A 200km Audax completed at last!

vernon levy said:

I submitted an entry fpr the Goole Vermuyden CC 200km Audax in a determined
effort to get a 200km ride in before the end of the school term.

It was nice to be remembered from last year's 100km and I was given my
Brevet card without having to introduce myself. One or two members made a
point of telling me it was a challenging ride but I felt confident beacause
I didn't think I'd encounter anything as fierce as the start as the Dales
Grimpeur from last weekend.

I had the customary faff and left 20 minutes late. The firt quarter to
Beverley was uneventful and I arrived n good time, The secand quarter of
the ride was challenging towards the end in that it was rolling scenery
which made striking up a pedalling rythym difficult.

Things were going too well and sure enough I met my nemisis at Thixendale.
t's a lovely valley b ut the climb out ti Kirkby Underdale saw me gett of ad
push for the second time this year. I might have been able to cope with the
hill with my low geared Galaxy but today I was on my Raleigh Road bike.
(Writes note to self - check to see what the biggest 8 speed block is for
the Sora group set.) Thankfully the temperature started to dip when I
commenced my push out of the Thixendale valley.

Once climbed out of Kirkby Underdale the remaining quarter of the ride
towards Howden/Goole was literally downhill or level. A member of the club
drove out and checked on the progress of stragglers and being in my
favourite spot he didn't have to search beyond me :-)

I got back to the start with and hour and a quarter to spare. Harvey Tripp,
the organiser dipped into his own pocket and funded a free 200km medal for
me as he reckoned my perfomance on the day waranted it. What a lovely
gesture. The endo of ride mug of tea, malt loaf and scones were never more
welcome.

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00 start.

There must be some easy 200s around???

All in all , a grand day out,

Well done Vernon. Easy 200s, the Peak Audax ones from Cheadle/Poynton
in the winter are easy routes but at that time of year the weather
might make them tricky. The first 200 I did was from Cheadle in
Fenbruary 2005, the first 1.5 hours was completed in a snowstorm, this
remains my fastest. We did the Winter Solstice in November last year
starting at 08:00 in the dark with temperature of approx -5 C. Nice
flat routes though. Maybe you'd like to try my
Leeds-Humber-Bridge-Leeds as a DIY Perm, flat. Email me if you'd like
more information.

vernon levy said:

I submitted an entry fpr the Goole Vermuyden CC 200km Audax in a determined
effort to get a 200km ride in before the end of the school term.

It was nice to be remembered from last year's 100km and I was given my
Brevet card without having to introduce myself. One or two members made a
point of telling me it was a challenging ride but I felt confident beacause
I didn't think I'd encounter anything as fierce as the start as the Dales
Grimpeur from last weekend.

I had the customary faff and left 20 minutes late. The firt quarter to
Beverley was uneventful and I arrived n good time, The secand quarter of
the ride was challenging towards the end in that it was rolling scenery
which made striking up a pedalling rythym difficult.

Things were going too well and sure enough I met my nemisis at Thixendale.
t's a lovely valley b ut the climb out ti Kirkby Underdale saw me gett of ad
push for the second time this year. I might have been able to cope with the
hill with my low geared Galaxy but today I was on my Raleigh Road bike.
(Writes note to self - check to see what the biggest 8 speed block is for
the Sora group set.) Thankfully the temperature started to dip when I
commenced my push out of the Thixendale valley.

Once climbed out of Kirkby Underdale the remaining quarter of the ride
towards Howden/Goole was literally downhill or level. A member of the club
drove out and checked on the progress of stragglers and being in my
favourite spot he didn't have to search beyond me :-)

I got back to the start with and hour and a quarter to spare. Harvey Tripp,
the organiser dipped into his own pocket and funded a free 200km medal for
me as he reckoned my perfomance on the day waranted it. What a lovely
gesture. The endo of ride mug of tea, malt loaf and scones were never more
welcome.

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00 start.

There must be some easy 200s around???

All in all , a grand day out,

I forgot to say congratulations on your *first* 2 points too.

"vernon levy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:xeOdnX-

Quoted message said:

Things were going too well and sure enough I met my nemisis at Thixendale.
t's a lovely valley b ut the climb out ti Kirkby Underdale saw me gett of
ad push for the second time this year. I might have been able to cope
with the hill with my low geared Galaxy but today I was on my Raleigh Road
bike. (Writes note to self - check to see what the biggest 8 speed block
is for the Sora group set.) Thankfully the temperature started to dip when
I commenced my push out of the Thixendale valley.

Yes - Kirkby Underdale and Thixendale are where my club mates like take me
out to show who's boss! Last time I tried to keep up with them on those
climbs, I had an irregular heart beat for 3 months afterwards. Well done!

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

Simon Mason said:

Yes - Kirkby Underdale and Thixendale are where my club mates like take me
out to show who's boss! Last time I tried to keep up with them on those
climbs, I had an irregular heart beat for 3 months afterwards. Well done!

Funnily enough I was there yesterday. Damm hot.

Well done Vernon though. Maybe see you at the Ron Kitching ride?

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yes - Kirkby Underdale and Thixendale are where my club mates like take me
out to show who's boss! Last time I tried to keep up with them on those
climbs, I had an irregular heart beat for 3 months afterwards. Well done!

My man breast heaved with pride as I pulled into the car park of Christines
Diner knowing that the ride was over and that I'd survived Thixendale >>
Kirkby Underdale.

