Autumn Epic- due to be a washout? Should I stay or...
Edwinsprint
Posts: 66
Unfortunately the A.E is predicted to be a washout on Sunday. Heavy rain with risk of a bit more ('floods ahead') depending on how nasty Saturday is. I have been thinking about this for a month or so but mate has pulled out a few weeks ago and the thought of riding in the pissing rain, not being able to shoot down hills and not seeing the scenery doesnt grab me.
Then again it may not rain very much.
Your thoughts please.....
Then again it may not rain very much.
Your thoughts please.....
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Comments
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Get out and ride ya wuss, that which doesn't kill me makes me stronger. etc etc0
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Decided to spend the weekend with wife and 6 month son. Have organised to do the ride during 1/2 term with mates.
I've realised that riding without mates is great unless it is pissing it down and your all in it together.
I wanted a fast time but some of the descents might be too sketchy. Wife and kid - abetter offer for sure.0 -
Forgot to say - a wuss- ride Le Jog in 6 days in mixed weather then you have the right to call me a wuss.0
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No one will call me a wuss.
I am going to ride it.
God knows why after a week in Tenerife in 28/29C heat every day. Got off the the plane this morning at 4C, god it was cold.
Just cleaned the bike, now off to pack the thermals.
Bring it on!!!Just a fat bloke on a bike0 -
Edwinsprint wrote:Forgot to say - a wuss- ride Le Jog in 6 days in mixed weather then you have the right to call me a wuss.
gotta say Edwin, you asked for thoughts and got it, got to say I will ride this whatever, and if the weather is sh*t will make the completion of the event even sweeter.
Ride it don't be a wuss
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But it's my last big ride of the season before concentrating solely on track for the winter - so going to do it. My first ever sportive back in April was a wet one full of hills, so only fitting my last one is the same!0
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The forecast isn't that bad if you listen to the latest one - rain early on then clearing by late morning - bright and chilly from then on. .
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
OK you can call me a wuss.
I did pack the bike into the car, and i was on the road by 5:15 and i got to within 12 miles of the event before almost being stuck in floodwater. When i opened the door, it was up to the sills.
Yes i know the weather forecast says it will be clear by 1pm, but driving out to the event, and the state of not only the main roads, but the lanes, i have decided not to risk it.Just a fat bloke on a bike0 -
Wuss
(don't worry, it would have been miserable)0 -
Bad luck. So close to the event.
Ledbury loafer- go for it- its not that far from home for you. Have a great ride. If I had got a place in local YHA etc...Lesson learnt make a weekend of it with mates i.e. all in YHA together, share driving back.
Off for a muddy mtb ride after sussing how we can find an extra £280 pm for our mortgage when forced to take SVR.
Coming to think of it that bombshell (on Friday) has affected motivation somewhat!!!0 -
My name is dbg and I am a wuss and a voracious eater of humble pie :oops:
Another mate of mine drove as far as Bromyard before rivers of water and mud across the road sent him home. I got as far as the computer in the living room! - gutted but I kind of think I did the right thing, my brother and another mate who were travelling with me sounded relieved when I asked them if they really wanted to go after the bbc was calling it a weather 'event'!0 -
I'm very relieved to hear that the weather has caused as much trouble as predicted. I decided not to go last night and was more than a little disappointed when I got up today to see on the met office site that it hasn't been raining in mid-Wales since 8am!!! :roll: Knowing that the roads are so bad makes me feel a little better and as the weather here in Pembrokeshire is now blue sky and dry I'm off to find a few hills
If you haven't got a headwind you're not trying hard enough0 -
about 400 no starters and a good deal of the ones that had turned up had given up after 10 miles. The winds were crazy the Rain was crazy and the roads, well the roads were good but the rain that covered them was almost comical. At some points the rain came up to my chainset
There were reports of people suffering hypothermia? I was nice and toasty apart from my toes but hey its cycling so we gotta expect some pain.
The Climbs were pretty average and can be done by most - There were a few walkers here and there on some climbs.
The organization and the facilities were the best I have ever seen. They even had guys on motorbikes advising where the bad descents and marshals stopping traffic at the junctions..
I don't think it was a total washout. Okay the weather sucked but the route was awesome.. 
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Will definately do next year.
