Arrivée 137 Summer 2017 by Audax UK

137 • summer 2017

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the members' magazine of Audax UK

Audax UK

the long-distance cyclists’ association

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Welcome to the summer 2017 issue of Arrivée This edition of Arrivée has been held back a bit in order to include some content from the London-Edinburgh-London event. We were lucky enough to have Ivo Miesen on the ride and he found time to frame some excellent photographs – (see pages 28-33). Many thanks Ivo. You will probably notice that we have also refreshed the look of the magazine – so, whether you love it or hate it, we really want to hear your reactions. Please feel free to send your comments to gedlennox@me.com, and we will publish them in the next issue, positive or negative... Personal thanks go to our summer edition editor David Kenning for his valliant work under huge pressure, taking on the new project with skill and enthusiasm. Ged Lennox

INSIDE ISSUE 137 AUK reunion 2017

Just a sec

It's been a long road… 06 Headwinds and hills

Whither AAA

Champagne and the FBI 14

Front cover Early morning northern light on the LEL…

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Mosstrooper 300

A grand National

Dorset coast 200

From Tring to the Tourmalet

Vacancy for Membership Secretary Audax UK will be looking for a new Membership Secretary at the next AGM in February, as the present incumbent, in post since 2009, will not be restanding. Could this be a job for you? Audax UK has a membership of over 7000 and growing. You will be responsible for enrolments, membership renewals, and maintaining the membership data, with the help of a team of Delegates. You will create the quarterly mailing lists for Arrivée, and create lists of email addresses for AGM notices and voting. You will be a Long-Distance Cycling enthusiast, willing to share that enthusiasm with new members and existing members alike, answering queries about membership benefits via email, the AUK Forum, or even (very occasionally) by post. You’ll be reporting membership trends both to the Board and the general Membership. You will need access to email, broadband and the AUK Forum, and be able to attend four Board meetings

Vacancy for Finance Director each year, normally held in Birmingham on a Wednesday, as well as the AGM. There will also be the occasional tele-conferences with your Board colleagues. This is an exciting time to become involved, as Audax UK is currently working towards a major refresh of the website, which is intended to automate a lot of the current manual operations. The existing Membership Secretary is willing to help during the transition period if required. Audax UK would welcome interest from male and female candidates equally. If you would like any further details about the duties and responsibilities involved please contact current Membership secretary Mike Wigley, email: membership@audax.uk If you decide that this position could be for you, please get in touch with either Audax UK Chair Chris Crossland email: chair @audax.uk Tel:01422 832853 or Audax UK Secretary Graeme Provan email: secretary@audax.uk

London-Edinburgh-London 2017

It's the ride analytic

Bois Ocaud de Printemps

Mileater diaries

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Product review – Lumotech IQ-X 100 45 Chevy Chase 200

Don't keep to the road…

A day at the Eureka Café

AUK calendar

Wiggy Spring 100

Audax UK invites applications for the post of Finance Director. This will involve managing all aspects of AUK's finances including continuing development of our accounting and ecommerce processes, and generally "looking after the books". AUK's book keeping is contracted out to a paid book keeper and the Finance Director manages the relationship with this firm. The Finance Director currently sits on the IT Refresh Project Board and provides supervision for the IT Manager running the project to deliver our new public facing website and back office administration systems Relevant accounting qualifications and experience are a pre-requisite for this Board position. Anybody interested in this position should contact Audax UK Chair Chris Crossland. Email: chair@audax.uk Tel: 01422 832853 Post: 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 1EF

www.aukweb.net

AUDAX UK REUNION 2017

Audax UK Reunion 2017 This year's reunion takes place on the 3rd-5th November at The Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells. It's a fantastic location in mid-Wales, accessible by train for those not riding or with access to drive As well as the usual Dinner Darts to the Reunion we will be organising a group Dart again from Bristol should any riders wish to join us. If other clubs are interested in setting up group darts to the event please get in touch and we can put a list together. There is opportunity to explore The National Cycle Museum – http://www.cyclemuseum.org.uk/ as well as Llandrindod Wells and the surrounding areas. The schedule for the weekend is: FRIDAY Dart riders and guests will be arriving in the afternoon early evening. The cycle museum will be open from 10-4pm if you would like to visit. Evening Meal available, social meet and drinks in the bar. A selection of Cycle/Audax Films for your entertainment in the evening. SATURDAY Breakfast followed by a choice of 50km or 100km social rides. Souvenir Brevet cards for all riders. We are hoping the Cycle Museum may be able to open up specially for us and will keep you posted on this... An open session in the afternoon where members can send in questions or comments for the board or come on the

day, as well as a session where we debate potential or actual motions in advance of the AGM. In the evening we will have the Dinner and Awards Presentation featuring Guest Speaker Jack Thurston the Author of “Lost Lanes”. SUNDAY Breakfast and farewell as the Reunion comes to a close and Dart riders and guests depart. Booking and Prices Online booking will again be available soon via a link on the AUK website including up to date information on any changes to the schedule. The Metropole is an accessible 4* Hotel with a Spa, full details at – https://www.metropole.co.uk/ Prices are inclusive of 3 course Fri. meal and Sat. Awards meal when accommodation is booked: ● £70 pppn single room ● £60 pppn double or twin room ● Sat meal only £20 tbc. (no accom.) Paul Rainbow reunion@audax.uk – 07969 901 090 Reunions Organiser

Obituary: Shelagh Hargraves 2nd January 1943–23rd March 2017 by Edwin Hargraves Shelagh was born in Liverpool, but moved to Barry, South Wales, when she was eight. In 1969, when Shelagh was working as a secretary for Western Welding in Barry, Dave Beech, organiser of the WCA 12hr, asked her, ‘You can type, can’t you?’ This was the start of her involvement in cycling. Later, her work in cycling as an administrator led to her appointment as South Wales District Secretary to the Road Time Trials Council (RTTC). Shelagh rode with Cardiff 100 Miles RCC, occasionally meeting Edwin and in the summer of 1984, Edwin went to help Shelagh with preparations for the WCA 12hr. This was the start of their friendship but Shelagh was really only interested in Edwin’s trike and started to master the skills of trike riding. This led to a weekend away at Warwick for the TA dinner and on the return journey, Edwin proposed. They married in August 1985. Shelagh’s involvement in cycling admin increased over the following years, promoting many events for the Welsh Cycling Association. ln l986, Shelagh started stoking a tandem trike (WAG Onslow’s old machine) with Edwin and a new machine was purchased from George Longstaff the following year. 4

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In 1995, Shelagh became the first woman elected to the RTTC National Committee, on which she served for five years, and in 2000 was awarded the RTTC Badge of Honour for outstanding service. Over the next few years, Shelagh stood down from her administrative roles as she started to develop the symptoms of a neurological condition. In September 2005, as Shelagh’s condition became more noticeable, Edwin took early retirement and they moved to Wem in September 2006. They explored the lanes of North Shropshire on a new tandem tricycle, amassing 39,000 miles over the next 10 years. After a bout of flu took a more serious turn, Shelagh died peacefully at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at the age of 74 on Thursday 23rd March 2017, with Edwin by her side. Mike Wigley adds: Shelagh was much appreciated as a member of AUK and attended many reunions. She played an important part in putting on AUK events from Wem with Edwin, such as the various Rivers Rides. She was often seen encouraging AUK members through the night on the Mersey Roads 24 Hour Time Trial.

JUST A SEC… with Graeme Provan, General secretary, Audax UK

Just a sec…

Elsewhere in this issue (and no doubt in the one to follow), you will find reports from riders and volunteers on their experiences of LEL 2017. This really is AUK’s blue riband event, a point which was brought home to me as I watched the international field departing Loughton for their adventure. That is just one side of this massive event however. During my time helping at Great Easton, I saw something of the huge volunteer effort that goes into making LEL a reality. It really does say something incredibly positive about our association that we are able to stage an event of this size whilst relying so heavily on volunteer time. Special mention has to be made of the core team of Danial Webb, Roger Fortis and Phil Whitehurst. Their dedication to the event lasts for years not months or days and we owe them and their teams of controllers and volunteers a debt of gratitude. With LEL out of the way, we are still left with a very full calendar of events taking us to the end of the season and beyond. It is also the time of year when attention must be turned to the Reunion and AGM.

AGM

The AGM will take place in Birmingham on 10 February. The formal notice and instructions for those wishing a postal pack will be published in the next issue of Arrivée.

REUNION

Paul Rainbow and Mark Gibson have been working hard in preparation for this year’s reunion which will take place in Wales on the weekend of the 3-5 November. I will not

steal any more of their thunder so look out for further details online and in Arrivée.

BOARD MEETING

Our latest board meeting took place on the 17th of July. The meeting included an annual review of incidents that had occurred during AUK events over a 12 month period. The highlights of that review are set out in this issue. We also had a report from our IT manager, Richard Jennings, on our new website. He reported that his hardworking delegates had brought the specification to a point where a supplier could be appointed, which is a real milestone in the project. As usual, you can find the minutes of the meeting and copies of the directors’ reports in the official section of Aukweb.

CTT

At the recent board meeting it was resolved that AUK should become an affiliated member of Cycling Time Trials, the national governing body for time trials. Whilst AUK promotes noncompetitive long distance cycling, it has long supported the Mersey 24 time trial and would like its members to be able to enter time trial events as AUK members.

UAF

It was also resolved that AUK should apply for affiliation with the Union des Audax Francais (“UAF”).

At present, AUK is affiliated with the Audax Club Parisien (“ACP”) and will continue to be so as that is the body which organises PBP. The UAF organises a different style of Brevet, more common in France, where rides take place in groups with group leaders. It also organises its own version of PBP on that same group basis. Our newest non-executive director, Dave Minter, has ridden several of these events in France and elsewhere and hopes to organise the first UK UAF brevet within the next 12 months or so. More detailed information will follow in a future edition.

VACANCIES Owing to pressure of work, our Financial Director, Paul Salmons, has been forced to resign his post. During Paul’s time as FD he has streamlined the role and introduced procedures that will make life far easier for those that follow. This is a role that should ideally be filled now by board appointment, with formal election to follow at the next AGM. Our membership secretary, Mike Wigley, has indicated that he will not stand for re-election at the next AGM. Mike has developed a smooth system for dealing with membership applications and renewals but feels that it is time to make way for some new blood. There are adverts for both roles in this edition and on the website.

AUK – INCIDENT REPORT Period Covered: 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2017 During the above period I received a total of 66 reports from the validation team.

ANALYSIS

A good number of the 49 riders who were reported as having minor injuries were subsequently able to complete their rides. Of the 17 riders with reported major injuries, the causes were as follows: ● Rider Error – 8 (3 x 100km, 5 x 200km) ● Third Party – 2 (1 x 100km, 1 x 300km) ● Road Condition – 2 (1 x 100km) (1 x 300km) ● Weather – 4 (2 x 100km, 1 x 200km, 1 x 600km) ● Equipment – 1 (1 x 100km) In line with the numbers involved, the greatest concentration of incidents is in events of 200km or less. When I first started the analysis, I included columns for tiredeness and for

physical issues as causal factors. Neither was cited as the cause of any of the incidents. On the longer events it seems to be weather that becomes the predominant factor, (in rides of 300km and above weather accounts for 6 out of 17 reports and 1 out of the 3 major incidents, in shorter rides it accounts for 12 out of 49 reports). Looking at the recommendations from organisers, these are predominantly that no changes are required.

ACTION POINTS

We have already undertaken the principal action point that had been identified; reporting major incidents immediately online. This system appears to be working well. The incident form itself seems to be fit for purpose and able to cope with the different approaches adopted by various organisers. We have also adopted a health and safety policy during this period and I do not see any need to make any changes to it.

CONCLUSION Any exercise like this only provides a snapshot of a particular period of time. It will therefore be interesting to see what a review of 12 months following the end of this period will bring. Any incident, particularly where there are major injuries, should be taken seriously but it does seem that the number of incidents relative to the number of riders that participate in our calendar events is low. There were no claims against AUK’s insurance policy during the period. The absence of any clear trends towards any particular distance or causal factor suggests that there are no significant areas of concern but the steps we are taking should reassure our members that we are not being complacent about health and safety matters. www.aukweb.net

RIDE REPORT THE BRYAN CHAPMAN MEMORIAL

A decade on from his first 100km, David Dyer attempts to join the ranks of Audax UK Super Randonneurs by taking on the Welsh End-to-End

It’s been a long road… getting from there to here

EVENTBRIEF BRYAN CHAPMAN MEMORIAL – WELSH END-TO-END When… Saturday 13th May 2017 How far… 600km Starts from… Chepstow Organiser… Ritchie Trout Website… chepstowaukevent.weebly.com 6

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WORDS AND PICTURES BY DAVID DYER

David and Sarah at the start in Chepstow

So it was that in a period of exactly 10 years and 7 days, I had gone from turning up at a local café on my cheap hybrid, wondering if I could really cycle 100km, to finding myself on the outskirts of Chepstow with my cycling buddy Sarah and about 170 others, ready to take on 600km of whatever Wales could throw at us. I love the low-key nature of Audax rides and this was typified by the start. As our watches ticked by to 6am, somebody said, ‘Well, it looks like it’s 6 o’clock,’ to which another replied, ‘I suppose we can get going then?’ And off we went. After only 1.3km, I ticked off our first field of sheep – item one on the bingo card of Welsh clichés. Another sign of being in Wales is the bilingual road signs, so you soon realise that ‘Araf’ means ‘Stop’, but before long I also learned that ‘Alpacaod Un Croesi’ means ‘Alpacas Crossing’ – I am sure that will come in useful one day. It was a damp, grey start but on the first stage of long rides, groups always form on the quiet, earlymorning roads, which makes riding easier and more sociable. Among our fellow riders, we met Paul, who had ridden to the start from Windsor – as if this ride wasn’t long enough! At Aberystwyth, the sound of a hunting horn heralded the appearance of a number of huntsmen in bright red outfits… and ahead of them someone dressed as a fox! This first stage had some great hills and being in a peloton with fresh legs, they were not too challenging. We even had the thrill of approaching 70kmh as we descended to the first checkpoint and a bacon sandwich after 72km in Bronllys.

ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING…

With both the scenery and weather improving, we were enjoying the rolling green hills on the second stage to Llanidloes as a great change from our local rides around the Home Counties. It wasn’t quite so easy now that the riders had split into smaller groups, though, and I was beginning to worry that I was still feeling the effects of our 400km ride just a fortnight earlier, or the last couple of nights fitful sleep in the build-up to this ride. The third stage was much hillier, including the highest point of the route at 514m above sea level. However, the views of the rolling hills and a lake in the afternoon sunshine were absolutely stunning, and while the climbs were a challenge, the descents were great fun. Having conquered the highest climb, we were in good spirits, and a homemade sign by the side of the road near Machynlleth, saying ‘BCM Riders Go Go Go!’ also gave us a boost. The next stop was at Kings youth hostel in Dolgellau, where after a long, testing climb (why couldn’t they have built the hostel nearer the road?) we enjoyed a three-course meal of soup, couscous and apple pie. We were also able to put on extra layers for the night section, thanks to the organisers having arranged a bag drop. After crossing the small Barmouth railway bridge, the views of the coastline with miles of empty sunny beaches were superb and we could have stayed there all day. Climbing past Harlech Castle, we declined the opportunity to divert onto the UK’s steepest street (with a 40% gradient road sign) knowing that we had enough challenging climbs to come. The coastal route continued to supply superb views and the magnificent distant sight of Snowdon reminded us of what was to come. As we climbed into Snowdonia, I was starting to struggle and when Sarah pointed out our objective of the Pen-y-Pass car park, it looked a long way away, across the other side of the valley. I started to feel a pain in my left leg

and by the time we reached the top, I couldn’t have ridden an inch further. The views of Snowdonia were a great compensation, though, and we knew it was virtually all downhill to the halfway point. So after a short break, we headed down a great descent to cross the Menai Bridge into Anglesey. Baked potatoes at a scout hut and the news that Reading had drawn their play-off match at Fulham were both gratefully received.

