Arrivee 116 Spring 2012 by Audax UK

HEADING editorial IN HERE

Spring 2012 For nearly every edition of Arrivée that I produce lately I struggle to get enough copy to fill the magazine. You will notice that this edition is down from its regular 64 pages to 56 pages. Take away the eight pages of the Calendar and we are down to 48 pages of text and photos, submitted by a total of ten authors. Out of a membership of over 4,000 surely we can raise enough interest for more people to submit a few paragraphs for their club magazine? If PBP had not been held last year, we would have had even less articles and the page count would have gone down to 44. Come on guys! Get writing, get your camera out, contribute. Write something for the Correspondence page (that is virtually non-existant nowadays). Do you want a magazine, or just a blog on a website? LEL organiser Danial Webb is working hard to get the LEL website into shape and it is slowly coming together. It should be going live some time in April or May, but if it’s not quite ready, it will be soon. You can find it at http://www.londonedinburghlondon. com. Keep your wheels turning.

Tim

Contents

Events News............................................................................... 2 Just a Minute............................................................................ 4 St Malo to Barcelona.......................................................... 6 Faffing about before the start................................ 10 Review: Sanyo XX Eneloops...................................... 11 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ...................................................................................... 12 One hundred and eighty!........................................... 14 Dunkery Dash....................................................................... 16 TT course round Isle of Man..................................... 18 Double or quits.................................................................... 20 Round the world race..................................................... 23 Getting Roger Dean to do the album cover 24 In praise of … the Marple Grimpeurs.............. 28 Dinner Dart to the AGM............................................... 36 Reviews: Pete Matthews Mercury Wheelset...................... 39 End-to-End book................................................................ 39 Fourth time lucky............................................................. 40 Calendar................................................................................... 48 Front cover: Climbing through the Elan Valley, The Elenith 300, 2011 Photo by Peter Ruffhead Next edition of Arrivée is in August. Please send your copy to Tim (address on right) by 15th June

PLEASE MENTION ARRIVEE WHEN REPLYING TO OUR ADVERTISERS

■ AUK has a new modern logo, designed by Andy Allsopp (pictured below on LEL 2009). I've incorporated it into the footers and it replaces the original, designed by John Spooner on an ancient computer many years back. The auk still lives!

DAX UK

Arrivée is the free magazine of Audax United Kingdom – the long distance cyclists’ association which represents the Randonneurs Mondiaux in the UK. AUK membership is open to any cyclist, regardless of club or other affiliation, who is imbued with the spirit of long-distance cycling. Full details in the AUK Handbook. HOW TO CONTACT US Membership Enquiries: Mike Wigley (AUK Membership Secretary), Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph OL3 5UX. Email: mike.wigley@Audax.uk.net Membership Application Form: www.aukweb.net/memform.phb or Ian Hobbs (New Members), 26 Naseby Road, Belper DE56 0ER. Email: ian.hobbs@Audax.uk.net Membership fees: Renewal: £14 or £56 for five years (price of four). New or lapsed members £19 (inc. £5 enrolment fee) or £61 for five years (price of four). Household member: £5 or £20 for five years (price of four). No enrolment fee for new household members. Life member’s Arrivée £9. ARRIVEE Extra current Arrivée copies, where available, are £3 (UK), £4 (EEC), £5 (non-EEC). Contact Mike Wigley (address above). Mudguard stickers four for £1. AUK cloth badges £2 (includes UK post. EEC add £1. Non-EEC add £2. Contact Mike Wigley (above). Contributions – articles, info, cartoons, photos, all welcome. Please read the contributors’ advice in the Handbook. Views expressed in Arrivée are not necessarily those of the Club. Produced by AUK: editing, typesetting, layout, design by Tim Wainwright. Printed and distributed: Headley Brothers Ltd, Ashford, Kent TN24 8HH. Distribution data from AUK membership team. TO ADVERTISE Advertising Manager: Tim Wainwright, 4a Brambledown Road, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0BL. E-mail: twain@blueyonder.co.uk Rates per issue: Full page A4 £268. Half-page landscape or portrait £134. Quarter-page £67. One-sixth page £45. One-twelfth page £23. Payment in advance. Businesses must be recommended by a member. We rely on good faith and Arrivée cannot be held responsible for advertisers’ misrepresentations or failure to supply goods or services. Members’ private sales, wants and events ads: free. PUBLICATIONS MANAGERS February Editor: Sheila Simpson, 33 Hawk Green Road, Marple SK6 7HR Tel: 0161 449 9309 Fax: 0709 237 4245 E-mail: sheila@aukadia.net May and August Editor: Tim Wainwright, 4a Brambledown Road, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0BL. Tel: 020 8657 8179 E-mail: twain@blueyonder.co.uk November Editor: Maggie Lewis, 31 Headland Drive, Crosspool, Sheffield S10 5FX. Tel: 0114 266 6730 E-mail: margaret@lewismpd.plus.com Audax UK Long Distance Cyclists’ Association (Company Limited by Guarantee). Reg. Office: Timberly, South Street, Axminster, Devon EX13 5AD. To subscribe to the AUK e-mailing discussion list, send an e-mail to: audax-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Copyright © 2012 Arrivée. Our WWW site: www.audax.uk.net AUK clothing can be purchased directly on-line at: www.impsport.com and click on Audax UK in the left hand panel.

Arrivée Spring 2012

1 AU

DAX UK

events news

The Highwayman Challenge Scotland’s newest Audax, the 100km ‘Highwayman Challenge’ is already attracting a significant number of entries. The ride forms part of a weekend of cycling activity taking place in Girvan, nestled under the hills of the South Carrick region of Ayrshire. It all kicks off on Friday, 8th June, when the Olympic Torch passes through our back yard, continues on Saturday 9th with the Highwayman audax, and concludes on Sunday 10th when we promote the 47th edition of the South Carrick David Bell Memorial Race. The Davie Bell, as its more commonly referred to, is considered one of the ‘monuments’ of Scottish bike racing. Tough climbs, wild terrain, and spectacular drama. I grew up with the race, failed to make an impact on it, and somehow ended up as race organiser. I’ve learnt the hard way what happens when you make helpful suggestions about developing a race! It was my bright idea to ensure the 50th edition will be ‘massive’. Hence this year our event takes on National A status, as we vie to enter British Cycling’s Premier Calendar in 2013. But what is a bike race unless it inspires wider participation? Much as I enjoy the sight of 100 of the best riders in the UK charging around our ‘back garden’, we wanted a little more. Hence we hope that ‘The Highwayman Challenge’ will give regular sport cyclists the chance to sample the route of the classic race, and also a chance to take in the scenery and enjoy the friendships formed along the road. David E. T. Bell was a founder member of my club, Ayr Roads Cycling Club. However, Bell was much more widely known under his penname ‘the Highwayman’, under which he wrote a hugely popular column for his local paper, the Ayrshire Post. Detailing his travels by bike in Ayrshire and beyond, this column would run from 1932 up until Bell’s death in 1965. Perhaps nothing remarkable in today’s age of blogging and websites, but back when Bell started in 1930, the circulation of the Post was higher than national publications like Cycling Weekly are today. More importantly, despite its seemingly specialist interest, in the words of our clubman Peter Blane, the column ‘found its way into every kind of home and reached every climate throughout the world.’ In the first posthumous collection of Bell’s work, Blane informs us that The Highwayman covered 12,400 miles in 1933 alone. He was to scale ten of the Galloway summits by bike, including the Merrick. A roughstuff pioneer, he even set out with the intent of conquering the formidable volcanic plug of Ailsa Craig.

This was the golden age of hostelling, and Bell’s hostel card surely had almost every stamp from across the SYHA network, and a good many beyond. He was unrivalled in his local knowledge and observations of rural life. A botanist by training, with a seeming passion for cartography, Bell set about his survey maps, hunting out the hidden backwaters of south-west Scotland. And let us not overlook the tales of camaraderie, adventure and even some mischief that made its way into the weekly Highwayman Column. Dedicated to promoting his cause, Bell was a great support and influence to the many youngsters he brought into the sport, many of whom went on to welcome me when I joined the club as a schoolboy. Following Bell’s death in 1965 it took less than a year before enough subscriptions had been collected to raise a memorial to the Highwayman at Rowntree Toll, overlooking the Galloway Hills he had conquered and brought alive to his readers. Coming between the second and third checkpoint, riders will have a chance to see the bronze relief at the Bell Memorial during the Highwayman Challenge. In The Highwayman Again, the second printed collection of Bell’s work, we are told that ‘It was inevitable the members of Ayr Roads Cycling Club should instigate a race to perpetuate [his] memory’. But how so? Although documented as a willing participant keen to support local competitions, Bell would never be remembered as a racer. For as long as I can remember, conversation has rumbled on about a more appropriate tribute to Bell’s challenging spirit. Memories of riding the Kirkpatrick MacMillan 150 as a teenager led to chats with experienced audax promoters and senior club members. A perfect solution, long overdue! The Highwayman 100 routes through the hill lands of South Ayrshire, gently ascending to Straiton before the pull across to Dalmellington and the beautiful meandering tar ribbon than runs the length of Loch Doon. And here our populaire embraces Bell’s passion for the roughstuff, with a passage across the 6km Carrick Forest Drive, an unsealed forest road beautifully maintained by the Forestry Commission. Something akin to the Strada Bianchi of Tuscany, the road is easily passed on high-pressure racing wheels. The irony is not lost on me that it’s the same organisation that Bell once feared would spoil his beloved landscape, that now facilitates our access to it! We return to asphalt by Stinchar Bridge before dropping down to the Bell Memorial and a descent of the fabled Nic O Balloch. From here riders should understand why this landscape is held so dear, and why local cyclists do their best to keep its beauty a secret from the

‘The High wayman covered 12,400 miles in 1933 alone.’

Sunday motorist! We start with the simple appeal of a populaire. A prize offered for the best retro bike and a prize for the most active fundraiser are designed to help attract new and returning cyclists. I’m excited to see how it goes it goes, yet I’m also starting to recognise the influence of Bell upon me. Already am I pulling out my maps and exploring options for next year’s randonnée! Full information on the Highwayman Challenge can be found at http:// southcarrickdaviebell.wordpress.com/ davie-bell-audax/

Christopher Johnson

Event organiser, Ayr Roads CC

The unsealed Carrick Forest road

Lonely and scenic route on the 100k Highwayman Challenge

Peter Blane maintaining the memorial to The Highwayman

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

HEADING events INnews HERE Green and Yellow Fields 300 and Asparagus and Strawberries 400, Manningtree, Colchester Tom Deakins has taken on the 300 and 400 events and the report in Arrivée 114 appears to confirm that he is just the right man for the job. Anyone wishing for a curry before the 300 might like to try ‘Nerala’ in Manningtree. My thanks to all who have supported these events over the years, both as participants and controllers. The biggest ‘vote of thanks’ must go to those who made the first event in 1979 possible, namely Lawrie Harrison who was pilot and campaign adviser, the Denny family for the Weybourne control, the staff of the Red Lodge Café who have become accustomed to cyclists drooping over tables in the small hours, Jack Wheeler who came up from Surrey to run the Bungay control, the Godric CC for the use of thier clubroom and all who rode it with me. The first event was purely for selfish reasons: I needed a 400 to qualify for PBP. Little did I imagine that it would endure for so long. Over the years there have been successes – expressions of joy from those completing their first ever long event. Some have failed, through stress of weather, fatigue, mechanical failures and a few ‘tumbles’ – some making an exit via the West Suffolk Hospital. Happily, those involved returned to try again. I acknowledge the many constructive suggestions and expressions of appreciation, the most memorable of which came from Jacqui Denny when, feeling the ‘heat of the kitchen’ at a control, she screamed at me ‘It’s all your fault!’. I hold my hand up, but could not have done it without a lot of help.

Herman Ramsey

New Date: 29th July New Venue: Ruthin Rugby Club Same great rides:

The Clwydian 2012 and The Clwyd Gate 2012 Plus new for 2012:

The Clwyd Vale A stunning 60km loop along one of the most beautiful valleys in North Wales. A wonderful introduction to Audax riding. For further information see calendar.

The Kidderminster Killer is dead: Long live the Kidderminster Killer

Rumours of the KK’s death are greatly exaggerated. August 18th sees the return of the KK randonnée and the launch of its smaller 110km apprentice, From Clee to Heaven. Both will be under the new stewardship of the Beacon RCC since Dave Pountney’s retirement from organising audaxes last year. The KK is regarded as a Midlands classic with plenty of hills en-route. This epic starts from a new HQ in Worcestershire and heads off along a new route towards mid-Wales before returning along the orginal route. With 3,750m of climbing through Salop and The Marches, riders will be rewarded with stunning views from high vantage points and from scenic country lanes. You may enter with trepidation but you will finish with elation and the knowledge that if you can ride The Kidderminster Killer you can ride anything. From Clee to Heaven ventures into A. E. Housman’s rural Shropshire using a figure of eight route. Strangely, the Clee Hills are rarely visited by any cycling event, so you will be in for a treat. The route is hilly with 2,000m of climbing but very enjoyable especially when riding through the idyllic countryside of South Shropshire and its blue hills. • Online entry • Café controls • Detailed web-page information • Food at HQ • Clear route cards • GPX Organiser: Philip Whiteman, Beacon Roads Cycling Club Webpage: www.beaconrcc.org.uk/audax

Exeter Wheelers Cycling Club offers for your delectation the

EWCC SR series Possibly the most exclusive SR series in the country. Dates for your diary: 12 May Old Roads 300 26 May Kernow & SW 600 9 June Valley of the Rocks 200 22 June Avalon Sunrise 400

If you've already ridden the Mad March 200 you have a head start. A medal is being planned.

Arrivée Spring 2012

To: Membership Secretary, AUK Dear Mike I’ve made a conscious decision not to renew my membership. I’ve had various altercations with people proudly sporting their AUK jerseys and I’m sorry to say that it’s cemented my decision not to renew. I suspect that the views expressed are those of the individuals, not of the organisation, but those who choose to wear the jersey should take care of the impression they create. I’m a new mum and 2011 saw me returning to the bike and trying to deal with the post-baby body. Delighted to finish my first 100km, I was told that the 100km distance was ‘not worth starting for’. Later in the season, whilst riding a sportive which evidently crossed paths with an audax, the same mantra of 100km rides being pointless was raised, together with the use of GPS being ‘cheating’. I will probably still take part in some of your events, relying on my CTC membership for insurance and gleaning information from your website. They will be 100km and I will be using my GPS.

Victoria Hufton

victoria@hufton.me.uk Thanks for letting me know your decision not to continue with your AUK membership. You will of course be very welcome on our events as a CTC member. I'm disappointed with the comments that have been directed at you. Of course a 100km event is not pointless (except in a very literal sense – in that they don't earn championship points) otherwise why would we promote them? And if the comments were from a fellow rider, then they make themselves look foolish and thoughtless. Not everyone has the fitness or even just the time, for the longer rides, and the key to Audax is setting personal challenges and meeting them. And as for using a GPS being thought of as cheating – I am almost speechless at such a view. We've embraced all sorts of modern technologies, and I hope the use of maps, gears, and specially formulated ‘energy’ drinks are not similarly thought of as cheating. There are some thoughtless people in AUK, and bearing in mind that we put on twice as many Brevet Populaires as we do 200km, that suggests that you are by no means alone in prefering to ride that distance!

Mike Wigley

Membership Secretary, AUK

3 AU

DAX UK

offical news

Just a Minute

Stop Press:

The gathering at the end of February in Birmingham this time was composed of two parts: the first was to consider the future direction of AUK. Partly, a discussion was required whether the corporate governance aspect of the Board’s work was still fit for purpose following the introduction of new legislation. No wholesale changes seem to be required, though occasional external help may be used. A wide-ranging discussion then considered how to reverse the decreasing numbers on longer events (we are, after all, the Long Distance Cycling Association) and the upshot was the formulation of a mission statement. Allan Taylor has agreed to consult throughout the Club to ascertain the best way forward to implement the strategy and will report back in future meetings. The second meeting covered the regular topics. A new logo has been approved subject to minor tweaks and, once finalised, will be used for future medals. Nigel Hall has taken over from Sheila as North & Scotland Regional Events Secretary. Just over 500 events are being planned for this season, spread rather unevenly through the country. Membership had climbed to over 4,500 on the eve of the meeting. The annual renewal rush has just ended with about half of this figure renewing the membership. Fortunately, this number caused the team no problems thanks to Standing Orders and particularly PayPal. There has been a distribution hiccup with some members not receiving the Handbook with their Arrivée. Only about half a dozen instances are known and the error has been publicised on a couple of forums and our website, but if you are also affected, please contact Mike Wigley for a copy. Despite an anticipated steep rise in postal charges, no subscription increase looks necessary. Arrivée continues to be praised for its quality but has recently contained fewer rider portraits though more pictures related to articles. Inevitably an annual Permanents list cannot keep pace with a regularly updated website. Details of changes are printed in subsequent issues, but it may be possible to mail a current list, if there is a demand for this, on receipt of a sae. The validators have noted more punctual and accurate returns now they have to be submitted on-line. Neither they, nor the Recorder, now need to receive the results on paper. Luckily, there has been only one problem with the server, which was fixed promptly, as were some members’ queries. Some detail system enhancements have also been implemented. This may not be relevant to most of the readers of this column, but when nonmembers are completing the Entry Form on-line, they must click the ‘Submit’ button to generate a proper form. Organisers should reject all forms without provision for a signature and also those Entry Forms dated before December 2011. PBP packs have been delayed in France but were due to be sent to Peter Marshall for distribution in this country. (They have now been despatched.) An updated LEL budget shows a useful surplus, assuming 750 riders. Danial has contacted Invent Partners to design a website and has seen an initial design. A further loan to LEL 2013 to cover this and other anticipated expenditure was agreed to be repaid from the event entry fees. Following the transfer to a new insurance policy, the Regulations need to be updated and a motion to do so will be proposed at the AGM. In fact, the Regulations generally require a review, and a sub-committee has been set up to do that, with a view to bring into line with actual practice, and a further proposal is to be put to that same meeting. The validators have experimented with returning Brevet cards to successful rides at the end of one of their events. Although it was a success, it required an additional finish controller and will be extended very gradually and cautiously in view of the obvious possibilities for error. Organisers, who prefer to retain the cards for a short while before mailing them out, are welcome to continue that system. Summer this year seems to have been last week, so best wishes to all Yorkwardbound Auks with hopes for favourable weather. If you are not participating, enjoy the Easter weekend, and may you have a successful and enjoyable season, whatever your plans. As ever, full Minutes will be available from me on receipt of a sae or on the website in due course.

Richard

Of interest to

Audax cyclists How does long distance cycling effect the overall physiological processes of cyclists? Norman Lazarus, who is an Emeritus Professor at Guy’s Medical School, has been busy researching the effects of exercise on healthy ageing. Norman, who works in the Centre of Human Aerospace and Physiological Studies at Guy’s, was for many years an active Audax member. Together with Professor Steve Harridge, the head of the centre, who was a junior UK 400 metre hurdling champion, wish to concentrate their research on the effects of long distance cycling on health and the ageing process. The question they wish to address is ‘how does long distance cycling effect the overall physiological processes of cyclists?’ Norman states that ‘My time as an Audax cyclist concentrated my mind on the physiology of Audax cyclists and Steve and I now have the resources to forward this research. Perhaps, by these investigations I can repay Audax for great times on the road’. Norman invites Audax cyclists, male and female, over the age of 55, to contact him if they are interested in learning more about both themselves and their physiology.

Defining the benchmark for optimal human ageing?

• Are you healthy, aged between 55 and 75 and can cycle 100km in under 6.5 hours? King’s College London is seeking volunteers fitting the above criteria to take part in a study investigating the physiological function of master cyclists. • Physical inactivity has negative effects on all ages and is highly likely to distort the effect of the ageing process on physiological function. It is also unknown how much physical activity is required to allow us to remain healthy and age optimally. • The study being conducted proposes to help answer these questions by performing a detailed physiological study on very active older cyclists. • We plan to do an in-depth analysis of an individual’s exercise capacity, strength and power output, nervous system, function, muscle characteristics, body composition, physical and cognitive function the results of which will be made available to subjects. • If you would like to take part, or require further information, please contact norman. lazarus@kcl.ac.uk. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you are interested.

Pat Kenny

The court case concerning Pat Kenny's death has finished. The driver was charged under the Careless Driving Act. It took four days and the driver stuck to his innocent plea until the end. The jury went for lunch at 12.30 and returned within the hour to declare ‘Guilty’. The driver received a one-year driving ban, 150 hours’ community service order, plus costs of £3,500. Jim Hopper

Right: Norman riding the South Coast 1000, 2002

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

two multi-pbp HEADING IN riders HERE

Faffing about before the start

he LD line to Le Havre is cheaper than the ferry to Caen, and anyway I had conceived a fondness for the former port since being stranded there four years previously, the ferry leaving rather too precisely on time for Dr V’s and my schedule. Preparation is everything, so I’d prepared a gps route to Paris and loaded it into the Garmin. A large roll-top sac strapped to the saddlebag carried the stuff I wouldn’t need on the event. Disembarking after a reasonable night’s sleep on the boat, I switched on the Garmin and realised that I hadn’t loaded any maps. A franglais of obscenities. Thinking about it I could remember quite a lot of the route from last time, and I’d researched the tricky bit off the ferry well enough that it was easy to recall. So after dodging through a car park and some concrete barriers, I was on my way down the dusty Route Industrielle heading east. Before long I was crossing the Seine at the chain ferry to Quillebeuf and on my way. I missed one turn, half knowing that I had, so stopped and dragged the maps from the crammed recesses of the saddlebag. Rerouted, I reached Evreux just before dusk. I knew there were others staying at one hotel, but failed to find it. So it was a solitary meal with a waiter keen to practise his English, the bike safely parked in a creepily empty subterranean garage. The second day, towards Paris with occasional cribs at the map, I joined the PBP route and sailed into Gambaiseuil, where a group of cyclists reclined on the grass beside the shop. They were New Englanders, Melinda Lyon among them. Keith and Ann Benton arrived, said hello, and left again. I joined the Americans for the last few kilometres to St Quentin – they knew the way having just ridden out. We parted at traffic lights. The next task was finding the campsite 10km away, where a cabin and a bed awaited. I had a marker on the Garmin, but no roads to follow. Some guesswork with the map got me within shouting distance, and by trial and error I centred on the marker. The cabin was a two-storeyed gothic structure of rustic timber and corrugated iron. Jamie

Andrews, Andy Heyting, and Joth and Emma Dixon were my fellow cabineers. Sundry other cyclists of various nationalities occupied cabins, caravans and tents around about us. After stowing the bikes and sorting out sleeping arrangements, we went foraging for beer and food. Saturday was hot. We made our way to the Gymnase for the bike check. There were stalls set up, including LondonEdinburgh-London, and there were banners, crowds, noise, and a general air of slightly anxious conviviality. More food and beer. Sunday was hotter. Andy and I found Drew Buck, who was anxious to explain the history of his latest novelty steed and also the various difficulties that lay ahead: loosening spokes, the near impossibility of puncture repair, and the remains of the original, hundred-year old saddle waiting to impart its imprint on his mind. I made the mistake of queuing early for the opening of the gates. After an hour of increasing heat exhaustion the gate was unlocked and a crowd of us milled into the enclosure to collect brevets and transponders and head for the start. More queuing. Eventually we funnelled into the road behind the inflatable start-banner, hemmed in by barriers and surrounded by crowds. Melinda Lyon was a few metres ahead. She would finish in the, for her, modest time of 60hrs. Paul Whitehead was just out of earshot behind. The Cardiff contingent shouted from beyond the barriers on one side, Portsmouth folk yelled and pointed cameras from the other. In front of us were stilt-walkers and endless speeches and music. Above, the sun beat down. One of the stilt-walkers threw rose petals at us but the wind was against her and they blew away. The speeches reached fever pitch, horns sounded, and we were away to clapping and cheers. It was nearly a road race, with sharp elbows needed at times. Speed, twisting roads, traffic islands, and no time to look for signs, just follow the wheels. Eventually, as the peloton thinned, I found my pace. I was once more on the road to Brest.

Arrivée Spring 2012

Photo: Tim Wainwright

Ian Hennessey

Ray Kelly holding The Measured Time trophy awarded to him at Pickwick Bicycle Club Annual Garden Party at the Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden in December 2011. The award is for participating in a cycling event where time has a bearing. This was made to Ray who was the only Pickwick Bicycle Club member to have ridden PBP in 2011. The Pickwick Bicycle Club is the oldest cycling club in the world. It is also the oldest Dickensian society. It was formed in 1870 and members take on the soubriquet of a male character in the Pickwick Papers. Ray is known in the club as Mr Mallard. Ray is also a life member of The Willesden Cycling Club.

5 AU

DAX UK

overseas

St Malo to Barcelona George Hanna, Chris Douglas, Ian Felce and Peter Marshall

We made a drink stop to watch a little of Le Tour

een wanting to arrive in Barcelona since hearing Simon Kolka’s epic tale of Bordeaux to Barcelona in <40hrs in >40°C heat. When Ian Felce, an old college chum, mentioned his wife didn’t want to visit, an idea formed – we could ride there! Slight problem – Ian hadn’t been riding much of late, and wasn’t sure his bike was up to it. Stockport to London in two days confirmed we still got on well enough to share a room; and borrowing my Airnimal would solve the bike problem, so planning started in detail. While I got on with PBP qualifiers, Ian made increasingly regular outings into the Peak District and Wales. Initially I’d thought of a 200k/day average but reality kicked in after I averaged 23.5kph on Bryan Chapman, and we settled on a more humane 100m/day. Chris Douglas and Peter Marshall were inveigled by the sniff of open roads and relaxed scheduling and we soon settled on St Malo to Bordeaux in three days for me and Peter; followed by BordeauxBarcelona in four days for the foursome. The plan was to finish together, and we very nearly managed it! Enlarging the group allowed us to share booking hotels, transport arrangements and route finding; Peter and I would be using GPS, while Ian and Chris would be using maps/route sheets. As Peter and I would arrive on

Bastille Day, we decided to book our hotels in advance. Pre-ride researches focused on ‘good weather’ alternatives to the N20 Pyreneean crossing via Col de Puymorens; and the C17 autovia which looked like it became a motorway on the approach to Barcelona. We came to the conclusion that we’d be unable to avoid C17 at some points but would wing it on the road. Outward journeys were by Caen ferry/two trains for Ian and Chris; Ian carried his bag for direct Monarch return flight to Manchester. Me and Peter persuaded our partners to bring spare clothes/bags, etc, to ease return via sleeper/Eurostar train. Chris settled on a combination of ferry/trains and more Pyrenees home via Puigcerda. Cool and grey in St Malo, but at least the boatful of cars wasn’t going our way and we were soon in the lanes. Crossed PBP route near Dinge, and left rolling Brittany after five hours steady (hard) riding. We made a drink stop to watch a little of Le Tour. Then, inspired by Geraint Thomas’s breakaway efforts, managed another 50k before pausing at Oudon. Sur Loire around 30k, from our finish hotel. Not wishing to upset anyone, we donned our cloaks of invisibility and rode slowly the wrong way down main street on arrival in Clisson. Grey and misty the following day – gilet, leg and armwarmer weather. Les Essarts, after 50k, had just hosted le Tour so

A beer and fruit mentos kept us going through many sleepy villages before we called a halt at a very closed looking patisserie due to reopen at four.

looked spruce and fleuri. One of the few uphills in the Vendee gave an excuse to strip off late morning. Piles of hay, ‘silo chasing’ and very straight roads – like near Goole, except warm and sunny – were the highlights of our day in the Vendee. Our planned lunch in Charron went west as this was a PMU-only town. A beer and fruit mentos kept us going through many sleepy villages before we called a halt at a very very closed looking patisserie due to reopen at four. By ten past we were feasting on overcooked quiches – this artisan had clearly been taught by a baker from Wessex – and Paris Brest for dessert which raised my cholesterol back above yak-felling levels. The Viaduc de Charente south of Rochefort was the biggest hill we’d seen for 24 hours, but offered spectacular views of the transporter bridge and riverside oyster beds. The descent wasn’t half bad either, as the cycle lane did a sharp right away from the traffic. Wiggling through salt marshes for the last 20k into Marennes allowed us to tick off assorted buzzards, cranes and herons in our Observers’ Book of Birds; and our approach was silent enough to observe water rats swimming about rather than as roadkill for a change. After oysters for dinner we joined the rest of the population of Marennes for an evening of seafaring songs played by a rock band in the market square

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

overseas

‘Simpsons skies’ became grey overnight and with them came strong winds. Crossing the Suedre estuary was an effort on the exposed causeway, but we soon turned south-east towards Royan and got a tailwind. Royan was a lot bigger than expected but the almost stationery traffic and route to the ferry proved easily navigable. Considered buying some new undies in the sk8r punk shop, then reminded myself I don’t look good in beachwear and saved my loot for later. Half way into the 30-minute crossing of the Gironde, we noticed rain on the windows, and donned a layer before leaving Verdon sur Mer in a traffic jam. We soon dodged off the main road via a minor road which hugged the estuary. We knew the river was

near as there were regular jetties with contraptions holding squares of net at the end of each. A very old method of fishing. Shortly after passing a broadbeamed madame awheel, we heard a thrashing noise and picked up some company – her husband had slammed his Decathlon special into the big ring and was hanging on. The dog in his bar basket enjoyed the ride, and it would have been an interesting conversation when his wife finally became less than a dot in the distance. After two days without a stop, we finally cracked the lunch conundrum in a crêperie by the muddy creek at Port du Goelee. We had seen precious little open in Brittany and it felt slightly weird to find a Breton creperie, complete with

After two days without a stop, we finally cracked the lunch conundrum in a crêperie by the muddy creek at Port du Goelee.

Ian Felce on his borrowed Airnimal

Arrivée Spring 2012

cider mugs and beer, so far south. Not that we were complaining – it was now raining horizontally outside. We dawdled over two courses and staggered out into the squall hoping the worst had blown by. It hadn’t, and by the promenade at Pauillac, we were drenched. Our route through many of the wine producing hamlets of Medoc and Bordeaux had looked good on paper, but now we were soaked; it was grim, even with a following wind. A motorway bridge signalled the edge of the city, and was soon followed by cobbles around the old docks – now being redeveloped. A cycle path allowed us time to admire the elegant Pont de Pierre and riverside warehouses, before a quick joust with the one-way system to Gare St Jean, and our rendezvous with Ian and Chris. Cool and damp as we set off the following morning for a day of vines, pines and plains. Ian quickly adopted a position as tail gunner before the group had found its cruising speed on the gentle ridges of the Sauternes vineyards. Our backwind was still there, but reaching Castelljaloux after 95k in time for lunch seemed an ask, until the D655 obliged with smooth tarmac and a block tailwind for an hour’s plain sailing. Ten minutes faffing while the heavens opened wasn’t in the script, but eventually we were seated with food on the way. It felt like November and I could have done with sitting indoors, but when your chosen venue for lunch is closed, and plan B does not work, it’s best to eat heartily; and pat yourselves on the back for choosing a town with three restaurants. Having stretched our morning, we had a shorter distance to cover that afternoon; though harder in intensity as we would climb a further 130m, and hit the day’s highpoint around 10k north of Auch. By Moncrabeau, I was bored and needed a bottle refill. We regrouped round a campsite telly to watch Cav win that day’s stage, then sprinted off along a minor road Topher had spotted alongside the D930. This proved an inspired choice – hilly with flaky surface here and there – but no traffic, and in glorious later afternoon sun we made Auch after 187k around seven. Good spirits rose as it rained hard while I dozed before dinner; and rose again when we found Hotel de Paris, Auch – in the centre of Armagnac-producing districts – had an excellent restaurant, and a drinks trolley to die for. The 100m climb out of town was slow going the following morning, but soon forgotten as one of a series for which there was a compensating downward swoop. The village idiot seemed to enjoy our company during lunch in Carbonne – a two-belch stop thanks to raids for more quiches and chausson de pommes than it is strictly healthy to eat. But needs

7 AU

DAX UK

overseas Peter Marshall chose his Airnimal for this ride

must, and we needed more than most as the afternoon’s roads would gently climb the Arize valley into the Montagnes du Plantaurel; we paused to get back together at our right turn through the ridge and again at traffic lights in Foix, an ancient town guarding the river valleys leading south. Traffic volumes on the N20 picked up a lot, but with only 43k to go, and no possible wrong turns I got my head down, pausing only to scratch it occasionally. Ian was ‘glad with the 100 mile a day; and that everybody took account of my non-cycling ability and waited for me. I surprised myself that after the first difficult day. I found the other days, although hard, quite satisfying, enjoyable and easier than the first day. My cycling legs had taken over together with stamina from 40 years or so of running and quite liking going uphill (provided not too steep)! The second day was surprisingly hilly for starters and the signs into Ax-lesThermes could not have been correct!’. Aside from dodgy distance markings, the only downer on our day was not being told the hotel restaurant had closed early. We consoled ourselves by taking our appetites down the road, and discussions over dinner centred on weather reports. We had been enjoying a tailwind since Bordeaux, but now

we were in the Pyrenees, the forecast 100kph Tramontane winds were potentially more serious. We had already planned a leisurely day up and over Col de Puymorens to Puigcerda, just inside Spain, to leave another 100-mile day to Barcelona, and now researched train-assisted alternatives, just in case. The winds weren’t as strong as forecast but, despite two days on the road as a foursome, pre-ride faffing was reaching new heights. While Chris ‘had to go to a pharmacy to buy some scissors and got stuck in a queue behind every hypochondriac in Ax’, I waved Peter off before he caught fire, and ordered myself a wheat beer until ‘go’ time. As we toiled, it rained; but, as it became boil-in-the-bag time with cape on, I quickly settled on a gilet and hard work to keep warm. Paused for a pee just above the tunnel entrance, by when the cloud was beginning to break up then plodded on. By the turn for Puymorens there was more sky than cloud and the road was dry. All the traffic went on up to the Col d’Envalira, leaving us with empty tarmac, huge grins, and high fives at the Col de Puymorens 1,915m. A café stop in Porte Puymorens allowed us to regroup, plan our lunch, and shed clothes – or not in Peter’s case, as he preferred to stay Polar until lunch in Tours Carol a few km down the road. As Chris said ‘It

Chris: ‘My cycling legs had taken over together with stamina from 40 years or so of running and quite liking going uphill (provided not too steep)!’

was nice to have a half-day free on the Tuesday huddled round the hotel’s only “working” telly watching El Tour, as they probably don’t call it in Spain.’ Puigcerda is only 2km over the border but, as befits a former capital of Cerdanya, it is a fully formed, independent municipality. Built on the side of a steep hill, with public lifts/escalators to transport you up town and locals who speak a (to me) incomprehensible dialect, I was reminded of Bridgnorth – except no one supports the Wolves/Baggies. When I saw chocolate-covered Qe gofres and Filipinos on the bar of the Kennedy restaurant, randonneur instinct kicked in and I pouched them as pocket food for the morning. A good idea for, although it has a direct train service from Barcelona, Puigcerda is in a golden valley 1,000m up in the Pyrenees. After another grade two-star listed faff, we started the beautifully graded 18k climb out through the Fontanals de Cerdanya well before dawn and topped it at 1,800m around two hours later. We had expected a ~500m climb but hadn’t done our researches well enough. A warm-up coffee in Ribes de Freser was followed shortly by a rapid roadside clothes shuck as the road dropped rapidly out of the mountains. Near Ripoll a few km further on, the N152 gained a couple of extra lanes and became the C17. After a few high speed km we headed right onto a slip road but, when it went all gravelly and dead-endish on us, retraced and climbed the fence back onto the carriageway. Would have probably been quicker to ride back but climbing was more fun. Ignored the next couple of slip roads then took the one that definitely exited towards Torello and Manlleu. No sign of Chris there, so we headed for our planned lunch stop in Vic. Chris and I have toured together many times and, if in doubt/somewhere new, head for the station. Having grabbed a table for menus del dia we’d not had time to text him towards Vic Central before he scooted around the roundabout and joined us.