A friend of mine who was due to come but changed his mind chose to canoe down the Wye on a camping trip! I'm still laughing about it now...0 -
christ on a bike, that was wet, well the first 30 miles, then it was a drying out process! (once you forded 18" of water off the Rhayader turn!)I was an hour late getting to the event because of the flood water! i think the final count on DNS was 550, and as previously said many turned back, in the first 10, and loads at the first feed stop!0
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Doobz wrote:The winds were crazy the Rain was crazy and the roads, well the roads were good but the rain that covered them was almost comical. At some points the rain came up to my chainset
Crazy wind and rain??? Nah. If was a bit windy and it rained and then the sun came out! If was great. All part of the experience. Those that turned back just can't take a bit of water. And as for the over the chainset bit - that was great, Bloke I rode through with was laughing his head off it was so comical, and just when my feet had dried out!
Good on you for gutting it out and the scenery was awesome, especially the Elan Valley. Those of you who talked your way out of based on the weather forecast - shame on you!0 -
I spent hours preparing for this event. It was my final event of the season, which also included teh Grand Fondo Cymru and the Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge. I am no stranger to rain and hills. I woke at 4.30am and drove for 3 hours to get to Knighton for 8.30am. By the time I had arrived there I had gone past 3 different flooded roads all of which had significant floating rubbish - a small tree and a wheelie bin floated past on one occasion. By the time I got to the start there were loads of people returning with very dissapointed looks on their faces. I love the location but having seen a river running down one of the roads on route I'm happy I kept my powder dry. Here's hoping no one was hurt in the making of this Epic. 0 -
We didn't think the weather was too bad - if you set off after 9 you had 90 minutes of rain and for the rest of the ride it was glorious - I was even wishing I'd got suncream at one point.
As for the winds being crazy - well it was a bit breezy while it was raining but nothing more than that. In fact it was such a nice day I accidentally decided to miss the Elan turn on the mountain road and did another hour descending the wrong valley, climbing another hill and then after knocking at a farmhouse to find where I was retracing my steps.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Hampsterhunter wrote:I'm happy I kept my powder dry.
Dry for what? Next summers glorious weather?!
Well I'm happy I went out there. Its never as bad is it first looks and like Tom said the sun came out. You missed a classic event. You missed some great riding and so what if we all got our feet wet!
You wussed out. 0 -
Was ready to call it quits after about 30 miles as well, felt awful, so glad I did the full distance, like others said, the flood water was the deepest I've ever ridden through!
Off work today clearing mud/detritis/sheep excrement off me bike, it's going to take all day!! You can lead an elephant to water but a pencil must be lead0 -
The flood was hilarious! Above the bottom bracket!
Did my chain turn the wheel or did I power through like a Paddle Steamer?
Weather was fine.0 -
I agree with all the comments wrt the actual reality of the day - it was a fantastic experience all round, in large part precisely *because* of the water and soggy start.
3 out of 5 of my group started. Two of us were 15 mins inside our respective gold standards, the third had never ridden further than 90km in his life before, and still managed to finish with pride (shame on you, quitters!!).
Yes it was a bit damp and breezy at the beginning, but things quickly settled down to just another damp autumn day. Surely every cyclist in Britain has been caught in the elements at some time or other?!
There were more memorable moments than I've had in a single ride in years:
Seeing people dropping like flies with punctures in the first 10 kms (and the euphoric realisation towards the end that I was home free in that regard!!)
Being asked whether the contents of my gel flask was "love juice" by a (fast) guy with the best Welsh accent ever.
The breezy weather up top (really not that bad, but obviously the excuse that many were looking for), and the guy walking his deepsection rims up the road in the cross-wind.
The mad dog chained in the cage next to a total bomb site of a 'house'.
The hypothermic guy in the foil blanket after 50kms (poor bloke).
Riding in water well above the chaninset - what else can you do except laugh?!!
The sound of water everywhere - streams, flood water, dams, dams and more dams
The climb of Glascwm
The sun when it first came out.
The graft of the last 50kms
Counting the number of cars I met through the whole route on one hand only.
The stunning scenery from beginning to end. What a route.
The great camaraderie throughout.
The cheerful and absolutely first class organisation at the start/finish, and all the way around.
The perfect weather in the afternoon - not a cloud in the sky.
And finally, getting home and hearing water still sloshing around inside those rims!!!
For me this sportive was 10/10, and trounced this years Etape (similar weather etc) all round.0 -
Glad to hear it went well. Loved the comment that weather was 'fine' and the 'flood' being mentioned in the same breath. Mmmm....
