# provisional 2013 FNRttC Calendar



## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

March 29 BRIGHTON via the Edifice
April 19 YORK to HULL
April 26 FELPHAM via Faygate
May 24 SOUTHEND-ON-SEA via Stock
May 31 WHITSTABLE via Strood
June 15-22 The Fridays Tour to NORMANDY
June 28 the ‘Genteel’ ride to SOUTHEND-ON-SEA via Stock
July 12 CARDIFF to SWANSEA
July 18-19-20 NEWHAVEN, DIEPPE, PARIS
July 26 BRIGHTON via the Edifice
August 16 WHITSTABLE via Strood
August 23 SOUTHWOLD – limited spaces
August 30 SOUTHWOLD – limited spaces
September 20 BRIGHTON via the Edifice
October 18 FELPHAM via Faygate
November 15 BRIGHTON via the Edifice

so.............no Manchester ride. That's sad, because, despite Andrew's efforts, it's a great ride, but the numbers were so low that the halfway stop just isn't viable. I might go up and do an unofficial one with no stops. 

Newhaven, Dieppe, Paris still under review - ND Brussels is a bit on the long side, and it is nice to go to the finish of the Tour, but I think I'll look for a different way in to Paris and consider staying on the outskirts on the Saturday night.

Fewer rides, but the calendar got a bit congested this year - overambition.


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## theclaud (21 Sep 2012)

Two Southwolds!


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

March 28 FELPHAM via Faygate
April 19 YORK to HULL
April 26  BRIGHTON via the Edifice
May 24 SOUTHEND-ON-SEA via Stock
May 31 WHITSTABLE via Strood
June 15-22 The Fridays Tour to NORMANDY
June 28 the ‘Genteel’ ride to SOUTHEND-ON-SEA via Stock
July 12 CARDIFF to SWANSEA
July 18-19-20 NEWHAVEN, DIEPPE, PARIS
July 26 BRIGHTON via the Edifice
August 23 FELPHAM via Faygate
August 30 SOUTHWOLD – limited spaces
September 6 SOUTHWOLD – limited spaces
September 20 BRIGHTON via the Edifice
October 18 WHITSTABLE via Strood
November 15 BRIGHTON via the Edifice

revised by popular demand (well, she's the most popular person I know)


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

theclaud said:


> Two Southwolds!


yup - but you only get to go on one - the limit is sixteen per ride.


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

2052216 said:


> 29 March is Good Friday.


see revised date above........


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## theclaud (21 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> yup - but you only get to go on one - the limit is sixteen per ride.


Can you be sure I won't attempt to disguise myself as another FNRttCer in order to sneak onto both?


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## theclaud (21 Sep 2012)

2052232 said:


> I see the prevailing wind in Wales is still an easterly.


I wouldn't have it any other way.


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## theclaud (21 Sep 2012)

2052235 said:


> To be fair, you must be owed a couple.


I'm owed a _couple of hundred_ pints by MacB, but I don't think that's what you meant.


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

the Southwold thing is a bit of a punt. I set the limit at twentyfour and we only had sixteen, which turned out to be pretty much perfect. The ride was wonderful, and I imagine that word will get around and attract some new people. I've been told to move one back in to September, by the way.....

further instructions received...........


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## Davywalnuts (21 Sep 2012)

Only two Whitstables.... of which I can only do one..... *sobs*...


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## StuAff (21 Sep 2012)

Handy timing there, have just received the leave form this week so I'll see if I can get one or both weeks of York and Paris.....
As for the Mancunian one...boo to there not being an official ride, but if there's an unofficial I'll see what I can do. One I haven't done, so that's got to be corrected.....


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## AnythingButVanilla (21 Sep 2012)

I have unfinished business with the York-Hull ride so look forward to doing that one on a real bike that doesn't weigh half a ton.


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## CharlieB (21 Sep 2012)

No Manchester. My fave.


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## User10571 (21 Sep 2012)

Conspicuous by their absence are the 'Speedys' be they Harwich or Ramsgate
*Thinks back to breakfast at Miles*
Teh best. Evah.


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## StuAff (21 Sep 2012)

User10571 said:


> Conspicuous by their absence are the 'Speedys' be they Harwich or Ramsgate
> *Thinks back to breakfast at Miles*
> Teh best. Evah.


That it was.


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## martint235 (21 Sep 2012)

I like. I just have to wait and see when my on call dates are to see how many I can do.

I also would like to go Ramsgate again if only to see User10571's face after having encountered the asthmatic hand dryer but c'est la vie.


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## martint235 (21 Sep 2012)

Oh and even if there is a Dieppe ride, I have an inkling of a suspicion of a feeling that I may not be allowed out that weekend.


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## theclaud (21 Sep 2012)

2052374 said:


> It is putting the beans in a ramekin that makes all the difference.


La di f***ing da!


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

CharlieB said:


> No Manchester. My fave.


I know. But..........seventeen people came on the last one, and all but three or four were from the southeast. I'd have stuck with it, but the change of ownership at the Carmen Rose didn't work for us.


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

User10571 said:


> Conspicuous by their absence are the 'Speedys' be they Harwich or Ramsgate
> *Thinks back to breakfast at Miles*
> Teh best. Evah.


to be fair.........the Harwich ride is now a Southwold ride.


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

Davywalnuts said:


> Only two Whitstables.... of which I can only do one..... *sobs*...


I think we've only done two Whitstable rides in a year before - and one year it was just the one.


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## mcshroom (21 Sep 2012)

Shame to see my 'local' ride go, but looks like a decent list.

With respect to Manchester, Ribchester was nice, but with smaller numbers would it be possible to operate using the Blackburn ASDA that we stopped in on the 2011 ride as a halfway stop?

To be honest I think you run an impressive number of rides as it is, so treat this as idle speculation only not a push to reinstate the ride.

On another note I'm trying out a Carlisle-Newcastle ride next weekend with a few others - if it works then I may be suggesting it for 2014  (up west coast mainline down east coast mainline)


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

mcshroom said:


> Shame to see my 'local' ride go, but looks like a decent list.
> 
> *With respect to Manchester, Ribchester was nice, but with smaller numbers would it be possible to operate using the Blackburn ASDA that we stopped in on the 2011 ride as a halfway stop?*


I think I'll just make a date with Andrew and do that very thing. Whether we'd go to Morecambe or Blackpool I don't know.


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

martint235 said:


> I also would like to go Ramsgate again if only to see User10571's face after having encountered the asthmatic hand dryer but c'est la vie.


Ramsgate was not so wonderful. The truth is that our route out to Whitstable isn't just the best that can be done - everything else is poor by comparison. And, worse, the bit that I really enjoyed on the recce ride left everybody else distinctly unimpressed.

The thing is this. We've sort of cracked it. I don't believe that there are better rides to be had in the southeast. We wring every bit out of the Brighton ride that there is to be had, and our halfway stop is just fantastic. The Felpham ride has its faults, but, again, there's no better destination along that stretch of sea, it uses a gap in the South Downs that you won't find on any other ride, and, for long stretches, it's really pretty.

Southend is ideal for first-timers, and it has a great train service. The Stock route has considerable charm, and, of course, our halfway stop is just fantastic.

I've looked at Herne Bay, Sandwich, Deal, Hastings, Worthing, Wittering (which we've done) and if you look at the routes, the train services, the distance and the destination there's nothing up there with the the four we have.

Newhaven is, without doubt, a nicer ride than Brighton, but getting back is difficult and, besides, nobody really wants to go there. Walton is a nice ride, but, again, the trains aren't good, and if you're going to have a small ride, why not go to Harwich or Southwold?

I would, however, look at other start points, but I think that other CTC groups might take up the running, as Simon B has in Reading. Peterborough to Skegness or Great Yarmouth?


