Hell of the Ashdown bike question

itboffin

Fear not it's looking like the worst of the weather won't hit until Sun night.

Famous last words

Gazzaputt

3 layers and a waterproof in the pocket.

I think the problem won't be the impending snow but freezing temps as a lot of the lanes have standing water.

I see though on the other post in relation to the ride the route has been amended.

itboffin

I've had a few "black ice" moments recently i'd rather not again, if in doubt WALK

Strange how still the weather is atm, calm before the storm :shock:

phreak

Gazzaputt wrote:

3 layers and a waterproof in the pocket.

I think the problem won't be the impending snow but freezing temps as a lot of the lanes have standing water.

I see though on the other post in relation to the ride the route has been amended.

Where is this other post? On the Hell website they have this message at the moment:

"Please check the weather report at www.bbc.co.uk/weather - Snow is NOT forecast - All entries are obviously at the riders own risk and you should check the road conditions prior to commencing the ride."

TheStone

I'm a bit surprised this is still on.
Fell on the ice last week in Surrey and it was a fair bit warmer.

To go or not to go ..... ?

Fixed Wheelnut

There is a revised route to miss out some of the icier lanes, I have posted this last night in the other thread if you need to take a look at it.
Cheers
Steve

dave milne

did half the ride today. roads were fine. i have an email allowing me entry so anyone wanting to enter email me dmilne2004@yahoo.co.uk, i will forward you my entry. you have about 30 minutes before I fall asleep

SBezza

Did the full route (in fact slightly more as a bunch of us went the wrong way D'OH), apart from one or two patches were the ice/slush was across the width of the roads, the roads were generally fine.

Was a very good ride in the end, 73.5 miles for me in the end. :oops:

Gazzaputt

Got to penshurst and the snow was like a blizzard. Wasn't fun at all that part but enjoyed the rest especially the wall and Star Lane.

phreak

The blizzard was horrible but when the sun came out at the start and end of the ride it was very pleasant. Few patches of ice but not much really. Cracking turnout considering the conditions, and my hat goes off to the marshals stood out in it all day.

SBezza

Yes the snow wasn't too nice, not wearing glasses was a mistake coming down the hill into Sundridge, everytime I tried to open my eyes properly they were stung by the snow. I was glad to get to the bottom, luckily it had stopped at the bottom of Star Hill.

The marshalls and all other helpers deserve a big round of applause, they did a sterling job.

cookiemonster

Yep, good, well organised (except for the dodgy left turn sign which caught me out also) event. Some icey patches at the start - though people in front slamming on their brakes and the sight of some frozen stuff far off in the distance was more of a danger than the ice on the ground

And I was very very glad I had my clear lensed glasses on (and a little scarf to keep my chin toasty too)

itboffin

Yeh ditto on the detour

The blizzard / whiteout & wind wasn't much fun, there's a pic on the commuting forum under weekend rides.

Note to self next time start much earlier, brrr cold.

If anyone's passing that way could you please collect my toes for me

dccok

oh but the day was wonderful and the atmosphere was great from other riders and those marshalls deserved a great medal for standing out all day and making our day easier...

i managed the route today and i am glad it snowed - it added a bit of an extra element to the day but we could have done without star hill(cruel)....

i had a great day,the legs were shot towards the end but hey...i am still smiling

Fixed Wheelnut

phreak wrote:

The blizzard was horrible but when the sun came out at the start and end of the ride it was very pleasant. Few patches of ice but not much really. Cracking turnout considering the conditions, and my hat goes off to the marshals stood out in it all day.

"Thankyou" better keep you're hat on though.

I was at the end of the lane from Bough Beech for the right turn up Ide Hill, it was a bit miserable standing there at one point with it blowing in my face but I was well wrapped up.

cjcp

Fixed Wheelnut wrote:

phreak wrote:

The blizzard was horrible but when the sun came out at the start and end of the ride it was very pleasant. Few patches of ice but not much really. Cracking turnout considering the conditions, and my hat goes off to the marshals stood out in it all day.

"Thankyou" better keep you're hat on though.

I was at the end of the lane from Bough Beech for the right turn up Ide Hill, it was a bit miserable standing there at one point with it blowing in my face but I was well wrapped up.

Chapeau to you guys who stood out there in that weather! And to everyone at Catdfordd CC for putting this event on. First time I've done it and really enjoyed it - oddly, I've always wanted to ride when everything's white . Hope to be back next year.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Fixed Wheelnut wrote:

phreak wrote:

The blizzard was horrible but when the sun came out at the start and end of the ride it was very pleasant. Few patches of ice but not much really. Cracking turnout considering the conditions, and my hat goes off to the marshals stood out in it all day.

