# 205.6 miles in a day, but just the once: summer 2016



## Dayvo (8 Aug 2015)

After Dogtrousers' excellent idea, I was quick to follow suit and put my foot in it commit myself to having a go, too.



Dogtrousers said:


> Interesting. I think I may make that my challenge for next year - to ride one Godwin: 205.6 miles in a day. I may even start flat route planning.





Dayvo said:


> You know what! I'll join you in that challenge. One day next summer (obviously not the _same_ day), I'll give it a go.
> 
> There, it's in black and white now.



Thinking more about it, I wondered if anyone else is mad enough to contemplate 'joining' us on the challenge? You choose your own route and date, and see if you can manage it.


----------



## ColinJ (8 Aug 2015)

I am 60 next year and thought I would do a few things on the bike to mark that milestone. This sounds like the kind of thing that 60 year olds should be doing, so I am in! 

I would try and do it in midsummer hours of daylight. 17 hours implies an overall average of 12 mph which sounds ok as long as the weather is good, any breaks don't take up too much time, and the route is not too hilly.

I will do it as a forum ride!


----------



## summerdays (8 Aug 2015)

[QUOTE 3843896, member: 9609"]I think you will need to get it done quite soon, as of January I suspect it will become the Searvogel and a touch over 220 miles. And by next August it could well be the Abraham and over 225.[/QUOTE]
But those would be separate challenges surely?


----------



## ColinJ (8 Aug 2015)

[QUOTE 3843896, member: 9609"]I think you will need to get it done quite soon, as of January I suspect it will become the Searvogel and a touch over 220 miles. And by next August it could well be the Abraham and over 225.[/QUOTE]
Once it gets to those kind of distances, one might as well do the extra and get a 400 km audax under one's belt! (249 miles.)


----------



## Flying Dodo (8 Aug 2015)

Mmm - 5 years ago (wow - didn't realise it was that long ago) I did a little jaunt around the M25, as detailed here

That was only 150 miles in one go, but it did weave in and out the M25 a bit. I could extend the circle out a bit, to round it up to 205.6 miles..................


----------



## ianrauk (8 Aug 2015)

Flying Dodo said:


> Mmm - 5 years ago (wow - didn't realise it was that long ago) I did a little jaunt around the M25, as detailed here
> 
> That was only 150 miles in one go, but it did weave in and out the M25 a bit. I could extend the circle out a bit, to round it up to 205.6 miles..................




I'd join you for that..


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Aug 2015)

Dayvo said:


> After Dogtrousers' excellent idea...


Maybe not so excellent. Maybe foolhardy would be a better word.

I'm working on routes that go around the flat bits of Kent, of which there are many, avoiding the unflat bits, of which there are also, unfortunately, many.

I'll be sticking with the old fangled Godwin, that's more than enough for me.


----------



## StuAff (8 Aug 2015)

ianrauk said:


> I'd join you for that..


Me too....


----------



## fatjel (8 Aug 2015)

Count me in too
I did the Fairies flat 300 earlier this year.. 
http://www.strava.com/activities/330322768
Added a bit to take it over 200 miles another 5 would be easy enough .
Hard to find a flatter 200 miles 
(discount the easy enough bit. )


----------



## Flying Dodo (8 Aug 2015)

StuAff said:


> Me too....


Without thinking too much about a route, I did a little plot on Bikehike, starting at Gravesend then going vaguely Tonbridge, Haywards Heath, Billingshurst, Guildford, Ascot, Slough, Amersham, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Harlow, Chipping Ongar, Brentwood and then finishing at Tilbury, which came out at 205 miles.

10,000 feet of climbing on rather congested roads - the Tilbury ferry doesn't run on Sundays so you'd have to do a Saturday, or risk the delays caused by waiting for a lift across at Dartford. It might be a tad much to try and do it in 15 hours of cycling. A slightly better thought might be something like Weston-super-Mare to Whitstable which is something I'd pondered about a few years ago. Less traffic if we stick to the minor roads and the chance of a tailwind. And/or start it at around 10pm at night?