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## StuartG (21 Sep 2012)

Might one Southwold be slower more relaxed than the other?


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## dellzeqq (21 Sep 2012)

this last one was more relaxed than the Harwich ride - and we split the ride in two for Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Mersea, Brightlingsea, Harwich, Felixstowe and on to Felixstowe Ferry, so the people in the second wave had an easier time still. I wouldn't have thought you would have a problem.


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## srw (21 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> Southend is ideal for first-timers


 Or for a ladies' and gentlemen's evening out on Bromptons. Just make sure you order a dry night next year, and I'll risk the eyebrow.



dellzeqq said:


> July 18-19-20 NEWHAVEN, DIEPPE, PARIS


Any chance you could persuade the ASO to rearrange the TdF next year? I've already got an unmissable meeting on July 19th.


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## User482 (21 Sep 2012)

It all looks great. It's a pity about the Manchester ride, but as I've failed to make one, I'm part of the problem...

The Cardiff-Swansea ride looks to be the same weekend as the Etape du Tour.


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## DCLane (21 Sep 2012)

Hope to make it next year to any oop north; circumstances meant I couldn't do either York or Manchester this year.


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## mmmmartin (21 Sep 2012)

16 adventures for for two quid? that's half a crown* per ride............



*12.5p for people not old enough to have free bus passes


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## Davywalnuts (21 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> I think we've only done two Whitstable rides in a year before - and one year it was just the one.


 
I think if I have ever left Whitstable sober, I may have noticed that..


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## BigGee (21 Sep 2012)

I was hoping to do the Manchester ride as well next year as I enjoy the awaydays and always like to do new rides. I'd be happy to join in any unofficial ventures up north,

Maybe putting a bit of space between the Southwold rides would not be a bad idea in case you struggle to fill both rides, some people might be up for doing it twice if that was the case, but a ride like that is always going to be a weekend killer and might be difficult to sell to my SO twice in a row!


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## martint235 (21 Sep 2012)

If there's any chance chance of an informal Manchester ride, please let me know as my general plan for next year includes riding to Nelson again.


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## Flying Dodo (21 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> The thing is this. We've sort of cracked it. I don't believe that there are better rides to be had in the southeast.


 
I've still got an inkling about a longer distance ride out to Folkstone. 60 miles is easy for the hard core night riders. It would be good to push the boundaries a bit by trying a longer distance at night such as 80-90 miles. Also there's a cracking 10 mile section, on the back roads between Canterbury and Folkstone with just 1 junction to waymark, which is either flat or downhill, which had User10571 and everyone else grinning from ear to ear when we went along it. And then fish & chips on the sea front. And you can get the HS1 back from Folkstone!


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## Andrew Br (21 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> I know. But..........seventeen people came on the last one, and all but three or four were from the southeast. I'd have stuck with it, but the change of ownership at the Carmen Rose didn't work for us.


 
I'm very sad about the dropping of the Manchester ride but I fully understand why.
I really tried to get all of the cycling groups that I'm involved with interested in it but the response was......................
It's a bitter pill that the "organised, sponsored" Manchester-Blackpool ride seems to be well supported.

My offer to you and Agent Hilda for accommodation chez Brennan should you need it for reccy rides or whatever still stands and if there's an informal ride from Manchester to any farking where, I'm in.

I'll work on my train fu for next year's rides and I hope that Mcshroom's Carlisle-Newcastle ride can make it into the calendar for 2014. I'm on the ride next week and I'm really looking forward to it.

Did I say that I was really sad ? Sniff.

.


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## slowmotion (21 Sep 2012)

A tasty menu DZ. Thank-you.


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## Trickedem (22 Sep 2012)

I'm excited!


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## hatler (23 Sep 2012)

All in the calendar. Thank you.


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## StuAff (23 Sep 2012)

And all in my calendar as well....
The south-east may have reached the limits of new exciting yet workable options. For example, Bexhill was lovely, I'll go back there shortly I'm sure, but the trains are too small and too few in number whether you're going west or north to be practical, except perhaps for a small group. But rather further west....I'm hoping that Friday night's delights have whetted the appetite for further Hampshire/Dorset frolics- I think more people should experience the delights of the New Forest in the dark, and there's some good riding country in Dorset too. Both Reading (as demonstrated on Friday) and Winchester would be excellent starting points- easy from London, and not terribly inconvenient for me either. I'll be certainly keeping my eyes open for future Reading CTC rides. For the more adventurous, HPC would be equally suitable of course...


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## Tim Hall (23 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> The Felpham ride has its faults


 
Au contraire, it has everything a ride should have.


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## dellzeqq (23 Sep 2012)

The great thing about next year's Reading CTC night rides is that I don't have to do anything - just turn up and pedal. Reading brings a whole new section of coast in to play.

I'm sure that there is a decent Folkestone ride to be had, but I doubt that it would be better than the Whitstable. We can't expect people to open at odd hours for an annual event - we're doing brilliantly to have kept the Cabin Cafe so long on just two a year, and If a new destination makes the roster, then one of the others is at risk.

The more astute of you will point out that Brighton gets four rides, but two of those are cold rides and, for whatever reason, the Brighton rides are always the most popular. I could drop one of the Brighton rides for a new destination, but it would have to be the March or November outings.

I've done the SuperSpeedy thing - it worked for Harwich, but Emsworth and Ramsgate weren't so good. The original intention was to recapture the spirit of some of our recce rides, but I didn't go about it the right way, winding up with an uneasy compromise. If I fancy a lightweight night ride I'll call some people on the spur of the moment and just get on with it.


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## dellzeqq (24 Sep 2012)

2056914 said:


> You didn't mark any junctions or TEC? Shocked.


three or four junctions. There wasn't much to do - Simon employed a very simple route and the group stayed in a tight bunch - at most of the junctions I looked over my shoulder and saw the TECs


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## Dogtrousers (24 Sep 2012)

Just out of interest how far is the York-Hull ride? Do you take a wiggly route? - eg over the Wolds? I ask because I have have family in Driffield, so adding on Hull-Driff after breakfast could make this one to put in the diary - bike logistics & distance permitting. (or even Driff-York-Hull-Driff, depending on my fitness in April)


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## Tompy (24 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> ...
> 
> I would, however, look at other start points, but I think that other CTC groups might take up the running, as Simon B has in Reading. Peterborough to Skegness or Great Yarmouth?


 
I've been wanting to do a night ride from here for ages and I think Pete would be up for helping too but destinations are a problem.

There are no direct trains back to Peterborough from Skeggy or Great Yarmouth. That's a problem right? Or should I be looking at direct trains back to London and let the few who might need to return to the start, deal with a train change?


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## mmmmartin (24 Sep 2012)

I'd be up for a ride starting at Peterborough and I would guess most of the riders would return to London afterwards, as they do on the York to Hull ride.


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## mmmmartin (24 Sep 2012)

Dogtrousers said:


> Just out of interest how far is the York-Hull ride? Do you take a wiggly route?


Like all FNRttC events, it starts at midnight and finishes about 8am. It's flat. Very flat.


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## thom (24 Sep 2012)

Is there the possibility of ever doing a longer route to the Bristol Channel ?
I wasn't on the Southwold run but maybe such an escapade would be a similar distance ?


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## ianmac62 (24 Sep 2012)

All lovely. Many thanks, DZ!


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## dellzeqq (24 Sep 2012)

............not really. We've got a South Wales ride, and we've discussed routes from Birmingham, but, in my view, it's a long way (136 to Weston) for not a lot. Susie, Claudine and I went that way this summer and, to be frank, I'd far, far rather go across Essex and up through Suffolk than ride through Berkshire and Wiltshire


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## martint235 (24 Sep 2012)

thom said:


> Is there the possibility of ever doing a longer route to the Bristol Channel ?
> I wasn't on the Southwold run but maybe such an escapade would be a similar distance ?


