Forest of Dean Spring Classic

popette

Who's doing it?

I've not done it before but the profile of the event looks a bit intimidating - what's it like?

The Cycling Plus Team (Howard, Dan, Ian & me) are doing it - say "hello" if you see us.

Hugh A

Scenic

Actually it is pretty good but as the profile indicates, plenty hilly. Unfortunately I took a wrong turn last year and added yet another ascent. My recollection is that the worst (i.e. steepest nastiest) bit of climbing comes towards the end climbing up to Symonds Yat Rock - rember to smile, or at least grin and bear it, for the photographer!

There was a marquee last year where you could get sandwiches and coffee. I was so slow and so late getting in that not only had my mates already left but I had some free left over sarnies which were very welcome.

Booked to do it again this year so may see you there. I'm hoping to do a little better this time :oops:

sargeb

It's a little corker...plenty of climbing (a couple of pretty steep ones including the Symonds Yat one mentioned above) and some great quiet roads and beautiful scenery.

All in all one to do and will be good early etape training.

John

mozwyn69

Did it last year with an axtra 9 miles (including an extra climb back out of Monmouth) after missing a sign. It's a good event but pretty tough with plenty of climbing and little in the way of flat stretches as I remember. All good prep for the Fred Whitton a week later later tho. Doing both again this year.

jhop

I enjoyed it last year and will be there again this year.

BUT the Symonds Yat 'Big One' was a real disappointment for me as the traffic on the small road made it hectic, dangerous and frankly not very pleasant at all.

SteveR_100Milers

I work in RoW and regularly ride in the area with mates from the ross cycling club. Nowhere in herefordshire and monmouth is particularly flat, so its a gruelling event, but none of the climbs are real killers from what I have seen of the route. It's an attractive part of the world to be riding around aswell.

robbarker

Me! Monmouthshire is my stomping ground, although a rugby injury has severely curtailed my training.. I'll be the knackered looking one in the welsh flag jersey!

howiejmidlands

Please be kind to me as you pass me on the hills, as i may have to stretch my legs and have a stroll rather cycle. It is too easy to riide, best to walk and mix up the training a bit!!!!

SteveR_100Milers

robbarker wrote:

Me! Monmouthshire is my stomping ground, although a rugby injury has severely curtailed my training.. I'll be the knackered looking one in the welsh flag jersey!

Rob, where is home for you? Are you on the English or Welsh side? Ross club is pretty good if you're not in one right now

pdchaplin

:shock: quite looking forward to this - plenty of training being done, my English mates may be getting a shock when they find out I am a lot fitter than I have been letting on!

I've heard it takes around 7hours............anyone agree?

oldwelshman

pdchaplin wrote:

:shock: quite looking forward to this - plenty of training being done, my English mates may be getting a shock when they find out I am a lot fitter than I have been letting on!

I've heard it takes around 7hours............anyone agree?

Depends how fast you go

samoff

I'll be there too, although it's been a race against time to get some training miles in following an injury.

Anyone know what the 'standards' are? Or if there's a list of last year's results.
I'd like to get an idea of just how far off the pace I can expect to be.

JL

I think they will be sending out details shortly. I seem to remember the gold medal time for my age group (40+) was under 6 hours, with silver between 6 and 6 1/2 hours.

The fastest overall time was about 4 hrs 30 mins but there were plenty of 7+ hour times.

samoff

>>plenty of 7+ hour times.

Sounds like I'll have some company then. Thanks for the info, JL.

robbarker

I live in the Angidy Valley Steve - just up the hill from Tintern on the Welsh side.

narbs

Well, the weather's looking kind:

here

narbs

Has anyone had the final details for this yet, eg exact sign-on location etc?

antonylp

Well, the weather's looking kind

Hope you realise your link is to Monday's forecast?

Anyhow good luck to all those taking part, i live in the Forest and unfortunately won't be able to ride this (as i am working nights!) but will be out on one of the steeper climbs to cheer you on

popette

antonylp wrote:

Well, the weather's looking kind:

Hope you realise your link is to Monday's forecast?

Anyhow good luck to all those taking part, i live in the Forest and unfortunately won't be able to ride this (as i am working nights!) but will be out on one of the steeper climbs to cheer you on

Hiya, I'm not going to be doing the event now but will be coming to watch my husband. I'll be bringing two kids - can you recommend anything for us to do and good places for us to watch?
Many thanks

JL

Sorry to hear you can't make it.

It can get busy on a bank hol w/e but I would suggest Symonds Yat. There is a the walk up to Yat Rock you could do with the kids while waiting (and/or walks/cycle along the river) and there are pubs there by the river where you can get lunch/drinks.

And the hill is at least 20% so your kids will have plenty of time to watch your hubbie and others suffer (including me).

John

antonylp

Hi Popette

Have been reading your blog with interest, sorry to hear about your setback, im sure everything will be fine and if you don't make this years Etape you will be flying next years!

I would agree with John, the Symonds Yat area is ideal, but will be busy, nice pubs, walks and bike rides by the river. If you can't park by the river an alternative would be up on Yat rock and like John said you can walk down to the river. Either way you will be able to watch your husband and others suffering up the steepest climb on the ride.

Might see you out there and good luck to your husband!

