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Arrivée<br />
Number <strong>134</strong> Autumn <strong>2016</strong><br />
the Long Distance Cyclists’ Association<br />
www.aukweb.net
Nigel Deakin before the event<br />
Rob Bullyment leading off the riders<br />
Samuel Thompson on the best bike of the day<br />
David Tassell on his first 200k audax<br />
Daniel Glassey
EDITORIAL<br />
Arrivée is the free magazine of Audax United<br />
Kingdom—the long distance cyclists’ association<br />
which represents the Randonneurs Mondiaux in<br />
the UK. AUK membership is open to any cyclist,<br />
regardless of club or other affiliation, who is imbued<br />
with the spirit of long-distance cycling. Full details<br />
in the AUK Handbook.<br />
HOW TO CONTACT US<br />
Membership Enquiries: Mike Wigley (AUK Membership<br />
Secretary), Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane, Delph<br />
OL3 5UX. Email: membership@audax.uk<br />
Membership Application Form: www.aukweb.net/<br />
enroll<br />
Membership fees<br />
Renewal: £14 or £56 for five years.<br />
New or lapsed members £19 (inc. £5 enrolment fee) or<br />
£61 for five years.<br />
Household members: £5 or £20 for five years. No<br />
enrolment fee for new household members. Life<br />
member’s Arrivée: £9, or £45 for five years.<br />
Arrivée<br />
Extra current Arrivée copies, where available, are £3<br />
(UK), £4 (EEC), £5 (non-EEC). Contact Mike Wigley<br />
(address above).<br />
Mudguard stickers four for £1. AUK cloth badges<br />
£2 (includes UK post, EEC add £1, non-EEC add £2).<br />
Contact Mike Wigley (above).<br />
Contributions<br />
Articles, info, cartoons, photos, all welcome. Please<br />
read the contributors’ advice in the Handbook.<br />
Views expressed in Arrivée are not necessarily those<br />
of the Club.<br />
Produced by AUK: editing, typesetting, layout, design<br />
by Peter Moir.<br />
Printed and distributed: Headley Brothers Ltd,<br />
Ashford, Kent TN24 8HH.<br />
Distribution data from AUK membership team.<br />
TO ADVERTISE<br />
Advertising Manager: Tim Wainwright<br />
4a Brambledown Road, Sanderstead,<br />
South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0BL<br />
Email: twain@blueyonder.co.uk<br />
Rates per issue: 1/₁₂ page £25, pro-rata to £300 per<br />
full page. Payment in advance. Businesses must be<br />
recommended by a member. We rely on good faith<br />
and Arrivée cannot be held responsible for advertisers’<br />
misrepresentations or failure to supply goods or<br />
services.<br />
Members’ private sales, wants and events<br />
advertising: free.<br />
PUBLICATIONS MANAGERS<br />
February Editor: Sheila Simpson<br />
33 Hawk Green Road, Marple SK6 7HR<br />
Tel: 0161 449 9309 Fax: 0709 237 4245<br />
Email: sheila@aukadia.net<br />
May Editor: Tim Wainwright<br />
4a Brambledown Road, Sanderstead,<br />
South Croydon, Surrey CR2 0BL Tel: 020 8657 8179<br />
Email: twain@blueyonder.co.uk<br />
August Editor: David Kenning<br />
Little Orchard, Pean Hill, Whitstable CT5 3BQ<br />
Tel: 07734 815133 / 01227 471448<br />
Email: dave@widdersbel.co.uk<br />
November Editor: Peter Moir<br />
2 Peel Close, Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire<br />
OX29 7YB Tel: 01993 704913<br />
Email: peter@moir.co.uk<br />
To subscribe to the AUK e-mailing discussion list, send<br />
an Email to audax-subscribe@yahoogroups.com<br />
Our WWW site: www.aukweb.net<br />
AUK clothing can be purchased directly on-line at<br />
www.forcegb.com<br />
Copyright © <strong>2016</strong> Arrivée<br />
Audax UK Long Distance Cyclists’ Association<br />
Company No. 05920055 (England & Wales)<br />
Registered Office: 25 Bluewater Drive, Elborough,<br />
Weston-Super-Mare BS24 8PF<br />
Welcome to the autumn edition of Arrivée<br />
at the close of Audax UK's fortieth season.<br />
Thanks to everyone who took time out to<br />
provide articles and photographs for this<br />
issue. Please do keep them coming — even<br />
one or two photographs from an event, or<br />
any other rides of audacious interest, make<br />
such a difference to the magazine. If you're<br />
getting your smartphone out to check Twitter<br />
or Facebook while you're out on a ride, use<br />
the opportunity to snap some of your fellow<br />
riders! I hope the articles included in this issue<br />
inspire you to get searching in the calendar<br />
for new and interesting events on which to<br />
ride.<br />
Congratulations to Steve Abraham, who in<br />
September broke the HAM'R highest monthly<br />
mileage record, at a distance of 7104.3 miles.<br />
Steve beat the previous monthly record of<br />
6679.8 miles, set by André Goeritz from the<br />
USA earlier this year.<br />
Don't forget, the Audax membership<br />
year runs from 1 January each year. This is<br />
especially important this time round if you<br />
intend to use your priority entry for LEL<br />
next year — make sure you don't allow your<br />
8 Obituary<br />
Rough Diamond<br />
6 James Bradbury<br />
Free “MOTs”!<br />
7 John Plant<br />
Cycling the Path of Hope<br />
Nick Elverston<br />
Neroche 100<br />
Ribble Blue<br />
LeJog Charity Ride<br />
Ian Lomas<br />
Utterly Butterleigh<br />
Ribble Blue<br />
A Texas Winter Weekend<br />
Bob Damper<br />
Book Reviews<br />
10<br />
11<br />
12<br />
17<br />
18<br />
20<br />
22<br />
30<br />
33<br />
An A-Z of the WAWA<br />
Peter Marshall<br />
A Grand National<br />
Alison Smedley<br />
To The Pyrenees<br />
Rosy Gray<br />
Contents<br />
Front cover: Nigel Pratt & Stephen Longman on the Hills<br />
& Mills Grimpeur, January <strong>2016</strong><br />
Photo: Tim Wainwright<br />
Opposite: Cambridge Autumnal 200<br />
Photos: Nick Wilkinson<br />
Autumn <strong>2016</strong><br />
membership to lapse<br />
on 31 December. If<br />
you're not a member<br />
come 1 January you'll<br />
have to forego your<br />
preferential entry on 6<br />
January and wait until<br />
general entry opens<br />
on the 20th.<br />
The next issue of<br />
Arrivée is due with<br />
you in February 2017, so<br />
please send any articles or photographs to<br />
Sheila in plenty of time. The contact details<br />
are in the panel at the left.<br />
Have a good 2017 audax season and<br />
hopefully see some of you out on the road!<br />
Peter<br />
Foundation Rides<br />
36 Lorna Fewtrell<br />
Route 66 - The Kicks Return<br />
37 Peter Bond<br />
The Redemption Ride<br />
40<br />
42<br />
45<br />
46<br />
48<br />
51 LEL<br />
52<br />
56<br />
62<br />
Tim Harrison<br />
Essex Rivers & Reservoirs<br />
John Thompson<br />
Bocca Vitullu<br />
Paul Harrison<br />
Peak Performance: National 400<br />
Peter Bond<br />
Daylight DIY SR Series<br />
Colin Gray<br />
Official News<br />
AUK Calendar<br />
Event & Mileater<br />
Entry Forms<br />
PLEASE MENTION ARRIVÉE WHEN<br />
REPLYING TO OUR ADVERTISERS<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 3
MERCHANDISE<br />
Clothing<br />
Official Audax UK clothing, made in Yorkshire by ForceGB,<br />
is available to buy now from the Audax UK website.<br />
The club jersey uses the latest in wicking sports fabrics and<br />
includes features such as under-arm mesh for ventilation,<br />
reflective piping, grippers to keep everything in place and<br />
three rear pockets plus a built-in zipped pocket.<br />
The range includes:<br />
• Long & short sleeve jersey<br />
• Winter weight jersey<br />
• Softshell jacket<br />
• Gilet • Arm warmers<br />
• Special edition PBP jersey<br />
All in a range of colours, and<br />
men's & women's sizes<br />
You can order AUK club jerseys via www.aukweb.net/members/clothing or direct from the<br />
ForceGB website at www.forcegb.com/club-shops/audax-uk (or call 01924 409290)<br />
Badges and Medals<br />
A wide range of membership badges, frame stickers, car window stickers and other<br />
medals and badges are available for members to purchase, including a special<br />
commemorative badge to mark Audax UK's 40th Anniversary.<br />
For full details of the range, plus prices and how to order your badges and medals,<br />
see: www.aukweb.net/results/medalsbadges<br />
4<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
THIS & THAT<br />
VACANCY for<br />
AAA Secretary<br />
Applications are invited for the post of Audax Altitude Awards<br />
Secretary, to succeed Steve Snook, the current Secretary, when he<br />
retires from the post at the end of <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
Duties will include:<br />
••<br />
Running the Audax Altitude Awards scheme.<br />
••<br />
Working out climbing and AAA points for calendar and permanent<br />
events, including DIY by GPS Perms.<br />
••<br />
Processing claims for AAA awards.<br />
••<br />
Maintaining the AAA pages of the AUK website.<br />
••<br />
Keeping Rolls of Honour for each AAA award on the website.<br />
••<br />
Selling the AAA medals and badges (not Grimpeur medals).<br />
••<br />
Promoting and developing the AAA, and consulting with AAA riders<br />
and organisers as appropriate.<br />
••<br />
Answering queries about AAA from members and organisers.<br />
Applicants should be able to demonstrate a comprehensive<br />
knowledge of methods of calculating altitude gain, whether by<br />
GPS, computer and website mapping, barometric methods etc.,<br />
and experience of their application, as well as the other skills and<br />
experience needed for the rest of the duties.<br />
Applications, stating relevant knowledge and experience should be<br />
addressed to Permanents Secretary John Ward, who will be pleased<br />
to deal with any enquiries.<br />
34 Avenue Road, Lymington SO41 9GJ<br />
Tel: 01590 671205<br />
Email: permanents@audax.uk<br />
CORRESPONDENCE<br />
Dear Editor,<br />
The term “free control” amuses me.<br />
While I accept it is harmless it is arguably misleading because in one<br />
sense it could hardly be a more blatant contradiction. “Free” controls<br />
are the ones where you do have to spend money to get a receipt. I’m<br />
guessing the thinking is that you are “free” to choose a suitable place for<br />
a control. If so, would not “independent” be more appropriate or “pick<br />
your own”?<br />
I appreciate it might be felt there are more important matters to debate<br />
and I am writing this partly for fun but is there something of a serious<br />
point? While it didn’t take me long to grasp it – I do have something<br />
that stirs up top! – when a newcomer to audax the term did puzzle me<br />
initially,<br />
I will leave it at that. Just to confirm I am not considering an AGM<br />
motion!!!<br />
Yours sincerely,<br />
John Thompson<br />
Paul Whitehead & George Hanna on the Wild Atlantic Way. Photo courtesy of Eamon Nealon<br />
AUK Buffs<br />
An ideal stocking-filler, AUK Buffs are available to buy now from<br />
http://buffs.paudax.com.<br />
These are custom adult sized buffs from Buff® in the original<br />
microfibre material. Two designs are available: “Silver Flock” and<br />
“MultiChain”, as shown below.<br />
Available for delivery to the UK and overseas, visit http://buffs.<br />
paudax.com, or contact buffs@paudax.com for further details.<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 5
RANDONNEE<br />
The Rough Diamond<br />
Rough Statistics<br />
James Bradbury<br />
Mark Rigby's Rough Diamond is<br />
described as a "fast 300" on good<br />
roads and, being in July, the weather<br />
is usually better than 300s in the spring. Ideal<br />
for those attempting this distance for the first<br />
time, like my wife Erica, so we did the ride<br />
together on the tandem. It's a great ride and I'd<br />
recommend it to anyone doing this distance for<br />
the first time.<br />
Many cyclists, myself included, track their<br />
rides on GPS analysis sites such as Strava. After<br />
the ride you can pore over the statistics to find<br />
out how your speed varied and, with additional<br />
sensors, where your power output dipped,<br />
your heart rate shot up or your cadence was<br />
sub-optimal. Besides a thorough approach to<br />
training, I think there's a lot to be said for using<br />
these sites for nostalgic reliving or sharing<br />
rides, adding photos or planning future routes.<br />
It can be motivational too. Trying to beat my<br />
personal records on Strava was what got me<br />
back into cycling properly some five years ago.<br />
But, liking gadgets as I do, I know I'm at risk of<br />
being sucked into obsessing over performance<br />
data. Erica teases me about uploading my rides<br />
before I've even had a shower. So whenever<br />
I'm on an audax I defiantly tell myself I'm "out<br />
for a good time, not a fast time", taking in the<br />
scenery, chatting to people I meet on the way<br />
and enjoying the adventure.<br />
Those at the very front or back of the field<br />
may have more reason to scrutinise their<br />
average speeds. Indeed, it's prudent even for<br />
those of us normally in the bulgy bit of the bell<br />
curve to keep one eye on the clock as I know<br />
from my failure to complete PBP last year. But,<br />
for many audaxers, the additional data is not of<br />
much interest and might even be considered a<br />
distraction from the enjoyment of the ride.<br />
I enjoy looking at visual data, like that<br />
presented in the book Information Is Beautiful.<br />
So I produced a graph tracking what I thought<br />
was interesting on the ride. Everyone will have<br />
their own opinions about what makes a great<br />
ride; the variables I've described with the graph<br />
are the ones which Erica and I thought were<br />
important. They're also not very precise because<br />
we tried to reconstruct them later. I guess we<br />
could've carefully noted each one every fifteen<br />
minutes to get accurate results, but we didn't<br />
want any distractions from navigation, chatting<br />
and looking at the view. Besides, that would<br />
probably be more annoying than constantly<br />
checking our cadence. Maybe one day someone<br />
will make sensors to measure some of this<br />
directly!<br />
The only variable I've taken from the GPS track. It<br />
helps to work out where we are on the route and you<br />
can see how the climbs and descents affected the<br />
other lines. It includes the short ride to and from our<br />
accommodation.<br />
ELEVATION PROFILE<br />
You're never alone on a tandem, but we still<br />
enjoyed chatting with other riders, or just cruising<br />
along with them on the flatter sections.<br />
SOCIAL INTERACTION<br />
This was affected not only by the morning's<br />
rain but by riding up hill a bit too quickly without<br />
shedding layers.<br />
CLOTHING DAMPNESS<br />
HUNGER<br />
A rough average between myself and Erica as we<br />
seemed to get hungry at about the same time on<br />
this ride.<br />
SCENERY<br />
Plenty of interest along the route, but some<br />
definite highlights including lakes, rivers and<br />
architecture.<br />
MORALE / CONFIDENCE<br />
Again an average between the two of us. This<br />
was greatly affected by everything else we tracked<br />
and some particular events which I've marked on<br />
the graph.<br />
6<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
THIS & THAT<br />
Free “MOTs” for older<br />
members!<br />
We have been contacted by the<br />
National Amyloidosis Centre (NAC)<br />
at The Royal Free Hospital, London.<br />
A research team at the NAC is carrying out a<br />
medical study into one form of the disease<br />
Amyloidosis. This is regarded as a rare disease,<br />
one that has many forms, but all of which<br />
involve the deposition of amyloid protein in<br />
parts of the body. It can be genetic or occur<br />
spontaneously. It is a disease that is notoriously<br />
A DPD scan showing ATTR<br />
cardiac amyloid. The arrow<br />
points to the uptake of DPD<br />
in the heart.<br />
difficult to diagnose. The NAC is a world leader<br />
in the development of diagnostic methods<br />
and treatments. One form of the disease<br />
known as ATTR Amyloidosis was, as you will<br />
see from the information sent by the NAC,<br />
believed to be very rare. The research team<br />
is hoping to recruit healthy and active male<br />
volunteers who are aged over 80 in order to<br />
identify if the disease is more prevelent than<br />
current data suggests. Cyclists are well known<br />
A fused CT/SPECT image<br />
also showing DPD uptake<br />
by amyloid deposits in<br />
the heart. (from Updates<br />
in Cardiac Amyloidosis: A<br />
Review; Banypersad S et al; J<br />
Am Heart Assoc 2012)<br />
for their levels of health and fitness in old age<br />
and are potentially an excellent group from<br />
which to recruit volunteers. If any member,<br />
or any of their friends, meets the criteria and<br />
is interested in supporting a valuable piece<br />
of medical research in one of the foremost<br />
centres of its kind, they are invited to make<br />
contact with the the NAC using the details<br />
provided below.<br />
John Plant<br />
DPD Scanner<br />
National Amyloidosis Centre<br />
Royal Free Hospital<br />
Pond Street<br />
London<br />
NW3 2QG<br />
Tel: 020 7794 0500<br />
Are you male, over 80 years old, and interested in taking part in medical research?<br />
We would like to invite men aged over 80, with no known heart disease to take part in our research study at the National<br />
Amyloidosis Centre in the Royal Free Hospital, London.<br />
What is the purpose of the study?<br />
The purpose of the study is to scan the hearts of healthy men aged over 80, to look for abnormal protein deposits that occur in<br />
a condition called ATTR amyloidosis. This condition mainly affects men after age 70 and until recently it was believed to be very<br />
rare, diagnosed in only about 100 people in the UK each year. But post mortem studies have found ATTR amyloid deposits in the<br />
hearts of 10-20% of deceased elderly men and evidence from echocardiography studies suggests that ATTR amyloid deposition<br />
in the heart may be much more common than was previously believed.<br />
This study aims to investigate the true prevalence and potential health consequences of ATTR amyloid deposition in the hearts<br />
of elderly men.<br />
What does the study involve?<br />
All study participants will undergo a specialist heart scan at the National Amyloidosis Centre and some participants will undergo<br />
a few additional tests. The scan is safe, painless and non-invasive, apart from receiving a single injection into the vein. Detailed<br />
information and explanation of the proposed scan will be provided to enable fully informed consent. The doctors at the NAC<br />
will notify your GP of any abnormal results and give advice on further management.<br />
You will receive £50 compensation for your time and effort in taking part in the study and travel costs to and from the National<br />
Amyloidosis Centre at the Royal Free Hospital will be refunded.<br />
For more information, please contact the researchers:<br />
Ms Thirusha Lane t.lane@ucl.ac.uk 020 7433 2759<br />
Dr Julian Gillmore j.gillmore@ucl.ac.uk 020 7433 2726<br />
The study is being sponsored by University College London, and has been approved by NRES Committee South Central – Hampshire B<br />
ethics committee (REC ref. no. 13/SC/0643). All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 7
OBITUARY<br />
Peter Luxton<br />
13 Sept 1933 – 1 July <strong>2016</strong><br />
Pete Luxton must have been known to almost everybody who reads Arrivée.<br />
Over the years he had ridden, organised and helped in countless events for the<br />
CTC and for the Exeter Wheelers Cycling Club. Pete passed away in the Exeter<br />
Hospice on 1st July having been ill for some time and having suffered a recent<br />
setback.<br />
Pete was born in 1933 in Egypt, where his father was stationed in the RAF. A very<br />
capable engineer, many of us will have seen or known of the bikes which he built<br />
up over the years, both with his association with Sid West at Exmouth (Westland<br />
Cycles) and some up the frames he built under his own name.<br />
For some years he ran a lawnmower business in Exeter, and it was a great shock<br />
to him when just after his retirement in 1999 his wife Eugenie was killed when she<br />
was struck by a moped rider near Cullompton. Pete continued to run the popular<br />
Audax events which she had always organised so well, and the ever popular coffee<br />
pot rides.<br />
Pete spent the last few years living at Stoke Canon with Jean Brierly, who<br />
also cared for him during his illness. I recall riding many miles on longer Audax<br />
events in Pete’s company and he always had many tales and memories to keep us<br />
occupied in the small hours.<br />
At Pete’s funeral in Exeter the chapel was packed with many of the faces of the<br />
cycling world in the Devon and Somerset area. It was good to see them all, and<br />
was a fitting tribute to Pete.<br />
Several EWCC and CTC members held up an arch of wheels as the coffin,<br />
accompanied by a floral tribute, passed through the chapel entrance as Pete<br />
headed down to the shed for the final time leaving us all with many fond<br />
memories.<br />
Graham Brodie<br />
Pete with friend on the Devon Delight Audax<br />
Controlling on The Devon Delight<br />
With Neville Chanin<br />
8<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
BOOK REVIEW<br />
Laid Back Around the<br />
World in 180 Days<br />
Diary of a long bike ride<br />
By Richard Evans<br />
Illustrated by Dominic Trevett<br />
In a footnote to his article<br />
describing part of his epic sixmonth<br />
journey round the world<br />
by bike (Arrivée 128, Spring 2015),<br />
Richard Evans stated "The book<br />
will be published… one day". That<br />
day turned out to be in July <strong>2016</strong>,<br />
when Richard published Laid Back<br />
Around the World in 180 Days:<br />
Diary of a long bike ride. That<br />
“long bike ride” started at BikeFix<br />
in London on 5 April 2014 and<br />
took Richard across 18 countries<br />
and four continents, for a total<br />
riding distance of 23,000km. This<br />
book chronicles not only the daily<br />
progress through each country, but<br />
the meticulous preparation and the<br />
inevitable battles with beauracracy<br />
— even the discovery that having<br />
an actual helpful Member of<br />
Parliament was not sufficient to<br />
propel him over the mountain built<br />
on Chinese red tape.<br />
Richard has been an Audax UK<br />
member since 2003, riding his first<br />
event in February that year — a<br />
200k ride from a desolate trading<br />
estate in Ruislip. From a less than<br />
fully-enjoyable first experience —<br />
puncture, clipless moment, bent<br />
rear mech, completing bang on<br />
the time limit, etc — he went on to<br />
complete an SR series that year in<br />
order to qualify for his first PBP (the<br />
first of his four). Gaining his ultrarandonneur<br />
status in 2012, Richard<br />
states that without that wealth of<br />
experience and confidence gained<br />
due to audaxing it's difficult to see<br />
how he would ever have been able<br />
to contemplate such a round-theworld<br />
endeavour<br />
In September 2013 Richard<br />
started planning the route in detail<br />
following a visit to a central London<br />
bookshop, returning with panniers<br />
stuffed with maps. A few months<br />
later the resultant route plan<br />
consisted of over 140 GPX files to<br />
guide him on his epic journey.<br />
Richard's bike of choice was<br />
an American Bacchetta Giro<br />
recumbent from BikeFix, the<br />
laid-back bike specialist in central<br />
London. Proving ultra-reliable, the<br />
only mechanical concern was a rear<br />
wheel rebuild early on in the ride,<br />
in Berlin. Only four punctures in a<br />
ride around the world surely should<br />
attract the attention marketing<br />
guys from Schwalbe.<br />
Following the finer details of the<br />
preparation for the trip — route<br />
planning, visa rejections, route<br />
replanning, training — the book<br />
takes the format of a six-month<br />
daily diary. Details of a varied range<br />
of audax hotels (across the full<br />
range of star ratings) are included<br />
and, as in all the best travelogues,<br />
and in any story that calls itself a<br />
long distance cycling story… Food!<br />
Remember that nagging doubt<br />
that you had about whether the<br />
filling station you recall as being<br />
just round this next corner will<br />
still be open at this time of night?<br />
Multiply that nagging doubt by<br />
half-a-dozen meal stops a day for<br />
180 days and you get (some of) the<br />
picture…<br />
If I lived in Australia and my<br />
brother cycled half-way round the<br />
world for my birthday I'd be pretty<br />
impressed. I'm generally pretty<br />
amazed by the appearance of a<br />
birthday card.<br />
The book conveys not only the<br />
extraordinary challenges faced<br />
by someone undertaking such<br />
a gargantuan feat, but also the<br />
levels of spontaneous generosity<br />
bestowed on Richard by complete<br />
strangers. Heartwarming is<br />
genuinely the word. To those who<br />
feel the world is a terrible place,<br />
outside their own parochial little<br />
bubble, I say, "read this book", and<br />
then, "get out more!".<br />
If I was thinking about<br />
undertaking a journey such as<br />
this I have learned, amongst many<br />
other things, that vitally important<br />
to your success, in addition to a<br />
formidable tenacity and cycling<br />
ability will be<br />
• www.warmshowers.org<br />
• an easily-deployable dog<br />
deterrent device<br />
• a “magic letter”<br />
Illustrations and graphics in the<br />
book are by LEL and PBP rider, and<br />
Richard's fellow Kingston Wheeler,<br />
Dominic Trevett.<br />
Training Centre for<br />
2 and 5 Day General Maintenance<br />
3 Day Wheelbuilding<br />
Richard's book is available for<br />
Kindle and in paperback from<br />
Amazon, www.amazon.co.uk.<br />
All royalites from the book go<br />
to Roadpeace, the charity looking<br />
after those bereaved and injured<br />
as a result of road crashes and<br />
campaigning for safer streets.<br />
Peter Moir<br />
Rohloff upgrades & servicing<br />
Custom Building INVICTA<br />
FRAMES and complete bikes<br />
Frame Building Courses<br />
Standard 5 day and Advanced 10 Day<br />
Build your own fillet brazed or lugged frame<br />
julie@downlandcycles.co.uk | 01227 709706<br />
www.downlandcycles.co.uk | Canterbury Kent CT4 6EG<br />
martin@campagservice.co.uk | www.campagservice.co.uk<br />
www.aukweb.net Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 9
RANDONNEE<br />
Cycling the<br />
Path of Hope<br />
Nick Elverston<br />
<strong>2016</strong> was the inaugural Audax year for my<br />
brother William and me. We were drawn to<br />
Audax by its non-competitive nature. Having<br />
previously done a reasonable amount of touring,<br />
cycling long distances, unsupported, within<br />
a pre-defined time limit, where completion is<br />
success, really strikes a chord.<br />
We have now cycled a variety of wonderfully<br />
named routes (including the Willy Warmer, the<br />
Dean, the Ditchling Devil and Straight Outta<br />
Hackney). We have also joined a somewhat<br />
virtual, but very welcoming, group of like<br />
minded souls — the Audax Club Hackney.<br />
In the light of recent rise in Hate crime,<br />
we decided to combine an Audax with<br />
fundraising for HOPE not hate and its<br />
new #MoreInCommon campaign. 400km around<br />
the landing sites and battlefields of Normandy<br />
seemed a suitable, silent, elegy to what can<br />
happen when the politics of hate are allowed to<br />
take over.<br />
The rules of the event required a finish within<br />
27 hours. A 5am start on Saturday morning<br />
dictated a finish by 8am on Sunday morning.<br />
As someone who is generally not a morning<br />
person, neither time filled me with deep joy.<br />
Cycling significantly further in one go than I<br />
have done before was also the cause of some<br />
trepidation.<br />
The event was organised by the wonderfully<br />
named Cyclo-club Montebourg - Saint-Germainde-Tournebut.<br />
We were greeted at their club<br />
house (formally the local firemen’s garage) by<br />
the “gentil organisateur” Stéphane Gibon and<br />
his father, both wearing club shirts sponsored<br />
by the local bovine podiatrist and both bearing<br />
cups of coffee. Friendly greetings with the other<br />
30 riders and we were off.<br />
William Elverston at Portbail information control 298km<br />
Reminders of June 1944<br />
The early stages of a ride, in the dark with<br />
red tail-lights snaking through the countryside,<br />
always have something magical about them.<br />
We soon came upon the first reminder of the<br />
terrible days of June 1944, in the shape of the<br />
16 gun emplacements and bunkers of Crisbecq.<br />
These were followed by many other sites of<br />
historical significance: Utah beach, Omaha<br />
beach, Gold beach, Pegasus Bridge and too<br />
many “martyr” villages, which were razed to the<br />
ground (often by the Allied bombardment).<br />
The contrast between the beautiful, peaceful,<br />
landscapes of Normandy and the echoes of the<br />
horrors that so many people suffered, including<br />
the local civilian population, was marked.<br />
Our suffering was minimal by comparison,<br />
but long rides require constant food and water,<br />
failing which the body just stalls or, possibly<br />
worse, given the temperatures of over 33<br />
degrees on the day, develops heat exhaustion.<br />
Fortunately, the countryside towns and<br />
villages of Normandy are well provided for,<br />
with boulangeries<br />
for restocking on the<br />
go… Around five<br />
other riders, however,<br />
succumbed to the<br />
rigours of the day and<br />
did not finish.<br />
One feature of<br />
Audax rides tends to<br />
be running into fellow,<br />
slightly mad, riders<br />
— we were playing<br />
catch-up and leapfrog,<br />
with a group of wiry,<br />
athletic, retirees and<br />
David, a lone biker<br />
on a mountain bike<br />
Nick Elverston on Utah Beach<br />
(who left us for dust over the last 100km). The<br />
other feature is the need to just keep going,<br />
something I find particularly hard when tempted<br />
to stop and take in the view (or possibly a glass<br />
of rosé…).<br />
However, keep going we did, managing to<br />
finish within 20 hours and thus being able to<br />
treat ourselves to a beer, a bowl of rice pudding,<br />
and an inflatable mattress in the club house/<br />
garage — sleep punctuated by the arrival of<br />
fellow travellers, including four other riders from<br />
the UK, throughout the night.<br />
Major emotions<br />
For me the day came with two major<br />
emotions. First, a real sense of achievement at<br />
having gone further than I have done before<br />
(without major physical issues, other than a<br />
nasty spot of sunburn, where I missed applying<br />
sun cream). And second, a huge sense of<br />
sadness engendered by the history I was cycling<br />
through. Two resolutions: to keep cycling, and to<br />
stay engaged.<br />
Nick Elverston - Barfleur 372km.<br />
10<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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BREVET POPULAIRE<br />
Neroche 100<br />
This event first appeared in the calendar<br />
three or four years ago. I think I took part<br />
in the event in 2013, but then it didn’t<br />
appear again until this year, still running with<br />
much the same route but with a different start<br />
venue.<br />
I had mistakenly thought the event started<br />
at nine so arrived a bit early only to find it was<br />
down for nine thirty – well that gave me time<br />
for an extra cup of tea, to check the bike over,<br />
and prepare for the first hill straight out from<br />
the start.<br />
I joined a small group to take on the first<br />
long hill up to the Castle Neroche area. Castle<br />
Neroche is an ancient Iron Age hillfort on the<br />
top of a hill with commanding views over the<br />
whole area. You can understand why it was built<br />
there, and also why the route is taking us up<br />
there to use up some of those 1500 metres which<br />
we all have to climb today. The route flattens<br />
out for a while before going through a series of<br />
ups and downs in the Blackdown hills, through<br />
Bishopswood and Churchingford to drop down<br />
into the Culm valley.<br />
Through the scenic villages of Hemyock<br />
and Culmstock beside the river Culm reaching<br />
Uffculme to climb over Chapel Hill for arrival at<br />
the first control at the Old Well Garden Centre.<br />
I think I and others got the next bit a little<br />
wrong. The route sheet told us to return to<br />
Uffculme but I ended up on the wrong side<br />
of the village which meant things were not<br />
falling into place. Up and down the road a few<br />
times before I spotted the signpost showing<br />
‘Smithincott’ which got me back on track. I was<br />
joined at this point by Richard Miles and his wife<br />
on their tandem; Richard being the organiser of<br />
the Exmoor Spring and Autumn Colours events,<br />
I thought it advisable to string along with them<br />
for a while to save any more going off route.<br />
A nice easy section along quiet lanes through<br />
Feniton and into Ottery St Mary. This kind<br />
of prepared you for what lay ahead — the<br />
infamous Chineway Hill. It’s about a mile out of<br />
Ottery and starts off with a series of short climbs<br />
before you see the ridge ahead of you and the<br />
road snaking up into the woods. The Tour of<br />
Britain went up there a week or two beforehand,<br />
and while they may not have had any trouble<br />
climbing it, I did. It must be about a mile long in<br />
total and steps up to about 1 in 5 in places which<br />
results in me getting off and walking the steep<br />
bits.<br />
Eventually you come out through the woods<br />
at the top and are rewarded with a gentle<br />
downhill to cross a main road, followed by some<br />
fast, smooth lanes taking you past Blackbury<br />
Camp to enjoy the views over the East Devon<br />
Coast. Descending down towards Beer to go<br />
down its picturesque main street, full of visitors<br />
enjoying the autumn sunshine, to reach the<br />
beach for the second control at Duckys café.<br />
After a short stop it’s up through Beer main<br />
street again and over the hill into Seaton. There<br />
then followed a series of villages to pass through<br />
with short climbs and, to keep you on your toes,<br />
a lot of junctions to be negotiated. A group of<br />
Yeovil CC members kept coming up and going<br />
past me only to appear behind me and overtake<br />
again. I think the last time it happened there<br />
was the comment that this Garmin may not have<br />
been his best buy — I was managing quite well<br />
with the paper route sheet the organiser had<br />
supplied.<br />
After going round Axminster there started a<br />
series of climbs going on for about 8 miles. Not<br />
altogether steep but enough for you to change<br />
down a number of gears and put a lot of extra<br />
effort in. Never seemed to be any sign of the<br />
top of the hill, it climbed from about 20 metres<br />
to over 240 over the distance with a few short<br />
downhills along the way.<br />
Coming to a T-junction and joining a main<br />
road things got easier, followed by a series of<br />
downhills which took you back into Horton and<br />
the finish at the Village Hall .<br />
The organisers must be congratulated on a<br />
very scenic and at times testing route. The up<br />
side was that fabulous section after Chineway<br />
Hill. The down side was the 20% road sign at the<br />
bottom of Chineway Hill…<br />
Ribble Blue<br />
Event Neroche 100<br />
Date 18 September <strong>2016</strong><br />
Distance<br />
Organiser<br />
Start<br />
100km<br />
Mark Hughes<br />
Broadway,<br />
Ilminster<br />
www.aukweb.net Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 11
TOURING<br />
LeJog<br />
29th March<br />
to<br />
9th April<br />
<strong>2016</strong><br />
A Charity Ride<br />
from<br />
Land’s End<br />
to<br />
John O’Groats<br />
There was no hesitation in saying<br />
“Yes”, when asked if I wanted to join<br />
a team of cyclists doing LeJog for<br />
Charity. I have done several long<br />
touring rides but none in the UK and<br />
LeJog has always been on my list.<br />
The ride was to enable Access Community<br />
Trust to buy a minibus to move people around<br />
their various sites in Lowestoft, to and from<br />
hospital, on trips out, etc. The Trust works with<br />
disadvantaged communities in Suffolk and<br />
Norfolk providing support with housing, health,<br />
wellbeing, education and employment. Their<br />
ethos of “supporting individuals to achieve their<br />
potential” is at the heart of everything they do<br />
as they strive to be there for people in their time<br />
of need. Our aim was to raise £5,000 and in the<br />
end we managed over £7,500; a superb effort,<br />
and the minibus is now in use.<br />
We had a trial ride to a campsite in Norfolk<br />
and all agreed that we had pushed it a bit too<br />
hard and would have to back off on the ride,<br />
but we all survived and settled down to some<br />
serious training. The bikes and camping gear all<br />
held up well and the weather on the second day<br />
back to Lowestoft gave us a taste of what was to<br />
come — rain!<br />
The full LeJog ride started on Tuesday 29<br />
March, finishing on Saturday 9 April, a distance<br />
Ian Lomas<br />
of 975 miles over 12 days, with 77 hours and 9<br />
minutes in the saddle! Rather than a traditional<br />
diary, which I did keep, I have written up my<br />
thoughts and experiences from the ride under a<br />
series of headings.<br />
The Team<br />
The team comprised the riders and the<br />
support crew. The riders were Barry, the<br />
Operations Director of the Trust; Gary, the<br />
Manager of one of the hostels; Rik, who had<br />
worked for the Trust in the past; and Steve, a<br />
friend of mine and Rik's. Unfortunately, Rik had<br />
caught a severe dose of flu just before the start<br />
and despite his best efforts could not start with<br />
us. He joined us later but then suffered very<br />
serious back pains and had to abandon the ride,<br />
which was a great shame, and a poor reward for<br />
all his hard training.<br />
We had a support crew of three: Bob, the<br />
maintenance man, who could fix anything;<br />
Rhianna, who always had a smile; and Jed who<br />
would do anything for anybody. They were<br />
absolutely superb and without them we would<br />
not have made it.<br />
We soon started having time problems due<br />
to the relatively short days and discovered<br />
that putting up tents by flashlight is not a<br />
good experience. The support crew came to<br />
our rescue and after the first couple of fraught<br />
12<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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TOURING<br />
days they expertly took our tents down in the<br />
morning and put them up in the evening. This<br />
was an enormous help and indicative of how<br />
much they did to help us achieve the ride.<br />
The Route<br />
The route we followed was one called ‘A<br />
Safer Way’ by Royston Wood. This avoids main<br />
roads wherever possible with much of the route<br />
on side roads, canal towpaths and old railway<br />
tracks. It is a lovely, picturesque route and I can<br />
thoroughly recommend it, with the slight caveat<br />
that the route is planned over 18 days but ours<br />
had been cut to 12 and we were doing it in late<br />
April / early May, and camping. This made it<br />
quite a bit harder than Royston Wood planned<br />
(note the subtle understatement!). Actually, we<br />
did have one night in a Travelodge near Preston<br />
and the support crew had a minibus.<br />
The Weather<br />
We had many wet, cold days, including frost<br />
on the tents on one morning in Cornwall, more<br />
frost in Scotland, and sleet in Scotland on two<br />
days. We did not actually cycle through real<br />
snow, but there was plenty on the mountains in<br />
Scotland.<br />
Towards the north of Scotland I was wearing<br />
