"JohnB" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Tumbleweed wrote:
> >
> > The Southsea hovercraft takes bikes but says its limited
> > to 2 per
crossing.
> > Anyone have any knowledge of the best time to turn up
> > and be relatively assured of a place?
>
> from Portsmouth I would travel by Wightlink on their
> Fastcat, where there is always ample space - just turn up.
> If you have a Network card you also get a discount (they
> don't advertise this concession much) OK, its a few
> minutes longer (15 mins against 9 by hovercraft) and you
> have to do the length of Ryde Pier on the island, but its
> also cheaper.
Cheers I wasnt aware of that service will do that sounds
much better.
>
> > And any recommendations/websites on doing the round the
> > island ride?
>
> There's a lot of info on:
http://www.cyclewight.org.uk/
I can find a map at
http://www.cyclewight.org.uk/cycling.htm
is there a higher quality version of that available on the
web do you know?
I have got an OS map of the IOW somewhere will see if I can
xfer it to that.
>
> ...and the Round the Island ride (which this year was on
> May 2nd) is at:
http://www.cycleisland.co.uk/
>
> > How hilly is it (compared to L2B which is my longest
> > ride) and whats a reasonable time to expect for a unfit
> > (but getting fitter) not-too-fat ******* to do it
> > in....based on my L2B time which was about 5 hours if I
> > factor out the queues.
>
> Its quite hilly. I'd say its quite a bit harder than the
> L2B and certainly doesn't have the associated crowds - far
> from it. You can start and finish at any of the
> checkpoints which are open from 9am to 6pm, and for much
> of the ride you won't see anyone else. The hardest parts
> are around the south of the island and out of Freshwater
> if doing the route anti-clockwise.
I take it these checkpoints are for an official 'mass' ride?
I plan to do it solo sometime this summer have had enough of
mass events!
BTW, which is the easiest direction to cycle around
the island?
>
> I would take all day over it, stopping for tea cakes and
> beers as wont
dictates.
> If you did L2B in 5 hours I don't think youwoud have much
> trouble with the Round the Island.
Well I actually did it in a bit under 7...but 2 of those
were in queues at least 1 of which was in queues whilst
being torrentially rained on with hail and freezing rain :-(
At least I had a waterproof which worked really well.
>
> John B
Thanks
--
Tumbleweed
Remove my socks for email address