"Thankyou" better keep you're hat on though.

I was at the end of the lane from Bough Beech for the right turn up Ide Hill, it was a bit miserable standing there at one point with it blowing in my face but I was well wrapped up.

Chapeau to you guys who stood out there in that weather! And to everyone at Catdfordd CC for putting this event on. First time I've done it and really enjoyed it - oddly, I've always wanted to ride when everything's white . Hope to be back next year.

+1
The coffee at the last feed stop just after the blizzard was most appreciated. Great event, really enjoyed it

Gazzaputt

Yea a big thank you to the guy dishing out tea and coffee at the top of Ide Hill you were a saviour!

Also a big thank you to marshals standing out in blizzard conditions stars all of you.

LuckyPierre2007

+1 for all the marshals doing a great job flagging the junctions, and especially for the coffee at the Ide Hill stop.

Couldn't see a thing in the subsequent blizzard as was minus glasses, and consequently had a spicy moment between a parked car and an oncoming one. Thankfully the snow was short lived.

Anyone know when finish times will be published? Or anyone know what the quickest time would have been?

Mad One

Excellent event extremely well organised (especially sign in) - well done & thanks to all the marshals.

I agree with dccok above, somehow the weather made it more of an achievement!

LuckyPierre2007 wrote:

Anyone know when finish times will be published? Or anyone know what the quickest time would have been?

When I collected my certificate I was told the quickest time they had had then was 3hrs 27mins ? Be interesting to see how many of the 1000 entrants actually turned up?

Christophe3967

Couldn't agree more with these comments. Everyone at Catford CC did a great job so chapeaux all round especially the marshalls and the lads and lasses at Ide Hill stop. I'm normally a black with no sugar coffee drinker, but the white with sugar in the middle of that blizzard was possibly the best coffee I've ever had. A great day, personally marred only by a visit from the puncture fairy at the bottom of the last hill. Managed to ride up that hill as there was still some air left but was on the rim by the top. Then thought I was nearer home than I was, so tried to put some air in but could barely get the pump over the valve with gloves on, so kept releasing all the air I managed to get in the tyre. The cold was scrambling my brain and the idea of removing gloves and taking the back wheel off when I couldn't actually feel myfingers, let alone see very much was too awful to contemplate, so limped home and am now hoping I haven't wrecked my wheel. :oops: Just annoying to have wasted 45 minutes faffing around. Suspect my pump isn't working properly now so will be looking into CO2 cartridges as a priority - just never want to be in that position again.

BTW photos are up on the website but they're having problems postig the times.

phreak

Times are up now. Quite depressed now Guy I normally ride with took a good 30 minutes out of me. We're usually prettty even time wise. He did set off an hour before me so had the better of the weather.

Be interesting to know how people did according to their start times.

itboffin

Not the best turn out on the day then only 580 times posted

I have to query these times, er how is it possible ???? less than 2hrs ????

547 Earle Matthew 00:00:00 01:02:00 01:56:06 110k
549 Campbell Marc 00:00:00 01:03:00 01:56:10 110k
855 Conrad Matthew 00:00:00 01:14:00 02:16:14 110k
662 Taylor Reed Chris 00:00:00 01:14:00 02:16:33 110k
105 conrad andrew 00:00:00 01:15:00 02:19:20 110k
58 Lake Chris 00:00:00 01:15:00 02:22:20 110k
478 culmer richard 00:00:00 01:25:00 02:22:49 110k
482 Spriggs Andy 00:00:00 01:26:00 02:22:50 110k
650 Seage Graham 00:00:00 01:23:00 02:24:02 110k
793 Jones Mike 00:00:00 01:19:00 02:26:20 110k
792 Sayles Jennifer 00:00:00 01:19:00 02:26:25 110k
901 Knight Andy 00:00:00 01:18:00 02:27:13 110k
507 Haslam Jane 00:00:00 01:24:00 02:27:42 110k
332 Siebert Philip 00:00:00 01:35:00 02:29:11 110k
851 Staunton Dominic 00:00:00 01:28:00 02:31:12 110k

mmm looks like a technical issue on the timings for those people, all their first split time are zero, phew!

jonginge

Those will be 50k times I'm sure. None have a time for the first feed zone

Gazzaputt

I'm making the snow a big excuse

LuckyPierre2007

itboffin - the sub 2hr times have no first split, so were 50k distances