INTO THE DARK

So far, we’d benefitted from a tailwind, dry weather and daylight, but that was about to change with the return leg to Dolgellau. We didn’t go back over Pen-y-Pass but we did have a couple of large hills to negotiate against the wind, in the dark and in heavy rain. The climbs were tough and the descents were almost as bad with the southerly winds. In fact, in the pitch black you couldn’t easily tell whether you were going up or down. To add to the surreal nature of the stage, the road was covered with frogs and newts that had emerged to take advantage of the wet weather. At one point,

TEN YEARS IN THE MAKING… David’s timeline from Audax novice to Super Randonneur 2007 I ride a sportive and a 100km Audax – which I find tough going – as training for a charity Land’s End to John O’Groats ride. 2008 Of the two, I preferred the Audax to the sportive, so I try a second 100km. 2009 I notice a local 150km Audax. That can’t be much more difficult than a 100, can it? It can! 2011 As 200km seems to be the standard Audax ride, I had better do one of those. 2013 A couple of friends suggest a 300. Well, perhaps just once… 2016 I’m persuaded that the 400 a friend is riding soon is really a very easy one… 2017 Perhaps we should try a Super Randonneur series, so that means a 600…

On the road… In the damp, grey morning, a large group makes the riding easier and more sociable

www.aukweb.net

RIDE REPORT THE BRYAN CHAPMAN MEMORIAL we passed close to the home of Sarah’s brother, but the fact that he lived up a huge hill removed any temptation to pay a visit. After 4.5 hours of battling the conditions, both very tired and struggling to think straight, there was just that one climb back up to the youth hostel, which was a real challenge at this time of night. I was given a bed in the annex and was grateful to put my head down at 2.30am… It seemed like seconds later when, at 4am, I was woken up and told it was someone else’s turn. As my replacement climbed into my bed, he did at least thank me for the fact that my bed was one of the drier ones (possibly because I was one of the few who had included pyjamas in my drop bag). Still feeling dozy, my first task was to negotiate some wooden stairs in the dark, carrying all my stuff and wearing cycle shoes. I failed miserably, missed a step and went tumbling down the stairs, banging my head into a door. Fortunately, I had already put my helmet on as it was easier than carrying it! After a few moments to recover, I picked myself up and headed to the main part of the hostel for a wonderful relaxing shower and breakfast, and a change of clothes. One unexpected thing among the breakfast options was bottles of beer, but it occurred to me that this might have been an easier way to achieve the light-headed state I was now in than cycling 375km!

remove some layers. The last stage was the longest at over 100km, with yet more challenging climbs. The first was the reverse of the speedy descent we enjoyed a day earlier, now just a long slog that had to be climbed steadily. We stopped to refuel in Abergavenny (a long-distance Audax is not complete without at least one stop for junk food on a petrol station forecourt), although my foot had developed a sharp pain, so I had to sit down, take off my shoes and socks and restore some circulation before anything else. There was just one large climb to go, but if the previous climb had been a slog, this one was literally a pain as every part of my body started to hurt in turn as we slowly made our way up. Finally, we reached the top and enjoyed a short rest, knowing we only had the final descent back into Chepstow to do. Just as we were about to set off, a couple of motorists warned us that the road had been closed further down due to a crash. What should we do? We could carry on and see if we could get around the closure, but that would run the risk of having to climb back up if we couldn’t. A look at Google maps identified some side roads we could use to cut across to the next main road and we thought this would be the less risky option. However, these ‘roads’ tuned out

to be steep dirt tracks and being forced to negotiate these when we were so close to the finish, we were really close to a sense of humour failure, especially as for the first time on the ride, we had to get off and walk up the hills. It was a stressful and arduous trek before we finally reached the main road and enjoyed the descent back into Chepstow, rolling back to the finish at 6.12pm, pleased to learn that we were among the top half of finishers.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE?

So that was our first 600km Audax. As as expected, it pushed us to our mental as much as our physical limits. It was a great route with the smooth roads, light traffic and superb scenery making a refreshing change from the roads in the Home Counties. Thanks to Ritchie Trout and all the other organisers and helpers who made the event possible. Next on the agenda for both Sarah and me are volunteer stints at LEL – it will be great to pay something back after the 35 Audaxes I’ve ridden over the past 10 years. It will also convince me that I will never want to do anything that long… Or will it?

DAY TWO – SOUTHWARD BOUND

We set off on deserted roads at 5.30am. The first stage was a straightforward 65km, but did include a climb to nearly 400m to wake us up. A second breakfast was available at the Aberhafesp control before the 50km sixth stage to Llandridnod Wells, which included another climb to 400m. We were certainly feeling the ride in our legs by now, and were also conscious that we were tired, so took the descents cautiously. Arriving at the control café, a joke from a fellow rider about it having run out of food did fall a bit flat given our tired state of mind. Fortunately, we enjoyed a great bowl of soup and some gorgeous carrot cake before setting off on the final stage, the improving weather allowing us to

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At the highest point of the ride, 512m above sea level

a stressful and arduous â?? Ittrekwasbefore we finally reached the main road and enjoyed the descent back into Chepstow, rolling back to the finish at 6.12pm, pleased to learn that we were among the top half of finishers

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Barmouth Bridge in the sunshine

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RIDE REPORT THE CAMBRIDGE PORK PIE

Returning to Cambridge for a second helping of the Pork Pie 200, John Thompson is reminded that the area isn’t quite as flat as some believe – and has a few strong words to say about it…

Headwinds and hills with expletives deleted If talking about rides involving terrain going from one extreme to the other, thoughts perhaps go to France and the flat countryside leading up to the Pyrenees. The Cambridge Pork Pie is arguably the next best thing, initially through the Fens and then suddenly into the Rutland and Leicestershire lanes where there are plenty of brutes of hills – two or three had me in my bottom gear of 34x30. And this year, organiser Nick Wilkinson had added an ‘extra slice’ of10km – with memories of 2016, I was happy to do without it. There was lovely spring weather in the days leading up to the event but it was forecast to deteriorate at the

weekend, becoming cooler, very windy and with some rain. On Friday evening, I booked into my usual guest house and wandered to The Rock pub for a meal. In view of what I was doing the next day, I decided three courses was justified. For the main course, no messing, I had the mixed grill. I also arranged for a continental breakfast to be brought to my room Friday night, to have before venturing out on Saturday, around 6.15am. The wind was already in determined mood as I made my way through Cambridge to the HQ at Girton Recreation Pavilion. Chatting to Jonathan Reed at the start, I said, ‘I don’t think you rode this event last year, did you?’ but Jonathan said, ‘I did – I remember your swearing.’

WORDS AND PICTURES BY JOHN THOMPSON

EVENTBRIEF THE CAMBRIDGE PORK PIE When… Saturday 18th March 2017 How far… 214km Starts from… Girton, Cambridge Organiser… Nick Wilkinson, Cambridge Audax Website… www.camaudax.uk Memories of the incident Jonathan was referring to came flooding back – we had met on a hill and I had commented about it. I replied, ‘It wasn’t that bad!’ – by which I meant my swearing, not the hill’s gradient. After a descent out of Girton, the cycleway to St Ives is pancake flat. Many do not like flat countryside, which can be hard against headwinds, and demoralising when you can see so far ahead, but flat countryside can have its own beauty and character. The cycleway passes three nice lakes and my ‘anorak’ instincts came to the fore when seeing the platform of a former rail station.

Joining the cycleway from Girton to St Ives

INTO THE HILLS

Riders make their final preparations for the depart

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Although we were riding into a headwind, it was not yet at its strongest, which offered some comfort. The final kilometres on the return also use the cycleway, so I found myself looking forward to a

Viaduct is the longest ❝ Welland masonry viaduct in the UK, with 82 arches and some 30 million bricks, giving a span of 1,159 metres

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The route passes through the quiet market town of Oundle

roaring tailwind finish. After St Ives, the terrain to Oundle is more undulating but still pretty gentle – apart from a 10% at around 32km, but luckily it is a descent. This leg of the ride is generally through pleasant lanes, and there is another nice descent passing through the picturesque village of Colebrook, which has a lot of flint stone cottages. In 2016, Oundle had been a ‘free’ control – or ‘DIY control’, as I call them. Nick had decided it need no longer be a control but advised refuelling there, so I stopped for an orange juice and Mars bar – and a photo, as it is another attractive town. It is after Oundle that even nicer lanes start, continuing through Northamptonshire into Rutland and Leicestershire, passing through Rockingham Forest and the Welland Valley, which brought back memories from my younger time-trialling days of

good riders in the Rockingham Forest Wheelers and Welland Valley Wheelers. The hills also start straight out of Oundle with a long drag to Southwick, and the wind was now ferocious! A water tower is passed where shortly after Nick had worked out that ‘extra slice’. I stopped for photos again at Welland Viaduct, which Nick informed me ‘is the longest masonry viaduct in the UK, with 82 arches and some 30 million bricks, giving a span of 1,159 metres’.

into the lane, the hill ❝ Oncanturning be seen looming and against the wind, my thought was, ‘Not again!’

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The toughest of the hills are mostly around Harringworth, Seaton and Manton, but there’s a niggling one at around 100km, into Burton Lazars, within about 5km of Melton Mowbray. On turning into the lane, the hill can be seen looming and against the wind, my thought was, ‘Not again!’ I was pleased Jonathan was not with me!

LUNCH WITH A WARNING

I arrived in Melton Mowbray at about 2pm, 48 minutes before cut-off time. Considering the strength of the headwind, I felt pleased, knowing it would now be predominantly a strong tailwind, and I figured I should finish in a respectable time – little did I know! I was joined by others in the café, and reassured them that the route back did not include climbing the 10%. However, when one commented his understanding was that the return route goes round the hills, I opted to keep quiet rather than say, ‘I’ve got bad news for you.’ After a toasted sandwich and an ice cream, it was now time to savour that tailwind. Immediately after leaving Melton Mowbray, the route turns onto a stretch of NCN 64, along a bridleway through rolling Leicestershire countryside. The first of the two or three hills I needed bottom gear for was into Knossington. Initially, it took me by surprise. I had been psyching myself up for ‘swearing hill’ and thought I had come to it sooner than expected, but soon realised I had not. Did I have to use the small ring for this hill in 2016, never mind the largest sprocket? My feeling was that I did not, which was disheartening because I thought I was getting fitter! The next brute was near Uppingham. Was this ‘swearing hill’? If so, I was www.aukweb.net

RIDE REPORT THE CAMBRIDGE PORK PIE climbing it better this time… but I was pretty sure the route went straight across the junction at the top of ‘swearing hill’, whereas here it turned right. Around 6km later I proved myself right to have been doubtful. ‘Swearing hill’ is just after Bisbrooke and climbs to a crossroads with the A47. I don’t know that I climbed it better than in 2016 but perhaps I didn’t find it as hard, if that makes sense!

ADDING SOME EXTRA MILES

Disaster struck in Bulwick at about 144km. The instruction was to turn left at a NCN sign, the problem being it was pointing straight on. I carried straight on and soon found myself at a T-junction with the A43 and no NCN sign. My sense of direction told me if I turned left onto the A43, I should soon see a sign for Oundle… I didn’t! There were two lanes I suspected would get me there but it was not on the signposts, and without a map I did not want to risk it. When I saw ‘Welcome to Corby’ I decided it was beyond a joke and the only thing I could do was retrace to Bulwick and ask directions. Several kilometres on a busy main road for nothing, and the time lost meant I would be pushed to finish in time. It’s a good job Jonathan did not hear that swearing! In Bulwick, I asked a local lady if she could point me in the direction of Oundle – it became clear I should have turned left along the lane where the NCN sign indicated straight on, and as I was talking to her, I had to discipline myself not to say those swear words out loud! Looking at my watch in Oundle and seeing 6.40pm, I shook my head despairingly. The total distance of 214km meant a finish closing time around 10.10pm, so I consoled myself I could still finish by then. It was tempting to keep riding but sense told me I needed a short stop and replenishment. I saw another rider outside a store who asked if I had seen a rider whom he had been with for a while – it was at least nice to know there was someone behind me. After an isotonic drink and sandwich pack it was along roads I was pretty familiar with but not completely and it would be mostly in the dark. Ironically, I

with another rider ❝ Iwhocaughtwasupintensely studying the route sheet. It was reassuring it was not just me who was having difficulty

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The pretty village of Histon

was fine in the lanes but had difficulty in Huntingdon, losing more time asking directions and coming back on myself. Eventually, I found my way to St Ives, where I caught up with another rider who was intensely studying the route sheet. It was reassuring it was not just me who was having difficulty, and I was even more reassured when he told me he had made the same mistake at Bulwick. From our conversation, I guessed he was the person the rider at Oundle had asked about, so goodness knows how he got ahead of me. I said, ‘I think we need to turn left.’ Yes, you’ve guessed, we should have turned right! After losing yet more time, we were back on the cycleway. In the circumstances, the 16.7km of cycleway again seemed a long way but at least we were still savouring the strong tailwind and I was pleased with how good I felt.

HOME AT LAST

I arrived at the HQ at the ridiculously late time of 22.40, well outside the time limit, but despite the late hour, Nick was very helpful getting a chair and table out for me while his wife made sure I had enough tea and food. (Incidentally, I was not the last to finish – one rider phoned Nick to advise he had stopped at a pub in St Ives!) Suitably refreshed, I made my way back

through to my guest house. Even though it was after midnight before I got to bed, I woke just after 6am on Sunday, feeling fully awake. For my day-after ‘spin the legs’ ride, I retraced past the event HQ and on to the picturesque village of Histon, where I spent a few minutes taking photos before returning via Milton to Cambridge and the station. As expected, as soon as I sat down on the train, my eyes closed! For next year, I think I now have the route to memory, though I still have some doubt about St Ives. Some might tell me I should learn my Garmin better, but my observation is that there is no shortage of riders who still go wrong with them. I’ve previously joked that a better name for the Pork Pie might be Cambridge Mugs/Suckers because of the false sense of security some might get from Cambridgeshire being flattish. I don’t think anyone was seriously under any illusion.

DIDYOUKNOW… Melton Mowbray is famous for its tasty, pastry-covered block of jellyenshrined meat, but what makes it distinctive is the sides, which are bow-shaped as they are baked free standing, whereas most other pork pies are straight-sided being baked in hoops

Whither AAA? Peter Lewis gives us an update on technological developments in data collection and assessment for climbing awards Audax UK’s AAA (Audax Altitude Award) has seen a number of changes over its 32 year history, some not universally welcomed by all but characterised, especially in recent years, by a significant growth in the number of rides submitted for AAAssessment. Much of that growth has been driven by the ever-increasing number of DIY rides, coupled with the now almost ubiquitous use of GPS. We’ve been fortunate in recent times to have had a curator for the scheme with the skills to deal with the technology, along with the enthusiasm and the time to deal with the increase; and at the same time to bring AAA from the periphery of our world into something that now seems to be an integral part of Audax UK. All good things come to an end and as many of you will be aware Steve Snook has now retired from his duties with our grateful thanks for all his hard work. Despite an already large workload as Brevet Card Secretary, Oliver Iles, one of only five riders to have achieved over 200 AAA points in a season, has been persuaded to step into the breach. In parallel, a number of members have been working on tools to automate the process of determining the altitude gain in order to produce a base for the allocation of AAA points. Most of these have been based on automated contour counting because the very time-consuming method contour counting on a paper Ordnance Survey map was always held to be the “goldstandard”. For a number of technical reasons outside the scope of this article, none of these contour-counting tools was felt by Steve to give a satisfactory result. Members interested in understanding more about this can find Steve’s comments in the AAA section of the AUK website. This leaves Oliver, after discussion with Steve, relying on the ‘least-worst’ third-party site for determination of ascent. Those familiar with the evolution of Google Maps will know of the dangers of relying on third-party tools so this is unsatisfactory in the long-term, not to mention the tedious and sometimes lengthy task of

turning metres of ascent for all or part of a ride into number of points. AUK members are nothing if not inventive however, as well as possessing an extraordinary array of skill-sets, and we are now testing a prototype tool that looks, not at the contours, but at the ups and downs imposed on a twodimensional gpx track as it passes across a three-dimensional landscape. From there, if the entire track is sufficiently hilly, AAA points are calculated directly. If not, successively shorter segments are examined to gauge their AAA-worthiness. In simple terms: gpx track in, AAA points out – a huge saving in human resources. For those with a more technical interest it will use (in the UK) the Ordnance Survey Terrain 50 database and bi-cubic interpolation to get elevations at sample points along the track. We’re still fine-tuning the sample interval so that the number of points output matches historically assigned points values as closely as possible – but it’s already clear that there will be differences on individual routes. Some routes will gain a few points or fractions of points, others will lose. There will even be cases where the software picks up previously un-noticed segments to give points to routes that didn’t have them before and there will be cases where routes previously held to be AAA are no longer so. Doubtless such cases will generate some lively debate on our forum and in other places too, but on average, over the course of a season or even just a few rides, members will likely amass a similar number of AAA points. One part of this that is still “to be decided” is what will happen outside the reach of Ordnance Survey coverage. Although the quality of publicallyavailable SRTM data has improved dramatically it is not clear that it can give results which are compatible with those from OS data. Especially in mountainous regions such as the Alps and Pyrenees, which are popular with UK cyclists, the results can be at odds with those calculated from known col heights. Given that the number of claims for AAA points on rides beyond these shores is very low, one possible option might be to make AAA a UK-rides-only scheme, and to point riders of foreign slopes towards OCD.

Laid Back Around The World in 180 days by Rich Evans An epic tale of circumnavigation From the vast deserts of Kazakhstan to the Pyrenees via the monsoons of Southeast Asia, the Australian Nullarbor, the Canadian Rockies and Great Lakes, this is the epic tale of Laid Back Rich’s 2014 circumnavigation by recumbent. Averaging around 1,000km per week, Richard shared cratered highways with speeding juggernauts, faced freezing nights, scorching days and headwinds which blew him off the road. Having lost 7kg in the first seven weeks and with 19 weeks still to go, it was important to stabilise the weight loss. A cure was found in beer and dumplings. Roads varied erratically from freshly tarmacked highways of international standard one minute to heavily rutted dirt tracks the next, where all evidence of any rideable surface had long since disappeared. He was propelled by countless acts of spontaneous generosity by benevolent locals interested in where he was from, where he was going and how old he was (52½). And one proposal of marriage. Richard finished at BikeFix in London, having ridden 23,000km across 18 countries and four continents. The only aggression he’d faced had been from motorists, and to a lesser extent from dogs – but he had his own special way of dealing with them... ● Royalties to RoadPeace – looking after bereaved and injured from road crashes, and campaigning for safer streets. Road crashes kill 1.3 million people worldwide every year – almost three times more than die from malaria. ● Buy it now for £6.95 from Amazon – tinyurl.com/hgrr48g

● This article will also appear on the AUK forum and members are invited, encouraged even, to post their views on the subject. 13

RIDE REPORT CHAMPAGNE AND THE FBI

WORDS AND PICTURES BY KEN JESSETT

Champagne and the FBI A 200km randonnée in Texas turns into an eventful night complete with police chase!