----------



## Flying Dodo (8 Aug 2015)

fatjel said:


> Count me in too
> I did the Fairies flat 300 earlier this year..
> http://www.strava.com/activities/330322768
> Added a bit to take it over 200 miles another 5 would be easy enough .
> ...



That makes more sense (why re-invent the wheel).

Although I do like the idea or concept of an extended line ride, rather than a series of loops like the Fairies Flat 300. Something to think about in the depths of winter..............


----------



## StuAff (8 Aug 2015)

Flying Dodo said:


> Without thinking too much about a route, I did a little plot on Bikehike, starting at Gravesend then going vaguely Tonbridge, Haywards Heath, Billingshurst, Guildford, Ascot, Slough, Amersham, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Harlow, Chipping Ongar, Brentwood and then finishing at Tilbury, which came out at 205 miles.
> 
> 10,000 feet of climbing on rather congested roads - the Tilbury ferry doesn't run on Sundays so you'd have to do a Saturday, or risk the delays caused by waiting for a lift across at Dartford. It might be a tad much to try and do it in 15 hours of cycling. A slightly better thought might be something like Weston-super-Mare to Whitstable which is something I'd pondered about a few years ago. Less traffic if we stick to the minor roads and the chance of a tailwind. And/or start it at around 10pm at night?


Hard to get a ride of that length much flatter. When I rode Pompey-Cardiff-Swansea that came out as 10 to 13k feet depending which figures you believe.


----------



## Norry1 (8 Aug 2015)

Deffo interested. Would be fun as a group (ish) ride.


----------



## StuAff (8 Aug 2015)

Poole to Dover?


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Aug 2015)

I'm thinking of something like SE London-Folkestone (flat once over the Downs) Steep up & down at Folkestone then round the coast of Kent via Deal, Margate and Whitstable (generally flat), then picking a flat ish route back home from Whitstable. Plenty of railway bail out options! 

I'd be doing it solo, as I'd have to be able to set my own pace. Pushing it to keep up with someone faster would not end well. 

If I do it at all, that is. I may well wimp out. I'd have to start at midnight to be able to fit it into a day, and also guarantee running trains when I need them most.


----------



## ianrauk (9 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> I'm thinking of something like SE London-Folkestone (flat once over the Downs) Steep up & down at Folkestone then round the coast of Kent via Deal, Margate and Whitstable (generally flat), then picking a flat ish route back home from Whitstable. Plenty of railway bail out options!
> 
> I'd be doing it solo, as I'd have to be able to set my own pace. Pushing it to keep up with someone faster would not end well.
> 
> If I do it at all, that is. I may well wimp out. I'd have to start at midnight to be able to fit it into a day, and also guarantee running trains when I need them most.


As In the Oasts and Coasts 300k Audax in April. It's pretty much what you outlined. I'll dig out the gpx for you when I am back from my ride later.


----------



## Hill Wimp (9 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> Maybe not so excellent. Maybe foolhardy would be a better word.
> 
> *I'm working on routes that go around the flat bits of Kent, of which there are many, avoiding the unflat bits, of which there are also, unfortunately, many.*
> 
> I'll be sticking with the old fangled Godwin, that's more than enough for me.




Love to see those routes please @Dogtrousers .


----------



## Hill Wimp (9 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> I'm thinking of something like SE London-Folkestone (flat once over the Downs) Steep up & down at Folkestone then round the coast of Kent via Deal, Margate and Whitstable (generally flat), then picking a flat ish route back home from Whitstable. Plenty of railway bail out options!
> 
> I'd be doing it solo, as I'd have to be able to set my own pace. Pushing it to keep up with someone faster would not end well.
> 
> If I do it at all, that is. I may well wimp out. I'd have to start at midnight to be able to fit it into a day, and also guarantee running trains when I need them most.