Chris sailed past in a cloud of expletives

Lunch over, we headed south out of town towards the dual carriageway. Mr GPS found us a nice metalled farmtrack alongside the main road, where we rejoined the N152 on the outskirts of Tona; then took us on a wild goose chase for 2k to avoid a section of the trunk road. Exiting Tona near Estacio de Balenya, we took a sharp right to follow the old road to Centelles. 400m in, the tarmac ended; 800m in, the gravel went left but Mr GPS said go right, over the railway line (‘stop laughing, Danny Fisher, this is not funny’ I said to myself ). I assured Chris this was the correct way, and pointed at the houses in the

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

overseas distance. ‘Centelles,’ I said optimistically. I went right, slowly, in the leftmost of the deep trenches made by tractors – the only traffic this ‘road’ had seen in a while. 400m further on I eased up to feign a mechanical, whispering over my shoulder to Peter as I did so – ‘can you see this?’. ‘Err, it looks like a substantial body of water…’ said my straight man, as he too paused to fix a problem. Chris sailed past in a cloud of expletives and pressed on along the edge of the wheatfield, ignoring the pond which was now where our road was supposed to be. It took a mere five minutes to regain the road, I mean a real tarmac road; but in that time Mr GPS and my names became mud. Chris was off and running through Centelles and we couldn’t catch him, until we had stopped to review our maps on the south side of town. Mr GPS said go left this time, but having been sold a pup once, none of us were willing to buy another. A passing roadie confirmed the suspicion that to go that way meant the C17 with heavy traffic; but our maps didn’t show St Feliu – the place named on the road signs to the right. Eventually we climbed some 300m on the BV1415 towards St Feliu. After the initial shock of the climb – we had expected to keep descending – it was a nice, well graded road, and mostly through woodland; and as St Feliu was 23k away we’d not been looking far enough away. A text from Chris as we waited at the junctions of BV1415 and N59 gave cause for further delay: ‘Please continue without me. I’m in despair’ but within a minute Chris appeared and off we headed, downhill again. My name was still mud in St Feliu, so when I said R, Chris went L. We stopped for a nerve steadier in Granollers once we’d regained the route and texted to confirm details; then headed towards Barcelona. Like all routes into a big city, this one went on more than a bit; but as Chris and I had independently researched and come up with the same way to our hotel – in Eixample, on the north side of town (via Montmelo, Montcada i Reixac, and Carrer d’Arago) – we knew it was likely to be the most lightly trafficked. And so it proved. Once inside the inner motorway ring we hit major traffic, but by then the Carril Bici [coloured bike lanes], traffic lights, and one way system were working well for us. Despite having had a bad time on the run in, Chris arrived at the hotel before we did. Ian ‘enjoyed quite immensely the battle between the GPS and map reading. They all have pros and cons – the main pro for the map is that you have a larger view of where you’ve come from and where you want to go to. The small screen on the GPS can’t give you this but decisions were quicker with the GPS I felt, sitting back as a casual, independent observer. The way into Barca was

I went right, slowly, in the leftmost of the deep trenches made by tractors – the only traffic this ‘road’ had seen in a while.

actually quite fun even though it went on for a bit and I actually quite liked the mini-mountain range after Centelles! Unfortunately, for me my left arm hasn’t fully recovered and am now having to go to the quacks to try to recover my partial loss of feeling in two fingers! So no cycling since.’ Just about the first thing we all did when we got back to UK was to look at the problematic bits of the route to Barcelona in Google Earth. Peter ‘was excited to spot a nice road alongside the autovia, but on closer examination it proved to be the railway. If we’d followed the gpx track from Centelles it would have involved a bit more off-roading (four or five km on what looks like a decent track), followed by a few km of the main road before we could turn off onto minor roads to Granollers. It would probably have been a good bit shorter and quicker, if less pleasant’. Chris agreed: ‘The route into Barcelona was not ideal, was it? I’m still struggling to find an alternative that would have been any better, though. One thing that did impress me was how much both the roads and the standard of driving have improved since I first cycled in Spain 25 years ago. The hotels we stayed in were pretty good; the one in Auch was superb. I’d definitely go back to that one.’ Chris too was ‘quite happy with our

approx. 100 mile days but [would] have preferred not to have caught a dose of Norwalk virus on the way home’. I too pored over the route we had followed into Barca. I was happy with what we got – heh heh heh, it was dry-ish off-roading after all, and things happen when the pressure is on. However, were I going back – and I wouldn’t rule it out in the interests of research! … I might be tempted to follow (a) C17 for 10k SE of Tona direct to Garriga rather than the road to St Feilu; or (b) for more distance (not via the C17) follow N152a SE from Tona via the Parc de Montseny. All would still climb the same final Sierra of course; and (c) join the cycle path we saw running along the linear park river valley parallel to the BV5001 minor road we followed through the suburbs. As an arrival town, Barcelona was good fun, though heaving with fellow tourists in some places in late July. Luckily Chris had done some research and we were able to spend a couple of afternoons lolling in a cervezeria artisana to watch the Tour de France. With killer climbs on narrow, trafficfree roads, panicky cows, hotel-related shenanigans (are the days of winging it over?) and plummeting temperatures, Chris’s ride from the train stop before Puigcerda to St Gaudens is worth a miniwriteup in itself. Watch this space…

Too hot for a helmet for Chris Douglas

Arrivée Spring 2012

9 AU

DAX UK

HEADING IN HERE

Up the Uts 200. Photo by Peter Faulks

Up the10 Uts 200. Photo by Peter Faulks

ArrivĂŠe Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

review

Sanyo XX Eneloops Francis Cooke

Thorn Audax Mk3

hese hybrid-type NiMH AA cells have been around for a few months, and are now available from 7DayShop among other places. These 2500mAh cells are distinguished by their black casing and are not to be confused with Sanyo’s ‘white’ Eneloops which are good cells but with a lower rated capacity. I’ve been testing them and the bottom line is, they are significantly better (in terms of measured capacity and actual real-world runtime) than any other AA cells I’ve handled (and that’s a lot). If you’re going to buy a new set of NiMHs for any critical purpose – buy these. I’m thinking particularly of owners of the ubiquitous Hope Vision 1 front light. This light is well known to be intolerant of any weakness in the battery, and these new Sanyos will be the best possible match for that light. With a rated capacity of 2500mAh, that they are hybrid type cells (meaning they hold charge better) is a bonus because that should make them easycare and tolerant of imperfect charging regimes. These are the first hybrids I’ve come across which actually outperform the best of the non-hybrid NiMHs on all counts. This is not really a surprise as Sanyo have a consistent reputation for producing good cells, and are one of the very few actual manufacturers of hybrid NiMHs (most brands are re-badges from one of the three main players). They also, in common with a few other very good NiMHs, comfortably outperform Energizer Lithiums. However there are still some situations where Lithiums might be a better choice – they are half the weight, have exceptionally long storage time (so good for a backup light), and perform well in very low temperatures (eg that early-season 300). They’re also good in low-power ‘be seen’ lights, and in a GPS.

…they are signifi cantly better (in terms of measured capacity and actual real-world runtime) than any other AA cells I’ve handled.

The Sanyo XX aren’t cheap – currently about £11 for a 4-pack or £18 for 8. However that is cheaper than their nearest competitor, the Ansmann MaxE+ 2500mAh (also hybrids). 7DayShop’s own-brand 2900mAh (not hybrid, but very good cells nonetheless) are less than half this price though. (Note that these prices are bound to rise when new off-shore tax laws come in this year.)

Some figures

Capacity. The cells capacities as reported by the smart charger, the worst black Eneloop (out of the 4-pack) measured at 2550mAh which matches the highest figure I’ve ever seen for any ‘best’ cell in previous tests. Other good cells typically show a ‘worst’ figure of around 2400mAh. In a 3W light the difference equates to around 20 minutes of run time. 4.8V. In my ‘real-world’ runtime test (a Cateye Micro, to be comparable with other tests I’ve done over the years) I measured the runtime for the pack to drop to 4.8V – the nominal voltage for NiMH which is the least you’re going to need, for good light. The black Eneloops managed 4h18 – a record, the previous best being 3h35 (7DayShop). 4.6V. This voltage marks the ‘beginning of the end’ for NiMHs. A light with an aggressive cut-off (like the Hope) will switch off within minutes. The black Eneloops reached 5h00 – a record, the previous best being 4h16 (7DayShop). 4.2V. I think of this as a more sensible cut-off voltage. I’d call this the nominal ‘runtime’ for NiMHs. By this measure like all the others, the black Eneloops at 5h17 improve on the best of the rest by over 10 per cent. (Note that Lithiums obviously can run on and on, right down to 3V and below, which can sometimes be useful in low-power situations.) Note that these runtime tests, though ‘real world’, are a bit last-century. Most modern lights are regulated to some extent, and don’t behave anything like a Cateye Micro. It’s very useful for my tests, but not really ‘real world’ as we know it any more. Also – this test was only one 4-pack – which may or may not be a good one – but then that also applies when you buy any 4-pack, its always a gamble that there won’t be one bad cell in there. For this reason, I think the DayShop 8-pack price is a particularly good one.

6 sizes...6 colours... ...classic steel bike!

Mercury

700c Rohloff

Reynolds 853 Disc options.

8 sizes...5 colours. Drops or straights...

...a stunning ride!

NOMAD

MK2

Disc and suss fork options, ##12

sizes...2 colours.

With or without

S&S

couplings.

#Enormous luggage

#carrying capacity… ...lifetime warranty! There’s not enough room in the whole of’Arrivée to list all we make and all we offer, please call, Email or look on our website.

sales@thorncycles.co.uk

01278 441 505 ##

www.thorncycles.co.uk

Arrivée Spring 2012

11 AU

DAX UK

winter permanent

‘ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…’ Paul Revell

he weekend of 4/5th February the papers were full of stories about Charles Dickens (from whom I borrowed my title), it being the 200th anniversary of his birth. The ‘big freeze’ also featured highly, due to the cold weather and the forecast of some snow for much of England. Midweek I had emailed Steve Snook to let him know that I was planning to do his Silverdale and Wharfedale (Yorkshire Dales) 100 Perm on Sunday, for which I had a brevet, and soon received a reply… ‘Thanks, the forecast for Sunday at the moment is tropical compared to what we’ve been having. Let’s hope it stays the same. Enjoy the ride. Steve’ I did not entirely share his optimism, but I was attempting my first AAARTY and knew I needed to get out for some points. Two of the four weekends that month were to be ‘lost’ due to a skiing trip with 30-odd teenagers. On the fourth weekend, I was entered for the Newport 200 as part of my first RTY attempt and did not fancy having to get the AAA points the day before. The only thing that was going to stop me was sheet ice. As it happened, Steve was correct to some extent, the temperatures did rise, but the roads had become covered with a generous layer of snow on Saturday! My only real option was to trust that I could get the car up the drive and to take the mountain bike for its first audax. Saturday night was therefore spent swapping the saddle bag over and making sure it contained a good number of sandwiches (with lots of home-made chutney which makes bland food palatable when very cold), jelly babies and a 26in. spare inner tube. I also fashioned a mudguard from a cut up shoe box and lots of duct tape, as the normal removable guard would not fit with the pannier rack/saddlebag in place and I was expecting a fair bit of ‘rough stuff’. Anticipating a bit of walking and steep, slippery surfaces I also rooted out my soft touring shoes rather than my normal ones as they have a much better tread on the sole. Hoping for the best, I set the alarm and turned in. I suppose it is the same for lots of people across a variety of sports; your early days are the most enthusiastic. I had been on the road

bike for about a year and a half and my first year’s targets were to do a 200 and collect 20 AAA points. Now I was in my first ‘proper’ year (as opposed to a ‘novice’ year) and keen to complete an SR, RTY and AAARTY and was not going to be easily put off. The ride normally starts from Ilkley, but I was doing it from Settle and at about 8.00am I parked up on the Giggleswick side of the river and rode to the filling station. I had accidentally left my bottle in the car, so I bought a Ribena and collected my first receipt at about 8.15am. The roads seemed fine and all started well, although as usual the mountain bike seemed incredibly noisy and sluggish compared to the road bike. Things soon changed. As the route left the houses behind, the road steepened and became increasingly snow-covered. Going up Silverdale, north of Settle, I was soon off the bike and pushing at least as much as I was riding. My overshoes soon filled with snow, so I took them off, but the surface was dry and cold enough to avoid getting wet feet, so that was fine. The only problem was the pace, the route has a generous 10kph limit, but even so I was cutting it fine. However, all hills must end and as Pen-y Ghent showed itself through the mist, the gradient levelled off and things were looking up. In fact, for about an hour the sun came out and the wind was negligible. It was around this time that it really dawned on me that this was not going to be just another ride. It felt like a weird mixture of a hill-walking day, a mountain bike ride and a road ride. I soon got used to riding on the snow, although I had to keep the speed down, as the back wheel was very unsteady and changes of direction were hard to control. This problem got gradually worse as I descended to Halton Gill, but I managed to stay upright, helped by the natural braking effect of the snow as it ‘balled up’ around the brake callipers and forks. The main problem was the sheer physical effort of controlling the bike, causing my forearms, wrists and fingers to ache, a problem which was to get steadily worse as the ride progressed. I was riding in tractor ruts mostly and these helped, as long as I stayed in them, but sometimes I had to fight hard against the camber to stay on course.

My overshoes soon filled with snow, so I took them off, but the surface was dry and cold enough to avoid getting wet feet.

Heading for Ilkley

At Halton Gill I noted the first info control, took stock of things and had a bite to eat. I was soon back on the bike and making reasonable progress, southeast now, on the well gritted road, but I had made my only major mistake of the ride. In my haste to make up time, I had not put the overshoes back on and within 10 minutes my suede shoes were soaked as the road was awash with meltwater. I did stop and put them back on as I got to Wharfedale, but the damage was done and I would suffer cold feet for the rest of the ride. I was also missing the benefit of full front mudguards and my face and glasses were soon spattered with a mixture of meltwater, road dirt and salt. The only protection was one of those mini guards you strap to the downtube. With temperatures around two degrees and having been fairly slow so far, my spirits fell a little when I realised the route-sheet was sending me on the back road to Grassington, instead of following the normal signage. This meant leaving the tarmac and getting back on the snow, but I wanted to do the route as written, so reluctantly took the turning on to the minor road. Amazingly, the surface was incredibly enjoyable to ride on and it was a real buzz to be making good time on a clean snow surface. Stopping for another receipt and sandwich at Grassington was a bit cold and glum. Standing in the slush on the narrow pavement was not especially great fun and I was glad to be on my way as soon as I had munched another ham, cheese and pickle sandwich. Luckily, the snow on the minor roads heading south towards the A59 was the same

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

winter permanent good consistency as it had been near Conistone and by now I was feeling very full of myself; doing an audax on my old mountain bike. I even managed to enjoy riding through a ford then up a steep, snowy bank without ‘dabbing’ to the surprise, and probable disappointment, of the few walkers who shared the road. My ‘magic moment’ of the ride was also in this section – riding down an avenue of conifers, branches weighed down with the white stuff, in snow deep enough to be impressive but still rideable. The best of times! Buffers Café, the next control, is not a place I knew, but I assumed it was the building surrounded by construction boarding to my right. It was down a path forbidden to cyclists and deep in snow, so rather than waste time on a detour up to my shins in snow and not wanting to stop in any case, I noted the name of the farm which I assumed was the one mentioned on the brevet and pressed on. What I had not realised at the time was that all this fun in the snow was really taking it out of my arms and legs and the ride was becoming harder than your average 200 on a road bike. Heading south to Ilkley on gradually improving roads, I was now increasingly confident of finishing and had a slightly longer stop to refuel and pick up another drink and my third receipt at the Co-op in town. Heading out on the roads to Cononley was fairly snow-free, but by now I was pretty tired and started to resent the fat, knobbly tyres that had served me so well in the earlier part of the ride. I occupied my mind by going over the distances and times, both done and remaining, more for something to do rather than because time was short. This section is quite hilly and it was a case of anything to avoid thinking about pedalling. Arriving at the Post Office info control in Cononley, I found that ‘best of friends’ to the AUK rider, a solid bus shelter with a dry floor. This was my cue for another bite to eat and a bit of a rest. More tarmac followed and although I was making good progress, and looking like finishing with at least half an hour to spare, my levels of enthusiasm were waning. To make matters worse, there was now a slight headwind. Normally it would not have bothered me, but today I had little mental or physical strength left to fight it. The riding position on the mountain bike was also getting a bit uncomfortable and I was missing my trusty leather saddle. The foam and plastic one I was sitting on was OK, but a bit on the narrow side. Flogging round an audax on a cold February day, riding an old mountain bike can be the worst of times! Passing Gargrave and heading for Airton was more of the same, but psychologically, I had identified Airton to Settle as the last ‘section’ and I kept myself pedalling, with reaching this last section as my mental carrot. Reaching Airton I had a final stop and

by this time I was into Jelly Baby country – I always save my sweetest things till I need them most and my sandwiches were all gone. It was also time to get into night mode, turning all the lights on as it would soon be getting dark. If you have ever been over Kirkby Moor, you will know that it is a bleak place; beautiful on a summer’s day, but desolate in the gathering dusk of winter. The snow was back in force and it was about 90 per cent riding and 10 per cent pushing, but with the riding at a gentle walking pace in MTB super-granny gear. The next target was to reach the junction with the road from Malham. Once I got there I knew the proper climbing would be over. I was actually more upbeat at this point than on the section from Ilkley to Airton – it was physically harder and all-round harsher, but that can generate a positive reaction which a ‘slog’ section does not produce. The only problem was that due to a bit of lazy upkeep, my brakes were, by now, barely functioning and the front pads were through, so I had another stop before total darkness to just ‘nip up’ the rear cable, aiming to avoid front braking where possible. The descent into Settle must be a joy on a good day, but in the dark and riding in the tractor tracks in the snow with poor brakes, it was a bit daunting to say the least! Just for a bit of confidence I lowered the saddle and rode ‘loose footed’ from there on. It all went pretty smoothly until I got to the steep section just before Settle, here a couple of farmers stopped me, to let me know that the plough was trying to get up the hill – they were grit spreading from a quad bike and trailer to help it up. After gingerly negotiating the advancing plough, I allowed my speed to get up a little too much and regardless of the noise from the front rims it was both brakes full on and a foot down in a desperate bid to fight gravity. Part of the problem was simply gripping the brake handles – my fingers and wrists were painful and I just couldn’t pull hard enough. (It took about three days to get the sensation back in the 3rd and 4th fingers of my left hand.) More by luck than judgement, I got down and into Settle High Street in one piece for about 6.00pm. My final receipt was from the same filling station, but this time for a bottle of fizz instead of squash. My treat for one of the most unusual rides, or days out for that matter, I have ever done! My reflections: Was it a safe and responsible thing to do? Had I gone down, I think someone would have passed by within about 30 minutes max and compared to a hill day on foot this is pretty good. With the right clothing, winter mountain experience, food and navigation, this is an OK thing to do. Why was it such a memorable day? It’s great to do something that most people don’t do, or go places other people don’t go

Arrivée Spring 2012

Castle Bolton estate

The bike in a moment of sunshine at Halton Gill

Flogging round an audax on a cold February day, riding an old mountain bike, can be the worst of times!

– much the same as climbers’ or divers’ experiences compared to walkers and snorkelers. Best bit? Riding through the snow when the traction was good. Worst bit? Riding an uncomfortable bike in cold, damp weather into the wind whilst tired and a bit uninspired on the road west out of Ilkley. Would you do it again? Impossible – because those exact set of conditions, bike set-up and my physical condition will never coincide again. You only get each day once. Having said that, I would consider doing a similar odd-ball audax again. The crucial factor is the time limit, 10kph allows all sorts of shenanigans, but 15kph is all about riding ‘normally’ for me. What gear worked/ didn’t? The silk inner gloves make a fantastic difference to comfort and ease of taking gloves on/off, not having the brakes in good trim was a pain.

Notes:

1995-ish Giant Alu-Shock bike with SPD pedals set in a generous platform, normal ‘knobbly’ 26in tyres, fitted with pannier rack and saddle bag. Specialized soft touring SPD shoes with Night Vision overshoes, merino socks, full HH thermal underwear top/bottom, Decathlon padded ‘bib longs’, lightweight thermal top, long sleeved Altura cycle jersey, Aldi waterproof, Aldi winter gloves (boosted by silk inner gloves) and an under-helmet hat. Two LED rear lights, LED helmet and bar lights (no proper night-time lighting) and a bar-mounted map/route-sheet case. Distance 106k, time under 10 hours, no café stops. Temperature about 0 to 3 degrees, wind; light mostly westerly. Route: you can find full details of the route on the AUK website under Perms in the Steve Snook section, where you can also see an outline map, a choice of starts is permitted. I shall certainly want to repeat the route in better weather and would recommend it to others.

N 13

DAX UK

HEADING triple a series IN HERE

One hundred

and eighty!

Steve Poulton

Meeting ‘touring’ challenges is nothing new to the AUK community. Times hardly matter, just do the ride. The AAA series of challenges is ever popular with most routes seeking scenery ‘to die for’. Recent claimants to the Magic 3x3 are Louise Rigby and Steve Poulton. Here, Steve explains his qualifying ride with Louise and (soon to join AAAnn Marshall.)

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

hrough my AUK rides I had been pecking away at gaining AAA points. Riding mostly 200+km events, AAAs were optional but they did have the better views and remote scenery and often Classic status. So, while starting AAA gathering in 1982 with the Dorset Coast 200, I did not gain my first AAA (old) 12 points till 1995. I have done several Sportifs in the Alps and Pyrenees and usefully combined La Marmotte with The Galibier Circuit. Having retired from work in 2001, I developed my Permanents series and matched the Calendar Cotswold Corker 100 with a Perm. So, without seriously attacking AAA points, my first Triple came in 2008. Around then, AUK became more open with website information and AAAs were coming of age with knowledge, recognition, improved digital mapping and devotees. After a democratic revision to AAA interpretation, where 12AAA points became 20AAA and climbing achieved was simplified, Steve Snooks followed the Peak Audax RRTY lead with the introduction of AAARTY and the Challenge became open. From AAA Log: Steve Poulton completed his AAA way back when in 2005 on the slopes of Galibier, where better? A steady diet which included Brevet Cymru’s, Bryan Chapman’s and the occasional Cotswold Corker, some on a trike, led to the 3x AAA on 31 May 2008. Notably, when I went for Trike Record in 2009, I avoided AAA events completely. My quest for the 3x3 suddenly gained momentum when I developed the Gospel Pass 200 Calendar event. I already had a GP200 Perm but it lacked AAA points; so, with a little tweaking, discussions with Snookie and modern digital mapping produced a 2.75AAA route. From AAA Log: Steve Poulton completed his second

HEADING triple aIN series HERE consecutive AAASR on 4 June 2011 with the Offa’s Dyke 600, with most of the AAA points Welsh ones. I rode a series of 16 GPs in 20 months, including a GP200-based RRTY from July 10-June 11. I added a bonus climb of the GP, to make a Baker’s Dozen, with the Offa’s Dyke 600. I resorted to trike and chunky-MTB for a couple of winter rides. I found a decent AAA challenge in 2011 and managed an in-year Triple-AAA of 60 points. So that just left a handful of points to continue the 3x3 challenge. So, what better route to gain the 3x3 than the Cotswold Corker 100. I might have ridden on the traditional Calendar event February date but Sean Graff was taking an event sabbatical. That date was met with frozen, snowy lanes, so Sean must have had divine inspiration. So, to celebrate the Magic180, I set up Project SP180 and invited AAA-mad Ann Marshall and Lou Rigby a week later in February. Usefully, Ann took opposite-sex AAA Trophy in 2011 and Lou is a hot favourite to take an AAA Award in 2012 and both girls have made extensive use of my AAA Perms. Who said Audax is not competitive? Whilst checking our AAA credentials, Lou discovered she had, unknowingly, past the 180 a few weeks earlier, so it made it more appropriate that we had planned to celebrate in style after the ride. So, rather than a traditional Bishop’s Cleeve start/finish, to match suitable trains for Ann, we elected a ‘midway’ Sapperton start. Logistics suggested a 1000hrs start and we were blessed with a sunny day, though overnight sub-zero, the roads were dry and iced puddles soon thawed to the ‘warmth’. From our start, I quickly relived my wipeout location in Sapperton last August, where, whilst riding the Corker Perm with Lou, a lady driver chose to leave a STOP line as I was passing. But the only traffic today was a group of MTBs climbing this 20 per

Now to climb Bushcombe Lane, the traditional first Big Climb renowned to all Corker riders for its continuous and brutal 25 per cent gradient.

cent descent to Daneway, before the undulating and delightful climb to Bisley. The Bisley PO is a favourite Control in this typical Cotswold village. With very little rain in recent days, even the Hilcot mud was hard. Whilst at our highest point, we had a photocall before Andoversford and the back lanes past Brockhampton Park (nostalgia stop to admire the magnificent building where I had worked on research in 1969) behind Cleeve Common to Winchcombe. This is a double Control, as we then climbed Cleeve Hill to descend to Bishop’s Cleeve, the traditional start/ finish. Now to climb Bushcombe Lane, the traditional first Big Climb renowned to all Corker riders for its continuous and brutal 25 per cent gradient. I never ‘attack’ Bushcombe, just climb steadily and change down the gears, sitting until standing becomes more appropriate, conserving energy as the pulse climbs close to maximum and holding on until I either gain the easy upper slope or gravity wins. This time I won but it remains a favourite HATE climb. I took in the wonderful view as I waited for Ann and Lou. The descent to Winchcombe is a ‘payback’, fast and clean on the ‘Old A46’ for the second ATM slip before the substantial Sudeley Hill climb, only 20 per cent, back on to the Cotswolds proper. For today, Sudeley was the last big climb; so we could enjoy the rolling agricultural route to Northleach for a final coffee warm-up. Rather than use the busy A429 Fosseway, my Corker crosses to the river Coln to experience the tranquillity of villages Coln St Dennis and Coln Rogers before climbing to traverse through Calmsden and Perrotts Brook to cross the river Churn. My rear wheel developed a rubbing sound, which I discovered was a broken spoke. With only 10km and no big climbs remaining, I opted to risk it. After Park Corner, a notable junction in these parts, Sapperton was just a cruise. We duly celebrated before packing the bikes and heading to the Tunnel House Inn for a meal, where Lou’s hubby Mark and my wife Shirley were waiting. We were blessed with a memorable ride and I was humbled to be riding with such gifted companions. To note that between us we have completed more than 30 Corkers does suggest an affinity for these parts.

Arrivée Spring 2012

15 AU

DAX UK

randonnee

Dunkery Dash 100 Ribble Blue with a welcome cuppa and cake on offer. Leaving the top it’s an easy drop all the way back to Wheddon Cross and a climb that wasn’t as bad as it looked when coming down. Returning back towards Bishops Lydeard and the finish there’s a couple of riders beside the road holding a wheel in the air, is there a vehicle behind me with spare wheels like on the tour? No there wasn’t, they have got the second puncture of the day and don’t have a spare tube or patch to fix it, or for that matter a pump or tyre levers. Makes me wonder how they dealt with the first one! I was joined at this time by Drew Buck and between us we get them going again. It did make me think that with the money they had spent on their fairly new bikes, if they had parted with a few more pounds it could have saved them from a long walk to the finish. Teaming up with Drew for the bit of the ride, we’re soon back on Elworthy hill, dropping down at speed, but aware that there’s a main road to cross at the bottom, so keep fingers on the brakes. It was mentioned that you have a 1 in 200 chance of colliding with another vehicle there if you shot across, but I don’t thing I’ll try it. Flat roads with the odd down hill now to Bishops Lydeard and then it’s the start of the long climb up Cothelstone hill, the last climb of the day. Must admit to walking up parts of it, but nobody was coming by and the last five or six miles were all downhill through some delightful lanes to get back into the finish. Thanks to Keith and his team for putting on a testing ride which in my case was not so much of a ‘dash’ but more of an enjoyable day’s ride over parts of Exmoor. Hope to see you on next year’s event.

