Faccombe Haul 100k

"David Damerell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:KSj*[email protected]...
>I did the Faccombe Haul the weekend just past (whee! baby's first AAA
> points!) and was wondering if anyone else from this parish was on it.
>
> The AAA nature demands climbing but the ride organiser went above and
> beyond the call of ordinary sadism by arranging the route to send us up
> the same 16% incline _twice_. I was quite pleased I didn't have to walk
> anything (although I did walk a couple at the start while riding with a
> chap on fixed who was struggling with a cold, but after that I regretfully
> left him and rode off)...
> --
> David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?
> Today is Friday, April.

Well done!

The alternative title of the ride has only just registered with me fnaaar
fnaarr

Didn't do it. My AAA point for the season will come from next week's Leap
into the Aire.

If you want a demoralising AAA rated ride, try one of the Dales Grimpeurs.
In my naivity, I entered for one of them the year before last and within 1/2
mile of the start I found myself on a 20% climb followed by many
undulations - most of them upwards ones and was out of time by the first
check point where I took the decision to become a tourist and drink my way
back to HQ only to be diverted by the police onto a route far more hilly
than the shortest way back as it was blocked by a major RTA.

For my sins at the weekend, I chose to do a flat DIY 100km Audax from
Wetherby to York and back via Tadcaster, Ulleskelf and Selby. I refused to
leave the house until 12:30 because it was tipping it down with rain.
Started the ride at 13:00 and back at the carpark for 17:10 despite going
over distance by about 15km in moist and sometimes draughty conditions. Had
a major panic because I couldn't find my car keys in my saddle bag then
spotted them dangling from the boot lid lock where they'd been dangling for
just over six hours.....

It was my first Audax in a month and I'm a tad tired. Must get out more
often.

P.S. I'm full of admiration for anyone who does AAA rated ride on a fixed
wheel bike. I find AAA rides hard enough with a 17" bottom gear.

David Damerell wrote:
> I did the Faccombe Haul the weekend just past (whee! baby's first AAA
> points!) and was wondering if anyone else from this parish was on it.
>
> The AAA nature demands climbing but the ride organiser went above and
> beyond the call of ordinary sadism by arranging the route to send us up
> the same 16% incline _twice_. I was quite pleased I didn't have to walk
> anything (although I did walk a couple at the start while riding with a
> chap on fixed who was struggling with a cold, but after that I regretfully
> left him and rode off)...

Which way did you go up Walbury Hill (if you did)? We went up there in
June last year, and a couple of the guys were on fixies of about 70".
We took the narrow road with the abyss to the left, then went over the
by-way (interesting on road bikes!) to reach Combe Gibbet.

We also hopped off our bikes to visit the trig point, because it's
actually the highest point in the South-East region, at 297m.

Quoting Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]>:
>David Damerell wrote:
>>I did the Faccombe Haul the weekend just past (whee! baby's first AAA
>>points!) and was wondering if anyone else from this parish was on it.
>Which way did you go up Walbury Hill (if you did)?

That was what we got the double dose of. The first time we came up from
East Woodhay - there's an ascent at West Woodhay Down, turn North and run
down the Eastern side of the hill, then West up the North side, but then
turning North to circle round to West Woodhay and do it again - this time
turning South down the West side towards Combe.

There was also something pretty stiff before Linkenholt but I can't find
it on the map - I'm one of those hopeful routesheet-trusting types...
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?
Today is Friday, April.

Quoting vernon <[email protected]>:
>"David Damerell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>I did the Faccombe Haul the weekend just past (whee! baby's first AAA
>>points!) and was wondering if anyone else from this parish was on it.
>The alternative title of the ride has only just registered with me fnaaar
>fnaarr

I've already scored the ***** Warmer and the Berkshire Quickie (last year)
in the rude names pile.

>Didn't do it. My AAA point for the season will come from next week's Leap
>into the Aire.

A little voice is telling me I only need 7 3/4 more to get my name in the
Handbook...

>If you want a demoralising AAA rated ride, try one of the Dales Grimpeurs.
>In my naivity, I entered for one of them the year before last and within 1/2
>mile of the start I found myself on a 20% climb followed by many
>undulations

At least Faccombe's at the _top_ to start with...