There's usually a ride from London to the start of Cardiff - Swansea. It's on my provisional plan for 2013 along with the ride to York that I missed in 2012


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## dellzeqq (24 Sep 2012)

Dogtrousers said:


> Just out of interest how far is the York-Hull ride? Do you take a wiggly route? - eg over the Wolds? I ask because I have have family in Driffield, so adding on Hull-Driff after breakfast could make this one to put in the diary - bike logistics & distance permitting. (or even Driff-York-Hull-Driff, depending on my fitness in April)


we go via Goole, Garthorpe, the A18 bridge, Flixborough, the Humber Bridge - about 72 miles


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## thom (24 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> ............not really. We've got a South Wales ride, and we've discussed routes from Birmingham, but, in my view, it's a long way (136 to Weston) for not a lot. Susie, Claudine and I went that way this summer and, to be frank, I'd far, far rather go across Essex and up through Suffolk than ride through Berkshire and Wiltshire


Fair enough - I guess if Reading CTC ever did one, it would be possible to prepend a London->Reading bit and do most of the riding in the dark.


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## Dogtrousers (24 Sep 2012)

mmmmartin said:


> Like all FNRttC events, it starts at midnight and finishes about 8am. It's flat. Very flat.


Ta.

I was thinking more about distance than duration. I think it's only 40 miles or so York-Hull by the shortest route. If the route is very flat then I guess it goes a bit more round the SE of the Wolds (sort of towards Howden) rather than straight line (through Market Weighton ish which would be a bit lumpier).

EDIT: But I see Delzeqq's answered my question anyway. Thanks everyone. I'll probably be there for this one.


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## Tim Hall (24 Sep 2012)

2057258 said:


> Did I get accused of being la di dah the other day?


No. Your accuser included some helpful asterisks.


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## StuartG (27 Sep 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> November 15 BRIGHTON via the Edifice


Could be a spectacular night ...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/26/new_comet_may_outshine_moon/


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## mcshroom (27 Sep 2012)

Dogtrousers said:


> Ta.
> 
> I was thinking more about distance than duration. I think it's only 40 miles or so York-Hull by the shortest route. If the route is very flat then I guess it goes a bit more round the SE of the Wolds (sort of towards Howden) rather than straight line (through Market Weighton ish which would be a bit lumpier).
> 
> EDIT: But I see Delzeqq's answered my question anyway. Thanks everyone. I'll probably be there for this one.



This is the route we've taken the last couple years: -

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/945190


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## dellzeqq (27 Sep 2012)

mcshroom said:


> This is the route we've taken the last couple years: -
> 
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/945190


Marcus - did you climb up the rigging of the Humber Bridge?


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## mcshroom (27 Sep 2012)

No, I haven't checked the profile over though so does it do that?


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## dellzeqq (27 Sep 2012)

looks like it. That first 78km has got to be about as flat as flat can get.


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## mcshroom (27 Sep 2012)

I've just had a look and the GPS came up with the same height gain as the mapped route. The amplitude is pretty low, as that graph is only between 0-100m, but apparently it undulates a bit more than you'd think. The big lumpy bits are at the end(past Flixborough) and the bridge is a bit of a climb, , and account for over 300 of the 585m, but the rest is a metre here and a metre there with gradients well under 1%. It all just seems to add up


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## kimble (2 Oct 2012)

FWIW I'd totally be up for an unofficial Manchester ride as well. Especially if it had unofficial weather.

Bringing my other half on a genteel ride to Saarfend might be a reasonable cycling objective for next year. We'll see.


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## mmmmartin (2 Oct 2012)

Burnham is easier than Southend i think.


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## wanda2010 (2 Oct 2012)

Burnham is easier you say? Does that mean there isn't even a close cousin to Bread and Cheese Hill that dun me in?  I might, possibly, use the SS if that's the case.


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## dellzeqq (2 Oct 2012)

Burnham is easier than the 'new' Southend route, but a little more arduous than the 'old' Southend route. You've got a nasty little climb at Harold Wood, the long drag up to Brentwood, a couple of sharp inclines going in to Stock and a bit of moraine around Purleigh. But.......single speed. No way. You'd miss out on those long drifting descents toward Buttsbury and West Hanningfield.


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## Tim Hall (2 Oct 2012)

Single speed doesn't mean you can't coast on a long drifting descent. Fixed, OTOH, is another matter.


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## mmmmartin (2 Oct 2012)

Well he is a Campag chap, what can you expect?


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## StuAff (2 Oct 2012)

mmmmartin said:


> Well he is a Campag chap, what can you expect?


Did you not remember the kerfuffle, the gnashing of teeth, the brouhaha, when the *Shimano Dura Ace* rear mech had to be emergency replaced with *Shimano 105*?


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## middleagecyclist (2 Oct 2012)

Oh goody. Provisional dates for 2013. Hope to do more night rides so joining one or two of these would be great. Sad the Manchester - Morecambe ain't happening again. Any 'unoffical' ones in the pipeline?

[Edit] Unoffical Manchester rides that is.


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## Flying Dodo (2 Oct 2012)

middleagecyclist said:


> Any 'unoffical' ones in the pipeline?


 
I've been too busy with other stuff this year, but there's a good chance next year I'll get round to running another one out to Dunwich, which has the advantage of leaving at midnight, so that you arrive on the beach in time for a late breakfast/early lunch, and can then get an easy Saturday afternoon train back.


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## middleagecyclist (2 Oct 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> ...there's a good chance next year I'll get round to running another one out to Dunwich, which has the advantage of leaving at midnight, so that you arrive on the beach in time for a late breakfast/early lunch, and can then get an easy Saturday afternoon train back.


Manchester to Dunwich? Isn't that Suffolk? 250 odd miles! A bit fast for me. Good luck though.


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## Flying Dodo (2 Oct 2012)

middleagecyclist said:


> Manchester to Dunwich? Isn't that Suffolk? 250 odd miles! A bit fast for me. Good luck though.


 
You could always get a train from Manchester to London!


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## middleagecyclist (2 Oct 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> You could always get a train from Manchester to London!


Ahh, I see. From London you plan. Is this the famous 'Dunwich Dynamo' of which i've heard?

I was actually wondering about an unoffical Manchester - Morecambe ride. London to Dunwich though. Maybe combined with a family trip to London. Has appeal. Any dates in mind?


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## martint235 (2 Oct 2012)

middleagecyclist said:


> Ahh, I see. From London you plan. Is this the famous 'Dunwich Dynamo' of which i've heard?
> 
> I was actually wondering about an unoffical Manchester - Morecambe ride. London to Dunwich though. Maybe combined with a family trip to London. Has appeal. Any dates in mind?


When I cycle to Nelson next year I am toying with the idea of cycling back too in which case you're welcome to join me on a Manchester to London ride


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## StuAff (2 Oct 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> I've been too busy with other stuff this year, but there's a good chance next year I'll get round to running another one out to Dunwich, which has the advantage of leaving at midnight, so that you arrive on the beach in time for a late breakfast/early lunch, and can then get an easy Saturday afternoon train back.


Hurrah!


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## middleagecyclist (2 Oct 2012)

martint235 said:


> When I cycle to Nelson next year I am toying with the idea of cycling back too in which case you're welcome to join me on a Manchester to London ride


Thanks for the invite. Might be possible for me. Need rough idea of dates to see if I can fit it in though. What kind of time are you planning?


