What's your next Audax?

[Redlight]

Well, that Bryan Chapman was a lot of fun, of both types 1 and 2 - with a bit of 3 thrown in at the end.

I'm very much a full value (i.e. slow) rider but still got to Menai about two hours earlier than I have on past BCMs and, despite staying there for much longer than I would normally, I was also back at Kings in record time. Then I buggered things up by concluding that as I had so much time in hand I'd have a little snooze, whereas normally I'd simply eat and carry on. I hadn't done this version of the BCM before so my complacency came from knowing the old route from Newtown onwards. The "new" long climb out of Newtown really dragged down my average speed, which wasn't helped by the increasingly strong headwind all the way to Llandrindod. Another rider very kindly showed me the elevation chart for the final leg so I could see that there was only one significant bit of climbing to come and that provided I rode at a steady place I'd still be back in good time.

Unfortunately, coming down a fast and rough descent about 5 miles from Chepstow I was momentarily blinded by car headlights coming up the hill and hit something big in the road - probably a branch. Front tyre went bang and the chain leapt off and wrapped itself in a knot, jamming the pedals and chainset. I was able to control the bike to come to a safe stop but it was a fiddly job to sort out in the dark (and increasingly cold) and I reckon I lost about half an hour. By this stage my new Garmin had also long run out of juice so I was navigating by memory and had no idea what time it was.

Luckily, it was easy to find my way back to the start and I rolled in just as Ritchie was packing everything up. Too late for a cup of tea, but it was only another 7km back to the Travelodge :-).

 

[Ajax Bay]

coming down a fast and rough descent about 5 miles from Chepstow

Hard luck. Gets very dark in that valley under the trees after sunset. You might have hoped for some twilight at least.
When our group of 3 got to the top of that descent (at about 5pm) people were coming up the other way saying that there'd been a bad motorcycle accident and the road was closed closed. We diverted off north to pick up the Devauden road, which was a bit of a maze and a section of 1:7 climb but once on it, a fast run down to Chepstow, joining the main road only 100m north of the route. Also helped get the distance up to 600.
My Garmin charging routine was to get to Menai and charge a bit while eating to allow 'always on' backlight for dark, and then while sleeping get it up to 100% ready for a full day. My Edge 500 seems to be able to 15 hours of normal running. So mine would have needed a bit more from the powerbank if I'd still been riding after 8pm.
Your experience underlines the merit of carrying a good headtorch.

 

[Ian H]

I didn't have a choice this year—Ritchie told me I was riding, and that was that.

I stayed with a friend in Chepstow, and overslept Saturday morning, so had to scramble to get to the start. By the time I'd had tea and a welsh cake, everyone had left. Then I realised I'd left vital stuff in the car, so had to descend back to the town and then rejoin the route about half-an-hour late.

I started catching a few riders before Builth, and there were still quite a number at Bronllys when I arrived. At Llanidloes I found clubmate Richard, and we rode the rest of the event together.

I had been concerned about my fitness, having only done a couple of 200s and a 300 this year, and certainly I was climbing slower than usual (though whether fitness or age was to blame is uncertain). Nevertheless we made reasonably good time and got to Menai before dark.

The return to King's in the dark was the nastiest part of the journey, with gusting headwinds and buckets of cold rain.

After three hours sleep and some food, we left with time in hand and better weather. Messrs Hopper and Hargraves were in good form, looking after us at Aberhafesp.

The long climb over to Llandrindod was a not-unpleasant grind, though I had to stop part-way to search for bears in the woods. Richard was waiting with his camera at the top.

The final long leg was a main road bash to Abergavenny, then retracing the outward journey past Shirenewton. The sun was by then dipping behind the hills, which made the final descent cold work.

At the finish I nabbed the last bacon sandwich, which made the whole thing worthwhile.

Thanks to Ritchie and family, and all the other helpers, for a great event.

 

[smutchin]

buckets of cold rain.

Were you riding a little red bike?