>Started the ride at 13:00 and back at the carpark for 17:10 despite going
>over distance by about 15km in moist and sometimes draughty conditions.

Psht, car. I'd been up Faccombe Hill once already before we even started.


>P.S. I'm full of admiration for anyone who does AAA rated ride on a fixed
>wheel bike. I find AAA rides hard enough with a 17" bottom gear.

This chap was on 61" fixed. I reckon if my largest sprocket had fallen off
I could have just about managed with the 31" that would leave me with...
so half what he had.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?
Today is Friday, April.

In article <[email protected]>, vernon
[email protected] says...
>
> P.S. I'm full of admiration for anyone who does AAA rated ride on a fixed
> wheel bike.

I'm full of concern for their knees.

"David Damerell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:KSj*[email protected]...
>I did the Faccombe Haul the weekend just past (whee! baby's first AAA
> points!) and was wondering if anyone else from this parish was on it.
>
> The AAA nature demands climbing but the ride organiser went above and
> beyond the call of ordinary sadism by arranging the route to send us up
> the same 16% incline _twice_. I was quite pleased I didn't have to walk
> anything (although I did walk a couple at the start while riding with a
> chap on fixed who was struggling with a cold, but after that I regretfully


We did a 75 miler Audax type ride to Pocklington and Thixendale, Yorks. Had
two nice organised cake stops there where our cards were stamped, but other
than that it was awful. Very cold and rained all day. Couldn't wait to get
home. The only highlight was dropping the
1975 Senior Road Champion on the 20% hills. ;-)
--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/

"vernon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>

>
> P.S. I'm full of admiration for anyone who does AAA rated ride on a fixed
> wheel bike. I find AAA rides hard enough with a 17" bottom gear.


Somebody rode our 75 miler on Sunday on a penny farthing! He arrived at the
Pocklington checkpoint (Burnby Hall Gardens) about 10 minutes after us. I
mentioned to him about riding down the steep hill Trundlegate in North
Newbald, to which he replied that he lives there so he is more than aware of
Trundlegate. What a bloke!

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/

In news:[email protected],
Simon Mason <[email protected]> tweaked the Babbage-Engine
to tell us:

> We did a 75 miler Audax type ride to Pocklington and Thixendale,
> Yorks. Had two nice organised cake stops there where our cards were
> stamped, but other than that it was awful. Very cold and rained all
> day.

Should I mention the glorious weather on the first half of last year's
Humber Bridge 400, which went through those parts[1]?

A pity about the second leg, thobut.

1 - familiar from serving a ten-stretch at skool thereabouts.

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
Is it an Audi A4?

Quoting Simon Mason <[email protected]>:
>We did a 75 miler Audax type ride to Pocklington and Thixendale, Yorks. Had
>two nice organised cake stops there where our cards were stamped, but other
>than that it was awful. Very cold and rained all day.

The weather was pretty dismal - couple of bouts of hail - but particularly
so because the rain was so off and on. I seem to run hotter than most AUKs
- when it wasn't raining I was in shorts and summer gloves when most
people had longs, jackets, and winter gloves - but I must have stopped to
take off or put on my jacket at least a dozen times.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Kill the tomato!
Today is Saturday, April - a weekend.

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "vernon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>
>>
>> P.S. I'm full of admiration for anyone who does AAA rated ride on a fixed
>> wheel bike. I find AAA rides hard enough with a 17" bottom gear.
>
>
> Somebody rode our 75 miler on Sunday on a penny farthing! He arrived at
> the Pocklington checkpoint (Burnby Hall Gardens) about 10 minutes after
> us. I mentioned to him about riding down the steep hill Trundlegate in
> North Newbald, to which he replied that he lives there so he is more than
> aware of Trundlegate. What a bloke!
>
But how is he for pedalling up Trundlegate? I found it to be a hell of a
grind last year when I did a 200km Audax from the Humber Bridge.

There's some nutter in Bradford who would sometimes do a 10 mile TT on a
Raleigh Chopper and beat some of the more traditionally mounted riders.

Some folk like to make things hard for themselves.....