To commemorate the last Paris-BrestParis, the local randonneuring club in southeast Texas staged their own ride, setting off at midnight, at the exact same time as PBP was starting in Paris. Starting west of Houston, the 200km route took us to Fayetteville, a small town with a German/Czech-era gazebo in the market square, where a proper Parisian feast was laid on at the turn-around point. And what a terrific spread it was. Sandwiches, French pastries, pickles, chips, coffee, brie… did I miss out anything? Oh, yes, the chocolate milk. It was all superb. Also along the route was a small vineyard where a table had been set up outside, with champagne and cheeses on the menu. Our toast to PBP in the midst of the Texas countryside, with the buzzards doing their ominous circular dance of death in the

A table had been set up outside ❝ a vineyard, with champagne and cheeses. Our toast to PBP in the midst of the Texas countryside, with buzzards circling above, was surreal

❞ skies above, was surreal, especially as none of us could speak any French other than ‘Bonjour’, even though it was the wrong time of day for that greeting. I wasn’t able to eat much of the feast laid on at the gazebo because I cannot absorb solid foods on my rides (yay for the chocolate milk), so I left the revellers and set off alone into the gathering gloom. On the way to the small Czech village of Mentz, deer were everywhere – clearly exulting in the

excitement going on 5,000 miles to the east – and I frequently had to veer or brake as they clattered in their high heels across the road. Further on, I crashed – nothing to do with the champagne, honestly! It was on a long, winding section of forest road and I thought I saw bike lights following me, so turned to see who it was, but it was just some of those phantom lights one sees so often in the early hours of a morning when riding alone. I veered off onto the verge, then back onto the gravel and smashed sideways onto the road. Cuts on one knee, elbow, thigh and hand, and the chain came off too – but no real harm done. The real excitement of the night, though, was just about to unfurl…

Further on, I crashed – nothing ❝ to do with the champagne, honestly! I thought I saw bike lights following me, but it was just some of those phantom lights one sees so often in the early hours of a morning when riding alone, and I veered off the road

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A BRUSH WITH THE LAW

Riding along a rutted rural lane at about 2am, an SUV slowed to a crawl alongside me and two roughlooking occupants gave me the once over. I thought, ‘OK, here we go – a lone cyclist out in the early hours in the middle of nowhere, and some rednecks thinking, “Let’s have some fun with this Lycrawearing pansy.”’ Somewhat unnerved, I continued riding and called out to them as they made obstreperous noises in my direction. The female passenger then screamed, ‘Stop, FBI!’ I thought, ‘Sure you are,’ and shouted back at them, ‘If you don’t go away, I’ll call the police,’ which was a pretty hollow threat as I’d left my phone back in the car.

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The SUV then raced Here I am, dressed in ahead and I thought, skintight shorts and flashy OK, the drunks have decided to leave me green jersey, on a bike with alone and go look for lights blazing – what criminal other prey, only for it on the run would go around to stop in my path, the driver getting dressed like that? out and coming at me. I shouted, ‘I’ve called the police!’ and the guy said, ‘We are the police!’ Well, I had no phone and there were two of them, so I did what one is advised to do when confronted with fake cops, and that was to hightail it to a lighted area. There was a well-lit house just ahead, so I tore into the driveway, rode up to the porch and started ringing the bell and hammering like a demented person on the front door. But the ‘cops’ followed me up the drive, then the was extremely irate woman jumped out and started – I suspect she had been screaming, ‘FBI, get your *$#@* over here!’ watching too many cop shows on TV and I was by now convinced they must thought this is how she was supposed to have been a couple of crooks, because behave, all tough and gritty. aren’t the police supposed to be polite? Anyway, I shouted back at her (it was NOT SO WANTED AFTER ALL pure adrenaline), ‘Show me your badge!’ At this stage of the show, I was beginning Her compatriot had also dragged to give her the benefit of the doubt, and himself out of the car by now and came said, ‘How did I know who you were? We menacingly towards me, at which point I cyclists get hassled all the time out here, noticed they were both armed with hip and who would expect FBI agents to be holsters – though this being Texas, where out on a quiet country lane?’ guns are like pacifiers, that was not all Her colleague relaxed a bit and said to that surprising. her, ‘He isn’t who we are looking for, let’s I again demanded, ‘Show me your go.’ So I asked, ‘Who are you looking for?’ badge,’ at which point she became almost and he said they had shut the entire park berserk, and screamed, ‘I showed you my area down and were looking for a badge twice out there on the road!’ dangerous criminal escaped from a Trying to diffuse the situation – penitentiary in Alabama! because that’s what they say you should I didn’t say it but I thought, ‘Right! Here I am, dressed in skintight shorts and do when faced with the criminally insane flashy green jersey, on a bike with a with guns – I told her I hadn’t seen it. At helmet light blazing plus a rear flashing this, she grabbed open her waistcoat to red light, two head lights, a red light on expose a badge on her belt, while also the back of my saddle bag, and a red fingering her gun at the same time. She

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flashing light on my rear seatstay. What criminal on the run would go around dressed like that? The woman still hadn’t had enough but the guy told her they had to go, so she reluctantly took herself off with a parting, ‘You should go home, there’s a dangerous guy out here.’ No kidding – and not just a guy! ‘Are you going to follow me out to the main road for protection then?’ I asked. I thought it was the least they could do, seeing how co-operative I had been, but no such luck and after they left, I pedalled off. Further along, a sheriff’s cruiser drew up alongside and the cop gave me a long look. I told him I’d already had a nice chat with the FBI and I wasn’t the guy they were looking for. He gave me a quizzical look as if to say, ‘Huh?’ then drove off. What a night! I’d have been better off in Paris, but then I would have missed meeting my new friends in the FBI. Nice to know though they are out there keeping us safe, even if they do seem to be somewhat disconnected.

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PHOTO REPORT MOSSTROOPER 300

PICTURES BY DALE RAMAGE • INSTAGRAM: @OVERHIMAVANT

EVENTBRIEF THE MOSSTROOPER When… Sunday 6th May 2017 How far… 300km Starts from… Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Organiser… Aidan Hedley, Tyneside Vagabonds CC Website… northern-audax.org.uk

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Aidan Hedley and Judith Swallow on board Rufus the Tandem Trike

Steve Gee of VC167

Alan Picken of West Lothian Clarion

Mosstrooper 300 Mosstroopers were raiders who operated in the English-Scottish borders in the mid 17th Century. This challenging ride retraces history with a scenic and hilly route across the North Pennines and into the Scottish Borders. After climbing to Muggleswick Hall near the Derwent Reservoir, the route takes you over Waskerley Common, then onto the A689 to Kilhope Cross â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which at 629 metres is the highest paved pass in England â&#x20AC;&#x201C; then over Hartside Pass. After Penrith, the route passes through Newcastleton, where Mosstroopers and Border Reivers once fought over the disputed lands between Scotland and England, before returning via Kielder Water, the largest man-made lake in England. www.aukweb.net

PHOTO REPORT MOSSTROOPER 300

Debs Goddard of VC167

Anne Young of VC167

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Mark Reed

David Handy

Russell Carson of Gala CC

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RIDE REPORT THE NATIONAL 400

WORDS BY SARAH PETERS

A grand National Converted mountain biker Sarah Peters enjoys a gastronomic tour of Wales on the National 400

As a mountain biker who took up Audax riding in October 2016, I like long rides and seeing new places, and when the National 400 turned up on my doorstep this year, I knew I had to enter it – even though my legs were still tired from riding a 24-hour solo MTB race the previous weekend. Camping at Upton Magna on Friday night, I met up with members of Four Corners Audax Club, which I joined a few months ago. This event saw the first group outing for the new club shirt designed by Paul Renshaw, so we all posed for a photo before the start.

It was a windy Saturday morning as we set off towards Ironbridge and the first control at Richards Castle, where I had scrumptious beans on toast. The route then took us southwards, bypassing Hereford. On reaching Brockhampton we were greeted by the familiar face of Mark Rigby – as well as soup followed by rice pudding. We had completed one side of a triangle and it was time to visit Wales. So off we trundled, again on lovely quiet country lanes. The scenery was beginning to change and you could see the mountains ahead. After yet more food at Builth Wells, including home-made trifle, it was on to the bit I’d been looking forward to, as the route took us through Elan Valley.

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Sarah in the Elan Valley

Members of Four Corners Audax Club show off their new club jersey

EVENTBRIEF NATIONAL 400 When… Sunday 24th June 2017 How far… 403km Starts from… Upton, nr Shrewsbury Organiser… John Hamilton, CTC Shropshire

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What is the National 400? The National 400 was devised by the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) in 1983 and was organised by them until 2005. Audax UK revived this popular event in 2012. It is intended as a gentler introduction to the longer distances with evenly spaced controls. TLC is guaranteed, with village hall controls being run by experienced AUKs, and all food is included in the entry fee. There are also normally one or more controls with sleeping facilities. The route is also designed to be relatively simple to navigate and not too demanding. ● Keep an eye on www.aukweb. net/events/nat400/ for details of the 2018 event

I took a discreet comfort break ❝ between two cars but was conscious of a buzzing noise overhead, which turned out to be a drone – so if you see someone moonlighting at the top of Elan Valley on film, it was me!

At the top, the ‘van of delights’ was waiting for us, so I had three massive slices of lemon drizzle cake and a cuppa. I took a discreet comfort making it round in time. Have you break between two cars but guessed what’s coming next? Oh yes, was conscious of a buzzing more food – two bowls of amazing soup noise overhead, which turned with bread rolls. out to be a drone – so if you We were soon up and away to see someone moonlighting at complete the third side of the triangle, the top of Elan Valley on film, and climbing to Nant y Arian, I it was me! encountered my first ever sighting of After a good break we all Audaxers in bus stops having a snooze. climbed back on our bikes with But by the summit, it was raining, so we our lights on – the night session put waterproofs on before setting off had started. I was really looking downhill. It was chucking it down, my forwards to the next bit, downhill to summer gloves were soaked and the Cwmystwyth, or so I thought. It passing lorries splashed loads of turned out to be the least spray over me. favourite part of the ride At Trefeglwys, air beds for me – a howling and blankets were headwind with what available, but I chose seemed like more not to sleep, eating uphill than down! instead (what a We eventually surprise) before rode into continuing onwards Aberystwyth just with Shaun and Ian. after midnight. I had I wanted to see if ridden 270km with a I could ride for headwind and was 24-hours without The team on the Ironbridge feeling hopeful of sleep; it turns out I can

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ride 25 hours without sleep. At one stage, I felt like I was ‘tripping’, which lasted about 20 minutes but I rode through it. I needed another comfort break and was so tired I couldn’t be bothered to find a quiet place, so I stopped in a gateway, only for Shaun and Ian to come whizzing by. I was too tired to be embarrassed but made a mental note that perhaps I should include shewee bags in my essential items to pack for an Audax. (Joke!) And now for the sad part of the day. We were about an hour from the finish when mum phoned me. Her beautiful, gentle border collie, Peg, could not stand without help and mum had made the hardest and kindest decision to let her go. I have many fond memories of Peg, so I sat with my back to the road near Minsterly and made some different kind of puddles on the ground. I dedicate my first 400km, the longest I have ridden, to her memory.

Peg, to whose memory Sarah dedicated her ride

A FINAL FEED

Back at the finish, guess what… yes, there was more food – a full English breakfast. I have lots of people to thank, mainly the guys from Four Corners Audax who supported me around the route – their company and comradeship was fantastic. I also would like to thank Oli of Overspoke Bikes, who changed my tyres late on Friday afternoon. Most of all, I would like to thank the organiser John Hamilton and his band of volunteers for organising such an amazing event. John’s wife Linda was also at the start and finish, and I’m sure I noticed her preparing food at Builth Wells too – unless she has a twin! The organisation was phenomenal and the route was brilliant – a hill in the right place to warm you up when you got cold, quiet lanes, hardly any traffic, oodles of food, splendid scenery… we had it all. It was an incredible experience which will live long in my memory. www.aukweb.net

PHOTO REPORT THE DORSET COAST 200

Dorset coast 200

PICTURES BY MIKE STOALING

The 40th edition of the Dorset Coast 200 took place on Sunday 9th April 2017. First held in 1978, it lays claim to being the longest-running Audax UK event. Mike Stoaling reports, ‘It was a fine, breezy day for a hilly, scenic and very well organised event.’

The view towards Chesil Beach from the top of Abbotsbury

EVENTBRIEF DORSET COAST 200 When… Sunday 9th April 2017 How far… 207km Starts from… Wareham, Dorset Organiser… Peter Loakes, Wessex CTC Website… dorsetaudax.org.uk

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Paul Whitehead, looking pensive as he awaits the passage of the Poole/Cherbourg Ro-ro ferry delaying our crossing

The ladies providing an excellent lunch at Axminster. Julie Beviss is on the left with her sister next to her Racheal Tattum on controller duties at Sandbanks ferry

Barry Hobbs preparing at the hall start with the thoughtfully laidon sun cream

Local residents near Abbotsbury swannery watching the passing riders while enjoying the sunshine

Annemarie and daughter Lauren at the Weymouth control

Miranda controlling at the Axminster school control

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DIY RIDE REPORT TRING TO THE TOURMALET

After disappointment on the Mille Pennines, Richard Bragg devised his own 1,000km adventure, ending with one of the mightiest challenges in the Pyrenees…

From Tring to the Tourmalet

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WORDS AND PICTURES BY RICHARD BRAGG

A year ago, I sat in Carlisle reflecting on why and how I’d dropped out of the Mille Pennines. I’d been working towards the 1000km Audax all year but relentless hills and wind on the second day took their toll and I had to pack. I spent a lovely next couple of days touring back to the start but it felt like unfinished business. Over the summer, I started looking ahead to 2017. I wanted a big Day 1… setting challenge and noticed that the Pyrenees off from Tring were about 1,000km from home – and the Col du Tourmalet in particular caught my eye. And so a challenge was born: Tring to Tourmalet. I planned the ride through the winter, settling on a route via the NewhavenDieppe ferry, across the Loire valley to the Atlantic coast, then back inland to Tarbes, The beautiful and then a day taking on the Col du Pyrenean countryside Tourmalet. As it worked out, the 1,000km Audax would be complete by Tarbes, allowing me to tackle the Tourmalet without the pressure of riding against the clock. Online tools proved invaluable in route planning, especially Strava’s heatmap feature, highlighting roads popular with cyclists. I used it to pick a route to link up with the budget F1 hotels where I planned to stop for a few hours each night. I’d been finding long rides hard on my hands, so after much dithering, I took the Being a Sunday, the lack of plunge on a set of aerobars. They took open shops was a challenge, but some getting used to but helped a lot and made the ride more comfortable. Kit-wise, I found a florist in a little village I travelled pretty light, using Alpkit bags, who kindly refilled my bidons’ with plenty of space to add extra food en-route.

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FACTFILE COL DU TOURMALET Height: 2,115m Length: 17.2km Altitude gain: 1,268m Average gradient: 7.4% Maximum gradient: 13% The Col du Tourmalet first appeared in the Tour de France in 1910 – the very first time the Tour had visited the Pyrenees. On reaching the summit, Belgian cyclist Octave Lapize turned to the race organisers, who were wating to greet the riders, and yelled, ‘Vous êtes des assassins!’ A memorial to former Tour directeur Jacques Goddet stands at the summit. At the time of writing, Tring has yet to make its debut appearance in the Tour de France.

DAY 1… TRING TO NEWHAVEN

I set off from Tring at noon on the Saturday, enjoying Andrew Broadbent’s company for the first 30 miles on familiar roads through Windsor, before continuing south to Newhaven. An uneventful day finished with fish and chips by the seaside, before trying to catch some sleep on the overnight ferry to Dieppe.

DAY 2… DIEPPE TO ANGERS

Leaving the ferry at 5.15am, just as it was getting light, I was soon out of town and into beautiful countryside. But tiredness hit and by the time I reached the Pont du Normandy, I was already a couple of hours behind schedule. The day was hot, mid-30s perhaps. Being a Sunday, the lack of open shops and restaurants would be a challenge, but amazingly, I found a florist in a little village, just closing at 4pm, who kindly refilled my bidons.

Richard’s route from his home in Hertfordshire to the top of the Pyrenees

Skirting Le Mans, I watched a distant thunderstorm but pressed on. It was approaching midnight as I reached Sable-Sur-Sarthe, still with 40km to go. This was a tough section, as I was feeling the effects of the earlier heat, but I reached my hotel just after 2am, having ridden 370km since leaving the ferry.

DAY 3… ANGERS TO BORDEAUX

After two hours’ sleep, I was on my way again. At Argenton, I found a garage/tabac and the coffee tasted divine! Shortly afterwards, though, the heavens opened and I had to endure showers for the rest of the day. I pressed on, hoping to reach Royan in time for the 7.15pm ferry across the Gironde estuary, but ended up on the final crossing of the day at 8.30pm. Another late night but at least I had caught the ferry! The next section to Bordeaux should have been easy but the tiredness got to me and the small hills felt massive. Added to this, my phone, which I was using for navigation, was refusing to charge and I would be (literally) lost without it. I did have the bonus of meeting a beaver in the road but soon I became very sleepy. When it started raining again, I grabbed 40mins sleep under cover by the roadside before forcing myself on to the hotel. Arriving at 2.30am, the next challenge was getting in! They hadn’t texted the promised entry code, and I was stuck outside, but eventually someone let me in. Phew! www.aukweb.net

DIY RIDE REPORT TRING TO THE TOURMALET DAY 4… BORDEAUX TO TARBES

Another two hours’ sleep later, I was off again. After negotiating the early Tuesday morning commuters in Bordeaux, I headed into the countryside and found a lovely tabac in Le Barp, where I discovered the delights of the Croque Madame. Continuing southeast, by mid-afternoon I was at Mont-de-Marsan. This marked the end of the Audax part of my ride – 1,000km complete with just over an hour in hand! The feeling was relief more than celebration. I still had 100km to go for the day so set off again – straight into a torrential downpour. It was as wet as anything I’ve ever cycled in, and not pleasant, the water running through the streets looking like a burst water main, but an hour later, it stopped as suddenly as it had started. I continued south and reached Tarbes by 10pm, the Pyrenees looming in the distance.

