Exmouth Exodus

[Baggy]

marvin, its difficult to say how much of a step up it would be really without knowing what your level of fitness is, how often you cycle, how hilly the 55 mile route was etc...I agree that if you're cycling regularly and have recently been doing longer rides it's going to be challenging, but do-able, but you do need to account for the fact that there's a bit of extra challenge in navigating, watching out for potholes and keeping going in the dark. It's great fun for the most part, but I think most people have a "low" point (for me it's about 3am) when you question what the hell you're doing and your body is trying to tell you that you should be in a warm bed!

The route is going to be ridiculously flat (for the westcountry at least), apart from 3 climbs which are not massive by any stretch of the imagination, the worst one will be the first as well at Burrington Coombe. Also they have long flat bits spread out between them. The only concern I have is if we have a strong headwind. Before I did my first 100 the furthest I had gone was about 70 miles. It will be a challenge, but provided you cycle regularly I think you will be OK.

Have been looking at the 10 day forecasts already. Sunny every day for the next 10 days. Except next Saturday.

Although Burrington goes on a bit it's Blagdon Hill that gets the most complaints as gradient is steeper than Burrington and it's not a welcome climb at 70 ish miles in...especially if you take the left hand bend on the inside!

We rode the recce today, enjoyed it, but it's even nicer after dark...

 

[Wander Wheels]

Marvin

Just have a go. I've done a lot of evening/night riding and hills in the dark are a lot easier than seeing them right out in front of you in the daylight.
I'm also having a go for the first time and really looking forward to this event.

See you there

 

[marvin]

Thanks for the encouragent lads. I went for a 60 mile ride yesterday for a bit of a confidence booster and included Caerphilly mountain for good measure. It felt good so I wil be there on Saturday night (providing I'm not kept up all Frday night by my two little uns).

 

[david1701]

I might have 2 more guys coming with me

 

[Glover Fan]

Gonna be pretty epic, just looked at the numbers again and there are now 240 people proposing to do the ride. That's just people who have declared it as well.

Weather is looking wetter now, but not heavy rain, more drizzle and light rain, but will make surface greasy.

Gonna do 40-50 miles tomorrow, quick 15 on Thursday and then Friday evening gonna get the bike prepped with lights n that on it. Might even have to put my mudguards on as well. BOOOO.

 

[Baggy]

...there are now 240 people proposing to do the ride. That's just people who have declared it as well.

I reckon a fifth will drop out, maybe more if the weather is bad - but probably the same amount will just turn up...that's twice as many as last year. We'd better hire a bigger water boiler!

Have a feeling that this year it might be a challenging getting the tea van to the second tea stop in time to re-fuel the faster riders.

 

[Baggy]

So, how many loaves of Soreen do you lot think I'm going to need? Might just serve the Jelly babies from a trough

 

[Wander Wheels]

We'll be on our touring bikes so I hope the pace isn't too fast - although we do have Garmin and very bright lights so perhaps we'll pick up a few followers on the way and not have to ride the whole way by ourselves

 

[iZaP]

Anyone from London taking the train to Bristol on the Sat evening and back Sunday morning from Exeter? If 3 or 4 were interested we could perhaps get a group 4 save (50% off)?

Even with 50% off, I think the train trips would cost a ton

 

[Davidc]

If anyone wants to look at the route on MapMyRide I've put it there and I've also posted it on the EE Forum

No I haven't ridden the route at the speed it says, just uploaded the GPX file that was on the EE web site! Be lucky if I can do it in 12 hours including stops. My average moving speed isn't likely to be more than 10 to 11 mph.

Not sure if I'll make it the whole way, hoping my legs behave better than they have been so far this week. 2 strained muscles and neither caused by cycling.

 

[Glover Fan]

Just completed a nice easy 40 miler at a very sedate pace (in HR terms) and still averaged 17.2mph, flat as a pancake course, but glad I did it.

Probably will do another 15 on friday evening with the lights on to check the lights are attached strongly enough etc and then i'm ready.

Weather is looking better as we go on through the week. Now forecasting partly cloudy at night, but looks like we will have a headwind all the way. Will be fun on the Somerset levels. It says it will get to a low of 13 degrees. Can't decide whether that is cool enough for bib longs or not. Definately going to go warm baselayer and long sleeve jersey though. Hmm just looked at Taunton which is pretty much mid-point and it says 11 degrees there so think I will go for my night-visions at least other people will see me!

I don't really have a time i'm aiming for, I don't really want to get to Exmouth much before the cafe opens as I don't wanna hang around for a fry up lol. I reckon 8-9 hours.

The bit I am most looking forward too now is sunrise, just have a feeling it is gonna be awesome.

 

[Glover Fan]

Erm, quick question/concern.

Just looked and it is fast approaching 300 people attending.

Now I have friends that live near Channings Hotel and it isn't the biggest place in the world. I have a horrible feeling it is going to be heavily congested come Saturday night. I think i'm gonna aim to get there as close to 9pm so I don't have to stand around (get in the way of people) for too long.

P.S if anyone was planning to leave their car in the area - good luck, parking in Clifton is nigh on impossible!

 

[david1701]

pretty sure at least one, maybe 2 of the guys with me have bailed :s

 

[Davidc]

P.S if anyone was planning to leave their car in the area - good luck, parking in Clifton is nigh on impossible!

Provided you don't mind a couple of miles extra riding there used to usually be on-street parking in Stoke Bishop, reasonable area so not too many theft and vandalism worries.

I'm hoping someone will be able to colect my £1 (I'll probably donate more) for the route sheet so I can set off about 8 to 8:30 pm, me being slow with a best possible time of about 11 hours, assuming the cold I've picked up goes away by then. Channings should be doing well on Saturday.

 

[Ian H]

I seem to have been persuaded. I'll be riding up from Devon Saturday pm, meeting a friend in Taunton around 4, if anyone wants to join us.