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## Flying Dodo (2 Oct 2012)

middleagecyclist said:


> Ahh, I see. From London you plan. Is this the famous 'Dunwich Dynamo' of which i've heard?
> 
> I was actually wondering about an unoffical Manchester - Morecambe ride. London to Dunwich though. Maybe combined with a family trip to London. Has appeal. Any dates in mind?


 
The official Dunwich Dynamo details are shown here. Assuming I do get round to do this, I'd intend running it a couple of weeks before, say possibly 5th July, but that's on the basis of there not being a FNRttC on that date, so at this stage, I can't be too exact.


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## martint235 (2 Oct 2012)

middleagecyclist said:


> Thanks for the invite. Might be possible for me. Need rough idea of dates to see if I can fit it in though. What kind of time are you planning?


I'll be leaving early morning so Rochdale area about 6am. It took me 17 hours last year to get from London to Nelson, would be looking at around the same time, possibly a bit quicker. 

It is still very much an idea but will probably be in June sometime (for longer days)


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## middleagecyclist (2 Oct 2012)

martint235 said:


> I'll be leaving early morning so Rochdale area about 6am. It took me 17 hours last year to get from London to Nelson, would be looking at around the same time, possibly a bit quicker.
> 
> It is still very much an idea but will probably be in June sometime (for longer days)


Quite possible for June. Let me know when you have more details. Cheers.


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## sbird (2 Oct 2012)

thom said:


> Fair enough - I guess if Reading CTC ever did one, it would be possible to prepend a London->Reading bit and do most of the riding in the dark.


 
I did consider the idea of a Reading CTC night ride to Weston-Super-Mere and came to almost the same conclusion as dellzeqq. 70+ miles from Reading and the destination isn't really worth it. There are no train stations further north of note and further south is Burnham which puts the mileage at well over 80.

However Berkshire west of Reading has some charming bits (north of the M4 especially, I really must show you around sometime) and I do have a Saturday ride in the planning stage which will start from Pewsey which will show off some of Wiltshire's glorious bits. Sentimentally I do agree about Suffolk and Essex as that's my old stomping ground with Essex DA.


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## StuAff (2 Oct 2012)

sbird said:


> I did consider the idea of a Reading CTC night ride to Weston-Super-Mere and came to almost the same conclusion as dellzeqq. 70+ miles from Reading and the destination isn't really worth it. There are no train stations further north of note and further south is Burnham which puts the mileage at well over 80.
> 
> However Berkshire west of Reading has some charming bits (north of the M4 especially, I really must show you around sometime) and I do have a Saturday ride in the planning stage which will start from Pewsey which will show off some of Wiltshire's glorious bits. Sentimentally I do agree about Suffolk and Essex as that's my old stomping ground with Essex DA.


Nice bits of Oxfordshire to your north-west as well- I've been up to Wantage three times now, some lovely countryside round there.


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## srw (3 Oct 2012)

Oxford would be a decent destination from several corners of the Kingdom.


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## dellzeqq (3 Oct 2012)

srw said:


> Oxford would be a decent destination from several corners of the Kingdom.


I've got friends on Blackbird Leys...........my training ride used to end at the Magdalen Bridge. Oxford (the Latin Quarter of Cowley) is not all bad at six in the morning. One could imagine a ride converging on Oxford from HPC (via Caversham Bridge), Birmingham's Bull Ring, Bristol Docks and Southampton Docks. Whether it could be done under the Fridays banner I'm not so sure.

I'll have a word with the Birmingham contingent, User482, Simon B and Southampton CTC


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## dellzeqq (3 Oct 2012)

e-mail sent. It might look something like this
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Hyde+Park+Corner,+City+of+Westminster&daddr=51.47766,-0.64345+to:51.4771787,-0.6832472+to:51.47852,-0.9202+to:51.5234789,-1.1020561+to:51.54376,-1.1306372+to:51.611776,-1.1267171+to:Oxford+to:Bullring+Shopping+Centre,+Bullring+Shopping+Centre,+Birmingham+B5+4BU,+United+Kingdom+to:Oxford+to:Bristol+Docks,+Anchor+Road,+Bristol+to:Oxford+to:51.40048,-1.32038+to:W+Quay+Rd%2FA33&hl=en&ll=51.438601,-0.702438&spn=0.338138,0.617294&sll=51.458927,-0.897102&sspn=0.168994,0.308647&geocode=FbbfEQMdnKz9_yk_c5E1JQV2SDEflY3ow3Phrw%3BFZx8EQMdhi72_ykl5wxecXt2SDFgRnKtLa4OEw%3BFbp6EQMdEZP1_ykzbqRzjHx2SDECMe40TcMEpQ%3BFfh_EQMdePXx_ymttzpIGIV2SDFAA0nMI4sNEw%3BFZYvEgMdGC_v_yk1e8MLm5d2SDHjAPJw9ZFkGw%3BFdB-EgMdc7_u_ymxPNpI0Jd2SDEkqoGs4xF0uQ%3BFYCIEwMdw87u_ylVCe7i7JV2SDF_dhtLHDwIug%3BFSyrFQMdi9js_ymvH8StgDNxSDECdFTLqNsgyA%3BFY2_IAMd2h3j_ymBOaKwiLxwSDFQaenCvKlILw%3BFSyrFQMdi9js_ymvH8StgDNxSDECdFTLqNsgyA%3BFd8LEQMdgR7Y_yEerB7sEr1XRikVJkgHzI1xSDEerB7sEr1XRg%3BFSyrFQMdi9js_ymvH8StgDNxSDECdFTLqNsgyA%3BFSBPEAMdRNrr_ym7AjMZIqZ2SDEwG5hPQfQQEw%3BFUC5CAMdEHTq_w&oq=portsmouth&dirflg=w&mra=dvme&mrsp=3&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,12&t=m&z=11


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## Tompy (3 Oct 2012)

Oxford is just about do-able from Peterborough too at around 90 miles and it should be relatively flat.

If there's a 24-hour supermarket around Bedford that should cover a rest/refreshments stop - we won't have the numbers to get anyone to open up specially.


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## StuAff (3 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> I've got friends on Blackbird Leys...........my training ride used to end at the Magdalen Bridge. Oxford (the Latin Quarter of Cowley) is not all bad at six in the morning. One could imagine a ride converging on Oxford from HPC (via Caversham Bridge), Birmingham's Bull Ring, Bristol Docks and Southampton Docks. Whether it could be done under the Fridays banner I'm not so sure.
> 
> I'll have a word with the Birmingham contingent, User482, Simon B and Southampton CTC


Doable from here too.


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## dellzeqq (3 Oct 2012)

leave it with me. There's no point getting excited until we know it's a goer


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## srw (3 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> Oxford from HPC (via Caversham Bridge),


 I'd be inclined to go up the Cote du club de golf de Denham, then via Little Chalfont to Amersham and in via Thame.

By which I actually mean that I'd set the alarm for 2am, put the kettle on for coffee and await arrivals.

My knowledge of Oxford cafes is very out of date. I'd be more inclined to go for a picnic in the Parks or Angel & Greyhound meadow than the classic greasy spoon experience.


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## kimble (3 Oct 2012)

Birmingham to Oxford would certainly work. I have 2/3 of a route that was ridden extremely successfully a couple of weeks ago. Details in email to dellzeqq.


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## redfalo (9 Oct 2012)

And what will I do from December to March???

Good to see that Paris survived, though. I really love this ride and will try to do it a third time. I'll also try to do the away-ones in Yorkshire and Wales. However, one of the most important rides is missing:

June 14 PORTSMOUTH (which connects to June 15-22 The Fridays Tour to NORMANDY) 

That one will solve the issue about oversized luggage on the Fridays Tour, since it will be fully loaded.