The full route was:

Boothferry Bridge, Laxton, Yokefleet, Faxfleet, Broomfleet, Ellerker,
Brantingham, Walkington, Beverley, Bracken, Hutton Cranswick, Skerne,
Wansford, Lowthorpe, Ruston Parva, Kilham, Burton Fleming, Filey, Muston,
Hunmanby, Wold Newton, Weaverthorpe, Luttons, Duggleby, Wharram Le Street,
Thixendale (spit), Kirkby Underdale, Bugthorpe, Full Sutton, Thornton,
Melbourne, Laytham, Foggathorpe, Spaldington, Howden, Boothferry Bridge.

I' d happily do the ride again if Thixendale was absent :-)

I'm not hppy with the spankings that gravity and challenging landscapes dish
out every now and then ;-)

-=V=-

vernon levy said:

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00 start.

There must be some easy 200s around???

Well done Vern, I'm made up for you mate. As for easy 200's, well I
guess as M says the Cheshire ones are flat but weather can be a problem
(although I have been pretty lucky in that respect). Of the 200's I've
done, I think the Eureka! was possibly the flattest/most pleasent.

BTW M, I may well take you up on the Leeds/Humber/Leedsperm 200 for my
RRTY July event. Need to consult diary (again) but I'll PM you later.

Well done again, a great effort.

bfn,

Tony B

"Arthur Clune" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Funnily enough I was there yesterday. Damm hot.

Thnkfully the temperature had dropped when I dropped into the valley around
17:30

Quoted message said:

Well done Vernon though. Maybe see you at the Ron Kitching ride?

It's a strong possibility though I am torn between the Ron Kitching and a
mini camping expedition to Dent for the Festival. I'm keen on seeing the
Peatbog Faeries there.

Having survived last year's ride I'm likely to take the Galaxy ( if I ride
it ) knowing that the 150 is a tad lumpy.

-=V=-

vernon levy said:

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00 start.

Well done, Vernon. That's a tremendous effort, and very well-earned
points. There is absolutely no shame in getting off and walking. I did
it a few times myself this weekend. I could have done with a ski-lift
in a few places.

Quoted message said:

There must be some easy 200s around???

Calendar events? I haven't come across any yet. You can always design
your own DIY permanent.

--
Dave...

"Tony B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

vernon levy wrote:

Quoted message said:

Well done Vern, I'm made up for you mate. As for easy 200's, well I guess
as M says the Cheshire ones are flat but weather can be a problem
(although I have been pretty lucky in that respect). Of the 200's I've
done, I think the Eureka! was possibly the flattest/most pleasent.

The weather has not held me back this year. I did the Birdwell 100 in sleet
and snow this year and am not averse to getting wet. I'll have to have a
look at them. I've got one or two flat ones plotted from the Easterm Peaks
and Plains Mesh but I'm running out of weekend slots.

Quoted message said:

BTW M, I may well take you up on the Leeds/Humber/Leedsperm 200 for my
RRTY July event. Need to consult diary (again) but I'll PM you later.

I'll probably be having a go at this one too. It's got to be flatter than
the Alfreton 160

MSeries' original post is not available to me at home for some strange
reason - perhaps the BTInternet newsserver is allergic to him. I've asked
for details for the route.

Might do it with you if your diary lets you and you don't mind towing me ;-)

Quoted message said:

Well done again, a great effort.

Thanks

It felt good and it flushed away the demons of two bail-outs.

Now to relax and play my Uilleann pipes

-=V=-

In article <[email hidden]>, vernon levy

() said:

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00 start.

Yay! Well done, Vernon. Much better than my attempt at 200 miles this
weekend, which consisted of setting the alarm clock and then failing to
switch the bloody thing on. Not even Michael Schumacher could have got
me to Norwich in time for a reasonable start. Bah!

Quoted message said:

There must be some easy 200s around???

There /are/, but I think they're mostly in Essex...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
There ought to be a /La/ against it.

[quote="Dave Larrington"]In article <[email hidden]>, vernon levy
([email hidden]) wrote:


Yay! Well done, Vernon. Much better than my attempt at 200 miles this
weekend, which consisted of setting the alarm clock and then failing to
switch the bloody thing on. Not even Michael Schumacher could have got
me to Norwich in time for a reasonable start. Bah!


Hi Dave

We wondered where you got to.

37 riders set off from Norwich at 6am. Steve Abraham arrived at 7am, having ridden overnight from Milton Keynes. He ate a hearty breakfast and left the HQ at 8am. He rode alone all day, chasing those ahead. Only caught the stragglers in the last 20km. When he got back, on the wrong side of midnight, he slept for a few hours before heading off home.

36 riders completed the event, on a blisteringly hot day. There was a fairly strong south-easterly blowing in the afternoon. It was behind the riders for 80km as they rode to Wells and Sandringham. Luckily for the later riders, the breeze dropped out almost completely in the evening, leaving them a lovely ride back in the moonlight.

Keith Harrison
Norwich Double Century Audax

"dkahn400" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

vernon levy said:

211km, completed in 12 hours and 50 minutes from the scheduled 08:00
start.

Well done, Vernon. That's a tremendous effort, and very well-earned
points. There is absolutely no shame in getting off and walking. I did
it a few times myself this weekend. I could have done with a ski-lift
in a few places.

It was a matter of lack of nutrition and not having low enough gears. I
stoked up with flapjack and bananas at the bottom of the climb and by the
time I'd pushed to the top got my stamp at the checkpoint and pedalled up
the last bit of the climb, I was fit and raring to go again. It also helped
that the remainder of the ride was essentially downhill.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There must be some easy 200s around???

Calendar events? I haven't come across any yet. You can always design
your own DIY permanent.

I'm working on that with an MSeries DIY permanent and and an Eastern Peaks
and Plains Mesh ride. The gradient profiles are encouragingly flat! It's
amazing what the ride has done for my confidence.

-=V=-