Anybody doing Mad March Hare?

FoldingJoe

Thus far my Sportive career has been limited to the Dartmoor Classic and the Exmoor Beast - -both lumpy rides.

How's that climb at about 60km in the MMH?

To be truthful, I think it's the possibility of the cold weather that I'm not looking forward to.

awallace

I cant say for sure what the hill is like but going off two years ago, its a fairly steady ride with one big climb and id imagine nothing as big or frequent as the two youve done. I did the Droitwich half marathon last year on the same day (instead of the ride) and the weather was awful so lets hope it holds out for this year!

FoldingJoe

Well, hopefully we've got all the snow out of the way already!!

Peddle Up!

Yep, but waiting for news of the car parking situation.

pprince

Check the website, all the info is there and the car park situation is sorted.

The climb is steep and nasty. :twisted:

Paul

Peddle Up!

pprince wrote:

Check the website, all the info is there and the car park situation is sorted.

The climb is steep and nasty. :twisted:

Paul

Got it - thanks. Lark Stoke. Know it. Lovely. :?

FoldingJoe

Compace Chainset has been bought for the Tarmac - just need to try and fit it tomorrow in prep for Sunday.

Peddle Up!

pprince wrote:

The climb is steep and nasty. :twisted:Paul

What's the surface like? It can get quite cruddy even in the summer.

FoldingJoe

Is that the one that looks like a farm track on Google Street View?

Peddle Up!

FoldingJoe wrote:

Is that the one that looks like a farm track on Google Street View?

Snapped in the summer too.

FoldingJoe

Just as well I'll be hanging off the back as my bike doesnt have guards, so at least nobody will be getting a face full or dirt!!

bigpikle

what are the road conditions like right now Paul?

is it a mudguards ride or OK for better bikes with winter tyres etc?

pprince

If it stays dry like the forecast is telling us, you can drop the guards

Paul

bigpikle

thanks Paul - looking forward to it after DNS last year due to weather!

Peddle Up!

Bigpikle wrote:

thanks Paul - looking forward to it after DNS last year due to weather!

Soft boy!

{From a MMH 2012 finisher}

bigpikle

Peddle Up! wrote:

Bigpikle wrote:

thanks Paul - looking forward to it after DNS last year due to weather!

Soft boy!

{From a MMH 2012 finisher}

guilty :oops: :oops:

FoldingJoe

What do people reckon - cold enough for full on winter gear, or not too bad?

bigpikle

forecast says 7 degs feels like 4 degs by midday, so I reckon its full winter gear given the fact it will be a good bit colder than that most of the way around! Luckily it seems the winds will be fairly light but even so...

Peddle Up!

The weather's looking good. Makes up for last year.

bigpikle

what a great event today - enjoyable route with enough spice to keep it interesting and a bit of a challenge, with some good lanes and countryside. Weather didnt quite deliver what the forecast promised, but I'll take cold and dry on the first Sunday in March. Well signposted, good little feed station at half way and free bacon bap and drinks at the end - whats not to like!

Peddle Up!

+1

Memories of last year's torture fading, fading...

I thought the new car parking arrangement worked very well. Will it be a permanent change?

Special thanks to the parking marshals who have to "stand and wait" which ain't much fun when it's just above freezing. Could someone find them a Thermos for next year?

bigpikle

agreed - unsung heroes and the car park worked well. Looked like everyone obeyed the rules and all seemed to run very very smoothly. Now, if only someone could teach a few of the riders some group riding skills and basic etiquette

Thanks Paul and the team.

pprince

Photos are online
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A ... =EAQEgapLu

I'm doing the times now

Paul

badgerbeaver

This was an excellent event. People have already said it was well sign posted, which is of course one of the main reasons you are paying anything. However the thing for me was just how good the route was. It showed a lot of local knowledge to find the cheeky little climbs, the quite lanes etc. I don't know the area, but it was great to use this ride to explore it and it made me want to come back.
Excellent, recommended.
On the downside, we finished so late in the day that the queue for the food at the end did not appeal, so we just left and headed for the cars. Not something that is the organisers fault!

Peddle Up!

Have you just finished the ride? I thought it was a cracking route too. I briefly got off the bike on Lark Stoke when my back wheel started slipping on the mud, but felt so ashamed that I remounted and mashed on up the hill. The descent to the cake stop was lovely.

FoldingJoe

Same here. The climb up Lark Stoke caught me out with wheelspin.

My one gripe, and it was very minor in the grand scheme, was the feed station wasn't brilliantly signposted.