Oh, and the DD will be on 20/21 July 2013. Shouldn't the genteel one be on the same weekend? Is nothing is sacred these days?


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## dellzeqq (9 Oct 2012)

redfalo said:


> And what will I do from December to March???
> 
> Good to see that Paris survived, though. I really love this ride and will try to do it a third time. I'll also try to do the away-ones in Yorkshire and Wales. However, one of the most important rides is missing:
> 
> ...


that's a very good point, Olaf. Perhaps I should swap the Cardiff/Swansea ride and the Southend ride.

As for the Portsmouth ride - I don't think there will be many takers. Most people are going by car.


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## StuartG (9 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> As for the Portsmouth ride - I don't think there will be many takers. Most people are going by car.


I might join you Olaf for an informal if the weather is fair ... Di can meet me down there.


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## redfalo (9 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> As for the Portsmouth ride - I don't think there will be many takers. Most people are going by car.


 
pah, sissy petrolheads! (but perhaps one of them can carry my luggage?  )


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## wanda2010 (9 Oct 2012)

Informal ride to Portsmouth you say?


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## dellzeqq (9 Oct 2012)

wanda2010 said:


> Informal ride to Portsmouth you say?


think seven seater people carrier........


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## AnythingButVanilla (9 Oct 2012)

I'll be getting to the ferry by public transport as we're carless. I _could_ ride some of the way but that would mean himself carrying all our luggage as my bike has no rack (or mudguards!) and that wouldn't be very fair


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## redfalo (9 Oct 2012)

Unfortunately, the DD clashes with the Paris ride...... wanted to do both next year....


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## dellzeqq (9 Oct 2012)

ah......well the Paris ride is fixed by the Tour de France. Sorry.


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## StuartG (9 Oct 2012)

2088536 said:


> There could be two Portsmouth rides. One evening on the Friday to get there for the overnight ferry to Caen. The other one overnight to get there for the morning Cherbourg ferry.


I am up for a FriDAY ride down as although I plan to take the Cherbourg ferry - I can stay with a friend in Gosport. If you book early you can usually get very cheap (like £19) Travelodged if you also prefer a day ride.


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## martint235 (9 Oct 2012)

2088576 said:


> I'm in the overnight ferry to Caen party. At the moment I don't know if I want to ride or train to Portsmouth.


I'm planning on being on the Caen ferry and if that plan comes off, I'll be cycling down to Portsmouth.


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## tribanjules (9 Oct 2012)

kimble said:


> Birmingham to Oxford would certainly work. I have 2/3 of a route that was ridden extremely successfully a couple of weeks ago. Details in email to dellzeqq.


 
could you drop me the route too please !


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## wanda2010 (9 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> think seven seater people carrier........


 
Oh yes. I'd forgotten about that


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## StuAff (9 Oct 2012)

2088536 said:


> There could be two Portsmouth rides. One evening on the Friday to get there for the overnight ferry to Caen. The other one overnight to get there for the morning Cherbourg ferry.


Indeed. I haven't booked either ferry yet- no idea about leave for a few weeks more, so I'm not sure about the trip as a whole!- but Caen-Cherbourg is tempting. Certainly, whichever way people come down here, any and all assistance I can give will be on offer. Pre-ride social?


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## Tompy (9 Oct 2012)

dellzeqq said:


> ah......well the Paris ride is fixed by the Tour de France. Sorry.


 
Although there are rumours that next year's Tour will finish atop Alpe d'Huez... I take it you're not planning on riding that far?


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## mmmmartin (10 Oct 2012)

For the Normandy trip I plan to take the train from London after work on the Friday and stay in a hotel in Portsmouth on the Friday night before and get the fast catamaran ferry on Saturday morning, arriving jusht in time for a boozy lunsch in Chserbourg hic!, then the 13k ride to the chateau. So there might be a spare place in the room on Friday night. 
for the return there is a fast ferry from Cherbourg that arrives about 7pm in Portsmouth.


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## AnythingButVanilla (10 Oct 2012)

That was my thinking too, Martin, as I like the idea of a boozy lunch. Is there much to do or see in Portsmouth and would it be worth taking an extra day off work and having an afternoon there?


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## dellzeqq (10 Oct 2012)

AnythingButVanilla said:


> That was my thinking too, Martin, as I like the idea of a boozy lunch. Is there much to do or see in Portsmouth and would it be worth taking an extra day off work and having an afternoon there?


no


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## martint235 (10 Oct 2012)

AnythingButVanilla said:


> That was my thinking too, Martin, as I like the idea of a boozy lunch. Is there much to do or see in Portsmouth and would it be worth taking an extra day off work and having an afternoon there?


 


dellzeqq said:


> no


  just waiting for Stuaff to turn up.


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## hatler (10 Oct 2012)

AnythingButVanilla said:


> That was my thinking too, Martin, as I like the idea of a boozy lunch. Is there much to do or see in Portsmouth and would it be worth taking an extra day off work and having an afternoon there?


The Royal Dockyard takes some beating. There's three things to see there that can take a whole day each; The Victory, Warrior, The Mary Rose. Get there as it opens at 10 and head straight for the Victory.


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## StuAff (10 Oct 2012)

You see, I didn't even have to post for there to be a decent riposte! 
Also: Southsea Castle (OK, it's a fort, but it's pretty all the same. And has a splendid cafe), the D-Day Museum (excellent) , City Museum (honestly can't remember if there's anything worth seeing), the Spinnaker Tower...


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## Andrij (10 Oct 2012)

I've put these rides, along with some others, in my diary for next year. Having done so, I note the July ride to Brighton ends the day before LEL starts. Does anyone think FNRtBrighton would be a nice leg stretcher before LEL? Well, I'm sure someone here does, but it ain't me!

Olaf, Newhaven-Dieppe and DunRun are compatible. The ride departs for Newhaven on Thursday evening (according to the dates above) and arrives in Paris on Saturday. Just make your way straight to Gare du Nord, fold up your Brompton and get a train back to London in time for the DunRun. Simples!


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## redfalo (10 Oct 2012)

Andrij said:


> Olaf, Newhaven-Dieppe and DunRun are compatible. The ride departs for Newhaven on Thursday evening (according to the dates above) and arrives in Paris on Saturday. Just make your way straight to Gare du Nord, fold up your Brompton and get a train back to London in time for the DunRun. Simples!


 
That's a plan! (but not for me...)


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## TimO (21 Oct 2012)

All those rides sound good. One of these days I'm going to have to sort myself out, and get up t'North for the York to Hull ride.

I've done a few informal night rides, including the classic Glastonbury to Stonehenge Solstice ride, which has inconvenientally located railway stations, and nowhere for a midway stop. This results in having to carry tea and coffee makings, and a ride across Salisbury Plain, dodging tanks (assuming the bridle path is open) prior to breakfast. It always seems to be one of the coldest night rides I do, but is great fun (and I've done night rides in January which were warmer). It's fun to do this sort of thing, since most of those I've ridden have been relatively tiny compared to FNRttCs, so can easily stay grouped together.

If you've got the nerve to organise an informal night ride, it's worth doing. Obviously you don't have the degree of recceing that a dellzeqq ride gets, but a bit of excitement and uncertainty can add to the fun. Without sixty people following the leader, slightly poor road surfaces are more acceptable anyway.

I can see the problems that exist with finding alternative London based routes, aside from the existing ones. I guess the Brighton route is the most popular, simply because it's the classic route from London for anything, cycling or otherwise, and Brighton is well supported for trains back, which are relatively fast (even faster for those of us who live in south London anyway!)


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## martint235 (21 Oct 2012)

I'll probably be cycling to Stonehenge and back from London for the summer solstice. Did it the year before last (as part of my Wootton Bassett ride) and it was a hoot!