Photos: Ribble Blue

I’m not too sure if I’m up for a ‘Dash’ up to Dunkery Beacon. At over 1,500 feet it’s the highest point on Exmoor and with the lack of Audaxes in the last few months in the South-West I’m not exactly at the top of my game at the moment. The usual start out of North Petherton with over a hundred riders on the road, a better entry than last year, you quickly find out what this event is all about as you are soon into the climbs, all the way up to the Traveller’s Rest pub. There’s 1,600 metres of climbing on this ride and well over a thousand of those are in the first half. The weatherman promised us a fine, sunny day with temperatures up to 15°, but at the moment it’s thick mist and not too warm. A mile or two of flat road before you do the long drop down Cothelstone Hill into Bishops Lydeard, though the thought in my mind is that I’m going to have to cycle up this hill this afternoon so hope it doesn’t drop down too far. Through the village and across the A358 the climbs are of a bit more of an acceptable gradient now, mist clearing a bit so hopefully it should be up to the weatherman’s promise by the time I get up onto the Brendon hills. Elworthy Cross soon comes up and then it’s the big, hard climb up Elworthy hill. Quite surprised myself, managed to ride all the way up to the top and arrive in one piece. A series of small climbs as you ride across the top of the hills, sun has come up now and with flowers in the hedge rows and new-born lambs in the fields it’s a good day to be out on your bike, I even saw some deer at one point. Soon dropping down Brendon hill into Wheddon Cross, another hill I’m going to have to climb on the way back. This is followed by a mile or so of climbing up to Dunkery Beacon car park, the only control on the whole ride and

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

THE CYCLE SPECIALISTS

MADGETTS

Above: Dorset Coast ferry. Photo Steve Poulton Below: Kernow committee. Photo Ian Hennessey

✶ SALES – SERVICING – REPAIRS ✶ Superb choice of Clothing and Accessories Large range of cycles on display Excellent Wheel Building Service and Workshop

8 Shelfhanger Road, Diss, Norfolk

01379 650419 www.madgettscycles.com

Arrivée Spring 2012

17 AU

DAX UK

touring

TT course round Isle of Man

n Monday 20th October 2008, I sat astride my bike on the start line – not just any start line but the most famous start line in the world for two-wheeled enthusiasts albeit those with a petrol engine. It was, of course, the start line for the Isle of Man TT Course. Having driven all the way from West Sussex to Heysham in Lancashire, I arrived at the ferry port around midday and was promptly told that both of two crossings were fully booked up as all catamaran and all Liverpool crossings had been cancelled due to strong winds. Everyone had assured me that there would be no problems in getting on the ferries in October so I hadn’t book in advance as it would enable me to switch days if the weather was disagreeable. This turned out to be a major mistake as I was charged £163 return for my car and myself – if I wasn’t using my car to keep my bike in and sleep in, I could have gone as a foot passenger. A call to the Douglas office of the IOM Steam Packet Company got me a reservation on the next morning’s ferry at 2.15am! Trying to kill 14 hours around Morecambe and Heysham was no joke so I slept most of it! The ferry crossing had taken around four hours, during which I grabbed a few more hours sleep along with all the other passengers, so it was the early hours of the morning when I arrived at the campsite – a field adjacent to an old house that looked like Miss Faversham had once owned it! I had been warned by the old lady that the field was a bit boggy so I should park by the house which I did – in between several hatchback cars in various stages of dismantle! I checked out the shower and toilet blocks only to find they were dilapidated, mildew-coated portakabins – even the toilet rolls were grey! As the sun rose, I decided to make an early start on cycling the TT course. Having sketched out some route instructions which I attached to my bars, I made my short way from the campsite to the start adjacent to the grandstand and timing board. My plan was to do one relaxed lap in order to find the route and to take photos and then do a ‘quick’ lap – well quick for a bicycle. Setting off on a slight descent, I reached the first crossroads with traffic lights and made my first wrong turning

David Gallé

so I retraced and pressed on to the next set of lights and did the same again! Continuing on, I eventually reached Quarter Bridge which turned out to be a set of double roundabouts where I got onto the A1 and headed for Union Mills. The strong wind, which had caused the chaos with the ferries, was still blowing but down in the tree-lined road which runs westwards across the island to Ballacraine, I made good progress. Out in the countryside, the Isle of Man authorities had thoughtfully erected orange signs to indicate the route of the TT course so at Ballacraine, I duly followed the marker and turned right onto the A3. I now had the wind behind me but I was faced with a steep climb up Glen Helen but once over that, it was a quick ride to Kirk Michael apart from having to stop while a farmer moved his flock of sheep from one field to another. You wouldn’t see that on the A3 in England! Leaving Kirk Michael, I was now heading north-east with the wind still behind me so I was soon at the famous Ballaugh Bridge where the motorcyclists get airborne – no chance of me emulating them on my bicycle! Pressing on, I negotiated Quarry Bends which might be bends at well over 100mph but not at a steady 18mph then it was on to Sulby Straight where I topped 20mph – about-one tenth of that of the motorcyclists! In Ramsey, I entered Parliament Square expecting to see something resembling the one in England only to find it was a T-junction controlled by traffic lights with a brightly-painted cast-iron column opposite. Leaving Ramsey and turning south, I started on the infamous mountain, Snaefell, which when covered in fog, can stop the traffic. The first part of the climb up May Hill to the Waterworks Hairpin was very steep but thankfully, I was sheltered from the wind by the hillside. Having struggled around the hairpin and past Alberts Tower, erected to mark the point where Prince Albert climbed to after Queen Victoria and he landed at Ramsey on their visit to the island, the gradient eased off to just a steep climb. However, I was now exposed to the south-westerly blast which was trying to blow me off the side of the road. To make matters worse, the road had been resurfaced so many times that there was a one foot drop off the side of

Top: the author Below: the bronze statue of Joey Dunlop

the tarmac to a deep gully full of rocks! Pausing briefly from my struggle, I took a breather by the Guthrie Memorial and took the opportunity to photograph the panoramic view overlooking Ramsey Bay. After a few minutes, I returned to the ride up the mountain. Continuing to battle my way onwards and upwards at a steady 6.5mph, I eventually reached a layby adjacent to the radio mast on top of Snaefell. As can be seen from the photo alongside, I had climbed 6.25 miles from Ramsey but this was not the end of the climbing.

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

touring

Above: the Guthrie memorial

Above: the start. Below: Snaefell

Trying to take photos on the exposed mountain was not easy as the wind was so strong that it would blow my bike over so I had to be quick. At the Bungalow, the gradient eased off a little and I stopped to take a photo of the bronze statue of Joey Dunlop but once again, I didn’t stop for long. Snaefell might have been behind me now but the climbing wasn’t and the road kicked back up again as I approached Hailwood Heights where I took another breather before heading for the final summit, 7.5 miles after leaving Ramsey. I was now travelling across a ridge from the highest point of the course to the start of the descent indicated by a sharp right-hander. Approaching the bend, I was already leaning into the wind and when I turned my bars to get round the corner, I just went straight on into the run-off area which thankfully had a layer of tarmac! I later found out that this was called ‘Windy Corner’ – too right! Having stopped, I turned my bike to face into the wind and had to pedal downhill to Kate’s Cottage where the road went left and picking up a slight tailwind, I approached the next sharp right-hander called Creg-ny-Baa at 45mph! The bus driver, who was following me at this point, decided to stay behind which meant that I could use all of my side of the road and I needed it – that is one hell of a corner even on a bicycle! The downhill ride continued all the way to Signpost corner which was now a right turn at a mini-roundabout and then

another descent to Governors Bridge. The old bridge had been bypassed by two more roundabouts but by threading my way between marker cones, I managed to cycle around the old piece of road which is still used for the TT Races. One lap of the TT Course completed and it had taken me about 3.5 hours so now it was time to do it all again but without stopping. I won’t bore you with the details again but suffice it to say that I did stop halfway up the mountain at Hailwood Heights to take a breather. I completed the second 37.75 mile lap in just under three hours. Oh, I also had to stop at Windy Corner again for the same reason as before – blown off course! The Isle of Man is extremely picturesque with some beautiful scenery but some narrow twisty and hilly roads. Somehow, I managed to get two days of glorious sunshine albeit very windy. The TT Course is well worth attempting but I would stick to a bicycle and leave the motorbikes to others. Finally, I just had to finish my enjoyable trip to the Isle of Man by visiting the most famous landmark on the island – the Lady Isabella. Editor’s footnote: David was a regular audaxer until a couple of years ago when he was knocked off by a van. He spent six months in Stoke Mandeville Hospital for spinal injuries and is now confined to a wheelchair, semi-paralysed. He keeps in touch with the cycling world editing W. Sussex CTC’s magazine and website.

The road kicked back up again as I approached Hailwood Heights.

Right: Laxey

Arrivée Spring 2012

19 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris × 2

Double or Quits F An opportunity that comes only every 20 years

riends can lead you astray. It was only when I was booking leave and flights in early 2009 that it dawned on me that agreeing to suggestions by various friends meant I’d arranged to ride two 1200s and a 1400 over seven weeks. That led to completing an International Super Randonneur 1200km Three Continent in under six months by tacking on Sydney Melbourne Alpine 1200 in November. Not having done anything quite this crazy before, it all seemed quite simple, so I happily bounced between randonnées and work. In 2011, Dave Minter mooted what seemed to be something simpler, ride PBP Audax and PBP Randonneur in the same month. No problem, two rides not three in quick succession. However, a bit like 2009, the whole picture didn’t initially click fully into place. Rather than 14 days between rides, this time around there would only be 10 clear days between them. Oh dear… Then the picture got a little complicated by my addiction to riding, particularly overseas. A friend in Texas was running the inaugural Texas 1200, so I put that on my list. Then a certain Mr Poulidor was having a celebration 400km UAF Audax ride. Hey, we’ll add that in as well. So May was now a challenging

month, with the Texas Stampede Rando followed a week later by an Audax 400. Then June became a bit crowded with riding a qualifying 600km randonnée for PBP Randonneur and then the Summer Arrow. Hey, July was going to be an easy month, so no problems for August. However, as always, life gets complicated. To ride an Audax, you need ride captains. Two PBP Audax sessions had been scheduled and each ride needed three captains. The second session in August was when the ‘estrangers’ were riding, so we were riding it instead of the July session. A good mate of ours from Western Australia, Nick Dale, was going to ride the second session, so we chose to put the two PBPs together. So it kind of made sense that one of the ride captains was an English speaker. UAF President Bruno Danielzik contacted Dave to see if he would take this honour. Dave thought I would be a better fit, so it was agreed that I would be a Captaine de la Route. Life had just got very challenging. Not only could I no longer do what I do best (lurk in the bunch), but also had the double responsibility of being the one of the first women to be a PBP Audax ride captain, along with Alexandrine Henry. A double whammy. Then there was my bike; Casper the rather special little white Moulton. Being

Judith Swallow

special meant that he arrived for Dave to put together a handful of weeks before PBP Audax. So, once all the technical issues with putting his kit on were resolved, this meant I only rode him for 400km prior to the start of PBP Audax. Add in another worry; would I be able to ride in the style expected of a ride captain on my little wheels?

The start of PBP Audax

So, to the start of PBP Audax – a night start. Not my favourite, but that’s how it goes. For PBP Randonneur, I was in the 5am start, so only one full night in August to ride (or so I thought at the time). PBP Randonneur 2007 is a legend in its own lunch hour for the quantity of rain that the sky emitted for four days. PBP Audax 2011 was starting in the same vein; big rain! The start of a big ride is always nerve-racking but exciting. On an Audax the excitement factor is boosted as it has a Tour de France atmosphere with AMEC motorcycles leading the ride out and controlling the traffic, leading and following cars and vans for luggage and mechanical support. So, at 10pm we’re off, winding our way out of Montigny le Bretonneux in the dark in the rain into a headwind. Sounds not too bad, could be worse I guess, but I’m at the front, trying to keep the 22.5km pace but trying at

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris × 2 the same time to keep things smooth and as easy as possible for the peloton. We have a long way to go and getting near to a 100 per cent success rate is the name of the game.

Dutch tandem abandons

The rain and headwind continues through to the breakfast stop. I’m already aware of one abandonné, the Dutch tandem but not the seriousness of the crash I ride around as we depart breakfast, which is the second abandonné, due to injury. The rain is kind enough to go home after breakfast, other than one more brief but violent downpour. The headwind loves us and persistently nags in our faces for the next two days to Brest. Keeping the 22.5kph riding average is not quite happening due to the wind and not enough strong riders to help at the front of the peloton. The ride into our first lunch stop at Domfront is chaos as it’s impossible to keep the group together on the gradients we are riding. Despite regrouping, we end up in two groups which isn’t so bad as I’m in the front group and the other two captains are in the second, so ride rules are just about being complied with. As I arrive at lunch there is a familiar face, Daniel Ropert, one of the UAF’s top ride captains. Although he will be riding with the vedettes on PBP randonneur, he is going to ride with us as an additional captain from Domfront to Brest and back. In the kilometres ahead, Daniel’s ability as a ride captain is going to be invaluable to the group, given the challenging nature of the route and the weather.

Collapsing riders sent to hospital

At dinner, the problems start as riders who had been trying hard to keep towards the front of the peloton show the effects of their exertions. Between dinner and breakfast, Alexandrine and Nick, both doctors, attend to collapsing riders and send several of them to hospital for further checks. All are released from hospital in good health but out of the ride. The ride from Saint Brieuc to Brest starts in a muddle. Unbeknown to me at the time, our number one captain has abandonné and the peloton leaves without me, Dave or Nick as there is now nobody controlling the ride. The route sheet is a bare bones affair (riders are meant to follow the motos for navigation) and Dave and I wind up heading in the wrong direction and losing two hours off-route. Nick manages to go in the correct direction and gets back to the peloton. A day and night of navigational challenges ensues as we chase down the group into the headwind. Following a route on a GPX is easy, using one to navigate without any

route or track is difficult but it makes the difference in getting us to Brest.

Back to St Brieuc

During the chase, our mini peloton grows to three as we pick up Yves, one of the French riders in Morlaix. We don’t know how he got detached from the peloton, but do know that he really wants to get to Brest. Another rider was with Yves but he has definitely decided to pull out and backtracks to Saint Brieuc. We make Brest and the official control. Bruno is now aware of what is going on and has very kindly organised food for us here as we have missed them by just over an hour. We set off back to Saint Brieuc, the next night’s sleep stop. Unfortunately the route is not an out-and-back and navigation is still a problem. The wind has now dropped, so the longed-for backwind isn’t there, but life is much easier without a head wind. We gain on the bunch along the open road but lose all of that and more while trying to navigate. Riding through the night, we’re desperately not thinking that we could be asleep in a nice warm hotel bed. As we enter Saint Brieuc, panic sets in. The peloton is about to leave but we make it just in the nick of time. I grab a quick bowl of cereal, load my pockets with dried fruit, a feed bottle with coffee and head outside to take my place at the front of the peloton. Dave is safely tucked in at the back of the peloton, taking the opportunity to draft for a change. The French respect an escapade with a dash of courage, so we are reinstated in the ride, our double PBP quest is still one.

Bending the rules

Having coffee in my feed bottle works a treat in stopping the sleep gods from finding me. The day is sunny and the wind is kindly. Lunch is back at Domfront where we bid a fond farewell to Daniel. The rest of the day through to our sleep stop at Mortagne au Perche is great riding. We bend the ride rules at little on the wonderful super-fast descents into Sees as we just can’t resist zipping down them. The peloton breaks into two for a short time, but each has a captain, so we’re OK. We leave Mortagne au Perche a little before dawn after a good sleep. There is confusion again with the peloton moving off a little early without much warning. Nick goes to find Dave to make sure he doesn’t get left behind. I can sit second in line at the front of the peloton until the last 60km stage. Then Alexandrine and I go to the front to lead the peloton to the finish, an Audax tradition. There are no other women behind us as the other three ladies rode in the first session. We arrive at the finish, everyone resplendent in their PBP Audax jerseys. Lots of congratulations pass

Arrivée Spring 2012

Little wheels lining up before the start of PBP Rando

I grab a quick bowl of cereal, load my pockets with dried fruit, a feed bottle with coffee and head outside to take my place at the front of the peloton.

between riders, Yves is especially pleased to have finished. Then showers and out of lycra for the post-ride celebration dinner. Alexandrine and I are presented with beautiful bunches of flowers, as is Madame Herubel, one of the indefatigable organisers. It is only post-ride that we find out how many riders failed to complete this session, including our Irish friend Charles Copeland and Marinas Van Kuilenburg from the Netherlands. This is quite unusual for an Audax. It turns out that this has happened once before, at PBP Audax in 1976 when heat caused riders to abandonné in much greater numbers than normal, despite every effort from the Captains. Onto Eurostar, back to London to clean bikes, to wash kit and to put our feet up until the start of PBP Randonneur in 10 days.

ack on the start line, this time at St Quentin en Yvelines, one sports stadium away from the Audax start. Déjà vu; it’s dark at 5am and it’s going to

Finish of PBP Audax: Jan-Eric Jansen, Judith and Dave Minter

21 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris × 2 be wet with a headwind, although it takes some time before the rain actually strikes. Unlike the smooth, organised bunch of an Audax, a randonnée peloton is sometimes disorganised and a little worrying to ride in. Eventually things settle down and a mini peloton is formed, mainly comprising little wheels and Australians. The group is me, Dave Minter, Greg Lansom and Rod Quintrell, the first three on little wheels and the latter three Aussies. We battle through the lightning and thunderstorms of our first night on the road. Getting through controls is relatively easy as the vedettes and touriste groups were set off so far ahead of our randonneur group this time. All the controls are good, but I do miss the four-course lunches and dinners with wine of PBP Audax. Our little group stays together for most of the ride, which is one of my highlights of this PBP. After leaving Fougeres, in the rain and dusk on the way out to Brest, we all ride our own ride. I manage to exchange drafting two French guys for my Garmin-assisted navigation to Tinteniac. With the heavy rain, we can’t see the arrows but the Garmin works a treat. The little wheels/ Aussie bunch regroups at the next control, Tintiniac, and from there on some of us may yo-yo in and out of the bunch at times but on the whole we stick together to Brest and all the way through till the last full day of riding.

A tailwind and the big ring

Jim’s eighth PBP

Dave catches up at Mortagne au Perche, where we have time for a couple of hours sleep before the run in to the finish. We set off to the penultimate control of Dreux and enjoy the undemanding riding as dawn breaks. There we meet up with Jim and Edwin again. It’s Jim’s eighth PBP, the first UK rider to reach this tally, all on trike. Audax fashion, we form a ‘posse du honour’ to escort him to the finish, collecting a bunch of ‘waifs and strays’ happy to follow some disciplined wheels. We arrive at the finish with time in hand and with plenty of spectators giving the finish atmosphere that only PBP Randonneur has. After handing in brevet cards, through to the back of the stadium and there is the icing on the PBP cake. Bruno, Daniel and Maurice plus other good friends from PBP Audax are waiting to celebrate with us. Without Dave, I wouldn’t have known about PBP Audax, so would have never had the privilege to ride this rare double, along with Nick Dale who had done his PBP Randonneur with the vedettes. Daniel and a handful of other French riders also completed the double to join the first French riders to complete backto-back Audax and Randonneur PBPs 40 years ago.

Judith and Yves at Villaines la Juhel, PBP rando. Below: Jim Hopper completes his eighth PBP, all on barrows.

Somewhere after leaving Loudeac on the return, most of the group stops to put on sunscreen, not needed much till then. I’m at the front and by the time I find they are gone, waiting is pointless. I have a tailwind, the sun on me and deploy the big ring. Riding through the green numbers of the 90-hour riders enables me to catch up with friends, which makes for a wonderful day awheel. At Villaines la Juhel, Yves from PBP Audax, is in the crowd cheering us on. I feel like a Tour de France rider stopping to greet the family and taking photographs before heading off. At the canteen, I find more friends to talk to and the ride starts to feel like a holiday. I set off for the final night ride to Mortagne au Perche with AUK’s Jim Gresty but unlike PBP Audax, I’m not descending into the control but climbing. Then Edwin Hargreaves, another AUK rider joins us on his trike. Stopping at my first ad hoc coffee stop of the ride, Jim is tired so we leave him to have a nap while Edwin and I set off into the sea of tail lights and start to party. Well, party in randonneur terms anyway, catching and dropping riders uphill and down. Many do a double-take as on one side of the centreline, a trike rushes past and on the other, the little wheels of the Moulton. We fail to catch Jim Hopper, the other AUK trikie, but find him at the control.

Camaraderie of the peloton

Getting involved with Audax has been and continues to be a wonderful journey that has let me ride with and make friends with French riders that would never have happened by just randonneuring. PBP Randonneur is a great and unique ride and next time I’ll be back for a fourth PBP Randonneur but for me, PBP Audax is the ride that really stands out and the one I enjoyed the most in 2011, despite the unscheduled night ride. The camaraderie of the peloton riding hard but helping each other to finish a tough challenge adds something extra. Riding in the big group has all the pleasure of a road race without the nerviness and without a need to sprint at the end of the day. Top it off with the motos and lead car and you feel like a Tour de France rider. A stark contrast to PBP Randonneur where so many people ride almost solo. Convivial hour-plus lunches and dinners with the Audax group is certainly different to the canteen queues and snatched meals of the randonnée. Both PBPs have to feature in a long distance rider’s wish list. The next PBP Audax is in 2016, so something to pencil into your diary having warmed up with PBP Randonneur in 2015. In the meantime, the UAF are organising two 1000+km rides in 2012, the Brevet Pierre Kraemer to Mont Ventoux in June and the Brevet Audax Olympic Paris-Londres (via the Low Countries) in August.

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

round the world race

Round the world race started on the Meridian Line, Greenwich Park, 18th February Nine riders set out to break the Guinness record of 106 days to circumnavigate the globe. They have to do a minimum of 29,oookm, and reach two antipodal points, one in Spain and one in New Zealand. Another one started on the Isle of Man, and another four weeks later from New Zealand. To break the record, the winner has to be back at Greenwich as the Olympics start. A daily average of about 270km is needed to break the record. Mixed fortunes right from the start: on the perimeter of the park, out came the maps and GPSs as they had no idea how to find the roads to the coast or airports. After 40km, one packed for personal reasons. One rode to Gatwick for a flight to Malaga (sensible, missed all the ice and snow), some went to Newhaven, Portsmouth or Dover, and one to Plymouth. Tim Wainwright

‘I’m not going up any hills.’

5 5

1. Sean Conway rode through Morocco, took a flight to Santiago, Chile (they lost his Thorn Mercury for three days), and rode through the Atacama Desert to Peru. He lost a lot of weight, got fed up living on chicken soup, took a flight to Miami and within days was hit by a truck, suffering concussion, whiplash neck, broken tooth and spinal injuries. $15,000 medical costs. Bike totally wrecked including his Rohloff

hub. He’s making a slow recovery and wants to finish the ride. A plucky guy. 2. Mike Hall rode through Europe, Turkey, India to Australia and is the fastest rider. A few minor problems, but really going well round the coast of Oz. Early April, he’s ridden over 12,000 km. 3. Richard Dunnett rode through France, Spain and Portugal, flight to Miami and has crossed the USA fighting

Arrivée Spring 2012

monster headwinds, rainstorms and blizzards. Strong rider. 4. Stephen Phillips, oldest rider in the race at 41, has had several setbacks: a swollen leg in Spain stopped him for a week, before a long flight via London and Iceland to Boston. He soon crashed and ripped his leg tendons and damaged all his panniers and virtually gave up. A month later, he rejoined the race after flying to Arizona. Riding a Thorn Nomad. 5. Martin Walker seemed rather inexperienced when I spoke to him at the start. ‘I’m not going up any hills,’ he said when I commented that he didn’t have very low gears. He struggled through the Pyrenees, had 30 punctures on his skinny racing tyres, broke several spokes. Wore his cleats out after a 12 mile run to find a bike shop because of all the punctures. Got to USA and had a rear wheel collapse, puncture count up to 50. Seems to spend a lot of his time looking for bike shops to fix his problems. Carrying a sleeping bag tied under the saddle and the rest of his kit tied to his handlebars with bungees. Don’t fancy his chances riding across Oz to Darwin, though he’s pretty speedy when he’s going, could have been in the lead if he’d had no problems. Would you go round the world on his bike? 24 spoke radial front, 28 rear, nowhere to attach extra food or water for the desert/wilderness areas. Brave man! 6. Simon Hutchinson, good steady rider on a custom tourer. Spent a day in hospital with dehydration in India, crashed in Perth, damaging his bike and ending up in hospital again. 7. Stuart Lansdale. Chose a route through Eastern Europe in the winter, making less than 100k a day in the freezing snow and ice. Hit by a car which ripped off his rear rack and front panniers. Had to return to London from Kiev to get bike fixed. Flew to India and within days a rickshaw stopped in front of him on purpose and wrecked his bike and the driver demanded money. Had nothing but hassle and bureaucracy in India. Flight to Thailand where he remains till a new frame arrives. Only ridden about 2,500km. Not in the race now, but still continuing. Jason Woodhouse (no picture) got to Britanny and returned home via Eurostar to fix his problematic bike. Started again a fortnight later with Plan B, flying to America. Seems to be on a ‘jolly’, making slow progress at 2,500km. Track the riders at worldcycleracing.com/live-tracking/

N 23

DAX UK

randonnee

Getting Roger Dean to do the album cover

George Hanna’s 2011 season

iding in Paris in August 2011 was a big motivator in my recovery from surgery in 2010, and completing an SR series that year without trashing my immune system had been a huge relief. Now though I faced the ‘difficult second album’ problem. Getting Roger Dean to do the album cover was the easy bit. Riding through the winter and building up as soon the weather improved would be an interesting challenge... To achieve my target I would need to improve my power to weight ratio by losing some weight; and I planned

to switch at the last possible moment from my steel Bianchi to full carbon. Based on my average speed during the 2010 season I prepared/expected to ride much of my 2011 season solo. A week’s riding across France in October at 200k per day, well laden with luggage, was a good start; and 200ks followed in late November and the first week of December. Then came several weeks of icy weather, and an elbow sprain while Xmas shopping. Paris seemed a long way away when a double shift mashed my chain, and nearly sheared off my derailleur four

After 20 minutes of blueaired chain shortening, my belligerent side kicked in.

Start of PBP: waiting in the 30° heat Photo: Tim Wainwright

hours into a mid-January trundle in Hertfordshire. After 20 minutes of blueaired chain shortening, my belligerent side kicked in. Thoughts of hopping a train had gone, and I rode the 40k home into the freshening winds. I love my Bianchi, but I do not like riding in the wind; so the following day I went out again and did another 125k. There’s nothing like 12 hours riding in a gale to develop a good aerodynamic riding position. Surfed bunches round Kennet Valley and Cheltenham Flyer 200ks, but my breathing was poor on each ride and I needed antibiotics and two weeks off the bike to clear a chest infection. The Dean and Everyone Rides to Skeggy 300ks saw me hanging on again, wheelsucking for Ireland. 200k out to Barmouth on a laden bike and a week’s walking in sunny Wales were good strength training; a 200k back to Evesham the day before Severn Across 400k would simulate 600k inside 40 hours before Bryan Chapman a fortnight later. The toughest challenge of the spring came when Great Western trains went awol for most of the evening I needed them to get me across the Severn. Two hours later a bus showed up; three hours after that I was on a train to Slough, with an hour’s night ride still to come. Until a train arrived I considered every possible permutation for getting to the start, except the 120k ride. Even briefly considered staying on the train to London, but knew that that if I got off, Chapman and probably Paris, were goners. Instead of a full night’s sleep, I tumbled into bed at 02:30 for two hours’ kip. Being forced to ride conservatively proved a benefit in the long run and I finished, courtesy of Simon Gent’s back wheel, without feeling stuffed. I rested before Bryan Chapman, and switched to my lighter Airnimal, before travelling down to Chepstow for another big milestone on the road to recovery. After the cavalry charge – ‘Coo, I’m ahead of Howard Waller’, I made my excuses and went out the back on the first hill. Resisted the temptation to grab any groups going too fast for me, and made sure my pace kept me out of the red zone. That was impossible on the A44 climb from Llangurig – slow-going into the teeth of the squalls. Snuck through

24 ArrivéeSpring2012 AU

DAX UK

Dolgellau town and found the Rapha boys doing a photoshoot – aka gazing forlornly at roadsigns when off-course. Good to see new blood on a 600k for a change, and not riding bikes laden with stuff they wouldn’t need. The wind was more helpful on the climbs through Corris, and up Pen y Pas; but concentration was needed on the descents in the gusty winds. Made the turn in daylight, then back to Kings by 01:45 for three hours’ sleep on the sofa in the bag-drop room. Having resisted encouragement to catch an early train I had until 20:00 to finish and get to Bristol Parkway for my train home. Headed out again just after dawn in dry clothes, with the crosswinds helpful initially. The wind remained all day but the showers soon cleared and I cruised through mostly solo to finish with time and energy in hand. Now I was ready to choose a start time, and work out my schedule for ParisBrest-Paris.... Having ummed and ahhed for a long time, I eventually chose the first group at 16:00 Sunday, with 80 hours to complete PBP. My schedule, for completion in 69:50, was based on wet/windy solo completions of qualification rides, and realistic given my cancer treatment and level of fitness. Traditionally, ie, it had happened the last two times, I’d blown up somewhere between Villaines and Paris on the way back. My challenges this time were to stay out of the bar beforehand; not to get sucked into the burn-up on day one, so as to to save my energy for day three. Between qualification and mid-July I rested, rode sparingly – only four times; and started weighing all my kit. After chasing Alan Parkinson of the South West RC around the Herts 200k on a foul mid-June day, I felt more like throwing my bike in the Thames to dry it out than riding again. St Malo to Barcelona in a week on Bianchi with 5kg of luggage completed my strength training, and answered some key health questions. Broke a few of the anti-lymphoedema rules on the way: my legs got a bit sunburnt, but that was OK; got a horsefly bite behind my right knee which wasn’t – it kept swelling for three days until I could feel it while pedalling; luckily the day after that the swelling went down. My build up was completed by a week’s rest, a week’s turbo work, concentrating on pedalling cadence and sitting aero; then my fastest ride of the year, and two weeks of complete rest. Travelled late afternoon by Eurostar, having checked my bike in that morning. Became distinctly emotional as I sped across Picardy into Paris – it felt great to be back in Paris, feeling fit, after all I had been through. Enjoyed my ride via l’Arc de Triomphe to Versailles, until a bad accident on the outskirts of town brought me back to earth. I’d booked

my hotel – largely because of its lack of proximity to bars – some months back; wasn’t aware we were sharing with KBCK – a lively bunch of Swedes who ride as hard as they play. Joining them and room-mate John Barkman a couple of hours late for dinner did my liver some good but sharpened my appetite. A late night and UK/Swedish pincer movement on the breakfast buffet recemented relationships satisfactorily. After that we mooched sociably between meals using as little energy as possible; and I stayed off my feet/in the shade until I absolutely had to join the throng at the Gymnase. Two hours’ queueing with KBCK, Irish Randonneurs, and an impossibly slim and handsome Rob Gray looky-likey, allowed plenty of time to make new/ meet old friends. Got away in the third start, around 16:25. Stayed solo, safely to the left of the group in the twitchy first 20km; and didn’t chase when gaps formed ahead of me for, like London buses, another bunch came along in a minute. Took extra care when echelons formed in the strong crosswinds, preferring to start my own any time I was near the end of a chain/the median line. Only once did I set off on a ‘suicide mission’ across open country to bridge a gap to the bunch in front; lesson rapidly learnt, I sat in after that. The winds were hot so, after ~100k I needed two roadside water stops in quick succession. Neither was planned but having drained one newly-filled bottle, I knew almost immediately that another was required. As on previous PBPs, my quickest 200k and 300ks of the season followed in short order. Offered commiserations to John Warnock in the mechanic’s stand at Fougeres – his wheel had disintegrated after a mechanical on the high speed descent into town. He hadn’t been hurt, but you need luck near the sharp end. Tinteniac, 356k came at dawn, with legs feeling much better than expected. Left two hours ahead of my schedule in a group with several Brits including Simon Gent, Rob Gray, Simon Bennett, Toby Hopper and ‘suicide Danny’ Rock – so named because of public health work in Australia – rather than his riding style, I was relieved to find out. Resisted the temptation to push hard or ride at the front if I could avoid it; and time passed quickly as we chatted and rode sociably through rolling Brittany. The new food/sleep control at St Nicholas du Pelem was like a F1 drivethrough penalty, but allowed a quick rest before a late lunch in Carhaix, 30k later. By Carhaix I was in a two-up with Rob Gray. Or more accurately hanging on his wheel most of the time, and falling away on the climbs. On the sunny climb to Roc Trevezel I had caught up, and we rode into Brest together; though Rob might have preferred to be alone as I cursed loudly about the many railway lines on

Arrivée Spring 2012

Photo: Mark Green

HEADING randonnee IN HERE

Essential PBP kit

Below: Didcot 400

the new route to the control through the old port area of Brest. I’d expected to sleep in Brest, but with an hour’s light left and rain forecast later, we soon decided instead to head for Carhaix. Departed with Danny Rock, Simon Gent, Rob Gray and some of the Rapha boys for company after a leisurely break. By dusk we were back in wet weather. After an hour of what felt like climbing in a cloud I checked GPS and was disappointed we were less that 150m up – I didn’t check again. An hour later we crested the summit, at 340m

25 AU

DAX UK

randonnee until I’d crested the next rise; yet another I sailed up to on the flat with just my reserve light on then put full beam on as I sailed past. Selfish – probably. Childish – yup. Big fun? – you bet! My schedule allowed for a few hours’ sleep at Mortagne but having covered the last 50 miles in three hours, I rolled in at half midnight ready for more miles. While I chomped my way through a large rice salad, choc mousse and bottle of Badoit, I sent Simon Gent a text ‘Am in Mortagne, by your helmet’. His head soon appeared, followed by his body, and we set off as a three-some. Sadly, Simon had left his legs behind, and faded well before Dreux where Rob and I enjoyed our second breakfast of the day before 05:00. Last time in Dreux, I had warmed my hands on the croissants; this time I photographed them. Between Dreux and the finish, PBP extracted payback for our riding hard throughout day two: our average speed on the road for the last four legs dropped from 18.2 to 16.8, 14.1 and finally 13.3mph. This pattern matched previous overnight rides. Drank the last of my 4:1 energy drink at Dreux, but recalled how indigestion had stopped me drinking previously, so refilled my bottles with weak 0cal for the run-in. Legs and my bottles were drained before we pottered in around 08:15, but we cared not. After a nap on the floor of the finish, we soon recovered enough to find our way to the beer/food tent to share tales of derringdo. If you’d told me at the beginning of the year that I would finish PBP solo unsupported in under 64 hours, feeling so fresh, I would have said you were mad. This was my quickest average speed on the road in Paris; and had felt like an armchair ride due to 1) relatively benign conditions (we were very lucky to have slept through the rain); 2) night-riding with company; 3) seated climbing almost all the way. Big thank yous to Anna Taylor for putting up with bike parts in her kitchen weighing scales again. For inspiration, loan of wheels to chase/shelter behind or *rses to kick at just the right time, thanks also to John Barkman, Simon Gent, Richard Parrotte, Martin Lucas, Judith Swallow, Dave Minter, Rob Gray, Steve Ralphs, Danny Rock, Ian Felce, Chris Douglas, Peter Marshall, Gernot and Petra Stenz, KBCK! Thanks also to organisers Chris Beynon and Mark Rigby for keeping a spot for me. See you in Paris in 2015…

