# Ditchling Devil. 7th June



## Mark Grant (2 Apr 2015)

Anyone doing The Ditchling Devil?
I did it last year & have signed up for this year.


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## mrbikerboy73 (3 Apr 2015)

I'm looking to do a 200km ride at some point this year so I might have a go at that one I think!


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## goody (4 Apr 2015)

Is there a limit on numbers, how many entries does it normally get? I'd enter now but can't get the time off work, day after my birthday as well. I've recommended it to friends as their first Audax.


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## mrbikerboy73 (4 Apr 2015)

No limit on numbers as far as I'm aware. Check out the website for all the details!


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## Mark Grant (4 Apr 2015)

It was limited to 250 riders last year.


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## mrbikerboy73 (4 Apr 2015)

@Mark Grant cheers for the info, that's worth knowing


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## rb58 (4 Apr 2015)

Paging @ianrauk . I might put my name down for this - you know how much I love Devil's Dyke!


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## ianrauk (4 Apr 2015)

rb58 said:


> Paging @ianrauk . I might put my name down for this - you know how much I love Devil's Dyke!




I did think about it but it's the logistics of getting there on time.


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## mrbikerboy73 (4 Apr 2015)

ianrauk said:


> I did think about it but it's the logistics of getting there on time.


Same here, it's a bit of a hike to get up there and back. I'll think it over....


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## Dogtrousers (21 May 2015)

I've just signed up for this. After finishing the Great Escape in good order I thought I'd see what a not completely flat 200k felt like.


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## jefmcg (28 May 2015)

Anyone doing this, I'll be stamping your cards at Chiddingfold. And there are still spaces, as I just got a flyer for it in the mail. £15 with 3 food stops** with catering provided by the local ladies, it's going to be a good ride.

http://events.paudax.com/ditchlingdevil

** ok, so I do love cake, and I am going to be in the pavilion at Chiddingfold for 4+ hours, so there may be a cake shortage there if you are a full value rider


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## Dogtrousers (8 Jun 2015)

What a great day out. It started with doughnuts in Richmond Park, followed by a bacon butty and digestive biscuits at Highbrook village hall near Ardingly, then plates of pasta and sauce at Upper Beeding, and finally performance-enhancing allspice cake at Chiddingfold.

Oh, and a bit of cycling between those points. 

If I got hungry along the way I snacked on my own supplies of a couple of pork pies, peanut butter and marmite sandwiches and fig rolls.

Huge thanks to the organisers.


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## Cadire (8 Jun 2015)

The more I read about Audax the more I'm convinced that they are a cake-eating club with a cycling problem....


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## jefmcg (8 Jun 2015)

jefmcg said:


> ** ok, so I do love cake, and I am going to be in the pavilion at Chiddingfold for 4+ hours, so there may be a cake shortage there if you are a full value rider


The best laid plans...

Due to various snafus in the morning, I cycled to the control having had nothing to eat all day, except 2 coffees. I had a slice of cake, and a couple of hours later, another slice. Towards the end of the day, I went for a third slice - and they were nearly out. Not wanting the full value riders to miss out, I abstained, which means I cycled 120 km on nothing but 2 slices of cake and 5 coffees. Of course, the kitchen at the Rose of York was long closed when I got there - but boy, those crisps (and lager) tasted wonderful


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## vickster (8 Jun 2015)

jefmcg said:


> The best laid plans...
> 
> Due to various snafus in the morning, I cycled to the control having had nothing to eat all day, except 2 coffees. I had a slice of cake, and a couple of hours later, another slice. Towards the end of the day, I went for a third slice - and they were nearly out. Not wanting the full value riders to miss out, I abstained, which means I cycled 120 km on nothing but 2 slices of cake and 5 coffees. Of course, the kitchen at the Rose of York was long closed when I got there - but boy, those crisps (and lager) tasted wonderful


 my fault


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## jefmcg (9 Jun 2015)

vickster said:


> my fault


Not your fault that I didn't have breakfast, or grabbed a bun at the very convenient waitrose.

It is the fault of the piggy riders who ate their body weight in cakes. 

Still, after 2 cakes and a packet of crisps, all I needed is 2 slices of fairy bread and a game of pass the parcel, and I'd be 8 years old again!


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## Dogtrousers (9 Jun 2015)

jefmcg said:


> Not wanting the full value riders to miss out, I abstained,


Is "full value riders" a euphemism for trundlers? In which case that's me, and your abstinence was appreciated.

I was flagging a bit at Chiddingfold. The cake I had was made with allspice, and washed down with a cup of sweet black tea it did me a world of good.

It really was a great day out - my best day's cycling this year and I was impressed by the sheer numbers of people who had travelled to the controls to hand out cake, make butties, stamp cards and so on. Not to mention the generosity of the garden party hosts at Upper Beeding. So many thanks to you and your fellow volunteers.


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## jefmcg (9 Jun 2015)

Dogtrousers said:


> Is "full value riders" a euphemism for trundlers? In which case that's me, and your abstinence was appreciated.


Yup. You pay for 13 1/2 hours cycling, you should get 13 1/2 hours cycling. Those who rush around quickly are just throwing their money away 

I am a full value rider, too. Finished a 300km with 2 minutes to spare, a 400 with maybe 12 minutes in hand, and succumbed to the inevitable 490km into a 600. So I know the importance of that bit of cake, or bacon butty to keep you going. 

My control buddy hadn't had any cake, so he got a slice of victoria sponge even though there were only a few things left.

Our control was (wo)manned by someone reasonably local, a rider doing the audax who stopped for a few hours to stamp cards (!!) and me, who rode from near the start reversing the route to the control, and then followed the last of the riders to the pub. The cakes were entirely organised by local ladies, who apparently live in a different century. Who can go home, and come back a few minutes later with tins of more homemade cake??? Anyway, they really enjoyed themselves, and said all the riders were very polite - so I guess we'll be back there next year.

Edit: Oh, I said "we". Stamp cards for 4 hours, and I start getting all proprietorial.


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## Dogtrousers (9 Jun 2015)

jefmcg said:


> Yup. You pay for 13 1/2 hours cycling, you should get 13 1/2 hours cycling. Those who rush around quickly are just throwing their money away


I see. Looking at it that way means I threw away an hour and three quarters riding, or about 12% of whatever the extortionate fee was. (£10 I think)

My excuse is that I was having my dinner cooked for me that night, so I had to dash round in such an undignified rush order to get my free evening meal.


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