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## Davywalnuts (24 Oct 2012)

Hmmmm... the TdF passes through Saint Malo the 9th July & Mont Saint Michel on the 10th... and the Fnrttc Cardiff - Swansea is on the 12th.... That week sounds like a week off work to me!


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## dellzeqq (20 Nov 2012)

blog now updated

http://fnrttc.blogspot.co.uk/ 

I'm working my way through it, changing the style of the thing


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## hatler (20 Nov 2012)

That looks spiffing.


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## Lee_M (20 Nov 2012)

Looks great, I never really understood what I had to do before!


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## AnythingButVanilla (20 Nov 2012)

The sheep are still there. Excellent!


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## Flying Dodo (28 Dec 2012)

Bearing in mind it's 3 months until the first 2013 FNRttC, to Felpham, hopefully the region will have dried out before then. Here's a slightly blurry shot taken yesterday from the train just before Amberley Castle (which is not a real castle like Arundel). 







Although the farmland immediately north of Amberley village is often flooded, I hadn't seen the bit around the Castle be under water before. The land leading to North Stoke was similarly overwhelmed with water, so the Gurkhas had better come up with a landing craft I reckon.


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## martint235 (28 Dec 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> Bearing in mind it's 3 months until the first 2013 FNRttC, to Felpham, hopefully the region will have dried out before then. Here's a slightly blurry shot taken yesterday from the train just before Amberley Castle (which is not a real castle like Arundel).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 What castle?


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## Flying Dodo (28 Dec 2012)

martint235 said:


> What castle?


 
In fact, unless we take a bit of a detour, you can't really see Amberley Castle very well from the road. It's not as noticeable as Arundel.


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## martint235 (28 Dec 2012)

Flying Dodo said:


> In fact, unless we take a bit of a detour, you can't really see Amberley Castle very well from the road. It's not as noticeable as Arundel.


 Phew! Thought I'd missed another one there. And for what it's worth, Arundel isn't that noticeable unless you're looking up rather than at the road!!!


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## Dogtrousers (2 Jan 2013)

Didn't think this warranted its own thread.

I'm pondering putting FNRttC Cardiff-Swansea in my calendar. July's a long way away I know, but anyway ...

Do you need to book a bike space on the train from Paddington? In previous years has there been a glut of Fridays travelling West late on Friday gumming up the guards vans?


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## martint235 (2 Jan 2013)

You could always cycle to Cardiff. That's my plan for this year anyway.


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## theclaud (2 Jan 2013)

Dogtrousers said:


> Didn't think this warranted its own thread.
> 
> I'm pondering putting FNRttC Cardiff-Swansea in my calendar. July's a long way away I know, but anyway ...
> 
> Do you need to book a bike space on the train from Paddington? In previous years has there been a glut of Fridays travelling West late on Friday gumming up the guards vans?


 
Hello DT! We haven't had problems with over-full trains thus far, but it is definitely worth reserving a bike space. The official capacity is about six bikes per train, although with an amenable guard it's possible to get more on. People tend to arrive over the course of few hours and hang around eating pizzas on the bay and suchlike, plus a lot of the riders come from Wales and/or ride to the start. It's good to stagger the departures a bit after breakfast (for which read hang around drinking all morning) for the same reason.


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## CharlieB (2 Jan 2013)

theclaud said:


> Hello DT! We haven't had problems with over-full trains thus far, but it is definitely worth reserving a bike space. The official capacity is about six bikes per train, although with an amenable guard it's possible to get more on. People tend to arrive over the course of few hours and hang around eating pizzas on the bay and suchlike, plus a lot of the riders come from Wales and/or ride to the start. It's good to stagger the departures a bit after breakfast (for which read hang around drinking all morning) for the same reason.


 Huh, and huh again.
Last year, I should've stayed with the bike in the compartment. I spent the whole journey from Reading crammed with 15-20 other people in the door vestibule area.
I guess the message is avoid at all costs any trains leaving The Smoke between 4 and 8 in the evening.


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## Dogtrousers (2 Jan 2013)

Thanks all. Duly pencilled in. Probably stay Saturday overnight with a friend in Cardiff.


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## theclaud (2 Jan 2013)

CharlieB said:


> Huh, and huh again.
> Last year, I should've stayed with the bike in the compartment. I spent the whole journey from Reading crammed with 15-20 other people in the door vestibule area.
> I guess the message is avoid at all costs any trains leaving The Smoke between 4 and 8 in the evening.


 


2231301 said:


> I have both times been in a position where I would not have got on the train back from Swansea without that booking.


 
I stand corrected. I wasn't saying they weren't crowded - just that everyone has got home. But yes, the booking is necessary, and as non-advance tickets are now a gazillion pounds, it makes sense to book the bike on, as you are obliged to make a seat reservation with advance tickets anyway. One of the problems I do encounter with trains from Paddington is that platform announcements are sometimes very late, and the guard's van is at the far end of the platform. National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.


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## theclaud (2 Jan 2013)

2231331 said:


> *It was kids with BMXs* who had got on before us the first time. Because we had the booking the guard still let us on though. If we had not we would have been buggered. Teef did kindly persuade the guard not to chuck their bikes off for them but I think it was more that he couldn't be arsed to go to find them.


 
Ah yes - they always come in fives.


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## PippaG (2 Jan 2013)

theclaud said:


> I stand corrected. I wasn't saying they weren't crowded - just that everyone has got home. But yes, the booking is necessary, and as non-advance tickets are now a gazillion pounds, it makes sense to book the bike on, as you are obliged to make a seat reservation with advance tickets anyway. One of the problems I do encounter with trains from Paddington is that platform announcements are sometimes very late, and the guard's van is at the far end of the platform. National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.


 
Try trains.im - it gives platform info and also works very well on my iPhone


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## theclaud (2 Jan 2013)

PippaG said:


> Try trains.im - it gives platform info and also works very well on my iPhone


 
Thanks Pippa. I will look it up.


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## Dogtrousers (2 Jan 2013)

theclaud said:


> National Rail enquiries have stopped including platform information, so I'm thinking of getting a phone app.


 
Live Departure Boards on nat rail enquiries normally shows platforms. Eg this should show the platforms for trains from Paddington to Swansea:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/PAD/SWA/To

However, I used it the other day for Clapham Junction, which has a zillion platforms and such info is especially useful, and it told me nothing. So maybe it only tells you if don't need to know. Some kind of quantum thing.


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## mmmmartin (2 Jan 2013)

Absurdly early, but is anyone thinking of riding Hull-London afterwards, as I did last year? am thinking of staying in the Ibis hotel as it lets you in at 12 noon and is very near our breakfast stop.


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## martint235 (2 Jan 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Absurdly early, but is anyone thinking of riding Hull-London afterwards, as I did last year? am thinking of staying in the Ibis hotel as it lets you in at 12 noon and is very near our breakfast stop.


Without jinxing myself like last year, possibly!


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## StuartG (2 Jan 2013)

People with Bromptons don't have to worry train or coach. In 2011 London/Cardiff was a quid on Megabus. And you get chance to meet interesting people at no extra charge


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## StuartG (2 Jan 2013)

User13710 said:


> People with Bromptons don't have to worry about riding them up Welsh mountains.


Correct! Its riding them down Welsh mountains that's the problem. The diddy wheels heated up so much that I thought I might melt the tubes. While I could ride up I had to walk down - doh!


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## dellzeqq (2 Jan 2013)

this year's Cardiff to Swansea ride is going to be hillier than last year's. TC is most insistent. It was with difficulty that AH and I prevailed on her to avoid items called 'The Bwlch' and 'Constitution Hill', but there's no escaping the climb from Efail-Fach, which has more chevrons than a porcupine has quills. Mere mortals will see their lives and early morning sandwiches pass before them, while our modern day Jemima sails up the incline like the angel she is............