All photos by the author

according to Mr gps, with only parked cars signalling the position of the cloudshrouded TV mast. What took four hours outbound took 3:45 inbound as I got into my best aero position and didn’t brake on the descents. I’d promised myself a beer in the pub at the top of the hill in Carhaix if it was still open, and wasn’t disappointed when I pulled over bang on midnight. Handpulled local ale and free peanuts. Dreamland! No sooner had I gone into the bar than it had started raining hard. That decided it for me: food, shower and sleep time. Donned my coat for the ride to the control – the only time on the whole ride I needed it. While we slept, Simon pressed on; Rob and I rose at six, after 4.5 hours’ sleep, and hit the road around first light. From the sodden floors and roads, and amount of Goretex in evidence on riders coming towards us, it had rained most of the night. Pausing at St Martin de Pres for a bucket of coffee and a croissant after about 50k, we were joined by others who spotted the bikes parked up. That short break begat another at Loudeac, and by Illifaut, with a full tailwind and warm temperatures, we were flying. Tinteniac, with its Breton dance troupe, is one of my favourite PBP controls and I enjoyed my sandwich here despite sitting on the tarmac outside. My legs felt great and I was able to stretch without pain or lactic in the early afternoon sun. Caught group after group en route to Fougeres, roared on by a tail/ crosswind and celebrated with a couple of Pelforths. After charging up anything more than a pimple on the outward, Danny Rock was beginning to fade by Fougeres. The PBP ‘roadbook’ is a single sheet of A4 paper on which the route is printed double sided. Having marked every hill above 160m, Rob and I knew exactly how many hills we faced and planned to reach Villaines by dusk. Arriving well before dark at 20:40 we had time for a good break. On the road, we had discussed the possibility of riding through a third night to the finish. I wondered if I was about to blow up again, but felt confident as I couldn’t remember feeling this well rested after 1000k of a PBP. Shortly after leaving Villaines in the dark, Rob dropped away; I waited for a while then, remembering what had happened near Dreux last time (I’d waited for a compadre and lost contact with a bunch, then gone off course) I legged it. Having passed many wobbly riders during the evening, I wasn’t in the mood for having anyone who might be flaky to ride with latch onto my wheel. I cruised up on a pair in front, then used the slipstream of a car to scoot past at speed. Another I passed having barrelled into a dip then stayed in the big ring

Top: John Barkman, Martin Lucas, Paul Stewart, Judith Swallow Middle: Bob Johnson crashed out in Carhaix Bottom: ‘Suicide’ Danny Rock and Rob Gray giving their feet an airing

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

HEADING randonnee IN HERE Right: LEL stand at PBP Left: George is made welcome at the Café de la Gare

Right: Simon Gent, John Barkman, Gerner Stenz

Above: Emergency rations at Newent, Severn Across 400 Left: Simon Gent at the start of PBP

Right: Riding PBP has a bad effect on your feet

Left: Rob Gray approaching Brest Right: Riders from Lewes Wanderers, VC Deal, Shaftesbury CC

Arrivée Spring 2012

27 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district

In praise of … the Marple Grimpeurs Part 2 (or my continued attempt at a double AAARTY) Chris Keeling-Roberts

All photos taken on ‘Spring in the Dales’ 2012 by Alberto Contreras Sanz and Oliver Wright

A little bit of history In the first half of this article, I described the first six months of my attempt at two AAA events each month, throughout a calendar year. Many of these events have been Marple Grimpeurs, for the very obvious reason that they are literally on my doorstep. The Marple Grimpeurs were conceived, created, designed, tweaked and polished by Sheila Simpson, the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of Audax UK. Who would dare describe her as that? I might, although perhaps not to her face. But then, who else is worthy of such a sobriquet? The Dark Peak Grimpeur was the first, and originally run as a Sheffield DA event on Sundays in the early 1980s. It went anticlockwise from Grindleford Station Café. This meant climbing the 1 in 4 on Mortimer Road, after Strines, as well as tackling Holme Moss from the more difficult north side. The controls were the popular cyclists’ cafés at Langsett and Glossop. This is a classic ride. As Sheila says, the shortest way round is the best and only a start/ finish point and two controls are required to control the circuit. Along with many other people, I consider this my favourite 100km ride. Sheila moved to Marple in 1992, and started to go for regular Wednesday rides with Roy Carr. She had discovered that this was a good day to visit the Peak District, especially in summer when the weekends can be very busy. She changed the Dark Peak to a Marple start, and devised three other routes; the Staffordshire Peak, the White Peak and the Mid Peak. These remain some of Shelia’s favourite rides. The Staffordshire Peak Super Grimpeur is another classic, with only two controls necessary (at Alstonfield

and Meerbrook) to make sure that the 100km is ridden. Unfortunately, the Events Secretary at the time insisted on adding several Information Controls in order to validate the AAA points. Originally the route came back through Lyme Park via the West Gate, but more recently the rough track here has been considered unsuitable for modern, lightweight bikes. The White Peak and the Mid Peak followed, again both requiring little in the way of controls in order to ensure route integrity. Sheila thinks the events were probably first registered as Permanents, but later as mid week Calendar Events, so that she and Roy could have a few more riders for company. As August sometimes has five Wednesdays, a fifth event was required, and consequently Roy devised the West Peak to complete this series. Sheila also created the Dark and White Peak Grimpeur, initially as a 170km ride starting in Marple and finishing at the Fox Inn in Brookbottom (the best little pub in the world). Mike Wigley ( Hon Mem Sec. and holder of the keyboard keys to the portal known as the Peak Audax Website) extended the ride to Carsington Reservoir to make it up to 200km. Currently, there are three other Marple Grimpeurs: Goyt Peak, Monyash Peak and Cheshire Peak. These were originally set up and run by Rob Kilby from the centre of Stockport. Rob moved away and Mike took these over, adapting them to start from Marple. Cheshire Peak was originally named Mow Cop, and still takes in the vicious climb of Mow Cop. Generally one of these is run as a Calendar Event at Easter, and for the last two or three years this has been the Monyash Peak. So much for the background, back to my rides …

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district April 2011 Bretton 100

thought it was time to broaden my horizons and move out of the Peak District, if only by a short distance. This is one of Don Black’s Permanent rides which starts from Stalybridge and goes over the Pennines via the Huddersfield Road. This seems to be known as The Isle of Skye, but I am not sure why. Answers on a postcard, please. The road crosses Saddleworth Moor, perhaps always to be remembered now as the scene of the Moors Murders, unbelievably shocking events which are still difficult to comprehend, years later. Grainy black and white images, and beehive hair dos. Today the sun was shining and everything was in colour. There was a strong following wind and I could maintain a steady pace all the way over the top, and down the other side into Holmbridge. After the turn around point at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, there was, unsurprisingly, a strong head wind all the way back. Several long climbs made the going slow, but that out of Marsden, past the Golf Club, was particularly steep and I was almost brought to a standstill. Once descending back into Lancashire, there was the temptation to think most of the climbing had been done. But this is a Don Black ride, the man who ‘treats LEL as an extended pub crawl’. And so, a final sting in the tail, a particularly steep and narrow climb out of Delph. Gravel on the surface and grass growing down the middle. Nothing left in the legs at all by the top of this. Finish at Stalybridge Station Buffet, renowned for its selection of real ales, and have a pint or two. Then cycle back to Marple on the canal. A bit of a mistake as the bike got all muddy, but nonetheless, a wonderful day out.

Monyash Grimpeur

My Calendar Event; only 10 riders on the day so I was able to ride round at the back as the Lantern Rouge. The forecast two days earlier had been for heavy, continuous rain, which may have accounted for one or two no-shows. In fact it was dry, albeit rather cool and windy. After 70km the route goes through Buxton, and onto the main Manchester Road, the A5004. Two and a half kilometres of gentle three per cent takes you to the top of Long Hill, where you turn off left for the Goyt Valley. A small roadside shrine on the right seems more suited to an Alpine climb than rural Derbyshire. A short twisty up and down section brings you to a small rectangular reservoir. A gentle right hander and you are at the top of Bunsall Incline. Looking down this is rather like the view from the top of a ski jump; arrow straight for 600 metres and a constant gradient of 15 per

cent. There aren’t many roads in the Peak District built like this, but study the map and see that this is labelled ‘Dismantled Railway’. This was the Cromford and High Peak Railway, opened in 1831 to transport coal and other minerals between Cromford Canal Wharf and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. An ambitious project for the time. The route was actually planned by a canal builder, Josias Jessop, which explains the rather unusual construction. There were flat sections, where the wagons were pulled by horses, but the height was mainly gained or lost by several steep inclines, equivalent to a flight of locks on a canal. The wagons were taken up and down these inclines by stationary steam engines, hence the need for the reservoir at the top of this one, the steepest on the railway. Although built to transport minerals, for a while in the 1870s passengers were taken as well. Apparently they had to get out and walk the steep inclines, which must have been a bit galling. Your approach to cycling down Bunsall Incline depends on your age and experience, and your confidence in your bike handling skills. The descent starts in a cutting, with high grassy banks providing shelter, and you quickly gather speed. Then you are out in the open and probably exposed to a strong side wind from the left. Without ever really enjoying it, I generally hit 60kph here, but I know many people go much faster. I brake well in advance of the sharp left hander at the bottom. This is a popular area for motorists, and there may be oncoming traffic in the middle of the road. Errwood Reservoir is now in front of you, cross the dam, and then immediately climb again, up The Street to Pym Chair. Then, the hardest climbing of the Monyash Peak is behind you, although after the precipitous descent down to Jenkin Chapel, there is a wicked, but mercifully short, climb up to Erwin Lane.

Spring into the Dales

A glorious day, and time for another excursion out of the Peak District and into Yorkshire. I rode round with someone I consider to be my mentor, Paul Hickey from Halifax Imperial Wheelers. I met Paul on the very first Audax ride I did, and since then I must have ridden well over a dozen Audax rides with him. He is a life-long cyclist who has done it all; road racing, time trials and touring. He has the gift of the gab, and keeps you amused and entertained as you ride. His experience is invaluable to a virtual novice like me. He has taught me how to ride in a group and how to climb, and is still trying to teach me how to descend. He seems to know everyone involved in cycling in the West Riding, and certainly knows this route well. We took things fairly gently,

Arrivée Spring 2012

Without ever really enjoying it, I generally hit 60kph here, but I know many people go much faster.

enjoyed the weather and looked at some of the sights, like the memorial to Dave Rayner at Gargrave and the Crook Barn at Appletreewick. This is one of the few rides I know where you do a climb from both sides on the same ride, Cock Hill. This is not particularly steep either way, and there is a fairly constant gradient which means you can get a good rhythm going. Paul said the climb should take 20 minutes on the way back, but I think we took a little bit longer. There were temporary traffic lights half way up, though. Thanks for the ride, Paul.

Edale 115

Another Don Black Permanent ride, rather than a Marple Grimpeur, but very similar in feel and using many of the same roads. As it was Easter Sunday, the roads were fairly quiet. I started from Hayfield, and soon had the steep, narrow climb out of Wash up to Rushup Edge. This was followed by the fast, swooping descent from Mam Nick down to Edale, where it was too soon to stop for a coffee at the Penny Pot Café. After Edale and the Hope Valley, there was the long climb out of Bradwell up to Bradwell Moor. On the route sheet, the instructions say climb, climb, climb, and there is certainly no arguing with that, although there is never the feeling of desperation that you get on one of the other climbs on this ride. That is reserved for the climb up Gorsey Brow out of Broadbottom, The Mudd, which starts off very steeply, and

29 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district then ramps up even more near the end. There are double chevrons on the map here. Very hard work, and no relief. It is a climb that is also used on the Goyt Peak Super Grimpeur, when it comes near the end of the ride and seems even tougher. I am not ashamed to confess that there have been times when I have had to get off and walk, but I made it today. Very much on home territory, there is another very tough climb, Monks Road, which came near the end of my ride today. This climb essentially starts at the bridge over the Etherow at Broadbottom. Fifty yards on the flat, and then after a gentle left hander you are out of the saddle for a while before the gradient eases. You cross the Glossop road by The Grey Mare and continue up through Charlesworth on Chapel Brow. It is starting to get tough now. Take the right hand fork onto Monks Road, and get out of the saddle again to cope with the maximum gradient of 20 per cent. Every pedal stroke now becomes an effort. This is quite a challenge, and it is difficult to keep any sort of rhythm. A bit of ziggyzag helps if there are no cars on the road. Today the earlier mist had burned off, and the sun was starting to feel very hot as I climbed up the side of Coombes Edge. A gentle right hander and then the climb is over. Gradually a great view of the western edge of Kinder Scout opens up in front of you. Two weeks earlier I had run my favourite fell race, the Kinder Downfall, over that edge.

May 2011 Dark Peak Grimpeur

The weather was still fairly hot and sunny, but windy like the end of April. First off, I took another trip around the Dark Peak. There was real disappointment as the Bank View café was shut for the final refurbishments, meaning I was unable to get my favourite bacon and egg muffin. I compensated with a pint of shandy and packet of peanuts at the Strines Inn instead.

Hathersage Elton Roaches

This is not a Marple Grimpeur, but one of Oliver Wright’s Peak District rides. Oliver often runs this as one of the Spring or Autumn in the Peak rides, but it is also available as a Permanent Ride. I hadn’t ridden it in March, when I chose Stannage Surprise instead. The weather that day had been pretty unpleasant, with mist and light rain, and very poor visibility. Oliver had been disappointed that riders had not seen the Peak District at its best. The day I chose to ride the Permanent was absolutely wonderful. The roads were virtually free of traffic, the fields and hedgerows were varying shades of vibrant green and there was a clear blue sky all day. No doubt there were skylarks overhead, but I’m not sure

I would recognise one if I saw one. There are some great climbs on this ride, and I do recognise those. The one around the northern end of The Roaches is the steepest. I was a bit concerned about this, having found it very tough on the Cheshire Peak ride the year before. Fortunately the steepest section, after Roche Grange, is relatively short. It does include a very sharp left hander, which I can only negotiate by taking the long way round on the wrong side of the road, but there is rarely any traffic here. The following section is still steep, and gated, so that if there is no one going through at the same time as you, then you need to dismount to open the gate. Difficult to get going again afterwards.

Lunesdale Populaire

I haven’t done that many Audax rides out of the Peak District, but I do enjoy riding through the Forest of Bowland. This is really wonderful cycling country. There are very few cars and some great climbs. This Calendar event starts with the steady climb up Boundary Hill from the west. At the summit there is the memorial plaque to Bill Bradley of Southport CC, winner of the Tour of Britain in 1959 and 1960. This is followed by the exhilarating descent down the Trough of Bowland and a café stop in Slaidburn at the Riverbank Tea Room, well known to cyclists from both sides of the Pennines. Afterwards, there is the long open climb to the Cross of Greet on Whitray Fell, which is another of my favourites. There is a fairly even gradient which means you can keep in the same gear and establish a steady rhythm. Rather unusually you can see virtually the whole length of the climb from the bottom. I have a confession to make, I do ride the occasional sportive. Two years ago, riding what was rather extravagantly called the National Cyclo Sportive, this meant being able to see literally hundreds of cyclists all the way up the road; a wonderful, multi-coloured crocodile. A truly inspiring sight. There were rather fewer cyclists today, but again, not a single car came past in either direction whilst I was doing the climb. Once over the top, a strong side wind meant a rather scary descent into High Bentham.

This is really wonderful cycling country. There are very few cars and some great climbs.

short section of real climb up to the Moorside Hotel opposite Lyme Park. A brief descent, then another stiff climb up under Reed Hill. Next, drop down into Kettleshulme, before a longer climb up under Windgather Rocks to Pym Chair. There are generally good views from here, out across the Cheshire Plain to the Welsh Hills, and you may get some indication as to what the weather will be like for the rest of the day. Black clouds blowing from right to left are a bad omen. A quick descent into the Goyt Valley, bear right past the Errwood Reservoir, then start to climb. The River Goyt is now down on your left, in a small, steep sided valley. Open deciduous woodland either side. The road levels, and there are now a few pine mixed in with the ash and the oak. An old quarry on the right, now used as a small car park, and you are now in the open. Look down to the river again and see a packhorse bridge. There is something not quite right about it. It looks rather out of place, and only carries a small footpath. In fact, it is the original Goyt’s Bridge, which was situated much further down the river, and took the old road from Macclesfield to Buxton. That was a Packhorse Route, one of the Salt Ways, taking salt from the Cheshire pits to Yorkshire. Not far away, a farm called Saltersford Hall confirms the association. When part of the valley was flooded in the 1960s to make the reservoir, Goyt’s

Staffs Peak Super Grimpeur

For the last two years, the Tour of Britain has had a stage from Stoke which has included the climb of Gun Hill. The media seem to make quite a lot of this climb, but whenever I have been asked about it, I say that there is a ride I do regularly where Gun Hill is neither the longest nor the steepest climb. The Staffs Peak is that ride. Obviously quite a lot of climbing is involved in order to gain 2.75 AAA points in just over 100 kilometres, but the route does visit some of my favourite roads in the Peak. It starts gently enough, along Marple Ridge to Disley, before the first

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district Bridge was taken down and rebuilt here. For the rest of this climb, the gradient is only gentle and the traffic is one way, so with little to worry about you can relax and enjoy the scenery. Bracken on the lower slopes, purple heather higher up. Moorland stretching away to each horizon. The Goyt gets smaller, less than a metre wide near the top, and its hard to imagine it eventually becomes the mighty Mersey. You cross it at Derbyshire Bridge, and then turn left and cross the Leek road. As a brief detour, you can take the road to the right and try and find the source of the Goyt. If unsuccessful, you probably can find the Cat and Fiddle, a source of Robinsons Best Bitter. The real climbing begins about half way round, after the café stop at Wetton. First off, a short but very steep climb up to Butterton. The two chevrons on the OS map are widely spaced, but there is little doubt that this is a 20 per cent climb. Ziggy-zag across the narrow road, hope your back wheel doesn’t slip, and see how long you can stay out of the saddle. No momentum at all, just pleased to keep moving forwards. After a fast, swooping descent towards Warslow, you take the left turn for Elkstones. This is a long tough climb. The facts don’t tell the whole story. It lasts for about 5km, and gains just over 200 metres, at an average of about five per cent. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? There is a gentle introduction through Lower Elkstone, which lasts until you reach Townhead Farm. Here the gradient starts to increase to about 10 per cent. You come into Higher Elkstone, just a few houses, after a gentle left hander. Then, at a sharp right hand hairpin, the gradient ramps up to 15 per cent. Big effort required here, then you leave the houses behind and start to come out onto the open moorland. There is still a lot of climb left, though the gradient eases now. This is true Staffordshire Moorland territory, characteristically bleak. You may get a strong headwind, and there is no shelter from it. Over on the right, you can see the other road coming up from Warslow, a long, straight descent on the West Peak Grimpeur. Once you meet it, the climb is finished. Turn left to come out opposite The Mermaid, and get ready for the rapid descent into Thorncliffe. After a café stop at Meerbrook, the Gun Hill climb beckons, but this is small beer after Elkstones.

June 2011 Old Lead Miners Trail

This is a relatively new ride, conceived by Dave Catlow. I had done the inaugural ride last year, and was keen to do it again. It is not a Marple Grimpeur as it starts at Chapel-en-le-Frith (literally Chapel in the Forest), but has a similar feel and covers some familiar roads. It has been carefully designed by Dave

to take in some of the remaining sites of Lead Mines in the Peak District, and follows some of the old roads. If you have time, you can have a good look around you and appreciate the history. One of the info. controls is at Bonsall, where there is a copy of a stone carving of a lead miner in a wall, close to the village cross. The original is in St Mary’s church in Wirksworth. Dave has a drawing of this as the logo for the event. After Bonsall, the route involves cycling on the A5012, labelled on the map as the Via Gellia. Although there may be the occasional heavy wagon overtaking you, the road climbs gently through a wooded dale, with a fairly constant gradient so that you can get that steady rhythm established. The name makes this sound like a Roman Road, but in fact it was built in 1791 by Sir Philip Gell, to take lead from his mines and quarries at Hopton, to Matlock. Road building had improved by this stage, due mainly to the use of graded limestone, and at the time it was felt that this new road ‘contributes much to the enjoyment of the traveller’. Despite the wagons, I think it still does today.

Grindleford Grimpeur

This is the other of Oliver Wright’s Permanent Rides, and essentially the same as Stannage Surprise. In March, the weather for the Calendar ride had been pretty dreadful. In June there were much better weather conditions. It seems like most of the climb comes right at the end, when you head up from Bamford to Stannage Edge. This is the same to start with as the climb on the Mid Peak Grimpeur. However, once you get to Hooks Car Park instead of turning right and dropping into Hathersage, you turn left and keep climbing, and keep climbing and keep climbing. This was much more enjoyable today, without the wind and rain of March, and there were good views across to Higger Tor. Once past the final info. control at Ringinglow and heading back towards Hathersage, the ‘Surprise View’ did appear this time. You see all the way up the Hope Valley, and it although it is a reasonable enough view, you are now concentrating on the fast descent and don’t really have time to appreciate it.

Bowland Populaire

Another trip out of the Peak, and into the Forest of Bowland. The main climb on this ride is up to the Cross of Greet from the north side. I rather under-estimated this. I was with two other riders near the bottom, and we were able to maintain good pace to start with. Not much in the way of shelter once we were out on Tatham Fells, with wide expanses of open moorland to every side. I was starting to think that we must be nearly at the top, but couldn’t actually see where the road

Arrivée Spring 2012

went. Then I realised that in fact there was a road winding up to the horizon in the faint, far distance. It seemed like we were going to go right over the summit of the fell. Near the top there are two chevrons on the map in close succession, which meant I was out of the saddle more than in it. I was very impressed with one of my companions who was on a fixed gear, and managed to keep going all the way to the top. We both used the whole width of the road, confident that the chances of oncoming traffic were minimal. Once over the summit, there was the delightful long descent into Slaidburn, for the first café control. I think we might have been here slightly early, so we enjoyed a reasonable break. Just as we were leaving the weather deteriorated, drizzle to start with and then persistent rain.

31 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district July 2011 White Peak Grimpeur

After the café stop at Monyash, there is a climb known as The Jarnett. I have no idea about the derivation of this name. It sounds very ancient, and there is a tumulus at the top of it, but I don’t know whether that is related or not. The climb itself is not long, only one and a half kilometres, and has a fairly gentle gradient, generally around seven per cent and never exceeding 10 per cent, but it always seems like hard work. It is very open, with literally dozens of small, rectangular fields on either side, enclosed by stone walls. This open view may partly account for the fact that the climb always seems to be much harder work than I think it should be. Somehow I just expect the countryside to be moving past me at a quicker rate. I get surprised by how low a gear I am in, in order to feel comfortable. If I am riding in a group, then the group generally goes away from me. The fact that I am still digesting a large plate of beans on toast and a pint of tea might also have something to do with it. Before the Marple Grimpeurs were conceived, and indeed even before the bicycle was invented, a woman called Celia Fiennes was riding around these parts. You get the impression that she was a very feisty lady. She was the daughter of one of Cromwell’s officers, who visited the Peak District on horseback in 1697. Celia kept notes in a journal about the places she visited, although this was only discovered after her death. The journal was published under the title, Through England on a Side Saddle. Celia Fiennes wrote about the part of her journey between Bakewell to Buxton: ‘All Derbyshire is full of steep hills, and nothing but the peakes of hills as thick one by another is seen in most of the county which are steepe which makes travelling tedious, and the miles long, you see neither hedge nor tree but only low drye stone walls round some ground, else

its only hills and dales as thick as you can imagine,’ I have to disagree about the travelling being tedious. I would describe it as exhilarating, but then I’m on a bike, not a horse. The quality of the roads has probably improved since that time, but the classic Peak District terrain remains. Interestingly, there is an earlier climb on this ride which has a very similar feel. After crossing the A6 at Ashford, you have in front of you what seems like a fairly flat road, but you soon need to start looking for a lower gear. Again it is not a long climb, about one kilometre, and again the gradient is generally only about 5-7 per cent, although it does ramp up to 10 per cent just before the gentle S bend near the top. I am not sure how Celia felt about this climb, if she did it, but I don’t expect she got as frustrated with her horse as I do with myself for not being able to ride up it faster.

Manchester Looplet

This was a Don Black Calendar Event, a shorter version of the Manchester Loop, which involves a complete circumnavigation of Manchester. I was able to start the ride in New Mills, rather than Denshaw, which was a good thing as it meant I got the climb of The Mudd over whilst I still had some power in my legs. I am not sure how I would have coped with it after 150km. I think the crux of the ride was Rawsons Rake in Ramsbottom. This is what you expect on a Don Black ride. Graded as 8 out of 10 in Simon Warren’s 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, it gains 101 metres in just under a kilometre, with a maximum gradient of 25 per cent. He describes it as ‘a road so steep at the top it has a handrail fixed to the wall to assist pedestrians’. The surface is rough, littered with potholes and debris, and patched up here and there with bits of tarmac. It gets narrow, and is overhung by trees, which makes it almost tunnel like at times. Near the top, there are views of Peel Tower, not that you are particularly interested, you are looking more at

The surface is rough, littered with potholes and debris, and patched up here and there with bits of tarmac.

your front wheel and checking that it is still going round. After this, the climb of Winter Hill seemed like a stroll in the park. I really enjoyed it, even though the weather had deteriorated, and it was now damp and drizzly. I’ve orienteered over Winter Hill in the past, and near the bottom of the climb recognised some of the complex areas where difficult controls were placed. Today, I was able to just concentrate on keeping a good rhythm, and was soon over the top and down into Rivington Barn. After stopping at the tea room here, I suffered my only real mechanical of the year. As I was changing up onto the big ring, the lever broke off and flew over my right shoulder into the hedge. I didn’t stop to look for it, as I knew there was no way it could be mended. Instead, I concentrated on staying in the big ring, knowing that it was now fairly flat until I got back to the edge of The Peak. I was able to change down into the small ring for the last climb, which was over the Brickworks. This seemed just a bit tougher than at the start of the Monyash Peak, but just as rewarding.

Hills and Plains of Cheshire

I had decided it was time that I tried a 200, and chose this one, partly because it was close to home, but also because most of the climbing was in the first 50kms or so, and it was then largely flat. Also, I knew most of the climbs, especially the toughest one, up to Pym Chair from Lamaload Reservoir, a climb negotiated on the Goyt Peak Super Grimpeur. The forecast was bad, but at least we started in the dry. After a short preamble, we headed up the

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district A54 to Allgreave. Although this is the main Congleton to Buxton road, there is very little traffic on it early on a Sunday morning, and it is a straightforward enough climb. The gradient does reach 10 per cent in places, but there are great views on your right, over towards The Roaches, and you are generally not too troubled. Once through Allgreave you drop down into valley beyond Wildboarclough, and it was here that it started to drizzle. The rain was getting heavier as I crossed the Cat and Fiddle road, braved the nasty, steep little descent to Lamaload, and prepared myself for the climb up to Pym Chair. I caught another rider here, Graham Varney, and started talking about the climb to come, and the fact that conditions were now quite unpleasant. ‘Oh well, you just have to take the rough with the smooth, I suppose!’ was his reply, spoken like a proper Audax rider. The climb was as difficult as ever, and made even worse by the wind and rain, but at the top there was a control, with some welcome food provided. We didn’t loiter, as it was now getting cold as well, and the descent under Windgather Rocks into Kettlehulme was interesting to say the least. There was a strong side wind, visibility was only 10-20 metres because of the hill fog, and my brakes really weren’t working well because of the surface water. At this point I started to question whether I could ride for another 170kms in these conditions. I was only half an hour away from home, and a quick nip back over Disley Moor and Marple Ridge seemed very attractive. Graham is a proper Audax rider though, and packing was certainly not on his agenda. So, having toyed with the idea, I dismissed it and carried on. After a few rides by myself, it was very welcome to have company, and Graham and I rode round together for the rest of the day. I was very grateful for his company, and also for his Sat Nav. My paper instructions soon ended up as Paper Mache and I would have been well and truly lost in the depths of Cheshire otherwise. Thanks for the ride, Graham.

West Peak Grimpeur

After the control at the romantically named Launderette Café in Buxton, the West Peak Grimpeur follows the same route as the Monyash Grimpeur for 10 kilometres. This is the climb up to the top of Long Hill on Manchester Road, the descent to the reservoirs in the Goyt Valley, and the climb up The Street to Pym Chair. Once in the Goyt Valley, the climbing begins the moment you have crossed Errwood Reservoir. There is a short section adjacent to the water, easy to underestimate but you need to be in a low gear here, and then a right turn at the junction and you are on The Street.

This is another tough three kilometres. This is thought to be part of a Roman Road, the extension of the Derby to Buxton road on towards Manchester. That section was also called The Street, and apparently that name is a good indication of a Roman Road. This section is perhaps not as straight as you might expect for a Roman Road, with a couple of gentle curves, but then it is gaining a fair bit of height, quite quickly. The gradient to start with is 12-15 per cent, the surface a bit uneven, and there are overhanging trees which make it somewhat tunnel like. When it is wet, it can be a bit greasy and the back wheel may slip. The first kilometre is the hardest, and time spent out of the saddle is almost inevitable. A gentle left hander requires a lot of effort. As the trees start to thin, the gradient eases and is now only three per cent or so, and the view opens up in front of you. On the left there is Cats Tor, and on the right Hoo Moor. Accelerate over this stretch, and enjoy it. Then the gradient ramps up again for the final 200 metres to nine per cent, just to remind you that this is a serious climb. You cannot quite make out the summit until you are right beneath it. This is Pym Chair, reached from the other side on the Goyt Peak Super Grimpeur. No sign of it now, but apparently there used to be a large, chair shaped boulder here with the initials PC on it. Cannot really understand why, or how, anyone would want to move it. Pause for a moment to admire the view of Cook Hill and the Cheshire Plain, then turn right and descend under Windgather Rocks to Kettleshulme. Disley Moor, Marple Ridge and home.

August 2011 Dark Peak Grimpeur

A fine day for the first of the August Marple Grimpeurs. I was delighted to see some of my mates from Halifax turn up, and rode round with Paul Hickey and a few others. We made good time over Holme Moss and Hade Edge, and were near the front of the queue at the refurbished Bank View Café. The bacon and egg muffin did not disappoint. Having negotiated the climbs, descents and horseshoe bends of Mortimer Road, we came upon several other riders sat outside the Strines Inn, having decided to give the café a miss. The sun was shining, there were empty benches and it seemed churlish not to join them. After all, we do these rides for enjoyment. The pint of shandy went down very well, and set us up nicely for the next section to Edale.

Mid Peak Grimpeur

My Calendar event. Dave Catlow had offered to look after the start for me, and Mike Wigley’s parents, Ann and Brian,

Arrivée Spring 2012

The forecast was bad, which probably accounted for the fact that nearly half of the 60 entrants did not turn up for the event.

were doing the finish as usual, so I was able to ride round myself. The forecast was bad, which probably accounted for the fact that nearly half of the 60 entrants did not turn up for the event. The rain did not start until after the café stop at Hathersage, the obvious place to pack as you could get the train back to Marple, which meant that those who had started had little option but to finish. The rain was pretty unpleasant for the second half, and soon became torrential. A really serious downpour meant that all but the earliest finishers were well and truly soaked. However, there were only two DNFs, which must say something about the average Audax rider, even if I’m not sure what exactly.

Radnor Roundabout

Ross Jeal had mentioned his Gladestry Weekend to me a couple of years ago, when he did the August Marple Grimpeurs. It sounded very attractive, but I thought he was probably talking it up a bit, to try and get a few more punters. In fact, he was under-selling it. This was a fantastic weekend. OK, so the weather was perfect, no rain but not too hot for the strenuous cycling involved. The hospitality was amazing. His lawn is big enough to park my camper van on, as well as a few tents. Plenty of breakfast beforehand, al fresco under the awning, and chilli or curry at the finish, as well as unlimited tea and coffee. There’s a great little pub in the village, with local hand-pulled ale, and there was excellent company. Ross even has a hot tub in the garden, which was incredibly relaxing after the second day’s ride. (Not seen the photos yet, Ross!) Add to this the fact

33 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district that the cycling is largely on traffic-free roads, and it made this weekend one of the highlights of my year. The Radnor Roundabout goes out to Rhayader, without a great deal of climb, on small country roads, where flocks of sheep were more of a hazard than passing cars. The way back starts with a 12.5km section on the A470. This is predominantly flat, or slightly downhill, and with quite a bit of Saturday afternoon traffic on it. The group I was with decided that we should do it as quickly as possible, and adopted a team time trial approach, which worked rather well. The toughest climbs were reserved for the last few miles, but were in some of the best countryside, the climb up from Hundred House over to Glascwm being my favourite.

