frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
Out of interest, how are you getting to Oxford? I'm hoping to do quite a few audax this year but the big blocker is getting to the start of some of them.
A decent number of audaxes work with trains. Ironically it is often the ones that are further away, such as Bryan Chapman (book early). I also got a direct train to Inverkeithing (north of Edinburgh) for my other 600km - made it very easy.
The best way, of course, is to ride out. Last year I rode out to The Dean (same start as Poor Student), straight from the office at London Bridge on the Friday night. I spent the night in the Travelodge, with lots of other riders, and had a relative lie-in! The year before I rode out and back for a 200km starting in Herford and made a weekend of it.
Lots of people do an ECE (Extended Calendar Event) which means that if you ride out and back from a 100km that starts 50km away, it makes it into a 200km. Personally I've not done that mainly as I'm not so keen on the 4am starts.
Most events start early in the morning but there are a few with evening starts. I think they are great as the logistics are so much easier and, for FNRttC-ers, setting off to ride through the night is always exciting but does not challenge the comfort zone!
Driving is horrible and I try to avoid it. Going out it is ok but coming home, even after a 200km, I am just really tired. After Bryan Chapman it was scary.