Nello Devon Century

om6093

Anyone else doing the Nello Centruy ride this weekend from exeter up into exmoor ?

I did the short course last year and despite terrible weather it was an excelllent well organised event.

I am down for the hundred this year but longest ride so far is 67 miles so may be a struggle.

yogi

Hello om6093

Yep, I've signed on the dotted line. The weather for Sunday is looking ok at present - here's hoping.

What are you riding? I'll be on my trusty black Cannondale R1000 probably wearing a very loud orange jersey, see you there.

Anne S.

HI! I'm doing the ride this year. Pleased to see that the organisers have altered the return route slightly to avoid the horrible and dangerous Crediton to Exeter stretch. It now meanders through more of Devon's beautiful countryside and manages to avoid much of the traffic. Have a great ride
Anne S.

om6093

glad to see im not the only one ! i mentioned changing the route last year to the organisers and hopefully others did too. the stretch from crediton in th wet last year was very dangerous but should be much better. see you there

agnello

best food and drink i've ever had on a sportive. but it is in honour of an italian restaraunt owner so very fitting

glad i was with some local knowledge as it isn't signposted

or rather it wasn't 2 years ago

enjoy it!

primalcarl

Ahhh, so that explains all the riders along the Exeter to Tiverton road this morning? Some people looked a little shocked as I went towards Exeter as they were going towards Tiverton, maybe they thought I was on my way back! Not the warmest of days for shorts and no sleeves

Anne S.

Yes there were a lot of people out on bikes this morning, quite a few going the 'wrong' way - Who were you?? The revised route is back to Exeter is great. I thought the chalk markings in the road were a nice touch and less likely to be tampered with. Thanks to the volunteers who provided the fabulous food at the Devonshire Dumpling - another successful FORCE ride - thankyou.
Anne S.

primalcarl

I was the one on a black Cannondale and wearing a Liquigas team jersey. Saw plenty of smiley women riding, always good to see ladies cycling.

How did you find out about this ride? Was there a website?

yogi

Food was great, I felt like stopping for a picnic. Enjoyed the tea too.

Thanks to Richard on the Focus wearing a Dartmoor Classic jersey for the company and shared effort on the run-in. Also the guy with the yellow jersey and blue bike for the tow and route advice.

Nice to be able to indulge in a massage afterwards, when my mates hear about it they'll all want to do the Nello.

See you next year.

lefrog

having taken up cycling only a year ago and bought my 1st road bike on friday some of you might say " you're nuts"
but i did it my first century on my brand new specialized allez elite.
it was good fun appart from the rain on exmoor. the way back to topsham was a bliss i got lucky and found a good sensible riding group.
even if you always have one or two show offs.

will definatly be looking at doing more group ride from now on.

Anne S.

Hi primalcarl
The 'Nello' charity ride is organised by FORCE cancer charity based at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital site. FORCE do have a website - Googling it should do the trick. The ride takes place each year towards the end of June with a choice of distances ranging from 22 miles to the 'full century'. It departs from Exeter and heads out towards Exmoor.

I hope you are also aware of the Dartmoor Classic Sportive which will, by 2009, be into its third year. There is a choice between 100km and 100mile distances and it takes place in May. It is a more demanding course - I can assure you I was not smiling on my way round that one!!
Anne S.

primalcarl

Anne - Thanks for the info. Yes I've heard of the Dartmoor Sportive, there's also the Exmoor Beast but I didn't get round to doing that one last year.

I'll definitely try and do the Nello next year. Where do you normally ride?

ANC

Well there's a coincidence. I just stumbled across this forum and saw the Nello, and there's 'Yogi' in the Orange top. Yes, it was i in the Yellow top who led you and Richard on the Focus, straight past the Rugby Club entrance at the end. I hope the directions earlier were a bit more useful to you. And thanks both for the tow back from the city centre. Nice website by the way, Yogi.

The other guy in Yellow, he was on a mission to beat 6:30, he got in in 6:08. He was pedalling a low cadence, and had only done 65m before. Top man

Thinking of directions, did anyone miss 'Barnstaple Cross' before Crediton? I had to do a double take, and I'm sure some riders were heading straight off up the main road.

I heard about the Nello only last year, on the Dartmoor Classic forum. I didn't have the road bike at the time, but this year the Nello seemed ideal. The food was superb. Cakes and Soreen...brilliant. Egg rolls..very digestible. Thanks to all.

yogi

Hi ANC,

Sorry I don't think I got around to asking your name? Thanks for the tows that you gave me too, especially at about 60+ miles when I hit my usual mental low spot (needed a kick of caffiene).

I assuming that you havn't seen it yet, but I've now put a write-up on the YOGi website under 'Event Diary'.

If you ever fancy a ride in the Plymouth area come and join us on one of our rides.

Did you partake in a massage? Definitely the highlight of the day for me and many others I think.

ANC

Nice write-up on your site..enjoyed reliving it.

Didn't do the massage, no it was a couple of jars down the riverfront and a trip to the chippy before going home about 6'ish....recovery food? Maybe!

Also, I took on your suggestion and went for a quick spin round Topsham Quay after finishing, just to clock up the real hundred just for my sponsors!

Cheers, Andy

Anne S.

Primalcarl
Being a resident of Newton Abbot my usual routes incorporate Dartmoor or a commute to Exeter.
Anne S.