Gladestry Gallop

The Sunday ride went north, and visited Clun. I rode with Paul Bodnar and Colin Gorton. Paul had suffered a puncture the day before, and was perhaps not a great choice of companion as he suffered another on this ride. This happened when we were in the middle of nowhere, on a narrow, dirty, debris strewn lane, having accidentally gone ‘off piste’. Colin was riding a fixed wheel, as part of the Fixed Wheel Challenge. This meant that occasionally he had to get off and walk. I did not have such an excuse, and had to stay on the bike. Perhaps the most exacting climb was about a third of the way round, over the hills to the south of Clun. This was stunningly beautiful countryside, with tremendous views in every direction. Only one vehicle on the road, a farmer in his Landrover. Rather than pushing past us on the narrow lane, he wanted us to stop for a chat, to find out where we were going and how long it would take us. At the summit there was meant to be an info. control, by five steel gates. As hard as we looked, we were unable to find the AUK sign that should have been there. When we mentioned this to Ross at the finish, his response was ‘Well, it was there last year!’ Thanks for the rides and the hospitality, Ross. A great weekend. Will definitely try and make it again this year.

White Peak Grimpeur

After the climb of The Jarnett, there is a fast descent into picturesque Millers Dale, but be careful, there is a sharp left hand turn at the bottom, followed by an immediate steep climb. It is easy to get caught out in too high a gear here. The climb continues up through Wormhill for some distance, before dropping down into the not so picturesque Dove Holes. There is a huge limestone quarry here, which is partly responsible for Dove Holes once being labelled the Ugliest Village in England. The stone from the quarries is obviously now carried away

by wagons, but previously there was a tramway down to Chapel-en-le-Frith, and then on to the Peak Forest Canal at Buxworth. This was one of the largest inland ports on the canal system, where the limestone was loaded into canal barges and taken to Manchester and beyond. This was where the Cromford and High Peak Railway terminated as well. All the industry has obviously gone from the canal now, but there is still a great pub here, The Navigation, where Pat Phoenix, of Coronation Street fame, was the landlady for a while. The ride passes the pub, and there is generally an info. control close to it. You could get back to Marple by cycling along the towpath, but you would miss out on a little gem of a climb. This is up Dolly Lane, newly surfaced, not too steep and every pedal stroke a pleasure. Then descend into New Mills. Just before the junction with the Hayfield Road, there is a black and white half-timbered building, set at right angles to the road on the left side, which any local rider will tell you is where Harry Hall, Tom Simpson’s mechanic, used to live.

West Peak Grimpeur

One of my favourite little climbs is out of Longnor, up towards Flash Bar. On the West Peak, you pass the town square and head towards Glutton Bridge, but turn left after the Fire Station for a short, sharp descent to a horseshoe bend where the climb starts. The steepest part is the first 200 metres, where the gradient is eight per cent. If you are still in the big ring after the descent, you might be in trouble here. After a sharp right hander, the gradient eases and the road straightens, and you settle into a steady rhythm. You have time to look around you, and there is a rather special view, even for the Peak. Over on your right are Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill. These aren’t very high, only just over a thousand feet, but have a striking appearance, especially Parkhouse Hill which has a dramatic ‘Dragon’s Back’ profile. They are actually the remains of limestone reef atolls, formed during the carboniferous era when Dove Dale was on the bottom of a tropical sea. Hard to imagine now, maybe, but you don’t have to concentrate too hard on the climb, so you can try and think about what it must have been like all those years ago.

Climbing Crowdecote

is a short, gentle gradient to start with as you approach the houses, and pass a small real ale brewery on the left. A bit tempting, but then so is the Ship Inn on the right, where the gradient starts to ramp up. You are cycling under the trees now, making it a bit gloomy except on a very bright day, and the road may be a bit greasy. Just before the gentle right hander the gradient reaches 10 per cent, and some time is likely to be spent out of saddle. Views now open

Staffs Peak Super Grimpeur

The last of the August Marple Grimpeurs, and undoubtedly the toughest one. You have already done some significant climbs before you reach Danebridge. This is the start of the longest climb. You gain 200 metres in under 3km, at an average gradient of seven per cent. There are three chevrons on the map in under two kilometres. You start at the bridge over the River Dane. There

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

grimpeurs in the peak district up on the right of the open moorland above Gradbach, and the gradient eases a little. A small collection of houses and a church, and then the road rears up in front of you again, long and straight into the distance. Fifteen per cent now, and you can feel two of those chevrons under your wheels. A small patch of woodland on the left and the road levels out a bit to meet the A54. The climb is still not finished, but continues the other side of the crossroads under Brown Hill. This has been very hard work, but the views over the Cheshire Plain on the left are worth it. After an awkward right turn on a sharp left handed bend, you descend on a rather rough and gritty narrow lane into Macclesfield Forest. There is still a hard little climb to come after Langley before you can begin to think you are nearly there.

September 2011 Autumn in the Peak

Another Calendar Event in the Peak, organised wonderfully well by Danial Webb. This has a similar feel to the Marple Events, but starting in Bamford, is able to take you further south, to Ashbourne. The first café stop is rather unusual for Audax events, in that it is in the middle of a busy town, and on a Saturday morning. No worries, we sat outside in the market square and consumed plenty of cake and flapjack, watching the world go by and the locals doing their shopping. Then we rode to Ilam and climbed. This was a new climb to me, and one which I really enjoyed. The sun was out and the sky was blue, and there was the dramatic vista of Bunster Hill over on the right. At the top, I almost felt like riding down it, just so I could climb it again. Soon back on familiar territory afterwards, visiting Hulme End and then the climb up from Crowdicote. The sign at the bottom says 25 per cent, which might be an exaggeration, but there are a couple of horseshoe bends on it, which give it an almost Alpine feel.

Momma’s Mountain Views

My final ride took me out of the country, and into Wales. A new ride from David Matthews, with most of the climb being concentrated into the middle third. This meant a gentle introduction, with the legs getting nicely warmed up before the first coffee stop at Chirk, and some fast paced, group riding as we came back across the Cheshire Plain from Hope. In between we had, amongst other climbs, the Horseshoe Pass. Not the new one, but the old one. It is easy to see why the New Horseshoe Pass got its name, it is shaped like a horseshoe. Not so the old one. It is virtually straight, and virtually straight up. It was a delight. The occasional sheep in the middle of the

road, but very little traffic, apart from one chap coming down, lying flat on his back on a skateboard. Very odd. The penultimate control was at the Cross Keys at Llanfynydd, an opportunity to sit round in the sun, drink a pint of shandy and talk to other riders. Wonderful. Back at the finish, Old Ma’s Coffee Shop, I allowed myself a warm glow of satisfaction. Two AAA events in each month for a whole year, and a few extra as well. A double AAARTY, if such a thing exists. I did try and mention it once or twice in conversation, but nobody had a clue what I was talking about.

Epilogue

I hadn’t ridden a road bike, with any serious intent, for nearly 40 years when I decided I might give it a go. My knees were starting to complain about too many miles on the fells, especially the rapid, downhill ones, and thought non-weight bearing exercise might be better for them. I bought a bike in 2007, without really knowing what sort of riding I might do on it. One Sunday, running on the canal tow path near Marple, I caught up a friend of mine from the Orienteering Club, and we started chatting about cycling. He told me about an Audax event he had done, the Dark Peak, and suggested that I might enjoy it. It was too late to ride any of the Marple events that year, but my interest had been aroused and I started to look into Audax riding. I decided I would ride all of the August events the next year, and have just carried on from there. In this article I have tried to describe some of the delights of riding in the Peak District by showcasing the Marple Grimpeurs. I have ridden them by myself, as Permanents, and enjoyed the challenge and the scenery, but I have also ridden them as Calendar Events, and enjoyed the companionship and the banter. I have also enjoyed the café stops and the pubs. There are many other beautiful areas of the country to ride in, and I want to spend more time on my bike in Yorkshire and the Forest of Bowland. Having read Peter Bond’s excellent description of Steve Snook’s Deepdale and Fleet Moss Permanent, I am especially keen to ride that. This is ‘the one that got away’. However, I do feel very fortunate to have the Peak District on my doorstep, and to be able to enjoy it so much.

Brief statistics

34 rides in 12 months, 31 of 100km, two of 150km and one of 200km. 16 were Permanents, 18 were Calendar Events. 3,859 kilometres or 2,398 miles cycled. 79,361 metres of ascent, giving 78.5 AAA points.

Arrivée Spring 2012

35 AU

DAX UK

dart

Dinner Dart to the AGM reunion

Dinner Dart is a ride out to the venue of the Audax annual general meeting, which last year was held in York. I’d never done one, but Mike Wigley, who was unable to ride because of a broken arm, had kindly sent me a gps track of a route from his home in Delph, near Oldham. It would cross the Pennines early and then beat out to the Humber Bridge before heading north-west to York. I was really looking forward to both the ride and the gettogether. I haven’t got gps but had used a computer program to transfer Mike’s route to paper, adding on the few extra miles from my home near Rochdale to his start at Delph. With a pannier packed with the usual one-day cycling requirements and overnight stuff and civvies and shoes, I set off in the dark, with high hopes of a good ride The wind was going to do most of the work, according to the forecast. For the first 200 yards, everything went fine. Then I tried to get my starttime verified at the local Co-op; the cash

Photo: Tim Wainwright

Peter Bond

machine allowed me to go through the menu in the usual way but refused to give me either money or a receipt. For what seemed like an age, it refused to return my card, so that I was afraid it had been skimmed or something. Eventually, it spat it out and, hoping this hadn’t been an omen, I rode further up the village and, with some trepidation, succeeeded in getting a receipt at another machine. If you live where I do, you have to climb just to get out of bed and I was soon hauling myself up Huddersfield Road above the beautiful series of reservoirs built by Oldham Corporation in the Piethorne valley. It was still not properly light as I stopped to take some pictures. The pannier was making itself felt but I told myself that this was an adventure and put the bike in bottom gear and percolated steadily over the rise and down into the area of villages known collectively as Saddleworth. These villages, Delph, Dob Cross and Uppermill used to be dirty, bustling mill communities but now they are pretty much given over to dormitory status for

Sunrise above Saddleworth

Derelict Horse and Jockey

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

dart monoculture fields and great flat sweeps emphasise the Mordor-like cooling towers of dead and alive power stations that once gave the mining industry it’s raison-d’etre in these parts. Soon, I found my way out to Campsall, where there is another beautiful church and, oddly, a hill. It was just a couple of miles from here to Askern, which took me completely by surprise: I don’t quite now what I was expecting but it appeared like an ancient market town in contrast to the industrial moonscape I had just left. The famous café is by a lake which has a fountain and a large park area surrounds it. When I arrived there were several cyclists there and for a moment I thought it might be other riders on their way to the meeting. But they left almost immediately, apart from the owners of a beautiful Longstaffe tandem in British racing green, and they didn’t tarry long. My meanderings had cost me a lot of time but I allowed myself a coffee and my first, excellent, Christmas cake of the year, before heading out towards Moss on the leg to Barton upon Humber and the famous bridge. Within a couple of miles I was stationary again as level-crossing gates came down and barred my way. I guess I was stopped there for a good ten minutes as we waited first for a sleek passenger unit to hum through and then a mighty mineral train; time for a banana and appreciation of the signal-box architecture. Time spent by a railway is never time wasted. Concentration diverted, it was time to get lost again. The village I expected to get to didn’t materialise and I found my way blocked by cattle being move from field to field. The friendly herders confirmed my suspicions as to where I was and, after checking the map, I made the necessary adjustment and a few miles later re-joined the route at Fishlake, whence I followed the River Don into Thorne. On reflection, I realised that I should have known I was on the wrong road earlier. It’s a general rule of audaxing that when you see a black cloud then you need to be under it and I had veered north of mine. This was soon put right after I swung onto the A18 towards Scunthorpe. Within seconds I was trying (and generally failing) to shelter under the miniscule leaves of a hawthorn hedge as the heavens opened and the rain came down in stair-rods etched in silver against the black back-drop of the sky. I took the opportunity to eat a couple of sandwiches and when the storm passed, I set off again eastwards. This road is probably one of the most tedious I have ever experienced but with the strong wind behind me I ate up the miles. The wind was so strong that I lost my pannier cover somewhere along this section. It will make a fine yellow shower-cap for a sheep.

Arrivée Spring 2012

Climbing out of Milnrow

Delph

The Falcon on the Tyburn Road, York, Saturday dinner rendezvous

Elmley Moor mast

All photos by the author

Manchester, Sheffield and Huddersfield and possibly even London. So the early Christmas trees and I looked down on an excellent traffic jam as I wound my way through to Uppermill and the left turn that would take me east onto the moors. It takes dawn longer to break in the hills and there was a beautiful sunrise as I climbed past the derelict Horse and Jockey. I moved to the area from the north-east nearly 35 years ago and I think it was closed even then but it is a very sorry and emotive sight now. I made a note to look into its history but soon I was enjoying the superb descent between the tawny hills into Meltham, from where I had a steady but lumpy ride through Netherthong and Holmfirth and various school-runs out onto the main road below Emley Moor towards Barnsley. All the while, I had been noticing bits of routes that feature in other rides in the area. Whether this musing had affected my concentration or not, I don’t know, but where the road forks for Barnsley (where I should have gone) or Wakefield (where I shouldn’t), I chose the Wakefield road and it was a good seven or so miles out of my way before I got myself back on route. This was particularly galling as the wind was solidly abaft and I had been flying, albeit along the wrong road. Still, I had seen Denby Dale, which was interesting, though there was no sign of the famous pie. I had hoped to get to the first control at Askern by about 11.30. Fortunately my detour had been along fast main roads, so I hadn’t lost much time. I was deep in old mining country now and regained the route beyond Mapplethorpe. I struggled with my less-than-perfect transcription of Mike’s route and learned another lesson: if you are going to carry a map (and I always do), make sure it’s up to date. The crushing of the mining industry and its transformation into landscaped heaps and half-empty business parks has allowed for great snakes of new roads to be laid and I blundered round various Elmsalls and Kirkbys into Upton. There is a lovely old church here and the remnants of an old village centre but it has been all-but swamped by new housing. After asking my way of a young mother pushing a buggy, I got back on route. Her proud Barnsley accent was redolent of the heroic history of the area, with its pits and brass bands; the route skirts the famous Grimethorpe and I had earlier passed the proud and somehow rather pathetic memorial to the victims of the Wharncliffe disaster of the 1930s. The sadness is somehow magnified for me because the memorial has had to be reerected on a warehouse access road and not at the site, which is under a million tons of concrete. But there is lovely countryside here, too, for Yorkshire is vast. There are fine hedgerows bordering the huge,

37 AU

DAX UK

dart After crossing the River Trent, with a nod to Brian Clough and his mighty achievements closer to its source, I turned off the main road and headed for Flixborough. This is a name that will be familiar to many of a certain age as the site of a terrible industrial explosion in the 1970s. I expect it, too, will have its memorials but I saw none as I passed through on the winding road towards Burton upon Stather. There is a sign for a scenic route and I took this. It’s a lovely, twisty climb up through woods and well worth the detour. There’s also a marvellously-sited pub, The Sheffield Arms, which looked very welcoming against the slate-coloured back-drop of the darkening sky. I had caught my first view of the Humber Bridge a while ago but it seemed to take an age to reach it. It is a magnificent structure but it shares the stage with the Barton cement-works, which is not. I like industrial scenes for what they represent in terms of heritage and economic activity but this is a vision of unsurpassing ugliness. I hallucinated mildly: why is it here? Do they rebuild the bridge every night? What is it about cement-works that they have to be so hideous? The one at Clitheroe is awful and so is the one at Hope in the Peaks. Anyway, I eventually rolled down the notinconsiderable hill to the garage at Barton for some food and a receipt, knowing I would have to roll back up it to reach the access road to the crossing itself. The wind had helped me to make up time and I was in Barton for 3.30pm. I’d never been across the Humber Bridge at all, let alone on a bike. Now, it is one of my great cycling memories. As I was dragging my way towards it all those miles, I wasn’t even sure if it would be open, because there had been weather warnings about the wind, which I had found to be absolutely true, for a change. What had been a helpful tail-wind would be a strong cross-wind on the bridge and it did look quite high and exposed. As I’d got closer, I had seen that there was traffic on the bridge, so I steeled myself to give it a go. I needn’t have worried. Certainly the wind was very strong, but there is a dedicated (free) cycle-way across, protected from the main carriageway, so that the worst that is going to happen is that you will be slammed into the metal-work and made into paste; it will be the bridge killing you and not a vehicle. Somehow, this is much more comforting. I paused to take pictures of the beautiful western sky as the sun set, then pushed off. The sensations are such an incredible mixture of natural forces and human achievement that it is a little difficult to put into words. Feet from your face you have nuts the size of car tyres and cables thick as tree trunks, while hundreds of feet below are the brown, swirling eddies of what is, effectively

the sea. Halfway across the channel a red light-ship bobs up and down in the swell, while hundreds of feet above are lamps to warn aircraft of the structure. It is humbling to think that people actually put those lamps up there and that human beings spent so long working so high up to get this bridge built. It is also humbling to think that nature could one day look at this bridge and say, ‘you’re coming down!’ and to know that it could do it. It takes several minutes to get across, so that’s a lot of wonder, and I was quite spaced-out as I reached the other end, wondering where they keep the spanners that will tighten those nuts. It might have been my altered consciousness that caused me so much difficulty in orientating myself coming off the bridge, but the Friday night rush-hour traffic soon concentrated my mind as I headed away from the river through South and North Caves, making for Howden. I was by now quite anxious that I wouldn’t actually get to the race-course in time for the meal, which was troubling me far more than whether I would be ‘out of time’ for the ride. And, of course, I was now struggling into the once-helpful wind. Nevertheless, I allowed myself a sit-down and bite at a great chip-shop in Newport. It’s called Johnny Haddock’s but I suspect that’s a cod name, used only for his plaice of work. The ride through the villages was surprisingly hilly but very charming at this time of night as there were Christmas decorations and illuminated shops and hostelries, which promised the comfort I was not experiencing. After controlling at the filling station at Howden, I rode north through Bubwith and Skipwith, which latter has a fine lumiered church, intending to pick up the Selby-York cyclepath. Somehow I missed this and ended up in Naburn and thence to Fulford on the wrong side of York. I was over 40 minutes trying to find my way in York, getting more and more anxious about paid-for tea. But I did get to cross the psychedelic Millenium Bridge before being sent in the wrong direction to the south. Mildly despairing, I pulled into a very swish hotel (liveried flunkies), where an initially doubtful but quickly helpful employee directed me out of the chandeliered splendour and across the pitch-black race-course to the Tyburn Road, where I eventually reached the venue. I crawled into the diningroom demanding food and this was most speedily forthcoming and I had an excellent convivial evening with friends from all over the country. When I got home, I traced out the actual route I had taken and it came out at 245 kilometres which put a better gloss on the 13 hours it had taken. Nevertheless, it’s paltry against Andy Heyting’s epic 600 kilometre ride, though it has to be said that the poor boy was asleep when I left the bar.

Top: Sheffield Arms, Burton upon Stather Middle: The famous lake at Askern Bottom: Wharncliffe Pit Disaster memorial

Postscript:

I couldn’t stay for the whole weekend and travelled back on Saturday night. I caught the train from York to Huddersfield and rode back over the road known locally as Nont Sarah’s, after a pub on the Huddersfield side of the moorland crossing to Denshaw and Oldham. This 17 mile ride was an epic in its own right and took me two hours. John Radford had warned that 70 milean-hour gusts were forecast and I believe him. I have never had so much difficulty just keeping a bike straight, never mind climbing. It was made worse by blinding headlights, the frequency of which was greatly increased by a colossal snarl-up on the M62 which was visible for miles. On two or three occasions I had to stop in the glare because I had no idea where I was on the road. To add insult to injury, I even had to pedal all the way down the other side. Never experienced anything like it – and wouldn’t have missed it for the world! Got in to find that the Geordie boys (down to ten men) had held Manchester United at Old Trafford with a ‘controversial’ penalty and Ferguson moaning at the officials – life doesn’t get much better!

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

reviews

Pete Matthews ‘Mercury’ wheelset

The End to End Cycle Route Nick Mitchell Published by Cicerone www.cicerone.co.uk Paperback, 208 pages, 11.5cm by 17.5cm £12.95

If you are contemplating an End to End ride anytime, route planning is one of the main items to consider. Author Nick Mitchell, an experienced cyclist with numerous E-to-Es under his wheels, has

consistently built wheels for me I’ve come to rely on, which have never needed a spoke replacing or retruing. The current set on test, built on a pair of Pianni semi-deep section rims, have 28 spokes crossed three front and rear with 14g double butted stainless spokes and smooth-rolling sealed bearing Ambrosio hubs. They have carried my 88kg through the winter and recorded over 1,000 kilometres of trouble-free riding through the North Downs and Kent hills. Weighing a spritely 770 grams front and 928 grams rear, these wheels have proved responsive, laterally stiff and totally reliable, so much so I would trust them for a fortnight’s saddlebag tour. If you are building a retro or Eroica bike, Pete also has threaded hubs for 6-7 speed with 120mm dropouts. For an excellent pair of wheels specced to suit your style of riding, contact Pete Matthews Wheels. Website petematthews.com. Phone 0151 924 9311. E-mail pianni@talktalk.net.

Tim Wainwright

compiled a very detailed route which will save you many hours of research. Starting at Land’s End and divided into 14 daily stages, the book gives the concise roads, villages and towns, OS colour maps, and gradients and spot heights along the way. I like the introduction to each stage. Listed is the start and finish towns with grid references, distance (miles and kms), the grade (easy, moderate, hard – with ‘hard’ being the predominant one), OS maps needed, and most important, refreshment stops en route. This is followed by a description of the day’s route and scenery. Jumping into the 21st century, you can now download the GPX files of each stage for your GPS or smartphone from the Cicerone website, plus apps for accommodation from the web. The various appendices have many useful resources, including B&Bs, hotels, campsites and youth hostels, cycle repair shops for each stage, and Tourist Information offices in the various towns. I’ve ridden E to E twice (once on tandem with my wife and another time on Rocco’s Great Triangle perm) and reading this book with its totally different route to mine makes me feel like I should get my touring bike ready and have another adventure. Well recommended and a nice addition to the Cicerone library.

Tim Wainwright

Arrivée Spring 2012

Jane Swayne riding Up the Uts 200

Photo: Peter Faulks

Current fads for factory-built wheels nowadays include 16, 18 and 20-spoke wheels – often with radial straight pull spokes which transmit road surface bumps through your bars and wrists – and paired spokes, which leaves large expanses of rim without a spoke to true if that part of the rim is damaged. If you have a following team car, you can get away with this style of wheel, but that luxury is not for the average rider – we need a wheel which can be relied on across Britain’s rutted and pot-holed road surfaces, gravel-strewn country lanes and very often riding through the night in remote areas. If you want a strong and reliable set of wheels for your audax or touring bike, you can’t beat handbuilt ones built by an established and experienced builder, though they are getting a bit thin on the ground nowadays. Cue Pete Matthews, wheel builder to Robert Millar, Sean Yates, Tony Doyle and End to End record breaker John Woodburn. Over the years, Pete Matthews has

39 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris

Fourth Time Lucky (dedicated to JJ)

Steve Poulton

Steve set off on his fourth PBP with high hopes, which a mechanical all but ruined. With an Abandone almost welcomed, a Samaritan-style gesture avoided disaster.

y SR qualifying rides included an AAA set of 18.75points. That and continuing 2xRRTY and AAARTY series rides kept the body supple. Two weeks before departure, I had a wipeout from a motorist who ‘did not see me’. Luckily only stitches and plasters, which healed (almost). My Rourke had taken a bashing during qualifying rides. I fitted doublepivot brakes to replace cantis, my old TT Vento 8-speed wheel, new 25mm tyres. The transmission had a big makeover but on rebuilding in Paris noted the new chain was badly damaged, probably from my old TA chainset.

On our way

The group collecting at London Victoria was clearly waiting for the Baxter’s coaches. Hauling bike bags is not a pleasant task; we would all rather be riding the contents. An excellent drive, a smooth (early ferry) crossing and autoroute to St Quentin soon saw us established in two-star or three-star comfort. Nobody quizzed how I looked, which suggested healing from my trauma and blooded appearance of my wipe-out two weeks earlier, whilst riding my Cotswold Corker Perm. There are several advantages of the ‘Baxter’s Tour’ help in PBP: pick-up from the coach route through England, journey sorted, accommodation sorted close to the start, double bag drop from the two coaches,

return to UK when tired. Also the groups formed a friendship, which helped both the newbies and the ancien. I shared a room with newbie Sam. After the hype for pre-registration in 2010 and the 2010 SR qualifying rides, 5,225 riders had entered the 17th PBP, fewer than in 2005. After a very satisfactory breakfast, bike assembly started in earnest. All went well until I turned the pedals to see the chain wobbling in its track. On closer inspection several links appeared bent, possibly damaged on jamming on a previous chainset on my 400km ride. Opinion suggested replacement. A LBS was within a mile, so I was soon back taking out links and discarding the ‘old’ chain. I had suggested a ride to Rambouillet; thus Dave B, Roy B, Neil V and I set off to follow a lanes route, with the day warming. After a goats cheese salad, we completed a return half circle for a 40 mile complete ride. The evening meal was an excellent five-course feast. As the evening drew on, a few more cyclists turned up with their bike bags in tow. Registration day was relaxing and the allocated time slots worked well to prevent excess queueing for secure entry, bike check, document collection, jersey collection. These lessons Danial Webb was recording for LEL 2013. After the officialdom, there was time to socialise, as previous riding friends turned up. The LEL 2013 stand was a magnet for the UK folk. Keith and Sue,

The LEL 2013 stand was a magnet for the UK folk. Keith and Sue, along with Danial and Don Black, were ‘selling it’ well.

along with Danial and Don Black were ‘selling it’ well. The hotel continued to draw in cyclists to capacity, with the bike room bursting with quality gear. But credit to the staff, the meal (in the two-star) was again five-star superb. Carbo-load complete! Overnight, and following high temperatures during the day, we pitied any campers; the thunder-storm was prolonged and intense, more typical of Alpine weather than this corner of France. I had discovered the power of wi-fi, so a late night meant a later breakfast, the dining-room bustling; remarkably, the staff replenished the breakfast buffet with speed and efficiency, whilst retaining their smiles. This Balladines deserves a strong recommendation. The serious part was soon to come. Final arranging of drop-bags for the coaches, to be positioned at Fougeres (310km, 921km) and Carhaix (525km, 703km). Then, the afternoon spent trying to relax and sleep. To a PBP ancien, the names of the Controle towns roll of the tongue, Mortagne, Villaines la Juhel, Fougeres, Loudeac, Tinteniac, Cairhaix, Brest. Each is visited in both directions, with Dreux appearing on the return leg. Each has its own ‘set-up’, with bike parking, controle, restaurant plus café, toilettes, dortoir, mechanic, medical, with a geography to suit the original use of the premises, be it school or community centre, sports

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris

Photo: Tim Wainwright

JJ [John Juckes] gets Steve’s ‘Hero of PBP’ Award

centre or college. The towns embrace PBP, with road closures and diversions and cyclist routing into and out to avoid error (going the wrong way!) Outbound to Brest the signs are light in colour, whereas returning to Paris they are darker. For night navigation, each has a reflective triangle, easily missed, so a constant concern is to recognise the placement of signs on adjacent road furniture. In audax terms, this is the only ride I know where you do not need a routesheet, as the arrows are your constant companion and route indication. However, the routesheet is a fundamental affair with towns, road numbers and incremental distance, so I found mine useful as a laminated A6sized pocket job.

The ride out

The first Controle is at 140km, a daunting prospect as a night ride. I thought it would be a ‘follow the red lights’. But with the small groups of 25 riders set off after 2100hrs and with a gap between each, the trail ahead was often dark.

Riders had been passing since the early 1700 hrs start, so was a spectacle for the locals, who were spontaneous in their applause for every rider. I settled to a strong (over?) pace and made Mortagne (Controle for return) in six hours. Now three-ish, I took time out for a savoury meal and sleep. Danial Webb was here, to learn a few tricks for LEL. Leaving around 5am, I could welcome the dawn and a lonely ride to Villaines la Juhel at 221km, the first Controle. After the nap at Mortagne, the dawn soon came for a daylight run to Villaines. In the breakfast bar a ‘local’ recognised my Cheltenham jersey; she was English living locally and has a daughter in Bishops Cleeve. She gave the perspective of how the village/ town embraces the event with pride and helping the organisation is a natural volunteer activity. I was looking forward to the Fougeres coach, not that I needed much when I called in. At Fougeres, Georgina Harper, riding with Dad Robin and Richard Evans, was having knee trouble and chose to pack. She could

Arrivée Spring 2012

Not only did the heavens open with raindrops landing like bullets in a pond, but the lightning display and accompany ing thunder provided a threatening environ ment.

have returned with the coach but would need to wait two days. Somehow, though we did not ride together, I met R & R at just about every Controle. The forecast of thunder and rain duly arrived, so whilst jacketed, I could at least be grateful for the cooler conditions. The wet continued into the night and approaching Loudeac, the sky was a display to behold. Fortunately, several seconds separated flash and bang. I rode with Danial Webb for a while after Tinteniac (364km) and explained the excellence of the Illifaut ‘secret’ Controle; I tried to go in from the wrong direction and was brushed off, while Danial turned ahead and approached from the ‘right’ direction and was forced in! Now dark and as the ground was wet, I searched a dry nap zone and was lucky to find two open empty garages for peaceful, hard rest. On reaching Loudeac, I had a soup and omelette-based meal before finding floor space in the dining hall. I noted that while I was arriving at Controles with time in hand, my sleep bank was not going to permit long sleeps. Riding on Tuesday night was a case of staying the pace. Not only did the heavens open with raindrops landing like bullets in a pond, but the lightning display and accompanying thunder provided a threatening environment. This was not a time for a mechanical failure; rather, just keep up the pedal power and rely on your preparation. The local villagers, who embrace the atmosphere and spirit of PBP, set up impromptu roadside bars. PBP is unlike any other touring event. With 5,000+ riders passing your doorstep every four years, enterprising villagers have gained a reputation for their roadside hospitality. The ‘vendors’ may be the children, enjoying meeting the ‘cycling world’. Often, they are fellow cyclists, keen to provide the event with the renown that holds it as the premier world-known cycle touring event. After St Nicolas-du-Pelem there was a fatal accident when a sleepy rider was drawn under a passing HGV. The Elgin CC team had stopped as one of their number was a doctor. The coach at Carhaix was welcomed for clean shorts, vest, socks and a wash. The steady climb to Huelgoat follows. I needed more catnaps on this gentle ascent, which later turns to climb to Roc Trevezel, the highest point on the ride. The Roc was lonely in the mist but offers the prospect of a long and fast descent to Sizun. I regard Sizun as an iconic setting on PBP and it is a popular refreshment stop for cyclists heading either to Brest or for the return climb over the Roc. I stoked up on a cheese baguette and pastry. Brest announced itself as the route went over the estuary by way of the old bridge. New this year, we followed the docks before climbing past the old fort

41 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris

to the half-way Controle. For much of this section the 84hr riders were passing through and at Brest, Edwin Hargraves and Jim Hopper arrived as a tricycle pairing.

