Out-and-back or circuit?

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.

Out-and-back or circular for long day rides?

Out-and-back
1
2%
Circular
35
76%
Neither
1
2%
Both
9
20%
My navi does the thinking
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 46

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Mick F
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Mick F »

40odd miles yesterday cycling to Plymouth via the western edges of Dartmoor and into the South Hams.
Had a beer or three in town, and then took the train home.
Mick F. Cornwall
philvantwo
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by philvantwo »

Did you have to wear a mask on the train Mick F?
peetee
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by peetee »

Mick F wrote:40odd miles yesterday cycling to Plymouth via the western edges of Dartmoor and into the South Hams.
Had a beer or three in town, and then took the train home.


You’d be thankful to not have travelled today. My daughter has returned from Southampton on the train. Masses of cancellations, overcrowding and confusion aplenty at Plymouth as expected arrivals were changed from platform to platform. The rail staff must have been at their wits end.
Door to door it is 200 miles and she was travelling for 9 hours. That’s almost cycling speed! :(
The older I get the more I’m inclined to act my shoe size, not my age.
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Mick F
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Mick F »

There must have been half a dozen on the train coming back to Gunny.
Yes, I wore a mask, but as there was no-one in sight, I took it off, ready to put it back on if required.
No ticket collector, just a door operator and the driver (of course).

Last week, Mrs Mick F went from Gunny to Barnstaple - via Plymouth and Exeter, and there was no staff on any of the trains.
It was only because she's honest, that at Plymouth she bought her return ticket.

She could have just changed platforms at Plymouth and Exeter without a barrier, and when at Barnstaple, there was no barrier either .......... meaning that you can do the whole journey return without a ticket knowing full well that there wouldn't be anyone on the trains to check.
Mick F. Cornwall
philvantwo
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by philvantwo »

A couple of the small stations here have now installed ticket machines on the platform so you've got now excuse for not having a ticket.
If you do get caught how do they know you're not giving them a false name and address?
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Mick F
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Mick F »

Walked to Calstock today.
The two of us plus Sailor the doggie.
A couple or so miles there up and down the hills, and called in at the Tamar Inn.

.............. or should I say we sat on the benches out on the quay whilst Mrs Mick F went into the Tamar to get the beers.
Sailor had some bikkies we'd brought with us.

Just here .......... but very different now!
Loads of tables and benches on the quay nowadays.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.49597 ... 312!8i6656

Afterwards, we took the train back to Gunnislake ............ only one stop north, then walked home.
No staff other than the driver, no station barriers at either end, and a free ride as no-one was there to take money.
Only staff, was the driver, and he must have operated the doors.
Mick F. Cornwall
lbomaak2
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by lbomaak2 »

Mick F wrote:No staff other than the driver, no station barriers at either end, and a free ride as no-one was there to take money.
Only staff, was the driver, and he must have operated the doors.


So you could have a free ride home from Plymouth, if you chose to get on the train at Devonport station.

Are the railways getting lax about revenue protection (or rather, even more lax than usual) because they have effectively been re-nationalised, or is it genuinely because of trying reduce the Covid risk to staff?
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Mick F
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Mick F »

Yes, it's occurred to me that I could get on at Devonport/Dockyard/Keyham for a free trip, or the other way round too.
Not only are the trains losing revenue from fewer passengers, they're losing it by not collecting it as often there's no-one to even take your money! It's an offence to travel without a valid ticket, but it's unenforceable now.

This situation will be going on until this time next year I'm sure.
Mick F. Cornwall
Grandad
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Grandad »

Wages for the missing staff would probably exceed the lost revenue.
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RickH
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by RickH »

philvantwo wrote:A couple of the small stations here have now installed ticket machines on the platform so you've got now excuse for not having a ticket.
If you do get caught how do they know you're not giving them a false name and address?

2 or 3 weeks ago I bailed out of what should have been an 86 mile ride at around 50 miles, due to ongoing twinges developing in one knee, & caught a train at Helsby. Unfortunately the ticket machine decided to die on me. After getting through the ticket options & attempting to pay it gave an error & then said "out of order". I downloaded the Northern trains app & got a ticket that way. But no-one checked my ticket on that train or the connection & my destination station doesn't have barriers. Like others I could have travelled free.

I did a bike & train run to Chester & back last week & needed my ticket to get through the barriers there.

With the passenger numbers, particularly off peak, I doubt there is that much lost revenue.

On rides, mine are mostly loops but they can often be quite long & thin, where much of the out leg is close to the route of the return leg.

Sometimes I'll do a mostly out & back and, on some routes at least, it is surprising how different the two ways can be, both in terms of the feel of the terrain & the views.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Rule5
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Rule5 »

Always do a circuit, and is (as often as possible) a HOTTUB - headwind out, tailwind back.
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tykeboy2003
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by tykeboy2003 »

I hate it if I have to cross my path, it looks untidy on a map....
Pebble
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Pebble »

Rule5 wrote:Always do a circuit, and is (as often as possible) a HOTTUB - headwind out, tailwind back.

I quite like the challenge of doing it the other way - see how far you dare go with the wind, once you are 20 mile downwind in a force 6 or 7, there is no easy way out :D . A bit like a crazy game we played as teenagers, just keep swimming out to sea and see who chickens out and turns back first.
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Mick F
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Mick F »

That's just reminded me of swimming off Lee-on-Solent as an 18 year old.
Off we went, happy as Larry, swimming and playing, laughing and joking .................. but when swimming back to shore, we were half a mile away from where we left!

Tidal river! :lol:
Mick F. Cornwall
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Morzedec
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Re: Out-and-back or circuit?

Post by Morzedec »

Out.

Camp.

Return a different way.

I know, that's two days, but from my house to the Loire is almost exactly 160km, so I can get in two rides of 100 miles each in a weekend. The local village cycle club won't come out riding with me - wonder why?

If, of course, I were back in France again: it's been a shambles this year, trying to organise anything. I've just finished one quarantine period, need to go over to France pretty soon, but then have to come back almost immediately for a business meeting - and two more weeks alone, when I and everyone I know is virus free, is plain daft.

Bloody Government.
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