six layers on my upper body and various items<br />
of warm clothing and sleeping equipment were<br />
bought during the ride. Barry ended up sleeping<br />
in thermals, a bivvy bag, his sleeping bag and<br />
Rik’s sleeping bag as a duvet. My tent was the<br />
smallest and I think that helped a lot at night,<br />
as there was a much smaller volume to try and<br />
keep warm.<br />
We did also have some lovely days, mainly<br />
in the middle part of the ride. The ride through<br />
Cheddar was particularly nice, with sun and<br />
great views, although none of us ever ventured<br />
into shorts and short-sleeved tops.<br />
The Hills<br />
I ride quite a lot in the Pyrenees and like the<br />
long, steady hills where I can get into a rhythm<br />
and stick with it for a couple of hours or so. I<br />
did NOT enjoy Cornwall and Devon, where the<br />
hills are short and steep with no chance to get<br />
a rhythm going and no time to recover on the<br />
downhills. I had been told by several riders that<br />
Cornwall and Devon was the hardest section<br />
and, for me, they were right. It did not help that<br />
for the first two days my inner chain ring would<br />
not always engage. However, there was a most<br />
enjoyable interlude when we rode across an old<br />
airfield on the way to Tiverton and rediscovered<br />
the sensation of speed.<br />
Shap Fell, near Penrith, was more to my liking,<br />
except that the weather was foul and I became<br />
‘tail-end Charlie’. I understand that there are<br />
good views on the climb, but will have to do it<br />
again to find out. We stopped in a MacDonald’s<br />
in Penrith to celebrate conquering Shap Fell and<br />
I stupidly had an iced smoothie and promptly<br />
got very, very cold. Despite a cup of hot coffee<br />
to follow, I needed an anorak and the heater<br />
on full in the minibus to recover — a big lesson<br />
learned.<br />
The Scottish hills were generally better for<br />
me, except on the last day when we had three<br />
horrible hills in bad weather and it became a<br />
real slog, with Barry sheltering in a bus stop at<br />
one time. The minibus provided a relay service<br />
allowing us to warm up and eat at increasingly<br />
short intervals.<br />
The Camp Sites<br />
We experienced the full range of camp sites,<br />
from a superb one at Pillaton Hall Farm where<br />
the facilities were excellent, chickens were<br />
strutting round the tents, and a peacock acted<br />
as an alarm call; to a very poor one with a single,<br />
awful shower that we had to pay for and which<br />
only gave only a few minutes of tepid water.<br />
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TOURING<br />
At one site, Gary had the interesting<br />
experience of waking up to find a slug sharing<br />
his pillow in the morning, possibly attracted by<br />
his snoring.<br />
Overall the camp sites were adequate<br />
although nowhere near the standard of those in<br />
Iceland where I did my last big cycle tour.<br />
Navigation<br />
This was one of our major problem areas. A<br />
full set of Google maps with the route marked<br />
on had been printed and laminated and were<br />
intended to be the main navigation aid, with<br />
two Garmins, one of them mine, providing<br />
a back-up. However the Google maps were<br />
almost useless and we rarely used them due to<br />
a lack of detail. As an additional problem the<br />
two Garmins did not agree on the route, which<br />
resulted in me becoming chief navigator. I had<br />
only got the Garmin shortly before the ride<br />
and had only used it on a handful of short club<br />
rides beforehand. In addition, because we had<br />
shortened the number of days, the route days<br />
did not tie up with our actual days.<br />
Because I was one of the slower riders I had to<br />
bellow directions at the top of my voice at times,<br />
and even then we missed several turnings,<br />
leading to some ‘interesting’ alternatives,<br />
including one up a very steep track into the<br />
garden of an isolated house near Pitlochry.<br />
The wonders of modern technology allowed<br />
Bob, in the minibus, to track us on his iPhone.<br />
Apparently when we were trying to get through<br />
Edinburgh (not following the route) we partly<br />
circled it and took three ‘bites’ at getting to<br />
the centre. Small wonder that we did nine<br />
unplanned miles that day!<br />
From previous experience I had bought a UK<br />
road mapbook and tore out the pages each day<br />
and had them in my handlebar bag. Although<br />
the route was not marked on them, they proved<br />
very valuable on several occasions.<br />
Canal Towpaths & Old<br />
Railway Lines<br />
These were some of the highlights of<br />
the ride with the huge advantage of being<br />
(mostly) flat and, in general, very quiet. The<br />
ability to cycle along enjoying the scenery is<br />
wonderful. However, in April/May many are<br />
very, very muddy and even on gravel or tarmac<br />
paths progress can be slow to very slow. Our<br />
bikes looked like they had just completed a<br />
cyclo-cross race most evenings and the brakes<br />
felt like they had sandpaper brake blocks. The<br />
ramps on canal towpaths by locks can be very<br />
steep and pushing my bike up them gave me<br />
my only injuries of the ride, fairly bad cuts on<br />
the front of both ankles that needed regular<br />
treatment and bandaging.<br />
Some of the trails have evocative names<br />
such as The Camel Trail, near Bodmin, and The<br />
Strawberry Line, near Sandford, although there<br />
were neither camels nor strawberries present in<br />
April.<br />
Food<br />
As any long distance tourer knows, getting<br />
adequate good food on a regular basis is<br />
essential, the aim is NOT to lose weight on a ride<br />
but to complete it with energy to spare!<br />
We ate a huge variety of food in a range of<br />
eating establishments; pubs being our favourite<br />
evening meal establishments and Subways and<br />
garages being our preferred lunch stops. I had<br />
discovered Subway in America and find their<br />
range and quality to be excellent, and plentiful.<br />
Our evening meals ranged from pizza through<br />
burgers, take-away fish and chips, mixed grill to<br />
steak and kidney pudding.<br />
By far, our most memorable meal was in<br />
Dornoch on the last night. We were too late for<br />
food in the local pub and the only food available<br />
was a take-away Chinese. However the landlady<br />
at the pub allowed us to sit in the corner of<br />
the bar eating our take-aways and drinking<br />
McEwans. A memorable night.<br />
A good breakfast is critical and I have a<br />
wonderful device called a JetBoil which makes<br />
excellent coffee to go with my wife’s muesli<br />
bars. The most unusual breakfast was Rik’s who<br />
feasted on steaming porridge mixed with a cutup<br />
Mars bar — it did not catch on.<br />
Drink<br />
Most of us used supplements in our drink<br />
bottles and none of us suffered from cramp<br />
or other muscular problems. My normal<br />
configuration was two bottles of weak Vimto<br />
cordial, one with a High Five Zero tablet in it.<br />
Equally important was rehydration in the<br />
evening, alternatively known as beer / lager. We<br />
made it a challenge to drink as many real ales as<br />
we could on the journey and managed a very<br />
good selection. We started with HSD from St<br />
Austell Brewery at Senen Cove near Land's End,<br />
and finished with McEwans in Dornoch .<br />
The highpoint for me was<br />
drinking Cheddar Valley cider at<br />
The Railway Inn next to Thatchers<br />
Brewery in Sandford. This was<br />
brewed with the apple skins and, at<br />
6%, was quite a drink.<br />
The most bizarre occurred in<br />
Lancashire. I live in Southwold<br />
where Adnams is brewed and<br />
was not expecting to see it in two<br />
Lancashire pubs on consecutive<br />
nights. Although I really like Adnams<br />
I stayed with the local brews.<br />
Energy Bars<br />
The trend over the past few years in cycling<br />
has been to eat more and more sophisticated<br />
energy bars on long rides. Well, these are<br />
nothing compared to my wife’s speciality. Mary’s<br />
Fruity, Nutty, Spicy, Cherry flapjack is the world’s<br />
best cycling bar and has been proven around<br />
the world to get cyclists up the most horrendous<br />
climbs and see them through the most torrential<br />
downpours. Its composition is, of course, a<br />
closely guarded secret. Mary’s fruitcake and<br />
chocolate cookies are equally valuable post-ride<br />
recovery aids.<br />
Needless to say, the team made full use of<br />
her supplies, which, due to excellent planning<br />
on Mary’s part, lasted the full ride with some to<br />
spare!<br />
Café Stops<br />
In addition to meals we made very good use<br />
of the cafés that we came across, sometimes<br />
needing food and/or drink, sometimes needing<br />
warmth, sometimes somewhere to dry out.<br />
14<br />
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TOURING<br />
The latter probably explains why we were once<br />
asked to put plastic bags on the chairs before we<br />
sat down. All I will say is that all the cafés were<br />
very welcoming to four bedraggled cyclists and<br />
the food was excellent.<br />
The most appropriately named was the Snail’s<br />
Pace Café at Wenfordbridge where they served<br />
humungous bacon and sausage rolls.<br />
The most interesting was Church Street Stores<br />
in Morchand Bishop in Devon. It is run by Claire,<br />
is the best village shop in the South West, and<br />
is packed with fascinating trinkets and goodies.<br />
Their tea is excellent and their teapot cosies are<br />
most amusing.<br />
However, by far the best café stop was in<br />
Wick, about 17 miles from John O’Groats. We<br />
were wet, cold and knackered and all of us<br />
were flagging. Then we found Fridayz Café<br />
and had the best Chip Butties I have ever had<br />
with gallons of tomato ketchup. Chip Butty<br />
adrenaline powered us over the last 17 mile<br />
to the finish line – and even put smiles on our<br />
faces.<br />
Truckers' Stops<br />
Scotland is a big place with big open spaces<br />
and not many towns, meaning that cafés, pubs<br />
and restaurants are pretty infrequent. It was<br />
in Scotland that we discovered Truckers' Stops<br />
which are lifesavers for cyclists. They are always<br />
welcoming, warm, have very good showers<br />
and serve enormous quantities of good, freshly<br />
cooked, cheap food.<br />
The first one we discovered was the<br />
Heatherghyll Café Bar which served an<br />
enormous plateful of excellent fish and chips<br />
and very good Belhaven beer. When we went<br />
back in the morning for breakfast, I could only<br />
manage the mini truckers-breakfast (at £4.90);<br />
the full version would have kept me going for<br />
several days.<br />
Falls<br />
Rik managed to fall off in the first two miles<br />
when he joined us, which must be some sort of<br />
record.<br />
Barry fell off at a T-junction when cars were<br />
coming in both directions. Given most of our<br />
route, a busy road must have been quite a shock<br />
to him.<br />
I had, by far, the most spectacular fall. I am<br />
studying astrophysics at the Open University<br />
so when the route unexpectedly went by<br />
Jodrell Bank I was so keen to get a photo that<br />
I screeched to a (almost) stop, tried to get my<br />
camera out of my handlebar bag and promptly<br />
fell over – which made a great story to tell to the<br />
support crew!<br />
Our one (slight) accident was near Perth when<br />
we were cycling on a path through a park. Two<br />
ladies were cycling towards us with a small dog<br />
which suddenly veered across the path behind<br />
me and caused a pile-up with two of us and the<br />
two of them. Luckily no one was hurt, although<br />
as one of the ladies was a nurse we could have<br />
received instant attention.<br />
Mechanicals<br />
However good and thorough the preparation<br />
is, there is always the risk of mechanical<br />
problems, especially riding on towpaths and old<br />
railway tracks as we did. Our major problem was<br />
the amount of mud and grit that accumulated<br />
on the bikes. However hard we tried we<br />
could not get them clean and stop the brakes<br />
sounding like sandpaper.<br />
However, overall we did remarkably well. We<br />
had three punctures, one on Gary’s bike on a<br />
canal towpath and two to my puncture-proof<br />
tyres. Steve had to adjust his headset, sort out a<br />
leaking tyre valve and replace his brake blocks<br />
twice. Barry had to have his cassette replaced,<br />
had problems with his mudguards and had a<br />
few days with his disc brakes sticking before Rik<br />
fixed them.<br />
Bike Shops<br />
Two bike shops stand out in my mind. The first<br />
is the Fish Face Cycles in Wombourne where,<br />
after initially saying that they were too busy and<br />
had no time to spare, spent a long time trying to<br />
sort out Barry’s brakes.<br />
The second is the Escape Route Bike Shop and<br />
Café in Pitlochry who have the best equipped<br />
bike workshop that I have seen in a long time –<br />
and also serve super coffee and sandwiches.<br />
People<br />
We met a lot of people along the way and,<br />
without exception, everyone was helpful and<br />
interested in what we were doing. The people<br />
that remain in my mind are four:<br />
Noreen was a lovely lady who we met at<br />
the Stoke Café in Stoke. We almost caused a<br />
problem because one of us sat in her regular<br />
daily seat but when we had that sorted we had a<br />
great chat with her.<br />
Cedric was a CTC cyclist and railway<br />
enthusiast who we chatted to in Down’s Bakery<br />
in Severn Beach. He now travels everywhere by<br />
train and is a walking train timetable.<br />
Dot was the night/early morning receptionist<br />
at the Travelodge and, despite having to stay on<br />
longer because the morning receptionist was<br />
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TOURING<br />
delayed was very friendly and cheerful. She does<br />
charity walks for Great Ormond Street so we had<br />
something in common. One of her Bears joined<br />
our ride – see later!<br />
Allison was a mountain biker who we met in<br />
a park in Preston when my Garmin could not<br />
indicate which of three paths we should take.<br />
She was initially from Glasgow and still had a<br />
slight accent. She supported the Preston on<br />
Wheels charity and put us on the right path with<br />
a cheery wave.<br />
Lancashire<br />
I was born and grew up in Lancashire, with<br />
my teenage years spent near Preston. I cycled to<br />
school every day and also around the area but<br />
could hardly remember the roads when we got<br />
near Preston. But, what I did remember very well<br />
was the Lamb and Packet pub, a Thwaites pub in<br />
Friargate, near the town centre. I did not know<br />
that the route went past the pub but got quite<br />
excited as we got nearer and nearer. The pub<br />
holds many memories of drinking sessions with<br />
friends when we were, early on, not officially old<br />
enough to be there, but they were great times. It<br />
was just as I remember it from many, many years<br />
ago and I am sure the mild would have tasted<br />
just the same. But it was not time for beer so<br />
after some photos we cycled on.<br />
Desolation<br />
The appalling weather did not help, but the<br />
sense of increasing desolation on the ride up<br />
the East Coast of Scotland, in particular the last<br />
day up to John O’Groats was very strong. The<br />
landscape is very open, bare and windswept.<br />
The few houses that are occupied look in poor<br />
condition and there are many abandoned ones<br />
that are slowly crumbling. It is a pity that the<br />
ride ended with such feelings, it does not lend<br />
itself to a feeling of great accomplishment and<br />
joy at the end; more a feeling of satisfaction at<br />
having completed the ride, let’s now get back<br />
to somewhere more inspiring, dry and warm.<br />
But as I said the weather did not help and my<br />
feelings could have been totally different if the<br />
stretch had been in warm, sunny weather.<br />
The Bears<br />
Our previous house was called Ursaden<br />
(Latin for Bear’s Den) and contained many Bears<br />
who took part in various activities. There are a<br />
number of cycling bears and there was quite a<br />
queue to ride LeJog. The two who came along,<br />
and claimed to push up the hills, were Cousin<br />
Ted from ‘Stralia (who has cycled across America<br />
amongst other epic rides) and MediTed who is a<br />
qualified DocTed.<br />
They rode in my handlebar bag and despite<br />
having fur, insisted on being protected from the<br />
rain and sleet. They also enjoyed plenty of food<br />
and drink on the ride in addition to their private<br />
supplies of Honey.<br />
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Dot, the receptionist at the Travelodge, was<br />
looking after several Great Ormond Street Bears<br />
and one of them just had to join us, LeJ’Ours<br />
KinderBär was a welcome addition to the team<br />
and found a very comfortable home in the back<br />
of the minibus.<br />
My Most Embarrassing<br />
Moment<br />
To keep the ‘sit-on’ parts of the body healthy<br />
most cyclists use some type of cream on long<br />
rides. I was in the toilets at one camp site,<br />
shorts round my ankles, back facing the door,<br />
slathering cream liberally over my bottom when<br />
Gary walked in. What a sight to behold!<br />
Memorable Moments<br />
There were many, many memorable<br />
moments, a few of the best being:<br />
• Gorgeous scenic views in lovely countryside<br />
from quiet roads,<br />
• Seeing large raptors (known as Weagles in our<br />
family) soaring over the hillsides<br />
• Enormous, excellent meals with good real ale<br />
• Cycling in cloud in Scotland<br />
• Slogging up a hill, soaking wet with toes<br />
squelching inside cycling shoes<br />
• Putting on cold damp clothes at 6:00 in the<br />
morning inside a small one-man tent listening<br />
to the steady hiss of raindrops outside<br />
• Gary achieving his first 80 mile day, and then<br />
in Scotland achieving a 104.3 mile day<br />
• A very old Land Rover taking a short cut across<br />
a boggy bit of Bodmin moor to overtake us,<br />
churning up the ground and sliding around<br />
like a snake<br />
• A lovely red sunrise in Clevedon<br />
Utterly Butterleigh 105k<br />
I<br />
rode this event last year with my friend Rob<br />
who complained that the hills, and one in<br />
particular ‘destroyed his legs’. He was not<br />
on the entry list this year! I was having another<br />
go, and being joined by my cycling friend, Liz,<br />
and four other members from CTC Torbay:<br />
Stella, Kevin, Dave and his wife Chris. I had<br />
mentioned a few weeks previously that I’d put<br />
an entry in and perhaps they might like to join<br />
us. Liz and I didn’t say too much about the two<br />
steep hills you’ve got to climb; one in the first<br />
and the other in the second half.<br />
All were there in Budleigh Salterton for<br />
the start at nine along with about 40 others.<br />
After a talk by the organiser, Steven Medlock,<br />
explaining that even after overnight rain all the<br />
roads were open, no flooding anywhere, and<br />
wishes us all the ‘best of luck’.<br />
After a mile or two around some of the back<br />
lanes to get out of the town you are faced<br />
with the first challenge, a particularly evil little<br />
climb to get up onto East Budleigh Common<br />
and over to Woodbury. Liz found that two or<br />
three layers of clothing were making her a bit<br />
too warm after the hill like that and chose to<br />
stop and rearrange things which left the both<br />
of us at the back of the group. Past Woodbury<br />
and down to Clyst St George for the first info<br />
control then followed by rural lanes to go<br />
round the new Sky Business Park and onto<br />
Broadclyst. Parts of Graham Brodie’s Devon<br />
Delight route around here so no trouble<br />
finding the way.<br />
We join the old A38 for a short distance<br />
to turn past Killerton Park and into Silverton<br />
for the start of the first long climb. The climb<br />
starts off alright; nice and gentle and you’ve<br />
got three cogs to spare on the back. This<br />
soon changes as one-by-one you’re forced<br />
to change down as the hill gets into a 1-in-6<br />
mode. It levels out and you think ‘that’s it’. Not<br />
a chance — it starts climbing again for another<br />
100 metres.<br />
On the plus side it starts to go down a long,<br />
long way into Butterleigh and then you go<br />
up again, I can see where the 1300 metres<br />
of climbing on this event is coming from.<br />
Finally coming over the top with a long, steep<br />
downhill into the Canal Centre at Tiverton for<br />
the first control we're running a bit close to the<br />
control closing time so chose to ride on after<br />
getting the card stamped.<br />
On leaving the control there’s a short climb<br />
which soon flattens out, but after a short<br />
distance a road sign reads ’25%’ — and it’s<br />
not going down. Fortunately it’s only for a<br />
short distance, as just when your legs are<br />
shouting ’enough’ you turn off along a series<br />
of delightful lanes through Ash Thomas to<br />
Cullompton. Along this section unfortunately I<br />
picked up an impact puncture which resulted<br />
in a slight delay while I changed the tube. This<br />
little incident was to cause me problems for<br />
the rest of the ride. After about 15 minutes the<br />
rear tyre started to go a bit soft so I pumped<br />
it up again only for the same thing to happen<br />
again. This continued for the rest of the day,<br />
stopping every 15 to 20 minutes and putting<br />
more air in the tyre — I later worked out it was<br />
a faulty valve.<br />
Along the A373 out from Cullompton to<br />
turn into Broadhembury, that village where<br />
nothing much has changed for the last 50<br />
years. No yellow lines or TV aerials, and most<br />
of the properties still have thatched roofs. I<br />
believe the village is still privately owned by<br />
the Drewe family — they had connections with<br />
Home and Colonial stores which had a shop in<br />
most high streets in the 60s. The other thing<br />
about Broadhembury is that there’s a long and<br />
very steep hill leading up onto the Dunkeswell<br />
airfield area which we have to climb. I rode<br />
the first third, walked the second third and<br />
managed to stay on my bike for the last bit.<br />
Along the lanes over to Shelvins Cross,<br />
the second info control, to be followed by a<br />
Event<br />
Utterly Butterleigh<br />
Date 4 September <strong>2016</strong><br />
Distance<br />
Organiser<br />
Start<br />
100km (106km)<br />
Steven Medlock<br />
Budleigh Salterton<br />
Devon<br />
series of narrow rural lanes into Honiton and<br />
the Boston Tea Party café. Still having to pump<br />
this tyre up from time to time so little chance<br />
for a stop before going through the town to<br />
look for the lanes leading to Gittisham. Very<br />
picturesque village, a bit off the beaten track<br />
but well worth a visit.<br />
Along the old A30 to Fairmile to turn and<br />
follow the river Otter, now famous for its<br />
population of Beavers. Through Tipton St John<br />
to follow familiar lanes through Otterton into<br />
Budleigh Salterton and the finish .<br />
Thanks must go to Steven and his team for a<br />
well run event, certainly taking in some of the<br />
best scenery in the area while climbing those<br />
hills. I hope you run the event again next year.<br />
Ribble Blue<br />
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ORDRE DES COL DURS<br />
A Texas Winter Weekend<br />
Bob Damper<br />
The little Texas town of Driftwood,elevation 1043 feet, home to the famous Salt Lick BBQ<br />
Before I retired in 2014, one of the<br />
perks of my job as a university<br />
professor was that every now and<br />
again I got study leave away from<br />
teaching to spend some concerted<br />
time on research. Although the main focus of<br />
these periods of study leave obviously had to<br />
be work, they were also a good time to get<br />
some cycling done in new country and I always<br />
chose the location for my leave with this partly<br />
in mind. The winter of 2009/10 was spent at the<br />
University of Texas in Austin, the US’s biggest<br />
university in its biggest state. Austin was<br />
certainly a good place to be. One of the cleanest<br />
Onion Creek on a cold and frosty winter morning in central Texas.<br />
and safest cities in the USA, renowned for its<br />
shops, restaurants and live music venues, Austin<br />
is pleasantly situated on the Columbia River and<br />
with the scenic Texas Hill Country stretching to<br />
the south and east. Having a large proportion<br />
of students, university staff and professional<br />
people in the population, cycling is a popular<br />
means of travel within the city with the local<br />
motorists used to cyclists and respectful of their<br />
place on the road. I had with me my cheap and<br />
cheerful Dawes Galaxy, which I used both for<br />
commuting to the University and for weekend<br />
trips into the Hill Country. Replacing the Dawes’<br />
original rather flimsy wheels with more robust<br />
better-quality wheels has given me a bike<br />
equally suitable for<br />
commuting and heavy<br />
touring.<br />
Generally, Central<br />
Texas enjoys a<br />
beautiful climate in<br />
autumn and winter, not<br />
dissimilar to the best<br />
of summer in the south<br />
of England, although<br />
I would not have<br />
wanted to be in Austin<br />
in summer when, as a<br />
friend of mine put it, it<br />
is as “hot as the hinges<br />
of hell”. As my period<br />
of leave was coming to<br />
an end, and I had to be<br />
back to start teaching<br />
in Southampton at the<br />
beginning of February,<br />
I decided that<br />
the weekend<br />
of 9/10 January<br />
2010 should be<br />
dedicated to<br />
a longish trip<br />
across the Hill<br />
Country to San<br />
Antonio, about<br />
70 miles south<br />
west of Austin.<br />
Perhaps not<br />
a great distance by Audax standards, but far<br />
enough for a fully-loaded weekend with the<br />
focus on relaxation. I had always wanted to see<br />
San Antonio’s famous landmark, the Alamo, for<br />
real, having watched the 1960 John Wayne film<br />
of the same name countless times as a nipper,<br />
and this was pretty much my last opportunity<br />
to do so.<br />
Until this point, my stay in Texas had been<br />
marked by weather perfect for cycling. However,<br />
things changed dramatically in the week<br />
preceding my trip as temperatures fell to a level<br />
almost unheard of in those parts. Several days of<br />
severely sub-zero temperatures prompted me<br />
to revise my plan and go for a slightly shorter<br />
excursion to New Braunfels. This also had the<br />
advantage of avoiding a potentially trafficky ride<br />
through metropolitan San Antonio to the Alamo<br />
in the heart of the city.<br />
Back in 2010, OCD CycloClimbing had still to<br />
join forces with AUK and accumulating claims<br />
formed no part of my thinking or ambitions.<br />
However, looking back over my consolidated<br />
claims record as I write this article, I see that five<br />
18<br />
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ORDRE DES COL DURS<br />
Hill Country ranch near Buda.<br />
are in Texas during my time in Austin. As the Hill<br />
Country is not especially lofty, none is very high,<br />
but all five ascents were memorable. This last<br />
weekend trip accounted for two claims, both on<br />
the Sunday on my way back to Austin.<br />
The quirky Faust Hotel and Brewery in New Braunfels<br />
Saturday 9 January 2010 dawned bright and<br />
frosty — very frosty. It was -10°C at 0800 and I<br />
was starting to think that even New Braunfels<br />
could be off the agenda. However, a long period<br />
without rain meant that everything was dry,<br />
with little chance of encountering ice, and by<br />
0900 it had reached a “warm” -8°C, so off I set,<br />
well-wrapped up and with hat on head. It is<br />
The Blanco River at Wimberley<br />
quite unusual for me<br />
to wear a hat; I only<br />
do so when it’s really<br />
cold. This hat was<br />
my much loved 80s<br />
vintage Campitello,<br />
given a new lease<br />
of life by replacing<br />
the peak (which had<br />
disintegrated) with a<br />
stiffer one cut from<br />
an ice cream cartoon.<br />
Not being much of a<br />
seamstress myself, this<br />
repair was effected<br />
for me by clubmate<br />
Wendy Etheridge.<br />
Thanks, Wendy!<br />
I took my (by now)<br />
well-worn route out<br />
of the city via South<br />
1st Street and Old San<br />
Antonio Road. There was just one localised<br />
piece of ice, on the short bridge across Onion<br />
Creek, and this was easily avoided. Although<br />
cold, the sun was shining brightly<br />
and there was not a cloud in the sky,<br />
which made for very good cycling.<br />
Just before 1100, I reached Buda<br />
and stopped for elevenses at the<br />
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q. As on previous<br />
visits to this very welcoming eatery,<br />
this degenerated into a second<br />
breakfast. I ordered a ham and<br />
fried egg roll with coffee, and very<br />
nice it was too. Then I continued<br />
on FM2770 (FM stands for “Farm to<br />
Market” road) through Mountain<br />
City, where the temperature had<br />
risen to a respectable 5°C, and<br />
on to Kyle. Here, I picked up Old<br />
Stagecoach Road, after a few miles<br />
hitting the Blanco River (so called<br />
because of its limestone bed where<br />
dinosaur footprints have been<br />
found) and following it for a while to turn onto<br />
Post Road, which crossed the river and took me<br />
to San Marcos.<br />
San Marcos is a very attractive university town<br />
(home of Texas State<br />
University), with lots of<br />
nice cafés and coffee<br />
shops. I selected one of<br />
these for lunch, which<br />
consisted of excellent<br />
clam and sweetcorn<br />
soup with bread roll<br />
and coffee. With the<br />
sun still shining, I left<br />
the town on FM2439<br />
heading south west.<br />
This road was mostly<br />
traffic free as well as<br />
having a more than<br />
adequate shoulder<br />
serving as a cycle track<br />
alongside, except for<br />
a short section where<br />
it became a slip road<br />
for Interstate 35. At<br />
this point, the traffic<br />
Leaving San Marcos after lunch on Saturday.<br />
increased dramatically, the road narrowed and<br />
the cycle track disappeared. Why is it that you<br />
always seem to get cycle facilities where they are<br />
not needed, and as soon as you need them, they<br />
disappear? Anyway, normal service was resumed<br />
after a half-mile or so and I was back on a quiet,<br />
undulating road speeding me to New Braunfels,<br />
where I arrived at about 1500. Mileage for the<br />
day was 50.1, with the sun still shining and the<br />
temperature having soared to a balmy 7°C.<br />
I had booked myself into the quaint and<br />
historic (also relatively cheap and reputedly<br />
haunted) Faust Hotel, attracted by their claim to<br />
brew their own beer. However, they were sadly<br />
“between brewers” at the time. Fortunately, they<br />
still had a fine selection and on arrival I chose<br />
the very good Alamo Golden Ale, weighing in<br />
at a respectable 5.1%. A couple of pints of this<br />
set me up for a shower, change of clothes and<br />
a night of revelry out on the town. Well, not<br />
quite. New Braunfels in the dead of winter was<br />
not exactly hopping, but after a freezing cold<br />
walk of a couple of blocks, I did find a pretty<br />
authentic German restaurant, replete with<br />
oompah band in lederhosen. I felt a little selfconscious<br />
in the restaurant by virtue of the book<br />
I had brought with me to read. It was about<br />
Herman Göring, and attracted several quizzical<br />
glances from the waiting staff. Dinner consisted<br />
of Bavarian smoked sausage with Spaten<br />
Optimator beer (not to be trifled with at 7.5%)<br />
followed by an early night, as there was nothing<br />
on television except the stupid adverts in which<br />
the USA specialise.<br />
Reports of the hotel being haunted proved<br />
exaggerated and my sleep was uninterrupted<br />
by spectral interventions. Sunday morning<br />
was another bright and sunny offering, with a<br />
chilling temperature of -3°C as I left the hotel at<br />
0845 after a very acceptable buffet breakfast. I<br />
headed north out of New Braunfels on FM306<br />
towards Canyon City climbing through typical<br />
Hill Country. After some 12 miles, I turned right<br />
onto Purgatory Road. The next few miles were<br />
perhaps the nicest of the weekend in the early<br />
morning sun, so there was not much purgatorial<br />
that I could see about this road. It is supposed<br />
to be haunted by the ghost of a blood stained<br />
motorist who died here in the 1930’s, but if true<br />
this ghost works no harder than his colleague<br />
in the Faust Hotel and obviously takes Sunday<br />
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ORDRE DES COL DURS<br />
Spotted at Bear Creek<br />
mornings off. Purgatory Road ran for 8 or<br />
so miles, taking in my first OCD claim of the<br />
weekend at the 370 metre summit, before<br />
ending at Ranch Road 32 where I turned right.<br />
This was a nice fast road, with excellent surface<br />
and a slight tail wind. At the junction with Ranch<br />
Road 12, I turned left and sped down for 4 miles<br />
on the exhilarating descent, accompanied by<br />
beautiful views across the Hill Country, into the<br />
Blanco River valley at Wimberley.<br />
Arriving at exactly 1100 at the superb<br />
Wimberley café, I partook of yet another second<br />
breakfast of bacon, eggs and hash<br />
browns. This fine café is rightly<br />
popular on a Sunday morning with<br />
first class food and fast service. By<br />
1130 the temperature was up to 5°C,<br />
and I was back on RR12 heading<br />
north. The climb out of the Blanco<br />
valley in the bright sunshine up to<br />
the day’s second OCD claim at 395m<br />
warmed me up to the extent that<br />
I was able to remove my beloved<br />
Campitello hat for the rest of the<br />
day. At the Driftwood winery, I<br />
turned right on the hilly Elder Hill<br />
Road. At one point, crossing a<br />
branch of Gattlin Creek, I found<br />
myself using my 22-inch bottom<br />
gear for the first time for many a<br />
week on the ultra-steep climb out of<br />
the creek, arriving at the little town of Driftwood<br />
at midday.<br />
Driftwood is home to the world famous Salt<br />
Lick BBQ restaurant but having already had two<br />
breakfasts, I dispensed with lunch in favour of a<br />
short roadside stop and some nuts and raisins<br />
washed down with water just up the road.<br />
Back on the bike, there was unfortunately no<br />
alternative for the next few miles to the narrow,<br />
hilly and very busy FM1826 to Bear Creek. Having<br />
got that out of the way, I returned to Austin<br />
on the surreal State Highway 45 and Loop 1, an<br />
apparently well over-engineered multi-lane<br />
highway almost entirely devoid of traffic. On<br />
this last leg of the journey, I was overtaken by<br />
Lance Armstrong, who gave me a cheery wave<br />
and “howdy”. Well, it certainly looked like Lance<br />
Armstrong and he did steam past at a speed I<br />
estimated to be in excess of 30 miles an hour! He<br />
was out of sight within a few seconds.<br />
By way of Slaughter Lane and Manchaca Road,<br />
downtown Austin was reached at 1515, with<br />
65.8 very enjoyable miles completed from New<br />
Braunfels. The temperature had by now hit a<br />
pleasant 10°, which had seemed unthinkable as<br />
recently as that very morning. In the preceding<br />
months, I had developed the habit of ending<br />
rides at Jo’s Cafe on 2nd Street, just around the<br />
corner from my apartment, where I invariably<br />
ordered a glass of the excellent Lagunitas IPA<br />
(6.2%) and some peanuts. As my time in Austin<br />
was sadly coming to an end, I saw no good<br />
reason to forego this little pleasure while it was<br />
still on offer. So ended a very fine Texas winter<br />
weekend of cycling. I wonder if and when I will<br />
get the chance of another. ◆<br />
CYCLING THE END TO END CYCLE ROUTE<br />
CYCLING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT<br />
MOUNTAIN BIKING IN WEST AND NORTH WEST SCOTLAND<br />
MOUNTAIN BIKING IN SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL SCOTLAND<br />
Published by Cicerone Press, www.cicerone.co.uk<br />
Cicerone have released four new cycle touring and mountain biking<br />
guides. Following Cicerone’s usual format, each guide is 173mm by 116mm,<br />
taking up little space in your luggage and with the added bonus for both<br />
mountain biking guides having gloss-laminated PVC sleeves.<br />
The End-to-End guide is an updated <strong>2016</strong> version of the previous 2012<br />
version with the route starting at Land’s End and following a 1,000-mile<br />
route to the northern-most point of mainland Scotland. Cyclists come<br />
from around the world to ride End-to-End and is a must for many cyclist’s<br />
bucket list. There are step-by-step route descriptions with maps and<br />
stage profiles and links to GPX mapping for your GPS. With multiple<br />
accommodation listings and bike shops for the whole route, listed stageby-stage,<br />
and with the route taking you through England, Wales and<br />
Scotland, this is an indispensible guide to a major ride in your cycling<br />
career.<br />
Cycling in the Lake District guide covers five-day and single-day rides<br />
in challenging and very scenic Cumbria with detailed routes and maps<br />
and also comes with links to GPX mapping for your GPS. The appendices<br />
contain accommodation, useful contacts and what to take.<br />
Mountain Biking in West and North-West Scotland takes you around the<br />
Scottish Highlands, the highest concentration of mountains in the UK, with<br />
25 routes varying from 20k to 73k in length, and graded from moderate<br />
to very hard. There is turn-by-turn route descriptions and 1:50,000 OS<br />
mapping with gradient profiles. The appendices contain accommodation<br />
details, a guide to the Gaelic language, bike shops and emergency units.<br />
Mountain Biking in Southern and Central Scotland contains 21 routes<br />
with access from Glasgow and Edinburgh ranging from16k to 66k<br />
from centres including Greenock, Peebles and Milngavie. Turn-by-turn<br />
directions and route profiles are included along with 1:50,000 OS maps<br />
and a list of bike shops and repairers and emergency centres in the<br />
appendices.<br />
Tim Wainwright<br />
20<br />
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BOOK REVIEW<br />
Cols and Passes of the<br />
British Isles<br />
By Graham Robb<br />
Published by Particular Books<br />
ISBN 9781846148736<br />
I am sure that those of you who enjoyed Graham Robb’s ‘The<br />
Discovery of France’ (reviewed in Arrivée February 2015), will welcome<br />
this, his latest publication. The press release describes it as the first ever<br />
comprehensive catalogue of the 2002 cols and 105 passes of the British<br />
Isles and as being of particular interest to keen cyclists, walkers and<br />
climbers, fans of unusual maps and topography, and lovers of strange<br />
atlases. It continues ‘it is eccentric, obsessive, practical and beguiling…’;<br />
a description that I would not disagree with. It is dedicated to the first<br />
person to cross all 2002 cols of the British Isles (a serious challenge to<br />
the hardier OCD types.?).<br />
The col of ‘Sydenham Rise’, at 77m, is a touch lower than those that would normally appear in an OCD<br />
claim, but gives an interesting glimpse of the book’s contents:<br />
‘An enormous, overstuffed walrus – a creature<br />
unknown to the Victorian taxidermist, who<br />