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## StuartG (2 Jan 2013)

User13710 said:


> Blatant selective quoting there Stuart


Sorry, not intended. As we both would return via Paddington & Southern - what did I miss?


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## StuAff (2 Jan 2013)

theclaud said:


> Thanks Pippa. I will look it up.


Just started using the National Rail Enquiries official app on my phone (Android, iPhone version also available). Works very well, and does include platform numbers.


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## StuAff (2 Jan 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> this year's Cardiff to Swansea ride is going to be hillier than last year's. TC is most insistent. It was with difficulty that AH and I prevailed on her to avoid items called 'The Bwlch' and 'Constitution Hill', but there's no escaping the climb from Efail-Fach, which has more chevrons than a porcupine has quills. Mere mortals will see their lives and early morning sandwiches pass before them, while our modern day Jemima sails up the incline like the angel she is............


Just as long as we avoid Bog Road. Give me a stretch of dual carriageway any day over that.....


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## Little yellow Brompton (2 Jan 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> this year's Cardiff to Swansea ride is going to be hillier than last year's. TC is most insistent. It was with difficulty that AH and I prevailed on her to avoid items called 'The Bwlch' and 'Constitution Hill', but there's no escaping the climb from Efail-Fach, which has more chevrons than a porcupine has quills. Mere mortals will see their lives and early morning sandwiches pass before them, while our modern day Jemima sails up the incline like the angel she is............


 I don't do hills!


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## mmmmartin (2 Jan 2013)

StuartG said:


> People with Bromptons don't have to worry train or coach. In 2011 London/Cardiff was a quid on Megabus. And you get chance to meet interesting people at no extra charge


Must have been a very interesting experience for you, Stuart. Paying for a bus ride, i mean. Just sayin'.


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## StuartG (2 Jan 2013)

User13710 said:


> I don't go anywhere near Paddington Stuart - I live in Sussex.


How do you get to Sussex from Swansea without getting the Paddington train at least part of the way? (and hence the same inescapable reservation system)


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## StuAff (3 Jan 2013)

StuartG said:


> How do you get to Lewes from Swansea without getting the Paddington train at least part of the way?


Direct trains from Cardiff to Brighton


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## StuartG (3 Jan 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Must have been a very interesting experience for you, Stuart. Paying for a bus ride, i mean. Just sayin'.


I'm afraid all native Englishman of any vintage have to pay bus fares in Wales Martin. Bar Stewards.


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## StuartG (3 Jan 2013)

StuAff said:


> Direct trains from Cardiff to Brighton


But you would be starting from Swansea Stu. And to get from Swansea to Cardiff you usually catch the Paddington train unless you elect to go Arriva. Some of Arriva's trains are OK (if crowded and tiny). Others are buses on rails (Sprinters), unreliable and best avoided at any price!

Oh and AFAIK there is currently only one connecting train from Cardiff on a Saturday afternoon. Plus it is usually cheaper via Paddington/Victoria. But yes it is possible to avoid the HS125s if you insist.


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## theclaud (3 Jan 2013)

dellzeqq said:


> this year's Cardiff to Swansea ride is going to be hillier than last year's.* TC is most insistent*. It was with difficulty that AH and I prevailed on her to avoid items called 'The Bwlch' and 'Constitution Hill', but there's no escaping the climb from Efail-Fach, which has more chevrons than a porcupine has quills. Mere mortals will see their lives and early morning sandwiches pass before them, while our modern day Jemima sails up the incline like the angel she is............


 
 I'm not even going to argue - I have already been made made to bear Official Responsibility for Neath.


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## ianmac62 (3 Jan 2013)

StuartG said:


> I'm afraid all native Englishman of any vintage have to pay bus fares in Wales Martin. Bar Stewards.


Not quite correct, technically. As a Scot living in England, my bus pass is issued by an English local authority. I therefore pay bus fares in Scotland (and Wales). An Englishman living in Scotland has his bus pass issued by a Scottish local authority. While he pays bus fares in England, he gets free bus *and coach* travel in Scotland. Aberdeen to Edinburgh or Glasgow is therefore terrific value!


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## ianmac62 (3 Jan 2013)

theclaud said:


> I'm not even going to argue - I have already been made made to bear Official Responsibility for Neath.


It could be worse. You might be responsible for Port Talbot.


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## Davywalnuts (3 Jan 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Absurdly early, but is anyone thinking of riding Hull-London afterwards, as I did last year? am thinking of staying in the Ibis hotel as it lets you in at 12 noon and is very near our breakfast stop.


 
This ones been on my radar since time began... So yes, all subject to health etc..


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## Davywalnuts (3 Jan 2013)

The Hills of Wales do not bother me. None have killed me yet.. 

The same will not be said of the eight-legged freaks that inhibit such desolation..


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## Aperitif (3 Jan 2013)

Davywalnuts said:


> The Hills of Wales do not bother me. None have killed me yet..
> 
> The same will not be said of the eight-legged freaks that inhibit such desolation..


You have caught me in a spider's web of intrigue, Davy...
Ten hours of torrential rain riding to Cardiff for the Kick-off will bugger you up though...and you're 'too fat' apparently... from what I have read elsewhere...
You need to see a thighcologist. It will help you with your 'inhibitions', give habitation to well-nurtured thought, and stop you from making an exhibition of yourself.
"iechyd da..vy"


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## martint235 (3 Jan 2013)

Aperitif said:


> You have caught me in a spider's web of intrigue, Davy...
> Ten hours of torrential rain riding to Cardiff for the Kick-off will bugger you up though...and you're 'too fat' apparently... from what I have read elsewhere...
> You need to see a thighcologist. It will help you with your 'inhibitions', give habitation to well-nurtured thought, and stop you from making an exhibition of yourself.
> "iechyd da..vy"


Will Mr 'Teef be cycling to Cardiff again this year?


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## Aperitif (3 Jan 2013)

martint235 said:


> Will Mr 'Teef be cycling to Cardiff again this year?


Might do...although, "to be Frank"  I was in lousy company last year...until Aust environs.
Actually, I'm thinking of leaving a bit earlier and getting the train back from Cardiff...The pelotonypandy didn't wait at Pumpkin Hour - even though it wasn't raining!


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## martint235 (3 Jan 2013)

Aperitif said:


> Might do...although, "to be Frank"  I was in lousy company last year...until Aust environs.
> Actually, I'm thinking of leaving a bit earlier and getting the train back from Cardiff...The pelotonypandy didn't wait at Pumpkin Hour - even though it wasn't raining!


So just cycle to Cardiff and not bother with the Swansea bit?


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## Aperitif (3 Jan 2013)

martint235 said:


> So just cycle to Cardiff and not bother with the Swansea bit?



...or just head up to Llangollen to see how the other haf live perhaps...


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## martint235 (3 Jan 2013)

Aperitif said:


> ...or just head up to Llangollen to see how the other haf live perhaps...


Llangollen is miles away!!!


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## Aperitif (3 Jan 2013)

martint235 said:


> Llangollen is miles away!!!


Me too! Must do some work - anyone would think I'm in the Civil Service.


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## dellzeqq (3 Jan 2013)

StuAff said:


> Just as long as we avoid Bog Road. Give me a stretch of dual carriageway any day over that.....


an unmissable highlight, and a thoroughly Welsh one at that!


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## StuartG (3 Jan 2013)

User13710 said:


> Blimey Stuart, are we having a row about trains now?


Careful, there are mice about ...


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## Flying Dodo (4 Jan 2013)

martint235 said:


> Will Mr 'Teef be cycling to Cardiff again this year?