Homeward bound

Only 620kms to go. I left Brest near closing time. Needing a rest I laid down the bike and took a catnap. Picking up the bike the saddle felt loose: the adjuster nut had sheared off and left a very insecure and uncomfortable front to the saddle. Hopefully, the mechanic at Carhaix would have a saddle and I could leave the repairable dead one on the coach. The Roc is a steady climb at an easy angle. It just takes some time as you climb to 1,000m. It was fairly quiet over the summit but a few friendly words of encouragement made a lot of difference. Having climbed this road to see the returning riders swooping down, I knew the pleasure to come. I was not disappointed, even trophy-ing an Outward Arrow in the process. At Carhaix, problem: no saddles but I could pick one up at Loudeac. I had mentioned this to Eddie and Ray on the coach before visiting the mechanic and Eddie had offered me his. Result but I now had the prospect of 500km on an unfamiliar seat. I found the seat like rock; definitely a stable platform and pedalling seemed easier. But comfortable it was not; every contact point was screaming. Dusk was falling as I left for Loudeac; I saw new saddles but I just asked for the nose to be dipped a touch to ease the pain. The discomfort was affecting my fluency, as I regularly jostled to gain relief from rub points; the approaching night had helped, when I put on my longs to add more padding. I slept at Loudeac before continuing to the secret control at Illifaut for more pre-dawn rest. I made Tinteniac in a warming morning and found good reason for yet more shut-eye. My saddle discomfort was a distraction and at every opportunity I was soft-pedalling or

standing. By the last morning, the pain had lessened but my sleep deprivation was causing feelings of resignation. I willingly resorted to catnaps, wondering that my decision to abandon trike for solo this year had resulted in an easier ride. It was a pity to miss some of the roadside stalls with their coffee and biscuits and the expectant locals but I preferred the comradeship of my working group; the hills are safer with more lights and navigation and progress seem more natural. Also during the last night, through some hard climbing, I was feeling a touch nauseous. I had to manage this by relaxed cycling and no solids. I sipped my energy bottle and there was no negative reaction. As the final (Wednesday) night approached I rode with Mark Beauchamp. On the Mamers ‘drag’ I was sleepy, so let him ride with the group we had formed while I had a catnap. I always check my watch when I nap and noted each was only lasting 5-10 minutes, just enough to restore alertness but not too damaging to the inter-Controle time. But was I finding the saddle discomfort an excuse for a nap. The relief on restart was positive. The offers of coffee and a cake in the dead of night is an inspiration for many to enter the ride. I declined some tables when the comfort of a group riding together offered good progress. I accepted others when I was alone and in need of a caffeine injection. A favourite is Mamers, arrived at after a long, boring main road night leg. The Mortagne Controle followed where I had a light meal of semolina and tea. My stomach seemed settled. I left Mortagne some two hours behind Controle schedule but the discomfort and tiredness did little to lift my spirits. It was very rural after Mortagne and reasonably flat. I still needed rest after running off the road into the verge a couple times. I was grateful that they had been ‘safe’ run offs. I (immediately) followed by a park-up

Below: LEL 2013 organiser Danial Webb with his PBP ‘trophy arrow’

and roadside cat-nap. My PBP completion was developing greater doubt with every hallucination and subsequent catnap and I would need to make up time after Dreux. It was a moment of inattention rounding a gentle bend in a village. I clipped the raised pavement and took a flyer. A bloody knee and a few items to recover from the roadside and I continued, much to the bemusement of a lady, who lived next door to the pavement. Oh bu**er, the right crank had now created a wiggly arc for the pedal rotation. I was resigning to an abandone but found that, despite the awkward pedalling, my progress was far from laboured; I drew in a rider ahead, which encouraged me but found a final slope a walking affair. Entering the Dreux Controle, I rushed straight to the mechanic. With a wobbly right pedal action the several kms on the flat had gone well. No cranksets (this is the chainwheel one) and the mechanics were reluctant to bend it back, as aluminium is prone to cracking when bent. In all this, John Jukes (JJ), a French speaker, who could see my problem and desperation, came to assist in translation. I had a few wounds, which needed ‘medical’, so I rushed to Controle

Photo: Tim Wainwright

Arnaud Reiss, Steve Poulton and Steve Topping, all from Cheltenham CTC

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris Left: Battered, bruised, but elated, Steve finished PBP with one minute to spare

Photo: Tim Wainwright

Photo: Mark Green

Right: Fresh and ready to go, Yoshi Sekeido at the start

Right: one of the numerous refreshments stops set up by locals and Assistance, leaving the mechanics to do their worst. I returned with bandaged knee. JJ had hinted that he would ‘tow me’ to Paris. His optimism, that we could make 65km in my three hours 10 minutes remaining was ‘The Challenge’. OK, a normal club-run, with a fresh body, and we are talking reality. But this is the end of a sleep-deprived four-day event. Kick-in adrenalin, on our 25-30kph Time Trial. Within a couple kms we passed Yoshi Sekido, wearing a recognisable AUK top, from the Willesden CC. A brief chat and he was on my wheel with a 1500hrs deadline. So, no pressure then. Following a wheel close is road racing. To summarise that, on hills JJ pushed us, physically, to speed our ascents and kept distance and pace that took all three of us to levels of effort hardly explicable with our obvious distress by fatigue, was an amazing achievement. Our approach

to the arrivée was planted with traffic lights but we jumped every one in our desperation to retain pace. Throughout, we had to maintain 25kph, this being confirmed by JJ’s gps. The finale around the roundabout was a sea of spectators applauding our arrival, not aware that we were still desperate to find the Controle mat. Relief, 1459hrs, The Mat. JJ had done it. Yoshi was on Cloud Nine; I was on Cloud Heaven. We hugged each other in the ecstasy of the moment.

Afterwards

The stadium had an atmosphere of euphoria and mostly joy of completion. But there were to be disappointments. At Dreux, we had flashed past Mark Beauchamp; I had ridden with him during the night earlier and there was no chance of him joining our train. Most Brits I came across had big smiles

Arrivée Spring 2012

‘I was on cloud heaven.’

and there was some great banter as we socialised in the glorious afternoon sun. There were reports of incredibly fast rides. Is age that slowing? On leaving the stadium, I trophied a ‘Return’ Arrow to complete my set. For the final journey home an early ferry enabled an earlier coach home. I shared a taxi with Neil V from the Victoria drop-off to the coach station, a fiver (shared) well spent.

The club atmosphere

Within Audax UK most cyclists ride local events, a few will venture afar for specials or Classics. But who else do you meet when your pace might not match others. The YACF forum pages may be full of advice but from ‘names’ and ‘images’ that leave everything to the imagination. That I choose to be called 3peaker and use an image of me and sign off as SteveP

43 AU

DAX UK

paris-brest-paris and leave my email address in the Profile column suggests, I hope, I have nothing to hide. But here at PBP, many of these descriptors appeared as genuine folk, which is a positive for the health of Audax UK as a national club. Indeed, PBP is a great gathering ground for AUK.

Statistics

I was wearing a Polar HRM, which offered 100hrs of recording for HR and Altitude. I noted a Max HR of 168 during the first night rush; more notably, the route had few flat areas and a total of 11,700m of climbing, though none were of very steep gradient.

The bike

My Rourkie behaved well. My work on the Ergos and 8-speed Vento wheel was successful. Finding a puncture on the Saturday morning helped to a puncturefree journey, though I did find a flint embedded in the tread in the front on one stop. Useful, fitting new Bontragers (Race 25) for this event. The Brooks Ti saddle bolt breaking must be the biggest disappointment. I have nurtured this Ti special and save it for these long (>300km) rides. That upset my rhythm considerably and caused big feelings of negativity to my confidence. I later contacted Brooks and they explained nut adjustment (tighter) might have prevented the nut break. To their credit they ‘repaired’ it with a new replacement. My main front light of SON Dyno + Solidlight was perfect and created a strong, wide beam for fast, safe descents. I did not use my back-up Hope 1. At the rear, a Cateye on the rack bag sufficed but my (UK-legal) Cateye dislodged from its mount, so I dumped that at the first available coach. I had fitted dual-pivot Campags to replace canti-mounted brakes. These

For sale

Roberts Audax Touring Bike. Reynolds 531 designer select. 61cm seat tube, 59cm top tube. Lamborghini British racing green. 700c Mavic on Campag. 21-speed. Shimano/Campag gears, etc. 3TTT, Turbo saddle. Frenchstyle mudguards. Carrier. £595 Roberts Heavy Duty Touring Bike. Reynolds 531 designer select – oversize. 61cm seat tube, 59cm top tube. Midnight blue. 26 x 1.5 wheels. Mavic on Tiagra, 27-speed. Campag/Shimano/Sachs gears and brakes. Turbo saddle and carrier. £595. Tel: 0118 9586819 email rjphillips40@ yahoo.co.uk

made a huge difference to braking power and to confident descending.

My future in PBP

So, four completions and one DNS at PBP in 16 years; twice on trike and twice on solo (sub-84 and sub-90). Each ride was a learning curve. The huge question now is ‘do I end my PBP rider career on a high’? The ride has never been easy for me, more recently knocking on Controle closing times, rather than in the comfort zone of much time in hand for sleep. I thought dropping the trike in favour of solo this year would make it an easier ride. But sleep deprivation is still the problem and that does lead to serious decisions on how and when to take sleep. I am OK at the roadside; I am OK under a dining hall table. But am I cycling fast enough to be safe and to take enough sleep to maximise its benefit? I might need to lighten my equipment. I would certainly use the Baxter’s coach again. I would need to carry less weight or use more efficient gear. There is no doubt PBP is a hard ride and unlikely to become easier as age advances. Should I be grateful for past achievements or continue with the PBP obsession? To offset these thoughts, I have found LEL easier to take more sleep. LEL is less hilly. Decision time after LEL13?

‘The route had few flat areas and a total of 11,700m of climbing.’

Later…

I could hardly walk for a week and my plans to walk the 275-mile mountainous Cambrian Way two weeks later were compromised. But I recovered and managed my walk in 18 days, also raising £600 for Help for Heroes.

Posted on YACF – The JJ Effect Heroes and Villains

I hope that PBP is not the place for villains but to hearing of a couple of fatalities (and passing one such scene

Peter Doidge

As we went to press, I heard the sad news that long-time member and organiser Peter Doidge of Hertfordshire has died at the age of 53. An obituary will appear in the next edition.

moments later with recovery awaited), leaves a sad feeling that an event of this endurance on public roads does lead to an aspect of negativity within some elements of society, be they fellow cyclists or road users. I would like to open a discussion on Heroes. When I rolled into the final Dreux Controle, I had 3h14m to cover 65km. But I had problems. I had fallen several kms earlier and came in with a bent right crank and bruising. I went straight to the mechanics where John Juckes (JJ) happened to be hovering. His French and my desperation saw my crank being bent back, whilst I sorted Controle and a couple of scratches at Medical. I rushed this as JJ suggested we would attempt the impossible – Paris in time!! I was already suffering a changed (and painful) saddle, mentally demoralised from the saddle pains and from sleep deprivation and I had ridden into Dreux with Abandon on my mind. But I still had to make Paris, so what was there to lose and JJ was pretty insistent. We left Dreux inspired.

Running red lights

What followed was a TT where we picked up Yoshiji Sekido (Willesden CC) just outside Dreux and raced home. Yoshi said his time line was 1500, earlier than my 1510, so we just planted it. On the hills and they seemed like monsters (actually 460m of climbing), JJ pushed Yoshi and came back for me. We went through red lights and made the Mat at 14.59, 2h 48m for the leg, an average of 23.2kph, which after 1230kms and 90hrs seemed a touch impossible just three hours earlier. I later checked Yoshi on the PBP lists which gave him a finish of 90:06, based on a 20:53 start time. So, JJ gets my ‘Hero of PBP’ Award.

Chris Bennett

AUK member Chris Bennett, a father of four from Kingsteignton, Devon, collapsed while cycling on a club run at Zeal, near Okehampton, Devon. Friend and fellow Torbay AUK cyclist Graham Brodie said: ‘I still cannot believe it. Chris has been one of my best mates for more than 20 years. I saw him at the beginning of the ride and he was absolutely fine and chatting about our next trip to Italy. He was very fit and was one of the stalwarts. It is very sad. Our thoughts are with his wife and family. He had been the Torbay CTC secretary for a long time and coordinated all our runs. He will be greatly missed.’

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

Pictures on the left, all by John Radford 1. Eureka! 200 from Cheadle 2. Eureka! 200 from Cheadle 3. Eureka! 200 from Cheadle 4. Three Fields 100 from Alfreton 5. Three Fields 100 from Alfreton 6. North West Passage controllers, Devil’s Bridge

Minoura T-piece Swing Grip Last year on an Alfreton ride the Swing Grip bracket like the one shown on the bike broke where the T-piece fits to the downward facing support. Remedied short-term by fitting a light to the bars. I later contacted Minoura by e-mail asking what the design weight was as there was no mention on the packaging. I got a reply from them the same day saying that these units are usually used for items of about 100gm and less than 300gm. The lights I had on were the two shown in photos 1 and 3, a Cateye 530 weighing 220grm and a smaller Cateye weighing 190grm – overweight! I did receive a replacement, a SGL 300, as can be seen in photo 2; it is a more robust bracket altogether with its strong alloy and steel clamp assembly and has given no problems to date. Again though, there was no mention of load on the packaging. The reason I approached Minoura was that a few weeks earlier at dawn on a 300 I lost a Cateye light, one of the larger one-diode lights. It just fell off, bracket and all. It was the type that has the cam fastening not the screw clamp. I could not find the light so I was not pleased. I wrote to Cateye who referred me to ZYRO, who gave a waffling answer and did not answer my questions. I was not asking for a replacement – it was out of warranty – so I wrote again for advice so that it did not happen again on my other light and got no answer. If you have one of these cam clamps the fix is get one of the screw brackets for it then put a rubber band round it to stop it rattling (pic 3).

John Radford

Arrivée Spring 2012

45 AU

DAX UK

tan hill 200 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; images by andy corless Bob Johnson, Buttertubs Pass

Anthony Mycock, Nick oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Pendle

Paul Revell, Tatham Fell

Dave Lawrenson, Tatham Fell

Wyn Evans, Harkerside Moor

Peter Bond, Harkerside Moor

Robert Bialek, Buttertubs Pass

Andy Clarkson, Kidstones

Don Black

Your ideal audax navigation partner

Download planned routes, upload completed routes in GPX format.

WhY get lost?

Moving maps showing planned routes and snail trail (route taken)

easY route planning

Both on the GPS unit, and with Online Planner (including Europe and full GB OS at 1:50k scale, online)

20% discount

Up to 14 hours in continuous mode / 22 hours in Power Saving / 100 hours in Hibernate

special offer for audax MeMBers

large, Bright screen

Quote PROMO code AUDAX-12-01

long BatterY life

3.5" full colour high resolution screen

(some conditions apply)

toggleaBle Mapping

Switch between map types at the touch of one button (OpenCycleMap / OS 1:50k / 1:25k / 1:10k, International mapping)

lots of stats

48 different data items recorded (speed, average speed, average moving speed, total ascent, total descent, elevation, trip distance, distance to end, etc)

for More inforMation contact:

sales@satmap.com tel: 0845 873 0101

satmap.co.uk

auk calendar

Calendar key A(1) free/cheap accommodation 1 night

B very basic – no halls/beds, etc BD baggage drop DIY own route and controls, cards by post R free or cheap refreshments at start and/or finish S showers Z sleeping facilities on route 175 entries close at 175 riders YH youth hostel at/near start

400 21 Apr 05:00 Sat 300 21 Apr 07:00 Sat ROA 10000 200 21 Apr 08:00 Sat 140 21 Apr 08:30 Sat 300 21 Apr 00:01 Sat 300 21 Apr 06:00 Sat 300 21 Apr 23:00 Sat Change of Date 160 22 Apr 08:30 Sun 110 22 Apr 09:00 Sun 110 22 Apr 08:15 Sun 64 22 Apr 09:30 Sun 100 22 Apr 09:00 Sun 200 22 Apr 08:00 Sun 160 22 Apr 08:30 Sun 100 22 Apr 09:00 Sun 110 25 Apr 10:00 Wed 200 28 Apr 08:15 Sat ROA 10000 160 28 Apr 08:30 Sat

C camping at or near the start F some free food and/or drink on ride L left luggage facilities at start P free or cheap motor parking at start T toilets at start M mudguards required X some very basic controls (eg service stations) (14/4) entries close 14th April

Coryton, NW Cardiff Buckingham Blinder BR £10.00 X 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC andy@andsl.org Andy Cox, 4 Rhydybont Penparcau Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 1SR Denmead Denmead SR Series BRM £3.50 X T P 15-30kph Communicare 02392 267095 Pam Pilbeam, The Nest Hambledon Road Denmead Hants PO7 6QF Eardisland, nr Leominster The Cambrian BR 208km 4050m AAA4 £7.00 L P R T 15-30kph Hereford Wheelers nigel@spot13.freeserve.co.uk Eardisland Village Hall, nr Leominster Cambrian Minor BP £6.00 L P R T 10-30kph Hereford Wheelers nigel@spot13.freeserve.co.uk Nigel Jones, Croft Barns, Passa Lane Ryelands Leominster HR6 8QB Manningtree, Colchester Green & Yellow Fields BR 305km 1500m £4.00 PT X 05/04 15-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Musselburgh Merse and Moors BR 4200m AAA4.25 £5.00 X P R 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU Poynton, S of Stockport Plains BR 310km £5.00 P X 15-30kph Peak Audax Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Ave Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ Bishops Lydeard, Nr Taunton Sherborne Amble BP 166km £4.50 LRPT 15-30kph Wellington Wheelers C C 01823 354 477 Bishops Lydeard, NW of Taunton Dustman Dave’s Doddle BP 114km £4.50 L P R T 10-30kph Wellington Whs CC 01823 354 477 Bishops Lydeard, NW of Taunton Dustman Dave’s Demon Hilly BP 113km 3150m AAA3.25 £5.00 L P R T 10-30kph Wellington Whs CC 01823 354 477 Bishops Lydeard, NW of Taunton Dustman Dave’s Diddy Doddle BP £3.00 L P R T 10-30kph Wellington Whs CC 01823 354 477 Dave Sanders, 34 Blackdown Road Taunton Somerset TA2 8EZ Merthyr Tydfil Rhondda Traverse BP 109km 2100m AAA2 £4.50 P R T 12-30kph Merthyr Cycling Club dpjones2010@btinternet.com David Jones, 2 Brunswick Street Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8SB Shenstone, Staffs Castleton Classic Revised BR 213km 2963m AAA3 £7.50 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC North Birmingham Anthony Tibbins, 15 The Downs Aldridge Walsall WS9 0YT Shenstone, Staffs Derbyshire Dales BP 1680m £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph CTC North Birmingham Anthony Tibbins, 15 The Downs Aldridge Walsall WS9 0YT Shenstone, Staffs Staffordshire Lanes BP 102km 680m £5.00 L P R T 12.5-25kph CTC North Birmingham Anthony Tibbins, 15 The Downs Aldridge Walsall WS9 0YT Maidenhead Riverside to Riverside BP 118km £3.00 P R T 15-30kph Willesden CC 07763 765 802 mick.hill56@hotmail.co.uk. Mick Hill, 5 Castle Farm, White Horse Road, Windsor, Berks. SL4 4TP Droitwich Droitwich - Towcester BR 218km 1500m £3.00 C P R T M 14.3-25kph Gavin Greenhow 01905 775 803 Gavin Greenhow, 44 Newland Road Droitwich WR9 7AG Messingham, Lincs A North Lincolnshire Century BP 1097m £5.00 C P R T 15-30kph Ancholme Leisure Centre stuart1@ntlworld.com

100 28 Apr 09:00 Sat

Messingham, nr Scunthorpe Mansgate 100 BP 711m £5 CPRT 15-30kph Ancholme Leisure Centre 01724 345402 stuart1@ntlworld.com Stuart Greenaway, 74 Chiltern Crescent Scunthorpe N Lincolnshire DN17 1TJ

400 28 Apr 07:00 Sat

Preston Heartbeat 400 BRM 404km £3 P X 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT

300 28 Apr 05:00 Sat ROA 5000

West Stafford, Dorchester BRM 312km 5150m AAA5.25 £6.00 A(2) C F L P R T 30 15-25kph Wessex DA 01305 263 272 pete_loakes@yahoo.com Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage West Stafford Dorchester DT2 8AB

3D 300

200 29 Apr Gourock Rivers Lochs and Glens 200km 08:00 Sun BR £8.50 F L P R T 15-30kph Inverclyde Velo Robert McCready, 4 Mccallum Crescent Gourock Scotland PA19 1PY 100 29 Apr Grange School Pavilion, Hartford Ron Sant Memorial Ride 9::00 Sun BP 106km £5 P R T S 15-30kph Weaver Valley Derek Heine, 10 Whitehall Drive Hartford Northwich Cheshire CW8 1SJ 200 29 Apr Halifax The Red Rose Ride 08:00 Sun BR 2600m AAA1.5 [1500m] £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph W. Yorks DA dmdodwell@gmail.com Dave Dodwell, 32 Parkside Avenue Queensbury Bradford BD13 2HQ 200 29 Apr 08:00 Sun

High Ham, SW of Street The Nutty Nuns BR 201km £6.50 F L P R T 15-30kph Bristol DA 01823 690 038 mail@marklilly.orangehome.co.uk

100 29 Apr 09:30 Sun

High Ham, SW of Street The Merry Monk BP 105km £6.00 F L P R T 12.5-25kph Bristol DA 01823 690 038 mail@marklilly.orangehome.co.uk Mark Lilly, Applehayes Main Road Middlezoy Bridgwater TA7 0PB

200 08:00

29 Apr Sun

Lymington BR 204km £6.00 C L P R T 100 (7/5) 15-30kph

160 08:00

29 Apr Sun

Lymington BP £6 C L P R T 100 (7/5) 15-30kph

New Forest Excursion New Forest Century

100 29 Apr 10:00 Sun ROA 5000

Lymington New Forest Day Out BP 104km [2m] £6.00 C L P R T 100 (3/5) 10-20kph W J Ward 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ

200 08:00

29 Apr Sun

Meopham, nr Gravesend BR 1756m [2400m] £6.00 P R T 15-30kph

Hop Garden 200km

160 08:30

29 Apr Sun

Meopham, nr Gravesend BP 1756m [2200m] £6.00 P R T 15-30kph

Hop Garden Century Ride

100 29 Apr 09:00 Sun ROA 4000

Meopham, nr Gravesend Hop Garden 100km BP £6.00 P R T 10-30kph Gravesend CTC 01474 815 213 tom56jackson@gmail.com Tom Jackson, 19 Denesway Meopham Kent DA13 0EA

110 29 Apr 09:30 Sun

Northmoor, W of Oxford The Harlequin Hack BP 600m £5.00 YH C F L P R S T 100 15-30kph Harlequins CC jordancottage@sky.com Ken Knight, Jordan Cottage Picklescott Church Stretton Shropshire SY6 6NR

200 08:00

Woodham Mortimer, Chelmsford BR 202km £6.00 L P R T 100 15-30kph

29 Apr Sun

Witham Westerley

160 29 Apr 08:30 Sun

Woodham Mortimer, Chelmsford Witham 150 BP £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Cycle Club Sudbury 07752 305 476 withamaudax@aol.com

100 29 Apr 09:00 Sun

Woodham Mortimer, Chelmsford Witham Wander BP 106km £4.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Cycle Club Sudbury 07752 305 476 withamaudax@aol.com Ed Nevard, 83 London Road Kelvedon Essex CO5 9AU

100 02 May 10:00 Wed

Hurst, E of Reading BP 105km £3.00 L P R T 60 15-30kph Reading DA 01344 420 031 Pat Lomas, 25 Keldholme Wildridings Bracknell RG12 7RP

300 05 May 06:00 Sat ROA 2000

Alfreton, NW of Nottingham Everybody Rides to Skeggy! BR 302km 1141m £7.00 L R P T X 100 15-30kph Alfreton CTC 01 773 828 737 auk@ishorne.gotadsl.co.uk Ian Horne, 32 Ashop Road Belper Derbys. DE56 0DP

400 05 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000

Chepstow Brevet Cymru BRM 401km 4900m AAA2.25 [2300m] £9:00 c f l p r t nm z 100 15-30kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ

110 10:00

Parkend, Forest of Dean BP 1850m AAA1.75 £5.00 YH C P T 75 12-25kph

05 May Sat

Dinton 100

The Lumpy Scrumpy 100

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 54 05 May 10:30 Sat

Parkend, Forest of Dean Dean Bluebell Doddle BP 1200m AAA1.25 £4.00 YH C P T 75 12-25kph Royal Dean Forest C.C. p.steve21@yahoo.co.uk Steve Price, 7 Allsopp Close Newnham On Severn Glos GL14 1DP

400 07:00

05 May Sat

Pease Pottage, W Sussex Pease Pottage-Marlborough Tea Bag 400 BR 412km £4.00 FPTX (500) 14.4-30kph

200 08:00

05 May Sat

Pease Pottage, W Sussex BR £7.50 P T F (500) 15-30kph

Cheese Toastie 200

100 05 May 09:00 Sat ROA 25000

Pease Pottage, W Sussex Cheese Toastie 100 BP £7.50 F P T (500) 15-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG

200 06 May 08:00 Sun ROA 2000

Forfar Deeside Loop BR 2450m AAA2 [2025m] £6.00 C F P R S T 15-30kph Angus C.C. d.c.husband@btinternet.com David Husband, 78 Old Halkerton Road Forfar Angus DD8 1JP

100 06 May 09:00 Sun ROA 3000

Forfar Rugby Club, Forfar Cream Scone BP £5.00 F P R S T 12.5-25kph CTC Tayside 01575 574 082 harrow@macace.net Ron Harrow, Edgar Cottage 21 Glamis Road Kirriemuir DD8 5BN

200 08:00

N1 Golf Centre, Near Morpeth BR 201km 2500m [2000m] £6.00 F L P R T 60 27/4 15-30kph

Chevy Chase

100 06 May 09:00 Sun

N1 Golf Centre, Near Morpeth BP 1230m £5.00 FPRT 12-25kph Tyneside Vagabonds hedleya167@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX

Burma Road

200 08:00

Radwinter, Saffron Walden BR 205km 2072m £6.00 L P R T 175 (30/4) 15-30kph

06 May Sun

ECCA Festival 200

110 06 May Radwinter, Saffron Walden ECCA Festival 100 10:00 Sun BP 113km 1084m £6.00 L P R T 175 (30/4) 15-30kph E. Counties CA 07759 296 127 everelm@aol.com Leslie Everest, 19 Clarendon Road South Woodford London E18 2AW 100 12 May 09:30 Sat

Alveston, N Bristol South Glos 100 BP 106km £5.00 P R T 150 12.5-25kph Bristol DA nick.horne1@googlemail.com Nick Horne, 96 Ryecroft Road Frampton Cotterell Bristol BS36 2HH

400 12 May 06:00 Sat ROA 5000

Chalfont St Peter Severn Across BRM 407km 3500m £5.00 YH L P R T 70 15-30kph Willesden CC 01753 663 242 chris_beynon@hotmail.com Chris Beynon, Little Mead Fulmer Common Road Iver Bucks SL0 0NP

400 12 May 7:00 Sat ROA 10000

Denmead Denmead SR Series BRM £3.50 P T X 15-30kph Communicare 02392 267095 Pam Pilbeam, The Nest Hambledon Road Denmead Hants PO7 6QF

300 12 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000

Honiton BRM 3400m £8.00 LPRT 15-30kph Exeter Whs 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 8 Nap View Awliscombe Honiton EX14 3PL

400 12 May 12:00 Sat ROA 5000

Sevenoaks Weald, Kent West Kent SR series Invicta 400k BR 417km 3904m £8.50 F L P R T 15-30kph West Kent DA fixedwheelnut@yahoo.co.uk Steve Airey, 21 Birchington Close Bexleyheath Kent DA7 5ED

200 12 May 08:00 Sat ROA 2000

Whaley Thorns, near Mansfield Lincolnshire Cross BR 215km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Bolsover & District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL

300 05:00

Wigginton BR 302km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph

12 May Sat

Old Roads 300

Wigginton 300

100 12 May 10:00 Sat

Wigginton, York Wiggy 100 BP £2.50 A(1) YH L P R T 12-24kph CTC North Yorks 01904 769 378 dkb@audax.uk.net Keith Benton, 127 Greenshaw Drive Wigginton York YO32 2DB

200 08:00

13 May Sun

Apperley, nr. Cheltenham BR AAA3 £6 14.4-30kph

150 09:00

13 May Sun

Apperley, Nr Cheltenham BP 2230m AAA2.25 £6 T P C 12.5-30kph

Gospel Pass 200 YatMon 150

100 13 May 09:30 Sun ROA 3000

Apperley, Nr Cheltenham Hoarwithy 100 (2Severn2Wye) BP £5 T P C 12.5-30kph CTC West stephen.poulton@btinternet.com Stephen Poulton, Leckhampton Lodge 23 Moorend Park Road Leckhampton Cheltenham GL53 0LA

200 13 May 08:00 Sun

Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield BR 210km 2450m AAA2 [1930m] £7.00 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB

World’s End

200 13 May 08:00 Sun

Elstead, Godalming The 31st Stonehenge 200 BR 201km 2210m £4.50 F L P R T 15-30kph West Surrey DA nickandmarion.davison@hotmail.co.uk

150 13 May 08:30 Sun 110 13 May 09:00 Sun 200 13 May 08:00 Sun 100 13 May 09:00 Sun New Event 50 13 May 10:00 Sun ROA 10000 100 13 May 9:00 Sun Updated 600 19 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000 400 19 May 11:00 Sat ROA 25000 160 19 May 08:00 Sat 100 19 May 09:00 Sat 400 19 May 09:00 Sat 160 19 May 08:00 Sat 100 19 May 09:00 Sat 600 19 May 06:30 Sat 200 19 May 08:30 Sat 100 19 May 09:00 Sat ROA 25000 200 19 May 08:00 Sat 130 19 May 08:30 Sat 200 20 May 07:30 Sun 150 20 May 08:30 Sun 110 20 May 09:00 Sun 150 20 May 08:30 Sun 100 20 May 10:00 Sun

Elstead, Godalming The 15th Danebury 150 BP 152km £4.00 F L P R T 12.5-30kph Elstead, Godalming The Sixth Elstead 100 BP 115km £3.50 F L P R T 12.5-30kph West Surrey DA nickandmarion.davison@hotmail.co.uk Nicholas Davison, The Bield Mill Copse Road Fernhurst West Sussex GU27 3DN Galashiels Moffat Toffee Reinvented BR 202km 2900m AAA3 [2300m] £10.00 L P R S T 15-30kp Galashiels Broughton and Back BP £5.00 LPRTS 12-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Galashiels The Salmon Leap 50k BP £5.00 LPRTS 12-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Sheffield Peaks and Troughs BP 106km 1584m £7.00 F P R T 13-30kph Sheffield District CTC 07792 899501 bigT.ridinghigh@gmail.com Tony Gore, 8 Ladysmith Avenue Sheffield S7 1SF Chepstow Bryan Chapman Memorial (Classic) BRM 619km 8300m AAA8.25 £17.5 BD C F L P R S T Z (4/5) 15-30kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ Great Bedwyn (Nr Marlboro, Wilts Great Bedwyn-Hay Teabag 400 BR 3255m £4.00 FX (15/5) 500 14.4-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG Kentisbeare Coast to Coast BP 2200m [1500m] £6 P R T X 12-25kph Kentisbeare Coast and Back BP 1300m [1500m] £6 P R T X 12-25kph CTC Devon Roy Russell, 52 Whitchurch Avenue Exeter EX2 5NT Manningtree, Colchester Asparagus & Strawberries BR 416km 2600m £4.00 PT X 01/05 15-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA Meriden, Warwickshire Cotswold Challenge BP 1035m [2000m] £6.00 C L P R T NM 100 15-30kph Meriden, Warwickshire Warwickshire Wanderer BP 105km 602m [1000m] £6.00 C L P R T NM 100 12-25kph CTC-heartofengland audax2012@ctc-heartofengland.org.uk Jon Porteous, Tumnus Corner Springhill Gardens Webheath Redditch B97 5SY Midhurst, W Sussex Midhurst - Hay Tea bag 600 BR 606km 6322m [6372m] £4.00 FPTX 500 14.4-30kph Whitchurch, Hants Whitchurch Cheese Toastie 200 BR £7.50 P F 500 15-30kph Whitchurch, Hants Whitchurch Cheese Toastie 100 BP £7.50 P F 500 15-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG Willington Hall, E of Chester Seamons CC ‘Tour of the Berwyns’ BR 208km 3100m AAA3 £5.00 L F P R T 100 (12/5) 15-30kph Willington Hall, E of Chester Seamons Llangollen Panorama BP 135km 1750m AAA1.5 [1500m] £5.00 L F P R T 100 12-25kph Seamons CC cyclistdavid@hotmail.com David Barker, 221 Dane Road Sale Manchester M33 2LZ Claughton, N of Preston Fleet Moss 212 BR 212km 3290m AAA3.25 £5.50 P R T 15-30kph Claughton, N of Preston Lunesdale Populaire BP 158km 2280m AAA2.25 £5.50 P R T 100 13-30kp Claughton, N of Preston Pilgrim’s Way BP 112km 1540m £5.50 P R T 10-25kph Ribble Valley C & RC 07908 247426 David Kershaw, 75 Gleneagles Drive, Fulwood, Preston Lancashire PR2 7EU Dorchester Dorset Downs 150 BP 2552m [2177m] £9.00 F P R T 150 15-25kph AUK 07968 213833 justinoakley@hotmail.co.uk Dorchester Dorset Downs 100 BP 102km 1995m AAA1.75 [1630m] £6.00 F P R T 150 12-24kph Justin Oakley 07968 213833 justinoakley@hotmail.co.uk Justin Oakley, 6 Linden Gardens Wollaston Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1WB

Arrivée Spring 2012

49 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 200 20 May 08:00 Sun Updated

Hessle, Hull BR 210km £6.00 YH F P R T 15-30kph Hull & East Riding CTC stuart1@ntlworld.com

East Riding 200

160 08:30

Hessle, Hull BP 161km £5.00 YH F P R T 15-30kph

East Riding 150

20 May Sun

100 20 May 09:00 Sun Updated

Hessle, Hull East Riding 100 BP £5.00 YH F P R T 12-30kph Hull & East Riding CTC stuart1@ntlworld.com Stuart Greenaway, 74 Chiltern Crescent Scunthorpe N. Lincolnshire DN17 1TJ