assumed it to have had a taut, unwrinkled hide<br />
– is one of many unique objects of the natural<br />
world displayed in the Horniman Museum in<br />
south London. The museum’s rarest treasure,<br />
however, lies on its very doorstep, unnamed and<br />
unrecognized – until now.<br />
London has many hills but only one col. It<br />
cuts through the Norwood Ridge, one mile to<br />
the north of the Crystal Palace Transmitter. For<br />
a long time, the gap in the Norwood Ridge was<br />
not particularly useful. London grew up around<br />
a crossing of the Thames and expanded along<br />
its tributaries. The city’s main arteries followed<br />
valleys and unbroken ridges. But eventually,<br />
the burgeoning suburbs developed their own<br />
arterial system and it became possible to orbit<br />
the city without passing through its centre. The<br />
road which crosses the col now forms part of<br />
the South Circular. It was already a busy route in<br />
1868, when Frederick Horniman, a tea merchant<br />
and collector, bought a house and gardens with<br />
distant views of central London and began to<br />
organise his collection of curiosities, which he left<br />
to the people of London in 1901.<br />
Natural features can be hard to find in a city.<br />
In that part of south London, there are signs to<br />
everything except the col, which reveals its classic<br />
shape – two elegantly intersecting encolures –<br />
only at the very top. Streams which flowed from<br />
the watershed have been sent underground, and<br />
the place has to be imagined without its buildings<br />
and roads (a soothing mental exercise for anyone<br />
who has reached the col after shooting the rapids<br />
of the worst cycling black spots in London). It can<br />
be seen as it was in quieter days on the right of<br />
Camille Pissarro’s ‘Lordship Lane Station’, where<br />
it appears as a grassy cleft dotted with suburban<br />
villas. This is the only British col to be painted by a<br />
French Impressionist, and the first to be crossed<br />
on a bicycle by a major French novelist. During<br />
the Dreyfus Affair, Émile Zola lived in a hotel on<br />
the Norwood Ridge, velocipeding all over the<br />
place with his camera and admiring the lacy<br />
bloomers of English lady cyclists.<br />
Though it stands in one of the most densely<br />
populated parts of Britain, this is perhaps the<br />
loneliest of British cols. Its nearest col-neighbour<br />
lies more than twenty miles to the south-west,<br />
and no col lies further to the east. It makes up<br />
for loneliness with sociability. No other col has a<br />
pedestrian crossing at its summit, no col is served<br />
by more bus-lines and none has more cycle traffic.<br />
On a chilly February afternoon, I counted half a<br />
dozen cyclists in as many minutes. Photographing<br />
them as they crossed the col entubed in dark<br />
clothing, I wondered whether Émile Zola would<br />
have bothered to record the scene.<br />
By far the commonest human powered vehicle<br />
making use of the col has four wheels and is<br />
piloted almost exclusively by women. At certain<br />
times of day, London’s only col is congested with<br />
pushchairs. The bloated walrus, the disembodied<br />
dogs’ heads, the aquarium, the park and the<br />
infant-friendly staff are a powerful attraction for<br />
the under-fives of Sydenham and Dulwich, who<br />
regularly have themselves wheeled up to the col.<br />
If col-baggers are allowed to count the same col<br />
more than once, some of those juvenile museumgoers<br />
already have more col-crossings to their<br />
credit than the most experienced fell-walker or<br />
cyclist.<br />
I have attached the name ‘Sydenham Rise’<br />
to the anonymous col because this is one of the<br />
streets which form the sides of the col-cradle…’<br />
‘…The unwrinkled behemoth, originally from<br />
Canada, was purchased by Mr Horniman and<br />
brought up to the col from Kensington in 1901.<br />
Two years ago, it descended on the other side<br />
when it was moved to Margate for an exhibition<br />
and thus, unbeknownst to everyone, became,<br />
probably, the first walrus to cross a col.’<br />
Paul Harrison<br />
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WAWA<br />
to<br />
Peter Marshall<br />
At the finish of the inaugural Wild<br />
Atlantic Way Audax (WAWA) — 2,100km<br />
of hills, rain, and wind on the scenic<br />
west coast of Ireland, to be covered in 7<br />
days and 7 hours — I struggled to sum<br />
up my experience to Eamon Nealon, the<br />
organiser. I’ll remember this ride as long<br />
as I live (I told him), which may not be<br />
very long if I do many events as hard as<br />
this…<br />
So here’s my A-Z of the WAWA.<br />
I hope it’ll give you a flavour of the<br />
longest and most memorable ride of my<br />
randonneuring career.<br />
Adventures<br />
The WAWA brought several adventures for<br />
Catherine and me.<br />
Day 2: We’re within a few kilometres of<br />
Ballyheigue and bed. The route seems to<br />
be travelling in circles on tiny, pitch-dark<br />
lanes. Squalls of rain and wind are buffeting<br />
us from unexpected directions.<br />
Through the rain on my glasses,<br />
I’m concentrating on following<br />
the black line on my GPS when it<br />
abruptly vanishes. Ah… Turn it off<br />
and back on again. Nope, no luck.<br />
Turn the track display off and back<br />
on again. Nope, no luck. Panic.<br />
Nope, no luck.<br />
After a few minutes of random<br />
prodding, the GPS deigns to display<br />
the track again. We heave a sigh of<br />
relief and set off.<br />
A couple of kilometres pass<br />
without incident. On a particularly<br />
pitchy lane my headlight suddenly<br />
goes black and rejects all attempts<br />
at resuscitation. I have to share<br />
Catherine’s dynamo light for the remaining 13km<br />
to the control, calling the bends and turns from<br />
the GPS.<br />
Day 6: It’s dark, and we’re descending the last<br />
of the big hills after Killybegs, plunging towards<br />
the coast. I’m in front, but moderating my speed<br />
at Catherine’s request. We pass a cottage. I<br />
glimpse black and white to my left, then there’s<br />
growling and a crash. A sheepdog has rushed at<br />
Catherine, causing her to fall. She’s remarkably<br />
calm, and quickly checks the bike. It seems okay.<br />
Day 7: Breakfast. Catherine mentions that she<br />
seems to have damaged a brake lever in the fall.<br />
I take a look. The pivot of the left lever — front<br />
brake — is an ex-pivot. It has ceased to be. It<br />
has joined the choir invisible (I wonder how she<br />
made it over the many coastal lumps after the<br />
big descent). She needs a replacement lever if<br />
she’s to complete the ride safely.<br />
Eamon to the rescue… Catherine gets a<br />
lift to and from a local bike shop, and returns<br />
eventually with a shiny new functioning lever.<br />
Mismatched, but you can’t have everything.<br />
We set off late for the final day’s ride. There’s<br />
still plenty of time. Nothing can go wrong now,<br />
can it?<br />
Audax ireland<br />
Lovely people. To a man, hard as nails and<br />
mad as a parcel of amphibians. Suffer from<br />
hill-blindness.<br />
Beards<br />
George was the official beard of the WAWA.<br />
That is all you need to know.<br />
Beer<br />
My body was a—ruined—temple for the<br />
duration of the WAWA. I promised myself<br />
beer at the finish, but confined myself to<br />
casting longing glances at pubs en route.<br />
Beer might dissolve my motivation. As it<br />
slipped refreshingly down my throat. Stop it,<br />
imagination!<br />
George, on the other hand, was<br />
more sensible. He equipped himself<br />
in Kinsale with a leaflet on the<br />
breweries of the Wild Atlantic Way<br />
and visited several along the road.<br />
Mind you, I’m reasonably sure that<br />
the start was the only time George<br />
has ever entered a Temperance Hall.<br />
I was half-expecting alarms to go off<br />
as he crossed the threshold.<br />
Bike<br />
What to ride on the longest event<br />
I’d ever attempted? I used my Mason<br />
Definition on rides up to 400km,<br />
then rode a 600 on the carbon bike<br />
Day 1 - Looking towards the Sheep’s Head peninsula.<br />
22<br />
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WAWA<br />
I’d used for London-Edinburgh-London. The<br />
rough chipseal roads and potholed lanes on the<br />
600 left me feeling battered. The comfy carbon<br />
frame couldn’t compensate for the hard ride<br />
resulting from skinny tyres, and my arms and<br />
shoulders ached from the effort of hauling on<br />
the rim brakes. There would be rough roads and<br />
tricky descents galore on the WAWA. The Mason<br />
it was, then. It worked brilliantly.<br />
Burren<br />
The WAWA was a ride of extraordinary<br />
landscapes, and the Burren was the weirdest of<br />
the lot. Low rolling hills paved with limestone,<br />
but with lush vegetation bursting from cracks in<br />
the rock. Like riding across an alien planet.<br />
Camper van<br />
The camper van control was always a<br />
welcome sight.<br />
The camper van’s first appearance was in<br />
sun-drenched Baltimore on Day 1. As riders<br />
spotted the van and homed in on tea and cake,<br />
Annette issued stern<br />
instructions to ride the<br />
loop round the village<br />
before stopping at the<br />
control. We did as we<br />
were told!<br />
Day 2: The camper<br />
van was in raindrenched<br />
Portmagee.<br />
Day 3: It wasn’t at the<br />
Cliffs of Moher. Oh<br />
no! Day 4: Normal<br />
service resumed in<br />
Connemara. Day 5:<br />
The camper van was<br />
at Keel. There was no<br />
tea. We promised to<br />
say no more about<br />
it. Day 6: The van’s<br />
farewell appearance was by the roadside in<br />
Bundoran. Henceforth Bundoran shall be known<br />
as Cakedoran.<br />
Cap<br />
A cyclist is improperly dressed without a<br />
traditional cotton cap, I feel. And the only<br />
appropriate response to a baseball cap in the<br />
bunch is harrumphing and goggle-eyed outrage<br />
in the style of an H.M. Bateman cartoon.<br />
I wouldn’t want you think I’m unreasonable<br />
when it comes to caps. You’re perfectly free to<br />
wear your peak up or down. But only a poseur or<br />
idiot wears his cap back to front.<br />
Inishowen, the last night: Catherine and I<br />
are in the grip of the dozies and are looking<br />
for somewhere for a snooze. She spots a picnic<br />
table by the roadside. That’ll do.<br />
It’s raining steadily, so I opt against stretching<br />
out on the wet bench, instead resting my arms<br />
and head on the table. Rain is dripping down my<br />
neck, so I flip my cap round to divert the drops.<br />
The finish at the Peace Bridge in Derry: I’m<br />
feeling happy but slightly spaced. Eamon<br />
presents the WAWA medal and trophy. I say<br />
Gubbeen. Cameras click. Afterwards I reach for<br />
the peak of my cap to take it off, but it isn’t there.<br />
I’m still wearing the cap back to front. Doh!<br />
With Catherine at the Iona Inn after the finish<br />
Catherine<br />
At the foot of the Conor Pass descent on Day<br />
2 I encountered the rider who had twiddled past<br />
me on the climb. She asked to ride along to the<br />
Before the madness…a handy route reminder<br />
control with me, as we’d be riding into the dark.<br />
This was Catherine, and we ended up riding<br />
together for most of the rest of the WAWA.<br />
We had an informal division of labour. I<br />
tracked the route on GPS and provided snippets<br />
of local knowledge derived from past tours in<br />
Ireland. Catherine double-checked against the<br />
route sheet. We talked nonsense—well, that was<br />
mostly me—or rode in companiable silence,<br />
according to whim.<br />
As well as her wide variety of rainproofs,<br />
Catherine carried enough food secreted in<br />
various pouches, pockets, and bags to stock<br />
a decent-sized corner shop. Certainly more<br />
stock than the shop in Castlemaine… She even<br />
conjured up cold potatoes in the middle of the<br />
night on Inishowen.<br />
Towards the end of the ride, we each<br />
contributed our shrivelled rando half-brain to<br />
decisionmaking, ensuring that one full brain was<br />
available at all times. Mostly.<br />
We had several adventures. She was a calm<br />
and competent presence. It was a privilege to<br />
ride—and finish—with her.<br />
Catherine on Achill Island<br />
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WAWA<br />
Day 4 gets a bit much for Richard<br />
Chainring<br />
I had a single 36-tooth elliptical chainring and<br />
an 11-36 11-speed block. This setup worked very<br />
well. The lack of really high gears prevented me<br />
from pushing too hard at the beginning when<br />
suffering from testosterone poisoning, and<br />
the lack of really low gears deterred me from<br />
making my knees go ping on the stupidly steep<br />
stuff. Decision making was simple: Just one<br />
shifter. Even my addled rando half-brain could<br />
cope with that. The SRAM shifter also required<br />
smaller hand movements than Shimano. These<br />
small things count over 2,100km.<br />
Cliffs of Moher<br />
For some reason—wishful thinking,<br />
probably—I was sure the camper van, and its<br />
essential supplies of tea, cake, and sympathy,<br />
would be at the Cliffs of Moher on Day 3. After<br />
a vigorous tussle with the Hill of Moher while<br />
the Wind of Moher tried to blow me back the<br />
way I’d come, I reached the sign for the car park<br />
and visitor centre. Through the raindrops on my<br />
glasses I could vaguely make out camper vans<br />
in the car park. Was one of them “our” camper<br />
van? I headed over to the ticket office and asked<br />
the attendant if one of the vans was dispensing<br />
tea and sympathy to bedraggled cyclists. She<br />
looked blank. Drat! No cake. Proof of passage<br />
would have to be a photo of the car park sign.<br />
Rather blurry, since the Wind of Moher was<br />
trying to blow me off<br />
my feet at the time.<br />
Abruptly, the<br />
weather cleared. The<br />
lack of cake suddenly<br />
seemed less disturbing.<br />
After all, I still had my<br />
Clif Bar (of Moher). And<br />
the road was downhill.<br />
And soon I would<br />
come to the Burren<br />
(whatever that was).<br />
Conor Pass<br />
Having manfully<br />
spurned the cafés,<br />
bars, and assorted<br />
fleshpots of Dingle on<br />
Day 2, I paused at the<br />
foot of the climb to<br />
engulf some calories,<br />
dripping in the murk.<br />
(I halted in front of a<br />
microbrewery, as it<br />
turned out. Cue more<br />
manful spurning…) A<br />
couple were heading<br />
into town and asked<br />
where I was going.<br />
“Over the pass and<br />
on to Ballyheigue,”<br />
I said. “Fair play to<br />
you. It’s a long way<br />
to Ballyheigue.” Ah…<br />
Good…<br />
As I ground up the<br />
pass, the weather<br />
closed in again. No<br />
views. I was climbing in cloud. A rider clad in<br />
many varieties of waterproof garment greeted<br />
me as she went spinning past into the mist. This<br />
was Catherine, it turned out.<br />
The ascent was wide, so it came as a surprise<br />
to crest the pass and find myself on a narrow<br />
shelf of tarmac glued to a cliff. Nothing but a low<br />
parapet stood between me and the void to my<br />
left. A gusty crosswind added to the fun. But the<br />
weather was clear on this side. And it was a long<br />
descent. And I had disc brakes. Bwahahahaha!<br />
Conversations<br />
Random rando topics of conversation<br />
included: Food; Donald Trump; McNasty<br />
stashing food by the roadside; New Mexico;<br />
food; LEL; Irish weather; food; Georgia O’Keefe;<br />
Myles na gCopaleen and his bookhandling<br />
service; Marfa, Texas, and the Chinati<br />
Foundation; food; drugs; Brexit; the current<br />
hill; the upcoming hills; seafood chowder (may<br />
contain traces of food); ElliptiGOs and the<br />
WAWA—why?; the Waterboys; long rides we<br />
have known; stopping at red traffic lights; food;<br />
sheep, their dialects and hairstyles; Colorado;<br />
food; the different styles of houses in different<br />
parts of Ireland; the bike-mangling service<br />
offered by major airlines; food.<br />
Dai<br />
Dai definitely had the biggest saddlebag<br />
on the WAWA. He remained cheerful despite<br />
suffering from Knees and walking like a penguin.<br />
Disc brakes<br />
The hydraulic disc brakes on my Mason<br />
allowed me—a graduate of Hennessey’s<br />
School of Descending—to give full rein to my<br />
plummeting skills. The fact that I could brake<br />
strongly with little effort became increasingly<br />
helpful as the ride went on.<br />
Top tip (specially for Jonty): If you’re riding<br />
in rural and remote areas and have disc brakes,<br />
carry spare pads.<br />
Eamon<br />
Eamon, the organiser, had taken a vow<br />
of ubiquity and would teleport himself to<br />
random points along the course, where he<br />
would dispense, in no particular order: fizzing<br />
enthusiasm; spokes; beer; spare bicycles; and<br />
slightly misleading reassurances about the<br />
terrain you were about to encounter.<br />
Earworms<br />
Day 4 passed through Spiddle/An Spideal,<br />
giving me Waterboys earworms for the<br />
remainder of the ride. Either Fisherman’s Blues<br />
or A Bang on the Ear. Heroically, I managed<br />
to keep the earworms internal and refrained<br />
from singing/croaking tunelessly (delete as<br />
applicable).<br />
ElliptiGO<br />
As Flann O’Brien nearly wrote:<br />
“Is it about a bicycle?… No? Are you sure?…<br />
Would it be true that you are an itinerant dentist<br />
and that you came on a tricycle?… On a patent<br />
tandem?… Do you tell me it was a velocipede or<br />
a penny farthing?”<br />
No, I came on an ElliptiGO.<br />
“It is a queer contraption, very dangerous, a<br />
certain death-trap.”<br />
Well, maybe not. But it’s certainly a<br />
challenging choice of steed on a ride notable for<br />
a) length; b) wind; and c) hills.<br />
As one fruit-loop to another, huge respect<br />
to Stuart and Andrew for GOing where the less<br />
loopy would fear to pedal.<br />
Excursions<br />
Most routes go from A to B. Not so the<br />
WAWA, which meandered round the rest of the<br />
alphabet in between. Several times a day we’d<br />
encounter signposts giving distances to places<br />
we were due to pass through, but inevitably our<br />
route would take an excursion or two along the<br />
way. We’d cover double or treble the distance,<br />
via peninsulas, promontories, and fingers of<br />
land sticking out to see which way the wind was<br />
blowing.<br />
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WAWA<br />
Eye bags<br />
By Day 4, my usual long-ride swollen eyelids<br />
had appeared. By Day 6, slitty eyes had given<br />
way to pouches beneath the eyes big enough<br />
to carry a medium-sized multitool. By the finish,<br />
the pouches were filled with fluid.<br />
It’s okay. I’ve been able to resume my<br />
modelling career since.<br />
Father Ted<br />
It is now my considered opinion that Father<br />
Ted was a documentary series.<br />
Floor<br />
By Day 5 it had come to my attention that the<br />
floor was further away than it used to be.<br />
Fun<br />
The WAWA was composed entirely of Fun.<br />
Admittedly, there were occasional patches of<br />
Type 2 Fun (Like Fun, Only Different) and Type<br />
3 Fun (You Chose To Do This So You’d Better<br />
Pretend You’re Enjoying It).<br />
Goats’ Path<br />
There were no goats. Presumably they had<br />
left for somewhere less vertical, where they<br />
could move about without crampons on their<br />
hooves and oxygen tanks on their backs. The<br />
Himalayas, perhaps. The road must have been<br />
constructed from some super-adhesive variety<br />
of tarmac to stick on the side of the hill.<br />
I grimped grimly up, trying not to sprain a<br />
lung. I cackled madly down the other side.<br />
Hallucinations<br />
Boringly, I had no hallucinations on the<br />
WAWA. This may have been because I had<br />
enough sleep. Or it may have been because<br />
Stuart on the ElliptiGO had cornered the market<br />
in hallucinations, and there were none left for<br />
anyone else.<br />
Healy Pass<br />
In a red van, Eamon and Seamus were<br />
mounting a roving secret control on the<br />
approach to the Healy Pass. How hard must the<br />
pass be if they were going to these lengths to<br />
keep randonneurs honest?<br />
The light was beginning to fade—like my<br />
legs—at the foot of the climb. I paused to turn<br />
on my back light, then set about spinning my<br />
way to the top. The road zigged and zagged<br />
past scattered rocks. A solitary car overtook,<br />
and I watched its tail lights zag and zig up the<br />
pass until, minutes later, it passed from view.<br />
Quite a long climb, then, but a steady one. And,<br />
eventually, a hurtle down to sea level (Yay!)<br />
followed by a draggy climb near Lauragh (Boo!)<br />
that I’d completely forgotten about.<br />
Helpers<br />
The helpers made for a truly special<br />
atmosphere on the WAWA. As soon as you<br />
arrived at a control—more often than not<br />
ushered in by a helper who had tracked your<br />
approach—you were bundled up in a blanket<br />
of smiling hospitality. And fed improbable<br />
quantities of food. The bike butlers would deal<br />
with mechanicals while you slept.<br />
Arriving in Kilrush on Day 3, I asked if there<br />
was a local bike shop where I could get a front<br />
light, since mine had failed in the previous<br />
evening’s deluge. We’ll see, I was told. By the<br />
time I’d wolfed down a couple of portions of<br />
lasagne—it had been at least an hour since<br />
I’d had cake on the ferry—a replacement<br />
light, complete with spare batteries, had been<br />
magically conjured up.<br />
Hoolie<br />
The hoolie is the official wind of the WAWA.<br />
It prefers travelling in the opposite direction to<br />
the cyclist.<br />
Irony<br />
Catherine was worried about colliding with<br />
a free-range sheep, but was brought off by a<br />
sheepdog.<br />
Judo mats<br />
Most nights we slept on airbeds or camp<br />
beds. To make sure we didn’t get too soft,<br />
Eamon gave us judo mats to sleep on in<br />
Oranmore. I never realised judo mats were made<br />
of concrete…<br />
Kenmare<br />
Mention Kenmare to me after the WAWA, and<br />
I’ll think of curry. Mmm, that curry at the control.<br />
Just popping out for a kenmare…<br />
Legs<br />
Stupid running joke:<br />
Day 4: “There was an error message this<br />
morning. Legs 2.0 could not be installed at this<br />
time. Please update to RandOS 2.0.”<br />
Day 5: “There was an another error message.<br />
Autoupdate failed. Legs 2.0 could not be<br />
installed. Reverting to Legs 1.1.”<br />
Day 6: “Autoupdate to Legs 2.0 installed<br />
successfully.”<br />
Lighthouses<br />
We visited many lighthouses. For many, the<br />
Old Sod—sorry, Black Sod—was the lowlight<br />
since it involved a lengthy out-and-back grovel<br />
across bogland into a tearing headwind. But a<br />
Hungarian rider described the Old Sod as his<br />
favourite sight of the ride. Mind you, I don’t think<br />
they have lighthouses in Hungary…<br />
On the wind-assisted return from the Old Sod<br />
Catherine called me to order when I tried to<br />
retrace too far.<br />
Memo to self: Make sure you display the track<br />
for the second half of the day’s ride once you<br />
reach the end of the track for the first half of the<br />
ride.<br />
Day 7 - Sunset as we head for Mamore Gap<br />
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WAWA<br />
Loops<br />
The WAWA was a loopy sort of ride.<br />
The ride out to Loop Head on Day 3 was<br />
like being pressure-washed on the bike as the<br />
howling headwind joined forces with lashing<br />
rain. Conditions were so extreme all I could do<br />
was laugh hysterically and swear. The muchmissed<br />
Dave Lewis and Nik Peregrine would<br />
have been in their element.<br />
Loopily, the last few kilometres to Loop Head<br />
followed an out-and-back route. I leaned my<br />
bike against the sign at the lighthouse to take a<br />
picture as proof of passage. The wind promptly<br />
blew the bike over. I had to cant it at 45 degrees<br />
for it to remain in place.<br />
The loops around Achill Island on Day 5<br />
provided some testing and blowy climbs and<br />
exhilarating views as the pounding Atlantic did<br />
its best to dismantle the coastline.<br />
Luck<br />
I was grovelling out towards Old Sod, deep<br />
in a bad patch. Catherine was chugging into<br />
the howling hoolie, with a taciturn French rider<br />
glued to her wheel, but I couldn’t maintain the<br />
pace. Mutter mutter headwind. Mutter mutter<br />
lighthouse. Mutter mutter Old Sod. Mutter<br />
mutter Eamon. Automatically I did the rando<br />
pocket pat. Phone, check; maturing sandwich,<br />
check; waterproof, what the… The wind had<br />
plucked my Gore-Tex from my pocket.<br />
I stopped by the roadside and turned round,<br />
hoping to see my waterproof in the road. No<br />
such luck, but two people were walking on<br />
the road a couple of hundred metres back.<br />
Maybe they’d spotted it and picked it up? No<br />
sooner had hope sprung up than the hoolie did<br />
likewise, and a more than usually exuberant gust<br />
toppled me onto the verge, bike and all.<br />
It took a minute or two to disentangle my<br />
limbs from the bike. Hulk angry! In a rage I<br />
stomped off towards Old Sod, vowing to look for<br />
my waterproof on the way back.<br />
Gravelly road works on the approach to the<br />
lighthouse did nothing to soothe my savage<br />
breast. I gave Catherine a snarly account of what<br />
had happened, and stomped off again. Gravelly<br />
road works. Hulk angry! Stomp stomp.<br />
Fun fact: The usual roadside litter in County<br />
Mayo is agricultural black plastic.<br />
You wouldn’t believe how many bits of<br />
plastic did persuasive impressions of my black<br />
waterproof.<br />
But there it was. Weirdly, on the windward<br />
verge of the road. Hulk not angry any more.<br />
Malin Head<br />
Malin Head is the End near the end. It’s linked<br />
to the other End, near the beginning, mostly by<br />
lumps and wind.<br />
It’s all downhill after Malin Head, apart from<br />
the bits that aren’t.<br />
Mamore Gap<br />
Putting this climb in the penultimate leg of<br />
a ride like the WAWA, when riders at this point<br />
are on their penultimate legs at best, seemed<br />
like one of Eamon’s little jokes. It was dark by<br />
Kenmare: I got out of my sleeping bag and put on a<br />
base layer, then had to have a little lie-down<br />
the time we reached the base of the wall, and<br />
I’d recently mislaid the ability to balance while<br />
climbing steep hills, so it was time for a hike.<br />
Even walking up was hard work, though it gave<br />
an opportunity to rest and stretch my neck.<br />
Catherine paused for a break at the top. I said I’d<br />
wait at the bottom.<br />
One look at the descent—extremely steep,<br />
sketchy road surface, hairpins—was enough to<br />
convince me that a man with a wibbly-wobbly<br />
neck like mine had better walk down as well,<br />
especially as I wasn’t carrying spare shorts. After<br />
a couple of minutes the screech of tortured<br />
brake blocks signalled that Catherine had<br />
survived the plummet.<br />
Meyrick<br />
I first encountered Meyrick as I was basking<br />
in the sun outside a pub in Akahista, on the<br />
Sheep’s Head peninsula on Day 1. He was riding<br />
a rather lovely traditional steel randonneur<br />
bike but was having problems with broken<br />
spokes, and was talking of waiting at the pub<br />
for assistance. There was nothing I could do, so I<br />
wished him well and headed off for what turned<br />
out to be a tractor-paced ride to Kilcrohane.<br />
I saw him the following day in Kenmare. He’d<br />
been able to fix the problem, and his ride was<br />
back on track.<br />
I next encountered Meyrick near Malin Head<br />
in the small hours of the last day. I was walking<br />
along the road to rest and stretch my rubbery<br />
neck. He stopped to see how I was and offered<br />
advice on strapping my head to help deal with<br />
the problem. I was too tired to explain that I<br />
felt my occasional walks and stretches were<br />
staving off full-blown Shermer’s Neck, and I was<br />
certainly too tired to contemplate jury-rigging<br />
head supports with inner tubes and zip ties.<br />
This probably came over as tetchiness. Sorry,<br />
Meyrick. I really appreciated your concern.<br />
Midges<br />
Ireland has midges. Who knew? The Irish<br />
Tourist Board keeps that one pretty quiet.<br />
These aren’t your wimpy Scottish midges<br />
that snack on cyclists only in the lightest of<br />
airs. Brawny Irish midges are happy to feast on<br />
passing randonneurs even in a hoolie. Which,<br />
given the prevailing weather, is just as well<br />
from the midges’ point of view, if not from the<br />
passing randonneurs’.<br />
Mixing of Mollycules<br />
The WAWA provided strong evidence in<br />
support of Policeman Pluck’s theory of the<br />
Mixing of Mollycules:<br />
People who spend most of their natural lives<br />
riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads<br />
of the parish get their personalities mixed up<br />
with the personalities of their bicycles as a<br />
result of the interchanging of the mollycules of<br />
each of them, and you would be surprised at<br />
the number of people in country parts who are<br />
nearly half people and half bicycles.<br />
Even by Day 4 I was half-man, half-Mason.<br />
If I came to a halt, I had to lean on a wall for<br />
support. And I wasn’t the only one.<br />
Mizen Head<br />
Mizen Head is the End near the beginning.<br />
Thanks to some roads of an uphill persuasion<br />
and to the hoolie, which got particularly frisky<br />
towards the end of the peninsula, the last few<br />
kilometres seemed to take an age. I recovered<br />
with a Brunch—the ice cream, not the meal. The<br />
combination of sugar rush and tailwind led me<br />
to start out on a repeat of the Mizen Head loop,<br />
but some drinkers outside a bar soon set me<br />
right.<br />
Memo to self: Display the track for the second<br />
half of the day’s ride only when you’ve reached<br />
the end of the track for the first half.<br />
Mojo<br />
I thought I only found my mojo on Day 6, but<br />
it was there the whole time.<br />
Neck<br />
As Day 7 wore on, I gradually became aware<br />
that tarmac was filling more and more of my<br />
field of vision. It took a conscious effort to raise<br />
my head to admire the view, and, when I did,<br />
my head would swiftly droop again. By the time<br />
we reached Inishowen, I was sitting on the top<br />
tube on descents in order to see better. I realised<br />
I was suffering from incipient Shermer’s Neck,<br />
though I’d never experienced this before.<br />
At around the same time, I began to lose the<br />
ability to balance the bike on steep ascents. This<br />
was a blessing in disguise, since the resultant<br />
uphill hikes allowed me to change position,<br />
stretch, and rest my neck.<br />
Malin Head (as Meyrick knows) was probably<br />
my low point. Daylight on the final Friday lifted<br />
my mood and made it easier to see where I was<br />
going, obviously enough.<br />
There were times during that last night that<br />
I was on the verge of telling Catherine to push<br />
on alone. The ride was 95% done, but still on a<br />
knife edge.<br />
Phil: I feel your pain.<br />
26<br />
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WAWA<br />
Nurofen<br />
Available only in pharmacies<br />
in Ireland. This has been a public<br />
service announcement.<br />
Old age<br />
Rides like the WAWA give insights<br />
into the experience of old age.<br />
Difficulty climbing stairs? Yep.<br />
Difficulty descending stairs? Yep.<br />
Hands not working? Yep. Eyes all<br />
blurry? Yep. Tendency, once sat,<br />
to keep sitting? Yep. Difficulty in<br />
performing simple tasks? Yep.<br />
Tendency to forg—what was the<br />
question again? Yep.<br />
Day 7- Dawn of the dead<br />
“I found it hard to think of a time<br />
when there was no road there<br />
because the trees and all the hills<br />
and the fine views of bogland had<br />
been arranged by wise hands for<br />
the pleasing picture they made<br />
when looked at from the road.”<br />
“The hardness of the road was<br />
uncompromising and the country<br />
changed slowly but surely as I made<br />
my way through it.”<br />
Almost every ride has transitional<br />
sections. The WAWA spurns them.<br />
The landscapes are constantly<br />
shifting and generally spectacular.<br />
I’ve never done a ride with fewer<br />
unrewarding sections.<br />
Pacing<br />
How to pace myself for LEL+50%? Ride very<br />
conservatively. Trundle. Don’t do anything to<br />
make my legs hurt. Don’t faff. Honk as much as<br />
possible but use low gears. Do the rando hand<br />
jive to prevent tingly fingers. It worked, mostly.<br />
On Day 6, I finally gave in to the temptation<br />
to up the pace during a good patch. On Day 7,<br />
bits of my body went into meltdown. There may<br />
have been a connection.<br />
Peninsulas<br />
The WAWA never met a peninsula it didn’t like.<br />
It felt like we did all the frilly bits of a notably<br />
frilly coastline.<br />
Pocket food<br />
Best pocket food of my WAWA? A tie between<br />
the sandwich I made from the mountain of<br />
sausages at Curraun after the Achill loop<br />
and the slab of ginger cake from Lackenagh.<br />
Honourable mentions to the chocolate flapjack<br />
from a random garage and the succession of deli<br />
counter sandwiches (always including potato<br />
salad) that were a daytime staple.<br />
P*nct*res<br />
I suffered no visitations from She Who<br />
Must Not Be Mentioned, for I was riding fancy<br />
tubeless tyres full of gloop. Catherine suffered<br />
one visitation. Front wheel. Day 6. Between the<br />
pair of us and our half-brains, it took<br />
no more than, ooh, 20 minutes to fix.<br />
After 5 minutes of fruitless flailing<br />
with a minipump, I remembered I<br />
was carrying a CO2 cartridge and<br />
inflator. As I said, it was Day 6.<br />
Q<br />
There is no letter Q in Irish, so<br />
don’t go expecting it to feature in<br />
the WAWA A-Z.<br />
Rachel<br />
Rachel was usually glimpsed<br />
vanishing Tiggerishly up the road,<br />
or downside up against a wall. If<br />
self-inversion makes you go that fast, maybe I<br />
should give it a try.<br />
Roads<br />
There seems to be a notorious tarmac ring in<br />
County Clare that has cornered the market in<br />
smooth asphalt. Its sinister agents have certainly<br />
stolen the consignments destined for Cork and<br />
Kerry.<br />
Saddle<br />
I expected my saddle to get medieval on<br />
my bum, but oddly it failed to turn into an<br />
instrument of torture. I carried a family-size<br />
bucket of Morgan Blue Solid chamois cream and<br />
slathered it generously on my bearing surfaces.<br />
One morning I contrived initially to put my bib<br />
shorts on inside out after greasing up and ended<br />
up smearing chamois cream on the saddle as<br />
well. Who needs Proofide? Applied after each<br />
day’s ride, Assos Skin Repair Gel—ludicrously<br />
expensive, but it’s made from unicorn tears<br />
or something—soothed any bits that needed<br />
soothing.<br />
The saddle is a Rivet Pearl. I had to retension it<br />
a couple of times after rough roads had shaken<br />
the tension bolt loose.<br />
Scenery<br />
Over to Flann O’Brien, who apparently rode<br />
the WAWA:<br />
Note angle of bike. Any more upright and it blew over<br />
Sheep<br />
It is a little known fact that Irish sheep have<br />
regional dialects. The sheep of Donegal, for<br />
instance, don’t baa or maa like the common<br />
sheep of Cork. Instead, they enunciate clearly:<br />
“Bar! Bar!” “Mare!” This amused us greatly as<br />
we winched ourselves up the giant hills after<br />
Killybegs. Every time a sheep said “Mare!” we’d<br />
collapse into giggles. This didn’t make climbing<br />
any easier.<br />
Fashion note: Punkish shades of fluo pink and<br />
electric blue are all the rage among the sheep of<br />
Donegal this season.<br />
Shelter<br />
On the average UK ride, there are frequent<br />
opportunities to take shelter: porches, lych<br />
gates, bus shelters, phone boxes, verandas.<br />
On the WAWA, there was nothing in the way<br />
of public shelter, unless you count roadside<br />
shrines: The Virgin generally had at least some<br />
kind of a roof over her head.<br />
Shillelagh<br />
Equip yourself with a shillelagh for the WAWA.<br />
Shake it as much as you like. Nope, there’s still<br />
more scenery than you can shake a shillelagh<br />
at…<br />
Slea Head<br />
Headwind, hills, rain, and—unusually for the<br />
WAWA—traffic combined to test my<br />
patience on the inland run to Dingle<br />
on Day 2. I trundled a tad grumpily<br />
through the town to begin the loop<br />
round Slea Head. Stupid loop. Want<br />
to go straight to nice warm, dry bed.<br />
Whose idea was this anyway?<br />
The roads were suddenly quiet<br />
and rural, and my mood improved.<br />
Every few metres signs advertised<br />
prehistoric sites, but these were<br />
invisible in the murk. Now I was<br />
riding round a rocky headland, and<br />
I could hear the sea off to my left.<br />
There was an info control at Slea<br />
Head, I knew. I waited in vain for a<br />
Mizen Head-type sign announcing<br />
that I had reached the point.<br />
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WAWA<br />
Stuart nods off on the podium… From left, Seamus, Paul O’Donoghue, Stuart, Eamon<br />
Nothing to be seen on the headland except<br />
some statues by the roadside. Hang on… What<br />
was the info question?<br />
The wise randonneur reads the info question<br />
before riding past the answer.<br />
Sleeping bags<br />
WAWA riders were each provided with a<br />
sleeping bag bearing a name label. The sleeping<br />
bags would magically appear at each nighttime<br />
control (the WAWA was superbly organised).<br />
By the end of the ride, organisms unknown to<br />
science were incubating in my bag. Somewhere<br />
in Ireland, men in biohazard suits are dropping<br />
WAWA sleeping bags into an incinerator, with<br />
very long tongs.<br />
Tea<br />
Records show I drank approximately 443 cups<br />
of tea during the WAWA. Oh, gwan gwan gwan.<br />
On Day 1 I stopped at a cafe in Schull and<br />
ordered soup, tea, and milk. The waitress looked<br />
at me oddly. A glass of milk, I explained. My tea<br />
arrived with half a pint of milk in a small bottle,<br />
plus an additional pail of milk.<br />
Trackers<br />
Trackers were a boon for riders, friends and<br />
relatives, WAWA organisers, and helpers. As a<br />
rider heading out into thinly populated (albeit<br />
fatly sheeped) areas, it was reassuring to think<br />
the location of the ditch you rode into or the<br />
cliff you rode off would be visible for posterity.<br />
Friends and relatives could find the name of<br />
the cafe or pub you<br />
were skulking in, and<br />
send chivvying text<br />
messages. WAWA<br />
organisers and helpers<br />
could see when you<br />
were off route or<br />
approaching a control<br />
and send out a search<br />
party. Or point and<br />
laugh…<br />
The trackers worked<br />
really well. Mine<br />
needed recharging<br />
once, in Curraun. My<br />
main problem was the<br />
cunning waterproof<br />
catches on the tracker<br />
pouch, which were a<br />
challenge for a Rider of<br />
Very Little Brain. It took<br />
about five minutes to<br />
summon the little grey<br />
cells and dexterity to<br />
extract the tracker<br />
from its pouch in the<br />
evening. And about ten<br />
to seal it back in the<br />
pouch next morning<br />
since both little grey<br />
cells and dexterity<br />
were AWOL again.<br />
Breakfast time in<br />
Oranmore. Eamon<br />
receives a call from a rider: Where am I? Beset by<br />
the dozies, the rider has slept in a ditch but has<br />
apparently been sleepwalking. He has woken,<br />
but there’s no sign of his bike. Eamon breaks<br />
