Snowdrop and Sunrise Express. Now Booking.

[Philip Whiteman]

Sunrise Express and Snowdrop Express Audaxes


....the only audax you should be thinking about this winter!


A superb event to help you blow out those winter cobwebs, get some winter training or merely enjoy a leisurely ride through the crisp and hopefully sunny weather. The routes start at Hartlebury in North Worcestershire and head off to circuit the Vale of Evesham


This is a popular audax with around 200 riders and only one of a few at this time of year. So make sure you book a place as soon as you can, you can do this online and for only £7 (£5 for AUK, BC or CTC members).


Full Details:

http://www.beaconrcc.org.uk/audax/express/index.html


The Events - 19th February 2011

Our two events, the Sunrise Express and the Snowdrop Express, are both 123km in length and they follow the same route, but travelling in opposite directions. The start times are staggered as follows to give riders a choice and to ease congestion at the HQ.

Sunrise Express. 08.30. 123km clockwise

Snowdrop Express. 09.00. 123km anti-clockwise


How to Enter

Via Paypal from the Beacon RCC website or by downloading the snail mail entry form.


The Route:

 

[jimboalee]

Righty O.

I rode this ride when it was compacted snow.

The organiser allowed a direct route to Upton through Worcester. Was that 2007?

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Righty O.

I rode this ride when it was compacted snow.

The organiser allowed a direct route to Upton through Worcester. Was that 2007?

In case of heavily iced lanes, I have gritted contingency plan just in case rather like 2007. In the event of the roads being totally blocked by snow, I will also allow the route to be ridden under permanent conditions up until the beginning of April. Worcestershire CC allege that they have enough road salt this year.

As far as I can gather, throughout the event's history, it was only cancelled on one occasion due to weather. So fingers crossed.

 

[jimboalee]

Hey Doc.

You've catagorised this ride ( according to the AUK calendar ) as a BP... Brevet Populaire...

But you've assigned it Rando speeds 15 - 30 kmh .

I had though of riding my BSA 20 with a big flask of soup in the backbag.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Interesting point. I had inherited the 15-30kph specification and chose to simply repeat it.

Upon investigation, I discovered that the events used to use the lower range but feedback from riders indicated that it was too limited bearing in mind the nature of the course. One audaxer at the time mentioned that he felt uneasy with the change initially has since realised that it was not a problem. We also had the added complication of the HQ Cafe needing to close late afternoon. Whilst the route has some little bumps and lumps, overall it is not particularly hilly and participants generally make quick progress. As I understand it, since the change we have not suffered 'timed out' participants.

If you are concerned about the soup in relation to the speed of route, have you thought about using the latest in light weight soups

 

[Philip Whiteman]

This is a quick note to add that places are selling fast. I expect to close this event to entries within the next few weeks. Of the two audaxes, the Sunrise Express has the greatest number of places left.

 

[jimboalee]

I have just coughed up for five years membership ( if the world lasts that long ), so my entry will be in the post tonight, or I might deliver it by bike after Sunday's Rememberance Service in Centenary Square.

 

[Banjo]

Having to map read will obviously slow you up a bit but the lower 15km limit seems easilly achievable on a fairly flat course.Allways presuming you dont get lost of course

Will have to see if I can rearrange a few things and give it a go unless its sold out.

 

[jimboalee]

Having to map read will obviously slow you up a bit but the lower 15km limit seems easilly achievable on a fairly flat course.Allways presuming you dont get lost of course

Will have to see if I can rearrange a few things and give it a go unless its sold out.

The ride is in the middle of winter, so you'll be wearing long sleeves.
What you do is get four different colour highlight pens and highlight in turn the instructions on the routesheet.

At the start of a section, you fold the routesheet so you can see the multicoloured instructions for the next section, put it in a plastic bag and rubber band it to your left forearm.
The colours will help you to keep track of where you are.

Alternatively, there will be a chap on a BSA 20 going quite slowly with a Garmin Edge. Keep him in sight.

 

[Banjo]

The ride is in the middle of winter, so you'll be wearing long sleeves.
What you do is get four different colour highlight pens and highlight in turn the instructions on the routesheet.

At the start of a section, you fold the routesheet so you can see the multicoloured instructions for the next section, put it in a plastic bag and rubber band it to your left forearm.
The colours will help you to keep track of where you are.

Alternatively, there will be a chap on a BSA 20 going quite slowly with a Garmin Edge. Keep him in sight.

Just entered The Snowdrop . Looking forward to it now, hope we dont need to use the gritted alternative route

Which one are you on ?

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Just entered The Snowdrop . Looking forward to it now, hope we dont need to use the gritted alternative route

Which one are you on ?

Thanks for the entry. Look forward to seeing you.

In terms of following routes, here are some tips:

- Stick with someone who knows the route card holder, GPS or knows the route (you will meet plenty);
- If you are likely to become a regular audaxer but would not wish to buy GPS then consider a mini-map holder, see: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mini-map-1-map-holder-9-x-15-cm-with-klickfix-bracket-prod652/

If riding any sportive or audax type of event in an unfamilar area, I usually carry a torn out page from an old road atlas in case I go off route by accident.

 

[AlanW]

- Stick with someone who knows the route card holder, GPS or knows the route (you will meet plenty);

Just make sure that they are not wearing transparent shorts.....

(Private joke, ah Phil)

 

[Banjo]

Thanks for the entry. Look forward to seeing you.

In terms of following routes, here are some tips:

- Stick with someone who knows the route card holder, GPS or knows the route (you will meet plenty);
- If you are likely to become a regular audaxer but would not wish to buy GPS then consider a mini-map holder, see: http://www.sjscycles...racket-prod652/

If riding any sportive or audax type of event in an unfamilar area, I usually carry a torn out page from an old road atlas in case I go off route by accident.

Thanks for that. Think I will have a tinker with a bit of perspex and some cable ties to make a route card holder.Kind of them to give the dimensions of it in the advert.

 

[andy_wrx]

I made one with a bit of plywood, couple of cableties and bulldog clips.

The Garmin-equipped in the club scathingly call it 'Garmin 0.1', then argue amongst themselves as their GPS devices don't quite agree about distances and whether it's this left turn or the one in 200m or the one we've just passed...

Most routesheets are printed on A4 but you fold into quarters, gives you the sortof size you need.

 

[Speicher]

Hey Doc.

You've catagorised this ride ( according to the AUK calendar ) as a BP... Brevet Populaire...

But you've assigned it Rando speeds 15 - 30 kmh .

I had though of riding my BSA 20 with a big flask of soup in the backbag.

You will pass very close to (you may even go right past) Revills Farm Shop, Bourne Road, Defford. They are Cyclist Friendly and have a cafe for soups etc iirc. You won't have time to stop there either, will you?