Exmoor Spring audax

[honesty]

Looking to do this event in a few weeks time, anyone had experience? So far this year I've done the Mad March and Dustman Daves Doddle, both of which are reasonably flat. This one looks a little more hilly...

[rjb]

This is a popular event. Are you doing the 100k?, you could add a few extra miles by riding to the start and back home again to burn off the cream tea at the finish.

In the past there was a 200k warm up event the previous day " the tour of Exmoor" which often had over 12,000 feet of climbing. Lots of riders did both events.

The routes change from year to year but the exmoor spring is usually not to hilly and is well organised by the Minehead Cycling Club. A good day out whatever the weather.

Did you ride the Dunkery Dash from North Petherton last week?

[honesty]

Yep, the 100km ride. Unfortunately not as I was at my parents in Leicestershire. I've missed out on the Merry Monks ride as well as it had sold out by the time I went to book it. Not sure I'm quite up to adding the 60 mile round trip from Taunton onto the ride quite yet either!

[Heltor Chasca]

I did the Mad March a few weeks ago and Coastlet last weekend. That is a great route which I highly recommend doing next year.

I'm doing the Merry Monk and the Exmoor Spring. 1 in May and 2 in June. I think down here in the South West it's a given they will be lumpy so I am just going to approach the rides with an open mind and bag of jelly beans.

It'll be good to see anyone there from this forum.

[honesty]

Will see you there then

The coastlet falls on the same weekend as Dustman Dave's and it seems a bit silly not to do the event that starts 3 miles from my front door!

I'm hoping to do the Avon cycleway in June, then the Devon delight in July, but with a week cycling the Pennine cycleway at the first of July I'm not sure how many more days out would go down well with my wife...

[Heltor Chasca]

I haven't got as far as July, but the Devon Delight looks good. I'm going to do the Avon Cycleway which is slightly longer in the hope of building up to 200s by Autumn. Then who knows what super human powers I'll possess by 2018?

[PH]

I haven't got as far as July, but the Devon Delight looks good. I'm going to do the Avon Cycleway which is slightly longer in the hope of building up to 200s by Autumn. Then who knows what super human powers I'll possess by 2018?

You're probably more than capable of a 200 now. I think for many people it's part of the mental thing that at the end of any ride you don't think you could do any more, then you find that if that's what you set out to do you can. A nice easy way to increase distances is to extend calendar events, the relaxed time limit means you usually have loads of time in hand for the extended distance at the end.

[honesty]

I really want to aim for doing the avalon sunrise next year. I could probably do a very slow 200, but a 300 would kill me I think!

[whoof]

Yep, the 100km ride. Unfortunately not as I was at my parents in Leicestershire. I've missed out on the Merry Monks ride as well as it had sold out by the time I went to book it. Not sure I'm quite up to adding the 60 mile round trip from Taunton onto the ride quite yet either!

I,ve done Dustman Dave's before and really enjoyed it. A pity you missed the Merry Monk the post ride puddings are amazing.
Does the Avoncycleway follow this route? If so I try to do it most years. It's a really varied ride with a bit of everything.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/avon-cycleway

[honesty]

Yep, the 100km ride. Unfortunately not as I was at my parents in Leicestershire. I've missed out on the Merry Monks ride as well as it had sold out by the time I went to book it. Not sure I'm quite up to adding the 60 mile round trip from Taunton onto the ride quite yet either!

I,ve done Dustman Dave's before and really enjoyed it. A pity you missed the Merry Monk the post ride puddings are amazing.
Does the Avoncycleway follow this route? If so I try to do it most years. It's a really varied ride with a bit of everything.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/avon-cycleway

Pretty sure the Avon cycleway audax is just the Avon cycleway done in one go, yeh.

[Heltor Chasca]

I haven't got as far as July, but the Devon Delight looks good. I'm going to do the Avon Cycleway which is slightly longer in the hope of building up to 200s by Autumn. Then who knows what super human powers I'll possess by 2018?

You're probably more than capable of a 200 now. I think for many people it's part of the mental thing that at the end of any ride you don't think you could do any more, then you find that if that's what you set out to do you can. A nice easy way to increase distances is to extend calendar events, the relaxed time limit means you usually have loads of time in hand for the extended distance at the end.

Thanks PH this is encouraging. Similar words were said to me which pushed me into do my first little Audax. My will power and psychological set up is probably stronger than my physical make up. I have done 2 sailing World Champs which taught me loads about mind over matter.

Half my trouble at the moment is that I have a physical job, Monday to Friday, so often I'm turning up to these events, half way to being wrecked as it is. I just need to work at getting more hours on the bike.

[honesty]

Heh. Half my problem is I have a desk job and don't do enough exercise throughout the day and am tired an lethargic when I should be cycling...

[martinn]

Hi Heltor Chasca

You've done the Wells and Mells. That's was much harder than some 200k.
I find if you ride in a group it's much much easier.
Why don't you sign up for the planes trains and no more automobiles? Looks a really good route.

Honesty, I did my first 300 this year as part of an ACB group ride to Clee Hill. I added a bit there and back and ended up with 355km. It was really good fun and was a no drop with a mixed ability group. We started at 5am and finished at 0130am.
I think the longer distances are all about eating more cake anyone?

Martin

[Heltor Chasca]

Hi Heltor Chasca

You've done the Wells and Mells. That's was much harder than some 200k.
I find if you ride in a group it's much much easier.
Why don't you sign up for the planes trains and no more automobiles? Looks a really good route.

Honesty, I did my first 300 this year as part of an ACB group ride to Clee Hill. I added a bit there and back and ended up with 355km. It was really good fun and was a no drop with a mixed ability group. We started at 5am and finished at 0130am.
I think the longer distances are all about eating more cake anyone?

Martin

Cheers martinn you must be psychic! I put this onto my AUK diary last night. I think you are right: I should get on a 200 by the summer. Longer evenings etc. Raglan Castle 200 is in my neck of the woods. The other event I really fancy is the Dartmoor Ghost (150km starting at 2230 with breakfast at the end)

Riding in a group is fairly new territory to me. The last few Audax I've done have been quite solitary or in a trio for some reason. I would fall off the back of most of the ACB groups I've seen so far. Nice jerseys, but I tend to only see the back of them [emoji4]I'm doing the 100km rides in about +- 6 hours to give you an idea.

[honesty]

Have you seen the Exmouth Exodus Ride? Not an audax exactly, but looks a fun ride.