the news that he can tell the location of the<br />
rider’s bike from the tracker, but not of the rider<br />
himself.<br />
Useful advice<br />
If you expect that, you’re looking in the wrong<br />
place. No, hang on…<br />
Don’t just leave the bike pointing in your<br />
direction of travel if you stop for a roadside nap.<br />
Tether yourself to it with a bungee or an old<br />
inner tube, in case of midnight rambling.<br />
Very<br />
The WAWA was very long, very hilly, very<br />
challenging, very enjoyable, very scenic, very<br />
rewarding. I fear it may have spoiled other long<br />
events for me. They will certainly have a lot to<br />
live up to.<br />
You’re very strongly recommended to ride it.<br />
Walking<br />
A bit of walking made a pleasant change from<br />
all that pedalling and saved the knees. What<br />
for, I wasn’t quite sure. Donation to science,<br />
probably.<br />
I walked most of the preposterous hill before<br />
Portmagee on Day 2 as the rain misted down.<br />
Two German girls were walking down the hill<br />
and asked about the ride. We told them. They<br />
told us we were crazy. They had a point.<br />
By midway through Day 7, I seemed to be<br />
losing fine motor control in my arms and thus<br />
the ability to balance on steep hills, which was<br />
annoying since my legs felt fine. But walking the<br />
steep hills on Inishowen gave an opportunity to<br />
stretch my neck and helped it hold out until the<br />
finish.<br />
Weather<br />
Weather is Ireland’s most abundant natural<br />
resource, and the WAWA exploited it to the full.<br />
Ireland has so much weather that it doesn’t<br />
confine itself, like most countries, to supplying<br />
only one kind at a time.<br />
We were on a little lane in Donegal, on the<br />
way to Killybegs. Wherever I looked, there were<br />
green mountains with their feet in shining water.<br />
The official wind of the WAWA was blowing.<br />
Over there, menacing leaden clouds. Over there,<br />
bright sunshine and rainbows. Over there, rain<br />
shrouding the hills. Over our heads, the sun<br />
shone while squally rain bounced off the road<br />
beneath our feet.<br />
X-rated<br />
As you will know by now, the WAWA was a<br />
full-service event, though we were turned loose<br />
each day to live off the land. So why X-rated? In<br />
token of the many occasions on which I had to<br />
deploy Emergency Swearing to get me where I<br />
needed to be…<br />
Yeats<br />
At the statue on Rosses Point, as part-time<br />
tour guide and bletherskite-in-chief, I explained<br />
to Catherine that Sligo was not shy about its<br />
associations with Yeats. We turned round to see<br />
we were opposite the Yeats Country Hotel, as if<br />
to confirm my blethering.<br />
A few kilometres later, the route took us past<br />
Yeats’ grave in Drumcliffe. Which was a bit of a<br />
thrill.<br />
ZZZ<br />
Sorry, I nodded off there for a minute…<br />
I managed 4 or 5 hours’ sleep most nights—<br />
enough to stave off on-the-road dozies. After<br />
our late start on Day 7, Catherine and I had to<br />
ride through the last night. Well, walk and ride,<br />
in my case. The Inishowen Peninsula at night<br />
has little to offer the drowsy randonneur. We<br />
ended up dozing at a picnic table while the<br />
Irish rain did what the Irish rain gets so much<br />
practice doing. Later we grabbed some quality<br />
ZZZs under the canopy of a garage forecourt in<br />
Moville.<br />
I slept for about 16 hours straight through<br />
after the finish. You might almost have thought<br />
I was tired. ◆<br />
28<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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Cambridge Autumnal 100<br />
Photos: Nick Wilkinson<br />
WAWA<br />
Geoff Sharpe leads off the riders<br />
Sally Kelly & Jo Brooks<br />
Rachel & Philip Garsed<br />
Alice Sackville Hamilton & John Rackham<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 29
NATIONAL 400<br />
Photo: James Bradbury<br />
A Grand<br />
National<br />
Words – Alison Smedley<br />
Pictures – Tim Decker, James Bradbury, Paul Smedley, Alison Smedley<br />
“The National”, “TLC’, “Van of Delights”,<br />
“Designed with newcomers to the<br />
distance in mind” — all words<br />
and phrases which were infiltrating my<br />
consciousness over the spring months as I<br />
steadily worked towards achieving this year’s<br />
cycling goals: to ride more events than last year<br />
and to complete a 300km event successfully.<br />
The big 400 had to remain in the subconscious<br />
until I knew what 300 felt like. I completed the<br />
300 (Knock Ventoux, my second attempt at<br />
Event National 400<br />
Date 30 July <strong>2016</strong><br />
Distance<br />
Organiser<br />
Start<br />
400km (405km)<br />
John Perrin<br />
Peak Audax<br />
Biggin<br />
nr Hartington<br />
the distance) in time (just!) with some serious<br />
low points. Interestingly, unlike some earlier<br />
rides which had taken their toll, this was mainly<br />
physical and I managed to stay fairly calm and<br />
rational upstairs throughout. This felt like a big<br />
step forwards so I reckoned the National was<br />
a possibility and I duly stopped gazing at my<br />
navel and entered.<br />
The timing couldn’t have been better, falling<br />
as it did at the end of two weeks off work for<br />
Paul, who would also be riding, and for me. The<br />
first week of holiday was spent in the Yorkshire<br />
Dales riding over some big hills variously<br />
on the solo bikes and tandem, including a<br />
hilly 120km Audax permanent ‘Deepdale and<br />
Fleetmoss’ — fantastic ride! On the Thursday<br />
before the National we relocated to Hulme<br />
End, Staffordshire, where we would be camping<br />
until Monday. On Friday, preparations included<br />
recceing the ride to the start at the Biggin<br />
village hall. The OS map suggested a ‘track’<br />
and we duly followed the NCR signs onto a<br />
vertiginous rocky footpath! We soon decided<br />
this would not be the ‘short’ cut we would<br />
take to the start, but pushed on anyway past<br />
beautiful limestone caves and expansive views<br />
which had eluded us on our valley potterings<br />
along the Manifold trail with my folks the<br />
previous day. My new cleats were now worn in<br />
and caked in sheep droppings and all was well<br />
with the world. After a quick ‘hello’ to a couple<br />
of riders and to John Perrin as he arrived with<br />
a heavily laden Van of Delights we located the<br />
sensible route back to base via Hartington YH.<br />
By our standards, planning had been pretty<br />
meticulous and we had a filling pasta meal in<br />
the tent and an early night as scheduled. I even<br />
slept pretty well — camping next to a river was<br />
very soporific!<br />
Everything had been prepared the night<br />
before so we were quickly riding as quietly as<br />
possible along the gravel track of the campsite<br />
and over the hill to Biggin where dozens of<br />
riders were already filling up on tea, toast and<br />
pain au chocolat. We picked up our Brevet cards<br />
and joined the scrum for the scram, making<br />
some half-hearted early morning attempts<br />
at conversation. These weren’t very deep<br />
and meaningful but I got the impression that<br />
there was a good range of riders in terms of<br />
experience and the atmosphere was pretty<br />
positive.<br />
The ‘starting gun’ was reliably silent as we<br />
gradually filed out of the carpark at 7am and<br />
filled the road out of Biggin heading north. Not<br />
one for bolting off the blocks, I rode steadily,<br />
close to the back of the pack, and was soon<br />
passed by a few late starters. The first few<br />
kilometres of the ride were too beautiful to<br />
hurry, winding up a steep valley surrounded<br />
by limestone outcrops which were lit by the<br />
rising sun. Ascending to Axe edge was familiar<br />
from recent Peak Audax rides and from growing<br />
up nearby. We were rewarded for our efforts<br />
with a long descent into Buxton over a road<br />
with it’s tarmac missing! Soon we were out<br />
the other side and after few kms of A6 we<br />
were on the Monsal trail which was quiet at<br />
this still early hour. This former railway, with<br />
its now complete set of tunnels, took us south<br />
to the first checkpoint and stamp on our cards.<br />
There was discussion along the trail as to the<br />
difference between ‘control’ and ‘checkpoint’<br />
and we could only conclude that the difference<br />
30<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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NATIONAL 400<br />
Van of Delights. Photo: James Bradbury<br />
Ready to leave Biggin Village Hall. Photo: Paul Smedley<br />
is that controls have food! With a couple of<br />
hours riding under our belts, I think we were<br />
starting to get hungry! In fact, a little further<br />
on, as we started to encounter some hills, I<br />
had my first snack pause. The Van of Delights<br />
was so near and yet so far! A further hour of<br />
undulations and magnificent Peak District<br />
vistas and the aforementioned was a sight (and<br />
sound!) to behold. Tea was brewing and there<br />
were seemingly infinite cakes both in number<br />
and variety — elevensies! Peter Bond was<br />
alternating card stamping duties with ukulele<br />
duties — we eventually got the hint and left.<br />
The roads became flatter as we rode into<br />
Staffordshire and some beautiful, gentle lanes,<br />
A sunny Monsal Trail. Photo: Tim Decker<br />
past villages previously<br />
unheard of. This area<br />
was all new and it<br />
really began to feel<br />
like an adventure<br />
unfolding at this point.<br />
I am not sure if it was<br />
deliberate but what<br />
worked really well in<br />
most of this ride was<br />
the first ‘half’ of each<br />
hundred chunk being<br />
significantly longer<br />
than the second. This<br />
meant that each fairly<br />
long ride was followed<br />
by a much shorter<br />
one – psychologically<br />
lovely and so the<br />
ride to Anslow for<br />
lunch (actually at<br />
lunchtime!) was pretty quick. The amusing<br />
highlight was being passed by a group wearing<br />
“Royston Vasey Cycling Club – ‘You’ll never<br />
leave’” jerseys — brilliant! We saw them again<br />
at Anslow hall where a really efficient lunch of<br />
soup, sandwiches and cake was served. Mind<br />
and body were working together well and we<br />
left without too much faff. The next stage took<br />
us deeper into the Midlands and past a strong<br />
smell of brewing which led me to guess we were<br />
near Burton-on-Trent. I knew we would soon<br />
be crossing Cannock Chase – a popular walking<br />
and mountain biking area for the nearby<br />
conurbations. I enjoyed the smell of pine forest<br />
as we climbed out of Rugely but I wasn’t overly<br />
fond of the road — fast<br />
and straight with what<br />
seemed like a slow drag<br />
of an ascent. Still, what<br />
goes up must come<br />
down and we were<br />
soon descending into<br />
Penkridge and heading<br />
south west, now<br />
happily back on the<br />
lovely lanes. The area<br />
became familiar from<br />
Shropshire outings<br />
with signs pointing to<br />
Albrighton and Cosford.<br />
We soon happened<br />
upon our second sighting of the Van of Delights<br />
near Ryton. Riders were strewn all over the<br />
grass triangle, soaking up the sun and convivial<br />
atmosphere. Afternoon tea was duly partaken<br />
of, after which our ride became more sociable<br />
as we set off with other riders and got chatting<br />
with a few of them about who knows what? This<br />
continued as we passed historical Ironbridge<br />
and up the long headwindy drag to Atcham<br />
and then Upton Magna for tea, miraculously at<br />
tea time — this was becoming a very civilised<br />
outing! We hadn’t set a time schedule but were<br />
riding a little quicker than usual and so time<br />
pressure didn’t need to become an issue. I did<br />
comment that it would be good to get back<br />
to Upton Magna by 12 so it wouldn’t feel like<br />
the depths of night (and for a midnight feast of<br />
course!). Tea consisted of a spicy lentil soup with<br />
infinite bread, and rice pudding with fruit salad.<br />
The third ‘hundred’ was the longest at 117km<br />
and more evenly split, but this time with a<br />
sit-down meal at Llangollen to look forward to<br />
halfway. Things were a bit wonky to begin with<br />
as before long I stopped a little too abruptly<br />
and Paul collided with me. Fortunately we<br />
both stayed upright and only minor swear<br />
words were exchanged. Soon we had the fun<br />
of Saturday afternoon traffic in Shrewsbury<br />
town centre and a bit of uncertainty about the<br />
route out of town, which led to further tensions.<br />
Once back on course, we relaxed into the ride<br />
again and shared a joke about the ‘Knockin’<br />
Shop’ and inhaled deeply as we passed some<br />
very mellow smelling smoke! The ride took us<br />
around the edges of Oswestry and we soon<br />
crossed into Wales and the small town of Chirk<br />
Tunnel on the Monsal Trail. Photo: Tim Decker<br />
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NATIONAL 400<br />
Anslow Village Hall – a tasty and efficient lunch control. Photo: Alison Smedley<br />
with it’s strong smell of chocolate from the<br />
Cadbury factory. It is apparently downhill to<br />
Llangollen, but with the wind against us the<br />
stretch along the A5 was hard work. I glimpsed<br />
the magnificent Pontcysyllte aqueduct in the<br />
valley but mostly I kept my eyes on the road and<br />
my mind on the upcoming meal. The cheese<br />
and potato pie was lovely, as was the soup and<br />
the cake. I think this meal was ‘dinner’.<br />
We left Llangollen at dusk so I lit the lamps<br />
and put on my gilet and we were duly blown<br />
up the hill. The westerly assisted our ride out of<br />
Wales and towards Ellesmere. There were more<br />
10km+ stretches on the routesheet now which<br />
allowed for steady plodding through the dusk<br />
and into the very dark night, absent of moon.<br />
The mere itself lent a chill to the air as we rode<br />
out of Ellesmere and turned south-east towards<br />
Shrewsbury and, eventually, our second visit to<br />
Upton Magna. Time and space pass differently<br />
in darkness and I must have been getting tired<br />
as my memories from this section are less clear. I<br />
do recall being delighted to arrive at the control,<br />
where a quieter night-hush had descended;<br />
some riders took advantage of the airbeds while<br />
others ate with due consideration, ourselves<br />
included. Our midnight feast consisted of<br />
vegetable goulash with bread followed by<br />
sponge and custard and a large cup of coffee in<br />
preparation for the night section.<br />
Refreshed, we layered up and departed,<br />
ensuring our bottles were filled for the longest<br />
section of the ride — 70km to Alton. The roads<br />
were very quiet now and we rolled over gentle<br />
undulations through North Shropshire then on<br />
to Stone, where, at nearly 3am, a pair of white<br />
vans were mysteriously haring around the<br />
town, along with a number of mini-cabs. Stone<br />
appears to have an interesting night life! The<br />
hills resumed shortly after as we re-entered<br />
the Staffordshire moorlands. Our<br />
favourite cycling pastime ‘Yellow<br />
Car’ became pointless in the<br />
dark, empty lanes. I noticed a<br />
‘Totmonslow’ sign and recognised<br />
this as the name of a John Perrin<br />
permanent (hilly) so was prepared<br />
for the lumpy bits. The fox which<br />
crossed the road was a delight as<br />
were the ancient-feeling woods<br />
and obligatory ford! Alton hall<br />
was a subtle beacon in the night,<br />
Wildflowers and a the quietest of all<br />
famous bridge. the controls with<br />
Photo: Tim Decker many sleeping<br />
or dozing. The<br />
‘early breakfast’(? — I don’t really<br />
have a name for the 4am meal!)<br />
was fantastic and the bowl of jelly<br />
babies at the entrance was such a<br />
kind thought which lifted the spirits<br />
as well as the sugar levels. We had a<br />
leisurely break at Alton but after a<br />
while I felt the sleepy atmosphere<br />
begin to wash over me and I made<br />
preparations for the final stage<br />
of the ride. Paul wasn’t in such a<br />
Riders snaking along hurry to move so<br />
the lane.<br />
Photo: Tim Decker<br />
Delicious Staffordshire oatcakes at Alton. Photo: James Bradbury<br />
I hopped around impatiently for a while in the<br />
hallway.<br />
We were met with drizzle as we left Alton,<br />
dropping the temperature noticeably but not<br />
enough to warrant a coat. We rode back to<br />
Derbyshire and the town of Ashbourne as the<br />
sun rose and everything glowed red. We were<br />
then treated to another stretch of former railway<br />
line, this time the Tissington trail. The northerly<br />
wind from the beginning of the ride seemed to<br />
still be blowing and, along with a steady incline,<br />
we made slow progress and every bump in<br />
the track shook me to my core. I was relieved<br />
to leave the trail for a section of road and was<br />
pleased that the surface when we rejoined was<br />
much better. With minimal fanfare we left the<br />
trail and descended the road to Biggin and a<br />
genuine breakfast at the arrivée.<br />
I would like to thank all of the volunteers who<br />
provided the food and facilities which allowed<br />
us to really enjoy this ride and gave us the<br />
chance to go that bit further… ◆<br />
32<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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RANDONNEE<br />
To The Pyrenees<br />
A two-week tour takes Rosy and Colin Gray<br />
from the UK down the French Atlantic Coast<br />
to Tillac in the Pyrenees.<br />
Day 1<br />
Cherboug to Creances Plage<br />
74km<br />
Day one started well. Nephew, Steve,<br />
dropped us off at Portsmouth and<br />
the Brittany Ferries ‘Vomit Comet’<br />
(fast catamaran well known for causing sea<br />
sickness) left early and arrived in Cherbourg on<br />
time. Better than being 4 hours late as on one<br />
previous crossing.<br />
Off the ferry and no prizes for guessing what<br />
Colin had planned — straight up the steep hill<br />
to La Glacerie where Peter Sagen had won the<br />
second stage of the Tour de France two weeks<br />
earlier. Strangely he was not encumbered with<br />
two heavy panniers, or in Colin’s case a trailer<br />
full of camping kit as well.<br />
“We will soon be on a railway track”, was the<br />
only encouragement I received at the top of the<br />
first hill but somehow my dependable guide had<br />
forgotten to mention another 20km of steep ups<br />
and steep downs, some of it on a rough track,<br />
before we reached Bricquebec. Time for a beer!<br />
Bricquebec also has a fine castle and I thought<br />
of leaving Colin in the dungeon, but then<br />
wondered who would carry all my luggage, not<br />
to mention my make up.<br />
Once on the old railway line we made<br />
good progress in the late afternoon sunshine<br />
stopping at the supermarket in the next town<br />
to buy food for our evening meal and for the<br />
next day’s breakfast. No chance; we had arrived<br />
on Bastille Day, on which no one in France will<br />
be caught working. Fortunately we had a bottle<br />
of wine, some cheese and a packet of digestive<br />
biscuits in the trailer. Disaster averted.<br />
Later on I managed to grab an early lead in<br />
the puncture competition, and a well-earned<br />
rest whilst my mobile mechanic quickly fixed<br />
it. The railway line finished at Lessay, where<br />
Rommel had his headquarters prior to the<br />
D-Day landings. Then we turned west towards<br />
the coast at Créances Plage to find a pleasant<br />
campsite nestling in the sand dunes. It didn’t<br />
take long to put the tent up and even less time<br />
to polish off a fine bottle of Vacqueyras. Cycle<br />
touring at its best?<br />
Day 2<br />
Creances Plage to Pontaubault<br />
84km<br />
Only digestive biscuits and coffee for<br />
breakfast, so I was looking forward to<br />
my first pain au raisin of the holiday.<br />
However I had to wait some time for that<br />
due to a series of route finding disasters. The<br />
‘Navigator’ had found a short section of track<br />
on Open Street Map that avoided a main road.<br />
“Should be OK”, I was assured, and the first<br />
500m was brand new tarmac. However tarmac<br />
soon turned to gravel and then tussocky grass.<br />
You-know-who just ploughed on as if it was still<br />
smooth tarmac, whilst I walked. When the grass<br />
gave way to deep pockets of fine sand even<br />
the Navigator took to walking and eventually<br />
we turned round and retraced to a gravel track<br />
leading back towards the main road we were<br />
trying to avoid. Our luck was out, after 100m of<br />
gravel it was impossible to ride and was even<br />
hard work pushing through 2 to 3 inches of<br />
loose sand for almost 2km. The ‘swear box’ had<br />
enough cash in to keep us in beers for the rest<br />
of the trip.<br />
Despite an early start it was late morning<br />
before my pain au raisin arrived and we had<br />
only covered 15km. After a short section of main<br />
road past the Pont de la Roque, destroyed in<br />
1944 during Operation Cobra, it was fairly flat<br />
to lunch, eaten in a bus shelter as there were no<br />
picnic tables or even seats on the tiny lanes that<br />
now nicely avoided the main road down the<br />
west side of the Cotentin Peninsula.<br />
If the morning was flat the afternoon was a<br />
complete contrast as our route cut inland to<br />
avoid the busy roads around Granville. Colin was<br />
amazed when I rode up a section of 15% but I<br />
had to walk on a longer 15% climb just after the<br />
Abbey of Lucerne.<br />
A very hot afternoon did not make the<br />
constant grovelling uphill any easier and I was<br />
relieved when we arrived at the campsite in<br />
Pontaubault and negotiated the use of a four<br />
berth mobile home for the princely sum of €20.<br />
In case you are wondering if our French has<br />
suddenly improved; no chance, the site owner is<br />
English. The other bonus was that he also had a<br />
fridge full of cool beer, the first of which barely<br />
touched the sides of our throats.<br />
I was gutted when Colin pulled level in the<br />
puncture competition and it stayed at 1-1 for the<br />
rest of the trip. I guess Colin was pleased; he gets<br />
to mend them all.<br />
Day 3<br />
Pontaubault to St Aubin du Cormier<br />
67km<br />
There was a fairly leisurely start to the<br />
day with an easy ride along the coast to<br />
Mont Saint Michel. Everywhere was full<br />
of reminders of Le Grand Départ of the Tour<br />
two weeks previously. Bikes in fields, bikes hung<br />
from the bridge in Pontaubault, and bikes on<br />
bales of hay; all decorated in yellow, green or<br />
red spots on a white background.<br />
Having visited Le Mont Saint Michel several<br />
times before, and not wishing to leave our bikes<br />
unattended for an hour, we decided not to<br />
climb up to the cathedral and turned inland and<br />
headed for Pontorson, a charming and attractive<br />
town.<br />
Rosy Gray<br />
After coffee and chatting to a group of cyclists<br />
from Wales we headed south onto the course<br />
of an old railway line. There were some cycle<br />
route signs, but not always well placed and this<br />
should not have been a problem as Colin had<br />
the route on his Sat Nav. Yes, you have guessed<br />
it, we went wrong. The ‘Navigator’ blamed the<br />
bright sunshine shining on his Garmin screen,<br />
and we both must have missed a cycle route<br />
sign. After plunging down a steep hill and<br />
riding for some distance there was suddenly<br />
a very loud expletive in front of me. We were<br />
on the wrong side of the steep river valley the<br />
railway line had followed. “It’s not far to where<br />
we should be”, Colin said, and went in search<br />
of a way across the river. Having found a small<br />
bridge he was just about to fetch me when he<br />
was confronted by a very rude woman who<br />
seemed not to understand “Je suis perdu” (I am<br />
lost) and just kept shouting “Prive” (private) at<br />
him with a complete refusal to engage in any<br />
form of communication. Having both just voted<br />
‘Remain’ we did wonder if perhaps Brexit was<br />
not such a bad idea.<br />
Next problem was to get back on route. The<br />
easy option denied, rather than retrace our<br />
route for 2km we pushed Colin’s bike and trailer<br />
up a 30% incline for 200m before returning for<br />
my bike. After a short detour the rest of the<br />
day was relatively straightforward until the<br />
inevitable ‘short cut’ to the campsite turned into<br />
a track that was barely rideable. At least Colin<br />
redeemed himself by riding to the supermarket<br />
and back and then cooking dinner. The little<br />
campsite by a small lake in the middle of Aubin<br />
du Cormier is a gem, but regrettably spoilt by a<br />
French group who partied until 3am, which was<br />
bad news for those of us who needed an early<br />
start. A Dutchman who had remonstrated with<br />
them several times was not too impressed either<br />
— so not too much love lost in what remains of<br />
the EU.<br />
Day 4<br />
St Aubin du Cormier to Pouance<br />
74km<br />
I<br />
felt a bit sorry for Colin. On what turned out<br />
to be another hot and hilly day, as it was<br />
Sunday he had to carry the food for our<br />
evening meal, in addition to all my luggage.<br />
Fortunately not too much of a problem after all<br />
those ‘headbanging’ audax miles he does with<br />
his mate Mark.<br />
Not long after setting off we encountered<br />
a possible problem, coming across a ‘Route<br />
Barrée’ (Road Closed). “Just ignore it”, Colin<br />
confidently said, and in the next town the<br />
reason for the lengthy diversion became<br />
apparent. There was a huge market filling every<br />
road in a decent sized town, leading to a 2km<br />
walk through packed streets. (More expletives<br />
from the ‘Navigator’, who hates walking, helped<br />
to keep the swear box full.)<br />
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RANDONNEE<br />
On a very hot day we only passed one bar,<br />
where we stopped for morning coffee, and in<br />
Retiers the only place we could find any shelter<br />
from the sun to eat our lunch was to climb<br />
through scaffolding and metal barriers in front<br />
of the church.<br />
The campsite in Pouance was situated on the<br />
side of a large lake with a beautiful sandy beach<br />
and it seemed that the whole population of the<br />
town had made their way here. After pitching<br />
the tent the first job was to get the washing<br />
done. It was bone-dry in less than 2 hours!<br />
After four tiring days I was looking forward<br />
to a decent night’s sleep, retiring early. The<br />
campsite was quiet but just behind us was<br />
some sort of recycling facility with noisy lorries<br />
dumping their loads until well into the early<br />
hours. C’est la vie!<br />
Day 5<br />
Pouance to Geste<br />
89km<br />
The routine was now set for the reminder<br />
of the trip — up early and try to get at<br />
least half of the day’s ride completed<br />
before it became unbearably hot. Initially we<br />
followed the Verzée through the attractive<br />
little village of Armaillé. Then after climbing<br />
away from the river a fruitless search for a bar in<br />
Challain-la-Potherie was rewarded with a lovely<br />
view of a stunning chateau.<br />
No bar in the next village but coffee finally<br />
arrived following a brief detour in Angrie. A<br />
caffeine shot was definitely needed with the<br />
terrain becoming increasingly hilly and with<br />
Colin encouragingly assuring me that this would<br />
get worse after crossing the Loire. Regrettably<br />
he’s usually right, and after a beer beside the<br />
river we crawled up a fairly steep climb for<br />
several kilometres. Temperatures in the mid 30s<br />
did not help and our four drinking bottles were<br />
soon empty. An attempt to fill them at a sports<br />
ground was thwarted as the sink was blocked<br />
and with everywhere closed we were relieved<br />
when a charming lady in a pharmacy came to<br />
our rescue.<br />
The coolest place all afternoon was in the<br />
supermarket loitering beside the cool cabinets,<br />
unfortunately some way and several steep hills<br />
before our intended destination in Gesté. The<br />
campsite was another 4km past the village<br />
and, because I was struggling with the hills<br />
and the heat, Colin pulled off just before the<br />
village having seen a Chambre d’Hôte sign.<br />
Eventually we found a brand new facility well<br />
off the beaten track. No noise tonight, a really<br />
comfortable bed, and our host agreed to do us<br />
an early breakfast.<br />
Neither of us had the energy to use the large<br />
swimming pool available to guests but we had<br />
filled the trailer with wine, beers, and iced tea to<br />
accompany a smoked salmon salad eaten on a<br />
shaded patio at the back of the building.<br />
Day 6<br />
Geste to La Chataigneraie<br />
83km<br />
An early start and we were soon into<br />
some beautiful countryside. (That<br />
was Colin’s description; it was clear to<br />
me that the terrain was becoming seriously<br />
hilly.) After about 15km a French cyclist on<br />
a very nice racing bike joined us. He spoke<br />
reasonable English and, like Colin, talked a good<br />
game of cycling, telling us of some of the top<br />
professionals he had trained with in his youth.<br />
Before we left home Colin had spent hours<br />
poring over detailed maps and had discovered<br />
that our most direct route south involved<br />
crossing a small barrage on the Sèvre Nantaise.<br />
He had established with the local tourist office<br />
that there was pedestrian access across but<br />
they did not mention the near vertical set of<br />
steps at the far side. Our French companion<br />
was somewhat surprised that we had chosen to<br />
go this way pointing out that there were 20%<br />
descents and climbs either side of the river, but<br />
offered to help us. However first he invited us to<br />
have coffee with his mother in law in the village<br />
of Le Longeron just before the barrage. She<br />
was a lovely old lady, well into her 80s, and was<br />
delighted by the small Nottingham lace coaster I<br />
presented to her as we left.<br />
On leaving it was an easy ride to the river and<br />
it was great to have some help getting the bike<br />
and trailer down the precipitous steeps. Colin<br />
then took ‘headbanging’ to a new level cycling<br />
up a really mean hill, with some parts at 20%,<br />
complete with panniers, top bag and the trailer.<br />
Those of us with more sense walked. Shortly<br />
afterwards our French friend left us to continue<br />
south as he stopped to visit another relative.<br />
By midday it was already very hot as we<br />
sat outside a small bar in Les Herbiers eating<br />
lunch and getting as much cool water down<br />
as possible. The afternoon was a nightmare.<br />
The Navigator had plotted a route largely on<br />
very minor roads and whilst this provided a<br />
virtually traffic free option there was a constant<br />
succession of fairly steep hills, which coupled<br />
with temperatures reaching 40°C was leaving<br />
me completely drained of energy. Never has a<br />
bar stop with several glasses of ice cold water<br />
seemed more inviting.<br />
Late afternoon Colin stopped and had a good<br />
look at the map. We were heading for a small<br />
campsite but the route there was likely to be<br />
very demanding, so he suggested we followed<br />
what ought to be an easier option. This involved<br />
about 6km of main road into La Châtaigneraie<br />
where there was a good chance of finding a<br />
hotel. Fortunately the road was not too busy<br />
and then, to our surprise, there was a cycle track<br />
all the way into town. I was so tired I walked/<br />
stumbled most of the last 2km whilst Colin went<br />
in search of a hotel.<br />
The first hotel offered him a large quiet room<br />
at a bargain price, and after sitting in the bar<br />
long enough to savour a beer and drink well<br />
over a litre of water I eventually summoned the<br />
energy to climb the stairs to our room. After<br />
dinner on the terrace I made my way back<br />
upstairs and immediately went to sleep.<br />
Day 7<br />
La Chataigneraie to Benon<br />
via Surgeres<br />
98km<br />
Shortly after setting off the clouds were<br />
rolling in and waterproofs were on and<br />
off all day, for the last time on our tour.<br />
Thunder storms rolled around, mostly in the<br />
distance, all morning. The good news, as far as<br />
I was concerned, was that after another hilly<br />
morning the landscape became much kinder.<br />
We sheltered under the entrance to a village hall<br />
eating our lunch as the last thunderstorm of the<br />
day passed uncomfortably close by.<br />
The terrain became really flat across the<br />
Marais Poitevin, a large area of marshland that is<br />
a remnant of the former Gulf of Poitou. For 30km<br />
across the marshes there was virtually no traffic<br />
as a cycle route followed a canal, a few gravel<br />
tracks and minor roads. In Mauzé-sur-le-Mignon<br />
we dived into a bar just as a brief torrential<br />
downpour arrived and immediately felt at home;<br />
it was full of the town’s pensioners, who had<br />
gathered for a party.<br />
With the weather somewhat unsettled we<br />
detoured from the planned route in search of a<br />
Chambre d’Hôte. “Sorry we are full, but suggest<br />
you try the Tourist Office in Surgères”, we were<br />
told. Despite this being a fairly large town the<br />
lady in the tourist office spoke no English at<br />
all, or refused to do, so Colin desperately had<br />
to negotiate in his almost non existent French.<br />
He eventually established that all three of the<br />
town’s hotels and the campsite were full. We<br />
have rarely come across a campsite in France<br />
where they won’t make room for cycle tourists<br />
but she insisted that the town’s site did not have<br />
room for even the smallest tent. After another<br />
20 minutes and several phone calls she said<br />
there was a vacancy in a Chambre d’Hôte 20km<br />
away, but more or less back in the direction<br />
we had just come from. Fortunately it was a<br />
reasonably flat ride to Benon, but en route there<br />
was another ‘Route Barrée’. A local told us that a<br />
bridge was being repaired and was impassable<br />
even on a bike, so that added another 4km.<br />
Eventually we found our accommodation; a<br />
simple farmhouse and spotlessly clean. ‘Mine<br />
Hostess’ was a charming widow well into her<br />
80s, who was delighted to show us her family<br />
photographs. She also provided us with some<br />
eggs and there was a guest kitchen so since<br />
we did not have time to find the supermarket<br />
in Surgères at least we had omelettes for tea.<br />
No internet connection either so today’s ride<br />
did not get uploaded to ‘Strava’. Colin rather<br />
ungenerously suggested that our host was still<br />
in the semaphore not the internet era.<br />
Day 8<br />
Benon to Medis<br />
82km<br />
This should have been a short day, but first<br />
we had to retrace the extra 20km added<br />
by yesterday’s search for somewhere to<br />
stay. At coffee in Muron Colin went in search of<br />
bread and found himself giving an impromptu<br />
English lesson. The lady in the Boulangerie<br />
had her 8-year-old son collecting the money<br />
and insisted that the poor lad conducted the<br />
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transaction in English.<br />
It was another warm day, but not too hilly as<br />
we crossed the Boutonne and then picnicked<br />
beside the muddy brown Charente, which was<br />
tidal here, not far from its estuary.<br />
From Pont-l’Abbé, where we cycled through<br />
the old town’s fortified gate, we picked up a very<br />
quiet lane, which eventually gave us a wonderful<br />
view over a field of sunflowers of the Abbaye<br />
de Sablonceaux, where we had stopped to get<br />
our Pilgrim’s Passports stamped on our way to<br />
Santiago de Compostella in 2003.<br />
After the hassle of finding accommodation<br />
the previous day and knowing that Royan is a<br />
very busy holiday area, especially in late July,<br />
we called in at the tourist office in Saujon. What<br />
a contrast to the previous day; two charming<br />
young ladies, who both spoke perfect English<br />
could not have been more helpful. They couldn’t<br />
find a campsite at Médis but came up with a<br />
very reasonably priced hotel and then produced<br />
a coloured A3 map showing a cycle route there<br />
avoiding the main road.<br />
Another early night and Colin was soon in<br />
bed dreaming about the two girls in the tourist<br />
office. Well as long as he’s just fantasising that’s<br />
OK with me.<br />
Day 9<br />
Medis to Hourtin Plage<br />
59km<br />
Our plan was to catch an early ferry from<br />
Royan to Le Verdon at the northern<br />
tip of the Medoc. There was relatively<br />
little traffic on the main road into Royan at 07:00<br />
and the town was quite empty. According to<br />
the ferry timetable we arrived with 10 minutes<br />
to spare just in time to see the barriers close as<br />
the second sailing of the day left. Guess what;<br />
more money in the swear box and even more<br />
mutterings from you know who when the next<br />
boat departed 20 minutes late.<br />
From Le Verdon there are dedicated cycle<br />
tracks virtually all the way to the bay of<br />
Arcachon soon passing through Soulac, where<br />
we had camped in the 1970s. In Montalivet<br />
after watching sand-yachts scooting past with<br />
a brisk wind and walking through the market<br />
on a warm day a beer seemed a good idea. This<br />
was followed by a second beer accompanied<br />
by eggs on toast. Then it was back on the cycle<br />
track to Hourtin Plage, another old haunt where<br />
Colin had windsurfed previously.<br />
The plan had been to turn inland and look for<br />
a campsite in Hourtin but the option of staying<br />
near to the beach was attractive since we could<br />
pick up the coastal cycle track next morning.<br />
We didn’t really fancy camping here; the four<br />
star campsite was very expensive, there were<br />
no picnic tables and the loose sandy soil was<br />
not really suitable for our thin tent pegs on a<br />
fairly windy evening. We enquired if there were<br />
any mobile homes for hire and were told no but<br />
they had a room available in their hotel; not a lot<br />
more expensive than camping.<br />
Our evening meal was different. We had<br />
collected lamb chops, potatoes, mushrooms and<br />
tomatoes from the supermarket yesterday so we<br />
loaded everything, including our gas stove, into<br />
our trailer and cycled up the road to find a picnic<br />
table in a secluded area of pine trees. A walk to<br />
the beach in the pleasant evening sunshine and<br />
the first ice cream of the trip followed. Today<br />
almost felt like a holiday.<br />
Day 10<br />
Hourtin Plage to Biganos<br />
90km<br />
Colin had booked a hotel at Biganos<br />
whilst at Medis. Nearly all day we cycled<br />
through the sand dunes and past the<br />
‘Surf Shacks’ on a cycle track of varying quality.<br />
For once I was quite glad to experience a few<br />
small hills which helped to make a succession of<br />
pine trees slightly less than totally boring.<br />
Eventually our route turned away from the<br />
Atlantic on the way to joining a really nice cycle<br />
track along the northern edge of the Bay of<br />
Arcachon. The road we were on was a dead<br />
end but it was amazing how much traffic was<br />
heading too and from the beach. It was easy to<br />
tell you were in France not UK: no one passed<br />
us close.<br />
In Andernos after visiting the supermarket<br />
two local cyclists invited us to their house for<br />