Just for your info chaps should your ride take you via Deal there is a new cyclists cafe due to open Sept/Oct time on the seafront to the left of the pier right by the shellfish stall as you look out to sea. It's due to have a small workshop attached too. It's being opened due to the number of cyclists now coming through Deal on Route 1.


----------



## Dayvo (9 Aug 2015)

My planned route has a distance of 345 km.

I knew of a route but wasn't sure how 'easy' it was. I do now!  Mostly downhill all the way, without going through many built-up areas at all. 

It's from Dombås:

http://styrkeproven.no/distansene/trondheim


I'm now looking for a n+1 to do it on. Possibly a Focus Mares AX 4


----------



## ianrauk (9 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> I'm thinking of something like SE London-Folkestone (flat once over the Downs) Steep up & down at Folkestone then round the coast of Kent via Deal, Margate and Whitstable (generally flat), then picking a flat ish route back home from Whitstable. Plenty of railway bail out options!
> 
> I'd be doing it solo, as I'd have to be able to set my own pace. Pushing it to keep up with someone faster would not end well.
> 
> If I do it at all, that is. I may well wimp out. I'd have to start at midnight to be able to fit it into a day, and also guarantee running trains when I need them most.




Here you go DG. The Oasts and Coasts GPX route.
It has a few big climbs, Toys Hill, up and over Ashdown, Capel Le Ferne and Dover, the rest is pretty much flat. But with each of those climbs there are glorious long descents. Hope it helps with some ideas for a route.


----------



## ianrauk (9 Aug 2015)

Oh yes, and if the wind direction is in your favour.. 25 miles along the Romney marshes... cycling doesn't get better.


----------



## Dogtrousers (10 Aug 2015)

And here's my route. Could be done anticlockwise or clockwise (this route is shown anticlockwise).

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9755489

I couldn't make it any flatter. It includes a big chunk of the last night ride to Whitstable. A very early start and clockwise would get all the East London grot out of the way first, and breakfast at the Waterfront. But an early start and counter-clockwise ascends the Downs the easy way, and means that the final bit is in a railway station rich area for easy bailout.

I'm not at all confident, but it's something to aim for.


----------



## swansonj (10 Aug 2015)

Are you guys seriously contemplating 205.6 miles but *not *going through Marsh Gibbon?


----------



## Supersuperleeds (10 Aug 2015)

If I get tempted to do this I think I would do skegness and back, plus a bit or even easier might be a 50 odd mile loop repeated 4 times


----------



## Hill Wimp (10 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> And here's my route. Could be done anticlockwise or clockwise (this route is shown anticlockwise).
> 
> http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9755489
> 
> ...


You are missing out the best bits of my area around Deal and along the seafront through the bay, into Sandwich and on through to the Viking trail into Ramsgate etc .A good 70% of that is flat cycle paths too.


----------



## Dogtrousers (10 Aug 2015)

Hill Wimp said:


> You are missing out the best bits of my area around Deal and along the seafront through the bay, into Sandwich and on through to the Viking trail into Ramsgate etc .A good 70% of that is flat cycle paths too.


Thanks, Plenty of room for tweaking!


----------



## Supersuperleeds (10 Aug 2015)

swansonj said:


> Are you guys seriously contemplating 205.6 miles but *not *going through Marsh Gibbon?


Yes, Marsh Gibbon will be included in the "Abraham" in 2017, distance to be determined around this time next year.


----------



## rb58 (10 Aug 2015)

StuAff said:


> Hard to get a ride of that length much flatter. When I rode Pompey-Cardiff-Swansea that came out as 10 to 13k feet depending which figures you believe.


The Doncaster to London ride we did a couple of weeks ago was 201 miles with 4,300' climbing, and most of the climbing was in the last 50 miles. As @ianrauk proved last year, you can ride the first 150 miles without changing gear.


----------



## Hill Wimp (10 Aug 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> Thanks, Plenty of room for tweaking!


http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/814245403

Hope this helps.