300 26 May 05:00 Sat ROA 10000

Alltwen, Pontardawe Teifi Traveller (Land of my Fathers) BR 3700m AAA3.5 [3450m] £7.00 L P R T 15-25kph Cardiff Byways CC 01792 830992 David Lewis, ‘Roc Trevezel’ 1 Penygraig Rd Alltwen Pontardawe Swansea SA8 3BS

600 26 May 06:00 Sat ROA 10000

Exeter Kernow and Southwest 600 BRM 8200m AAA8.25 £12.00 YH L F R Z 30 15-25kph Exeter Whs 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk Ian Hennessey, 8 Nap View Awliscombe Honiton EX14 3PL

200 08:00

Long Melford, nr Sudbury BR 211km 1450m £5.50 L P R T 15-30kph

26 May Sat

Edmund’s Folk go Paddling

100 26 May 09:00 Sat

Long Melford, nr Sudbury BP 105km 705m £5.50 F L P R T 15-30kph CC Sudbury Peter Whiteley, 133 Melford Road Sudbury CO10 1JT

300 26 May 06:00 Sat Updated

Morpeth BR 3000m AAA3 [2000m] £10 C F L P T 15-30kph Tyneside Vagabonds hedleya167@gmail.com Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX

400 26 May 09:00 Sat ROA 10000

Poynton, S of Stockport Llanfairpwllgwyngyll gogerychwyrndrobwll llantysiliogogogoch 400 BR £6.00 XP 15-30kph Peak Audax 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX

200 26 May 07:30 Sat

Wem, Shropshire Four Rivers Ride BR 215km 3150m AAA3.25 £6.00 L P R S T 40 15-30kph CTC Shropshire sandehargraves@googlemail.com

170 08:30

26 May Sat

Wem, Shropshire Three Rivers Ride BP 2200m AAA1.75 [1800m] £6.00 L F P R S T 80 15-30kph

130 26 May 09:00 Sat

Wem, Shropshire Two Rivers Ride BP £6.00 L F P R S T 40 12-24kph Shropshire DA sandehargraves@googlemail.com Edwin Hargraves, 22 Trentham Road Wem North Shropshire SY4 5HN

200 27 May 08:00 Sun

Padiham, Lancashire Tan Hill 200 BRM 206km 4500m AAA4.5 £5 F L P R S T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT

100 09:30

Bangor, Gwynedd BP 104km 1200m £3 L P R T 12-30kph

02 Jun Sat

Edmund’s Kingdom

The Mosstrooper

Anglesey Lanes

52 02 Jun 10:00 Sat

Bangor Anglesey Wandering BP £2 L P R T 10-24kph Energy Cycles j.h.sharp@bangor.ac.uk Jasmine Sharp, 409A Crafnant Ffriddoedd Road Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2GX

200 02 Jun 08:00 Sat

Bitteswell, Leicestershire BR 206km £6.00 L F P T 15-30kph Leicestershire CTC

Heart of the Shires

100 02 Jun Bitteswell, Leicestershire Heart of the Shires 09:00 Sat BP £5.50 L F P T 12-30kph Leics. & Rutland DA Tony Davis, 2 The Courtyard Claybrooke Magna Lutterworth Leics LE17 5FH 200 08:30

02 Jun Sat

Great Dunmow, Essex BR 218km £6.00 N L P R T M (19/5) 15-30kph

Flitchbikes 200

100 02 Jun 09:30 Sat

Great Dunmow, Essex Flitchbikes 100 BP 107km £6.00 N L P R T M (19/5) 12.5-25kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA

300 06:00

02 Jun Sat

Kirriemuir The Snow Roads BR 4800m AAA4.75 £10.00 A(2) C F L P R T S(60) 15-25kph

100 02 Jun 09:00 Sat

Kirriemuir A Potter for Tea BP £5.00 A(1) C L P R T S(50) 12-25kph Angus Bike Chain alexandalli@kirrie.eclipse.co.uk Alex Pattison, 1 Angle Park Crescent Kirriemuir Angus DD8 4TJ

300 02 Jun 06:00 Sat Change of Date

Meltham, SW of Huddersfield Butty’s Brid Trip BR 310km 2000m £4.00 X P NM 15-30kph Huddersfield CTC John Radford, 11 Westfield Ave Meltham Holmfirth West Yorkshire HD9 5PY

200 02 Jun 08:00 Sat

Pateley Bridge Dales Grimpeur 200 BR 215km 4596m AAA4.5 £5.00 L P R S T 15-22.5kph Hambleton Road Club paul.roberts901@tiscali.co.uk Paul Roberts, 37 The Close Romanby Northallerton DL7 8BL

600 02 Jun Pendleton, Lancashire Pendle 600 06:00 Sat BRM 609km 9000m AAA9 [7800m] £5 A(2) F L P R T Z 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT 100 02 Jun Tewkesbury The Silk Run 09:30 Sat BP 800m £3.50 P, T, 23/5 12.5-25kph BlackSheep CC ybgirkram@talktalk.net ROA 10000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 200 03 Jun Launceston, Cornwall Tour of the Moors 08:00 Sun BR 206km 3800m AAA3.75 £4.50 L P R T (50) (1/6) 15-30kph 160 03 Jun Launceston, Cornwall Dartmoor Dash 08:30 Sun BP 162km 3021m AAA3 £4.00 L P R T (50) (1/6) 15-30kph 100 03 Jun Launceston, Cornwall Bodmin Bash 09:00 Sun BP 105km 1993m AAA2 £3.50 L P R T (50) (1/6) 15-30kph CTC Cornwall 01822 860261 jim@wilkinet.demon.co.uk Jim Wilkinson, Wellspring Chillaton Lifton Devon PL16 0HS 120 06 Jun Chapel-en-le-Frith The Old Lead Miners Trail 09:00 Wed BP 2350m AAA2.25 £5.00 P R T S 60 12.5-25kph Peak Audax davecatlow@PeakAudax.co.uk David Catlow, 9 Friars Close Rainow Macclesfield SK10 5UQ 100 07 Jun Swaffham Community Centre The Iceni 100 09:00 Thu BP £5 LPRT 12-30kph NorfolknGood audax sandk.tandem@btinternet.com ROA 5000 Keith Harrison, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU 400 09 Jun Alfreton, NW of Nottingham Moors and Wolds 400 14:30 Sat BRM 404km 2425m £8.00 P R T X 15-30kph 50 09 Jun Alfreton Victorian Post Boxes 50 10:30 Sat BP 669m £3 FLPT 10-25kph AlfretonCTC 01773 833 593 tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk ROA 5000 Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP 600 09 Jun Alltwen, Pontardawe Marches and Mersey Roads 05:00 Sat BR £15.00 L P R T Z 15-25kph Cardiff Byways CC ROA 10000 David Lewis, ‘Roc Trevezel’ 1 Penygraig Rd Alltwen Pontardawe Swansea SA8 3BS 200 09 Jun Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield Knockerdown 08:00 Sat BR 201km 3150m AAA3.25 £7.00 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB 100 09 Jun Girvan The Highwayman Challenge 09:00 Sat BP 101km 1496m £6 L P R T S 15-30kph Ayr Roads Cycling Club Christopher Johnson, 129d Welbeck Crescent Troon KA10 6AP 200 09 Jun Honiton Valley of the Rocks 200 08:00 Sat BRM 205km 3900m AAA4 £6.00 L P R T 40 15-30kph Exeter Whs ian@ukcyclist.co.uk ROA 10000 Ian Hennessey, 8 Nap View Awliscombe Honiton EX14 3PL 110 09 Jun Hulme End, nr Hartington Lutudarum 09:30 Sat BP 114km 1800m AAA1.75 £5.00 C F P T 12.5-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB 100 10 Jun Boothferry, Goole Beverley 100 09:00 Sun BP 102km 270m £3.50 P R T 30 15-30kph Goole Vermuyden CC 01405 761 790 harvey.tripp@btinternet.com Harvey Tripp, 40 Carter Street Goole DN14 6SN 100 10 Jun Caton, NE of Lancaster Bowland Forest Populaire 09:00 Sun BP 1800m AAA1.75 £3.00 P R T 75 12.5-20kph CTC Lancaster 01524 36061 mikehutchinson@fastmail.fm ROA 5000 Mike Hutchinson, Heatherdene 9 Whinfell Drive Lancaster LA1 4NY 200 10 Jun Hereford, Leisure Centre Hereford Towns 08:00 Sun BR 210km £5.00 LPRTS 15-30kph 100 10 Jun Hereford, Leisure Centre Hereford Villages 09:00 Sun BP 108km £5.00 LPRT 14.3-24kph 53 10 Jun Hereford, Leisure Centre Hereford Hamlets 9::30 Sun BP £5.00 LPRT 14.3-24kph Hereford Wheelers Maurice Tudor, Apartment 1 Barton West 73 Barton Road Hereford HR4 0AU 200 10 Jun Hertford (Bengeo) Herts High Five 08:00 Sun BR 207km 1634m [1509m] £4.00 L P R S T 15-30kph 150 10 Jun Hertford (Bengeo) Four Counties 150 09:00 Sun BP 157km £4.00 L P R S T 15-30kph 100 10 Jun Hertford (Bengeo) Two Counties 100 10:30 Sun BP 104km £4.00 L P R S T 12-25kph

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 50 10 Jun Hertford (Bengeo) One County 50 12:00 Sun BP £3.00 L P R S T 10-20kph Hertfordshire Wheelers 07985 019214 graham.knight5@gmail.com Graham Knight, 25 Lordship Road Cheshunt Waltham Cross Herts EN7 5DR 150 10 Jun Honiton Glastonbury 100 Miler 8::30 Sun BP 157km 1440m £6.00 f p r t 14.3-30kph Exeter Wheelers 01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk ROA 10000 Ian Hennessey, 8 Nap View Awliscombe Honiton EX14 3PL 200 10 Jun Wimbledon Common The Ditchling Devil 07:00 Sun BR 203km 2300m [2700m] £10 200 10/7 15-30kph Willesden Cycling Club paudax@gmail.com Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN 400 16 Jun Hempnall, Norfolk The Audax UK National 400 09:00 Sat BR £20 A(1) C F L P R T (200) 15-30kph Updated NorfolknGood audax sandk.tandem@btinternet.com ROA 5000 Keith Harrison, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU 100 17 Jun Evegate, Ashford Mick Andrews Memorial 100K 10:30 Sun BP £5.00 L P R T X 100 (3/6) 15-30kph CTC South Kent Roger Burchett, ‘Haytor’ Stone Street Lympne Hythe Kent CT21 4JY 84 17 Jun Stevenage (Fairlands) Bike Week - Stevenage Circular Cycle 10:00 Sun BP £4.00 L P R T (8/6) 12-28kph Stevenage (Herts) CTC 01438 354 505 jim@stevenagectc.org.uk ROA 5000 Jim Brown, 38 Brick Kiln Road Stevenage SG1 2NH 120 20 Jun Denham West London Extra Event CANCELLED 400 22 Jun Anywhere Summer Arrow to York 06:00 Fri BR £10 15-30kph Huddersfield CTC John Radford, 11 Westfield Ave Meltham Holmfirth West Yorkshire HD9 5PY 400 22 Jun Clayhidon, near Taunton Avalon Sunrise 400 22:30 Fri BRM 407km 3300m £10 flprtc 15-30kph Exeter Whs Jamie Andrews, Cemetry Lodge Ashill Road Uffculme Devon EX15 3DP 1000 22 Jun Fordell Firs, nr Inverkeithing Mille Alba 07:00 Fri BRM £0.01 A[4] C F L P R T [75] 13.3-25kph Audax Ecosse graemewyllie@aol.com Graeme Wyllie, 16 Corstorphine House Avenue Edinburgh EH12 7AD 150 23 Jun Alfreton, Derbyshire North Notts Sleepy Villages 08:00 Sat BP 154km 1000m £5.00 L R P T 100 12.5-25kph Alfreton CTC nigel.randell8664@gmail.com Nigel Randell, 15 Hammer Leys South Normanton Derbyshire DE55 3AX 350 23 Jun Anywhere Summer Dart to York ::::: Sat BR 360km £5 15-30kph Huddersfield CTC 01484 851 480 John Radford, 11 Westfield Avenue Meltham Huddersfield HD9 5PY 100 23 Jun Carlton le Moorland, Lincolnshire The Belvoir Bounce 09:00 Sat BP 105km £5 N,105,BP,F.L,P,RT,NM 15-30kph Lincoln Wheelers richard.parker05@gmail.com Richard Parker, 28 High Street Carlton Le Moorland Lincoln LN5 9HT 300 23 Jun Hazel Grove, Stockport Summer Solstice 06:00 Sat BR £5 P 15-30kph Peak Audax sheila@aukadia.net ROA 25000 Sheila Simpson, 33 Hawk Green Road Hawk Green Marple Cheshire SK6 7HR 200 23 Jun Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick’s High Summer Meander 08:00 Sat BR 215km 2500m £4..5 c f l p r t nm 100 (12/6) 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net ROA 10000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 200 24 Jun Chelmsford Windmill Ride 08:30 Sun BR 210km £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph 110 24 Jun Chelmsford Windmill Ride 10:00 Sun BP £5.00 F L P R T 12-25kph Essex DA 01277 657 867 Brian Taylor, 45 Fairfield Rise Billericay CM12 9NP 200 24 Jun Kings Worthy, Winchester Winton 200 08:00 Sun BR £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph 100 24 Jun Kings Worthy, Winchester Winton 100 09:00 Sun BP £5.00 L P R T 14-28kph South Hampshire CTC suecoles1@aol.com ROA 5000 Sue Coles, 7 Ruffield Close Winchester SO22 5JL 200 24 Jun Wythall, S Birmingham Cotswold Expedition 08:00 Sun BR 212km £7.00 C L P R S T 100 15-30kph Beacon RCC 01886 882174 cotswoldaudax@beaconrcc.org.uk George Barker, Haywood House Ankerdine Hill Knightwick Worcester WR6 5PR 160 24 Jun Wythall, S Birmingham Cotswold Journey 08:30 Sun BP £7.00 C L P R S T 100 15-30kph 100 24 Jun Wythall, S Birmingham Clockwise Cotswold Outing 09:00 Sun BP 108km £7.00 C L P R S T 80 12-25kphk

100 24 Jun 09:30 Sun

Wythall, S Birmingham Anticlockwise Cotswold Outing BP 108km £7.00 C L P R S T 80 12-25kph Beacon RCC 01886 882174 cotswoldaudax@beaconrcc.org.uk George Barker, Haywood House Ankerdine Hill Knightwick Worcester WR6 5PR

100 27 Jun 09:30 Wed

Hampton Hill, W London London Midweek Sightseer BP £4.50 C L P T 10-20kph Hounslow & Dist. Whs 020 82873244 billcarnaby@blueyonder.co.uk Bill Carnaby, 225 High Street Hampton Hill Middlesex TW12 1NP

100 09:30

Bildeston, Suffolk BP 104km £5.00 L P R T S 15-30kph

30 Jun Sat

Bildeston Lanes

200 30 Jun 08:30 Sat

Bildeston, Suffolk Suffolk Lanes Extravaganza - Castles & the Coast BR 209km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Cycle Club Sudbury 01449 741048 robinandpam@tiscali.co.uk Robin Weaver, 14 Chapel Street Bildeston Ipswich Suffolk IP7 7EP

300 30 Jun 05:00 Sat

Coryton, NW Cardiff Peacocks and Kites BR 301km 3900m AAA3 [3000m] £8.00 YH L P R T 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC glharper1973@gmail.com Georgina Harper, 68 Hazelhurst Road Llandaf North Cardiff Wales CF14 2FX

200 08:00

Quarndon, NE Derby BR 204km 1850m £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph

30 Jun Sat

The China Run

110 30 Jun 09:00 Sat

Quarndon, NE Derby BP 116km 1160m £5.00 L P R T 12-25kph Derby Mercury RC Jim Crew, 11 Wickersley Close Allestree DE22 2XT

The China Teapot

300 02:00

01 Jul Sun

Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent Fairies Flattest Possible 300 BR 304km £5.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph

200 08:00

01 Jul Sun

Bethersden, nr Ashford, Kent BR 201km 1000m £5.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph

150 08:30

01 Jul Sun

Bethersden, Village Hall BP £5.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph

Fairies Fairly Flat 150

100 09:00

01 Jul Sun

Bethersden, Village Hall BP £5.00 C L R P T 15-30kph

Fairies Flat 10k

Fairies Half-Flat 200

50 01 Jul 10:00 Sun

Bethersden, Village Hall Fairies Easy Peasy 50 BP £5.00 C F L P R T 10-30kph San Fairy Ann CC andy.uttley@networkrail.co.uk Andrew Uttley, 19 Kings Chase Willesborough Lees Ashford Kent TN24 0LQ

100 10:00

Easingwold, N of York BP 103km £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph

01 Jul Sun

Mother Shipton 100

51 01 Jul 10:30 Sun

Easingwold, N of York Linton Locks 50 BP £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph North Yorks DA 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL

200 08:00

01 Jul Sun

Hampton in Arden BR 207km £6.00 RFPT 15-30kph

A Cotswold Adventure

150 08:30

01 Jul Sun

Hampton in Arden BP 156km £5.00 RFPT 15-30kph

Solihull CC mini Randonnée

100 01 Jul 09:00 Sun

Hampton- in -Arden A Warwickshire Wander! BP £4.00 F P R T 15-30kph Solihull CC richardlaw377@btinternet.com Richard Law, 16 Vernon Close Leamington Spa CV32 6HH

200 08:00

Milton, Abingdon BR 210km £5 R T P L 1/7 15-30kph

Barbury Bash

110 01 Jul 09:00 Sun

Milton, Abingdon BP £5 R T P L 1/7 15-30kph Didcot Phoenix CC Ian Middleton, 4 Isis Close Abingdon OX14 3TA

Barbury Bash

200 08:00

Newton Abbot, Devon BR 210km 2900m AAA3 £6.00 F L P R S T 15-30kph

01 Jul Sun

Torplex Two Hundred

100 01 Jul 09:00 Sun ROA 5000

Newton Abbot, Devon Devon Delight BP 107km £7.50 F L P R S T 10-25kph CTC Devon graham@gjbrodie.freeserve.co.uk Graham Brodie, 81 Twickenham Road Newton Abbot TQ12 4JG

300 06 Jul 21:00 Fri

Great Dunmow, Essex Hereward the Wake BR 301km £6 X R L P T M (18/06) 15-30kph Flitchbikes CC tom.deakins@btinternet.com Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA

200 07 Jul 08:00 Sat

Heighington The Hartside BR 210km 3000m AAA3 £6.00 L P R T 15-30kph VC 167 Gordon Panicca, 28 West Fields School Aycliffe County Durham DL5 6PX

200 08:00

07 Jul Sat

Oundle, Northants BR 204km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph

Reservoir Triple BR

150 08:30

07 Jul Sat

Oundle, Northants BP 154km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph

Reservoir Double BP

Arrivée Spring 2012

51 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 100 07 Jul Oundle, Northants Reservoir Single BP 09:00 Sat BP 101km £4.50 L P R T 12.5-30kph CTC Northants & M K Richard Daniells, 6 Matson Close Rothwell Northants NN14 6AY 250 07 Jul Scunthorpe Anderby 255 6.:00 Sat BR 255km £6 PPRT 15-30kph Ancholme Leisure Centre 01724 345402 stuart1@ntlworld.com Stuart Greenaway, 74 Chiltern Crescent Scunthorpe N Lincolnshire DN17 1TJ 69 08 Jul Carharrack, Cornwall Mines and Mineral Railways On-road 10:00 Sun BP 820m £5.00 C L P R T 8-30kphk 67 08 Jul Carharrack, Cornwall Mines and Mineral Railway Off-road 10:00 Sun BP 773m £5.00 C L P R T 8-30kph Audax Kernow brindisijones@tiscali.co.uk Simon Jones, The Cottage Pulla Cross Truro Cornwall TR4 8SA 200 08 Jul Denshaw, NE of Oldham Manchester Loop 08:00 Sun BR 3400m AAA3.5 [4400m] £5.00 P R S T 40 14.3-30kph 170 08 Jul Denshaw, NE of Oldham Slaidburn 08:30 Sun BP 3550m AAA3.5 [2900m] £5.00 P R S T 40 12.5-25kph 120 08 Jul Denshaw, NE of Oldham Edale Hilly 09:00 Sun BP 2500m AAA2.75 £5.00 F P R S T 10-20kph Peak Audax 0161 330 0671 black898@btinternet.com Don Black, 102 Downshaw Road Ashton-under-Lyne Lancs. OL7 9QP 100 08 Jul Midhurst, West Sussex Sussex Corker 09:00 Sun BP 107km 2080m AAA2 £5.00 F P T (60) (06/06) 12.5-30kph San Fairy Ann CC 01342 314 437 malinseastg(remove this)@tiscali dot co dot uk Martin Malins, 64 Blount Avenue East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 IJW 200 08 Jul Smallworth, Garboldisham, nr Diss Garboldisham Groveller 08:00 Sun BR 205km £5.00 C L P R T 100 15-30kph 100 08 Jul Smallworth, Garboldisham, nr Diss Garboldisham Grafter 09:00 Sun BP 104km £5.00 C L P R T 100 12-30kph 54 08 Jul Smallworth, Garboldisham, nr Diss Garboldisham Grinder 10:00 Sun BP £5.00 C L P R T 100 8-25kph Norfolk DA Diss Section tomandeileenelkins@hotmail.co.uk Tom Elkins, 6 Marston Lane Norwich NR4 6LZ 110 11 Jul Alfreton In Memory of Tommy 09:00 Wed BP 115km 1050m £4.00 L P R T 12-30kph Alfreton CTC 01773 833 593 tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk ROA 5000 Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP 200 14 Jul Coryton, NW Cardiff Ride ‘Round Rhondda 08:00 Sat BR 202km 4250m AAA4.25 £7 YH L P R T 14.3-25kph 100 14 Jul Coryton, NW Cardiff Across Rhondda 09:00 Sat BP 102km 1980m AAA2 £7 YH L P R T 10-25kph Cardiff Byways CC 029 2084 3496 audax2012@ianblake.me.uk Ian Blake, 7 Walnut Tree Close Radyr Cardiff CF15 8SX 600 14 Jul Derby South then North 06:00 Sat BR 605km £10.00 L P R T X 50 15-30kph Updated Derby DA 07958-118-451 alan.keeton@btinternet.com ROA 5000 Alan Keeton, 40 Brackens Lane Alvaston Derby DE24 0AP 600 14 Jul Hazel Grove, SE of Stockport Cambrian 600 06:00 Sat BR 3000m AAA2.25 [2200m] £6.00 XP 15-30kph Peak Audax mike@PeakAudax.co.uk ROA 10000 Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Farm Millcroft Lane Delph Oldham Saddleworth OL3 5UX 300 14 Jul Portinscale, Keswick Jubilee Challenge 07:00 Sat BR 3600m [3m] £5.00 A(2) C F P R T S NM 15-30kph Sunderland City Council david-sharpe@lineone.net Updated 160 14 Jul Portinscale, Keswick Jubilee Challenge 09:00 Sat BP 1800m £5.00 A(2) C F P R T S NM 10-25kph Sunderland City Council david-sharpe@lineone.net Dave Sharpe, 3 Elizabeth Street Seaham County Durham SR7 7TP 200 14 Jul Stamford Bridge, York Bridges and Beaches 08:30 Sat BR 222km £3.00 L,P,T,R 15-30kph 160 14 Jul Stamford Bridge, York Three Bridges 09:00 Sat BP 161km £3.00 L,P,T,R 15-30kph Clifton CC 07799023760 greg.melia@cliftoncc.org Greg Melia, 10 Curzon Terrace York YO23 1HA 200 14 Jul Trowell, Nottingham The Cheshire Cat 08:00 Sat BR 206km 3630m AAA3.75 £5.00 L P R T 80 15-30kph Notts DA 0115 932 9978 Mark Chambers, 62 Queens Avenue Hallam Fields Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 4DJ 100 15 Jul Budleigh Salterton, Devon Jurassic Roller Coaster (E Devon Grimpeur) 08:00 Sun BP 1750m AAA1.75 £6 P R T NM 12.5-25kph 50 15 Jul Budleigh Salterton, Devon Otter Spotter 09:00 Sun BP [1750m] £5 P R T NM 12.5-25kph CS Dynamo Colin Mathison, 29 Chaucer Rise Exmouth Devon EX8 5SY

200 08:00

15 Jul Sun

Congleton, Cheshire The Hills & Plains of Cheshire BR 210km 2285m AAA1.5 [1500m] £5.00 P R T 15-30kph

110 09:30

15 Jul Sun

Congleton, Cheshire BP 117km 724m £4.00 P R T 15-30kph

Just the Plains of Cheshire

110 15 Jul 09:00 Sun

Congleton, Cheshire Just the Hills of Cheshire BP 1700m AAA1.75 £4.00 P R T 12.5-25kph Congleton CC 01260 271258 Rob Waghorn, The Querns Congleton Edge Cheshire CW12 3NB

200 15 Jul 08:00 Sun

Denmead, nr Portsmouth A Summer Saunter To Wantage BR 206km £5.00 P R T (21/07) 15-30kph Hampshire RC paul.whitehead@mypostoffice.co.uk Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR

110 15 Jul Kennington, nr Ashford, Kent The Crown 10:00 Sun BP 111km 1750m AAA1.75 £5.00 F L P R T NM 40 14-26kph Ashford Wheelers Paul Britton, 161 Canterbury Road Kennington Ashford Kent TN24 9QB 200 08:00

15 Jul Sun

Otley BR 203km £5.00 L R T S 15-30kph

Yorkshire Mixture

100 15 Jul 09:00 Sun

Otley The Two M’s Ride BP 107km £4.00 L R T S 12-25kph CTC West Yorkshire chris.boulton@lineone.net Chris Boulton, 15 Adel Towers Close Leeds LS16 8ES

100 10:00

Hailey, N of Witney BP 106km £5.00 L P R S T 70 12-25kph

18 Jul Wed

Midweek Tour of the Cotswold

60 18 Jul 10:30 Wed

Hailey, N of Witney, Oxon Midweek Tour of the Cotswold BP £4.50 L P R S T 50 15-30kph CTC Oxfordshire john.bridgman558@btinternet.com John Bridgman, 44 Church View Freeland Witney Oxon OX29 8HT

110

18 Jul

Ruislip

200 08:00

21 Jul Sat

Hardwick Hall, nr Chesterfield BR 216km £5.00 L P R T (100) 15-30kph

West London 2/4 Event CANCELLED Hardwick 200

100 21 Jul 09:00 Sat ROA 3000

Hardwick Hall, nr Chesterfield Hardwick Hilly Hundred BP 108km 2160m £5.00 L P R T (100) 15-30kph Bolsover & District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL

200 21 Jul 08:00 Sat ROA 10000

Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick Takes Flight BR 206km 1800m [2700m] £4.00 c f p r nm t 100 (30/1) 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ

200 08:00

22 Jul Sun

Fairburn, SE of Leeds Brimham Rocks 200 BR 203km 2160m AAA1.5 [1500m] £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph

100 22 Jul 09:00 Sun

Fairburn, SE of Leeds Wetherby 100 BP 518m £4.50 L P R T 50 10-20kph Huddersfield CTC 01484 851 480 John Radford, 11 Westfield Avenue Meltham Huddersfield HD9 5PY

100 09:00

22 Jul Sun

West Buckland, Taunton BP 104km £4.50 L P R T 10-30kph

67 09:30

22 Jul Sun

West Buckland, Taunton BP £3.00 L P R T 10-30kph

150 08:40

22 Jul Sun

West Buckland, Taunton BP 158km £4.50 LRPT 15-30kph

Out and About Diddy Doddle with Niggles Three Counties

110 22 Jul West Buckland, Taunton Mr Hennessey’s Coast & Coach Roads with Extra’s [this will hurt] 08:30 Sun BP 112km 2750m AAA2.75 £4.50 LRPT 15-30kph Wellington Wheelers C C 01823 354 477 Dave Sanders, 34 Blackdown Road Taunton Somerset TA2 8EZ 600 06:00

28 Jul Sat

Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The Three Coasts 600 BRM 607km 5611m AAA1.75 [1631m] £10.00 A(3) L P R T Z YH 15-30kph

600 28 Jul Mytholmroyd The East & West Coasts 600 06:00 Sat BRM 605km 4380m [5380m] £10.00 A(3) L P R T Z YH 15-30kph W. Yorks DA 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 10000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 160 08:30

29 Jul Sun

Carnon Downs, S of Truro The Granite and Serpentine Way BP 163km 1670m [1671m] £6.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph

100 09:00

29 Jul Sun

Carnon Downs, S of Truro BP 104km 1100m [1637m] £5.00 C F L P R T 12.5-28kph

51 29 Jul 09:30 Sun

A Lizard Loop

Carnon Downs, S of Truro Carns and Killas BP £5.00 C F L P R T 10-28kph CTC Cornwall martyn.aldis@syntagma.co.uk Martyn Aldis, Sundown 25a Kersey Road Flushing Falmouth Cornwall TR11 5TR

200 29 Jul Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The Good Companions 08:30 Sun BR 2697m AAA1.75 [1631m] £5.00 A(2) L P R T YH 15-30kph W. Yorks DA 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 10000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 200 29 Jul Ruthin, N. Wales The Clwydian 2012 08:00 Sun BR 209km 3715m AAA3.75 £4.50 A(3) RS75 C PT 15-30kph 130 29 Jul Ruthin, N. Wales The Clwyd Gate 2012 09:00 Sun BP 136km 2650m AAA2.75 £4.50 A(3) RS75 C PT 12.5-25kph 60 29 Jul Ruthin The Clwyd Vale 10:00 Sun BP 650m £4.50 A(3) RS75 C PT 10-20kph Chester & N Wales CTC vickypayne8@hotmail.com Vicky Payne, Bryn Celyn Penyffordd Holywell Flintshire CH8 9HH 150 29 Jul Seaton, Devon (Not Even a Tiny Bit of) The Great Tour 08:30 Sun BP [1950m] £5.00 C F L P R T S (200) 15-30kph 100 29 Jul Seaton, Devon (A Small Bit of) The Great Tour 09:00 Sun BP 1950m AAA2 £5.00 C F L P R T S (200) 10-25kph 50 29 Jul Seaton, Devon (An Even Smaller Bit of) The Great Tour 10:00 Sun BP £5.00 C F L P R T S (200) 10-25kph CTC Exeter & AVP 07783672516 kirby.james@gmail.com Philip Kirby James, Flat 5 Trews Weir Mill Old Mill Close Exeter EX2 4DD 100 29 Jul Wye, Kent White Hill Grimpeur 10:00 Sun BP 1755m AAA1.75 £3.00 FPT 20 14-26kph Patrick Cherry tracyandpat@tiscali.co.uk Patrick Cherry, 28 Barton Road Canterbury Kent CT1 1YQ 100 01 Aug Marple Dark Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 106km 2290m AAA2.25 £5.00 P R T 60 (257) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax Derek Heine, 10 Whitehall Drive Hartford Northwich Cheshire CW8 1SJ 200 04 Aug Bolsover Clumber to Humber 08:00 Sat BR 210km £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph Bolsover and District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net ROA 3000 Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL 200 04 Aug Cardiff Gate, Cardiff Dr. Foster’s Summer Saunter 08:00 Sat BR 201km £5.00 C P R T 50 15-25kph Cardiff Byways CC tonypember@gmail.com Tony Pember, 9 Donald Street Nelson Treharris CF46 6EB 300 04 Aug Dean Row, near Wilmslow & Stockport Montgomery 300 06:00 Sat BR 308km 1500m £6.00 XP 14.3-30kph Peak Audax 01457 870 421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk ROA 10000 Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Fm Millcroft Lane Delph Saddleworth OL3 5UX 200 05 Aug Aldbrough St. John, SW of Darlington The J38 08:00 Sun BR 205km £5.00 X L P R T 15-30kph VC 167 Nigel Hall, Finkle Croft Aldbrough St John Richmond Northyorkshire DL11 7TD 120 05 Aug North Petherton, S of Bridgwater Three Towers and Middle Earth 08:30 Sun BP 125km £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Bridgwater CC 01275 847567 ktudball@aol.com Keith Tudball, 9 Winford Close Portishead N Somerset BS20 6YG 200 05 Aug Wickhamford, SE of Evesham Neville Chanin Memorial - Over The Severn 08:00 Sun BR 213km 3134m AAA3.25 £6.00 F P R T 15-30kph Updated Evesham & Dist Whlrs petehutch1959@btinternet.com Pete Hutchinson, Hazelwood Shinehill Lane South Littleton Evesham WR11 8DQ 200 05 Aug Wickhamford, SE of Evesham Three Counties - Four Leaf Clover 08:00 Sun BR £6.00 F P R T 15-30kph 100 05 Aug Wickhamford, SE of Evesham Three Counties - Two Leaf Clover 09:00 Sun BP 107km £4.00 F P R T 15-30kph 50 05 Aug Wickhamford, SE of Evesham Three Counties - Clover Leaf 09:30 Sun BP £1.00 F P R T 10-25kph Evesham & Dist. Whs petehutch1959@btinternet.com Pete Hutchinson, Hazelwood Shinehill Lane South Littleton Evesham WR11 8TP 100 05 Aug Wilton, Salisbury The Blackmoor Tour 09:00 Sun BP £5.00 YH F L P R T 12.5-30kph 200 05 Aug Wilton, Salisbury West Bay and Back 08:00 Sun BR 2700m AAA2.25 [2300m] £5.00 YH F L P R T 70 14.3-30kph YACF Andy Heyting, 5 St Leonards Terrace Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 7PF 100 08 Aug Marple, Memorial Park, SK6 Mid-Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 106km 2400m AAA2.5 £5.00 L P R T 40 (31/7) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax chris.keelingroberts@ntlworld.com Chris Keeling-Roberts, 17 Lower Strines Road Marple Cheshire SK6 7DL 150 08 Aug Ruislip West London 3/4 Event CANCELLED 400 10 Aug Linlithgow Schiehallion Sunrise 21:00 Fri BR £5 X P 15-30kph West Lothian Clarion neil.fraser@blueyonder.co.uk Neil Fraser, 14 Maryfield Drive Bo’Ness West Lothian EH51 9DG 200 11 Aug Bedford Rutland Ramble 07:30 Sat BR 210km £6 L P R 15-30kph CTC Bedfordshire jackie.popland@ntlworld.com Jackie Popland, 48 Haylands Way Bedford MK41 9BU