a beer whilst we all watched Chris Froome<br />
consolidate his position in the Tour de France.<br />
At least they had the good grace not to mention<br />
‘Brexit’.<br />
The hotel seemed a good move. After a long<br />
day a nice room and a comfortable bed were<br />
very welcome as was a nice picnic on the tables<br />
the hotel conveniently provided in its grounds.<br />
When Colin asked the receptionist if we could<br />
use the tables for a picnic, “Of course”, she<br />
replied, “that’s what they are there for”. Imagine<br />
that happening in a UK hotel.<br />
Day 11<br />
Biganos to Villandraut<br />
65km<br />
Another small detour from our planned<br />
route with a mobile home booked<br />
at the end of a very easy day. About<br />
a kilometre from the hotel there was a well<br />
surfaced railtrack all the way to Villandraut with<br />
no stress or navigation issues at all. At coffee<br />
I was obliged to nominate the café toilets as<br />
contenders for the ‘Dirtiest toilets in France’<br />
award. The owner could also have been a<br />
contender for ‘Grumpiest Bar Staff in France’.<br />
It was Sunday and it was a good job we had<br />
loaded up with wine, beer and food the previous<br />
day as we arrived at the only supermarket en<br />
route 5 minutes after it closed at mid-day.<br />
The rail track was a little less monotonous<br />
than anticipated with many subtle changes<br />
in gradient as it crossed several small rivers,<br />
and as always in this part of the world, lined<br />
with trees. At one stage I came to the rescue<br />
of a family cycling with two very young fair<br />
skinned children; they had left home without UV<br />
protection. Later on we witnessed an unusual<br />
birthday party. Children were taking it in turns<br />
to ‘Joust’ on a narrow beam over a very large<br />
pool of water, however it was so warm a cool<br />
dip on loosing was probably a better option to<br />
winning.<br />
Villandraut has a 13th century castle built by<br />
Pope Clement V, who was born here, so that<br />
he would have somewhere to stay when he<br />
returned to visit family and friends. However it<br />
has fallen into a state of disrepair so no ‘Papal’<br />
residence for us so we headed for the campsite,<br />
where the mobile home we had booked was<br />
also a tad ‘tired’. Most of the lights didn’t work<br />
and the shower worked intermittently but it was<br />
more comfortable than camping and dinner on<br />
the wooden patio in the warm evening sunshine<br />
was really enjoyable.<br />
Day 12<br />
Villandraut to St Justin<br />
72km<br />
No complaints about the start of my<br />
day; breakfast in bed, and a bit of a lie<br />
in as there was every prospect of an<br />
easy day. The first 60km were almost devoid of<br />
hills, traffic, cafés and we only passed through<br />
three or four very small villages. Typically of the<br />
Landes there was no shortage of conifer trees.<br />
There were indications however, that we were<br />
in a Basque area; a few of the houses contained<br />
intricate carvings on their wooden frameworks<br />
and we also passed a ‘Fronton’, a large vertical<br />
wall at the end of a court about the size of two<br />
tennis courts. It didn’t look much used, a pity;<br />
Pelota is a game where hand, basket or racket<br />
might be used to hurl a leather ball at the<br />
fronton. It’s extremely exciting being the fastest<br />
ball game in the world with ball speeds of up to<br />
200km/hr.<br />
Our original plan was to stop in Roquefort,<br />
however Colin had managed to find a bargain<br />
hotel another 12km further on, which hopefully<br />
would allow us to arrive at our final destination<br />
a day early. Even the main road into town was<br />
devoid of traffic.<br />
After five days down the Gironde and across<br />
the Landes I had forgotten what hills were.<br />
The final 12 Km to St Justin provided a painful<br />
reminder. However we still arrived early and<br />
had plenty of time to settle into our hotel. €49<br />
for a 3-star seemed fine to us (even at the now<br />
crummy ‘Ex-Brexit’ exchange rate) and the<br />
evening meal was excellent.<br />
Day 13<br />
St Justin to Bernadets Debat<br />
103km<br />
With a long and potentially fairly hilly<br />
day my hard working guide spent<br />
some time the previous evening<br />
modifying the route with the aim of reducing<br />
the distance and total climb. This worked well<br />
and the odd bit of main road followed was not<br />
too busy. It’s also a relief to know that French<br />
drivers will usually pass much wider than we are<br />
accustomed to in UK. (The law there requires<br />
a 1½ metres minimum passing distance and I<br />
do wish the CTC — sorry, Cycling UK — would<br />
campaign for a similar law in UK.)<br />
Again an early start and shortly after<br />
admiring the wonderful arcades in Labastide<br />
d’Armagnac there were signs to the Notre Dame<br />
des Cyclists, a tiny chapel dedicated to all of<br />
us. Unfortunately it was closed but we found<br />
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out that the Tour de France had been here four<br />
times.<br />
In Nogaro the local children were playing<br />
football in the bull fighting ring. I was all set to<br />
sign Colin up for Saturday’s Bull Fight, but he<br />
claimed that he is not into animal cruelty, unless<br />
that includes dragging me across France in<br />
temperatures up to 40°C.<br />
From here to Termes, which boasts a very<br />
impressive ‘Donjon’ I was rejoined by the old<br />
enemies — ‘Heat and hills’. The good news; the<br />
remainder of the day would be reasonably flat.<br />
By the time we reached the Basque restaurant<br />
in Tillac I was beginning to experience low<br />
blood sugar. An ice cream didn’t seem to help<br />
much but then Colin noticed some ‘yummy’<br />
sweets in the cool cabinet. A banana, chocolate<br />
and raspberry tart worked wonders and<br />
tasted far nicer than those horrid gels he eats.<br />
The remaining 20km to our friends Mick and<br />
Gaynor’s gîte was a breeze and they were sat by<br />
the pool with a fridge full of cold beer to help us<br />
celebrate journey’s end.<br />
Day 14<br />
Bernadets Debat<br />
0km<br />
A<br />
well earned rest day. Colin reckoned<br />
that until I had ridden to the top of the<br />
Col de Tourmalet I couldn’t really claim<br />
to have ridden to the Pyrenees. Since I don’t<br />
do extreme masochism I told him to get on<br />
his bike, which typically he did a few days later<br />
with our nephew Steve. What’s more just before<br />
arriving in Bernadetts Debat a sign indicated<br />
that we had entered the Department of the<br />
High Pyrenees, and that was good enough for<br />
me! ◆<br />
50 km riders ready to roll<br />
The Foundation Rides<br />
2017 will see the fifth running of the<br />
Foundation Rides (May 7th from Crewe in<br />
Cheshire) and the 10th anniversary of the Up<br />
and Under Foundation — the charity that the<br />
event supports. Each year the event has gone<br />
from strength to strength, while maintaining<br />
the friendly, inclusive atmosphere and super<br />
post-ride refreshments.<br />
There are three rides to choose from<br />
depending upon your energy levels.<br />
The 50km Foundation Ride is an ideal<br />
introduction to cycling events (and, over<br />
the years, we have seen quite a few newbies<br />
graduate onto the longer rides); the route is<br />
pretty flat and potters around the Cheshire<br />
Lanes, taking in Audlem, Wrenbury and<br />
Nantwich, with a couple of café options.<br />
The 100km Three Counties ride takes in the<br />
lovely lanes from Staffordshire and Shropshire,<br />
as well as Cheshire, as you might expect from<br />
the name. There is a café stop at Eccleshall and<br />
this year the route will avoid the Market Drayton<br />
10km run!<br />
And last, but certainly not least, is the<br />
160km Tough Stuff — back for 2017 by popular<br />
demand. This is a challenging ride through the<br />
Cheshire lanes into Wales and back, taking in<br />
the iconic Horseshoe Pass.<br />
The Up and Under Foundation (registered<br />
charity: 1124079) helps Cheshire youngsters to<br />
take part in adventurous outdoor activities.<br />
Funds raised from the rides have contributed<br />
to school outdoor activity centre trips, scout<br />
camps, local youth group trips and a variety<br />
of other activities. The rides receive support<br />
from local businesses, such as Chatwins Bakery<br />
(gingerbread men), CTC healthcare (post-ride<br />
massage) and a number who provide funds to<br />
cover most of the event costs. This means that<br />
your entry fee goes straight to the charity and<br />
helps to change lives.<br />
To sign up for one of the rides or to find out<br />
more go to www.foundationrides.co.uk<br />
Lorna Fewtrell<br />
Chatwins gingerbread men<br />
Charity Activities<br />
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Route 66<br />
The Kicks<br />
Return<br />
Peter Bond<br />
A test ride for what is hoped to be the first of<br />
several traffic-free 200s.<br />
Most of my longer riding in the<br />
last few months has been<br />
south and west from my home<br />
near Rochdale,<br />
exploring and<br />
finding routes along various<br />
canals with the aim (apart from<br />
just enjoying it for its own sake)<br />
of making a 200 kilometre out<br />
and back ride. By including<br />
various reclaimed railway lines<br />
and other off-road paths, I had<br />
just succeeded in making a<br />
devious 100 kilometre route out<br />
to Fiddlers Ferry on the River<br />
Mersey. I mentioned to a friend<br />
that I was about to try the whole<br />
thing, when he showed me some<br />
reports in the media about three<br />
muggings of cyclists on the<br />
Fallowfield Loop line, which is<br />
part of the proposed route. The<br />
police said that the attacks are<br />
unconnected: all occurred on<br />
the Levenshulme stretch, all the<br />
cyclists were beaten up, all were<br />
robbed, all had their bikes stolen<br />
and all were met with indifference<br />
by the police – that’s at least five<br />
connections, I think. I’ve cycled<br />
The Loop many times with no<br />
problem but I thought it might be<br />
wise to let things settle down for<br />
a while.<br />
So my thoughts turned<br />
reluctantly towards the east. I<br />
was fed up that I’d spent so many<br />
rides exploring the western route,<br />
stitching together sections that<br />
The Marina near Kirkstall<br />
would enable the distance to be<br />
covered within Audax time limits and including<br />
the advisibility of avoiding finishing along the<br />
Rochdale Canal in the dark. There is only a few<br />
weeks in the summer when that is possible and<br />
even fewer when the surface is at its best.<br />
Ah well, I did at least have an eastern route<br />
which I had already explored. It follows National<br />
Cycle Network (NCN) 66 from Rochdale to Leeds.<br />
It isn’t as traffic-free as the Fiddlers Ferry route:<br />
there is a necessary (and hilly) section of road<br />
out of Brighouse because there is no towpath<br />
between there and Coopers Bridge. Then there<br />
is the necessity of getting across Bradford to<br />
Shipley where the route joins the Leeds and<br />
Liverpool Canal. But well over 160 of the 200<br />
kilometres are traffic-free and some of the<br />
Bradford section is at least on cycle lanes.<br />
No, the chief reason I had been looking<br />
westwards is the nature of the towpath between<br />
Littleborough and Hebden Bridge. It includes<br />
several run-offs, where the canal drains in flood<br />
conditions. These are cobbled depressions<br />
and are lethal even when dry unless you have<br />
nerves of steel or a fat-tyred bike. They are misaligned,<br />
with wheel-grabbing gaps. I’ve always<br />
had to walk them and it gets me down! There<br />
are various other restrictions, such as pinchgates,<br />
which mean that I’ve never been able to<br />
manage an average of much above 17kph for the<br />
first hour or so on this stretch. This puts a lot of<br />
pressure on the rest of the ride, especially as I<br />
try to ride with respect for the other users of the<br />
towpath.<br />
However, I was really keen<br />
to take advantage of the dry<br />
spell and so I thought I’d see if<br />
I could do the whole ride, out<br />
and back, instead of getting a<br />
train back from Leeds. Actually,<br />
it’s a very good route for baling<br />
out because of the geography<br />
between Rochdale and Leeds.<br />
The inhospitability of the Pennine<br />
moors has forced all the main<br />
transport routes along the valleys,<br />
so road, canal and railway are<br />
following the same route. If things<br />
got too much, I could get a train<br />
home from Leeds, Bradford,<br />
Dewsbury, Mirfield or Hebden<br />
Bridge and Todmorden.<br />
It looked as if things might easily<br />
be too much because the day I<br />
had chosen turned out to be the<br />
hottest of the year. When I set off<br />
at about 7.15am, the temperature<br />
was already about 90°F and it<br />
stayed there all day.<br />
A combination of back streets<br />
and cycle lanes gets me to the<br />
Rochdale Canal only a mile from<br />
my home. I was soon bowling<br />
past the early dog-walkers and<br />
the ducks and the gently hissing<br />
pink-mouthed Canada geese. I<br />
was in high spirits as I approached<br />
Todmorden; I’d even managed to<br />
ride the first of the canal drains,<br />
though I walked the other three,<br />
whose jumbled cobbles make the pavé of Paris-<br />
Roubaix look like a velodrôme. The towpath<br />
has been temporarily closed (for over a year)<br />
near the town, so I used the road for about a<br />
kilometre and made up a bit of time. But my<br />
satisfaction disappeared in short order just<br />
after I rejoined the canal bank. The towpath was<br />
fenced off in what looked like a serious way, with<br />
no signs for a diversion. There was nothing for<br />
it but to backtrack for a while before hoiking<br />
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the bike over a wall and weaving my way to the<br />
main road along the Calder Valley to Hebden<br />
Bridge. “Proving” the route was turning out to<br />
be the problem it so frequently is on routes<br />
dedicated to anything other than tin transport.<br />
Still, four miles of road did wonders for my<br />
average speed. From Hebden Bridge the NCN<br />
66 takes a lovely route through the woods<br />
alongside and at one point across the railway. I<br />
was glad I was following a computer guide track<br />
because it would have been very easy to miss<br />
the little cut which returned me to the canal<br />
beyond Mytholmroyd, home of West Yorkshire<br />
Audaxes.<br />
The section along the canal to<br />
Sowerby Bridge was delightful, as<br />
always, with the trees dappling the<br />
sunlight across the toffee-coloured<br />
water. But somehow the shade<br />
seemed to give no relief from the<br />
inexorably building heat – and it<br />
wasn’t yet 10 in the morning. In<br />
Sowerby Bridge itself, a little detour<br />
is needed to get round the lock<br />
on Tuel Lane because there is no<br />
towpath through the tunnel. This<br />
lock was a major reconstruction<br />
project on the restored canal,<br />
combining two of the original locks<br />
into one drop of 90-or-so feet. Tuel<br />
Lane itself presents a different<br />
aspect to local cyclists, being a very<br />
steep and early inclusion on the<br />
legendary Old 240, a hilly Audax<br />
classic, as far removed from a canal<br />
bank as it is possible to be.<br />
Crossing the A58, I took the very<br />
stony path down to the canal basin,<br />
which is where Shire Cruisers is<br />
based. It is a very picturesque scene<br />
with beautiful enamelled barges<br />
tied up and beautiful young women<br />
sharing the path. As I said hello and<br />
gasped some pleasantry about the<br />
weather, one of them retorted with<br />
a smile, “Get your shirt off!”. I think<br />
the length of time it would have<br />
taken me to undo a button would<br />
have put her right, but I was greatly<br />
encouraged by the encounter.<br />
At Sowerby Bridge, I had<br />
technically left the Rochdale Canal<br />
and joined the Calder and Hebble<br />
Navigation. A little further on at Salterhebble<br />
locks, just before Elland, I took care to keep<br />
right before the tunnel to avoid the path<br />
alongside the now defunct Halifax branch,<br />
which I’d taken on a previous reconaissance.<br />
My true route went down an easy cobbled<br />
slope and round past another small marina<br />
to rejoin the towpath, which at this point is<br />
called the Calder Valley Greenway. The surface<br />
is excellent and a credit to whichever agencies<br />
are involved. Understandably, this attractive<br />
canalside path draws many walkers and I was<br />
glad to be travelling it before dinner time. Or at<br />
least I was glad until I came up against another<br />
major closure with no diversion signs. It turned<br />
out that this work (and presumably the earlier<br />
closure at Todmorden) was because of the<br />
appalling floods we had in the region on Boxing<br />
National Cycle Network totem<br />
Day 2015. So the work is extensive but necessary.<br />
However, I can’t help thinking that there is a<br />
failure of attitude on the part of the responsible<br />
bodies (the Canals and Rivers Trust and their<br />
contractors). If this had been a road, diversion<br />
signs would have been in place. People do use<br />
cycle lanes, including towpaths, to commute<br />
and indeed are encouraged to do so. So why no<br />
signs?<br />
I turned around and found a way across<br />
a works yard to a road which officially only<br />
allowed me to go one way, in the direction<br />
I didn’t want. This filtered into the dual<br />
carriageway of the A629 Huddersfield – Halifax<br />
road, which was jammed solid with stationary<br />
traffic. I turned around and cautiously rode back<br />
(there was no other traffic) until I saw another<br />
cyclist further down the road. He was able to tell<br />
me how I could regain the canal, so I hadn’t lost<br />
more than ten minutes or so by this enforced<br />
manoeuvre.<br />
Back on the canal, I was soon enjoying the<br />
Greenway again, though there are two or<br />
three cobbled turnover bridges which are a<br />
bit awkward. Turnover, or “roving” bridges,<br />
allow a horse to change towpaths without the<br />
rope having to be unhitched. I am gradually<br />
developing my techniques for dealing with<br />
canal architecture but on a touring bike with<br />
relatively narrow wheels such progress is<br />
limited. In spite of, or because of, the frustrating<br />
delays, I was pleased to reach Brighouse, which<br />
has a proper mill town feel to it as you ride<br />
between the towering walls of what remains of<br />
the energetic and exploitative past.<br />
From Brighouse it is necessary to take to the<br />
road because the towpath is unrideable (and<br />
practically unwalkable) for the next few miles. I<br />
was happy enough for some restful tarmac after<br />
thirty miles of jarring, unpredictable surfaces.<br />
I was also pleased to have the variety of some<br />
climbing to do as I reached the oddly-named<br />
Raistrick Common, which is actually a road.<br />
Perhaps it’s a relic of when this whole moorside<br />
was an open space; it’s now completely urban<br />
in its lower reaches. I was looking out for two<br />
inns on the ascent, firstly The Globe<br />
and then The Junction, which<br />
would mark a sharp left turn onto<br />
the steeper section of the climb. As<br />
I rounded the bend I realised I was<br />
struggling. It’s true that this hill,<br />
though it is not shown as having<br />
a chevron on the OS map, is quite<br />
a challenge: chevrons start at 1 in<br />
7 and I wouldn’t be surprised if<br />
this is about 1 in 8, for about half a<br />
mile. But I’ve got up it on a “racing”<br />
chainset and here I was, reduced<br />
to the granny ring and a big cog at<br />
the back. I was becoming lightheaded<br />
and beginning to wonder<br />
if I had heart trouble, though there<br />
were no other symptoms than the<br />
light-headedness. Where was the<br />
power? Halfway up I tried a final<br />
gear change and jammed the chain.<br />
I put a foot down and engaged the<br />
lowest gear, on which I got to the<br />
top .<br />
Of course, it’s not surprising that<br />
I found the climb difficult. Not only<br />
have I done almost no climbing for<br />
over a year but this was turning out<br />
to be the hottest day of the year, it<br />
was approaching mid-day and I’d<br />
only drunk about a bottle’s worth of<br />
water in about three hours. I know I<br />
should drink more, but I just forget.<br />
Also, on the towpaths there is so<br />
much to concentrate on that eating<br />
and drinking regularly can seem like<br />
just another barrier to progress.<br />
At the top, I crossed the<br />
Huddersfield road onto the<br />
beautifully-named Shepherds Thorn Lane.<br />
Before long this becomes a path which on this<br />
occasion was almost completely overgrown<br />
with nettles and brambles, so my progress was<br />
invigorating to say the least. It’s necessary to<br />
walk some of this anyway because you can’t see<br />
the stony surface for the vegetation. The ancient<br />
route is maintained above the M62 by a narrow<br />
bridge, by which time it is possible to ride again<br />
up a dusty, gravelly track to another main road.<br />
A little more roadwork took me down through<br />
the Woodhouse estate to another section of<br />
the Calder Valley Greenway. This leads almost<br />
immediately onto an impressive viaduct, which<br />
used to carry the Low Moor and Mirfield line<br />
which I think was built by the Lancashire and<br />
Yorkshire Railway who allowed the Midland<br />
railway to run along the route. There are a few<br />
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refreshing climbs before the route drops down<br />
a short section of country lane before rejoining<br />
the old trackbed to run parallel to the current<br />
line. This is lovely leafy ride, though you need<br />
to know that there is a shooting range off to the<br />
right. Having been shot at with air-weapons on<br />
a couple of occasions, I was a little unnerved the<br />
first time I came this way, to hear guns of a more<br />
determined calibre.<br />
Another brief session of roads, which are well<br />
signed by the NCN people, brought me to the<br />
centre of Mirfield where I went right, along the<br />
Dewsbury road. After about half a mile, I jinked<br />
left onto the cycle path which winds through a<br />
housing estate before connecting with the Spen<br />
Valley Greenway. This is a superb achievement:<br />
eight miles or more of metalled surface along<br />
the defunct Cleckheaton section of the line<br />
to Bradford. It is gradually uphill all the way,<br />
which I enjoyed, while reflecting on how hard<br />
the locomotives and their firemen must have<br />
worked on the goods trains.<br />
Liversedge, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton;<br />
the names trip off the tongue with the ease of a<br />
spanner cutting a loaf. Yet the trackside foliage<br />
means that this is essentially a country ride. It’s<br />
true that there are fitting and well-executed<br />
reminders of the working class history of the<br />
area, such as the seats made out of excavator<br />
buckets and the brillant flock of sheep made out<br />
of industrial scrap. But if you didn’t already know<br />
that the set of iron hoops was near the site of a<br />
long-gone colliery, you’d get no inkling from the<br />
bucolic surroundings.<br />
Having made a mental note to study the<br />
history further, I reached the end of the trail,<br />
which meant a bit more roadwork (again well<br />
signed). Occasionally, as when crossing the<br />
Bradford ring road, I used the traffic-light delays<br />
to drink from my bottles, juice in one, water in<br />
the other. The sun was now at its zenith and<br />
I was apprehensive about the advisability of<br />
pushing on much further in the<br />
Hebden Bridge station<br />
“…the names<br />
trip off the<br />
tongue with<br />
the ease of<br />
a spanner<br />
cutting a loaf.”<br />
heat. I was wearing sun-screen<br />
but my cap could only deflect<br />
so much heat, the rest was<br />
going into my head!<br />
I crossed Bowling Park and<br />
relied on my computer track<br />
to get me across the centre<br />
of Bradford. This is always a<br />
slightly hit and miss business<br />
because I make the route from<br />
the information available<br />
on computer mapping sites and while these<br />
are generally very good, they are not always<br />
able to keep up with the cavalier operations<br />
of private enterprise and occasionally council<br />
developments. However, slightly quicker than I<br />
expected, I was past the magnificent town hall<br />
and out onto the north-running valley road. The<br />
traffic is never less than busy in Bradford and so I<br />
had designed the route to take me slightly east,<br />
off the main Shipley road. I was halfway up the<br />
climb into a housing estate when I punctured.<br />
I have arthritic hands, so dealing with a<br />
puncture is not my favourite occupation. As<br />
I worked away at the back wheel, I took the<br />
opportunity to have a drink and a sandwich.<br />
I was slightly concerned that I was unable to<br />
find any cause for the deflation (the tyre’s, I<br />
had plenty), which meant it might go again<br />
a little further on. As I changed the tube, the<br />
possibility of simply rolling back down the hill<br />
and getting a train home from Bradford began<br />
to loom larger with every passing minute. But<br />
in the end I persuaded myself to carry on, even<br />
if completion in the time limit was looking<br />
increasingly unlikely as the diversions and<br />
aggravations piled up. After a half hour delay,<br />
it was still only mid-day, the canal banks would<br />
never be drier and I was at least out on my bike.<br />
After rolling down the hill to Shipley, I<br />
managed to find the Leeds and Liverpool<br />
canal easily enough and settled in to enjoy the<br />
steadiest miles of the trip. There are no pinch<br />
gates that I can remember between Shipley<br />
and Leeds and the surface is<br />
excellent. There is a bit of variety<br />
with several short descents at<br />
locks, including some “flights”, and<br />
at least one very short climb by<br />
an extensive marina towards the<br />
Leeds end. Looking at such idyllic<br />
moorings, it’s easy to forget that<br />
many of these marinas were once<br />
gritty loading bays, in this case for<br />
coal for the Kirkstall power station.<br />
This section of the L&L follows<br />
the valley of the River Aire and you get a real air<br />
of being in the country. You occasionally get an<br />
air of something else as there are at least two<br />
sewage “farms” along this stretch. Looking at<br />
the map I noticed the wonderful juxtaposition of<br />
a sewage farm on one bank and Bottoms Farm<br />
on the other. The OS map also shows how the<br />
urban sprawl has closed in around the historic<br />
transport arteries. But, that aside, the ride does<br />
feel remarkably rural for the most part. As you<br />
close in on Leeds, or rather, as Leeds closes in<br />
on you, the graffiti increases on the bridges and<br />
buildings but these “artists” will never paint<br />
the water or the sky. It was dinner time as I<br />
rode the mile or two parallel to the railway, and<br />
the towpath was busy with groups of almost<br />
exclusively young people who had escaped<br />
from their offices on this baking day. I had a<br />
quick mooch around the canal-side buildings<br />
of the financial area which seems to be doing<br />
very well while most of its victims are still reeling<br />
from the crash of a decade ago. Still, I would<br />
rather see fine italianate buildings in terra cotta<br />
brick than the dereliction that hugs the canals in<br />
less fashionable or less wealthy areas.<br />
I retraced and went up past the Dark Arches,<br />
the catacomb like tunnels that take the Aire<br />
under the huge Leeds station. I was sleepy, or at<br />
best blank, and I needed a rest. I’d been on the<br />
way for a little over six hours, during which I’d<br />
had a sandwich, a piece of flapjack and two pints<br />
of water. This on the hottest day of the year (and<br />
probably of the last ten oop North). Stupid. After<br />
cabling my bike to the railings in Granary Wharf,<br />
I went into an Italian coffee shop. The waitress<br />
was very nice and filled my bottles for me. When<br />
the coffee came, the cup was so hip that it had<br />
no handle, so I had to wrap a serviette round it<br />
before I could bear to hold it. But it was good.<br />
While I rested, I looked out into the square<br />
where there were two fire engines in some kind<br />
of presentation. The crews were fully togged<br />
up and must have been almost boiling, though<br />
they seemed completely unfazed by the heat.<br />
I suppose even 90 degrees is only temperate<br />
compared with their usual working conditions.<br />
Back at the bike I replaced the bottles and<br />
ate a sandwich, fully expecting that when I<br />
had finished it I would do the sensible thing<br />
and push the bike around the corner to the<br />
station for a train home. But having offered to<br />
take a photo for a family group (who had been<br />
snapping themselves in all but one possible<br />
combinations) and this being gratefully acceded<br />
to, I found I was rolling back the way I came, in<br />
cycling mode, with a smile on my face. It was still<br />
not two o’clock, I was still alive and there were<br />
many stations between Leeds and home. If I<br />
didn’t puncture, I might even get back in “Audax<br />
time” which would be fourteen hours.<br />
The ride back to Shipley was as good as I<br />
expected it would be. The dinnertime press was<br />
over and I enjoyed the long slow climb. There<br />
were some beautiful broad and narrow boats<br />
to be seen and a general air of people being<br />
calm and enjoying the surroundings. With my<br />
emergency pump, I hadn’t been able to get<br />
quite as much air in the replacement tube as I<br />
would have liked but it was holding up well, so I<br />
was able to relax about that.<br />
The Garmin computer got me across Bradford<br />
all right, though the traffic was building steadily.<br />
But by the time I reached the city centre I was<br />
suddenly extremely “flat”, as if running on<br />
empty, which, of course, was the problem.<br />
Tactfully buying a bottle of highly sugared<br />
“orange” juice, I got my already empty bottles<br />
refilled and sat down outside to eat another<br />
couple of sandwiches. The pedestrianisation<br />
of city centres may have made it more difficult<br />
to cross them on a bike but at least you usually<br />
have somewhere to sit while you are considering<br />
the problem.<br />
While I ate and drank, mumbling, “Get thee<br />
behind me, Bradford Exchange Station”, I saw a<br />
burly man in a wheelchair trying to get someone<br />
to push him up the slope behind me. A woman<br />
began to do it and then abandoned him,<br />
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apparently on the advice of her husband, who<br />
may have been worried about heart attacks. The<br />
poor chap in the chair became understandably<br />
irritable and I’d stood up<br />
to go and do the deed,<br />
I was able to re-fill<br />
my bottles… and<br />
turn my back on<br />
another opportunity<br />
to take the train.<br />
when a young woman<br />
who was nearer finished<br />
the task. Of course, the<br />
chap may have been an<br />
irritable man by nature<br />
but I thought how difficult<br />
life must be for people<br />
in such circumstances,<br />
especially in hilly towns<br />
like Bradford. All thought<br />
of the station had disappeared.<br />
A bit of urban jamming brought me to the<br />
Spen Valley Greenway again, but not before I’d<br />
overshot a turn and was halfway down a steep<br />
hill before I realised I hadn’t been this way on<br />
the outward journey. But the sandwiches and<br />
drink had worked their short-term magic and<br />
I was soon on the cycle path. I was looking<br />
forward to this section because it would be<br />
downhill all the way to Mirfield. Just as I was<br />
gearing up, a couple of cyclists in club gear shot<br />
past me with no warning, other than a shout of<br />
“behind” as they squeezed past at about twenty<br />
miles an hour on a section of the path that was<br />
about six feet wide. Shouting “behind” when<br />
you are actually level with someone is useless.<br />
It fails to warn of where you actually are and<br />
merely gives a polite description of what you<br />
are. Spen Valley Wheelers, I’m talking to you.<br />
Some time later, there was one of the ilk who did<br />
it properly, asking to pass on the right, while he<br />
was still a little way behind. Make that man club<br />
president!<br />
In no time at all, I had reached Mirfield but I<br />
began to flag again by the time I reached the old<br />
viaduct. The heat was incessant and there was<br />
no breeze. I was definitely not looking forward<br />
to the climb across the housing estate and up<br />
the main road to Shepherds Thorn Lane. So I<br />
hove to where the greenway crosses the railway<br />
and slumped down on a bench to eat my last<br />
food, two sandwiches, a piece of flapjack and<br />
an apple. It all went, though I kept back some<br />
water.<br />
My break had the same<br />
effect as in Bradford and I was<br />
able to climb steadily through<br />
the estate and up to the lane.<br />
Once again, I crossed the<br />
narrow bridge over the M62<br />
and tingled my way through<br />
the nettles before a nice<br />
coast down into Brighouse to<br />
rejoin the Calder and Hebble<br />
Navigation. Of course, there<br />
would be the diversions to negotiate but at least<br />
I knew they were coming and that they needn’t<br />
cost me too much time, which put me in a better<br />
mood than on the way out. But I was having a<br />
bit of difficulty working out whether I might get<br />
back in time. For some reason that must have<br />
seemed sensible at the time, I’d switched my<br />
computer off while I was stopped in Bradford<br />
with the puncture, and this meant that I was<br />
cudgelling my heat and fatigue-fuddled brain<br />
with calculations, when I should have been<br />
whistling a merry tune.<br />
I negotiated the diversion near Elland with no<br />
trouble and things went fine, if slowly, through<br />
Sowerby Bridge towards Mytholmroyd. When I<br />
say things went fine, I suppose I mean that there<br />
were no navigational problems but by this time<br />
I was definitely just pushing the pedals over and<br />
wanting to be finished. But the ride through<br />
the woods and beside the railway to Hebden<br />
Bridge station really lifted my spirits. I was able<br />
to re-fill my bottles in the waiting room — and<br />
turn my back on another opportunity to take<br />
the train. When I reached the canal obstruction<br />
just beyond Hebden I took to the main road<br />
and stayed on it, rejoining the towpath beyond<br />
Todmorden. A more successful calculation<br />
than my previous ones revealed that, barring<br />
mishaps, I should just about get home in time to<br />
“qualify” and so I rode the last ten miles or so in<br />
a buoyant mood.<br />
As it turned out, I got in with 40 minutes to<br />
spare. I was really pleased with this. The route<br />
worked, in spite of the efforts of providence<br />
and contractors. It had been an effort — but it<br />
had also been very hot. I had got through nine<br />
bottles of drinks and could easily have doubled<br />
that if I’d been able to get it. I’d thought of<br />
hailing one of the beautiful bright barges and<br />
asking for water but thought that they might<br />
have short supplies. A friend later told me that<br />
these vessels carry huge tanks, so next time I’ll<br />
be less reticent!<br />
Though I’d eaten everything I had with me, it<br />
wasn’t enough. For me, the difficulty is twofold.<br />
Firstly, the route is so exacting, in terms of<br />
surface and navigation, that I am reluctant to<br />
stop for fear of losing too much time. This is, of<br />
course, foolish, because slowing down owing of<br />
lack of energy loses me time as well. Secondly, I<br />
need to get to know the canals better. There are<br />
cafés along the route but they are hidden away,<br />
so I need to know where they are. I really don’t<br />
want to carry much more stuff because there<br />
is almost always a bit of lifting to do on a route<br />
like this.<br />
All in all, this was a real success for me. I’ve<br />
spent almost a year, on and off, working on the<br />
route; walking bits of it when I wasn’t allowed<br />
to ride; riding first as far as Dewsbury, then<br />
Bradford, then Leeds and finally all the way<br />
there and back. I think that in cooler and bettervictualled<br />
conditions, and knowing the route,<br />
I can take at least an hour off this time, which<br />
would enable me to be more relaxed about it.<br />
Cooler might probably mean wetter under-tyre<br />
but beyond Todmorden, I can’t think of many<br />
places where it gets muddy, and most of the<br />
cobbles are in the first (and last) section, too.<br />
So, I’ve got a ride I can do regularly in the<br />
summer months. Teesdale in the moonlight it<br />
isn’t, but it does start right outside the door! ◆<br />
The Redemption Ride:<br />
Two Leaf Clover<br />
Tim Harrison<br />
In August 2015 I entered the Tour of the<br />
Hills Audax in Surrey along with my eldest<br />
daughter, Sophie, her friend Joe, and my<br />
son Jack. We rode as a group and it was the<br />
first time I have ever failed to finish an Audax,<br />
due to running out of time at the Control<br />
halfway around the course. The blame for this<br />
lies squarely on the shoulders of Jack who,<br />
despite what he claimed, had done no training<br />
whatsoever and simply did not have the energy<br />
to complete the course. Being a reasonably<br />
kind father I congratulated him on the effort he<br />
made to get as far as we did and said no more.<br />
However, sibling rivalry meant that he didn’t<br />
hear the last of this episode from his big sister<br />
and to my certain knowledge since that event<br />
he has shunned cycling and ridden a bike only<br />
once, covering less than 15 kilometres.<br />
So when the plan was made to enter a local<br />
Audax – the Two Leaf Clover 110k Audax on 6<br />
August <strong>2016</strong> it categorically did not include<br />
Jack. It did, however, involve Sophie, who has<br />
completed a few Audaxes; her friends Sarah,<br />
who had no idea what an Audax was; and<br />
Joe, fresh from the Prudential 100 ride. They<br />
travelled down from London to join me and<br />
my two regular cycling partners Tom and Phil.<br />
Sophie and her friends have several things in<br />
common: they are all young, fit, regular cyclists<br />
who also commute around London on “Boris<br />
Bikes”; and are runners and gym members —<br />
who actually go to the gym. Tom, Phil and I are<br />
middle aged, not in the best of shape, and can<br />
find hills something of a challenge – on the plus<br />
side we can navigate without GPS. To make the<br />
day more relaxed for us the plan was to have<br />
a barbecue for my London guests the evening<br />
before and let the drink flow very freely indeed.<br />
I needn’t have bothered planning to take<br />
the edge off them as Saturday lunchtime saw<br />
Sophie, her friends and Jack (back home in<br />
between University and work) in the local pub,<br />
followed by drinks in the garden and later on<br />
a wine- and beer-laden barbecue. Late in the<br />
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Liquid carb loading in preparation for the Audax.<br />
Jack, Tom, Joe, Tim, Phil, Sarah and Sophie before the off<br />