SteveR_100Milers

antonylp wrote:

Hi Popette

Have been reading your blog with interest, sorry to hear about your setback, im sure everything will be fine and if you don't make this years Etape you will be flying next years!

I would agree with John, the Symonds Yat area is ideal, but will be busy, nice pubs, walks and bike rides by the river. If you can't park by the river an alternative would be up on Yat rock and like John said you can walk down to the river. Either way you will be able to watch your husband and others suffering up the steepest climb on the ride.

Might see you out there and good luck to your husband!

hey Popett I hope it's not serious. Chin up, I know how frustrating time off the bike can be, but it will come back and quicker than you might hope..

popette

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

antonylp wrote:

Hi Popette

Have been reading your blog with interest, sorry to hear about your setback, im sure everything will be fine and if you don't make this years Etape you will be flying next years!

I would agree with John, the Symonds Yat area is ideal, but will be busy, nice pubs, walks and bike rides by the river. If you can't park by the river an alternative would be up on Yat rock and like John said you can walk down to the river. Either way you will be able to watch your husband and others suffering up the steepest climb on the ride.

Might see you out there and good luck to your husband!

hey Popett I hope it's not serious. Chin up, I know how frustrating time off the bike can be, but it will come back and quicker than you might hope..

hey steveR,
well, a little bit serious - slight heart problem; Atrial Flutter. Need to take it a bit easy for the next few weeks until they can do more tests, get some drugs into me and then zap my heart back to normal! I'm still cycling but not on hills for the moment - I just hope they can get it right before my trip to Alpe D'huez in June otherwise I'll only be able to go up it by car - boo.
The way I look at it is this: if I can do century rides, cycle over the cat & fiddle etc with a heart that isn't working properly, then I'm going to be sh!t hot when it is fixed (which is quite easy to do so I'm told).

Thanks for the recommendations on where to go on Sunday chaps. That sounds great. Can you hire bikes & trailers around there do you know?

SunWuKong

popette wrote:

hey steveR,
well, a little bit serious - slight heart problem; Atrial Flutter. Need to take it a bit easy for the next few weeks until they can do more tests, get some drugs into me and then zap my heart back to normal! I'm still cycling but not on hills for the moment - I just hope they can get it right before my trip to Alpe D'huez in June otherwise I'll only be able to go up it by car - boo.
The way I look at it is this: if I can do century rides, cycle over the cat & fiddle etc with a heart that isn't working properly, then I'm going to be sh!t hot when it is fixed (which is quite easy to do so I'm told).

Thanks for the recommendations on where to go on Sunday chaps. That sounds great. Can you hire bikes & trailers around there do you know?

Exactly!

SunWuKong

oops posted twice. :oops:

antonylp

Thanks for the recommendations on where to go on Sunday chaps. That sounds great. Can you hire bikes & trailers around there do you know?

Hi Popette

You can hire bikes/trailers here http://www.pedalabikeaway.co.uk

If you click on the link to "Other cycle centres" it will give you info on their Monmouth centre which would be good for you as you can cycle on the new sustrans cyclepath alongside the River Wye all the way to Synmonds Yat.

SteveR_100Milers

popette wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

antonylp wrote:

Hi Popette

Have been reading your blog with interest, sorry to hear about your setback, im sure everything will be fine and if you don't make this years Etape you will be flying next years!

I would agree with John, the Symonds Yat area is ideal, but will be busy, nice pubs, walks and bike rides by the river. If you can't park by the river an alternative would be up on Yat rock and like John said you can walk down to the river. Either way you will be able to watch your husband and others suffering up the steepest climb on the ride.

Might see you out there and good luck to your husband!

hey Popett I hope it's not serious. Chin up, I know how frustrating time off the bike can be, but it will come back and quicker than you might hope..

hey steveR,
well, a little bit serious - slight heart problem; Atrial Flutter. Need to take it a bit easy for the next few weeks until they can do more tests, get some drugs into me and then zap my heart back to normal! I'm still cycling but not on hills for the moment - I just hope they can get it right before my trip to Alpe D'huez in June otherwise I'll only be able to go up it by car - boo.
The way I look at it is this: if I can do century rides, cycle over the cat & fiddle etc with a heart that isn't working properly, then I'm going to be sh!t hot when it is fixed (which is quite easy to do so I'm told).

Thanks for the recommendations on where to go on Sunday chaps. That sounds great. Can you hire bikes & trailers around there do you know?

OK fingers crossed it gets zapped soon! I had/have cardiac arrhythmia that gives a bizarre ECG such that an A&E departments was adamant I'd had a major myocardial infarction (IIRC)...!! There's bugger all wrong with it other than it cant get enough blood into my legs!!

mathi

Just got my entry in last night see you all there

samoff

Has anyone received the 'final instructions' for this ride yet? I haven't received anything since my registration confirmation.

I'd like to know where the start is, where the registration on Saturday is and what's the deal with the 'pasta party'. There's nothing on the website.

JL

I got an email on Monday so you should contact them. The party is from 6.30-7.30 I recall and you can regsister on saturday but need to let them know,. I think it's the same start as last year so on the park opposite the back of Waitrose...down near the bottom of the town where the old bridge is over the river Monnow.

antonylp

So how did it go everyone?

Didn't the heavens open early morning, thunder and torrential rain!

Hope you all enjoyed it, i had a drive around to cheer a few of you on and was very envious.

Congrats to all of you who finished!