I have started it in Dover at the top of Connaught Hill by Dover Castle and it goes over to Broadstairs via Route 1 and The Viking Trail which i believe links in with the crab and Winkle trail and the Oyster Trail through to Whitstable.


----------



## StuAff (10 Aug 2015)

rb58 said:


> The Doncaster to London ride we did a couple of weeks ago was 201 miles with 4,300' climbing, and most of the climbing was in the last 50 miles. As @ianrauk proved last year, you can ride the first 150 miles without changing gear.


True...


----------



## MickeyBlueEyes (16 Aug 2015)

I had a 205 Godwin in my plans for this year, to Skegness and back, but what with one thing and another I just haven't got around to doing it. Certainly will be in the 2016 plan.


----------



## ianwoodi (13 Sep 2015)

I would like to do 200 mile plus starting out from buxton Derbyshire area and heading out to Cheshire flat lands towards the coast and back but not going to do it on my own


----------



## Dayvo (5 Nov 2015)

Right, the bike's sorted! 

Not this one, as previously craved:






but this one instead,




which has a better spec (and more red in it ).

Now need to colour co-ordinate the clothes for the day, plus buy road tyres, lights, etc. etc.

What was going to be a one-man solo trip, it now looks as if I'm going to be joined by my best mate from Finland, and my step-son PLUS a support car. 

Planning on doing it the 1st/2nd Saturday in July. Bring it on. 

Anyone else getting more serious about it?


----------



## Dogtrousers (5 Nov 2015)

Dayvo said:


> Anyone else getting more serious about it?


I've got my route planned. No date set yet. Probably late July, early August.

Bike will be my usual bike. Unless I win the lottery and decide to get another one. But in that case bionic knees would be higher on my shopping list.

Actually, having my route planned doesn't mean anything as there's nothing I like better than fiddling round on the PC planning routes that I never get round to riding.


----------



## MickeyBlueEyes (5 Nov 2015)

It will stay on my imaginary list of to do's until I pick the day and go ride it. Expecting I'll do it in June sometime.


----------



## busman (19 Dec 2015)

Dayvo said:


> After Dogtrousers' excellent idea, I was quick to follow suit and put my foot in it commit myself to having a go, too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Count me in.


----------



## Dayvo (19 Dec 2015)

busman said:


> Count me in.



Great!

Just need to find a route, a date and have enough miles in your legs to get through 14-16 hours cycling. 

Or if one of the others who've shown an interest want to do it with you...


----------



## busman (19 Dec 2015)

I'll do it alone if I have to, unless someone wants to come to North Wales and ride with me.


----------



## derrick (19 Dec 2015)

Here is a nice one i did at the beginning of the year, it's actually 214 miles, i stopped the garmin early because battery was flat and i did not want to lose the ride.
https://www.strava.com/activities/301362611
May give it another go in 2016


----------



## busman (19 Dec 2015)

Looks a nice ride @derrick


----------



## derrick (19 Dec 2015)

Yes it was a good one, We had a tail wind all the way to the coast, but when we hit the coast it turned into a headwind, When we stopped in Cromer i was ready to give up, But after a hot coffee and pork pie it gave me the energy to get back on the bike, When we got to Kings Lynn i was on such a high. Everybody should have a go, At 63 years old it's not a bad achievement.


----------



## Aravis (5 Jul 2016)

Has no-one done this yet? I wanted to, but for reasons that are not at all interesting I couldn't to get the continuity I needed in the early part of June, and the hours of daylight are now declining. I would always have seen the target as Kurt Searvogel's 209 miles - stopping at 205.6 would be bizarre to say the least - and by next June we'll know what number Amanda Coker has posted. Gulp.

Good luck to anyone who's still going for it.


----------



## ianrauk (5 Jul 2016)

Aravis said:


> Has no-one done this yet? I wanted to, but for reasons that are not at all interesting I couldn't to get the continuity I needed in the early part of June, and the hours of daylight are now declining. I would always have seen the target as Kurt Searvogel's 209 miles - stopping at 205.6 would be bizarre to say the least - and by next June we'll know what number Amanda Coker has posted. Gulp.
> 
> Good luck to anyone who's still going for it.