evening the sibling rivalry began again, quickly<br />
turning into bullying as we all piled in. Jack<br />
took the bait and fell into the trap, ending up<br />
committing to ride the next day. He does not<br />
have a bike so I made some hasty adjustments<br />
to my winter bike which, whilst a touch too<br />
large, would do.<br />
The next day I felt much worse for the night<br />
before, having forgotten that the plan was to<br />
ply my guests with alcohol and not myself. They<br />
on the other hand were bright and breezy and<br />
raring to go and to my surprise Jack was also up<br />
and ready. Ready to slay his demons!<br />
The Two Leaf Clover Audax is a great event,<br />
run by the Evesham Wheelers Cycling Club and<br />
is one of three distances that take place on the<br />
same day. The club also run a 50k event, which<br />
attracts some new riders to Audax and entrants<br />
right across the age range from children to the<br />
very mature, plus a 200k event – The Four Leaf<br />
Clover. There are no commercial controls as each<br />
ride loops back to the start/finish at the Village<br />
Hall — the 110k once in the middle, and the 200k<br />
twice. This does mean that to feed and manage<br />
Event Three Counties -<br />
Two Leaf Clover<br />
Date 7 August <strong>2016</strong><br />
Distance<br />
Organiser<br />
Start<br />
100km (111km)<br />
Neil Robinson<br />
Wickhamford<br />
nr Evesham<br />
everyone they use an army of volunteers who<br />
work throughout the day starting very early<br />
and finishing late, bringing out a continual flow<br />
of both hot and cold things to eat. With a low<br />
entry fee and entries on the day accepted, not<br />
to mention quiet roads and great routes, it's one<br />
not to miss (I have previously completed both<br />
the 200k and 110k events — not on the same<br />
day).<br />
The added bonus this time was with a halfway<br />
point back at the start and being close to home<br />
we could ditch anyone who wasn’t going to<br />
make it around!<br />
We started off well, following a big Evesham<br />
Wheeler club contingency, which made<br />
navigation particularly easy and created a<br />
superb wind break. We almost coasted the first<br />
twenty or so miles as there was also a decent<br />
tail wind. It was only at the first hill that we<br />
lost the group and became the Family and<br />
Friends Seven. Most of the hills are in the first<br />
half of the ride and none could really be called<br />
significant, but for Tom they required a lot<br />
more effort. I should mention that he suffers<br />
with a heart condition, a painful knee joint<br />
following a serious injury some years ago and<br />
a recent operation<br />
to try and remedy it,<br />
topped off with acute<br />
toothache a few days<br />
earlier requiring tooth<br />
extraction and root<br />
canal work. Actually just<br />
turning up was a result<br />
and I fully expected<br />
him to retire, with good<br />
reason, at the half way<br />
point.<br />
Going down the hills<br />
he throws caution to<br />
the wind and I make<br />
sure I brief everyone<br />
not to get in his way. He<br />
records a speed of 49.7<br />
mph down one descent<br />
— the rest of us apply<br />
the brakes.<br />
At the halfway point<br />
we are ahead of time<br />
by over an hour and<br />
none of the group want<br />
to quit. The Village Hall is buzzing with activity<br />
as some of the 50k riders are completing their<br />
ride and the 200k riders are coming in for their<br />
first break or maybe even second for the ultra<br />
quick ones. Food and drink keeps magically<br />
appearing. We are gently moved on as we start<br />
looking too comfortable, and start the next<br />
loop.<br />
With flatter terrain and the end in sight the<br />
younger ones start to play having a few sprints<br />
here and there with inevitably Joe being the<br />
fastest despite his chain never having seen oil;<br />
Sophie and Jack continue their rivalry whilst<br />
Sarah and Phil just power on. We pick up a few<br />
lone riders and continue on with good humour<br />
and no moaning to the very end.<br />
My day is made not just by drawing a line<br />
under a year of recriminations between two of<br />
my children but also by meeting Idai Makaya<br />
who happens to be taking his second break on<br />
the 200k event on his ElliptiGO bike. I had just<br />
read his Arrivée article on Land’s End to John<br />
O’Groats and had been deeply impressed, and<br />
was very glad to note that on this occasion he<br />
seemed to know exactly where he was, and<br />
what and why he was doing here.<br />
I had great company for the day; Sophie<br />
banked another Brevet card; Sarah was<br />
introduced to the joys of Audax riding; Jack<br />
buried his demons and shut us up; Joe had fun;<br />
and Tom, Phil and myself managed to maintain<br />
our dignity finishing comfortably with the<br />
group. Results all round. ◆<br />
A traditional shop with well equipped<br />
workshop and experienced staff.<br />
For ALL your cycling needs.<br />
8 Shelfhanger Road, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4EH<br />
01379 650419<br />
www.madgettscycles.com<br />
www.aukweb.net Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 41
RANDONNEE<br />
John Thompson<br />
It’s all happening in the east with audax<br />
at the moment! After a long time with a<br />
frustrating shortage of events, new and<br />
‘established’ organisers have set up a<br />
significant number of new ones.<br />
Some of them have creative and humorous<br />
names and themes, such as the “Cambridge Pork<br />
Pie” 200 because it goes to Melton Mowbray.<br />
I chuckled that perhaps a more appropriate<br />
name might relate to the false sense of security<br />
some could get around the fact Cambridgeshire<br />
is pretty flat. Perhaps “Cambridge Mugs/<br />
Suckers”, but I suppose “Cambridge Pork Pie”<br />
does suggest you’re going to be tackling<br />
Leicestershire hills. My goodness, that was a<br />
tough one — well, it was for me!<br />
Another new one with a nice theme is the<br />
“Essex Rivers and Reservoirs” 200, so called<br />
because it visits two reservoirs and five rivers.<br />
The inaugural event was on Saturday 6th<br />
August.<br />
Event<br />
Essex R & R<br />
Date 6 August <strong>2016</strong><br />
Distance<br />
Organiser<br />
Start<br />
200km (215km)<br />
Grant Huggins<br />
Witham, Essex<br />
Witham – the start and<br />
finish - is not so far for me and<br />
for the most part a fast drive<br />
along the A12 so I dithered<br />
at first as to whether to take<br />
digs. However, the thought<br />
of driving home along a<br />
very busy and fast dual and<br />
three-lane carriageway after a<br />
long day and 215km ride, with<br />
the possibility of feeling tired at the wheel did<br />
not fill me with joy. Also, by making a weekend<br />
of it, I could include a ride on the Sunday that<br />
would help achieve some touring objectives in<br />
Essex. I had difficulty finding accommodation<br />
specifically in Witham so I emailed organiser,<br />
Grant Huggins, who advised of the White Hart<br />
hotel.<br />
So on the Friday I caught the train to Witham.<br />
Arriving at lunchtime I made for a food bar<br />
opposite the station I was familiar with. As<br />
Witham can be a logical station for starting and/<br />
or finishing rail assisted trips to Essex, it is worth<br />
saying something about this bar. I wont be silly<br />
as it is only a roadside food bar but in those<br />
terms it probably is a ‘cut above.’ Chunky and<br />
filling sandwiches/rolls/baguettes; perfect —<br />
and big! — sausage rolls; plus cakes and salads,<br />
including pasta. If the weather is good there<br />
are tables and chairs, if not the station is across<br />
the road. I haven’t been able to find out its full<br />
opening times but I know it’s closed Sundays.<br />
However, worth keeping in mind if you’re there<br />
at the ‘right’ time.<br />
My intention was to firstly locate the HQ to<br />
save time Saturday morning. That said, Grant’s<br />
thorough information indicated it should be<br />
easy to find being close to the station. While at<br />
the bar I asked some locals where Collingwood<br />
Road was and they pointed to the road opposite<br />
that I would have to take to the hotel anyway.<br />
On making my way, coming round a bend I<br />
spotted a building on the right. I’m not being<br />
facetious in saying that as it was mostly red<br />
I guessed it was probably the Labour Hall<br />
– correct!<br />
The Inaugural<br />
Essex Rivers &<br />
Reservoirs<br />
200<br />
Dinner in the hotel restaurant Friday<br />
evening was good and there were plenty of<br />
real ales available in the bar. On checking-in<br />
and advising I was getting up early Saturday<br />
morning they said they would bring some<br />
breakfast to my room. However, as Grant had<br />
indicated there would be a good food supply<br />
at the HQ I decided not to pursue it. If Grant’s<br />
information was lacking at all it was in a positive<br />
way because with the choice of Corn Flakes or<br />
Weetabix there was more food than had been<br />
indicated. It was a substantial spread, including<br />
Alpen bars and bread for toasting. For his first<br />
event, Grant had got off to a good start with me<br />
before I had even begun the ride!<br />
The early indication was that the forecast<br />
had been accurate and it was going to be<br />
a lovely day, albeit probably involving high<br />
liquid consumption — it did! However, as there<br />
was some early morning coolness, being my<br />
usual cautious self, I kept the layers on for the<br />
moment. I wasn’t sorry because we descended<br />
initially (was that a first for an audax?!) through<br />
Witham and it did feel a bit cool. The ride got<br />
off to a great start for me because barely out<br />
of Witham the route to Hatfield Peverel was<br />
along lanes I hadn’t ridden before. Once out<br />
of Witham, the first river, the ‘Brain’, is crossed<br />
and a not steep but gradual climb starts. I soon<br />
stopped to remove longs and a long-sleeve<br />
top! I was shortly caught by a group of riders,<br />
including my buddies Geoff Sharp and Ray<br />
Cheung. We enjoyed each other's company to<br />
the controls at Stock (30.6km) and Burnham-on-<br />
Crouch (66.5km) This was along some roads I was<br />
familiar with and some I wasn’t. At around 11km<br />
at the foot of the ‘infamous’ North Hill, which<br />
River Blackwater between Steeple & Latchingdon. Photo: Grant Huggins<br />
42<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
RANDONNEE<br />
was on the route (some from outside East Anglia<br />
could be surprised by its severity, including a<br />
false top!), into Little Baddow, the River Chelmer<br />
was crossed. The route also included going past<br />
Hanningfield reservoir and views of the River<br />
Crouch. At Stock, we had a choice of getting<br />
cards stamped at the post office or using the<br />
Dandelion and Burdock café. To save time,<br />
particularly as it was only a short distance to<br />
that point, I think most, probably all, used the<br />
post office. I did however buy a Lucozade. When<br />
places are obliging in that way, I feel immoral if<br />
I don’t make at least a small purchase. That said,<br />
I was ready for a drink anyway. My hindsight<br />
regret is not taking a photo of Stock, as it is<br />
picturesque.<br />
Burnham-on-Crouch was a ‘free’ control but<br />
I think most used the recommended Tall Green<br />
House café. It was a good recommendation, my<br />
jacket potato being just right for quite a few<br />
miles! Visiting Burnham-on-Crouch for the first<br />
time and that ‘triangle’ corner of south-east<br />
Essex more thoroughly had been one of my<br />
objectives. Burnham-on-Crouch is an attractive<br />
old-world town in parts and I decided it merited<br />
a photo. One negative point about the area<br />
however is that the B-roads get busy and my<br />
experience is that Essex has more than its fair<br />
share of ‘think they own the roads, anti-cyclist’<br />
drivers. That said, we only encountered one. He<br />
made a gesture to indicate he didn’t like Geoff<br />
and Ray riding two-abreast. He was driving in<br />
the opposite direction! Nevertheless, I think it is<br />
an underrated part of the UK, perhaps even by<br />
cyclists.<br />
Being ready before Geoff and Ray, I set off solo<br />
for the 12-km to the info control at Tillingham<br />
(78.5km), but it wasn’t long before they caught<br />
me. Well, I paused a few times to study the route<br />
sheet, which I doubt they did!<br />
From Tillingham it was 41km to the control at<br />
Abberton Reservoir Visitor Centre (119.8km). It<br />
included a nice view of the River Blackwater, and<br />
a succession of hills meant it wasn’t long before I<br />
lost contact with Geoff and Ray.<br />
The route goes through Maldon town centre;<br />
attractive but, on Saturday afternoon, busy<br />
— (another crossing of the River Chelmer and<br />
then the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation<br />
at Heybridge). Because of my propensity for<br />
going off-route I paused a lot to check the<br />
sheet. Ironically, I got through Maldon okay. It<br />
was a few miles further on in the lanes where<br />
I made a mistake – articles by me would seem<br />
incomplete without a report of going off-route!<br />
It was the silly thing of looking at the sheet while<br />
riding and partly looking at the wrong line and<br />
thinking it was right at an unsigned t-junction<br />
when it was left. It didn’t add much to the<br />
distance, but involved a bit more of the B1026<br />
to Tolleshunt d’Arcy, in effect retracing. From<br />
Tolleshunt d’Arcy it was along the B1026 to the<br />
control.<br />
By the time I sat down at the Visitor Centre,<br />
Geoff and Ray were thinking about leaving. Well,<br />
they didn’t make the navigational error I did and<br />
again probably didn’t have to look at the route<br />
sheet as much as me. Nevertheless, it leads me<br />
to make an observation about Geoff’s claim to<br />
have got being ‘lanterne rouge’ to a fine art. I<br />
think he has because he seems to ride strongly<br />
enough in the early<br />
stages. I’m sure he<br />
holds back later on -<br />
sort of ‘Chris Froome in<br />
reverse.’<br />
After orange juice,<br />
sandwiches and icecream,<br />
topping up the<br />
bottle and a photo of<br />
the reservoir it was<br />
through nice north<br />
Essex lanes via Bures<br />
to pass briefly into<br />
Suffolk to the Sudbury<br />
control (153.2km). The<br />
route includes crossing<br />
the River Colne at<br />
Ford Street, and after<br />
Bures taking the minor<br />
road to Sudbury via<br />
Lamarsh and Henny<br />
Street, following the<br />
River Stour, with good<br />
views of the river<br />
valley just before.<br />
Sudbury was another<br />
‘free’ control, the<br />
suggested one being<br />
the Waitrose cafeteria.<br />
True to form, I lost a<br />
lot of time making a<br />
‘pigs ear’ of finding the<br />
control, having to ask<br />
directions no few times<br />
and circuiting Sudbury.<br />
I do not blame the<br />
route sheet!<br />
After a coke –<br />
unusual for me,so it<br />
must have been warm!<br />
- and a baguette, it was<br />
back into Essex for the<br />
leg to Finchingfield<br />
(178.6km). I was<br />
pleasantly surprised<br />
to be doing more<br />
‘first time’ lanes than<br />
I expected. Although<br />
only 25.2km it was a<br />
tough leg because<br />
it involved a lot of<br />
climbing. Not that I<br />
wasn’t expecting it,<br />
being a regular rider<br />
in this part of Essex. I<br />
was ‘psyched up’ for<br />
the stingy one just before Finchingfield. There<br />
is a little compensation with the following<br />
descent into the village. The official control at<br />
Finchingfield was The Picture Pot tea room.<br />
However, as it closed at 6.00 pm, Tom Deakins<br />
was stationed by the village green with an<br />
assistant to stamp cards. Geoff and Ray starting<br />
leaving as soon as I arrived so some words were<br />
exchanged about that – all in good fun!<br />
Although I didn’t have anything to eat or drink<br />
at Finchingfield, as the next control at Littley<br />
Green (199.1km) was only 20.5km I felt I could get<br />
there without stopping. Indeed as it was now<br />
only 37km to Witham, I would have liked to have<br />
just collected the sticker at Littley Green and<br />
At the start<br />
CC Sudbury members preparing for the road<br />
Tall Green House cafe, Burnham-on-Crouch<br />
continued but again I was mindful of my morals.<br />
The control was in the pub (The Compasses Inn),<br />
collecting the sticker from one of the bar staff.<br />
Again, as they were giving their time and space I<br />
felt it only right to purchase something although<br />
I was thinking in terms of a quick soft drink and<br />
back on the road. I soon changed my mind! My<br />
legs were going through a tired patch — at least<br />
it made it all the more pleasing it was now a fair<br />
tail wind — and combined with the heat, after<br />
just around 4km, seeing Geoff and Ray’s bikes<br />
outside the store in Great Bardfield I succumbed.<br />
I had my first experience of the Mars milk drink,<br />
which went down well.<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 43
RANDONNEE<br />
So we had each others company again to<br />
Littley Green. It would not be completely<br />
truthful to say I never drink alcohol while riding<br />
but it is only on short rides around social events,<br />
definitely not on rides ‘of substance.’ However,<br />
I succumbed to more than a small drink going<br />
for a pint of orange juice and lemonade, which<br />
Ray kindly bought. If I remember correctly, Geoff<br />
had a coke but Ray succumbed to a ‘proper’<br />
pint. I also resolved to stop worrying about how<br />
quick I was getting round and stop longer to<br />
unwind a bit (I thought about joking with Geoff<br />
and Ray that I need to stop riding with them as<br />
they’re getting me into bad habits but it seemed<br />
unfair!). We sat outside with members and<br />
friends of the organising club, Witham Cycling,<br />
including some on the ride and the Abberton<br />
controllers. This was around 7.45 pm and one<br />
on the ride said he had been there since 5.30<br />
and seemed to be knocking them back! He lives<br />
at Witham so knew the route and seemingly<br />
was happy provided he finished before cut-off<br />
time. It struck me there is a lot to be said for that<br />
approach – if you are fast enough to get there<br />
by 5.30!<br />
I was pleased I did stop longer because I felt<br />
good on the last leg. Yes, it was only 10 miles<br />
with a good tail wind but even so! It was far<br />
from flat! I set off before Geoff and Ray but had<br />
company for parts of the route (second crossing<br />
of the River Ter is shortly after the control)<br />
with two ‘Witham’ riders and the Abberton<br />
controllers. However, they went on a slight<br />
detour and I didn’t want to do any more than<br />
necessary! ‚It wasn’t long before the group<br />
‘re-caught’ me and then not long before they<br />
dropped me! They were obviously fresher than<br />
me. However, I was pleasantly surprised how<br />
quickly I got to Terling, which was particularly<br />
uplifting as I knew I was now nearly there (I<br />
did however curse because it occurred to me<br />
I should have taken a photo for this article of<br />
the rider who had been at the pub since 5.30,<br />
with his pint in front of him!) Almost certainly,<br />
having a decent rest helped but it amuses<br />
me to wonder if the pint of orange juice and<br />
lemonade helped. I suggest it’s plausible. There<br />
are vitamins in orange juice that help combat<br />
tiredness and fatigue and aid body repair. It<br />
might have been just enough combined with<br />
the breather for that short distance. Perhaps<br />
some experimenting might be worthwhile, e.g.<br />
from around 20km to go, diving into the first<br />
pub for a pint of orange juice and lemonade – or<br />
just orange juice - to see if it does the trick! The<br />
Mars milk drink might also have been taking<br />
effect – who knows! Although I know Witham<br />
quite well, I nevertheless paused to check the<br />
route sheet. There is nothing more annoying<br />
than going wrong right at the end because<br />
of getting local street navigation wrong. The<br />
sheet confirmed what I thought. The final river<br />
crossing, also the second of the ‘Brain,’ was a few<br />
yards before the finish.<br />
I was timed as finishing in 13 hours 15 minutes.<br />
If Geoff thought that by finishing after me he<br />
would maintain his ‘lanterne rouge’ reputation<br />
he misjudged. The rider who spent a long time<br />
at The Compasses finished at 9.30 and two ladies<br />
finished at 10.00.<br />
As indicated in Grant’s information, there<br />
was plenty of food at the finish. I told Grant that<br />
as far as I was concerned he had passed ‘with<br />
distinction’. He informed us of new events he<br />
and Tom Deakins are planning, mainly a series<br />
of four 100s over November (5th), December<br />
(3rd), January and February. Some, possibly<br />
all, of them are using a Witham pub as the HQ.<br />
While I resist alcohol while riding ‘of substance,’<br />
afterwards is another matter! With 10.00am<br />
starts, having checked train times, provided<br />
there are no engineering works, I won't need to<br />
drive. I also have a rule that alcohol is USUALLY<br />
evenings only. “A-ha”, you observe, I’ve in effect<br />
admitted I sometimes drink alcohol during the<br />
day. Well, I emphasised “usually” as it is with the<br />
proviso exceptions can be made in appropriate<br />
circumstances!<br />
Now to that Essex mystery. Grant explained<br />
he is intending to see if he can devise an audax<br />
route around a ‘Knights Templar’ theme. To<br />
explain, including the one at Littley Green, there<br />
are four pubs in that area called either “The<br />
Compasses” or “Square and Compasses,” in a<br />
geometric straight line. Actually, that is oversimplifying<br />
but along with some churches and<br />
View of the River Crouch. Photo : Grant Huggins<br />
barns there is a geometric link, with theories<br />
as to the reason for it (http://vulpeculox.net/<br />
misc/mystery.htm). Grant is looking at the<br />
possibility of a route taking in the four pubs. It’s<br />
hardly difficult to work out the gist of the jokes<br />
made about that! If I don’t ride it I guess I will<br />
be accused of chickening-out through fear of<br />
being proved a fraud over my claims of resisting<br />
alcohol!<br />
Back at the hotel, I relaxed over pints of real<br />
ale reflecting on a great day.<br />
Sunday morning started cooler and overcast.<br />
I set off along the B1018 Maldon road for a short<br />
way before turning right onto a ‘first time’ lane<br />
to Hatfield Peverel, i.e. a different route to that<br />
in the event. I wasn’t far along this lane before<br />
the sun broke through so I stopped to remove<br />
the usual unnecessary clobber. From Hatfield<br />
Peverel, I followed the B1137 for a short way to<br />
Boreham. The B1137 is the former A12 and runs<br />
into the centre of Chelmsford so was quite<br />
busy, but not uncomfortably so. From Boreham,<br />
I turned right onto a road signposted “Great<br />
Leighs.” It was a somewhat different road to<br />
what I anticipated, which was a narrow and<br />
quiet lane. It was quite wide and busier than I<br />
expected. However, it was pleasant enough and<br />
it wasn’t long before there was a signpost right<br />
for Terling, along a quiet wooded lane. From<br />
Terling, I followed the last part of Saturday’s<br />
route for the approx 4 miles to Witham station.<br />
Although a short ride, as it included a number<br />
of ‘first time’ lanes it contributed significantly to<br />
achieving my objective of seeing more of that<br />
part of Essex.<br />
Once more, I sat on the train home reflecting<br />
on a successful weekend with objectives met —<br />
nice one! ◆<br />
44<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
ORDRE DES COL DURS<br />
Bocca Vitullu<br />
and the<br />
concrete<br />
dribble test<br />
Paul Harrison<br />
Casaluna Valley<br />
Going over the Bocca Vitullu (787m)<br />
between the Golo and Casaluna<br />
valleys in Corsica seems pointless<br />
(unless you are a victim of OCD or<br />
you live in the village of Aiti, just below the<br />
summit) as there is a much easier way round<br />
the bottom. Climbbybike.com calls this the<br />
Cima Ferletta and gives the col height at 860m.<br />
This is not quite right (their map mustn’t be as<br />
good as mine), and I don’t trust their modest<br />
difficulty rating or gradients either. This route<br />
is fairly hard (very hard from Francardu on the<br />
Golo side) and you need to be fit to tackle it or,<br />
as in my case, have a very low bottom gear. No,<br />
a much better test of difficulty is the ‘concrete<br />
dribble’ method which you can instantly use<br />
whilst riding without having the need to resort<br />
to electronic devices or cycling websites.<br />
I had been seeing streaks of concrete by the<br />
roadside for some time, both in the UK and<br />
more particularly in Corsica. It didn’t take long<br />
to work out that these were spillages from<br />
ready-mixed concrete wagons. Now these<br />
wagons are a clever invention. The revolving<br />
internal Archimedean screw saves mixing time<br />
at the depot and ensures the concrete arrives<br />
on site all fresh and ready, while the tilted drum<br />
ensures the contents remain inside. However,<br />
the designers obviously hadn’t thought about<br />
going up steep hills where the action of the<br />
Archimedean screw prevails over the force of<br />
gravity and the concrete is free to escape, thus<br />
providing a ready-made method of assessing<br />
the gradient to any observant onlooker.<br />
And so it is, climbing the Bocca Vitullu, that I<br />
observe some unusually large deposits. In places<br />
it is almost a concrete road. I wonder if the<br />
builder in Aiti complained he’d been delivered<br />
a light load. I have to admit to a tendency to<br />
have eyes glued to the road while climbing<br />
(and, come to think of it, when descending<br />
too, which is just as well) and so arriving at Aiti<br />
church gives me an excuse to stop and take in<br />
my surroundings. I think that building the village<br />
must have been an excuse for having a church in<br />
such a splendid position, on a small promontory<br />
overlooking the Casaluna valley. The views are<br />
breathtaking. Steep wooded hillsides drop to<br />
the Casaluna road, a small white ribbon snaking<br />
up the valley below. Beyond this, the mountain<br />
tops shrouded in low cloud add to the drama.<br />
The weather is cold and we narrowly miss some<br />
rain. Despite this, I am glad to fill my bottle at a<br />
roadside fountain. The ‘Eau Potable’ sign seems<br />
superfluous in such wild surroundings.<br />
Today, we are descending towards Francardu<br />
(thank goodness). I laugh out loud as I steer the<br />
bike round a double hairpin. Luckily Janet is out<br />
The Church of Saint-<br />
Stephen, Aiti<br />
of sight and earshot. The Shimano dual- pivot<br />
brakes and 28mm tyres give superb handling<br />
and the road is very quiet — only one car met in<br />
its entire length.<br />
I arrive at the bottom in one piece, exhilarated<br />
and very much in love with this beautiful island.<br />
www.aukweb.net Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 45
NATIONAL 400<br />
Peak<br />
Performance<br />
:<br />
The<br />
National<br />
400<br />
Suddenly, it’s over. The event for<br />
which we have planned and<br />
prepared for over a year has been<br />
and gone — in a flash. Peak Audax’s<br />
turn at staging the National 400<br />
is now history, when for so long it was the<br />
future, full of intriguing problems to be solved:<br />
planning a route; securing control venues and<br />
volunteers to run them; transporting mattresses<br />
and blankets and catering requirements around<br />
the route; publicising the ride and keeping it<br />
publicised. All to do — and now it’s done.<br />
For me, it was always going to be a high<br />
point of the year. I enjoy helping on events and,<br />
having ridden the National a couple of years<br />
ago and experienced the excellent work of<br />
VC167, I was anxious to help return the favour.<br />
My task in the preparations had been to help<br />
with the publicity and to that end I placed<br />
an article in Arrivée, and had another rather<br />
grudgingly accepted and chopped about by<br />
Cycle, the magazine of CTC, who this week are<br />
called Cycling UK. As the months went past,<br />
devious but simple methods were used to keep<br />
the event high on the relevant boards of the<br />
internet.<br />
I live in Rochdale and so my plan had been to<br />
ride down the Rochdale Canal to Manchester,<br />
take a train to Buxton and then ride from there<br />
to the event venue at Biggin near Hartington in<br />
the staggering Peak District. The weather looked<br />
like being good for the whole weekend – but<br />
not for my ride down the<br />
canal. And so it proved.<br />
It rained steadily for an<br />
hour or so as I wove past<br />
the huge umbrellas of the<br />
anglers, who looked even<br />
grimmer than usual. I had<br />
to stop under a bridge to<br />
get my over-trousers on and<br />
the cobbles at the locks were so greasy and I so<br />
cautious that I missed the train I had intended<br />
to take.<br />
Still, I had plenty of time before the next one<br />
and turned the interval to good use by learning<br />
how to operate the self-service ticket machine,<br />
then buying a pasty and coffee, before settling<br />
down to do some people-watching. Manchester<br />
Piccadilly is more like an airport than a railway<br />
station now, and there is some serious flaunting<br />
of wealth to be seen. This was cast into pathetic<br />
relief by the workers of the Trussell Trust, who<br />
were trying to encourage travellers to donate<br />
to their foodbank collection, with not too much<br />
success, it seemed to me. It’s hard to put a hand<br />
in your pocket when they are both clasping<br />
expensive flight cases or essential smartphones.<br />
Wheeling the bike onto the platform, I was<br />
pleased to see that there was still evidence<br />
of the earlier appearance of the station, in<br />
the ornate ironwork of the<br />
train shed pillars and their<br />
cuffs, and the ochre and<br />
red brickwork around the<br />
windows of the outer wall.<br />
I love rail travel and the line<br />
from Manchester to Buxton<br />
is fascinating. It is almost a<br />
miracle that after only an<br />
Have I got a beard, do<br />
I have yellow shoes<br />
and a man-bag?!<br />
30-31 July<br />
<strong>2016</strong><br />
Peter Bond<br />
hour you have been transported across one of<br />
the biggest urban-post-industrial sprawls in<br />
Britain to the misty and mysterious primeval<br />
coral reefs of the Peaks.<br />
As I rolled out of the station at Buxton, I was<br />
feeling hungry again but decided to push on to<br />
the superb bookshop at Brierlow Bar, only a few<br />
hilly miles away, where there is a café and where<br />
I might pick up a Christmas<br />
present or two. I did pick<br />
up a couple of books but<br />
was disappointed to find<br />
that the café has gone hip<br />
and only offered drinks<br />
and cellophane-wrapped<br />
biscuits from Artisania. I<br />
was quietly seething with<br />
disappointment (and hunger). I wanted to say,<br />
“Have I got a beard, do I have yellow shoes and<br />
a man-bag?!” But I just kept quiet and ordered a<br />
coffee — which was excellent.<br />
Consoling myself with the knowledge that I<br />
could get something to eat at the cycle centre<br />
at Parsley Hay on the High Peak Trail, I rode on<br />
across the switchback roads to Earl Sterndale.<br />
Climbing the road above the village I was so<br />
taken aback by the views of Parkhouse and<br />
Chrome Hills across the valley that I had to put<br />
a foot down and just gaze. I suppose, being<br />
ancient coral reefs, that it is wrong to call them<br />
arrêtes but they certainly remind me of them,<br />
My progress through<br />
God’s jewellery took<br />
my mind off my<br />
hunger<br />
sharp ridges thrusting up from the fields, like<br />
emerald stegosauruses. Amazing.<br />
A few hundred yards of stony cyclo-cross<br />
brought me to the current start of the High Peak<br />
Trail, where I paused at the gate to remember<br />
the late Alan Smith, whom I’d last met at this<br />
place. Pressing on, I exulted in the kaleidoscope<br />
of colours in the verges of this old mineral<br />
railway. Purples, yellows, blues and whites<br />
studded the grass on either side of the narrow<br />
ribbon of crushed aggregate. Clovers red and<br />
white vied with the yellow meadow vetch and<br />
cat’s ear. Purple knapweed, blue geraniums and<br />
white ox-eye daisies lorded it over the creeping<br />
bacon and eggs at their base. White and pink<br />
yarrow pushed through<br />
wherever they could find<br />
space and later on there<br />
were drifts of harebells<br />
and the lavender-coloured<br />
scabious. In several places,<br />
the magenta spikes of the<br />
willowherb towered over<br />
the lot of them.<br />
My progress through God’s jewellery took my<br />
mind off my hunger but by the time I passed<br />
the stone hut (a gift from Croatia on joining the<br />
EU – remember that?), at Parsley Hay, I was ready<br />
to take advantage of the excellent café. It was<br />
shut. You wonder at the business sense of some<br />
people: four in the afternoon on a sunny holiday<br />
Friday and the café is shut. There may have been<br />
a perfectly good reason for it but I was in no<br />
mood for charity and stormed past the hordes<br />
of cyclists outside the hire shop (still wide open)<br />
and onto the junction where the trail splits into<br />
two. I took the westerly, Tissington branch and<br />
before long arrived at the village of Biggin. My<br />
total cycling for the day amounted to about<br />
thirty miles on varying surfaces and together<br />
with the connecting train journey qualified as an<br />
expedition.<br />
I met organisers John Perrin and Mike<br />
Wigley sauntering down the road in a pretty<br />
untidy fashion and before long we got stuck<br />
into the business of setting up the overnight<br />
accommodation for the riders who would<br />
be trying to sleep in the village hall. But first<br />
there was the magical appearance of that Fairy<br />
Godmother’s coach of the isolated village – the<br />
mobile chip shop. What I needed was in large<br />
letters on the board: cheese pie and chips.<br />
No cheese pie because the proprietor hadn’t<br />
brought the generator for the microwave. I<br />
began to wonder if I’d got the date wrong and<br />
it was really Friday 13th. But the chips were<br />
46<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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NATIONAL 400<br />
marvellous and hit the spot — with a hollow<br />
clang.<br />
With the help of arriving riders, we soon<br />
had the inflatable beds up in the hall and the<br />
catering organised for breakfast. Leaving John<br />
to meet and greet, Mike and I wandered down<br />
to the local, The Waterloo, and spent an hour<br />
or two talking to some of the riders, including<br />
Dean and Dale, who had arrived in the late<br />
evening only slightly daunted after riding 200k<br />
over the Pennines from County Durham (all<br />
stand, please).<br />
We walked back under a glorious sunset<br />
and before long I lay down for what I hoped<br />
would be five hours sleep before getting up at<br />
5am to help with the breakfast. For once the<br />
conditions were perfect: I had my own room<br />
behind the kitchen, with my sleeping bag on a<br />
camp bed kindly provided by John. If there was<br />
any snoring in the main “dortoirs” I didn’t hear<br />
it and nobody<br />
slammed doors.<br />
I didn’t sleep for<br />
a second. Was it<br />
the beer? Or the<br />
adrenalin? Who<br />
knows?<br />
There was a<br />
real buzz before<br />
the départ.<br />
There were so<br />
many riders I<br />
knew and so many that I was seeing for the first<br />
time. We had entrants from Scotland, Cornwall,<br />
Cumbria, the South East. There were at least<br />
two tandems, a trike, a Moulton and Robert<br />
Webb’s beautiful Pashley, surely one of the only<br />
machines ever to have been constructed out of<br />
a single piece of lead. After all the efforts and<br />
anxieties it was gratifying to send over 120 riders<br />
off to ride what I knew to be a magnificent route<br />
and on such a beautiful morning. And Mike had<br />
about 40 entrants for his 100k companion event<br />
which would be off later in the day.<br />
For the first half of the event, John and I would<br />
man the legendary “Van of Delights”, John’s red<br />
camper, laden with cake. We would set up at two<br />
controls, at about 60 and 160k, respectively. We<br />
were joined in this by Sean Towneley (with his<br />
Van of de White). Under normal circumstances,<br />
Sean might well have ridden this, backwards,<br />
with his eyes shut and doing a crossword but —<br />
to our great advantage — he was injured a week<br />
or two earlier.<br />
We had not long been set up at Carsington<br />
Water, when the first group of riders arrived.<br />
We looked like being in for an interesting day<br />
because the field was spread over the whole<br />
control period, which must be unusual for such<br />
an early check. In fact, one poor rider, Les, had a<br />
saddle malfunction and had to abandon before<br />
Carsington – rotten luck when he had travelled<br />
so far, and been so helpful at the village hall.<br />
The spread of riders meant that we had to<br />
wait till the bitter end before we could set off<br />
to the next control. Then we ran into the only<br />
serious glitch of the operation: diversions and<br />
other delays (including a stop at the Anslow Hall,<br />
where John’s family (Elaine, Clare, Roy and John)<br />
and other helpers, including Alan Smith’s widow<br />
Marj and son Si, were doing a tremendous job,<br />
…that Fairy<br />
Godmother’s<br />
coach of the<br />
isolated village<br />
– the mobile chip<br />
shop<br />
especially considering that the riders on the 100k<br />
were also routed through here and had already<br />
arrived when we visited). We eventually parked<br />
the vans red and white on a grass triangle near<br />
Telford and repeated the Carsington Protocol.<br />
This included gentle musical persuasion to<br />
keep the control flowing in the right direction.<br />
Audaxers are a mixed bunch and while some<br />
shot off at the first few chords from my ukulele,<br />
others were on the phone for the men in white<br />
coats. You will be able to decide for yourselves<br />
if my sleepless night had been totally in vain if<br />
I give you a taste of the songs I wrote to while<br />
away the hours till dawn:<br />
To the tune of Stir It Up by Bob Marley<br />
Gear it up…………little darling<br />
Gear it up……………………<br />
Gear it up…………little darling<br />
Gear it up……………………<br />
This is a long, long ride<br />
But you have lots of time<br />
Ride with your mind on fun<br />
Forget your pride<br />
When all is said and done<br />
It’s just a ride<br />
Gear it up… etc.<br />
To the tune of Take Me Home Country Roads by<br />
Bill and Taffy Danoff<br />
Rocky Road, take me home<br />
Try some fruit cake – or a scone<br />
Get some in yer, squashed banana<br />
Take me home Rocky Road<br />
To the tune of He’ll Have To Go by Joe and<br />
Audrey Allison<br />
Get your toe-clips, and your Garmin, and your phone<br />
The cake’s been good but now you have to move along<br />
You’ve heard the man play on the uke-box soft and<br />
low<br />
But saddle up, the road is calling, you’ll have to go.<br />
You can’t stay stuffing your face all day,<br />
Just as if you were at home<br />