600 11 Aug 6:00 Sat Change of Date ROA 25000

Denmead Denmead SR Series BRM £7.00 P T C R 15-30kph Communicare 02392 267095 Pam Pilbeam, The Nest Hambledon Road Denmead Hants PO7 6QF

300 11 Aug 06:00 Sat ROA 10000

Tewkesbury A Rough Diamond BRM 301km 2500m [3450m] £6:50 c f l p r t nm 100 (31/7) 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ

100 09:30

Long Rock, E of Penzance BP 1305m £3.00 C L P R T 12.5-30kph

12 Aug Sun

The Celtic Coastal

54 12 Aug 10:00 Sun ROA 3000

Long Rock, E of Penzance Celtic Canter BP 786m AAA0.75 £3.00 C L P R T 10-30kph Audax Kernow Don Hutchison, 14 Pendarves Road Penzance Cornwall TR18 2AJ

200 12 Aug 08:00 Sun

Pendleton, Lancashire Delightful Dales BR 205km 3600m AAA3.5 £5-00 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT

110 15 Aug 10:00 Wed

Maidenhead Boulters Bash BP £3.00 P R T 15-30kph Willesden CC 07763 765 802 mick.hill56@hotmail.co.uk. Mick Hill, 5 Castle Farm, Leigh Square Windsor Berks SL4 4PT

100 15 Aug Marple Memorial Park White Peak Grimpeur 10:00 Wed BP 103km 2310m AAA2.25 £5.00 P R T 60 (8/8) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax 01457 870421 mike@PeakAudax.co.uk ROA 10000 Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Farm Millcroft Lane Delph Oldham Saddleworth OL3 5UX 200 08:00

18 Aug Sat

Belbroughton, N Worcestershire Kidderminster Killer BR 213km 3750m AAA3.75 £7.00 F L P R S T M (50) (8/8) 14.3-30kph

110 18 Aug 09:00 Sat

Belbroughton, North Worcestershire From Clee to Heaven BP 119km 1950m AAA2 £7.00 P R T NM (80) 14.3-25kph Beacon Roads Cycling Club 01562 731606 montgomery@beaconrcc.org.uk Dr Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terr Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW

200 08:00

18 Aug Sat

Gladestry, W of Kington Elan & Ystwyth BR 208km 3750m AAA3.75 £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 12.5-25kph

100 09:00

18 Aug Sat

Gladestry, W of Kington Radnor Roundabout BP 104km 1826m AAA1.75 £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 12.5-25kph

50 18 Aug 10:00 Sat

Gladestry, W of Kington Radnor Forest Off Road 50 BP 1640m AAA1.75 £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 8.3-15kph Up Hill Down Ale rossjeal@gladestry.com Ross Jeal, Monymusk Meadow Vale Gladestry Kington Powys HR5 3PR

400 05:30

Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire BR 406km 6400m AAA6.5 £5.00 C F L P R T 15-30kph

18 Aug Sat

The Old 240

400 18 Aug 05:30 Sat ROA 10000

Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire Not Quite The Spurn Head 400 BR 403km 2450m £5.00 C L P R T 15-30kph CTC West Yorkshire 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF

200 19 Aug 08:00 Sun

Gladestry, W of Kington Tregaron Dragon BR 209km 4800m AAA4.75 £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 12.5-25kph CTC Cymru rossjeal@gladestry.com

100 09:00

19 Aug Sun

Gladestry, W of Kington Gladestry Gallop BP 107km 1625m AAA1.75 £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 12.5-25kph

53 19 Aug 10:00 Sun

Gladestry, W of Kington Gladestry Trot BP £5.00 YH C BD P R T 150 5/8 10-20kph Up Hill Down Ale rossjeal@gladestry.com Ross Jeal, Monymusk Meadow Vale Gladestry Kington Powys HR5 3PR

110 19 Aug 09:50 Sun

Shere, Guildford Tour of the Hills BP 115km 2300m AAA2.25 £6.50 F L P R T 225 15-30kph West Surrey CTC 01483 810028 dggray7@hotmail.com Don Gray, Greenleas Beech Lane Normandy Surrey GU3 2JH

100 22 Aug 10:00 Wed

Marple West Peak Grimpeur BP 103km 2400m AAA2.5 £5.00 P R T 60 (16/8) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax davecatlow@PeakAudax.co.uk David Catlow, 9 Friars Close Rainow Macclesfield SK10 5UQ

300 25 Aug 04:00 Sat Updated

Mildenhall Cycle Rally BR £5.00 CPTS (16/08) 15-30kph Suffolk CTC the.kells@talk21.com

57 10:00

25 Aug Sat

Mildenhall Cycle Rally BP £5.00 CPTS 16/8 15-30kph

Mildenhall Rally Brief Brevet

200 08:30

25 Aug Sat

Mildenhall Cycling Rally BR 203km £5.00 CPTS (16/8) 15-30kph

Mildenhall Rally Randonnée

100 25 Aug 09:00 Sat

Arrivée Spring 2012

Mildenhall Rally Roving 300

Mildenhall Cycling Rally Mildenhall Rally Brevet BP 103km £5.00 CPTS (16/8) 15-30kph Suffolk CTC the.kells@talk21.com Dennis Kell, 9 Pheasant Rise Copdock Ipswich Suffolk IP8 3LF

53 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 200 08:00

25 Aug Sat

Newtonmore BR 202km £3.00 C YH L P R T 15-30kph

Forres Foray

100 25 Aug 10:00 Sat ROA 5000

Newtonmore Grantown Gallop BP 104km £2.00 C YH L P R T 15-30kph CTC Highland biker_carroll@hotmail.com Steve Carroll, Creag Charrach Rockfield Tain Ross-shire IV20 1RF

200 08:30

26 Aug Sun

Edenbridge, Kent Around Weald Expedition BR 215km 3250m AAA3.25 £5 R T P (80) 12/8 15-30kph

120 26 Aug 09:30 Sun

Edenbridge, Kent Kidds Toys BP 2000m AAA2 £5 R T P (50) 12/8 12-30kph Redhill CC waweirauk@btinternet.com William Weir, Flat 8 Burlington Court 158 Station Road Redhill Surrey RH1 1JE

200 26 Aug 08:00 Sun

Shipton, North of York Tan Hill Audax BR 208km AAA1 £4 L P R T 15-30kph Clifton CC Steven Roebuck, 18 Riverside Gardens Elvington York YO41 4DT

110 29 Aug 10:00 Wed

200 08 Sep 08:00 Sat ROA 10000

Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick goes to Hay in a Day BR 205km 1900m £4:50 c f l p r t nm 100 (27/8) 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ

100 09 Sep 09:00 Sun

Brigg The Summer Knows BP 767m £5 L P R T S NM 15-30kph Ancholme Leisure Centre stuart1@ntlworld.com Stuart Greenaway, 74 Chiltern Crescent Scunthorpe N Lincolnshire DN17 1TJ

200 08:00

Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield BR 212km £7 F L P R T 14.3-30kph

09 Sep Sun

The Three Loops

110 09 Sep 09:00 Sun

Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield BP 114km £7.00 F L P T 14.3-25kph Macclesfield Wheelers 01625 614830 perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB

110 09:00

09 Sep Sun

Connor Downs, NE of Hayle Golowjy ha Bal 116 BP 116km 1825m AAA1.75 £4.00 C L P R T 75 12-30kph

Marple, Memorial Park, SK6 Staffs Peak Super-Grimpeur BP 2800m AAA2.75 £5 P R T (25/8) 60 10-25kph Peak Audax Peter Coates, 15 Eccles Close Whaley Bridge Derbyshire SK23 7RS

52 09 Sep 10:00 Sun ROA 4000

Connor Downs, NE of Hayle Golowjy ha Bal 52 BP 863m AAA0.75 £4.00 C L P R T 50 8-20kph Audax Kernow peteregon.hansen@btinternet.com Peter Hansen, Corner Cottage 7 Prosper Hill Gwithian Cornwall TR27 5BW

200 01 Sep 8::00 Sat

Bangor, North Wales Gwynedd Traverse BR £5 L P R T 15-30kph Energy Cycles j.h.sharp@bangor.ac.uk Jasmine Sharp, 409A Crafnant Ffriddoedd Road Bangor Gwynedd LL57 2GX

100 09 Sep 09:00 Sun ROA 25000

Midhurst, W Sussex Le Tour de Didling 100 BP 109km 1325m [1250m] £8.00 P T F (30/8) 500 15-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG

160 08:15

Dore, Sheffield BP £5 L R T 15-30kph

200 09 Sep 08:00 Sun

Musselburgh The Erit Lass BR 3000m AAA3 £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Audax Ecosse martinfoley@btinternet.com Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU

110 09 Sep 09:30 Sun

Oundle, Northants Rockingham and Rutland BP 114km £4.50 L P R T 12.5-30kph CTC Northants & MK Richard Daniells, 6 Matson Close Rothwell Northants NN14 6AY

200 09 Sep 07:30 Sun ROA 25000

Pease Pottage, W Sussex BR £8.00 P T F (500) 15-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG

100

Denham

01 Sep Sat

Centenary Amber and Green

100 01 Sep 09:00 Sat

Dore, Sheffield A Centenary Amber Gambol BP £5 L R T 12.5-25kph Sheffield District CTC bigT.ridinghigh@gmail.com Tony Gore, 8 Ladysmith Avenue Sheffield S7 1SF

200 08:00

Arnside YH BR 202km 3000m AAA3 £3.00 YH R S T 15-30kph

02 Sep Sun

Northern Dales

110 02 Sep 09:00 Sun ROA 5000

Arnside YH Northern Dales Populaire BP 1675m AAA1.75 £3.00 YH R S T 100 12.5-20kph CTC Lancaster 01524 36061 mikehutchinson@fastmail.fm Mike Hutchinson, Heatherdene 9 Whinfell Drive Lancaster LA1 4NY

110 02 Sep 08:30 Sun

Lower Whitley, nr Warrington The Wizard and the Llamas BP 114km 767m £6 L P R T 15-30kph North Cheshire Clarion andrew@inspiringimages.co.uk Andrew Williams, 40 Fieldway Weaverham Northwich Cheshire CW8 3HW

200 07:45

02 Sep Sun

Lymington New Forest On and Off Shore BR 202km £17.00 L P R T 100 (3/9) Ferry 15-30kph

150 07:45

02 Sep Sun

Lymington New Forest and Isle of Wight Century BP £17.00 L P R T 100 (30/8) Ferry 15-30kph

100 02 Sep 10:00 Sun ROA 5000

Lymington New Forest and Coast BP 102km £6.00 C L P R T 100 (3/9) 10-20kph John Ward 01590 671 205 cyclingnewforest@gmail.com John Ward, 34 Avenue Road Lymington Hants SO41 9GJ

200 08:00

08 Sep Sat

Beech Hill, S of Reading BR 2100m £6.00 F L P R T 100 15-30kph

150 08:30

08 Sep Sat

Beech Hill, S of Reading Alan Furley’s Round the Downs BP 153km 1000m £5:00 F L P R T 12.5-30kph

100 08 Sep 09:00 Sat

Beech Hill, S of Reading Alan Furley’s Down the Ups BP 107km 1000m £4:00 F L P R T 12.5-30kph Reading CTC Allan Adams, 205 Hyde End Road Spencers Wood Reading RG7 1BU

100 08 Sep 09:00 Sat ROA 3000

Bolsover Beast of Bolsover BP 105km 2030m AAA2 £5.00 P R T 12.5-25kph Bolsover & District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL

150 08:30

08 Sep Sat

New Road, Richmond, N Yorks BP 2500m AAA2.5 £4.50 C F L P R T 12-30kph

100 10:00

08 Sep Sat

New Road, Richmond, N Yorks BP £4.50 C F L P R T 10-20kph

100 09:30

08 Sep Sat

New Road, Richmond,, N Yorks Dave’s Mini Dales Tour 100km BP 1900m AAA2 £4.50 C F L P R T 10-20kph

200 08 Sep 08:00 Sat

Richmond, North Yorkshire Dales Dales Tour Plus BR 3150m AAA3.25 £5.00 C F L P R T 14.4-30kph Swaledale Outdoor Club 07887628513 david.atkinson577@virgin.net Dave Atkinson , 23 Hailstone Drive Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 1SP

110 08 Sep 09:00 Sat

Shortstown, Bedford BP 112km 1059m [1060m] £6.00 P R T 12-30kph iCycle (www.iCycle.cc) jackie.popland@ntlworld.com Jackie Popland, 48 Haylands Way Bedford MK41 9BU

Alan Furley’s Up the Downs

Dave’s Dales Tour 160km

Lucia’s Vale of York Meander 100km

The R101

12 Sep

The 1...

Didling 200

West London 4/4 Event CANCELLED

200 15 Sep 07:00 Sat ROA 2000

Coryton, NW Cardiff Ferryside Fish Foray BR 225km £8.00 YH L R P T 50 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC evansrichardd@googlemail.com Richard Evans, 73 Conway Road Cardiff CF11 9NW

160 08:00

15 Sep Sat

Husbands Bosworth BP 1675m £5.00 LPRT 15-30kph

Welland Wonder 160

110 08:30

15 Sep Sat

Husbands Bosworth BP 116km 1350m £5.00 LPRT 12-24kph

Welland Wonder 100

53 15 Sep Husbands Bosworth Welland Wonder 50 09:00 Sat BP 525m £5.00 LPRT 12-24kph Welland Valley CC 01858545376 Mike Vybiral, Logan Cottage Grange Lane East Langton Market Harborough LE16 7TF 200 08:00

16 Sep Sun

Alford, Lincs BR £5.00 F P R T 15-25kph

Fen and Wold

100 16 Sep 09:00 Sun ROA 3000

Alford, Lincs The Wold and Fen BP £5.00 L P F T 12-25kph Alford Whs 01507 443 000 alan.hockham@hotmail.com Alan Hockham, 11 Trustthorpe Road Sutton on Sea Lincs LN12 2LX

100 16 Sep 09:15 Sun

Hampton Hill, SW London London Sightseer BP £4.50 C L P T NM 10-20kph Hounslow & Dist. Whs 020 8287 3244 billcarnaby@blueyonder.co.uk Bill Carnaby, 225 High Street Hampton Hill Middlesex TW12 1NP

100 16 Sep 09:00 Sun ROA 25000

Newlands Corner, Surrey Early Autumn Colours UpperTea100 BP £7.50 P T R 6/9 (500) 15-30kph David Hudson Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG

200 08:00

16 Sep Sun

Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Pistyll Packing Momma BR 209km 3050m AAA3 £4.5 P R 50 T L (09/09) 15-30kph

130 09:00

16 Sep Sun

Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma’s Mountain Views BP 137km 2000m AAA2 £4.50 P R 50 T L (11/09) 12.5-25kph

50 16 Sep 10:00 Sun ROA 2000

Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma’s Leafy Lanes BP £4.50 P R 50 T L (09/09) 10-20kph Chester & N Wales CTC dmanu@fsmail.net David Matthews, Hill View Cottage Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG

200 08:00

Chalfont St Peter BR 207km 2400m £6.00 L P R T M 75 15-30kph

22 Sep Sat

The Anfractuous

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar 100 22 Sep 08:30 Sat 200 22 Sep 07:30 Sat ROA 5000 200 22 Sep 08:00 Sat 160 22 Sep 09:00 Sat 100 22 Sep 10:00 Sat 50 22 Sep 11:00 Sat 100 23 Sep 09:00 Sun 200 23 Sep 08:00 Sun ROA 10000 200 29 Sep 08:00 Sat ROA 5000 100 29 Sep 09:00 Sat 200 29 Sep 08:00 Sat 120 29 Sep 09:00 Sat 80 29 Sep 09:30 Sat ROA 10000 160 30 Sep 08:00 Sun 160 30 Sep 09:30 Sun 110 30 Sep 09:30 Sun Updated 200 30 Sep 07:30 Sun 100 03 Oct 100 06 Oct 09:00 Sat ROA 3000 200 06 Oct 08:00 Sat 150 06 Oct 08:30 Sat 100 06 Oct 09:15 Sat 200 06 Oct 08:00 Sat

Chalfont St Peter The Nyctophobic BP 109km 1400m £5.00 L P R T M 75 12.5-30kph Willesden CC paudax@gmail.com Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN Chepstow Border Castles Randonnée BR £2.00 XPR 15-30kph Bristol DA Nik Peregrine, Castle Terrace 46 Bridge Street Chepstow NP16 5EY Henham, Saffron Walden Shaftesbury CC - Chris Negus Memorial Rides BR 215km £5.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Henham, Saffron Walden Shaftesbury CC - Chris Negus Memorial Rides BP 161km £5.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Henham, Saffron Walden Shaftesbury CC - Chris Negus Memorial Rides BP £5.00 L P R S T 15-30kph Henham, Saffron Walden Shaftesbury CC - Chris Negus Memorial Rides BP £5.00 L P R S T 10-30kph Shaftesbury CC mikedodge@blueyonder.co.uk Mick Dodge, 27 Bruce Grove Wickford Essex SS11 8RB Abergavenny Monmouthshire Meander BP 1500m AAA1.5 £4.50 YH F P L T 15-25kph Abergavenny RC Jonathan Saville, 9 Trehonddu Llanvihangel Crucorney Abergavenny NP7 8DG Galashiels Etal-u-Can BR 204km 2379m £5.00 BPX 15-30kph Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL Alfreton Dambusters 200 BR £4.50 T R P L 15-30kph AlfretonCTC 01773 833 593 tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP Sonning Common, near Reading Henley Hilly Hundred BP 1660m AAA1.75 £4 FLPRT 12-30kph CTC Reading DA brianperry_3@hotmail.co.uk Brian Perry, 16 Rowland Close Wallingford Oxon OX10 8LA Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury Beyond Shropshire (Hafren) BR 202km 2970m AAA3 £6.00 C F L P R T 50 15-30kph Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury Discovering Shropshire (Land of Lost Content) BP 1650m AAA1.5 [1545m] £6.00 C F L P R T 75 12.5-25kph Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury A Shropshire Lad BP 1030m £5.00 C F L P R T 10-20kph CTC Shropshire 01952 251403 undulates@hotmail.co.uk John Hamilton, 22 Oaks Crescent Wellington Telford TF1 2HF Haynes Rd, Leicester, LE54AR The Leicester Circle BP 166km 1500m [1525m] £5.00 L P R T NM 15-30kph Leicester Forest CC Mat Richardson, 18 Clumber Close Loughborough LE11 2UB Linlithgow Three Glens Explorer BP 164km 1350m [1850m] £7.00 F L P R T 15-30kph West Lothian Clarion neil.fraser@blueyonder.co.uk Neil Fraser, 14 Maryfield Drive Bo’Ness West Lothian EH51 9DG Ludford, NE of Lincoln Lincolnshire Wolds BP £5.00 F P R T 15-30kph CTC Lincolnshire woldsauk100@gmail.com Geoff Findon, 11a Trusthorpe Road Sutton On Sea LN12 2LX Pendleton, Lancashire Last Chance Dales Dance 200 BR 3300m AAA3.25 [3000m] £5-00 L P R T 15-30kph Burnley Sportiv burnleysportiv@yahoo.com Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT Ruislip West London 5/4 Event CANCELLED Bristol Tasty Cheddar BP 101km £4.00 P YH 12.5-30kph Bristol DA 0117 925 5217 joe.prosser@blueyonder.co.uk Joe Prosser, 8 Portland Court Cumberland Close Bristol BS1 6XB Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield Venetian Nights BR 210km 2750m AAA2.25 [2333m] £7 F L P R T 14.3-25kph Peak Audax perrin_john@sky.com John Perrin, 20 Princes Way Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 8UB Darley Abbey, Derby Over the Trent to Dance and Pray BP 152km 1041m £5.00 L P R T 30 15-30kph Darley Abbey, Derby Over and Over the Trent BP 109km 637m £5.00 L P R T 60 12.5-30kph Derby DA Keith Scholey, 1 Killis Lane Kilburn Belper DE56 0LS Newlands Corner, Surrey Newlands - Reading 200 BR 206km 1500m [2165m] £4.00 X F T (1/10) 500 15-30kph

100 06 Oct Newlands Corner, Surrey Later Autumn Colours UpperTea 100 09:00 Sat BP 106km 1100m £7.50 P F T (27/9) 500 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 David Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 6LG 110 07 Oct Blaxhall, Suffolk The Suffolk Byways 09:00 Sun BP 117km 620m £5.00 YH C L P R T (20/9) 15-30kph Updated CTC Suffolk suffolkcyclist@gmail.com Paul Bass, 21 Thomas Close Ixworth Bury St Edmunds IP31 2UQ 100 07 Oct Bredgar, Nr Sittingbourne Hengist’s Hills 10:00 Sun BP 103km 1750m AAA1.75 £5.00 RLPT 15-30kph Tim Ford 01622 884 622 timfarmerford@aol.com ROA 4000 Tim Ford, Glinwood Bexon Lane Bredgar Sittingbourne ME9 8HB 200 07 Oct Hailsham, E Sussex Stollen 200 08:00 Sun BR 205km £8.00 P F (27/9) 500 15-30kph 100 07 Oct Hailsham, E Sussex Stollen 100 09:00 Sun BP 103km 1100m [1500m] £8.00 F P (27/9) 500 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 David Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 6LG 100 07 Oct Hebden Bridge Season of Mists 09:00 Sun BP 2555m AAA2.5 £4.00 L R T YH 12-24kph 50 07 Oct Hebden Bridge Mellow Fruitfulness 10:00 Sun BP 1200m AAA1.25 £3.50 L R T YH 8-20kph W. Yorks DA 01422 832 853 chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk ROA 10000 Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley St. West Sowerby Bridge W. Yorks HX6 1EF 100 07 Oct Wigginton, N of York Gerry’s Autumn Brevet 10:00 Sun BP 101km £2.00 L P R T 12-25kph North Yorks DA 01904 795 695 gerry.boswell@hotmail.co.uk Gerry Boswell, 5 Invicta Court Acomb York YO24 3NL 100 07 Oct Winchcombe, Glos Winchcombe Falling Leaves 100 09:00 Sun BP 1750m AAA1.75 £5.00 F,P,R,NM 12.5-25kph Winchcombe Cycling Club winchcombecc@aol.com ROA 1000 Brian Hayward, Highwheeler House Neata Farm Greet Cheltenham GL54 5BL 100 13 Oct Daglingworth, nr. Cirencester Centurion Challenge 09:30 Sat BP 108km 1450m £6.00 L P R T 70 12.5-25kph 100 13 Oct Daglingworth, nr. Cirencester Centurion Super-Grimpeur 09:00 Sat BP 108km 2490m AAA2.5 £6.00 L P R T 70 12-24kph Corinium CC 01285 659 515 petergholden@btopenworld.com ROA 5000 Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester Glos GL7 1RL 100 14 Oct Alfreton, NW of Nottingham Beware of the Plague 09:00 Sun BP 107km £5.00 P R T F 12.5-25kph Alfreton CTC martynleighton@uwclub.net Martyn Leighton, 46 Ashford Rise Belper Derbyshire DE56 1TJ 200 14 Oct Blundeston nr Lowestoft, Suffolk The Silly Suffolk 08:00 Sun BR £5.00 FRTP 15-30kph 150 14 Oct Blundeston nr Lowestoft, Suffolk The Silly Suffolk 09:00 Sun BP £5.00 FRTP 15-30kph Velo Club Baracchi johntommo6@btinternet.com John Thompson, 136 Dell Road Oulton Broad Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 9NT 100 14 Oct Hebden Bridge The Hebden Bridge Star 10:00 Sun BP 106km 2295m AAA2.25 £4 YH F L P T MN 15-30kph 54 14 Oct Hebden Bridge The Hebden Bridge Starlet 10:00 Sun BP 1250m AAA1.25 £4 YH F L P T MN 15-30kph Peak Audax Winston Plowes, PO Box 759 Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire HX7 8WJ 100 20 Oct Chailey, East Sussex Mid Sussex Hilly 08:30 Sat BP 108km 1600m AAA1.5 £5.00 F L P R T 40 (10/10) 12.5-25kph 100 20 Oct Chailey, East Sussex Mid Sussex Olympic 08:30 Sat BP 108km 2012m AAA2 £5 F L P R T 40 (12/10) 12.5-25kph San Fairy Ann CC 01342 314437 malinseastg(remove this)@tiscali dot co dot uk Martin Malins, 64 Blount Avenue East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 IJW 200 20 Oct Corwen The Barmouth Boulevard 08:00 Sat BR 204km 3450m AAA3.5 £4.50 PRT50 (16/10) 15-30kph 100 20 Oct Corwen The Brenig Bach 08:30 Sat BP 107km 1920m AAA2 £4.50 PRT50 (16/10) 12.5-25kph 60 20 Oct Corwen The Bala mini- Bash 09:00 Sat BP 1000m £4.50 P R T 50 (16/10) 12.5-25kph Chester & N. Wales CTC dmanu@fsmail.net ROA 3000 David Matthews, Hill View Cottage Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG 200 20 Oct Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick’s Autumnal Outing 07:00 Sat BR 206km 2350m £4.00 c l p r t nm 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net ROA 10000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 150 20 Oct Trowell, West of Nottingham An Autumn Day Out 08:15 Sat BP 153km 1135m £5.00p L P R T(80) 15-30kph Nottinghamshire CTC 0115 932 9978 Mark Chambers, 62 Queens Avenue Hallam Fields Ilkeston Derbys DE7 4DJ

Arrivée Spring 2012

55 AU

DAX UK

auk calendar Denmead, Nr Portsmouth Wylye and Ebble Valley BR £5-00 L P R T M (12/10) 15-30kph HampshirE R C paul.whitehead@mypostoffice.co.uk Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR

110 27 Oct 09:00 Sat ROA 3000

Bolsover Colourful Clumber BP 111km £5.00 L P R T (100) 15-30kph Bolsover & District CC 01246 825 351 matt.connley@talktalk.net Matt Connley, 7 Eskdale Close Bolsover Chesterfield S44 6RL

100 09:00

28 Oct Sun

Bovey Tracey The Dartmoor Devil @ 9 BP 106km 2500m AAA2.5 £8.00 F P R T M 100 (17/10) 12.5-25kph

100 28 Oct 08:00 Sun ROA 2000

Bovey Tracey The Dartmoor Devil @ 8 BP 106km 2500m AAA2.5 £8.00 F P R T M 100 (17/10) 12.5-25kph CTC Devon 01626 833 749 Kevin Presland, c/o 35 Clarendon Rd Ipplepen Newton Abbot Dev TQ12 5QS

200 03 Nov 07:30 Sat

Cholsey, E of Didcot Upper Thames BR 212km 1943m £5.00 L P R T M 15-30kph Reading DA 01491 651 284 philipmdyson@btinternet.com Phil Dyson, 25 Papist Way Cholsey Wallingford Oxon OX10 9LL

200 03 Nov 07:00 Sat ROA 3000

Coryton, NW Cardiff Transporter 200 BR 202km £8.00 YH L P R T 50 15-30kph Cardiff Byways CC 02920 341768 evansrichardd@googlemail.com Richard Evans, 73 Conway Road Cardiff CF11 9NW

100 10 Nov 09:00 Sat

Alfreton BP 108km £4.50 L P R T M 100 14-28kph Alfreton CTC Ian Hobbs, 26 Naseby Road Openwoodgate Belper DE56 0ER

100 10 Nov 09:00 Sat Updated

Catherington, near Portsmouth Whitchurch Winter Wind-down 100 BP 106km £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph Hantspol CC jondse@ntlworld.com Jonathan Ellis, 42 Wessex Road Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 0HS

100 10 Nov 09:00 Sat ROA 5000

Hellesdon, nr Norwich The Norfolk Nips - 1 BP £5 LPRT(150) 15-30kph NorfolknGood Audax sandk.tandem@btinternet.com Keith Harrison, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU

200 10 Nov 07:00 Sat Change of Date ROA 10000

Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick’s Cyrch Cymru BR 209km 2200m £4.00 c p r t nm 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ

200 08:00

Cheadle, Stockport BR 210km 800m £5.00 P R T M 60 (26/10) 15-30kph

11 Nov Sun

To the Races

Eureka!

160 11 Nov Cheadle, Stockport Cheshire Safari 08:30 Sun BP 570m £5.00 P R T M 60 (21/10) 12.5-25kph Peak Audax Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Ave Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ

200 16 Nov Anywhere Dinner Dart ::::: Fri BR £4.00 Hotel at finish 14.3-30kph 200 17 Nov Llandrindod Wells After Dinner Dart ::::: Sat BR £4.00 Hotel at start 14.3-30kph AUK 0161 449 9309 sheila@aukadia.net ROA 25000 Sheila Simpson, 33 Hawk Green Road Hawk Green Marple SK6 7HR 200 25 Nov Petworth, W Sussex Petworth - Sutton Scotney 200 08:00 Sun BR £4.00 P T R X (500) 15-30kph 100 25 Nov Petworth, W Sussex The Triple H (Hudsons Henjoyable Hundred 100 09:00 Sun BP 103km 660m [1050m] £8.00 F T P (15/11) 500 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 Dave Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 6LG 200 01 Dec Little Kimble, Buckinghamshire The South Bucks Winter Warmer 08:00 Sat BR 204km 1320m [1290m] £5.00 L P R T X 100 15-30kph S. Bucks DA Terry Lister, 4 Abbey Walk Great Missenden Bucks HP16 0AY 50 02 Dec Carharrack, Cornwall Ed’s Mince Pie & Mulled Wine 50 10:00 Sun BP £3.50 F L P R T (85) 10-25kph Audax Kernow 01326 373421 angells@talktalk.net Eddie Angell, 14 Belhay Penryn Cornwall TR10 8DF 200 08 Dec Tewkesbury Kings, Castles, Priests & Churches 07:30 Sat BR 202km 2550m AAA1.75 [1800m] £4.00 f l p r t nm 100 15-25kph BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 ybgirkram@talktalk.net ROA 10000 Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ 200 09 Dec Hailsham, E Sussex Hailsham - Folkestone 200 08:00 Sun BR 205km £4.00 P R X (500) 15-30kph 100 09 Dec Hailsham, E Sussex Hailsham - Rye 100 09:00 Sun BP 103km 1000m £5.00 P R (4/12) 500 15-30kph David Hudson ROA 25000 David Hudson, 151 Middle Road Shoreham by Sea West Sussex BN43 6LG 100 15 Dec Hellesdon, nr Norwich The Norfolk Nips - 2 09:00 Sat BP £5 LPRT(150) 15-30kph NorfolknGood Audax sandk.tandem@btinternet.com ROA 5000 Keith Harrison, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU 200 19 Jan Chalfont St Peter The Willy Warmer 08:00 Sat BR 213km £6 L P R T M 75 15-30kph Willesden CC paudax@gmail.com Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN 100 19 Jan Hellesdon, nr Norwich The Norfolk Nips - 3 09:00 Sat BP £5 LPRT(150) 15-30kph NorfolknGood Audax sandk.tandem@btinternet.com ROA 5000 Keith Harrison, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU 100 09 Mar Alfreton, NW of Nottingham Three Fields 09:00 Sat BP 104km 1270m £5.00 L P R T 100 12-30kph AlfretonCTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk ROA 5000 Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP

Up the Uts 200

Photos: Peter Faulks

200 21 Oct 07:30 Sun

Adam Haigh, Up the Uts 200

Arrivée Spring 2012 AU

DAX UK