Day 3: Reaching the Atlantic coast

DAY 5… COL DU TOURMALET

Wednesday was my last day of cycling and a different challenge, heading into the mountains and the Col du Tourmalet. I met a group of British cyclists on the way up – my first English conversation since Saturday! The 16km climb was a great experience but with the weather deteriorating the higher I went. It was great to reach the top and the satisfaction of knowing I’d cycled from Tring to Tourmalet. By the time I started descending, I was wearing everything I had to stay warm. I pulled into a ski resort bar just as the heavens opened and hung around drinking coffee for an hour. It was still raining when I set off again an hour later but hot and dry again by the bottom of the descent! It had been a great adventure over the five days, but I wonder if the mental challenge is greater than the physical one? By the end, it felt as though my legs were almost getting used to it. I’d eaten mainly cold food, which may have saved me some time, but I also wasted plenty of time by faffing – and the tireder I got, the more I faffed. Something to work on for the future. The route worked well but the cross-channel ferry took a chunk of time that I would have preferred to spend in a bed! So what’s next? Happily, I don’t know yet. Some more relaxed cycling over summer then Selfie at Mont-de-Marsan, end of day 4 – see what next year brings… 1,000km Audax complete with an hour to spare! 26

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A proper cyclist’s lunch, on day 4

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PHOTO REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON

2017

PICTURES BY IVO MIESEN

1,500 riders from 54 countries took part in the gruelling 1,400km event over five days. The route took them though Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Humberside, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and the Scottish Borders and then all the way back. Ivo Miesen not only undertook this demanding ride but also managed to find time to capture an image log of the event…

EVENTBRIEF LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON When… Sunday 30th July 2017 How far… 1,441km How much climbing… 11,128m Starts from… Loughton, North London Organiser… Liam FitzPatrick and Danial Webb Website… https://londonedinburghlondon. com/ 28

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PHOTO REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON

2017

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FACTFILE LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON

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● 1,500 riders ● 10% are women ● 54 countries represented ● Riders aged 18 to 75 ● More than 400 volunteers across the country ● 35,000 meals served ● 3,000 beds available ● Facilities include showers, first aid, massages, bike repairs and drops of fresh clothes ● Minimum time 46-hours ● Maximum time 116-hours

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PHOTO REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON

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RIDE REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON 2017

WORDS BY PETER LEWIS PICTURES BY PETER LEWIS & IVO MIESEN

It’s the ride analytic… or a nerd’s approach to LEL THERE ARE TWO WAYS…

It’s all about keeping ahead of the bulge says Peter Lewis as he puts the anal into analysis with his detailed plan to crack the London-Edinburgh-London

There’s a plan, all carefully worked out on the monster spreadsheet. Actually two plans. Plan Blue is based on recent performances and should be achievable if all goes really well, although experience at over 600km is limited to LEL 2013 when a similar plan worked well for the first half and then fell apart, and PBP 2015 when it didn’t work at all. Plan Red is somewhere around that PBP experience and I know if I get significantly behind that, it’s probably time to look for a train station. The expectation is that the reality will be somewhere between the two. Plotting time-in-hand against distance travelled (which I find the most useful presentation) the two plans look like this:

Plan Blue and Plan Red

I’m at the start in plenty of time to get a last cup of tea before my group N (09:45) is called. I find a place near the front of the pen, and after a few miles I’ve been dropped by the racing snakes, but it’s not long before I’ve overtaken some L group and even K. Things settle down and I find myself in company with Anders and Ben. We work together reasonably well although Ben is too fast for me especially if the road goes up, but gravity-assisted I can soon make it back on as neither of them are particularly confident descenders; and anyway by half way to St Ives the lumps are behind us. We’re steadily overtaking riders from earlier groups – even the occasional one 34

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from the 100-hour starts (!) but we’re not caught by anyone from the 10:00 start, until Fenstanton when Paul Rainbow goes past riding a big fixed gear. Into St Ives and check the time before switching off the Garmin. 7 minutes up on Plan Blue – good. I’ve planned to make my food-only stops a maximum of 35 minutes so I rush through a quick bowl of pasta-something and a cup of tea and get out again promptly and find that I’m now 15 minutes up. Ben and Anders are a little slower out of the control but soon catch me and we swop leads through the flatlands. I’ve planned an optimistic 27kph for this leg but with the tail winds we make that and chip away another

couple of minutes. At Spalding I beat the guys out again and I’m now just over 20 minutes ahead of the plan but again they are soon back with me, and as we head into the Wolds I have to work on the inclines to stay with them. Anders has an arrangement for a bed in Barton (just before the bridge) whereas Ben was intending to sleep at Louth. As it’s only 20:05 when we get there, he changes his mind and decides to come on to Pocklington. We have a slightly more leisurely feed and I spend far too long faffing with my

Peter counts down the kilometres on the PBP 2015

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RIDE REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON 2017 drop bag, deciding what items to leave and which to take with me. When I look back at the Garmin I find we spent an hour and ten minutes there. That’s 30-minutes less sleep – and Pocklington could be busy so less chance of a bed. Damn it – must keep focus. Get going as the light fades. On one of the lumps after Louth, Ben calls out from behind me. His front derailleur just failed. We stop to take a look by the light of my head torch. The motor unit is fine (it’s Di2) but the flimsy looking cage has snapped clean down the length. It seems to be stuck in big ring and he says he can manage with that for now, although later he finds that he can kick it into the little ring with his foot, and the remaining inner portion of the cage will take him back to the big ring. It’s not good though and we discuss his options as we push on to the bridge. I elect the windward side path (so as not to be blown by the cross-wind towards the guardrail) but find it’s closed so we have to double back and take the eastern side path. I’m tiring now – we’re at 300km and I lose the wheel on the gentle incline of the first half of the bridge, but just make it back on going down the other side. Somehow, crossing the bridge is symbolic and I take a bit of heart from that and we have a good run down through Market Weighton, while discussing the best options to get a new derailleur – but then 5km out from Pocklington I run over a can and it rips a small hole in a sidewall. The sealant (I’m running tubeless) holds it at 20psi so I try a CO2 canister for a quick fix, but it soon bursts through. I’m about to reach for a tube when I remember my repair strip ‘anchovies’, I push one in and use my second (and last) CO2 canister – it only holds to about 30 or 40psi but that’s enough to limp into the control just after 02:00 where I decide food and bed are the priority and the tyre can wait until light.

DAY TWO

In the morning I decide to patch the tyre from the inside, but then can’t get the bead to seat with the control’s track pump so have use a tube anyway! It all takes time, I should have got up earlier and I’m not on the road until 06:30 instead of the intended 05:30. Ben is nowhere to be seen so he may have decided on a longer sleep and a trip into York to look for a bike shop. I decide to use the ‘The Easingwold Variation’ to make back some time – but on the road I’m too busy chatting with a Texan recumbent rider and miss the turning so the Howardians it is. I don’t lose any time, but don’t make it up either, and 36

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somewhere along the way an untidy gear change destroys my chain catcher so droping into the granny ring become risky. Still Thirsk to Barney is an easy stage, isn’t it…? No, it isn’t! It just alternates cross-wind with head-wind on and on forever. I’m really tired when I labour up the drive to the new, palatial Barnard Castle control. Whilst there I hear rumours about Louth and Spalding running out of food, so start to pay attention to where the ‘bulge’ is. I’m not far ahead of it and ideally would stay that way so as not to suffer a foodless control (as we did on one occasion in 2013). Chatting with Dave Larrington and then Mark Hummerstone means I don’t quite make my 35 minute turn around. Yad Moss isn’t as painful as I recall, apart from the very top where it’s quite exposed to the wind. I stop into Alston to check it out in anticipation of using it as a sleep stop southbound – they are not officially open yet, but give me a cup of tea and choccy biccy anyway. On to Brampton where I arrive nearly two hours behind ‘Blue’, but still spend more time faffing with my second drop bag and so leave with ten hours in hand instead of the twelve-and-a-bit that schedule suggests. It’s not too late though, so I press on up the tedious road through Longtown, across the border in the last glimmers of the daylight and onto the buzzy surface up though Lockerbie. The fatter tyres help and I make up a few minutes. Familiarity with Moffat enables me to tow a small bunch of VC167 riders into the control, Dean and Graeme amongst them – they’d normally be a whole lot faster than me. So far I’m feeling OK, no serious aches and pains, and not feeling too tired, so I cut an hour off my sleep time and leave at 06:00, just an hour behind my plan. The Devil’s Beeftub is hidden in the early morning clag (it was 4 years ago too) and I grind up, still in the middle ring, the granny almost unused since the chain catcher went. I’ve emailed Martin Foley at Edinburgh in the hope of getting another, so fingers crossed. I hoon it down the other side to Broughton, forgetting to save anything for the undulations beyond. The surface after Blyth Bridge is really awful and I frequently swear out loud to myself and to any passing beastie. By the time I get to the cycle track at Roslyn I feel beaten up, and I’m just trundling along when an overweight OAP on a mountain bike behind me rings his bell to get me to move over to let him past … the shame! He’s a friendly bloke though and we ride a mile or two together chatting before our paths

… a little further a tiny camper ❝ van is parked and it’s an unexpected delight to see Drew Buck with whom I last rode on PBP 2015 on one of his ancient steeds, he’s doling out tea and flapjack to all-comers

❞

D N LO

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20 ON

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RIDE REPORT LONDON-EDINBURGH-LONDON 2017 diverge not far from the control. The good news is that I’ve made up a little time, the bad is that chain catchers are available to fit every diameter downtube except mine. Ah well, it’s nice to catch up with Martin and Dave C, but it’s another 40-minute stop when I’m already behind where I want to be. I recall the right turn on the hill in Lasswade so make sure I’m in the granny ring in plenty of time, but thereafter the route is a little different and I’m caught either in the wrong gear or with a dropped chain a few times before the steady grind up into the Moorfoot hills. Turning into the long false flat up the Dewar Burn we’re into the headwind and it’s a real grind. No trains to jump on – individual riders go past, but all too fast for the likes of me to catch a wheel, and doing that is where I went “into the red” just here in 2013 so I’m doubly wary. Down the other side and it starts to rain. Only 5km to the control and it’s just a shower, isn’t it?… no, it’s not. Stop and on with the Goretex for the first time. Plough on to Innerleithen where I rush though a 30-minute stop and so completely forget to pick up mudguard stickers from Darryl. Back out in the dry and the next stage really hurts – it’s short but there are some bastard hills and they all have a headwind blowing straight down them – and no shelter from the Forestry which has all been trimmed back. I share the road briefly with a couple of the torpedoshaped velomobiles, in this wind they are faster uphill than I am. Finally we’re on the last rise before the control and the rain returns. Cold, hard rain, almost sleet. There are a few more riders around me now (the bulge catching up?) and I tease a couple of French riders about how much we Brits enjoy ‘le temps Breton’. It backfires on me when one of them drifts across in front of me and pushes me towards a huge pothole. Somehow I manage to bunnyhop it, and he does at least apologise. Eskdalemuir is busy but welcoming and again I spend too long in the warm and dry. Must get on – the rain has passed and the surface seems to be in better shape than in 2013, although some potholes are coming back. After Langholm I stick to the A7, avoiding the little diversions around Canonbie, there’s not enough traffic to make the main drag unpleasant and it will save a few minutes, and I want to get to Alston tonight. The last drag from Longtown to Brampton seems to go on forever and it’s getting dark as I pull into the familiar surroundings of the control. 38

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Thirty minutes to get back on the road… but by the time I’ve faffed with my drop bag it will be longer, if I sleep here I won’t have to haul a change of clothes over Yad Moss, and they’ve got plenty of beds, whereas I’ve heard lots of intentions to push on to Alston – so that could be full (it wasn’t). It’s only 22:00 by the time I’ve eaten but it’s too tempting. I decide to stay but forget that the change of plan ought to be reflected in the time I’m back on my bike so ask for a 04:00 wake up…

DAY THREE – CAN PLAN BLUE SURVIVE?

I needed a longer sleep after two short nights, but haven’t quite worked out the implications ... I arrived with nearly 10 hours in hand but spend not far short of 8 hours in the control at Brampton. The haul to Alston is harder than I recall and I stop for a quick second breakfast at the control before pushing on up Yad Moss. It’s going well until near the top a group of Spaniards go past me at an insane speed – easily double what I was doing. Fighting for Strava segments after 900km maybe? A little further a tiny camper van is parked and it’s an unexpected delight to see Drew Buck with whom I last rode on PBP 2015 on one of his ancient steeds, he’s doling out tea and flapjack to all comers. Over the top and down towards Barney, being passed by a few riders from Bristol who I’ve met on previous rides. I try to make it a quick one at the control but although I’m outside my 35-minute window I’m still out before the Spanish. The wind is more helpful this time but brings some steady rain with it, and it’s clearly not to the liking of the Spanish, because when I try self-mockingly to jump on to their peloton as they go past I surprise myself by succeeding! A few miles later I’ve rested up enough to take my turn at the front. Insane! I thought from the way they blew past me on Yad Moss they must be at least semi-pro, but it’s clear that they just are not used to the wet. Downhill and into a bend they’ll have all the anchors out, so it’s tricky to stay well positioned. There’s another Brit who has infiltrated the group and after a while we pull away from them – but are caught again before Thirsk. Chatted to the Bristol boys again at the control and offered to guide one of them, Doug, on The Easingwold Variation (it still sounds like a Robert Ludlum novel to me). I warn him about the traffic on the initial section of A9 but we decide that we can both suck it up in exchange for a flatter, shorter route. My drive train starts to make

graunching noises as if in protest at all the close passes so we stop after the turn to add a bit of lube which seems to do the trick. It’s an easy flat run from here down to Pocklington, and takes me nearly back to six hours in hand (although still nearly three hours behind Plan Blue.) The version of the spreadsheet on my phone has somehow got corrupted so it was back to more traditional methods of assessing progress. I set off from Pocklington with the Bristolian group but we’re soon split and my friend Doug from the previous leg is kind enough to drop back and ride with me. We regroup at the bridge and again at the top of a hill just as it starts to rain heavily. I tell them to go on, it’s no fun waiting for a slower rider in the rain. When the rain eases off I look up and the stars are out – millions of them visible, there is so little light pollution here. What’s more, for a short while, I’m being blown uphill while freewheeling. It doesn’t last of course. Five minutes later and the rain returns with a vengeance. Really sheeting down, bouncing off the road and being whipped by the wind into little minitornadoes. It’s really nasty but there is no shelter and there is little option but to plod on, hold the bike against the gusts, and hope there are no potholes under this river that used to be a road. Last time I was out in conditions like this, was on the OMM in 2008 (look for it on YouTube) The gradients are not helping, I dare not drop into granny ring for fear of dropping the chain. I doubt I could see to put it back on. I’m passed by a few riders and pass a few myself, but no one says anything (and wouldn’t be heard over the wind if we did). One Asian rider looks in a bad way, clearly wearing every stitch of clothing they possess and still suffering, but I don’t have anything to offer them, even if I had the courage to stop. I dare not even think about the unhappy noises from the drive train which have returned. I finally roll into a busy Louth control just after 02:30, the leg from Pocklington has taken an hour longer than estimated. Fortunately the control has restocked with food and there are beds. I ask for a 04:30 wake-up in a bid to get back in touch with Plan Blue but in the end I go back to sleep until 05:30. In the shower I reach behind me and find a huge blister under my right ‘cheek’ and a smaller one on the left. They break almost as soon as I touch them. Not good, this is going to HURT. Ointments applied, and investigation by the control’s mechanics suggests my bottom bracket is the cause of the noises, not the chain. Might buy a replacement if I see a suitable shop. I’m away by 6:30 (back

to two hours in hand) planning to head straight down the main road to Horncastle before it gets busy. Except I mess it up and get on the Wragby road instead. I end up climbing to the very top of the Wolds before I can zag back again to rejoin the routesheet near Stenigot. Once back on the route it’s another puncture, rear wheel this time. In with a tube pronto this time and manual pump because I’ve not restocked with CO2, cursing the double delay on a stage where I hoped to be able to make up time. Now the wind is up and in my face so I try to jump on trains to keep my speed up. They all spit me out the back because as soon as I accelerate my arse hurts. Finally there’s a bunch from Portsmouth, among them Pete Stott, who I know from my second ever Audax back in 2011. They are kind enough to let me hang on until I’ve recovered enough to take token turns, and later contribute more significantly. We pick up Fabrice, a stray Frenchman, along the way. He doubts his ability to hang on until I tell him we are only doing 18-20kph into the wind. With such a substantial group it’s nearly an hour before we are ready to head out of Spalding back into the wind which seems to have got even stronger and taking turns our speed is down to 12kph at times! Approaching the most exposed section at Deeping High Bank Alan Barnard marshals us into a constantly rotating double line which at least keeps our minds occupied and maybe adds a little speed but it’s hard to focus. We pick another member soon, a Japanese rider, who has little English but is happy for the shelter from the wind. It’s a short stage to St Ives, but the effort level means we need to stop at Whittlesey for an ice cream to celebrate the return of the sunshine.

Pete Stott and the Portsmouth train

With the corruption to the spreadsheet on the phone I didn’t realise I was actually behind the ‘Plan Red’ line arriving at St Ives or I might have tried for an earlier departure. As it was I was happy to wait for the rest of our motley crew and it was an hour before we got going. I’m looking forward to the guided busway but for some reason I’m feeling queasy coming out of St Ives and can no longer hold the pace with the Portsmouth group (or indeed with anyone else that passes me). My GPS is not helpful on this leg (user error in the preparation stages), so I’m determined to get though Cambridge in the daylight. Just succeed, and stop at a shop in Little Shelford to get Frijj shake – which as usual settles things down nicely – but all these delays mean I’m shedding time – never climbing significantly above two hours in hand and now way off that wonderful Plan Blue. The lanes after Henham seem interminable, but at Great Easton there

are familiar faces: Pat Hurt and Graeme Provan (and great food, and real coffee) and it’s not long before I agree to show another pair of riders the 2013 route – there will be no traffic on the B187 at this time of night and it’s a little shorter. We roll along gently through the early hours, setting the world to rights, happy to be out of the wind and at last confident we’ll finish in time – and so it proved, although for one reason and another we were not half as quick as we should have been on such a short leg. Pull in to Loughton with 115 hours elapsed for me. A little over an hour quicker than 2013. My companions had a later start and considerably more time in hand. Over breakfast I catch up with Anders who tells me Ben had to go as far as Edinburgh before getting a new derailleur, and with other riders to share tales of various disasters both mechanical and anatomical! My blisters tell me I shall be volunteering in four years’ time instead of riding.

