Snow Roads 300 & Potter for Tea Audaxes 14 May

[Scoosh]

I know this is Audax, and therefore one doesn't talk about times, but roughly how long would that 300km take?
(I have other things on my plate this year, but something like this takes my fancy for the future.)

I did Snow Roads last year for the first time and was mentored round by Noodley - until he had to pack due to physical ailments.

I finished in 17hr 30 and could have been probably 1 hour quicker but for waiting and other stuff ....

One ambition is to finish before it gets dark - which will be earlier this year, as the event is 3 weeks earlier = 40 mins less daylight

.


Better do some training then ....

.. for those hills eck mentioned in passing

....

 

[eck]

Quick update.
I've been holding off posting out routesheets and associated bumph until Aberdeenshire Council can tell me if we will need a short diversion around Rhynie to avoid a road closure. (Don't panic, it will add only about 1.5km if we do have to divert.) I hope to get stuff in the post by this weekend.

If anyone is minded to ride either the Snow Roads or the Potter for Tea but hasn't yet entered, please get in touch soon and let me know. A few places left on the big one, lots of room on the 100.

 

[Scoosh]

Quick update.
I've been holding off posting out routesheets and associated bumph until Aberdeenshire Council can tell me if we will need a short diversion around Rhynie to avoid a road closure. (Don't panic, it will add only about 1.5km if we do have to divert.) I hope to get stuff in the post by this weekend.

 

[Telemark]

Have a great time, all of you crazy people doing the Snow Roads, and those slightly less crazy Potterers and Eaters of Cake (all day long )!

Looking forward to some epic reports ....

T

 

[eck]

35 souls set off on 34 machines on the Snow Roads, and we have 30 out Pottering for Tea.
The bridies have been rounded up, we expect the first Potterers back in about 40 mins, so we'd better get back up to the Arrivée and get the oven warmed up.

 

[Noodley]

I shall pop in and say hello...and bring YLG a cheque for the audax ecosse jersey I ordered.

 

[ACS]

Potter for Tea. Great ride! Only one minor detour but it would not be an Audax without a little sightseeing. Did any 2 riders ride the same route?

Wind was a little challenging on the final leg from the hospital to Kirrie. Thanks to Graeme from 'The Ferry' (sorry if I have the wrong spelling), for his company around the route and to Eck and Alison for their splendid hospitality.

Snow roads next year...................................<maybe>

 

[FetterSteve]

Not a very auspicious start to Audaxing for me. A p******e 2km from the start set me back before I had even got going , things improved from there and surprisingly I wasn't last getting to Stracathro. From there back to Kirrie was a grind with the wind and losing my Route Sheet meant I was winging it and chose a wrong turning which meant I missed the last control

Did make it back to Kirrie disappointed that didn't get an official finish but wasn't as wiped as I thought I might be.

Thanks to Eck for the organisation and to Alison for feeding me cake, bridies and beer when I got back.

Will start training for the next one tomorrow

 

[themightyw]

Oi, SB, I thought it was Snow Roads this year? What happened?

If the EC hadn't been on the same day (and I had friends coming up from 'doon sooth' to do it) I would certainly have been there - either in the PFT or the Snow Roads. Though given how many Easter Eggs I've eaten it would probably have been for the PFT....



Hope all who took part had a great time. Don't plan to do the EC next year so that's one excuse gone...

 

[Scoosh]

Sadly, this year's Snow Roads. didn't go to plan

.

0600 start and the run to Banchory via Cairn o' Mount was good, though the descent into the headwind was a taste of things to come ....

The Oyne Control was reached fine, then the into-the-wind-all-the-way-with-showers meant rain trousers were donned at Rhynie and I was dropped by the wee group going up Cabrach. Going down again, if I stopped pedalling, speed dropped from 25kph to 13 , so no 'free miles' here. A flat tyre 15km from Dufftown meant I left the Control there 4 mins before it was due to close

and was last on the road.

Knowing I was chasing time and still butting into the headwind and rain, my mind gave up, followed shortly by my legs. After going over the Lecht and turning off for Braemar, I really couldn't face the next 2 hills before Braemar, so ... I packed.

Flagged down a passing car and scrounged a lift to the Control at Braemar (approx 30km), only to find MrRidley had also packed, after walking the final km into Braemar, his knees having decided enough was enough and his neck was very painful.