 

[Ian H]

Were you riding a little red bike?

No, but it was a hard rain.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Well, that Bryan Chapman was a lot of fun, of both types 1 and 2

I have written it up in this post:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bryan-chapman-memorial-600.218418/#post-4805681https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bryan-chapman-memorial-600.218418/#post-4805681
Next stop @Ian H 's Old Roads 300 at the end of the month, body willing (post BCM).

 

[Ajax Bay]

Weather looking good for tomorrow (Saturday)'s Old Roads 300, with the forecast wind light but tending to follow us round @Ian H 's clockwise route (Exeter-Okehampton-Barnstaple-Cheddar-Honiton). Misty in the early morning.

 

[smutchin]

My next audax will be a DIY 600 in Belgium with a couple of clubmates. I say Belgium, but we're actually starting in Dunkerque (France) then heading through Belgium to Maastricht to do a bit of the Netherlands, and on as far as Aachen, just over the border in Germany, before turning round and heading back, so four countries in one weekend.

Will be interesting to see how the route turns out since I've cobbled it together using a combination of Strava, RideWithGPS and Google Street View.

Unfortunately, I lost the first 72km of the ride due to a moment of idiocy with the Garmin as we were coming into Bruges, but apart from that it went pretty well. There were a few diversions thanks to it being Belgian National Roadworks Weekend, which helped push the total distance up to 650km, and a few sections of rough farm track that I hadn't caught at the route planning stage, as well as a nice section of pavé near Oudenaarde, but I was overall very pleased with the route - if I were to do it again, there's not a lot I would change. Particularly enjoyed the small detour to take in the Muur van Geraardsbergen (would have been rude not to since we were passing through the town anyway) and the stop for a well earned beer at the bar just below the summit.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/14820787

 

[ACS]

Just entered the Rannoch 210 on the 10 June. Interesting route easy off with a brisk finish, its just the scenic bit in the middle that will test the max heart rate..

 

[Ian H]

The next scheduled one is the Avalon 400. That should complete this year's SR.

 

[Donger]

"Over the Hills and Far Away" 100km audax, Tewkesbury, 10 June. A lovely ride through the Vale of Evesham before climbing the Malverns and descending back into the Severn Vale. I've talked a few friends into turning out for their first ever audax, confident that they will love this one.

 

[Always Cross]

Hi Donger just wondering if you have got your route sheet and GPs route yet for Over the hills yet. Bit nervous as this the first one I've done with postal service and not sure how it works. Did one at Bristol last month all that was done on line. Got all the info and control stamps but by the time I finished had lost my brevet card so I got a DNF on my first one. You live and learn as they say. See you there I'll see you at the beginning and that will be it as i'll probably the strongest one in the field "holding everyone up at the back"

 

[Donger]

Hi Donger just wondering if you have got your route sheet and GPs route yet for Over the hills yet. Bit nervous as this the first one I've done with postal service and not sure how it works. Did one at Bristol last month all that was done on line. Got all the info and control stamps but by the time I finished had lost my brevet card so I got a DNF on my first one. You live and learn as they say. See you there I'll see you at the beginning and that will be it as i'll probably the strongest one in the field "holding everyone up at the back"

Hi @Always Cross . Actually I spoke to Mark Rigby (the organiser) about this last week, as my three friends are doing it as their very first audax, and were getting worried. He was being very relaxed about it all, as usual, but said he would be sending out emails very soon. If there is no sign of a reply by tomorrow (Monday night), I'll contact him again and mention your concerns. But mainly .... relax. This is normal.

 

[Ian H]

I suppose I ought to ride the Buzzard at some point before the calendar event, to check the route. If I do it two weeks or less beforehand, I can put my name on the finish list. Otherwise it's either a perm or just a nice ride.

 

[Deanie81084]

Completed the Asparagus and Strawberries 400k last week, enjoyed that more than I thought I would.

Just signed up for the 'Kingdom of the East Saxons' on 1st July.