Myself and @rb58 did it on our Doncaster to London ride last month. We both did near 220 miles.


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Aug 2016)

Done it! Ride report here.



Aravis said:


> I would always have seen the target as Kurt Searvogel's 209 miles - stopping at 205.6 would be bizarre to say the least


Well, Kurt hadn't set his total when the original challenge was set.

I originally intended to go for a Searvogel too. However I had to do a route re-plan late in the ride. I chose a new route but wasn't really sure what total it would give me. I made the decision that only if the end result was less than 200 miles would I ride extra. The Godwin and Searvogel could look after themselves. If I got them, all well and good. If not, _tant pis_, the double ton was the main target*.

As things turned out I did 334km / 207 miles, so just short of the Searvogel. Sorry Kurt, no disrespect intended. 

I suppose this means I have to do it again now!

* When I actually passed it, a guy cycled past me and said "good evening". I was so chuffed I was tempted to share the news with him, but I didn't as he might have thought I was a nutter. And who's to say he would have been wrong?


----------



## Dayvo (7 Aug 2016)

Dogtrousers said:


> Done it! Ride report here.



Well done, DT! Excellent effort.


----------



## fatjel (7 Aug 2016)

Done it too... Couple of weeks ago and surprisingly similar to Mr dogtrousers route.
331.6 km which is just slightly over 205.6 miles
Hard hard days cycling started 2.00 am finished around 10pm
Longest ride to date
https://www.strava.com/activities/656889487


----------



## Dogtrousers (7 Aug 2016)

fatjel said:


> Done it too... Couple of weeks ago and surprisingly similar to Mr dogtrousers route.
> 331.6 km which is just slightly over 205.6 miles
> Hard hard days cycling started 2.00 am finished around 10pm
> Longest ride to date
> https://www.strava.com/activities/656889487


Bravo.

Route similarities are not all that surprising since I did study the Man of Kent route in my search for the perfect flat unhilly route. (And then went and spoiled it by going over the Downs at the start and end).


----------



## Aravis (8 Aug 2016)

Warm congratulations to everyone who's done this. I intended to join in but for various reasons couldn't get the continuity through May and June. Of course, by that time there was another spectre on the horizon...



Dogtrousers said:


> I suppose this means I have to do it again now!



By next summer we'll know what a Coker is. I have a feeling this could be where it ends.


----------



## Dogtrousers (8 Aug 2016)

TBH I'll be sticking to round numbers in future. Trying to re-plan my route, brain a bit addled, I couldn't remember what a Searvogel was. I knew the annual record in miles had two "76"s in it, but that was about all. And was a Godwin 205 or 206?? And what's that in km? It was all a bit confusing.


----------



## Aravis (8 Aug 2016)

You know, I think you're right. The exact digits don't matter very much. I have one 200+ ride in my history, 26 years ago today, and I finished on 202 miles. That took just under 13½ hours doorstep to doorstep, including a pub lunch. Those were the days...

Nudging ahead of that would very likely mean completing a Godwin, or a Searvogel. The indications are that a Coker will end up at over 225 miles, which is heading for another level. Perhaps, entering wholeheartedly into the spirit of the thing, it ought to be done on a pan-flat circuit in the Cotswold Water Park, an area which could have something of the character of Flatwood Park.

A possible forum ride?


----------



## ColinJ (8 Aug 2016)

I've left it too late this year. I'm not fast enough to do that distance in daylight at this time of year and I don't like riding in the dark. I'll add it to next year's list!


----------



## albal (16 Oct 2016)

Did poole Brighton Poole couple of years ago,picked a day in September with a unusual easterly wind.


----------



## Ian H (17 Oct 2016)

Only just noticed this. Well done those Godwinners and Searvogelers.


----------