Plan Blue, Red and Actual The green line shows the actual start and stop times

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RIDE REPORT BOIS OCAUD DE PRINTEMPS 100

Audax Club Portsmouth riders enjoy a leisurely pub lunch, with a hilly bike ride either side

WORDS PHIL BEED PICTURES PHIL BEED AND PETE STOTT

Bois Ocaud de Printemps It was a 5.30am start on the first Saturday in March, meeting up with fellow members of Audax Club Portsmouth for bacon rolls at Mick’s burger van on Portsdown Hill, before heading down to Catherington for this classic Audax event. After heavy rain storms the previous evening, it was a relief to find the day dry, and reasonably warm for the time of year. There were a few ominous clouds but as we headed down to the start, the general feeling was that we were in for a nice day’s cycling. Formerly known as the Lasham Loop, the ride heads northeast to Liphook,

across to Holybourne and Lasham, then back to Catherington via Cheriton and Old Winchester Hill. The route keeps almost entirely to the lanes and ventures far enough north to be out of the normal club ride area. Of course, being on familiar roads didn’t stop one group taking a wrong turn in Horndean, which led to more confusion as the following riders tried to decide whether to follow the people in front or their route sheets. Just past Finchdean, we caught up with young Sam Whitehead stoking his

EVENTBRIEF BOIS OCAUD DE PRINTEMPS When… Saturday 4th March 2017 How far… 105km Starts from… Catherington, near Portsmouth Organiser… Jonathan Ellis, Hantspool CC

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tandem up a hill. He’d brought his dad, Paul, along to act as pilot and they looked to be having a good time. Our first info control was at Iping, where the number of riders removing layers of clothing gave testament to the day being warmer than expected.

THE PRE-LUNCH STOP CLIMB

After Holybourne, we faced a long steady climb. We were getting hungry, but it was only 5km to the next control, so we pressed on. I’ve climbed plenty of longer and steeper hills, but this one felt difficult, and it was a relief to reach the summit and coast

Sam and Paul tackle the hills together

Father-and-son tandem team Sam and Paul Whitehead photo: Pete Stott

down to the Golden Pot pub in Eversley. Auz, Richard and myself pulled into the pub at 11.50 only to find they were not open until 12. But we opted to wait and 10 minutes later, the pub was filling up with

Audaxers. We were pleased to be first in the queue! As we enjoyed a leisurely lunch stop, eating, drinking and relaxing, several riders whizzed past, including Sam and

Paul on the tandem. Filled up with cheesy chips and beer, we set off on the homeward leg, but 20 minutes later, we felt the first spots of rain, which was to continue intermittently all the way back.

Being on familiar roads didn’t ❝ stop one group taking a wrong turn, which led to more confusion as the following riders decided whether to follow the people in front or their route sheet

❞

Ready for the send-off photo: Pete Stott

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RIDE REPORT BOIS OCAUD DE PRINTEMPS 100 THE LAST LEG

By Alresford we were back on home turf, the kilometres were now ticking by quickly and the few remaining climbs were familiar to us. Old Winchester Hill was the last of them and at the top we caught the tandem for the second time. While we had been waiting for our lunch at the Golden Pot, Paul and Sam had headed to Royal Oak in Lasham, allowing them to get back on the road well ahead of us. This novice audaxer clearly still has a lot to learn!

The final part of the ride took us along a ridge of the South Downs, from which, on a clear day, you can view the coast. This was not a clear day. Finally, we dropped down into Catherington and completed a short final climb to take us to the arrivée and a feast of sandwiches and cakes.

Special mentions need to go to Sam Whitehead, completing his first 100km brevet at only seven years old, and to Audax Club Portsmouth member Laura, who with the ride out and back, completed her first Century Ride. Also thanks to Jonathan for once again putting on an enjoyable and well organised event.

Laura Cook, photo: Pete Stott

Will Turner photo: Pete Stott

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Breakfast at Mick’s, photo: Pete Stott

Pete and Ade place their orders for bacon rolls

Ade Bird, photo: Pete Stott

The final part of the â?? ride took us along a ridge of the South Downs, from which, on a clear day, you can view the coast. This was not a clear day

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MILEATER DIARIES

Paul Worthington looks back over his first year overseeing the mileater award

Mileater diaries It has been a genuine pleasure to read the diaries and relive your cycling adventures through them. It reminds me of the idiosyncrasies that attracted me to Audax in the first place; how we remember our rides is deeply personal to each of us, yet the flavour of their retelling can be for everyone to enjoy.

Name

Mileage

Francis Hugo

6882.77

Michael Browne

13085.64

Tom Deakins

10122.00

David Matthew

6005.00

At the time of writing, there are 63 entries in for 2017 but there is still time to enter – see www.aukweb.net/results/mileater

Hilary Searle

10428.00

Oliver Iles

8733.43

Alternatively, send a cheque for £4 which includes the diary (£14 if you wish to receive an engraved medal showing your distance in addition to the diary) to the organiser:

Robbie Calder

2513.00

Richard Penny

7139.00

Michael Shaw

3473.00

Dawn Richard

1698.89

John Carter

3580.00

Eduardo Petrilli

3806.33

William Dickey

7203.00

Robert Baird

7092.00

Bob Donaldson

11071.00

Ian Sutton

4472.02

Colin Horn

1506.51

David Stark

15775.00

● ‘22nd June – 17.66km’ – Phil Robson

Peter Baker

23513.00

● ‘October 31st – Redhill – 69 miles; November 13th – Hastings – 71 miles December 13th – Stonecross – 36 miles’ – Peter Baker

Darren Webb

1385.67

Phil Robson

3741.28

Andie Darlington

2292.80

PROBLEMS...

Judith Swallow

18694.70

This year, I have designed new diaries and also set up entry via PayPal. There is also a Strava group entrants can join and I will also accept entries by riders who submit their Strava (or any other ride logging website) profiles to me.

Paul Worthington, 213 Greenhill Road, Allerton, Liverpool L18 9ST Entrants will have to put in some serious work to beat Peter Baker’s outstanding performance, although I will disclose that I have heard of a new entrant this year who has ridden over 20,000 miles in 2016…

Diary extracts… As some travel light, some take much with them. So too with the diaries – some are minimal, some detailed…

● ‘Police notice, fatal accident, cow. 114/75mmHg @ 52 bpm’ – Francis Hugo

BIG RIDES

● ‘25th Sept – Sunday short ride – 17 miles’ – Richard Penny

● Easter Arrow, March 2016: ‘My team of 5 set off in glorious sunshine and had a very pleasant spin to Cambridge… very lucky with the weather’ – Bob Donaldson ● Brian Chapman Memorial 2016: ‘Sunny, NW wind, cold at night’ – Tom Deakins ● Celtic Knot 2016: ‘5am wake up call and then off in direction of Birren to find Father Ted’s house’ – Hilary Searle ● ‘Newbury RC “12” – 254 miles’ – Peter Baker ● Dales Grimpeur, May 2016: ‘The 4.5 AAA grimpeur which took in some wonderful climbs… Actually felt okay at the Arrivée.’ – Bob Donaldson

SMALL RIDES

● ‘1 trip down town and 1 trip to bowls club – 10.7 miles’ – Robbie Calder ● ‘Into Andover and back – 3 miles’ – Richard Penny

DETAILED REPORTS

● ‘Vampyres coffinated just after Romsey with a beautiful roseate dawn. Didn’t see them again, nor likely to until Autumn’ – Francis Hugo 44

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JUST THE BASIC FACTS

● ‘Emergency shop which eventually took too long and I never did get a longer ride – 4.3miles’ – Robbie Calder ● ‘With southern breeze made good progress and then a puncture deflated rear tyre and my spirits’ – Hilary Searle

RIDES WITH SEASONAL CHARACTER

● ‘Big storms all day – late start – much sheltering’ – David Matthew ● ‘Wet conditions… everyone on typical skinny tyres and carbon bikes seemed to get punctures but me. Good old Vittoria Randonneurs!’ – Hilary Searle ● ‘Variety of colours, various greens, bare, rape bright yellow. Countryside drying up, ponds noticeably low’ – Francis Hugo

2016 Mileater Results WINNERS ● The winner of the Mick Latimer Trophy is, once again, Peter Baker who rode 23,513.0 miles. This is an increase of his 2015 total of 20,086 miles and his sixth consecutive victory. ● The opposite sex winner is Judith Swallow, who rode 18,694.7 miles. ● There were 23 entries submitted, making a total of 174,214.05 miles ridden by mileaters. The average total for the year was 7574.52 miles, an increase from last year’s average of 7366 miles. Seven entrants recorded over 10,000 miles

PRODUCT REVIEW BUSCH & MULLER LUMOTEC IQ-X T SENSO PLUS

Chris Wilby puts the 100-lux dynamo light through its paces

SHINING EXAMPLE OF HI-TECH LIGHTING FOR LONG-DISTANCE

PRODUCTDETAILS B&M LUMOTEC IQ-X HEADLIGHT Price… £109.99 Where to buy… sjscycles.co.uk

Riding at night used to be a careful balance of following through a small illuminated patch on the road and being able to quickly deviate should a hole or obstacle appear. Now, with the impressive IQ-X 100-lumen light, not only do you have light, so do other riders alongside. While some high-powered lights dazzle oncoming road users, the IQ-X directs all of its light onto the road where it’s needed. A horizontal beam shines into the distance across the full width of the road, aiding fast night riding and giving a patch of light immediately in front of the bicycle to help spotting holes or obstacles.

HIGH-TECH SPEC

During the day, the lamp automatically switches to high-intensity LEDs for high visibility, without taking full power from the dynamo. LED lamps produce a lot of heat and typically need a heat-sink to keep them at optimum running temperature. B&M have used the body of the lamp as that heat-sink, so it will be cooled by the air as you ride. They are sold as a black or silver unit. Both are smart looking lights that easily fit above the front wheel crown using the supplied bracket; other brackets are available to fit them to the handlebars. The angle of the lamp can also be adjusted by turning it around in its housing. The on/off switch is a push button on the rear, which is easily pressed when wearing gloves. An over-voltage controller protects the light from excess voltage, and a rear light can be connected via two short wires that exit the rear of the lamp. An optional reflector is also included.

The IQ-X in silver with optional reflector fitted

I have noticed that car drivers have been alerted to my presence earlier during daylight and thus held back from crossing in front of me.

CONCLUSION

A lightweight hub dynamo together with this headlamp gives a superb lighting setup for the long distance cyclist.

THE USER EXPERIENCE

My use of the IQ-X has included fast night-time rides with my cycling club and also Audax rides. This light is a fit-andforget solution – I leave it switched on for all rides, using both daylight and night-time modes. The plastic crown-mounted bracket supplied vibrated and eventually broke but since then I have used a metal bracket, which is very sturdy. www.aukweb.net

PHOTO REPORT CHEVY CHASE 200

PICTURES BY DALE RAMAGE • INSTAGRAM: @OVERHIMAVANT

Chevy Chase 200 The Ballad of Chevy Chase, which is believed to date from the 1430s, tells the story of a hunting party in the Cheviot Hills, led by the English Earl of Northumberland, which was mistaken for an invasion of Scotland. A bloody battle ensued. This popular 200km ride offers the opportunity to ride the superb private roads on the Otterburn military ranges, with the best views in Northumberland, as well as taking in the Tyne and Coquet valleys, with support at controls from Tyneside Vagabonds CC members.

EVENTBRIEF CHEVY CHASE 200 When… Sunday 23rd April 2017 How far… 201km Starts from… Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Organiser… Aidan Hedley, Tyneside Vagabonds CC Website… northern-audax.org.uk

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The firing ranges of Otterburn

Sunderland Clarion riders Craster Bryce, Charles Monchatre and Ian Watson heading out of the first control in Wark Forest

Steve Gee of VC167 riding in Upper Coquetdale

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DON’T KEEP TO THE ROAD TWO PERSPECTIVES

Don’t Keep to the Road… Experiences and advice from a first-time off-road event organiser

EVENTBRIEF DON’T KEEP TO THE ROAD When… Saturday 29th April 2017 How far… 115km Starts from… Newby Wiske, North Yorkshire Organiser… Dean Clementson 48

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the organiser … the great joy of ❝ off-road routes is that you can go where no cars go, and the only sounds are the lonely call of the curlew, the bark of the grouse, and the weeping of the randonneur

❞

WORDS AND PICTURES BY DEAN CLEMENTSON Off-road and gravel events are on the increase, and plenty more make good use of traffic-free trails. I enjoyed the rail trails on John Perrin’s National 400 last year, for example. I’m sure there’s space for more, though, as the select group of riders on my Don’t Keep to the Road 100-and-a-bit all seemed to enjoy it, and one recurring comment was that it was… something different. Obviously, an organised off-road route has none of that trial-and-error you usually get with off-road rides, where that lovely-looking bridleway turns out to be just a line on the map. But the great joy is that you can route right out into the wilds, where no cars go, and the only sounds are the lonely call of the curlew, the bark of the grouse and the weeping of the randonneur.

THE ROUTE

I rode several iterations of the route, using a mix of local knowledge, intensive map-studying, and grillings of local riders. There’s no substitute for riding it yourself, but I also whipped a few locals into riding it to get feedback.

… there was no ❝ chance of worrying that some would shortcut along the main roads, as all the shortest routes were the off-road bits

❞

I provided a lot of information upfront – a gpx, a link to the route online, a ‘Rough Guide to the Rough Stuff’ with thumbnail sketches of the off-road sections, and Chris Smith provided a wonderful video of his route-check, which I tried to share as widely as I could. It was all public. The routesheet was a pain to write, though – it’s not just a matter of noting down signposts and distances, you have to be creative with directions such as ‘L under spreading oak’, or ‘SO onto singletrack through copse’. I did make a mistake with the routesheet for the finish – it was a last-minute change suggested by my host Mike Metcalfe, and it was preferable to the route I’d planned, but I only knew it in the other direction. Let this be a lesson to anyone planning to organise an off-road Audax – know your routes intimately. Even in these days of Garmins everywhere, there’s always someone who’ll want a routesheet. Often it’s me. In some ways, though, it was easy to plan. Control points snapped into place, and there was no chance of worrying that some would shortcut along the main roads, as all the shortest routes were the off-road bits. I chose long-ish off-road sections, rather than fiddly bits of singletrack. Old railway lines, miners’ tracks and forestry trails tend to work, and there are plenty of these around Durham and North Yorkshire. I rejected one off-road section as it was a bit dull, but mostly because it was bypassed by a quiet, laney and lovely on-road section. This meant the route came out at only 30% off-road – though none of the riders believed that! – but I wanted to make it rideable and not a total sufferfest. Which leads me to... www.aukweb.net

DON’T KEEP TO THE ROAD TWO PERSPECTIVES TIMINGS

I set the minimum speed at 10kph, and the maximum at 25kph. After the first significant off-road section, 80% of the field were within 15kph. However, if I’d set the minimum speed at the 15kph required for BRM events, 80% of the field would have been timed out at the finish. 10kph was spot on, despite the unforgiving terrain and the enticing pubs. This means these sort of events are best run as Brevets Populaires, unless you’re happy with disenfranchising a large number of riders. It was a long finish, though – about five hours between first and last riders.

What type of bike should you use for an off-road Audax? Riders on Don’t Keep To The Roads used a wide variety of machines to tackle the varied terrain. From one extreme…

THE BIKE

I didn’t get as many questions as I’d expected about what bike, what tyres, gearing etc to use. One rider did ask what tyre pressure to use, mind, but they didn’t enter in the end. ‘Everything’s a compromise,’ was my stock reply – no one bike would have been perfect for such a mix of surfaces and gradients. I’m sure I jokingly said, ‘Don’t bring your Pinarello,’ but this didn’t stop one rider from bringing his carbon Cervélo with 20-spoke wheels. He got around just fine. The rest of the bikes were a wide mix, mainly cyclocross bikes and tourers, but plenty of MTBs and even a Moulton.

CONCLUSION

Riders came from Essex, the wilds of West Yorkshire and the wastes of Surrey, and our host’s son, Jonathan, rode it as his longest ride ever. It all made for a great atmosphere. I’d encourage anyone to put on these sorts of events. There’s huge enthusiasm for challenging, interesting events, and I’ll bet there are loads of off-road routes in the UK just waiting to be ridden. ● Dean is planning to run Don’t Keep To The Roads again in 2018 – keep an eye on the calendar at aukweb.net/ events or in Arrivée for details

… don’t bring your ❝ Pinarello… but this didn’t stop one rider from bringing his carbon Cervélo with 20-spoke wheels… he got around just fine 50

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❞

…to the other Dave Sharpe even chose to tackle the ride on his classic Moulton!