Arranged a bed in the YH for MrR and I set off to ride over Glen Shee and back to Kirrie. Only 2 cars passed me the whole way back - the first was upon me before I could jump/fall

off the bike and appeal for a lift and the second as I was about to turn off for Glenisla

. No more lifts

, so I rode on to the finish

, arriving at 0045, where it was great to catch up with Noodley, dropping in to the Arrivee to see old friends.

3 hrs sleep and a pleasant drive back to Braemar for MrR in the morning. He was feeling better, though much of our conversation centred around the theme of "we're never doing another audax; we're not good enough for this stuff; how can we buy an Audax Ecosse cycling shirt now ?" etc.

- it is a tough ride
- there was a strong headwind much of the way
- it was wet - the rain wasn't vertical like last year, it was coming at 45[sup]0[/sup]
- it was a chilly day
- it was held 3 weeks earlier than last year (which makes a difference to weather, darkness etc)


There is unfinished business ....

 

[ACS]

Oi, SB, I thought it was Snow Roads this year? What happened?

If the EC hadn't been on the same day (and I had friends coming up from 'doon sooth' to do it) I would certainly have been there - either in the PFT or the Snow Roads. Though given how many Easter Eggs I've eaten it would probably have been for the PFT....



Hope all who took part had a great time. Don't plan to do the EC next year so that's one excuse gone...

Hands up, I bottled it. I had made my decision at the end of the Kinross swimathon Sportive, not fit enough and still carrying to many Kgs. IMO it would have been reckless to take part in such challenging event knowing there was a fair chance I would not make it round.

That said I had a really great day on the P4T. Managed to hang off the back of the autobus, enjoyed the scenic bits and of course the company. Scanned the reports about the EC sounds like it has become a victim of its own success.

 

[MrRidley]

Sadly, this year's Snow Roads. didn't go to plan

.

0600 start and the run to Banchory via Cairn o' Mount was good, though the descent into the headwind was a taste of things to come ....

The Oyne Control was reached fine, then the into-the-wind-all-the-way-with-showers meant rain trousers were donned at Rhynie and I was dropped by the wee group going up Cabrach. Going down again, if I stopped pedalling, speed dropped from 25kph to 13 , so no 'free miles' here. A flat tyre 15km from Dufftown meant I left the Control there 4 mins before it was due to close

and was last on the road.

Knowing I was chasing time and still butting into the headwind and rain, my mind gave up, followed shortly by my legs. After going over the Lecht and turning off for Braemar, I really couldn't face the next 2 hills before Braemar, so ... I packed.

Flagged down a passing car and scrounged a lift to the Control at Braemar, only to find MrRidley had also packed, after walking the final km into Braemar, his knees having decided enough was enough and his neck was very painful.

Arranged a bed in the YH for MrR and I set off to ride over Glen Shee and back to Kirrie. Only 2 cars passed me the whole way back - the first was upon me before I could jump/fall

off the bike and appeal for a lift and the second as I was about to turn off for Glenisla

. No more lifts

, so I rode on to the finish

, arriving at 0045, where it was great to catch up with Noodley, dropping in to the Arrivee to see old friends.

3 hrs sleep and a pleasant drive back to Braemar for MrR in the morning. He was feeling better, though much of our conversation centred around the theme of "we're never doing another audax; we're not good enough for this stuff; how can we buy an Audax Ecosse cycling shirt now ?" etc.

- it is a tough ride
- there was a strong headwind much of the way
- it was wet - the rain wasn't vertical like last year, it was coming at 45[sup]0[/sup]
- it was a chilly day
- it was held 3 weeks earlier than last year (which makes a difference to weather, darkness etc)


There is unfinished business ....

My mind remains unchanged.

Not for me there's not.

 

[Telemark]

Ouch! Hope you are on the mend now, MrRidley!
Sounds like the weather was not playing nice on the day , the Etape had more luck the next day.

Interesting thoughts on "mind over legs", Scoosh ... so you packed after 200k (?) and then still did another 68 ???????????

T

 

[GAVSTER]

Having had nearly seven weeks off the bike due to working in Glasgow (two short Sunday rides over that time) there was no way i was gonna attempt the Snow Roads.

The PfT was a really nice event and was well worth me driving up from Fife for.

I kinda thought that driving for about three hours for a four and a half hour riding time was a bit daft but the scenery and great company soon dispelled that.

The headwind for the last 40k was a bit of a pest but I managed to avoid any rain and was never uncomfortable.

Legs even felt good the next day.

Looking forward to doing the Snow Roads in the future but I certainly would recommend the Potter to anyone