A lucky thing that the weather cleared up. Though I imagine even if it hadn't, people who carried on regardless would not admit to the quitters that it was a miserable experience, just clouds no views etc........Testosterone does funny things to people on forums and in clubs.0 -
Edwinsprint wrote:Though I imagine even if it hadn't, people who carried on regardless would not admit to the quitters that it was a miserable experience, just clouds no views etc........Testosterone does funny things to people on forums and in clubs.
Or maybe some of us genuinely just love to get out there and ride our bikes whether its sunny with magnificent views, or pi$$ing it down with rain, its all part of the rich tapestry of riding a bike in this country.
Its one thing to talk the talk...... 0 -
To not complete the ride after starting does seem a bit soft. I don't know if that makes me a testosterone fuelled club cyclist - maybe so - but haven't you got to have a bit of determination to keep going whatever if you want to get anywhere near your potential in this sport. I know a sportive isn't a race but it's meant to be a bit of a challenge - a bit of rain shouldn't put people off.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
kenbaxter wrote:Edwinsprint wrote:Though I imagine even if it hadn't, people who carried on regardless would not admit to the quitters that it was a miserable experience, just clouds no views etc........Testosterone does funny things to people on forums and in clubs.
Or maybe some of us genuinely just love to get out there and ride our bikes whether its sunny with magnificent views, or pi$$ing it down with rain, its all part of the rich tapestry of riding a bike in this country.
Its one thing to talk the talk......
i finished the course, and it was by a long stretch the most miserable event that I've done this yera, and I've done about 15 of 'em, can't even describe the first part of the course, other than just that, NOT turning back was only marginally harder than going on, the shame factor in play, for me, nothing else. But in the end glad to have done it, but can't say I enjoyed it, I ride my bike because I love it, but nice weather makes it far more enjoyable!!!
the worst that I've experienced weather wise was last years GFC, and coming across the Strines, only managed to keep going by the fact that if I stopped I'd die on there!0 -
I never considered not riding when seeing the weather forecast the day before, I have completed at least 2 other events in worse conditions. I signed on at the last minute after getting lost on the drive up and I noticed the number of blank spaces on the start sheet, this combined with seeing riders coming back the other way in the first 10 miles made me more determined to get to the finish.
My wife and family think there is definitely something wrong with me, getting up on a Sunday morning at 5.30 am driving for 2 hours plus and then riding a bike for 6 hours plus, half of it in driving rain. I have to say, whilst suffering badly in the last ten miles, I formed a similar opinion and I resolved to retire for all such events and settle for an easy life after finishing the event. However, immediately after I finished I was thinking if I get a gold standard next year. Why do i always do this?
In addition, I have competed in many different multisport and cycling events over the years and in my opinion, the autumn epic was one of the best organize and value for money events I have taken part in.0 -
Superb event, great roads and well done to all those that got around.
CRAZY winds.....where? There was a strong wind at the top of the first climb over the Common but after that it was no worse than some club runs this time of year. 6Hrs 10 and only have happy memories of the event.0 -
It honestly didn't occur to me that there might be a fuss about the weather. A bit of wet and a bit of wind but not mad by any means.
I had a lovely time and was pleased to get my first ever silver.
Great organisation, as everyone said. Having crashed out on a sportive in the past, it was a great comfort to see a motorcycle about every 10 minutes.
The food, the goody bag and of course most importantly the route we all great.
I'll still consider it the easiest of the three sportives I've done this year.
I won't risk calling anyone a wuss for getting to the start and deciding not to ride (but you can't stop me thinking it)."Check your sheds! Check your sheds! I think I've lost my mind" Half Man Half Biscuit0 -
Man that was wet. By the time I'd got to the first food stop my gloves and feet were soaked and having had 2 punctures by this point I so cold I was shivering like a sh1tt1ng dog. Rather than bail entirely I took the short cut to save an hour of the pure hell I was enjoying. I've ridden around the Elan Valley before so wasn't too fussed at missing it - lovely as it is.
I'm glad I carried on otherwise I would have missed riding through the flooded road. I echo what other posters have mentioned about the missed photo opportunity. I got another puncture towards the end, however by then it wasn't as bad as the rain had cleared up and I swear the sun was trying to make an appearance.
Top grub at the end. Very well organised looking forward to having another crack next year.
Next stop - The Exmoor Beast.FCN 8 - Touring Bike with panniers.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/Darren
http://www.amershamrcc.co.uk/0
