! I must have flattened it in my mind

Didn't start too well as we missed the ferry by about 3 mins.
The wind certainly added another dimension, but it was lovely on the bits where the wind was behind us. We were a lot slower round this year so at least I can blame the elements
Couldn't resist a nice Toby carvery on the way home. What a lovely day
RuthieB

 

[StuAff]

I overheard some riders on the ferry talking about how they felt at the end of the ride which got me thinking..
Would it be possible to have one start/finish point for both rides (maybe somewhere in Newport)? This would allow for a bit more 'razzmatazz' as riders finish their rides. Currently you get your route card stamped and the certificate (which I hasten to add, is great considering there is no entry fee etc)
The route seems to fall over a bit at East Cowes/West Cowes floating bridge. Could the route not skip this element and drop into Newport/outskirts (maybe even cover views of the castle) and back towards Cowes?
Also the route could dip into areas such as Alum Bay (or as close as allowed), maybe Ryde/Appley area for views.
I must add that my suggestions are only thoughts and often the implementation of them is far harder for lots of reasons (including keeping riders away from main roads etc)
Plus changing this event too much could have the potential of spoiling the charm of this 'non-commercial' feel it currently has....

My answer to all that would be simply, 'it ain't broken, don't fix it'. Going through Ryde adds nothing to the route, and the pier's a PITA for anyone who gets the FastCat from Pompey. Did it that way in 2008, not again... It's like an easy-going Audax, and all the better for it.
As for my day: Jolly good, apart from the delightful wind (got caught out by a particularly nasty crosswind on the drop after the Freshwater Bay climb, fortunately roads were clear at the time) and quite a few of the club guys acting like idiots- far too many close passes for my liking. Saw Wildduck at Blackgang, just like 2009, and Pete (plus brood) and I were on the same chain ferry trip. Managed to extend my lap by a couple of miles after finishing at Wootton, managed to turn left (back onto the route) rather than right (to the ferry), didn't realise for a few minutes. Whoops! Usual excellent service by the PTAs, and all five bits of cake (earnt, I think!) I had were great.