Ian Kellar attempts to remount on Ingleby Incline

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DON’T KEEP TO THE ROAD TWO PERSPECTIVES

James Shepherd and Jonny Metcalfe

Richard Spencer on his Cervélo

Denise Noha of VC167

Phil Foxton

Julian Cox and Adrian Thomas

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John Perrin

James Colley

Pete Horne of Condor RC

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DON’T KEEP TO THE ROAD TWO PERSPECTIVES

At the beginning… the intrepid riders all raring to go

I knew some brutal hills ❝ be thrown into the mix, the rider would so I entered without a second thought ❞

WORDS AND PICTURES BY STEVE ROWLEY

The promise of challenging climbs and comedy off-road sections draw an intrigued Essex rider to the North York Moors 54

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Despite the two SRs to my name, I’m not the keenest audaxer, mainly due to the horrors I foisted upon myself while failing to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris 2015. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a committed cyclist, but I sit on the margins of the AUK world, cherry-picking my events. The Audax Club Mid-Essex Winter Series, for instance, tickled my fancy – 100km routes handcrafted by good mates and littered with nice cafés. The Kelvedon Oyster even included a Mersea Island oyster in the entry fee, and allowed me to tick off another boozer in my quest to visit every Essex pub in the 2013 Good Beer Guide. While browsing the Audax section of yacf.co.uk, I spotted Dean Clementson’s latest bright idea, the Don’t Keep to the Road, featuring an unhealthy mix of lanes and comedy off-roading – or COR – across the North York Moors. Having ridden up to Yorkshire from mid-Essex last year, I knew some brutal hills would also be thrown into the mix, so I entered without a second thought.

HIT THE NORTH

As it was a bank holiday weekend, I drove up to York on Friday evening, with my wife, Kirsty; plus Fred, my Surly Disc Trucker, in the back of the car. Once we’d dumped our stuff at the B&B, we had dinner at a Tibetan restaurant owned by an ex-Gurkha; I hoped this tenuous link with the Himalayas would bode well for the climbing that was now just a few hours away. Early on Saturday, leaving Kirsty in bed, I drove north again to Willowgarth Farm, Newby Wiske. As I tucked into a second breakfast provided by Dean’s team, the rest of the field began to arrive, accompanied by an eclectic mix of bikes from high-end MTBs to a carbon Cervélo from whose wheels some reprobate had nicked most of the spokes.

was still bloody hard work but the views from the top were smashing. An easy ride across the moors took us to the second control at the Lion Inn, one of those weird northern pubs in the middle of a windswept, high-altitude landscape, with no other signs of civilisation for mile upon mile. After I had done my best to get on the outside of a large portion of lasagne I set off again and soon found myself descending rapidly towards Church Houses. But what goes down must surely go up again, and the next major climb was off-road and very steep, with a rocky surface. There was no hope of riding so again I got off, stopping frequently to admire the views and get my breath back – not to mention get my heart rate back under control.

HEAVEN IN A CAMPER VAN

We set off into an overcast morning and within just a few miles had found our first stretch of COR. By the time I reached the first control at Hutton Rudby, we’d also sampled the first of the climbs and I’m not ashamed to admit I’d got off to push already. A lady outside the village shop was telling a couple of riders about homemade cakes and coffee being sold in aid of charity just up the road. It was tempting, but I pressed on, as I knew what was coming and wanted to get stuck in. What was coming was the Ingleby Incline, a climb of over a mile following the path of a Victorian railway that transported iron ore across the moors. So steep is the climb that those clever Victorians devised a system whereby the loaded wagons were hauled up the hill counter-balanced by other wagons. Dean was waiting with his camera at the bottom so I waited until he’d taken a couple of shots of me and Fred before hopping off to push! My logic is that if you can push up a hill at the same speed as pedalling yet expend slightly less effort, then it’s OK to take to your feet. It

After another flattish section of COR across the stunning but bleak moors, I had to dismount again, this time to descend over the rocks to Bransdale, before rejoining the road through Cockayne. By now I was suffering and not particularly enjoying myself. The Purple Path of Righteousness on my Garmin showed a sharp, right-hand dogleg, which looked very much like the beginning of yet another murderous climb. I had decided to stop at the bend to eat a lump

of Kendal Mint Cake, but oh my goodness, what a sight met my eyes! Some of Dean’s friends had set up a camper van with hot drinks, cold drinks, every type of food you could imagine plus chairs and tables to sit at. A nice man called John took my card for stamping, while a nice lady called Jill made me a strong cup of sweet tea and I dispatched a number of biscuits.

THE FINAL CHALLENGE

I never like stopping for long and I was right about the dogleg being at the foot of another climb so it was time to get going again. Conversation at the control revealed that there was just one more major climb after the pub control at Hawnby and then it was downhill to the finish. This news plus the biscuits and tea gave me heart and I was back on something approaching top form. And so it was, after 9.5 hours, I was back at the farm to be greeted by Dean. After a hot drink, I jumped in the car to drive back to York and spend the rest of the long weekend doing touristy stuff. My cherry-picking hadn’t let me down and the ride was excellent, if chuffing hard work. Dean and his merry band of helpers looked after us extremely well – thank you so much!

Steve Rowley www.aukweb.net

RIDE REPORT EUREKA EXCURSION • TEA IN PROSPECT • TWO MILLS TWIRL

A day at the Eureka Café

WORDS AND PICTURES BY DAVID MATTHEWS

Mixed fortunes for riders on three popular rides in North Wales

After the drenching most of us received at Chester & N.Wales CTC’s last events from Old Ma’s in September 2016, we were blessed with fine weather for the three Eureka Café rides in April this year, although they were not without incident…

EUREKA EXCURSION – 215KM

EVENTBRIEF EUREKA EXCURSION 215KM TEA IN PROSPECT 135KM TWO MILLS TWIRL 68KM When… Sunday 9th April 2017 Starts from… Eurreka Café, Wirral Organiser… David Matthews, Chester & N. Wales CTC

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Thirty-three riders set out at 8am to enjoy the early morning sunshine and windless conditions. All was set fair until the riders arrived at the level crossing near Pulford after 17km, which had been closed for the day. Some riders got lost around the lanes and arrived later than scheduled at the first control at Ellesmere. Consequently a number of riders skipped the café stop at Tilly’s in Bunbury and grabbed a receipt from the Co-op to save time. The next road issue was at 155km around Tatton Park, where the new Manchester to M6 bypass has caused significant road alterations. This problem was anticipated, however, thanks to Seamons CC who had checked out the route a couple of days before the event. In spite of the road issues, all the riders except one DNF arrived safely back at the Eureka café. Special mention should be made of Alaina Beacall, riding her first 200k, prior to taking six months off work to ride from Northern Norway to Croatia. We wish her a safe and successful journey.

Enjoying fine weather at the Prospect Tea Rooms, Llangollen

TEA IN PROSPECT – 135KM

This ride proved very popular this year, with 50 riders braving the long hill to the Prospect Tea Rooms above Llangollen. There were similar problems to the 200km ride at Pulford level crossing and 2 riders DNF due to getting lost in the lanes and ending up in Wrexham! We had glorious weather up at the Tea Rooms and many riders stayed a while to enjoy the excellent fare and magnificent views over Cheshire. The route is designed so cyclists arrive at Tilly’s in time for lunch, before a gentle ride back through the lanes to the Eureka Café. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves on this excellent day out.

TWO MILLS TWIRL – 68KM

Despite the same problems at the Pulford level crossing, all 11 riders arrived safely at Cleopatra’s in Holt and then back at Eureka Café. Let’s hope that some of these riders have gained the confidence to move on to longer rides next time. Many thanks to the people who helped to make this event such a success: Margaret Matthews issuing Brevet Cards at Eureka Café and operating the Control at Prospect Tea Rooms; Graham and Vicky Payne, who marshalled the car parks before riding ‘Tea in Prospect’ on their tandem, and especially to Anne Peek and her staff at Eureka café for remaining ever cheerful and helpful through a 13-hour day.

About the Eureka Café The Eureka Café’s history dates back to 1929, when George and Maud Longman moved into a house known locally as ‘The House That Jack Built’. They converted the front part of the house into a café, the Eureka Tearooms, and it soon became a popular stopping point for cyclists. It was bought in 1986 by Neil and Ann Chapman, who made a number of improvements and expanded the space available for cyclists to relax. In the early 1990s, the café featured in a BBC2 documentary, called ‘Me and My Bike’. It was around this time that regular customers included local cycling superstar Chris Boardman.

About to set off from Eureka Café

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AUK CALENDAR

KEY

1826m Total elevation AAA Audax Altitude Award points A(1) Free/cheap accommodation (1 night) B Very basic – no halls/beds, et c BD Bag drop R Refreshments at start and/or finish S Showers Z Sleeping facilities on route YH Youth hostel at/near start 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/NM Mudguards required/not required X Some very basic controls (eg service stations) G GPS files provided by the organiser 175 Entries close at 175 riders (14/4) Entries close 14th April 15-30kph Minimum-maximum speeds

SATURDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 200 Shaftesbury CC – Early Autumn (200) Randonee BR 216km 08:00, from Henham, Saffron Walden • £6.00 • L P R S T • 15-30kph Tim Stout/Shaftesbury CC • 31 Eversleigh Gardens, Upminster, Essex RM14 1DP 170 Shaftesbury CC – Early Autumn (170) Randonee BP 170km 09:00, from Henham, Saffron Walden • £6.00 • L P R S T • 15-30kph Tim Stout/Shaftesbury CC • 31 Eversleigh Gardens, Upminster, Essex RM14 1DP 110 Shaftesbury CC – Early Autumn (110) Randonee BP 110km 10:00, from Henham, Saffron Walden • £6.00 • L P R S T • 15-30kph Tim Stout/Shaftesbury CC • 31 Eversleigh Gardens, Upminster, Essex RM14 1DP 52 Shaftesbury CC – Early Autumn 53km Randonee BP 53km 11:00, from Henham, Saffron Walden • £6.00 • L P R S T • 15-30kph Tim Stout/Shaftesbury CC • 31 Eversleigh Gardens, Upminster, Essex RM14 1DP 200 Thanet Platinum 200 BR 206km 08:00, from Herne Common, Kent • 2079m • £9.00 • C G P R T 80 (21/8) • 15-30kph David Kenning/Thanet RC • 07734 815133 • dave@widdersbel.co.uk Little Orchard, Pean Hill, Whitstable CT5 3BQ 110 Thanet Platinum 110 BP 113km 09:30, from Herne Common, Kent • £9.00 • C G P R T 80 (21/8) • 12-25kph David Kenning/Thanet RC • 07734 815133 • dave@widdersbel.co.uk 300 Barry’s Jaeger Bomb BR 306km 06:30, from Keynsham • £8.00 • P R F G 100 • 15-30kph Marcus Mumford/Las Vegas Institute of Sport Upper Haselor Farm, Haselor Lane, Hinton-on-the-Green, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 2QZ 200 Pistyll Packing Momma BR 209km 08:00, from Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire • 3400m • AAA3.5 • £6.00 • BD R L P T (29/08) • 15-30kph David Matthews (ROA 10000)/Chester & North Wales CTC • dmanu@outlook.com Hill View Cottage, Cross Lanes, Tarvin, Cheshire CH3 8NG 130 Momma’s Mountain Views BP 137km 08:30, from Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire • 2000m • AAA2 • £6.00 • BD R L P T (29/08) • 12.5-25kph David Matthews (ROA 10000)/Chester & North Wales CTC • dmanu@outlook.com 50 Momma’s Leafy Lanes BP 50km 09:00, from Old Ma’s Tattenhall, Cheshire • £6.00 • BD R L P T (29/08) • 10-25kph David Matthews (ROA 10000)/Chester & North Wales CTC • dmanu@outlook.com 200 Mr. Pickwick goes to Hay in a day BR 209km 08:00, from Tewkesbury • 1900m • £6.00 • C F L P R T NM 100 • 15-25kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com c/o Maggs Day Centre, Deansway, Worcester WR1 2JD 100 ‘Mint’ Stalwart’s Mania BP 105km CHANGE OF DATE 09:00, from Tewkesbury • 975m • £6.00 • C F G NM R T 100 • 10-30kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com 200 Alan Partridge Memorial BR 213km 8:00, from Upper Bentley • £7.00 • P R T • 15-30kph Bob Scarle/Redditch R & P CC • 2 Dorridge Close, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 5XQ

SUNDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER

100 Utterly Butterleigh BP 106km 09:00, from Budleigh Salterton, Devon • 1300m • £6.00 • C G L NM P R T • 12.5-30kph Steven Medlock/CS Dynamo • 11 Marpool Hill Exmouth Devon EX8 2LJ 55 East Devon Escape BP 55km 10:00, from Budleigh Salterton, Devon • 300m • £6.00 • C G L NM P R T • 12.5-30kph Steven Medlock/CS Dynamo • 11 Marpool Hill Exmouth Devon EX8 2LJ 160 Cycling Festival Century BP 160km 08:00, from Forfar, Angus • 1200m • £8.00 • NM P R T • 12-25kph Alex Pattison/Angus Bike Chain • alexabccc@gmail.com • 1 Angle Park Crescent, Kirriemuir DD8 4TJ 80 Cycling Festival 50 Miles BP 80km 09:00 from Forfar, Angus • 800m • £6.00 • NM P R T • 10-30kph Alex Pattison/Angus Bike Chain • alexabccc@gmail.com • 1 Angle Park Crescent, Kirriemuir DD8 4TJ 100 London Sightseer BP 105km 08:30, from Hampton Hill, SW London • £6.00 • L P T NM • 10-20kph Bill Carnaby/Hounslow & Dist Whs • 020 8287 3244 • billcarnaby@outlook.com 225 High Street, Hampton Hill, Middlesex TW12 1NP 200 East Midlands Forests 200k BR 207km 08:00, from Moira, W of Ashby-de-la-Zouch • £5.60 • C P T R YH 40 (30/8) • 15-30kph Ian Hill/CTC East Midlands • 01283 223 581 • hilly@hillyswad.co.uk

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33 Wren Close, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 7Q P 100 Bosworth Battlefield Sightseer BP 105km 09:30, from Moira, W of Ashby-de-la-Zouch • £4.80 • P R T C YH 80 (30/08) • 12-24kph Ian Hill/CTC Derby & Burton • 01283 223 581 • hilly@hillyswad.co.uk 200 The Erit Lass BR 200km 08:00, from Musselburgh • 3000m • AAA3 • £10.00 • C F G L P R • 15-30kph Martin Foley/Audax Ecosse • martinfoley@btinternet.com 78 Denholm Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 6TU

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER

600 The Flatlands BRM 606km 06:00, from Churchend,Dunmow, Essex • £7.00 • A[1] X M P R T L C • 15-30kph Thomas Deakins/Audax Club Mid-Essex • tomdeakins31@gmail.com 31 The Causeway, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 2AA 150 Dick McT’s 150 Classic BP 150km 10:00, from Galashiels • 1576m • £10.00 • L P R T S G • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax Ecosse • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 110 Lincolnshire Wolds BP 110km 09:30, from Ludford, NE of Lincoln • 867m • £5.00 • F P R T G NM • 15-30kph Tim Newbery (ROA 2000)/CTC Lincolnshire • timnewbery@hotmail.com 7a Linden Walk, Louth LN11 9HT 200 Dales Dales Tour Plus BR 200km 08:00, from Richmond, N Yorks • 3150m • AAA3.25 • £6.00 • F L P R T • 14.4-30kph David Atkinson/VC 167 • David.atkinson577@talktalk.net 4 Borrowby Avenue, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL6 1AL 150 Dave’s Dales Tour 160KM BP 150km 08:30, from Richmond, N Yorks • 2500m • AAA2.5 • £5.50 • F L P R T • 14.4-30kph David Atkinson/VC 167 • David.atkinson577@talktalk.net 100 Lucia’s Vale of York Meander 100KM BP 100km 10:00, from Richmond, N Yorks • £5.50 • F L P R T • 8.3-30kph David Atkinson/VC 167 • David.atkinson577@talktalk.net 100 Dave’s Mini Dales Tour 100KM BP 100km 09:30, from Richmond, N Yorks • 1900m • AAA2 • £5.50 • F L P R T • 12-30kph David Atkinson/VC 167 • David.atkinson577@talktalk.net 110 Breckland Five Market Towns Tour BP 115km 09:00, from Swaffham Community Centre • 665m • £7.00 • G L M P R T (08/9) • 15-30kph Jonathan Reed/CC Breckland • iceniaudax@gmail.com Swaffham Community Centre, The Campingland, Swaffham PE37 7RD

SUNDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER

200 Northern Dales BR 202km CHANGE OF DATE 08:00, from Arnside Hostel • 3000m • AAA3 • £5.00 • YH R S T • 15-30kph Julian Dyson/VC 167 • julian.dyson2@baesystems.com 5 Duke Street, Gleaston, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 0UA 100 Northern Dales Populaire BP 109km CHANGE OF DATE 09:00 , from Arnside Hostel • 1675m • AAA1.75 • £5.00 • YH R S T • 12.5-25kph Julian Dyson/VC 167 • julian.dyson2@baesystems.com 100 The Radonnée BP 109km 9:00, from Forever Pedalling, Bristol • 1320m • £7.00 • G P R 150 (20/5) • 12-30kph Isabel Rennie/Audax Club Bristol • Flat 38 Canon’s Gate, Canon’s Way, Bristol BS1 5BL 150 North Cheshire Clarion ‘The Wizard, Llamas and Fire Station’ BP 150km 08:00, from Lower Whitley, nr Warrington • 1624m • £8.00 • F G P R Y •15-30kph Neil Shand/North Cheshire Clarion • neilshand67@gmail.com 12 Chapel Close, Comberbach, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6BA 120 North Cheshire Clarion ‘The Wizard and the Llamas Audax’ BP 120km 08:30 , from Lower Whitley, nr Warrington • 1230m • £8.00 • F G P R T • 15-30kph Neil Shand/North Cheshire Clarion • neilshand67@gmail.com

SATURDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

100 Skirting the Cotswolds BP 100km 09:00, from Aztec West Bristol • 940m • £7.00 • P R T • 12.5-25kph Peter Rogan/Audax Club Bristol • peter@audaxclubbristol.co.uk 300 Pengwern Pedal BR 306km 06:00, from Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury • 4693m • AAA4.75 • £8.00 • C F G L P R T 50 • 15-25kph John Hamilton (ROA 10000)/CTC Shropshire • undulates@hotmail.co.uk 22 Oaks Crescent, Wellington, Telford TF1 2HF 200 Beyond Shropshire BR 210km 08:00, from Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury • 3227m • AAA3.25 • £6.00 • C F G L P R T 50 • 15-25kph John Hamilton (ROA 10000)/CTC Shropshire • undulates@hotmail.co.uk 160 Beyond Shropshire Century BP 164km 08:30 , from Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury • 2139m • AAA2.25 • £6.00 • C F G L P R T 50 • 12.5-25kph John Hamilton (ROA 10000)/CTC Shropshire • undulates@hotmail.co.uk 120 Discovering Shropshire (Blue Remembered Hills) BP 120km 09:00, from Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury • 1777m • AAA1.75 • £6.00 • C F G L P R T 60 • 12-25kph John Hamilton (ROA 10000)/CTC Shropshire • undulates@hotmail.co.uk

SUNDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

100 Beware of the plague BP 107km 09:00, from Alfreton, NW of Nottingham • 1900m • AAA2 • £6.00 • P R T F • 12.5-24kph Martyn Leighton/Alfreton CTC • martynleighton@uwclub.net • 46 Ashford Rise, Belper DE56 1TJ 160 The Leicester Circle BP 166km 08:00, from Haynes Road, Leicester • 1500m • £6.00 • L P R T NM • 15-30kph Steve Orchard/Leicester Forest CC • 28 Hidcote Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5PE 88 Inner Circle BP 88km 08:30 , from Haynes Road, Leicester • 1100m • £5.00 • L P R T NM • 12.5-30kph Steve Orchard/Leicester Forest CC • 28 Hidcote Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5PE 200 Rowlands RAAAmble BR 215km UPDATED 07:30, from Surbiton, Greater London • 2700m • AAA2.5 • £7.00 • G L P R T 120 • 14.3-30kph Gavin Simmons/Kingston Whs • 10 Chesham Road, Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 3AQ

FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER

600 Blackpool–Glasgow–Blackpool 600 22:00, from Bispham, Lancashire • 3600m • £10.00 • F L P R T • 15-30kph Andy Corless/Burnley CC • burnleysportiv@yahoo.com 31 Castlerigg Drive, Ightenhill, Burnley, Lancashire BB12 8AT

BRM 605km

SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER

200 Border Castles 200km Randonnee BR 200km 07:30, from Chepstow Castle Car Park • 3000m • AAA3 • £3.00 • X G M T • 15-30kph Jennifer Goslin/Audax Club Bristol • 46 Bridge Street, Chepstow NP16 5EY 200 Borders of Fife BR 200km 08:00, from Dalgety Bay • 1660m • £8.00 • F P T • 15-30kph Dave Crampton/Audax Ecosse • 7 Cullaloe Court, Dalgety Bay, Fife KY11 9NW 200 Amber and Green BP 202km UPDATED 08:00, from Dore, Sheffield • 3225m • AAA3.25 • £5.00 • L P R T G • 14.3-30kph Andy Smith/Sheffield District CTC • 1 Durvale Court, Dore, Sheffield S17 3PT 100 An Amber Gambol BP 100km UPDATED 09:15 , from Dore, Sheffield • 1550m • AAA1.5 • £5.00 • L P R T G • 12-25kph Andy Smith/Sheffield District CTC • 1 Durvale Court, Dore, Sheffield S17 3PT 200 Severn Vale and Cotswold Day Out BR 207km 08:15, from Droitwich • £4.00 • C P T R M • 14.4-30kph Gavin Greenhow (ROA 25000) • 01905 775 803 • 44 Newland Road, Droitwich WR9 7AG 300 Greenwich Mean Climb BR 301km CHANGE OF DATE 06:00, from Greenwich, London • 4500m • AAA4.5 • £14.00 • F G R 80 • 15-28kph Ivan Cornell/Audax Club Hackney • ivan.cornell@gmail.com • 13 Maidenstone Hill, London SE10 8SY 160 Welland Wonder 160 BP 160km 08:00, from Husbands Bosworth • 1675m • £6.00 • L P R T • 15-30kph Mike Vybiral (ROA 4000)/ Welland Valley CC • 01858 545376 Logan Cottage, Grange Lane, East Langton, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7TF 110 Welland Wonder 110 BP 116km 08:30 , from Husbands Bosworth • 1350m • £6.00 • L P R T • 12-24kph Mike Vybiral (ROA 4000)/ Welland Valley CC • 01858 545376 53 Welland Wonder 50 BP 53km 09:00 , from Husbands Bosworth • 525m • £6.00 • L P R T • 12-24kph Mike Vybiral (ROA 4000)/ Welland Valley CC • 01858 545376 200 Humber Bridge 200 BR 200km 08:00, from Welton, East Yorkshire • 1237m • £4.50 • G P R T • 14.3-30kph Revd G Holdsworth/ VC 167 • 1 Hidcote Walk, Welton, Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire HU15 1FP 100 Humber Bridge 100 BP 106km 09:00, from Welton, East Yorkshire • 464m • £4.50 • G P R T • 12.5-30kph Revd G Holdsworth/ VC 167 • 1 Hidcote Walk, Welton, Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire HU15 1FP

SUNDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER

200 Wylye and Ebble Valley 07:30, from Denmead, Nr Portsmouth • £6.00 • F L P T (18/9) • 15-30kph Paul Whitehead/Hampshire RC • mrpaulwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk 73 Spencer Road, Emsworth, Hampshire PO10 7XR

SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER

200 Slaughtered in the Cotswolds BR 201km 07:00, from Frenchay, Bristol • 2750m • AAA2.75 • £7.50 • P R T 100 (27/9) • 15-30kph Will Pomeroy/Audax Club Bristol • will@audaxclubbristol.co.uk • 5 Chaplin Rd, Bristol BS5 0JT 160 Granny’s Cotswolds Telegram BP 160km 07:45, from Frenchay, Bristol • 2110m • AAA2 • £7.50 • P R T 100 (27/9) • 12.5-25kph Will Pomeroy/Audax Club Bristol • will@audaxclubbristol.co.uk • 5 Chaplin Rd, Bristol BS5 0JT 200 Copshaw Holm 200 BR 205km CHANGE OF DATE 08:00, from Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland • 2500m • £6.50 • X C F G P R T 60 • 15-30kph Rob Wood/Tyneside Vagabonds • 43 Holly Avenue, Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 2PX 100 Henley Hilly Hundred BP 102km 09:00, from Sonning Common, nr Reading • 1660m • AAA1.75 • £6.00 • F L P R T • 12-30kph Brian Perry/Reading CTC • brianperry_3@hotmail.co.uk • 16 Rowland Close, Wallingford OX10 8LA

SUNDAY 1ST OCTOBER

200 The Fairies Fall Foray BR 206km CHANGE OF DATE 08:00, from Ulcombe, Kent • £6.00 • G L P R T 50 • 15-30kph Bob Watts/San Fairy Ann CC • bobwatts999@gmail.com • 13 The Grove, Bearsted, Maidstone ME14 4JB 100 The Fairies Half Fall Faff 09:00, from Ulcombe, Kent • £5.00 • G L P R T 50 • 15-30kph Bob Watts/San Fairy Ann CC • bobwatts999@gmail.com

BP 101km CHANGE OF DATE

100 Winchcombe Falling Leaves 100 BP 100km 09:00, from Winchcombe, Glos • 1750m • AAA1.75 • £8.00 • T F P R NM G • 12.5-25kph Sarah Davies/Winchcombe Cycling Club • happysarah37@aol.com 22 Binyon Road, Winchcombe, Cheltenham GL54 5QY

SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER

200 Autumn Rivers BR 202km 08:00, from Belbroughton, Worcestershire • 2000m • AAA2 • £6.50 • F G L P R T S • 15-30kph Dr Philip Whiteman/Beacon RCC • 01562 731606 • p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk 2 Drayton Terrace, Drayton, Belbroughton, Stourbridge DY9 0BW 100 Tasty Cheddar BP 101km 09:00, from The Lamplighters, Bristol • 1225m • £4.00 • YH G NM P R T 250 • 12.5-30kph Joe Prosser (ROA 4000)/Bristol CTC • joe.prosser@blueyonder.co.uk 4 Cottonwick Close, Shirehampton, Bristol BS11 9FR 200 Richard Ellis Memorial 200 08:30, from Churchend, Dunmow, Essex • £9.00 • A[1] M G R P T L C • 15-30kph Thomas Deakins/Audax Club Mid-Essex • tomdeakins31@gmail.com 31 The Causeway, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 2AA 100 Richard Ellis Memorial 100 09:30, from Churchend, Dunmow, Essex • £9.00 • A[1] M G R P T L C • 12.5-25kph Thomas Deakins/Audax Club Mid-Essex • tomdeakins31@gmail.com

BP 103km

200 Gower Getter 07:30, from Coryton, NW Cardiff • 2200m • £8.00 • YH L P R T • 15-30kph David Hann/Motorlegs Cardiff • 8 Kymin Terrace, Penarth CF64 1AP

BR 202km

100 Ring of Steel (City) BP 104km 09:00, from Dore, Sheffield • 1693m • AAA1.75 • £5.00 • G L P R T • 12-25kph John Cripps/Sheffield District CTC • cripps@uwclub.net • 8 Brincliffe Crescent, Sheffield S11 9AW 200 On to the Big Ring BR 205km 08:30, from Dore, Sheffield • 2045m • £5.00 • 15-30kph John Cripps/Sheffield District CTC • cripps@uwclub.net • 8 Brincliffe Crescent, Sheffield S11 9AW 200 Tour of Rheged BR 202km 08:00, from St Herbert’s Windermere • 3000m • AAA3 • £5.00 • YH A(1) L P R T • 14.4-30kph Paul Revell/Lakes Velo • paul@revells.com • Kirklands, Brow Edge, Backbarrow, Cumbria LA12 8QL

SUNDAY 8TH OCTOBER

BR 200km

110 The Suffolk Byways BP 117km UPDATED 09:00, from Blaxhall, Suffolk • 620m • £6.50 • YH G L P R T 120 • 15-30kph David Coupe/Suffolk CTC • coupeaudax@gmail.com 30 Wells Way, Debenham, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6SL 100 Beast of Bolsover BP 103km 09:00, from Bolsover • 2030m • AAA2 • £5.00 • G L P R T • 12.5-25kph Matt Connley (ROA 5000)/Bolsover & District CC • 01246 825 351 • matt.connley@talktalk.net 7 Eskdale Close, Bolsover, Chesterfield S44 6RL 200 Venetian Nights BR 210km 08:00, from Broken Cross, nr Macclesfield • 2750m • AAA2.25 • £10.00 • F L P R T • 14.3-25kph John Perrin/Peak Audax CTC • perrin_john@sky.com • 20 Princes Way, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 8UB 200 Ferryside Fish Foray BR 225km 07:00, Coryton, NW Cardiff • £8.00 • YH L R P T 50 • 15-30kph Bernard Brown/Cardiff Ajax CC • 20 Heol Don, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 2AU

BRM 201km

100 Marches Grimpeur 09:00, from Abergavenny • 1950m • AAA2 • £10.00 • YH F P L T • 12.5-25kph Jonathan Saville/Abergavenny RC • waville@yahoo.com 9 Trehonddu, Llanvihangel Crucorney, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 8DG

BP 100km

100 The Autumn Tints 100 BP 103km 09:00, from Hailsham, E Sussex • 1200m • £7.00 • F P • 15-30kph Christopher Tracey • Christrauk@yahoo.co.uk • 20 Salisbury Road, Seaford, East Sussex BN25 2DD 100 Ken’s Autumn Colours 09:30, from Minehead • £5.00 • YH L P R T • 12.5-25kph Richard Miles/Minehead CC • 1 Lower Park, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8AX

BP 105km

60 Ken’s Autumn Colours 10:00, from Minehead • £5.00 • YH L P R T • 10-20kph Richard Miles/Minehead CC • 1 Lower Park, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8AX

BP 60km

100 Season of Mists 09:00, from Mytholmroyd • 2555m • AAA2.5 • £5.00 • L P R T YH • 15-24kph Chris Crossland (ROA 25000 )/West Yorkshire CTC • chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 1EF

BP 105km

55 Mellow Fruitfulness 10:00 , from Mytholmroyd • 1200m • AAA1.25 • £4.50 • L P R T YH • 15-30kph Chris Crossland (ROA 25000 )/West Yorkshire CTC • chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk

BP 55km

www.aukweb.net

AUK CALENDAR SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER

200 The AAAnfractuous BR 207km UPDATED 08:00, from Chalfont St Peter • 2900m • AAA3 • £7.00 • L P R T M • 15-30kph Martin Lucas/Willesden CC • martinxlucas@gmail.com • 59 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, London W5 5RP 200 The Less Anfractuous BR 202km UPDATED 08:10, from Chalfont St Peter • 2400m • £7.00 • L P R T M • 15-30kph Martin Lucas/Willesden CC • martinxlucas@gmail.com • 59 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, London W5 5RP 100 The Nyctophobic BP 106km UPDATED 08:30, from Chalfont St Peter • 1400m • £6.00 • L P R T M • 15-30kph Martin Lucas/Willesden CC • martinxlucas@gmail.com • 59 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, London W5 5RP 200 The Clwydian BR 212km 08:00, from Corwen, N Wales • 3200m • AAA3.25 • £6.00 • P R T • 50 15-30kph Vicky Payne/Chester & N Wales CTC • vickypayne8@hotmail.com Bryn Celyn, Penyffordd, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 9HH 130 The Clwyd Gate BP 138km 08:30, from Corwen, N Wales • 2250m • AAA2.25 • £6.00 • P R T 50 • 12.5-25kph Vicky Payne/Chester & N Wales CTC • vickypayne8@hotmail.com 60 The Bala Mini-Bash BP 60km 09:00 , from Corwen, N Wales • £6.00 • P R T 50 • 12.5-25kph Vicky Payne/Chester & N Wales CTC • vickypayne8@hotmail.com 200 Etal-u-Can BR 204km 08:00, from Galashiels • 2379m • £10.00 • L P R T S G • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax Ecosse • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 100 Ride of the Valkyries BP 106km 10:00, from Galashiels • 1200m • £9.00 • L P R T S G • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax Ecosse • pedaller1@sky.com 200 Mr Pickwick’s Autumnal Outing BR 206km 07:30, from Tewkesbury • 2350m • £6.00 • C L P R T NM 100 • 15-25kph Mark Rigby (ROA 25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com c/o Maggs Day Centre, Deansway, Worcester WR1 2JD 150 Ed Blackthorn’s Son BP 151km 08:30, from Tewkesbury • 1590m • £6.00 • C G P T NM 100 • 12-30kph Mark Rigby (ROA 25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com 150 An Autumn day out BP 155km UPDATED 08:30, from Trowell, West of Nottingham • 1135m • £7.00 • L P R T 80 • 15-30kph Terry Taylor/Nottinghamshire CTC • tfataylor@yahoo.com • 19 Burton Drive, Beeston NG9 5NS

SUNDAY 15TH OCTOBER

200 The Silly Suffolk 08:00, from Carlton Colville,Lowestoft, Suffolk • £6.00 • F R T P • 15-30kph John Thompson/VC Baracchi • johntommo6@btinternet.com 136 Dell Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 9NT 160 The Silly Suffolk 09:00 , from Carlton Colville,Lowestoft, Suffolk • £6.00 • F R T P • 15-30kph John Thompson/VC Baracchi • johntommo6@btinternet.com 200 Horseshoe Pass 08:00, from Congleton Rugby Club • 1650m • £6.00 • P R 60 • 15-30kph Denise Hurst/Congleton CC • dhurst085@aol.com • 10 Firwood Road, Biddulph, Staffordshire ST8 7ED 170 Chirk Aqueduct 08:30, from Congleton Rugby Club • 1197m • £6.00 • P R 60 • 15-30kph Denise Hurst/Congleton CC • dhurst085@aol.com • 10 Firwood Road, Biddulph, Staffordshire ST8 7ED

SATURDAY 21ST OCTOBER

BR 200km

BP 160km

BR 210km

ArrivéeSummer2017

SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER

110 Colourful Clumber BP 116km 09:00, from Bolsover • £5.00 • L P R T 100 • 15-30kph Matt Connley (ROA 5000)/Bolsover & District CC • 01246 825 351 • matt.connley@talktalk.net 7 Eskdale Close, Bolsover, Chesterfield S44 6RL 200 Peculier Old 200 BR 200km 08:00, from Morton Park, Darlington • 2200m • £5.00 • G NM P T • 14.3-30kph Dean Clementson/VC 167 • dean.clementson@yahoo.com • 10 Redmire Close, Darlington DL1 2ER