 
I might look at this again. 

I have new tyres.


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## frank9755 (14 Jan 2013)

I was thinking of doing it again, too: it's such a lovely ride. The date going back to July is tricky but, perhaps, not impossible - especially if a few others are up for it.


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## mmmmartin (25 Jan 2013)

Current train fare from london to york on april 19 is nearly fifty quid, i'm sure i paid £13.50 last time. Am I deluded?


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## theclaud (25 Jan 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Current train fare from london to york on april 19 is nearly fifty quid, i'm sure i paid £13.50 last time. Am I deluded?


 
Sounds likely. It was the train fare that ruled out the Manchester to Morecambe for me last year. Ridiculous rises combined with absurd price structures are threatening to make spontaneity a thing of the past. Luckily Adrian operates an excellent ticket availability awareness system.


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## Dogtrousers (25 Jan 2013)

National rail enquiries won't go beyond April 18th. Searching for the 18th it says most tickets KX-York are £30-odd but does offer a £14.60 one leaving KX at 1030 arriving 1231

I'm driving up, but I can't offer lifts as I'll be visiting family locally-ish so I won't actually be going to York and I don't have a rack for my car, so the bike will be taking up a lot of the inside space of the car.


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## mmmmartin (25 Jan 2013)

i speak too soon, just had a reminder email from east coast trains, paid £14.60 on the 8pm train.


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## mmmmartin (25 Jan 2013)

It is currently £22.15 for the 8pm with no railcard. if you book via East Coast remember to make the bike reservation as well. On arrival I plan to go to Pizza Express for a meal, it's out of the railway station in York, left, and along the road a bit over the bridge and on the right.
And I also plan to ride back to London after a kip in the Ibis hotel (just paid £26 for a room), as I did last year. Departure probably about 10pm on Saturday night, arriving at Sawbridgeworth station near Stansted, which is 300k from the Ibis hotel (or it was last year, anyway). I'll be riding the route of LEL, as I did last year after the York ride, except this time I hope for less torrential rain, fewer gales, and more accuracy on the route instructions especially around Spalding.


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## Flying Dodo (25 Jan 2013)

£13 x 2 on the 9 pm departure for York now booked including 2 bike spaces. So I won't have to bring my bike bag this time. It also means there would be a maximum of 4 bike spaces left on that train.

Although East Coast already have available cheap fares back to London from Hull on the Saturday, as that involves a change at Doncaster, I'm going to hold off, waiting for Hull Trains to release theirs (currently only up to 23rd March), as their service is direct to Kings Cross. 

That way you avoid the anxiety of having to run down the platform, trying to get the locked guards van opened, bike securely lashed into a stand, then jump out of the guards van, sprint back to the first available carriage to jump aboad, all in the 45 seconds that the train is actually in the station.


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## mmmmartin (25 Jan 2013)

Adam hi - I was pondering the purchase of a £10 single Hull to London, in case I opt to take the easy way out.


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## Flying Dodo (25 Jan 2013)

mmmmartin said:


> Adam hi - I was pondering the purchase of a £10 single Hull to London, in case I opt to take the easy way out.


 
For £10, it's worth a punt. You could always try and sell it on, if you decide to go ahead with cycling back south.


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## martint235 (25 Jan 2013)

I'm currently looking at riding to York on the Friday and back from Hull at some point. I'd better look at booking a hotel room.

This is all dependent on not having some scrote in a van result in me damaging myself again this year.


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## Davywalnuts (25 Jan 2013)

martint235 said:


> I'm currently looking at riding to York on the Friday and back from Hull at some point. I'd better look at booking a hotel room.
> 
> This is all dependent on not having some scrote in a van result in me damaging myself again this year.


 
Should you be looking at cycling straight back, as part of LEL training? Theres always bus shelters if needs must?


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## martint235 (25 Jan 2013)

Davywalnuts said:


> Should you be looking at cycling straight back, as part of LEL training? Theres always bus shelters if needs must?


 The hotel room is quite cheap so it's just there as a backup really. Cycling straight back is a possibility.

My plan for LEL involves a 300 mile first leg but after that I'll just be cycling during the day for around 170 miles each day.


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## mmmmartin (26 Jan 2013)

Davywalnuts said:


> Should you be looking at cycling straight back, as part of LEL training? Theres always bus shelters if needs must?


Sensible people look away now......

For what it's worth, which is not very much, I shall "enter" a one-man "do-it-yourself" Audax event starting in Hull and ending near London, a distance of 300k and a bit. Because of the minimum speed requirements of an audax event, if you include a FNRttC in your "DIY one-man audax", the slowness of the FNRttC with the midway stop and the regrouping means you need to ride the rest of the route at a fantastic speed to get faster than the 13.4kph minimum overall for an audax event. So it makes sense to just enjoy the FNRttC, have a kip in a hotel and then set off and start the audax at the hotel.
Doing the FNRttC, and then using up time by sleeping in bus shelters etc will mean you could not do the whole thing in overall minimum speed for an audax, so is not good LEL training, which is also about speed (as well as distance, obv). You need to go fast enough during the 119 hours allowed for the 1,400k to get enough sleep to continue to function (brain as well as body), it's not just about distance.
Because you are allowed 7 hours for a 100k distance, you get 21 hours to do the 300k Hull to London and as I need to arrive in London before the trains stop on Sunday night so I can get home to Kent's leafy suburbs, I need to start about 10pm on Saturday night. This obviously involves riding through the night. This is the point: if you set off from Hull at say 9am after breakfast you'll arrive 300k later on the outskirts of London about 6am on a Sunday morning when the trains are not running. So I think it makes better training to sleep and then ride back through the second night and the full day, which is closer to how LEL is likely to work out. And just to prove my earlier point that it's not worth much, you also get a precious 3 audax points and complete a 300k at audax speed, which is part of becoming a Super Randonneur (a 200k, a 300k, a 400k and a 600k in the same year) and completing a Randonneur Round The Year (RRTY) which is a ride of 200k or more every month for a period of 12 months. (As of now I have five months done, in this, my third attempt. Other years have been disrupted by weather and Real Life.)

That's why bus shelters are not a good option.


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## dellzeqq (26 Jan 2013)

have you ever had the feeling you've stumbled in to a different universe? Those P+Lite types have no idea what madness lurks on other parts of Cycle Chat.


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## StuAff (26 Jan 2013)

Considering some of those P&L types don't actually seem to ride a bike, they're in no position to talk about sanity.....


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## dellzeqq (26 Jan 2013)

StuAff said:


> Considering some of those P&L types don't actually seem to ride a bike, they're in no position to talk about sanity.....


Hush, Stu! It's well know that their bikes have been stolen/morphed in to 4x4s in the middle of the night/sold to pay for the horsefeed


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## StuAff (26 Jan 2013)

Soliciting?


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## redfalo (27 Jan 2013)

Gutted to learn that I'll miss the first ride due to other travel arrangements 

However, I might go for the Reading ride on 12 April. And I just booked a train ticket on the 2100 train from King's X to York, arriving 2310. Will take the Brompton. Prices for Hull - London are still pretty ridiculous.

Cheers Olaf


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## sbird (27 Jan 2013)

redfalo said:


> Gutted to learn that I'll miss the first ride due to other travel arrangements
> 
> However, I might go for the Reading ride on 12 April. And I just booked a train ticket on the 2100 train from King's X to York, arriving 2310. Will take the Brompton. Prices for Hull - London are still pretty ridiculous.
> 
> Cheers Olaf


Ooops! Dates have changed Olaf and you're welcome still if you can make it. Reading to Brighton on 12th April, Reading to Stonehenge on 13th June (the Solstice ride) and 20th September to Lymington (from Reading!).

Apologies!


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