London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[Greenbank]

I miss turnings like you miss controls. Even with the alerts on routes, I am a terror for getting lost in conversation. Next thing, I am having to zoom right out because the track and route are nowhere to be seen. There's no way I could enjoy a ride concentrating on following a line. At least I know with routes that I ought to concentrate in X many km.

I used to work as a grill chef, everything in my working life had to be done in a time that was measured in minutes, with about 20 minutes max.

Part of the reason I use a route is that I can look at the next instruction and see it's 3.2km away and the GPS is telling me I'll be there in about 6 minutes. I can then zone out for 5 and a half minutes, get lost in conversation or just looking at the stars, but my inbuilt timer wakes me up and makes me look at the GPS again to see that it's 500m away and only 50 seconds to go. I rarely miss a turn this way (although it's not entirely perfect).

I can't use tracks as I can't be bothered to focus on them all that time. I want it to tell me what I wanted it to tell me when I told it to tell me, not at numerous points in-between.

 

[PpPete]

I used to work as a grill chef, everything in my working life had to be done in a time that was measured in minutes, with about 20 minutes max.

Part of the reason I use a route is that I can look at the next instruction and see it's 3.2km away and the GPS is telling me I'll be there in about 6 minutes. I can then zone out for 5 and a half minutes, get lost in conversation or just looking at the stars, but my inbuilt timer wakes me up and makes me look at the GPS again to see that it's 500m away and only 50 seconds to go. I rarely miss a turn this way (although it's not entirely perfect).

I can't use tracks as I can't be bothered to focus on them all that time. I want it to tell me what I wanted it to tell me when I told it to tell me, not at numerous points in-between.

I certainly don't focus on the tracks all the time. Just glance down occasionally to check i'm still following the "line" on the screen and to take in which direction I'll be heading at next junction ( I can never memorise more than one instruction at once). I must try creating a "Route" one of these days.

 

[arallsopp]

I'm the belt and braces approach too. Track under the route. Waypoints for each instruction. Works for me, as the GPS beeps and lights up when I approach a turn, and otherwise stays silent and dark.

Moonlit long straights and roads without junctions do yield some in the dark backlight stabbing (whilst you frantically wonder if the next turn really is still coming, or whether the batteries died 20km back) but its otherwise perfect.

The LEL cuesheet was very good, and didn't have any of the spare instructions that you'd get using googlemaps to build a route. If it says 'left' it doesn't mean "keep left on the road you're already on rather than go down that alleyway that nobody in their rightmind would take." It means "go left".

Although it takes some time to put the route sheet in, its a lot faster with two of you (one reading out, one plotting in) and gives the added comfort of familiarity when you come to ride it.
If you want to see what last year's finished article looks like (and you have garmin mapsource installed) click these:

http://arallsopp.webs.com/SOUTHBOUND.gdb
http://arallsopp.webs.com/NORTHBOUND.gdb

Oh. Ps. Welcome vintagesteel.

 

[velovoice]

Oh. Ps. Welcome vintagesteel.

Hiya

EDIT: Had trouble registering on this forum, have only just noticed tonight that it's changed my profile name from vintagesteel to my real one.

Oh well.

 

[yello]

I'm another that just uses tracks. I find a glance at the GPS as I approach an intersection usually does the trick.

But, to be honest, the route sheet for LEL is so good there isn't really a need for a GPS. Things got a bit funky in and around some of the controls; a GPS would have been of use there but I still wouldn't say a necessity. Put in this way, I'll seriously consider not bothering with a GPS next time. I might take it to to log ride data but not for route following. I found I didn't really need it.

Now that the summer is done, I can start thinking of getting some miles in for PBP. I don't have many official audax type rides around me, so I have to plan my own. That's a blessing and a curse tbh. Great to ride as and when you want but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the event of an organised ride, and the companionship. It's pretty tough to motivate yourself to do a DIY 300 solo!

 

[Panoramix]

2013 is a long way ahead with a lot of other rides to do before, but the chances are that I will be at the start of LEL!

 

[Arch]

Hiya

EDIT: Had trouble registering on this forum, have only just noticed tonight that it's changed my profile name from vintagesteel to my real one.

Oh well.

I think if you email Admin, he can sort it for you, he's a most obliging chap.

 

[SteelRex]

Sign me up.


Hello from Northern California (Sacramento-ish) I’m new to audax riding, but I do currently participate in 200 mile events (aka double centuries). Randoneuring is the next logical challenge, but PBP in 2011 seems too much, too soon. I stumbled on to a reference to LEL on the web. Between the location and the timing, it seems like a better fit.


So fair warning, I’ll cough up the occasional dumb question over the next couple of years.


Cheers!!!

 

[PpPete]

No questions are "dumb" Mr Rex - or may we call you Steel?

Many of us increase our store of knowledge by reading the answers to questions which we havn't had the balls to ask for ourselves.

Oh and ....Welcome to the forum.

 

[Arch]

Welcome Steel, I'll add you to the map. I think you are our first USA-ian!

(Hmm, that might have tested my geography, luckily Sacremento shows up at quite large scale!)

 

[Arch]

Oh, and have you visited the UK before? If not, things to note are:

Tea is a drink. Like coffee, only more important.

Tea is also a meal. Usually sandwiches and cake, and tea (the drink).

Fanny means something subtly different over here....

As for the questions, ask away! We all benefit from each other's ignorances, if you get what I mean...

 

[ACS]

Oh, and have you visited the UK before? If not, things to note are:

Tea is a drink. Like coffee, only more important.

Tea is also a meal. Usually sandwiches and cake, and tea (the drink).

Fanny means something subtly different over here....

As for the questions, ask away! We all benefit from each other's ignorances, if you get what I mean...

I lurk on this thread for lots of reasons and I would like to suggest that beer is more important that tea (the drink) but not as important as tea (the meal).

The observation is based on being in a pub with a lots of Audax participants.

Now crawling back into my hiding place

 

[SteelRex]

Let's see if I can navigate this reply with quote thing....

Let's go with "Rex". Not sure we know each other well enough to go with "Steel"... yet..

Oh, and have you visited the UK before? If not, things to note are:

* Visited UK 1979-80 for a year, 1991 for a couple of weeks and 2000 with Boy Scouts at Blair Athol.
* See about me for a few more details


Tea is a drink. Like coffee, only more important.

* Converted to tea in '79 and never looked back.

Tea is also a meal. Usually sandwiches and cake, and tea (the drink).

* I was in Leeds, we had "supper" Besides, I thought bitter was a meal.
* 30 years ago, Yorkshire bitter was my favorite. Glad to see the checkpoint in Thirsk.


Fanny means something subtly different over here....

* Yeah, had to learn about "rubbers", "fags", "fenders are bumpers, etc." how to pronounce aluminum and spell tyres.


As for the questions, ask away! We all benefit from each other's ignorances, if you get what I mean...

Andy's book arrived in the "Post" today. Looking forward to reading it.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Arch]

Andy's book arrived in the "Post" today. Looking forward to reading it.

Thanks for the welcome.

Oh yes, that's an oddity. Over there, the Postal Service deliver your mail. Over here, the Royal Mail deliver our post.

Well, until they are finally sold into oblivion....

Ok, you're clearly well versed in the eccentric ways of the British...

And I can't recommend the book enough. Brilliant stuff!

 

[PalmerSperry]

Welcome Steel, I'll add you to the map. I think you are our first USA-ian!

(Hmm, that might have tested my geography, luckily Sacremento shows up at quite large scale!)

Having just had a quick glance at the map I see the "international contingent" is starting to appear.