SUNDAY 29TH OCTOBER

100 The Dartmoor Devil @ 8 BP 103km 08:00, from Bovey Tracey • 2500m • AAA2.5 • £10.00 • F G P R T 125 (22/10) • 12.5-25kph Kevin Presland (ROA 5000)/CTC Devon • 01626 833 749 • kevin.hindstreet@btinternet.com Hind Street House, Hind Street, Bovey Tracey, Devon TQ13 9HT 100 The Dartmoor Devil @ 9 BP 103km 09:00, from Bovey Tracey • 2500m • AAA2.5 • £10.00 • F G P R T 125 (22/10) • 12.5-25kph Kevin Presland (ROA 5000)/CTC Devon • 01626 833 749 • kevin.hindstreet@btinternet.com 100 Wesley May Memorial Super Grimpeur BP 102km 09:00, from Bynea, Llanelli • 2400m • AAA2.5 • £4.50 • G F L P R T 30 (17/10) • 10-25kph John Bastiani/Swansea DA • jb@reynoldston.com • The Brambles, Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AA 100 Around The Gwendraeth BP 100km 9:00 , from Bynea, Llanelli • 990m • £6.00 • G F L P R T 30 (17/10) • 12-30kph John Bastiani/Swansea DA • jb@reynoldston.com • The Brambles, Reynoldston, Swansea SA3 1AA 200 The Petworth End of Summer 200 BR 214km CHANGE OF DATE 07:00, Pound Street Car Park, Petworth, W Sussex • 2006m • £6.00 • X F P T • 15-30kph Anton Brown/ABAudax • abaudax@btconnect.com 19 Northlands Avenue, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3RT 100 The Petworth End of Summer 100 BP 103km CHANGE OF DATE 08:00 , Pound Street Car Park, Petworth, W Sussex • 1350m • £8.50 • F P T 100 • 15-30kph Anton Brown/ABAudax • abaudax@btconnect.com 100 Emitremmus Desrever BP 100km 10:00, from Fairlands, Stevenage SG2 0BL • 1019m • £7.00 • L P R T 360 (19/10) • 12.5-28kph Jim Brown (ROA 5000)/Stevenage & N Herts CTC • 07939 687509 • jim@stevenagectc.org.uk Emitremmus, 106 Oaks Cross, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 8LT 67 Emitremmus Lite BP 67km 10:30 , from Fairlands, Stevenage SG2 0BL • 643m • £7.00 • L P R T 100 (19/10) • 10-20kph Jim Brown (ROA 5000)/Stevenage & N Herts CTC • 07939 687509 • jim@stevenagectc.org.uk

SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER

BP 175km

100 Mid Sussex Hillier BP 108km 08:30, from Chailey, East Sussex • 2012m • AAA2 • £5.50 • F L P R T 40 (12/10) • 12.5-25kph Martin Malins/San Fairy Ann CC • malinseastg@tiscali.co.uk 4 North Common, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9DN 100 Mid Sussex Hilly BP 108km 08:30, from Chailey, East Sussex • 1600m • AAA1.5 • £5.50 • F L P R T 40 • 12.5-25kph Martin Malins/Grimpeurs du Sud • malinseastg@tiscali.co.uk 200 Droitwich–Witney (or the 5 Gates) BR 200km 08:15, from Droitwich • £4.00 • C P T R M • 14.4-25kph Gavin Greenhow (ROA 25000) • 44 Newland Road, Droitwich WR9 7AG 200 The Cambridge Autumnal 200 BR 200km 08:00, from Girton, Cambridge • £7.50 • X A G L P R T S YH • 15-30kph Nick Wilkinson/Cambridge Audax • nick@camaudax.uk • 42 Dodford Lane, Girton, Cambridge CB3 0QE 100 The Cambridge Autumnal 100 BP 100km 09:00 , from Girton, Cambridge • £7.50 • X A G L P R T S YH • 12.5-30kph Nick Wilkinson/Cambridge Audax • nick@camaudax.uk • 42 Dodford Lane, Girton, Cambridge CB3 0QE 100 The Witch’s Hat BP 109km 10:00, from Plan2Ride, Tongwynlais, Cardiff • 1245m • AAA1 • £7.00 • YH P R F S 50 (6/10) • 15-30kph David Hann/Motorlegs Cardiff • 8 Kymin Terrace, Penarth CF64 1AP

SUNDAY 22ND OCTOBER

200 Ride The Lancashire Lights 200 BRM 206km 07:30, from Bispham, Lancashire • 1800m • £5.00 • L P R T • 15-30kph Andy Corless/Burnley CC • burnleysportiv@yahoo.com 31 Castlerigg Drive, Ightenhill, Burnley, Lancashire BB12 8AT 100 Celtic Coastal BP 100km 09:30, from Connor Downs WI Hall, NE of Hayle • 1250m • £5.00 • C L P R T 12.5-30kph Chris Rayne/Audax Kernow • 1 Reawla Lane, Hayle TR27 5HQ 60 The Celtic Canter BP 60km 09:30, from Connor Downs WI Hall, NE of Hayle • 1350m • £5.00 • C L P R T • 12.5-30kph Chris Rayne/Audax Kernow • 1 Reawla Lane, Hayle TR27 5HQ

200 Upper Thames BR 212km 07:30, from Cholsey, E of Didcot • 1900m • £6.00 • L P R T M G • 15-30kph Phil Dyson/Thames Valley Audax • 01491 651 284 • audaxphil@btinternet.com 25 Papist Way, Cholsey, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 9LL 200 Transporter 200 BR 202km 07:00, Coryton, NW Cardiff • £8.00 • YH L P R T 50 • 15-30kph Richard Evans (ROA 5000)/Cardiff Byways CC • 029 2034 1768 • evansrichardd@googlemail.com 73 Conway Road, Cardiff CF11 9NW 100 National Arboretum BP 107km 09:00, from Denby • £5.00 • P R T • 12.5-30kph Tom Fox (ROA 10000)/Alfreton CTC • 01773 833 593 • tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk 180 Nottingham Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7FP 200 The Long Dark Teatime of The Soul BR 200km 08:00, from Galashiels • 2000m • £10.00 • L P R T S G • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax Ecosse • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 110 Home in time for Teatime BP 116km 10:00, from Galashiels • £9.00 • L P R T S G • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax Ecosse • pedaller1@sky.com 200 Mr Pickwick’s Cymraeg Cyrch BR 209km 07:30, from Tewkesbury • 2200m • £6.00 • C P R T NM 100 • 15-25kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com c/o Maggs Day Centre, Deansway, Worcester WR1 2JD 110 Theo Nelson BP 111km 09:00, from Tewkesbury • 1365m • £6.00 • C P R T NM 100 • 12-30kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com 100 Essex 3R’s BP 107km 10:00, from Witham • £4.00 • X M T G • 12-25kph Grant Huggins/Audax Club Mid-Essex • grant@huggys.co.uk • 76 Bryony Close, Witham, Essex CM8 2XF

200 Eureka! BR 210km 08:00, from Cheadle, Stockport • 800m • £6.00 • P R T M 60 • 15-30kph Peter Hammond/Peak Audax CTC • hamhort84@talktalk.net 3 Dorac Avenue, Heald Green, Cheadle, Stockport, Cheshire SK8 3NZ 200 Dinner Dart BR 200km Cycling event starting from Anywhere, to AUK Annual Reunion. Start 3rd or 4th Nov from your nearest proof of passage point, finish at the AUK Reunion and Annual Dinner, this year at Llandrindod Wells. Hand in card to organiser at Reunion. Martin Foley/Audax UK • martinfoley@btinternet.com 78 Denholm Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 6TU 200 A fter-dinner Dart Cycling event starting from AUK Annual Reunion, Llandrindod Wells. Start 4th to 5th Nov from the AUK Reunion and Dinner at Llandrindod Wells. Post completed card to the organiser. Martin Foley/Audax UK • martinfoley@btinternet.com 78 Denholm Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 6TU

SUNDAY 12TH NOVEMBER

200 Eureka! 08:00, from Cheadle, Stockport • 800m • £6.00 • P R T M 60 • 15-30kph Peter Hammond/Peak Audax CTC • hamhort84@talktalk.net 3 Dorac Avenue, Heald Green, Cheadle, Stockport, Cheshire SK8 3NZ 160 Cheshire Safari 08:30 , from Cheadle, Stockport • 570m • £6.00 • P R T M 60 • 15-25kph Peter Hammond/Peak Audax CTC • hamhort84@talktalk.net

BR 200km

BR 210km

SATURDAY 2ND DECEMBER

200 Alfreton Figure of Eight 08:00, from Alfreton • 1434m • £7.00 • L P R T • 15-30kph Tom Fox (ROA 10000)/Alfreton CTC • 01773 833 593 • tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk 180 Nottingham Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7FP 200 Kings, Castles, Priests & Churches 07:30, from Tewkesbury • 2550m • AAA1.75 • £6.00 • F L P R T NM 100 • 15-25kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com c/o Maggs Day Centre, Deansway, Worcester WR1 2JD 110 Once more unto… Agincourt 09:00, from Tewkesbury • 850m • £5.00 • C P T NM 100 • 12-30kph Mark Rigby (ROA25000)/BlackSheep CC • blacksheepaudax@gmail.com 100 The Stansted Airport Express 10:00, from Witham, Essex • £4.00 • X M T • 12.5-30kph Thomas Deakins/Audax Club Mid-Essex • tomdeakins31@gmail.com 31 The Causeway, Great Dunmow, Essex CM6 2AA

SATURDAY 3RD DECEMBER

50 Ed’s Mince Pie & Mulled Wine 50 10:00, from Carharrack, Cornwall • £4.00 • F L P R T 85 • 10-25kph Eddie Angell/Audax Kernow • 01326 373421 • angells@talktalk.net 14 Belhay, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 8DF

BP 160km

BR 209km

SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY

100 Hills and Mills 09:00, from Hailsham • 1950m • AAA2 • £7.00 • R F P 85 • 14-25kph Andy Seviour • 13 Blacksmiths Copse, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 3XB

BP 105km

200 Straight on at Rosie’s 08:00, from Alfreton • 1120m • £6.00 • L P R T • 15-30kph Tom Fox (ROA 10000)/Alfreton CTC • tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk 180 Nottingham Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7FP

BR 200km

100 Worthing Winter Warmer BP 105km 09:00, from Dial Post RH13 8NS • 1080m • £5.00 • F P R T • 15-30kph Mick Irons/Worthing Excelsior • 01903 240 280 • 36 Phrosso Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 5SL

SATURDAY 24TH FEBRUARY

120 Mad Jack’s – John Seviour Memorial 09:00, from Hailsham • 2240m • AAA2.25 • £7.00 • R F P 85 • 14-25kph Andy Seviour • 13 Blacksmiths Copse, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 3XB

BP 125km

SATURDAY 3RD MARCH

200 Roses to Wrags 08:00, from Alfreton • 1391m • £6.00 • F P R T 150 • 15-30kph Stephen Ogden/Alfreton CTC • oggy.dude@gmail.com The Firs, 170 Nuncargate Road, Kirkby In Ashfield NG17 9EA

BR 212km

SATURDAY 10TH MARCH

BP 100km

100 Three Fields 09:00, from Alfreton • 1170m • £5.00 • L P R T 100 • 12-30kph Tom Fox (ROA 10000)/Alfreton CTC • tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk 180 Nottingham Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7FP

BR 211km

200 Gently Bentley 08:00, from Surbiton • 1600m • £9.50 • G L P R T 120 (11/3) • 15-30kph Richard Evans/Kingston Whs • laidbackaroundtheworld@gmail.com 29 Somerset Avenue, Raynes Park, London SW20 0BJ

BP 104km

SUNDAY 18TH MARCH

BR 202km

BP 110km BP 100km

BR 208km

SUNDAY 25TH MARCH

100 Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 09:30, from Otford, nr Sevenoaks • 1890m • AAA2 • £8.00 • F L NM P R T • 12-25kph Patrick McMaster/West Kent CTC • pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk 207 Colyer Road, Northfleet, Kent DA11 8AT 50 Kent Invicta Hilly 50 10:00, from Otford, nr Sevenoaks • 945m • AAA1 • £7.00 • F L P R T NM • 12-25kph Patrick McMaster/West Kent CTC • pmcmaster@blueyonder.co.uk

FRIDAY 30TH MARCH

BP 50km

SATURDAY 9TH DECEMBER

200 The South of Bucks Winter Warmer BR 207km 08:00, from Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2SE • 1100m • £5.00 • YH A1 G L P T S X 100 • 15-30kph Terry Lister • lister4cycling@btinternet.com • 4 Abbey Walk, Great Missenden, Bucks HP16 0AY 200 St Lucy’s Brevet BR 208km 08:00, from Prees Heath, nr Whitchurch • £3.00 • X P R T • 14.3-25kph John Perrin/Peak Audax CTC • perrin_john@sky.com • 20 Princes Way, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 8UB

SUNDAY 17TH DECEMBER

200 Winter Solstice BR 202km 08:30, from Bredbury, Stockport • 700m • £5.00 • P R T 60 • 15-30kph Mike Wigley (ROA 10000)/Peak Audax CTC • PeakAudax@hotmail.co.uk Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph OL3 5UX 200 Santa Special BR 204km 08:00, from Great Bromley, nr Colchester • 1142m • £6.50 • L P R T • 15-30kph Andy Terry/CTC Suffolk • 07922 772001 • 70 Queensway, Lawford, Manningtree, Essex CO11 1EW

SATURDAY 6TH JANUARY 2018

BP 109km

SATURDAY 10TH FEBRUARY

100 Bois Ocaud d’Automne 100 BP 106km 09:00, from Catherington, near Portsmouth • 1600m • AAA1.5 • £5.00 • F L P R T • 14.3-30kph Jonathan Ellis/Hantspol CC • jondse@ntlworld.com • 42 Wessex Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO8 0HS 100 Breakfast in Bampton BP 100km 09:00, from Cranbrook, Exeter • £5.00 • T NM • 12-30kph Sarah Britton/Exeter Whs • shbritton@outlook.com • 17 Copse Close Lane, Cranbrook, Devon EX5 7AP

SUNDAY 26TH NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 20TH JANUARY

200 The Willy Warmer 08:00, from Chalfont St Peter • £6.00 • L P R T M 75 • 15-30kph Paul Stewart/Willesden CC • 07974 670931 • paudax@gmail.com 25 Devonshire Gardens, Chiswick, London W4 3TN

SATURDAY 3RD FEBRUARY

SATURDAY 25TH NOVEMBER

100 The Waveney Wander 09:00, from Carlton Colville, nr Lowestoft, Suffolk • £6.00 • L P R T • 15-30kph John Thompson/VC Baracchi • johntommo6@btinternet.com 136 Dell Road Oulton Broad Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 9NT

SATURDAY 13TH JANUARY

100 The Kelvedon Oyster 10:00, from Kelvedon, Essex • £5.00 • X M T G • 12-30kph Graeme Provan/Audax Club Mid-Essex • 1 Firs Road, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8JS

200 The Poor Student BR 207km 08:00, from Oxford • 1800m • £6.00 • YH P X 200 • 15-30kph Pat Hurt • 07887 876162 • iddu.audax@gmail.com • 10 Newbury Road, Lambourn RG17 7LL

400 Easter Fleches to York from Anywhere to York • £15.00 • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax UK • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 200 Easter Trail from Anywhere to York • £12.00 • 15-30kph Martin Foley/Audax UK • martinfoley@btinternet.com 78 Denholm Road, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH21 6TU

BP 201km

SATURDAY 14TH APRIL

BR 311km

100 Tramway 100 09:00, from Cromford, Derbyshire • 1480m • AAA1.5 • £6.00 • P R T 150 • 11-30kph Tom Fox (ROA 10000)/Alfreton CTC • tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk 180 Nottingham Road, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7FP

SATURDAY 22ND JUNE

400 Summer Arrow to York From Anywhere to York • £15.00 • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax UK • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL 200 Summer Dart to York From Anywhere to York • £5.00 • 15-30kph Lucy Mctaggart (ROA 25000)/Audax UK • pedaller1@sky.com 30 Victoria Street, Galashiels, Scottish Borders TD1 1HL

BP 50km

BRM 400km

300 Amesbury Amble 06:00, from Raynes Park • 2600m • £10.00 • A(2) C G L P R T S • 15-30kph Richard Evans/Kingston Whs • laidbackaroundtheworld@gmail.com 29 Somerset Avenue, Raynes Park, London SW20 0BJ

SATURDAY 2ND JUNE

BP 100km

BP 104km

BR 400km

BR 200km

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Board and delegates Chair Chris Crossland 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 1EF 01422 832 853 General Secretary Graeme Provan Marlborough House, Victoria Road South, Chelmsford CM1 1LN Graeme has the following assistant: Les Hereward (Registrar) 20 Webster Close, Oxshott, Surrey, KT22 0SF Finance Director TBA Accounts Assistant: Nigel Armstrong (Accounts) Director and Membership secretary Mike Wigley Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph OL3 5UX Mike has the following Assistants: Peter Davis (Enrolments) Peter Gawthorne (Renewals) Richard Jennings (Enrolments) Allan Taylor (Renewals) Findlay Watt (Renewals) LRM/ACP correspondent Chris Crossland 14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 1EF 01422 832 853 Communications Director Ged Lennox Walnut Farm, Bagpath, Gloucestershire GL8 8YQ gedlennox@me.com

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AUDAX UK MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: ____________________________________________________

2017 entry form for events held under AUK regulations

AUDAX UK MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: ____________________________________________________

Fee for other entrants (includes £2 temporary membership): £_________________________________

2017 entry form for events held under AUK regulations

Fee for other entrants (includes £2 temporary membership): £_________________________________

Date of birth if under 18 years (see parental consent below): __________________________________

NAME OF EVENT: ____________________________________________________________________

Date of birth if under 18 years (see parental consent below): __________________________________

FORENAME: __________________________ SURNAME:____________________________________

NAME OF EVENT: ____________________________________________________________________

FORENAME: __________________________ SURNAME:____________________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________________

From: ___________________ Distance: ___________________ Date: ____________________________

ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

From: ___________________ Distance: ___________________ Date: ____________________________

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Fee for Audax UK members: £ ___________________________________________________________

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The event is run under Audax UK regulations. You should familiarise yourself with Audax UK regulations, guidance and advice (available at www.aukweb.net or on request from the organiser). The event is not a race or a trial of speed. You are expected to follow the rules of the road and show consideration to other road users. The route is on open public roads. You should prepare by studying the route. The route is not waymarked or marshalled. You are responsible for your safety and conduct. Some routes/conditions may be arduous. The organiser provides no rescue service.

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WIGGY SPRING 100

Wiggy Spring100

EVENTBRIEF WIGGY SPRING 100 When… Saturday 1st April 2017 Starts from… Wigginton, North Yorkshire Organiser… Keith Benton, CTC North Yorks Website… www.ctcnorthyorkshire.org.uk

John Myerscough of Kinross CC rider rides through the grounds of Studley Park, North Yorkshire, on the Wiggy Spring 100 Photographer: Graeme Holdsworth