So go on, get out, just go away<br />
‘Cos I vont to be alone.......<br />
Occasionally it was necessary to deploy the<br />
harmonica. When that failed, running out of<br />
water did the trick.<br />
Sean, whose efforts were greatly appreciated<br />
(he’d left Colne near Burnley at dawn, to arrive<br />
for the start), set off for home while John and<br />
I headed off on a tour of most of the other<br />
controls. As we passed through Ironbridge I was<br />
again taken aback by just how small the famous<br />
bridge is. At Upton Magna, outside Shrewsbury,<br />
the control was being run by John Hamilton,<br />
who is one of the most experienced organisers<br />
in the business. His helpers included the stalwart<br />
John Clemens, who had ridden the route-check<br />
a few weeks before. I braced myself for the<br />
journey out to the turn at Llangollen with a bowl<br />
of excellent soup.<br />
On our way across the Marches, we took<br />
a direct route which crossed the 400 often<br />
enough for us to feel in touch with the riders<br />
as they popped up here and there. Llangollen<br />
was run as efficiently as you might expect by<br />
Danial Webb and his team, including Damian<br />
and especially John Jackson and Mike Roberts,<br />
two illustrious Macclesfield Wheelers, who had<br />
also been at Anslow in the morning. Danial<br />
doesn’t mess about: he not only threw us out<br />
of his kitchen, leaving us to fend for ourselves,<br />
but sent John straight off to the shop to get<br />
more beans. We were left resorting to the chip<br />
shop across the road (which was excellent). The<br />
highlight of the Llangollen visit had to be the<br />
chap in the chip shop queue who broke into an<br />
impromptu Irish dance as I regaled the staff with<br />
the harmonica. Next time they’ll be quicker.<br />
The sun was setting as we climbed back up<br />
the long incline out of the town. The cyclists we<br />
passed all seemed to be going well, refreshed<br />
after their stop. There is something mystical<br />
about a chain of red rear lights at night,<br />
something bizarre — like Eddy Merckx breaking<br />
through the cloud at the snow-strewn top of an<br />
Alpine climb. I suppose it’s to do with it being<br />
so far removed from the experience of most<br />
people, a kind of magic.<br />
Less impressed was the bad-tempered and<br />
murderous lorry driver who swing his huge artic<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 47
RANDONNEE<br />
out onto our carriageway, lights blazing, in his<br />
frustration at having to wait to pass riders still<br />
on the descent. It is a narrow road but the riders<br />
were all in single file and with nowhere else to<br />
go. It was a really stupid manoeuvre and even<br />
the phlegmatic John raised an eyebrow as he<br />
was forced to veer out of the way.<br />
We headed on through the night to the final<br />
control at Alton. I’m never less than impressed<br />
by John’s knowledge of the countryside; it is<br />
evident in the routes he constructs. But sitting<br />
next to him as he weaves his way through the<br />
maze of narrow lanes, first in the twilight and<br />
then the starry, starry, night, is an eye-opener<br />
— which is handy if you’ve been awake for 40<br />
hours. This is all done without a satnav or even<br />
a road atlas. It might well have been “turn left<br />
at the next badger”. I saw several lying in the<br />
verges and we just missed one as it lunged out<br />
of the undergrowth.<br />
They have a curious attitude to maintaining<br />
country lanes in these parts of Cheshire and<br />
Staffordshire. First they fertilise the surface with<br />
slurry, then they encourage the hedgerows<br />
to meet in the middle, so that the fermenting<br />
tarmac is protected from the elements. It was<br />
often like travelling along an ancient sunken<br />
track. And it rolled, too. I was beginning to<br />
feel sympathy for the riders, intead of merely<br />
resenting the fact that they were riding and I<br />
was not. This part of the run-in had switchbacks<br />
worthy of the nearby amusement park, though<br />
hopefully they would be less accident-prone. On<br />
reflection, it’s hard to see how you could plan a<br />
flat ride over this distance, except in East Anglia.<br />
We pulled into the Alton village hall just as the<br />
first few riders were leaving. The control was in<br />
the capable hands of Denise and Tim Hughes,<br />
who’ve done such sterling work on Peak Audax<br />
rides and at Eskdalemuir on the London-<br />
Edinburgh-London ride. I was a bit peckish again<br />
by this time, and an instant pre-prepared meal<br />
was put in front of me before I’d even reached<br />
for the harmonica. Staffordshire oatcakes,<br />
tomatoes and mushrooms went down without<br />
touching the sides before we headed off into<br />
the night again.<br />
Blinking like rabbits in the carpark, we saw<br />
Robert Webb’s Pashley on its elegant stand.<br />
Robert’s efforts deserve a special mention.<br />
When we’d been at the Upton Magna control,<br />
near Shrewsbury, Robert had decided to<br />
abandon because he was feeling out of<br />
condition. He is a vastly experienced rider, with<br />
Paris Brest Paris (and bar) and LEL to his credit,<br />
so he knew what he was doing. His intention<br />
had been to ride home to Worcester (50 or 60<br />
miles?) and come back to base to collect his car<br />
the next day. So John and I were pretty surprised<br />
to recognise, even in the dark, his characteristic<br />
riding style, as we came up behind him on a rise<br />
towards the control at Alton. Presumably he<br />
had decided to change his arrangements and<br />
was going to ride all the way back to the start at<br />
Biggin for his car. This must mean that he had<br />
“abandoned” at getting on for 200k, then ridden<br />
a further 100k back to the finish. That is really<br />
responsible stuff: judging that you are not going<br />
to complete the whole thing, yet still having<br />
enough stamina to deal with the circumstances.<br />
Chapeau (a trilby, I think), Robert!<br />
Returning to base at Biggin, we were again<br />
beaten to it by the fastest finishers, who had<br />
got round in an impressive time. “Refreshed”,<br />
they promptly set off to ride home to Sheffield,<br />
an additional night crossing of the Pennines.<br />
I decided to try for a few hours sleep and the<br />
next thing I knew it was 5am and the hall was<br />
full of enthusiastic riders telling fishermen’s<br />
tales. Not long after the official closing time of<br />
10am, everyone had been accounted for and<br />
people were dragging their weary limbs back to<br />
car or campsite, while we got on with clearing<br />
the hall. It is astonishing that everything we<br />
used disppeared into either John or Mike’s van<br />
— and astonishing how much effort it takes<br />
to make that happen. Lots of riders pitched in<br />
to help before and after the ride, with special<br />
mentions for James Bradbury, Mike Lane and Les<br />
Hereward, who had suffered the broken saddle.<br />
I saw so many riders I knew but haven’t<br />
mentioned for fear of offending the<br />
unmentioned. The same is true of helpers at the<br />
controls, almost all of whom looked a lot more<br />
sprightly at their posts than I felt by the time I<br />
wished John and Mike farewell and rolled my<br />
bike out into the light of day. My journey home<br />
was the exact reverse of my journey out, except<br />
that it didn’t rain, and that I was shattered. The<br />
Rochdale canal was a bit more irritating on the<br />
way home because it was Sunday and the sunny<br />
weather meant the towpath was very busy.<br />
However, I’d succeeded in combining what<br />
I knew would be a great weekend with friends<br />
past and future with a fair amount of cycling on<br />
my own account.<br />
In short – a proper adventure! ◆<br />
Daylight DIY SR Series<br />
Using Mandatory Routes<br />
Colin Gray<br />
A follow up to ‘In Praise of Mandatory<br />
Routes’, published in Arrivée 133.<br />
Mark and I started off looking for<br />
suitable calendar events but<br />
couldn’t even find anything,<br />
except the odd 200k, that had<br />
appropriate start times or<br />
even fit in with my holidays. (Being retired my<br />
wife and I are often abroad for several weeks<br />
at a time.) So I set about planning 300, 400 and<br />
600km rides, mostly based on previous audax<br />
routes, but with a few new sections to create<br />
interest. These were then submitted to Chris<br />
Smith for approval. Chris helpfully suggested<br />
that I ought to make them at least 1% over the<br />
required distance just in case the tracklogs<br />
produced by our Garmins did not match my<br />
planning software. In practice they were all<br />
within 0.1% of that submitted, but I won’t claim<br />
this will always be the case. Finally, just to test<br />
all our systems for riding and recording, and as a<br />
training opportunity, I submitted an additional<br />
GPX track for a 200 km ride.<br />
200k<br />
Our campaign started at the end of April. We<br />
headed south through Charnwood Forest, one<br />
of the most attractive areas of the East Midlands,<br />
before passing west of Leicester for lunch at<br />
Lutterworth.<br />
All day rain threatened and through<br />
Northamptonshire and South Leicestershire<br />
showers rained down everywhere except,<br />
thankfully, on us. Don’t think that Leicestershire<br />
is flat. From Lutterworth the route to the<br />
east of Leicester up to the Windmill Café at<br />
Wymondham had plenty of ups and downs so<br />
we clocked up over 2000 metres of climbing in<br />
200km. It should have been an easy finish from<br />
Wymondham back home but there was a strong<br />
and very cold headwind; good preparation for<br />
later.<br />
400k<br />
After holidaying in Majorca and cycling to<br />
and from the International Tandem Rally in<br />
The Netherlands I was reasonably prepared<br />
for this ride, planned to almost coincide with<br />
maximum daylight. To complete this within<br />
the appropriate time required a bit of juggling<br />
distances and start times. Day one, an easy roll<br />
out at 10:00 with 255km to ride. From my home<br />
in Nottingham the route headed north to pick<br />
up part of the Rosies to Wraggs audax through<br />
Gainsborough. The usual café stop here is the<br />
spit and sawdust ‘Rosies’ but it was closing as we<br />
arrived. The garden centre next door provided<br />
a good alternative, complete with a covered<br />
enclosure especially for cycles.<br />
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Horkstow Bridge<br />
From Gainsborough all the way to Market<br />
Rasen, which is pretty flat, there was virtually no<br />
traffic. Then a short section of LEL 2013 led to a<br />
hilly excursion through the Lincolnshire Wolds<br />
and a fine descent to Wragby.<br />
Mark was tempted by the thought of fish and<br />
chips but we settled for sandwiches from the<br />
Spar shop as it was pleasantly warm in the early<br />
evening sunshine. From Wragby it was a very flat<br />
run home skirting south of Lincoln and Newark.<br />
Much of this section is often exposed to the<br />
prevailing SW winds. We were fortunate; it was<br />
a lovely calm evening just perfect for riding and<br />
we were back by 20.45 in time for dinner and five<br />
and a half hours sleep in my own bed, although<br />
I am not sure my wife appreciated the early start<br />
the next day.<br />
Sunday was another pleasant day and with<br />
generally more climbing. A 4:45 start and again<br />
south into Charnwood Forest before passing<br />
north of Leicester using some of the very minor<br />
roads used by the Melton Classic. We arrived at<br />
the Windmill café at 08:50 and were pleasantly<br />
surprised to find it opened at 9am, their website<br />
having said 10. It didn’t take Mark long to<br />
consume a second breakfast. A finish at 11:45 was<br />
well within the time limit and an average speed,<br />
moving, of 24.8 km/hr was good preparation for<br />
the 600k scheduled for two weeks time.<br />
600k<br />
Mark arrived on Friday evening, settled into<br />
our spare bedroom and then ‘Carbo loaded’ for<br />
the following day’s ride with a couple of bottles<br />
of Hobgoblin.<br />
We were up at 03:45 and off just after 04:30<br />
in full daylight. It was largely a familiar route<br />
passing east of Leicester and Rugby to Southam.<br />
With 108 km already in our legs a second<br />
breakfast was surely justified. The next leg<br />
was broadly eastwards through Towcester and<br />
Olney; attractive countryside and not exactly<br />
flat, especially as it approached Grafham<br />
Water. We sat in the lakeside café and watched<br />
the windsurfers having a great time. Not<br />
entirely good news for us — the ride back to<br />
Nottingham would not be easy.<br />
In practice it was rarely head-on, especially<br />
on the first section through Oundle and only<br />
really hard going in the last 30km. Apparently<br />
it had rained in Nottingham most of the day;<br />
we almost arrived back dry but experienced a<br />
very cold heavy shower with only 15km to go.<br />
We were home at 8:45. Over dinner we watched<br />
another stunning performance by Chris Froome<br />
in the Tour de France, hoping it would inspire us<br />
on the following day’s ride, before retiring for<br />
the night; well at least part of it.<br />
The wind had abated for an 04:45 start on<br />
Sunday. Once again we headed for Rosies Café,<br />
but by an entirely different route than used on<br />
the 400 k. My stomach was unsettled (not an<br />
unusual occurrence on a long ride) but Mark<br />
tucked in to a huge breakfast with his usual<br />
relish. The next section followed the River Trent,<br />
dead flat and frankly a bit tedious, before the<br />
hills arrived either side of lunch. I am not a fan of<br />
main roads so persuaded Mark to use the very<br />
rough bridle path that crosses Horkstowe Bridge<br />
rather than follow the A1077 into Barton upon<br />
Humber.<br />
To keep the lunch stop short the local Co-op<br />
right on our route was a good option, especially<br />
as there was a seat outside.<br />
Windsurfer on Grafham Water<br />
The Windmill, Wymondham<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 49
RANDONNEE<br />
Mark climbs up onto the Lincolnshire wolds<br />
Past Fenny Spring Mill into Charnwood Forest<br />
The town toilets, right opposite the Co-op,<br />
were locked so it was a quick visit to the bushes<br />
3 km later, (too much information?). Apart from a<br />
short section of relatively quiet main road there<br />
was virtually no traffic all the way home. As the<br />
route skirted Lincoln we called in to see my<br />
brother in Saxilby and his wife quickly produced<br />
a welcome cup of tea. Still very little wind and<br />
arrivée at 18:45.<br />
300k<br />
After riding to the Pyrenees with my wife,<br />
and riding up the Col de Toumalet, 300 k ought<br />
not to present to many problems. The weather<br />
forecast for Saturday was about the worst of the<br />
whole summer and I was tempted to try and<br />
persuade Mark to move our ride back a week. In<br />
practice it didn’t turn out anywhere near as bad<br />
as expected.<br />
Mark arrived in good time on the Friday<br />
evening, (he’s never, ever late!) and was soon<br />
‘Carbo’ loading. I didn’t sleep much, if there’s<br />
one thing I dislike nearly as much as riding in the<br />
dark it’s riding in a wind. Because of the adverse<br />
forecast we moved our start time forward on the<br />
basis that it would be better to ride in the gloom<br />
of beckoning daylight rather than late into the<br />
night. We set off just after 05:00 and although<br />
lights were necessary it was reasonably bright<br />
from the off. Heading out towards Ashby de la<br />
Zouch was probably the hardest section, with<br />
little shelter from a stiff head wind: it was soon<br />
raining heavily and it barely stopped until lunch.<br />
After skirting south of Ashby riding became<br />
far more manageable as virtually all the way<br />
to our most westerly point at Wem there<br />
were narrow lanes, mostly well sheltered with<br />
high hedges. Thank goodness for mandatory<br />
routes that make picking out all these lanes<br />
possible. Through Rosliston, far too early for<br />
either café to be open, and then after Barton<br />
Under Needwood a new section to the edge of<br />
Cannock Chase was followed by an absolutely<br />
gem of a route into Penkridge. We dripped all<br />
over the café floor as breakfast number two<br />
arrived.<br />
From here to Wem progress was often slowed<br />
by the state of the roads, poor surfaces, deep<br />
puddles and many places where care was<br />
needed as wet sand and soil produced a thick<br />
and slimy layer.<br />
In Wem the café I had researched on Google<br />
Maps failed to materialise. Fortunately we came<br />
across a transport café on an industrial estate<br />
3km later.<br />
Now at least the wind, approaching gale<br />
force at times, was on our side, or half behind,<br />
through Hodnet, Eccleshall, Stone and into<br />
Uttoxeter.<br />
Unfortunately we arrived at the garden centre<br />
just before Uttoxeter as the café was closing; at<br />
least Tesco provided an alternative, although<br />
we were somewhat apprehensive as there was<br />
a large group of bored teenagers next to where<br />
our bikes were locked. Apart from a narrow<br />
and busy 3 km into Repton (Probably the worst<br />
bit of the whole SR.) the journey back to my<br />
house was easy and uneventful. Arrivée and SR<br />
series completed at 20:15 with just 20 minutes of<br />
daylight left.<br />
Thanks to Chris Smith for his advice and<br />
approving our routes and validating our<br />
tracklogs. Even though we carried two spare<br />
GPX devices we had no problems with the<br />
equipment. Planning the routes and validating<br />
our rides proved very easy. ◆<br />
Arrivée and SR Series complete<br />
Care needed on the way to Wem<br />
50<br />
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L-E-L 2017<br />
If you're a member of Audax UK, and<br />
have been since 25 March 2015, you<br />
hold a guaranteed place for next year's<br />
London Edinburgh London. If you're<br />
thinking about riding, we thought you'd<br />
appreciate some news about how you can get<br />
your place. We'll open for entries from Audax<br />
UK members and people on our guaranteed<br />
entry list on 6 January 2017. You'll then have<br />
until 20 January 2017 to claim your place before<br />
we open entry to everyone.<br />
The entry fee for London Edinburgh London<br />
will be £319. This will include:<br />
• A fantastic route from London to Edinburgh<br />
and back<br />
• Route sheet, GPX and TCX tracks<br />
• Sign posting for nearly 25% ofthe route<br />
• Validation of your ride with Audax UK and<br />
Les Randonneurs Mondiaux<br />
• All food, plus hot and cold drinks at controls<br />
• Beds in dormitories<br />
• Hot showers (hopefully!)<br />
•Two bag drops to selected controls<br />
• Moto crew assistance along the route in<br />
Scotland, and a lift back to the nearest control<br />
if you get completely stranded.<br />
photo : Tim Wainwright<br />
During the early entry/guaranteed entry<br />
period, you will be able to pay us by bank<br />
transfer only. Unfortunately we cannot<br />
accept Paypal for early or guaranteed entries,<br />
as Paypal will not release enough of your<br />
payment in time for us to run the event<br />
successfully.<br />
If you are entering from outside the<br />
United Kingdom, then Transferwise (www.<br />
transferwise.com) will allow you to make an<br />
international bank transfer using your debit or<br />
credit card.<br />
If you want to pay by Paypal, we will release<br />
a limited number of entries by Paypal, at a<br />
price of £329, when we open to everyone on 20<br />
January 2017.<br />
If you've any questions about this, contact us<br />
at 2017@londonedinburghlondon.com and<br />
we'll do our best to help.<br />
See you in London,<br />
The London Edinburgh<br />
London team<br />
photo : Ivo Miesen<br />
photo : Ivo Miesen<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 51
OFFICIAL<br />
Chair: Chris Crossland<br />
chair@audax.uk • 01422 832853<br />
14 Stanley Street West, Sowerby Bridge, West<br />
Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
General Secretary: Graeme Provan<br />
secretary@audax.uk<br />
Marlborough House, Victoria Road South,<br />
Chelmsford CM1 1LN<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
Membership Secretary: Mike Wigley<br />
membership@audax.uk<br />
Higher Grange Farm, Millcroft Lane,<br />
Delph OL3 5UX<br />
Registrar: Les Hereward<br />
registrar@audax.uk<br />
20 Webster Close, Oxshott, Surrey KT22 0SF<br />
Finance Director: Paul Salmons<br />
fd@audax.uk<br />
25 Bluewater Drive, Elborough,<br />
Weston-Super-Mare BS24 8PF<br />
Membership Assistants – Renewals<br />
Peter Gawthorne<br />
Allan Taylor<br />
Findlay Watt<br />
Accounts: Nigel Armstrong<br />
accounts@audax.uk<br />
Directors without Portfolio<br />
Chris Boulton<br />
15 Adel Towers Close, Leeds LS16 8ES<br />
John Sabine<br />
107 Victoria Way, London SE7 7NU<br />
Membership Assistants – Enrolments<br />
Peter Davis<br />
Richard Jennings<br />
CALENDAR EVENTS, PERMANENTS & SOCIAL<br />
Calendar Events Secretary: Martin Foley<br />
events@audax.uk<br />
78 Denholm Road, Musselburgh,<br />
East Lothian EH21 6TU<br />
Regional Events Delegates<br />
Scotland & N England: Nigel Hall<br />
SE England: Pat Hurt<br />
Midlands & E England: Geoffrey Cleaver<br />
SW England & Wales: Ian Hennessey<br />
Permanent Events Secretary<br />
John Ward<br />
perms@audax.uk • 01590 671205<br />
34 Avenue Road, Lymington SO41 9GJ<br />
DIY Regional Representatives<br />
Midlands, N & Mid Wales: Chris Smith<br />
NE England: Joe Applegarth<br />
NW England: Julian Dyson<br />
Scotland: Martin Foley<br />
SE England: Paul Stewart<br />
SW England & S Wales: Tony Hull<br />
Yorkshire & East: Andy Clarkson<br />
Audax Altitude Award (AAA): Steve Snook<br />
steve.snook000@gmail.com<br />
6 Briggland Court, Wilsden, Bradford,<br />
West Yorkshire BD15 0HL<br />
Ordre des Cols Durs (OCD): Rod Dalitz<br />
rod.dalitz@me.com<br />
136 Muir Wood Road, Edinburgh EH14 5HF<br />
RRTY Award Secretary: Caroline Fenton<br />
rrty@audax.uk<br />
Fixed Wheel Challenge (FWC)<br />
& Super Fixed Wheel: Richard Phipps<br />
77 West Farm Avenue, Ashtead,<br />
Surrey KT21 2JZ<br />
Event Services Director<br />
& Recorder: Peter Lewis<br />
services@audax.uk • 07592 018947<br />
82 Pine Road, Chandlers Ford,<br />
Eastleigh SO53 1JT<br />
LRM/ACP Correspondent: Chris Crossland<br />
Brevet Card Production Secretary: Oliver Iles<br />
brevetcards@audax.uk<br />
49 Upper Belmont Rd, Bishopston,<br />
Bristol BS7 9DG<br />
Validation Secretaries:<br />
Susan Gatehouse & Keith Harrison<br />
validations@audax.uk<br />
11 Heather Avenue, Hellesdon,<br />
Norwich NR6 6LU<br />
Annual Awards Secretary: Mike Lane<br />
mike.lane@blueyonder.co.uk<br />
8 Ford Lane, Emersons Green,<br />
Bristol BS16 7DD<br />
Reunion Organiser: Paul Rainbow<br />
paul@audaxclubbristol.co.uk<br />
49 Quarrington Road, Horfield, Bristol BS7 9PJ<br />
SYSTEMS<br />
IT Manager: Richard Jennings<br />
it@audax.uk<br />
Systems Manager (aukweb.net):<br />
Francis Cooke<br />
francis@aukadia.net • 0161 4499309<br />
33 Hawk Green Road, Marple SK6 7HR<br />
Assistants<br />
Pete Coates<br />
Matt Haigh<br />
Terry Kay<br />
COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLICATIONS<br />
Communications Director: Ged Lennox<br />
gedlennox@me.com<br />
Spring Cottage, Harley Wood, Nailsworth<br />
Gloucestershire GL6 0LB<br />
AUK Forum (forum.audax.uk): Martin Foley<br />
forum@audax.uk<br />
AUK Forum Assistants<br />
Peter Lewis, Les Hereward (Moderators)<br />
Arrivée Editors<br />
Winter: Sheila Simpson<br />
sheila@aukadia.net • 0161 449 9309<br />
33 Hawk Green Road, Hawk Green,<br />
Marple, Cheshire SK6 7HR<br />
Spring: Tim Wainwright<br />
twain@blueyonder.co.uk • 020 8657 8179<br />
4a Brambledown Road,<br />
South Croydon CR2 0BL<br />
Summer: David Kenning<br />
dave@widdersbel.co.uk • 07734 815133<br />
Little Orchard, Pean Hill, Whitstable CT5 3BQ<br />
Autumn: Peter Moir<br />
peter@moir.co.uk • 01993 704913<br />
2 Peel Close, Ducklington, Witney,<br />
Oxfordshire OX29 7YB<br />
52<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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www.aukweb.net Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 53
OFFICIAL<br />
SECRETARY'S REPORT<br />
Just a Sec…<br />
‘Another year over and a new one just begun…’<br />
…I hope you had/have fun.<br />
The AUK year ended on 31st October and<br />
it has been another bumper year with<br />
21,487 rides validated to date. It was also<br />
the busiest ever post-PBP year.<br />
Various delegates and board members are<br />
currently involved in a flurry of end of season<br />
activity. When that process is complete, we will<br />
have a complete picture of the season and this<br />
will form the basis for the various annual reports<br />
that will be published prior to the AGM.<br />
By the time you read this, the annual Reunion<br />
will be about to take place in Taunton. I am<br />
certain that Audax Club Bristol will live up to the<br />
high expectations that I have of them and they<br />
deserve a huge thank you for all the hard work<br />
they are putting into the event.<br />
AGM<br />
The next official event is our AGM. This has<br />
been moved to a quieter time of the season in<br />
terms of rides and will take place on the 11th<br />
February in Birmingham. The formal notice is<br />
set out [opposite] and contains all the formal<br />
details.<br />
One of the other reasons for moving the<br />
AGM was to allow it to become a proper forum<br />
for considering the future of our association<br />
away from the distractions of the Reunion. A<br />
dedicated section of the forum has been set up<br />
for AGM matters and I hope as draft resolutions<br />
are received that they will be reviewed and<br />
debated by as many members as possible.<br />
The Reunion itself will feature a session led<br />
by the board. The session will include updates<br />
on strategy, finance and the IT project as well<br />
as chance to ask questions of various board<br />
members and to debate potential items for<br />
consideration at the AGM. If you have anything<br />
you would like to see included in that session<br />
or a question you would like to ask then let me<br />
have the details.<br />
Elections for the following posts will take<br />
place at the AGM:<br />
••<br />
General Secretary<br />
••<br />
Events Services Director<br />
••<br />
Permanent Events Secretary<br />
••<br />
Non-Executive Directors x 2<br />
••<br />
IT Director – new post, see below.<br />
The Events Services Director and the<br />
Permanent Events Secretary have indicated a<br />
willingness to continue in post. My own post<br />
is up for re-election as I was appointed by the<br />
board and that decision needs to be ratified by<br />
the members. Details of the nomination process<br />
are set out with the AGM Notice and are also<br />
available on the website and forum.<br />
Board meeting<br />
I attended our latest board meeting on the<br />
12th October. You can find the minutes and<br />
reports in the Official section of the website.<br />
One of the highlights of the meeting was the<br />
attendance of Danial Webb, the organiser of LEL,<br />
of which more below.<br />
We also looked at Health & Safety and<br />
adopted a new policy which draws together the<br />
various components that make up our approach<br />
to Health and Safety. This will now form part of<br />
an annual end of season review when we can<br />
look back at the incident reports generated by<br />
organisers and see if any trends or issues can be<br />
identified.<br />
Richard Jennings, our current IT manager,<br />
reported that good progress was being made<br />
on most elements of the project to replace<br />
our website and IT infrastructure but that<br />
the scheme had also reached something of a<br />
crossroads. As a result, Richard has decided to<br />
step aside to allow someone else to take the<br />
project forward. You will find an advert for the<br />
new post of IT Director elsewhere in this issue.<br />
LEL<br />
Danial Webb provided the board with a<br />
full report on the planning and preparation<br />
associated with LEL 2017. It is a staggering<br />
undertaking with many moving parts but with<br />
Danial’s experience and input from his close knit<br />
team, it looks as if it is very much, to use Danial’s<br />
phrase, “on track”.<br />
LEL is not only a flagship event for AUK with<br />
a global profile, it is also an opportunity for<br />
our sport to develop itself in other ways. An<br />
event of this scale means that huge amounts<br />
of thought and effort go into all sorts of areas<br />
from food and nutrition right through to control<br />
management. This can only be to the benefit of<br />
our sport generally as that knowledge trickles<br />
down into other events.<br />
To continue the theme I started with and<br />
at the risk of being the first person to do so, I<br />
take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy<br />
Christmas and good riding for the coming year.<br />
Graeme<br />
Provan<br />
Secretary,<br />
Audax UK<br />
54<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
AGM<br />
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - AUDAX UNITED KINGDOM<br />
LONG DISTANCE CYCLISTS’ ASSOCIATION (“Audax UK”)<br />
Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of Audax UK will be held on Saturday 11 February 2017, at 12.00pm at Room 101, The Library<br />
of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2ND.<br />
Graeme Provan<br />
General Secretary<br />
secretary@audax.uk<br />
Resolutions should be submitted by members acting as proposer and seconder by post or email to the General Secretary to arrive no later than<br />
the 15th December <strong>2016</strong>. The resolution may include a statement of no more than 1000 words, excluding details of any changes to AUK Articles<br />
and Regulations.<br />
The draft resolutions will then be available at www.aukweb.net for a period of not less than 21 days for review. During this period members may<br />
submit amendments to resolutions in the same manner as resolutions. Proposers of resolutions and/or amendments may similarly withdraw<br />
unamended resolutions and/or amendments, or otherwise combine, partition or otherwise redraft them so long as they continue to address the<br />
resolution’s original subject<br />
Elections for the following posts will take place at the AGM:<br />
General Secretary<br />
Events Services Director<br />
Permanent Events Secretary<br />
Non-Executive Directors (2)<br />
IT Director – new post<br />
Nominations with details of the members proposing and seconding the nomination and the consent of the nominated person to serve together<br />
with a statement of that person’s relevant abilities or experience of no more than 1000 words should be sent by post or email to the General<br />
Secretary to be received no later than the 12th January 2017.<br />
An agenda including the final resolutions and nominations and annual reports and accounts will be published on the website not later than the<br />
19th January 2017.<br />
All members are very welcome to attend the meeting and tea and coffee will be provided. Alternatively, any member may appoint a proxy to<br />
attend, speak and vote in his or her place. Proxy voting will go live on the 19th January. If you or your proxy wishes to attend the meeting, I would<br />
be grateful if you could let me know in good time so that I can ensure adequate space at the venue as well as adequate supplies of refreshments.<br />
It is important that all members ensure that their email details on www.aukweb.net are accurate. Details of proxy voting will be sent to all<br />
members with email addresses. The email will be sent from elections@mi-voice.com. You may wish to save the email address to your contacts to<br />
avoid the email ending up in your junk folder. Mi-voice is the Electoral Services Company who will manage the process on our behalf.<br />
Arrangements for those who need to receive the AGM papers and notices by post were published in the last issue of Arrivée and the form is set<br />
out again below.<br />
To: Audax UK Registrar, 20 Webster Close, Oxshott, Surrey KT22 0SF<br />
I would like to register for printed AGM materials.<br />
Signed: ____________________________________________________________________<br />
Name: ____________________________________________________________________<br />
AUK Membership No: ________________________ Date: ____________________________<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 55
AUK CALENDAR<br />
Riders on the National 400, photo Tim Decker<br />
Calendar key<br />
A(1)<br />
B<br />
BD<br />
DIY<br />
R<br />
free/cheap accommodation, 1 night<br />
very basic – no halls/beds, etc<br />
baggage drop<br />
own route and controls, cards by post<br />
free or cheap refreshments at start<br />
and/or finish<br />
showers<br />
sleeping facilities on route<br />
S<br />
Z<br />
175 entries close at 175 riders<br />
YH<br />
youth hostel at/near start<br />
C<br />
camping at or near the start<br />
F<br />
some free food and/or drink on ride<br />
L<br />
left luggage facilities at start<br />
P<br />
free or cheap motor parking at start<br />
T<br />
toilets at start<br />
M<br />
mudguards required<br />
X<br />
some very basic controls (eg service<br />
stations)<br />
(14/4) entries close 14th April<br />
100 05 Nov Alfreton To the Races<br />
09:00 Sat BP 108km £5.00 L P R T M 100 12-28kph<br />
Updated Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP<br />
200 05 Nov Cholsey, E of Didcot Upper Thames<br />
07:30 Sat BR 212km 1900m [1943m] £6.00 L P R T M 15-30kph<br />
Thames Valley Audax 01491 651 284 audaxphil@btinternet.com<br />
Phil Dyson, 25 Papist Way Cholsey Wallingford Oxon OX10 9LL<br />
200 05 Nov Coryton, NW Cardiff Transporter 200<br />
07:00 Sat BR 202km £8.00 YH L P R T 50 15-30kph<br />
Cardiff Byways CC 02920 341768 evansrichardd@googlemail.com<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Richard Evans, 73 Conway Road Cardiff CF11 9NW<br />
200 05 Nov Galashiels The Long Dark Teatime of The Soul<br />
08:00 Sat BR 2000m £8.00 G, P,R,T 15-30kph<br />
Change of Date Audax Ecosse 01896 758 181 pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy McTaggart, 30 Victoria St. Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
200 05 Nov Tewkesbury Mr. Pickwick's Cymraeg Cyrch<br />
07:30 Sat BR 209km 2200m £6.00 c p r t nm 100 15-25kph<br />
BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ<br />
100 05 Nov Witham Essex 3 R's<br />
10:00 Sat BP 107km £4.00 X M T G 12-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
grant@huggys.co.uk<br />
Grant Huggins, 76 Bryony Close Witham Essex CM8 2XF<br />
200 06 Nov Cheadle, Stockport Eureka!<br />
08:00 Sun BR 210km 800m £6.00 P R T M 60 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
hamhort84@talktalk.net<br />
160 06 Nov Cheadle, Stockport Cheshire Safari<br />
08:30 Sun BP 570m £6.00 P R T M 60 15-25kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
hamhort84@talktalk.net<br />
Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Avenue Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ<br />
100 06 Nov Merthyr Tydfil Dic Penderyn<br />
09:00 Sun BP 1900m AAA2 £5.00 P R T 12-30kph<br />
Merthyr CC 01685 373 758 adrianmcd2010@talktalk.net<br />
ROA 3000<br />
Adrian McDonald, 2 Brunswick St Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glam CF47 8SB<br />
200 06 Nov Pound Street Car Park, Petworth, W Sussex The Petworth 200<br />
08:00 Sun BR 210km 2006m £8.50 F P T 15-30kph<br />
ABAudax<br />
anton.brown@btconnect.com<br />
100 06 Nov Pound Street Car Park, Petworth, W Sussex The Petworth 100<br />
09:00 Sun BP 103km 1350m £8.50 F P T 15-30kph<br />
ABAudax<br />
anton.brown@btconnect.com<br />
Anton Brown, 19 Northlands Avenue Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 3RT<br />
100 12 Nov Catherington, near Portsmouth Le Bois Ocaud d'Automne 100<br />
09:00 Sat BP 106km 1600m AAA1.5 £5.00 F L P R T 14.3-30kph<br />
Hantspol CC<br />
jondse@ntlworld.com<br />
Jonathan Ellis, 42 Wessex Road Waterlooville Hampshire PO8 0HS<br />
100 26 Nov Cranbrook, Exeter Breakfast in Bampton<br />
09:00 Sat BP £4.50 T NM 12-20kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
shbritton@outlook.com<br />
Sarah Britton, 17 Copse Close Lane Cranbrook Devon EX5 7AP<br />
100 27 Nov Carlton Colville, nr Lowestoft, Suffolk The Waveney Wander<br />
09:00 Sun BP £5.00 LPRT 15-30kph<br />
VC Baracchi<br />
johntommo6@btinternet.com<br />
John Thompson, 136 Dell Road Oulton Broad Lowestoft Suffolk NR33 9NT<br />
200 03 Dec Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2SE The South of Bucks Winter<br />
Warmer<br />
08:00 Sat BR 207km 1100m [1290m] £5.00 YH A1 G L P T S X (100) 15-30kph<br />
Terry Lister<br />
lister4cycling@btinternet.com<br />
Terry Lister, 4 Abbey Walk Great Missenden Bucks HP16 0AY<br />
56<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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AUK CALENDAR<br />
200 03 Dec Coryton, NW Cardiff Monmouthshire Meander<br />
07:30 Sat BR 204km £8.00 YH L P R T 50 15-25kph<br />
Cardiff Byways<br />
tonypember@gmail.com<br />
Tony Pember, 9 Donald Street Nelson Treharris CF46 6EB<br />
200 03 Dec Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Tinsel and Lanes<br />
08:00 Sat BR 211km 2060m £9 P R T 60 15-30kph<br />
Geoff Cleaver<br />
audaxgeoff@gmail.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Geoffrey Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth Staffordshire B78 1BY<br />
100 03 Dec Tamworth, Pretty Pigs PH Flowers to Furnace<br />
09:00 Sat BP 104km 940m £7.00 P R T 50 12-30kph<br />
Geoff Cleaver<br />
audaxgeoff@gmail.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Geoff Cleaver, 43 Goodere Drive Polesworth Tamworth B78 1BY<br />
200 03 Dec Tewkesbury Kings, Castles, Priests & Churches.<br />
07:30 Sat BR 202km 2550m AAA1.75 [1800m] £6.00 f l p r t nm 100 15-25kph<br />
BlackSheep CC 01684 292 390 blacksheepaudax@gmail.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Mark Rigby, 16 Battle Road Tewkesbury Park Tewkesbury GL20 5TZ<br />
100 03 Dec Witham, Essex The Stansted Airport Express<br />
10:00 Sat BP £4.00 X M T 12.5-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
50 04 Dec Carharrack, Cornwall Ed's Mince Pie & Mulled Wine 50<br />
10:00 Sun BP £4.00 F L P R T (85) 10-25kph<br />
Audax Kernow<br />
01326 373421 angells@talktalk.net<br />
Eddie Angell, 14 Belhay Penryn Cornwall TR10 8DF<br />
200 18 Dec Bredbury, Stockport Winter Solstice<br />
08:30 Sun BR 202km 700m £5.00 P R T 60 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
mike@PeakAudax.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Mike Wigley, Higher Grange Farm Millcroft Lane Delph OL3 5UX<br />
200 18 Dec Great Bromley, nr Colchester Santa Special<br />
08:00 Sun BR 204km 1142m £6.50 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
CTC Suffolk 07922772001<br />
Andy Terry, 35 Colchester Road Lawford Manningtree Essex CO11 2BA<br />
100 07 Jan Bradwell, nr Hope, Peak District Hopey New Year<br />
09:00 Sat BP 104km 1750m AAA1.75 £6.00 YH C P R T 100 10-30kph<br />
David Darricott<br />
01433 621 531 ddarricott@aol.com<br />
David Darricott, 9 Gore Lane Bradwell Hope Valley Derbyshire S33 9HT<br />
200 07 Jan Oxford The Poor Student<br />
08:00 Sat BR 207km 1800m £6.00 YH P X 15-30kph<br />
Updated Pat Hurt 07887 87 61 62 iddu.audax@gmail.com<br />
Pat Hurt, 10 Newbury Road Lambourn RG17 7LL<br />
100 08 Jan Kings Worthy, Winchester Watership Down<br />
09:30 Sun BP 108km 1235m £6.00 L F P R T M 140 14-28kph<br />
Winchester CTC<br />
coles.sue@gmail.com<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Sue Coles, 7 Ruffield Close Winchester SO22 5JL<br />
100 08 Jan York, Railway Station Goodbye Christmas Yorkshire Pudding<br />
10:00 Sun BP [71m] £4.00 P R T (100) 15-30kph<br />
VC 167<br />
les.bauchop@gmail.com<br />
Les Bauchop, 2a Westbourne Grove Pickering North Yorkshire YO18 8AW<br />
100 14 Jan Swaffham Community Centre, Norfolk New Year QE2<br />
09:30 Sat BP 107km £6.50 G L M P R T 15-30kph<br />
CC Breckland<br />
01760722800 iceniaudax@gmail.com<br />
Jonathan Reed, Iceni Partnership Community Centre Campingland Swaffham PE37<br />
7RB<br />
54 14 Jan Swaffham Community Centre, Norfolk Swaffham Xenon<br />
10:00 Sat BP £6.50 G L M P R T 10-30kph<br />
CC Breckland<br />
01760722800 iceniaudax@gmail.com<br />
Jonathan Reed, Swaffham Community Centre The Campingland Swaffham<br />
Community Centre The Campingland PE37 7RD<br />
200 21 Jan Cardiff Gate Dr. Foster's Winter Warmer<br />
07:00 Sat BR 201km £6.00 YH L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Cardiff Byways CC<br />
tonypember@gmail.com<br />
Tony Pember, 9 Donald Street Nelson Treharris CF46 6EB<br />
200 21 Jan Chalfont St Peter The Willy Warmer<br />
08:00 Sat BR 209km £7.00 L P R T M 75 G 15-30kph<br />
Willesden CC<br />
paudax@gmail.com<br />
Paul Stewart, 25 Devonshire Gardens Chiswick London W4 3TN<br />
100 21 Jan Kelvedon, Essex The Kelvedon Oyster<br />
10:00 Sat BP 109km £5.00 X M T G 12-30kph<br />
Updated<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
Graeme Provan, 1 Firs Road West Mersea Colchester CO5 8JS<br />
200 22 Jan Cheadle, Stockport A Mere Two Hundred<br />
08:00 Sun BR 201km 800m £7.00 P R T 80 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
150 22 Jan Cheadle, Stockport A Mere Century<br />
08:30 Sun BP 155km 600m £6.00 P R T 60 15-25kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
David Colley, 5 Huncoat Avenue Heaton Chapel Stockport SK4 5HN<br />
100 28 Jan Aztec West, Bristol Jack and Grace Cotton Memorial 100km<br />
09:00 Sat BP 104km £7.00 P R T 12.5-30kph<br />
Audax Club Bristol<br />
info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk<br />
Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ<br />
100 28 Jan Hailsham Hills and Mills<br />
09:00 Sat BP 105km 1950m AAA2 £6.00 R F P 85 14-25kph<br />
Andy Seviour<br />
Andy Seviour, 13 Blacksmiths Copse Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3XB<br />
150 29 Jan Ashton Keynes, Cirencester Windrush Winter Warm Down 150<br />
08:00 Sun BP 155km [650m] £5.00 L F P R T 15-30kph<br />
Corinium CC<br />
01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk<br />
100 29 Jan Ashton Keynes, Cirencester Windrush Winter Warm-up 100<br />
09:00 Sun BP 108km 650m £5.00 L F P R T 14-25kph<br />
Corinium CC<br />
01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester GL7 1RL<br />
200 04 Feb Alfreton Straight on at Rosie's<br />
08:00 Sat BR 1190m £6.00 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Alfreton CTC<br />
tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP<br />
100 04 Feb Witham Knights Templar Compasses and Cross<br />
10:00 Sat BP 105km 800m [795m] £4.00 X G T P 12-25kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
grant@huggys.co.uk<br />
Grant Huggins, 76 Bryony Close Witham Essex CM8 2XF<br />
100 11 Feb Bamford, Derbyshire Occasionally Hilly<br />
09:00 Sat BP 108km 2070m AAA2 £6.00 P, R, T, G 12.5-30kph<br />
Common Lane Occasionals<br />
owright@mac.com<br />
ROA 2000<br />
Oliver Wright, Townhead Farm 345 Baslow Road Sheffield South Yorkshire S17 4AD<br />
100 11 Feb Dial Post, West Sussex Worthing Winter Warmer<br />
09:00 Sat BP 105km £5.00 FPRT 15-30kph<br />
Mick Irons 01903 240 280<br />
Mick Irons, 36 Phrosso Road Worthing West Sussex BN11 5SL<br />
100 12 Feb Chippenham Flapjack<br />
09:00 Sun BP 102km £7.00 F P R T M 150 15-24kph<br />
Chip. & Dist. Whs. 01225 708449<br />
Eric Fletcher, 174 Littleworth Lane Whitley Melksham Wiltshire SN12 8RE<br />
100 12 Feb Leicester Rutland and Beyond<br />
08:30 Sun BP 102km 1290m £4.00 F L P R S T 100 12-30kph<br />
Leic. Forest CC<br />
kimbo44@hotmail.com<br />
ROA 2000<br />
Kim Suffolk, 73 Colby Road Thurmaston Leicester LE4 8LG<br />
200 18 Feb Cardiff Gate Malmesbury Mash<br />
07:00 Sat BRM 1000m £3.00 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
CTC Cymru<br />
oldfield.tout@btinternet.com<br />
Ritchie Tout, Sunnyside Cottage Mynyddbach Monmouthshire NP16 6RT<br />
200 18 Feb Rochdale North-West Passage<br />
08:00 Sat BRM 2100m £6.00 R T 15-30kph<br />
West Pennine RC<br />
120 18 Feb Rochdale mini-North-West Passage<br />
09:00 Sat BP 1450m £6.00 r t 15-30kph<br />
West Pennine RC<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Noel Healey, 95 Shore Mount Littleborough Lancs OL15 8EW<br />
120 25 Feb Hailsham Mad Jack's - John Seviour Memorial<br />
09:00 Sat BP 125km 2450m AAA2.5 £6.00 R F P 100 14-25kph<br />
Andy Seviour<br />
Andy Seviour, 13 Blacksmiths Copse Hailsham East Sussex BN27 3XB<br />
120 25 Feb Whitlenge, Hartlebury, S of Kidderminster Sunrise Express<br />
08:30 Sat BP 121km £8.00 P R T F 130 15-30kph<br />
Beacon Roads Cycling Clu 01562 731606 p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk<br />
120 25 Feb Whitlenge, Hartlebury, S of Kidderminster Snowdrop Express<br />
09:00 Sat BP 921m £8.00 P R T F 130 15-30kph<br />
Beacon Roads Cycling Clu 01562 731606 p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk<br />
Dr Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terrace Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 57
AUK CALENDAR<br />
200 26 Feb Cheadle, Stockport Newport<br />
08:00 Sun BR 201km 750m £7.00 P, R, T 15-30kph<br />
North Cheshire Clarion<br />
150 26 Feb Cheadle, Stockport Radway<br />
08:30 Sun BP 153km 450m £6.50 P, R, T 15-30kph<br />
North Cheshire Clarion<br />
Neil Shand, 12 Chapel Close Comberbach Northwich CW9 6BA<br />
100 26 Feb Corscombe, near Beaminster The Primrose Path<br />
09:00 Sun BP 102km 1955m AAA2 £7.00 F L NM P T 55 16/2 12.5-25kph<br />
Arthur Vince<br />
arthur.vince@btinternet.com<br />
Arthur Vince, 3 Back Lane East Coker Yeovil BA22 9JN<br />
100 26 Feb Old Town Hall, Musselburgh Musselburgh RCC Tour of East Lothian<br />
10:00 Sun BP 106km £10.00 L P R T NM 12.5-30kph<br />
Musselburgh RCC<br />
Alistair Mackintosh, 5 Durham Road South Edinburgh EH15 3PD<br />
200 04 Mar Churchend,Dunmow, Essex The Horsepower 200<br />
07:30 Sat BRM £9.00 X A[1] C L P R T G M 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
100 04 Mar Churchend,Dunmow, Essex The Horsepower 100km<br />
09:00 Sat BP 102km £9.00 X A[1] C L P R T G M 12.5-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
200 05 Mar Dalmeny Forth and Tay<br />
08:00 Sun BR 208km 2500m £10.00 F G L P R T (100) 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
martinfoley@btinternet.com<br />
Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU<br />
100 11 Mar Alfreton Three Fields<br />
09:00 Sat BP 104km 1170m [1270m] £5.00 L P R T 100 12-30kph<br />
Alfreton CTC<br />
tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP<br />
200 11 Mar Grazeley, S of Reading The Kennet Valley Run<br />
07:30 Sat BR 207km 1763m £ 15-30kph<br />
Reading CTC<br />
mes84uk@gmail.com<br />
100 11 Mar Grazeley, S of Reading The Kennet Valley 100<br />
09:00 Sat BP 895m £ 15-30kph<br />
Reading CTC<br />
mes84uk@gmail.com<br />
Mick Simmons,<br />
100 12 Mar Seaham Seaham Sircular<br />
09:00 Sun BP 1700m AAA1.75 £5.00 F L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Dave Sharpe<br />
cycle349@gmail.com<br />
Dave Sharpe, 3 Elizabeth Street Seaham County Durham SR7 7TP<br />
200 12 Mar Winsford, Cheshire Scouting Mam Tor<br />
08:00 Sun BR 207km 2570m AAA2.25 [2150m] £7.75 P R T 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
pjbscott@sky.com<br />
160 12 Mar Winsford, Cheshire Edale Run<br />
08:30 Sun BP 167km 2370m AAA2.25 [2150m] £7.75 P R T 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
pjbscott@sky.com<br />
Phil Scott, 59 Hawkshead Way Winsford Cheshire CW7 2SY<br />
200 18 Mar Andoversford, Nr Cheltenham Cheltenham New Flyer<br />
08:00 Sat BRM £6 LPRT 15-30kph<br />
Cheltenham CTC<br />
stephen.poulton@btinternet.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Stephen Poulton, Leckhampton Lodge 23 Moorend Park Road Leckhampton<br />
Cheltenham Glos GL53 0LA<br />
100 18 Mar Copdock, Nr. Ipswich The Copdock Circuit - Spring in South Suffolk<br />
09:00 Sat BP £6.50 L P R T M 12-30kph<br />
Suffolk CTC<br />
the.kells@talk21.com<br />
Dennis Kell, 9 Pheasant Rise Copdock Ipswich Suffolk IP8 3LF<br />
200 18 Mar Girton, Cambridge The Cambridge Pork Pie<br />
08:00 Sat BR 214km 1900m [1700m] £7.00 YH A C G L P R T S 15-30kph<br />
Cambridge Audax<br />
nick@camaudax.uk<br />
100 18 Mar Girton, Cambridge The Cambridge Spring Dash<br />
09:00 Sat BP 850m £7.00 YH A C G L P R T S 12.5-30kph<br />
Cambridge Audax<br />
nick@camaudax.uk<br />
Nick Wilkinson, 42 Dodford Lane Girton Cambridge CB3 0QE<br />
100 18 Mar Market Bosworth, Sports Club 1485 Tri Club Audax<br />
09:00 Sat BP £8.00 t. s. r. nm. p. c. g.175 15-30kph<br />
1485 Tri Club<br />
Steven Robinson, 7 Tudor Close Market Bosworth Leicestershire CV13 0NA<br />
200 18 Mar Selkirk Scottish Borders Randonnee<br />
08:00 Sat BR 204km 2168m £10.00 F G P R T 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse 01750 20838<br />
Russell Carson, 21 Ladylands Terrace Selkirk TD7 4BB<br />
200 19 Mar Exeter Mad March Coasts and Quantocks<br />
08:00 Sun BRM 201km 2725m AAA2 [1500m] £7.00 YH F P R T X 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
shbritton@outlook.com<br />
Sarah Britton, 17 Copse Close Lane Cranbrook EX5 7AP<br />
100 19 Mar Exeter Mad March Exeter Excursion<br />
09:00 Sun BP £6.00 YH F P R T 12-25kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
07443 471140 shbritton@outlook.com<br />
Sarah Britton, 17 Copse Close Lane Cranbrook Devon EX5 7AP<br />
200 19 Mar Golden Green,Tonbridge Man of Kent 200<br />
08:00 Sun BRM 203km 1505m [1425m] £8.00 F L P R T (120) 15-30kph<br />
Updated San Fairy Ann CC manofkentaudax@gmail.com<br />
David Winslade, 3 Albany Close Tonbridge Kent TN9 2EY<br />
200 25 Mar Aldbrough St John, nr Darlington Yorkshire Gallop<br />
08:00 Sat BR 1480m £5.00 X P R T 14.3-30kph<br />
VC 167<br />
01325 374 112 nigel.hall@finklecroft.me.uk<br />
100 25 Mar Aldbrough St John, nr Darlington Ripon Canter<br />
10:00 Sat BP 572m £5.00 X L P R T 12-25kph<br />
VC 167<br />
01325 374 112 nigel.hall@finklecroft.me.uk<br />
Nigel Hall, Finkle Croft Aldbrough St John Nr. Richmond DL11 7TD<br />
200 25 Mar Alfreton Roses to Wrags<br />
08:00 Sat BR 212km 1391m £6.00 F P R T 150 15-30kph<br />
Alfreton CTC<br />
oggy.dude@gmail.com<br />
Stephen Ogden, The Firs 170 Nuncargate Road Kirkby In Ashfield NG17 9EA<br />
200 26 Mar Poynton, S of Stockport Chirk<br />
08:00 Sun BR £6.00 F P 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
daz@delph45.fsnet.co.uk<br />
Darryl Nolan, 5 Grasmere Road Royton Oldham OL2 6SR<br />
200 01 Apr Ballachulish Port Navigation<br />
07:15 Sat BR 2420m £12.50 C F G P 14.3-30kph<br />
Edinburgh RC<br />
graemewyllie05@gmail.com<br />
Graeme Wyllie, 16 Corstorphine House Avenue Edinburgh EH12 7AD<br />
200 02 Apr Clitheroe, Lancashire Delightful Dales 200<br />
07:30 Sun BRM 205km 3300m AAA3.25 [3600m] £6.00 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
200 02 Apr Greenwich The Shark<br />
07:30 Sun BRM 202km 3200m AAA3.25 £8.00 F G R (31/03) 15-28kph<br />
Change of Date Audax Club Hackney ivan.cornell@gmail.com<br />
Ivan Cornell, 13 Maidenstone Hill London SE10 8SY<br />
200 02 Apr Long Ashton, Bristol Barry's Bristol Ball Buster<br />
08:00 Sun BRM 214km 2000m £7.00 F L P R T NM 15-30kph<br />
Las Vegas Inst of Sport<br />
info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk<br />
110 02 Apr Long Ashton, Bristol Barry's Bristol Blast<br />
10:30 Sun BP 116km £7.00 F L P R T NM 12.5-30kph<br />
Las Vegas Inst of Sport<br />
info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk<br />
110 02 Apr Long Ashton, Bristol Barry's Bristol Bash<br />
09:30 Sun BP 116km 1100m £7.00 F L P R T NM 12.5-30kph<br />
Las Vegas Inst of Sport<br />
info@audaxclubbristol.co.uk<br />
Paul Rainbow, 49 Quarrington Road Horfield Bristol Avon BS7 9PJ<br />
100 02 Apr North Petherton, S of Bridgwater Dunkery Dash<br />
09:00 Sun BP 102km 1600m AAA1.5 £8.00 F L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Bridgwater CC<br />
Keith Bridges, 19 Westfield Road Burnham On Sea Somerset TA8 2AW<br />
300 08 Apr Poole hard boiled 300<br />
02:00 Sat BRM 4400m AAA4.5 £10.00 L M (25/3) 15-30kph<br />
Wessex CTC<br />
Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT<br />
300 08 Apr Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury Yr Elenydd<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 307km 4950m AAA5 £10.00 C F G L P R T (120) 15-25kph<br />
CTC Shropshire<br />
undulates@hotmail.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
John Hamilton, 22 Oaks Crescent Wellington Telford TF1 2HF<br />
110 09 Apr Mytholmroyd Spring into the Dales<br />
09:00 Sun BP 115km 2350m AAA2.25 £4.50 L P R T YH 12-24kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
58<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
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AUK CALENDAR<br />
57 09 Apr Mytholmroyd Leap into the Aire<br />
10:00 Sun BP 1325m AAA1.25 £4.00 L P R T YH 8-20kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
200 09 Apr Wareham Dorset Coast<br />
07:45 Sun BRM 207km 2850m AAA2.75 £12.00 C L F R P T M 1/4 15-30kph<br />
Wessex CTC<br />
01305 263 272 pete_loakes@yahoo.com<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage West Stafford Dorchester DT2 8AB<br />
400 14 Apr Anywhere, to York Easter Fleches to York<br />
::::: Fri BRM £15.00 15-30kph<br />
Audax UK<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
200 14 Apr Anywhere, to York Easter Trail<br />
::::: Fri BP 201km £12.00 15-30kph<br />
Audax UK<br />
martinfoley@btinternet.com<br />
Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU<br />
300 15 Apr Cirencester Heart of England 300<br />
06:00 Sat BR 307km 2800m £7.00 A(2) L P R T 100 15-30kph<br />
Corinium CC<br />
01285 659 515 peter@quernsgate.co.uk<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Peter Holden, 39 Querns Lane Cirencester Glos GL7 1RL<br />
200 16 Apr Congleton, Cheshire Ironbridge 207<br />
08:00 Sun BR 207km 2130m £6.00 P R T 15-30kph<br />
Congleton CC<br />
stevedawson131@gmail.com<br />
130 16 Apr Congleton, Cheshire Hawkstone 133<br />
08:30 Sun BP 133km £5.00 P R T 15-30kph<br />
Congleton CC<br />
stevedawson131@gmail.com<br />
Stephen Dawson, 131 Abbey Road Sandbach Cheshire CW11 3HB<br />
160 16 Apr Honiton Combwich Century<br />
08:30 Sun BP 169km 2470m AAA2.5 £7.00 GLPRT 14-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
ian@ukcyclist.co.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU<br />
400 21 Apr Coryton, NW Cardiff Buckingham Blinder<br />
22:00 Fri BRM £10.00 X 15-30kph<br />
Cardiff Byways CC<br />
Robyn Thomas, 44 Cosmeston Street Cardiff CF24 4LR<br />
300 22 Apr Alfreton Everybody Rides to Skeggy!<br />
06:00 Sat BR 302km 1141m £7.00 L R P T X 100 15-30kph<br />
Updated Alfreton CTC nigel.randell8664@gmail.com<br />
Nigel Randell, 15 Hammer Leys South Normanton Derbyshire DE55 3AX<br />
200 22 Apr Eureka Cafe, Wirral Eureka Excursion<br />
08:00 Sat BR 215km £6.50 R L P T 70 15-30kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CT<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
130 22 Apr Eureka Cafe, Wirral Tea in Prospect<br />
08:30 Sat BP 135km 500m £6.50 L P R T 70 12.5-25kph<br />
Chester & N Wales CTC<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
68 22 Apr Eureka Cafe, Wirral Two Mills Twirl<br />
09:00 Sat BP £6.50 R L P T 50 10-25kph<br />
Chester & N Wales CTC<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
David Matthews, Hill View Cottage Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG<br />
200 22 Apr Leominster The Cambrian<br />
07:00 Sat BR 210km 3750m AAA3.75 £6.00 L P R T 14.3-30kph<br />
Hereford Wheelers<br />
cambrianaudax@gmail.com<br />
140 22 Apr Leominster The Cambrian - Minor<br />
08:00 Sat BP 148km 2250m AAA2.25 £6.00 L P R T 12.5-30kph<br />
Hereford & Dist. Whs<br />
cambrianaudax@gmail.com<br />
84 22 Apr Leominster The Cambrian - Welsh Marches<br />
09:00 Sat BP 920m £6.00 L P R T 10-22.5kph<br />
Hereford & Dist. Whs<br />
cambrianaudax@gmail.com<br />
Daryl Hayter, Weir View Breinton Common Breinton Hereford Herefordshire HR4 7PR<br />
300 22 Apr Meopham Oasts and Coasts 300Km<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 3300m AAA1.75 [1650m] £8.00 L P T R 15-30kph<br />
Tom Jackson 01474 815 213 tom56jackson@gmail.com<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Tom Jackson, 19 Denesway Meopham Kent DA13 0EA<br />
300 22 Apr Poynton, S of Stockport Plains<br />
23:00 Sat BR 310km 1600m £5.00 P X 15-30kph<br />
Peak Audax CTC<br />
hamhort84@talktalk.net<br />
Peter Hammond, 3 Dorac Avenue Heald Green Cheadle Stockport Cheshire SK8 3NZ<br />
110 22 Apr Reepham, nr Lincoln Lincoln Imp<br />
09:30 Sat BP 112km 200m £5.00 G L P R T 10-30kph<br />
CTC Lincolnshire<br />
andy.town@ntlworld.com<br />
Andrew Townhill, 10 Larkin Avenue Cherry Willingham Lincoln Lincolnshire LN3 4AY<br />
200 23 Apr Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland Chevy Chase<br />
08:00 Sun BRM 201km 2465m AAA3 [3000m] £12.00 C F G L P R T (150) 15-30kph<br />
Change of Date Tyneside Vagabonds aidan@northern-audax.org.uk<br />
Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX<br />
400 29 Apr Chalfont St Peter, Bucks London Wales London<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 407km 3500m £23.00 F, G, L, NM, P, R, T 15-30kph<br />
Updated Willesden CC lfitzpatrick01@gmail.com<br />
Liam Fitzpatrick, 13 Heron Close Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 1NF<br />
200 29 Apr Honiton Valley of the Rocks 200<br />
08:00 Sat BRM 205km 3900m AAA4 £7.00 GL P R T 40 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
ian@ukcyclist.co.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU<br />
300 29 Apr Musselburgh Merse and Moors<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 4200m AAA4.25 £10.00 X P L R (50) 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
martinfoley@btinternet.com<br />
Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU<br />
200 01 May Ruislip, London Chiltern Chiltern Bang Bang<br />
08:15 Mon BR 2037m [650m] £9.00 G P R T 15-30kph<br />
Updated<br />
Westerley CC<br />
100 01 May Ruislip, London Chiltern Roalds, Take Me Home<br />
08:45 Mon BP 1231m £9.00 G P R T 15-30kph<br />
Westerley CC 07941175577<br />
Dave Morrison, 145 Cornwall Road Ruislip Middx HA4 6AH<br />
300 06 May Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland The Mosstrooper<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 3900m AAA3.5 [3600m] £9.00 C F G L P R T (100) 15-30kph<br />
Tyneside Vagabonds<br />
aidan@northern-audax.org.uk<br />
Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX<br />
300 06 May Manningtree, Colchester Green & Yellow Fields<br />
00:01 Sat BRM 305km 1500m £4.00 X M P C 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
400 06 May Preston, Lancashire Heartbeat 400<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 409km 5160m AAA5 [4000m] £7.50 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
160 07 May Coppice House, Crewe Tough Stuff<br />
08:00 Sun BP 161km 1765m [502m] £14.00 L P R T NM (150) 15-30kph<br />
Up and Under Cycling Clu admin@upandundergroup.com<br />
Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1<br />
6FA<br />
52 07 May Coppice House, Crewe Foundation Ride<br />
09:30 Sun BP 292m [189m] £14.00 L P R T NM (100) 10-25kph<br />
Up & Under Cycling Club admin@upandundergroup.com<br />
Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1<br />
6FA<br />
100 07 May Coppice House, Crewe Three Counties<br />
08:30 Sun BP 109km 828m £14.00 L P R T NM (100) 12-30kph<br />
Up & Under Cycling Club admin@upandundergroup.com<br />
Andy Fewtrell, Up and Under Foundation Coppice House Quakers Coppice Crewe CW1<br />
6FA<br />
400 07 May Poole Porkers 400<br />
14:00 Sun BRM 5900m AAA6 £10.00 L M (15/4) 15-30kph<br />
Wessex CTC<br />
Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT<br />
600 13 May Chepstow Bryan Chapman Memorial (Classic)<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 7500m AAA7.5 £37.50 BD C F L P R S T Z 15-30kph<br />
CTC Cymru<br />
oldfield.tout@btinternet.com<br />
Ritchie Tout, Sunnyside Cottage Mynyddbach Monmouthshire NP16 6RT<br />
300 13 May Troutbeck Bridge, Cumbria The Westmorland Spartans<br />
07:00 Sat BRM 4000m AAA4 £7.00 YH A(2) L P R T S 15-30kph<br />
Lakes Velo<br />
paul@revells.com<br />
200 13 May Troutbeck Bridge, Cumbria The Cumbrian 200<br />
08:00 Sat BRM 203km 3900m AAA4 £7.00 YH A(2) L P R T S 15-30kph<br />
Lakes Velo<br />
paul@revells.com<br />
Paul Revell, Kirklands, Brow Edge, Backbarrow Ulverston Cumbria LA12 8QL<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 59
AUK CALENDAR<br />
400 20 May Kirkley, Ponteland The Hot Trod<br />
09:30 Sat BRM 3711m [4020m] £9.50 C F G L P R T Z(50) 15-30kph<br />
Tyneside Vagabonds<br />
aidan@northern-audax.org.uk<br />
Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX<br />
160 20 May Meriden, Warwickshire Cotswold Challenge<br />
08:00 Sat BP 1200m £8.00 C G P R T NM 15-30kph<br />
Jon Porteous audax2017@heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk<br />
100 20 May Meriden, Warwickshire Warwickshire Wanderer<br />
09:00 Sat BP 105km 700m £8.00 C G P R T NM 15-30kph<br />
Jon Porteous audax2017@heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk<br />
50 20 May Meriden, Warwickshire Meriden Meander<br />
10:00 Sat BP 540m [546m] £8.00 A C G NM P R T 15-30kph<br />
Jon Porteous audax2017@heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk<br />
Jon Porteous, Tumnus Corner Springhill Gardens Webheath Redditch Worcs B97 5SY<br />
200 20 May Willington Hall, E of Chester Tour of the Berwyns<br />
08:00 Sat BR 210km 3100m AAA3 £6.00 L P R T 75 (17/05) 15-30kph<br />
Chester & North WalesCTC<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
130 20 May Willington Hall, nr Chester Panorama Prospect<br />
08:30 Sat BP 136km 1150m [500m] £6.00 L P R T 75 (17/05) 12.5-25kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CT<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
David Matthews, Hill View Cottage Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG<br />
100 21 May Woodley, Romsey, Hampshire Between the Parks<br />
09:00 Sun BP 500m £6.00 G L P R T (75) (10/5) 15-30kph<br />
Southampton & Romsey CTC<br />
rid@ecs.soton.ac.uk<br />
200 21 May Woodley, Romsey, Hampshire Grand National Park2Park<br />
08:00 Sun BR 2400m £8.50 F G L P R T (150) (10/5) 15-30kph<br />
Southampton CTC<br />
rid@ecs.soton.ac.uk<br />
Robert Damper, 12 Julius Close Chandler's Ford Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 2AB<br />
300 27 May Honiton Old Roads 300<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 3400m £8.00 GLPRT 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU<br />
400 27 May Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire The Old 240<br />
05:30 Sat BR 407km 6400m AAA6.5 £8.00 A(2) L P R T S YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
400 27 May Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire Not Quite The Spurn Head 400<br />
05:30 Sat BR 403km 2450m £8.00 A(2) L P R T S YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
200 27 May Northallerton Egton Bridge<br />
8::00 Sat BR 2700m [2600m] £6.50 PTR 15-30kph<br />
Hambleton RC<br />
paul.roberts901@tiscali.co.uk<br />
Paul Roberts, 37 The Close Romanby Northallerton DL7 8BL<br />
600 27 May Poole Brimstone 600<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 7600m AAA7.5 £10.00 L M (13/5) 15-30kph<br />
Wessex CTC<br />
Shawn Shaw, 22 Shaftesbury Road Longfleet Poole Dorset BH15 2LT<br />
400 02 Jun Corstorphine, Edinburgh Auld Alliance (2017)<br />
21:00 Fri BRM 401km £11.00 F P B R T 15-24kph<br />
Edinburgh RC<br />
graemewyllie05@gmail.com<br />
Graeme Wyllie, 16 Corstorphine House Avenue Edinburgh EH12 7AD<br />
100 03 Jun Cromford, Derbyshire Tramway 100<br />
09:00 Sat BP 104km £6.00 P R T 150 11-25kph<br />
Updated Alfreton CTC tomandsuefox@yahoo.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
Tom Fox, 180 Nottingham Road Alfreton Derbyshire DE55 7FP<br />
400 03 Jun Manningtree, Colchester Asparagus & Strawberries<br />
09:00 Sat BRM 414km 2600m £4.00 X M P C 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
300 10 Jun Padiham, Lancashire Knock Ventoux 300<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 4900m AAA4 [4600m] £6.50 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
300 10 Jun Rowlands Castle, nr Portsmouth Wonderfully Wessex<br />
05:30 Sat BRM £8.50 f l p t (10/6) 15-30kph<br />
Hampshire RC<br />
mrpaulwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk<br />
Paul Whitehead, 73 Spencer Road Emsworth Hampshire PO10 7XR<br />
400 16 Jun Clayhidon, near Taunton Avalon Sunrise 400<br />
22:30 Fri BRM 407km 3300m £17.00 flprtc 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
Jamie Andrews, Cemetery Lodge Ashill Road Uffculme Devon EX15 3DP<br />
600 17 Jun Leominster Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye (*)<br />
06:00 Sat BR 6800m AAA6.75 [6700m] £10.00 F P T (50) 14.3-30kph<br />
Updated Pat Hurt iddu.audax@gmail.com<br />
Pat Hurt, 10 Newbury Road Lambourn RG17 7LL<br />
600 17 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The 3 Coasts 600<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 607km 5611m AAA1.75 [1631m] £10.00 A(3) L P R S T Z YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
600 17 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The East & West Coasts 600<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 605km 4380m [5380m] £10.00 A(3) L P R S T Z YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
200 18 Jun Mytholmroyd, W. of Halifax The Good Companions<br />
08:30 Sun BRM 2697m AAA1.75 [1631m] £5.00 A(2) L P R T S YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
400 23 Jun Anywhere, to York Summer Arrow to York<br />
06:00 Fri BR £15.00 15-30kph<br />
Audax UK<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
200 23 Jun Anywhere, to York Summer Dart to York<br />
::::: Fri BR 210km £5.00 15-30kph<br />
Audax UK<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
200 24 Jun Awbridge, Nr. Romsey, Hampshire Hungerford Hurrah<br />
08:00 Sat BR 2200m £7.00 L P R T 50 15-30kph<br />
Winchester CTC<br />
alanandemma@talktalk.net<br />
170 24 Jun Awbridge, Nr. Romsey, Hampshire Hindon Hip Hip<br />
08:30 Sat BP 1750m £7.00 L P R T 50 15-30kph<br />
Winchester CTC 01794 514124 alanandemma@talktalk.net<br />
140 24 Jun Awbridge, Nr. Romsey, Hampshire Hungerford Hooray<br />
09:00 Sat BP 1450m £7.00 L P R T 50 15-30kph<br />
Winchester CTC<br />
alanandemma@talktalk.net<br />
Alan Davies, 7 Queens Close Romsey Hampshire SO51 5EG<br />
400 24 Jun Upton Magna, E of Shrewsbury National 400<br />
08:00 Sat BRM 403km 4100m AAA1.75 [1650m] £30.00 C F G L P R T 15-25kph<br />
CTC Shropshire<br />
undulates@hotmail.co.uk<br />
ROA 10000<br />
John Hamilton, 22 Oaks Crescent Wellington Telford TF1 2HF<br />
400 01 Jul Churchend, Dunmow, Essex Kingdom of the East Saxons<br />
11:00 Sat BR £20.00 M Z F R P L C T 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
600 01 Jul Clitheroe, Lancashire Pendle 600<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 609km 10150m AAA10 [9000m] £15.00 BD F L P R S T Z 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
200 01 Jul Galashiels Moffat Toffee<br />
08:00 Sat BR 204km 2500m [2300m] £10.00 LPRTSG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
100 01 Jul Galashiels Broughton and Back<br />
10:00 Sat BP 1380m £9.00 LPRTSG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
1000 07 Jul Bispham, Lancashire Mille Pennines<br />
10:00 Fri BRM 13600m AAA13.5 [10000m] £55.00 BD F L P R S T Z (120) 13.3-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
600 08 Jul Exeter The Exe-Buzzard<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 5600m £5 X 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk<br />
600 08 Jul Leighton Buzzard The Buzzard<br />
07:00 Sat BRM 5600m £5.00 X 15-30kph<br />
Exeter Whs<br />
01404 46993 ian@ukcyclist.co.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Ian Hennessey, 10 High Street Honiton EX14 1PU<br />
300 08 Jul Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy Cestyll Cymru 300<br />
6.:30 Sat BR 320km 3194m [3550m] £10.00 X C A1 G L NM P R T 15-30kph<br />
Rhos-on-Sea CC<br />
cbwilby@gmail.com<br />
60<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
AUK CALENDAR<br />
200 08 Jul Rhos-On-Sea, Conwy Cestyll Cymru<br />
08:00 Sat BR 205km 2095m AAA2.25 [2200m] £10.00 A1 C G L R NM T 15-30kph<br />
Rhos-on-Sea CC<br />
cbwilby@gmail.com<br />
Chris Wilby, Gwenallt Henryd Road Gyffin Conwy LL32 8HN<br />
100 09 Jul Combe Down, Bath Mendip Transmitter<br />
08:30 Sun BP 1650m AAA1.75 £7.00 N.P.R.T 13-30kph<br />
Bath CC<br />
robertmcmillan@sky.com<br />
Robert Mcmillan, 228 Bloomfield Road Bath BA2 2AX<br />
300 14 Jul Churchend,Dunmow, Essex Hereward the Wake<br />
21:00 Fri BRM 301km £9.00 X M G R T P L C 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
200 15 Jul Corwen Barmouth Boulevard<br />
08:00 Sat BR 204km 3650m AAA3.75 £6.00 P R T 15-30kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CTC vickypayne8@hotmail.com<br />
100 15 Jul Corwen The Brenig Bach<br />
08:30 Sat BP 107km 1930m AAA2 [1920m] £6.00 P R T 12.5-25kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CTC vickypayne8@hotmail.com<br />
60 15 Jul Corwen The Bala Parade<br />
09:00 Sat BP 1000m £6.00 P R T 12.5-25kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CTC vickypayne8@hotmail.com<br />
Vicky Payne, Bryn Celyn Penyffordd Holywell Flintshire CH8 9HH<br />
600 15 Jul Kirkley Cycles, Ponteland The Border Raid<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 5500m £10.00 C F G L P R T Z(50) 15-30kph<br />
Tyneside Vagabonds<br />
aidan@northern-audax.org.uk<br />
Aidan Hedley, 16 The Close Lanchester Durham DH7 0PX<br />
200 16 Jul Newton Abbot, Devon Torplex Two Hundred<br />
08:00 Sun BR 210km 2900m AAA3 £8.50 F G L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Devon CTC<br />
brodie@bikerider.com<br />
100 16 Jul Newton Abbot, Devon Devon Delight<br />
09:00 Sun BP 107km £8.50 F G L P R T 10-25kph<br />
Devon CTC<br />
brodie@bikerider.com<br />
ROA 5000<br />
Graham Brodie, Homelands 10 Courtenay Road Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 1HP<br />
200 22 Jul Belbroughton, N Worcestershire The Kidderminster Killer<br />
08:00 Sat BR 214km 3750m AAA3.75 £7.85 F L P R S T (90) (8/8) 14.6-30kph<br />
Beacon RCC<br />
01562731606 p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk<br />
Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terrace Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge<br />
Worcestershire DY9 0BW<br />
120 22 Jul Belbroughton, N Worcestershire From Clee to Heaven<br />
09:00 Sat BP 123km 1950m AAA2 £7.85 F L P R S T (70) 13.5-25kph<br />
Beacon RCC 01562 731606 p.whiteman@bham.ac.uk<br />
Dr Philip Whiteman, 2 Drayton Terrace Drayton Belbroughton Stourbridge DY9 0BW<br />
1400 30 Jul Loughton, Essex London Edinburgh London<br />
05:00 Sun BRM 1415km 11500m AAA2.75 [2750m] £329.00 C F L P R T S NM Z (750) 12-30kph<br />
LEL 2013<br />
ROA 5000<br />
London Edinburgh London team, 11 Heather Avenue Hellesdon Norwich NR6 6LU<br />
200 13 Aug Padiham, Lancashire Tan Hill 200<br />
08:30 Sun BRM 207km 4500m AAA4.5 £5.00 P X 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
200 02 Sep Old Ma's Tattenhall, Cheshire Pistyll Packing Momma<br />
08:00 Sat BR 209km 3400m AAA3.5 £6.00 BD R L P T 29/08 15-30kph<br />
Chester & North Wales CT<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
130 02 Sep Old Ma's Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma's Mountain Views<br />
08:30 Sat BP 137km 2000m AAA2 £6.00 BD R L P T 29/08 12.5-25kph<br />
Chester & N Wales CTC<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
50 02 Sep Old Ma's Tattenhall, Cheshire Momma's Leafy Lanes<br />
09:00 Sat BP £6.00 BD R L P T 29/08 10-25kph<br />
Chester & N Wales CTC<br />
dmanu@outlook.com<br />
ROA 10000<br />
David Matthews, Hill View Cottage Cross Lanes Oscroft Tarvin Cheshire CH3 8NG<br />
200 03 Sep Musselburgh The Erit Lass<br />
08:00 Sun BR 3000m AAA3 £10.00 C F G L P R 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
martinfoley@btinternet.com<br />
Martin Foley, 78 Denholm Road Musselburgh East Lothian EH21 6TU<br />
600 09 Sep Churchend,Dunmow, Essex The Flatlands<br />
06:00 Sat BRM 606km £7.00 A[1] X M P R T L C 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
150 09 Sep Galashiels Dick McTs 150 Classic<br />
10:00 Sat BP 1576m [1600m] £10.00 LPRTSG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
600 22 Sep Bispham, Lancashire Blackpool - Glasgow - Blackpool 600<br />
22:00 Fri BRM 605km 3600m £10.00 F L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
New AUK Season<br />
200 07 Oct Churchend,Dunmow, Essex Richard Ellis Memorial 200<br />
08:30 Sat BRM 201km £9.00 A[1] M G R P T L C 15-30kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
100 07 Oct Churchend, Dunmow, Essex Richard Ellis Memorial 100<br />
09:30 Sat BP 103km £9.00 A[1] M G R P T L C 12.5-25kph<br />
Audax Club Mid-Essex<br />
tom.deakins@btinternet.com<br />
Thomas Deakins, 31 The Causeway Great Dunmow Essex CM6 2AA<br />
100 08 Oct Mytholmroyd Season of Mists<br />
09:00 Sun BP 105km 2555m AAA2.5 £4.50 L P R T YH 15-24kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
55 08 Oct Mytholmroyd Mellow Fruitfulness<br />
10:00 Sun BP 1200m AAA1.25 £4.00 L P R T YH 15-30kph<br />
West Yorkshire CTC<br />
chris.crossland@halifaxctc.org.uk<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Chris Crossland, 14 Stanley Street West Sowerby Bridge West Yorkshire HX6 1EF<br />
200 14 Oct Galashiels Etal-u-Can<br />
08:00 Sat BR 204km 2379m £10.00 LPRTSG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
100 14 Oct Galashiels Ride of the Valkyries<br />
10:00 Sat BP 106km 1200m [1517m] £9.00 LPRTSG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
200 22 Oct Bispham, Lancashire Ride The Lancashire Lights 200<br />
07:30 Sun BRM 206km 1800m £5.00 L P R T 15-30kph<br />
Burnley CC<br />
burnleysportiv@yahoo.com<br />
Andy Corless, 31 Castlerigg Drive Ightenhill Burnley Lancashire BB12 8AT<br />
200 28 Oct Galashiels The Long Dark Teatime of The Soul<br />
08:00 Sat BR 2000m £5.00 PRTG 15-30kph<br />
Audax Ecosse<br />
pedaller1@sky.com<br />
ROA 25000<br />
Lucy Mctaggart, 30 Victoria Street Galashiels Scottish Borders TD1 1HL<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 61
2017 ENTRY FORM FOR EVENTS HELD UNDER AUK REGULATIONS<br />
NAME OF EVENT: _____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
From:__________________________________________________ Distance: ____________________ Date:_____________________<br />
Fee for Audax UK Members: £______________________________<br />
AUDAX UK MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: _______________________<br />
Fee for other entrants (includes £2 temporary membership): £ _______________________________<br />
Date of birth if under 18 years: (see PARENTAL CONSENT below) ______________________________<br />
FORENAME: ___________________________________________ SURNAME: ____________________________________________<br />
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Email: _________________________________________________<br />
Tel: ___________________________________________________ Mobile: _______________________________________________<br />
Club/CTC member group: _________________________________<br />
INSURANCE: Audax UK provides its members (inc. temporary) normally resident in the UK with 3rd party insurance cover<br />
throughout the event for claims in excess of £500. Overseas residents must arrange their own insurance. By signing this form,<br />
you declare that you are insured as required.<br />
The event is run under Audax UK regulations. You should familiarise yourself with Audax UK regulations, guidance and advice<br />
(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<br />
follow the rules of the road and show consideration to other road users.<br />
The route is on open public roads.<br />
You should prepare by studying the route.<br />
The route is not waymarked or marshalled.<br />
You are responsible for your safety and conduct.<br />
• Some routes/conditions may be arduous.<br />
• The organiser provides no rescue service.<br />
PARENTAL CONSENT (required for entrants under 18 years of age): Parents should note the information on this form and be aware<br />
that this in an individual ride without ride leaders.<br />
I am the Parent/Guardian of the entrant and give my consent to this entry<br />
Signed (Parent/Guardian): _____________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________<br />
Name (Parent/Guardian, please print): _____________________________________________________________________________<br />
I understand that during the event I am on a private excursion on the public highway and that I am responsible for my own<br />
conduct. I agree to abide by Audax UK regulations for this ride. Entry fees are not refundable. I have relevant insurance cover as<br />
above.<br />
SIGNED (entrant): ___________________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________<br />
Emergency contact (name & tel): _________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Send to the organiser:<br />
1. Completed form<br />
2. Cheque payable to organiser (not AUK)<br />
3. Two CS stamped addressed envelopes.<br />
62<br />
Arrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong><br />
www.aukweb.net
2017 MILEATER ENTRY FORM<br />
AUDAX UK MEMBERSHIP NUMBER: _______________________ Cycling UK (CTC) Membership Number: _____________________<br />
Date of birth if under 18 years: (see PARENTAL CONSENT below) ______________________________<br />
FORENAME: ___________________________________________ SURNAME: ____________________________________________<br />
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Email: _________________________________________________<br />
Tel: ___________________________________________________ Mobile: _______________________________________________<br />
Club/CTC member group: _________________________________<br />
PARENTAL CONSENT (required for entrants under 18 years of age)<br />
I am the Parent/Guardian of the entrant and give my consent to this entry:<br />
Signed (Parent/Guardian): _____________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________<br />
Name (Parent/Guardian, please print): _____________________________________________________________________________<br />
How will you submit your final mileage?<br />
o I will send the diary back to you<br />
o I will submit via an online ride logging website (please ensure that I can view your profile)<br />
Enter the URL of your rider profile here_________________________________________________________________________<br />
o I will use another way (emailed spreadsheet, hard copy spreadsheet etc)<br />
Enter submission method here_______________________________________________________________________________<br />
Do you want to receive a medal? This will cost an extra £10.00 and is engraved with your name, year and distance recorded.<br />
o Yes<br />
o No<br />
I understand that during the Mileater period I am responsible for my own conduct. Entry fees are not refundable or transferable.<br />
SIGNED (entrant): _____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Date: __________________________________________________<br />
Send to the organiser:<br />
1. completed form<br />
2. cheque payable to AUDAX UK (£4.00 if you just want to enter and receive the diary, £14.00 if<br />
you want the medal as well)<br />
3. two C5 stamped addressed envelopes. Please ensure you include sufficient postage for a<br />
large letter weighing up to 100g (this covers the postage for 1 diary). Post your entry forms and<br />
payment to: Paul Worthington, 213 Greenhill Road, Liverpool, L18 9ST<br />
www.aukweb.netArrivée Autumn <strong>2016</strong> No. <strong>134</strong> 63
Riders on the National 400, photo Tim Decker