Hollywood 300

CramCycle

Is anyone doing this on Saturday? I am heading out for it but I have no route sheet until that morn (post is delayed). Could anyone who knows post up either the route or at the very least the controls.

Thanks

rottenhat

Just got the routesheet yesterday...looks a bit vanilla to be honest. From Bray down to Ashford, then inland to Bunclody, Wexford, Gorey, Tullow, Hollywood, Wicklow Gap and back to Bray. See you Saturday.

blorg

@Rottenhat- is there any chance of you sending me on the routesheet? Not sure whether to do this or go racing. I am not sure if you have a scanner?

CramCycle

blorg wrote: »

@Rottenhat- is there any chance of you sending me on the routesheet? Not sure whether to do this or go racing. I am not sure if you have a scanner?

If possible I'll take a copy as well,

rottenhat

Sorry chaps, the scanner at work died a while ago so can't help you out there. But it looks like there's no complex navigation and not much in the way of hills bar the Wicklow Gap (from the easy side at that). There is quite a lot of N road though - I have a feeling Arranmoreelw designed the route mainly as TT training.

CramCycle

Sorry I didn't make it out this morning, around 10 minutes away when the rear derailleur snagged the chain, then the chain snapped and pulled the rear derailleur completely out of position (it is now dead). Looks like a lovely day, hope it goes well.

rottenhat

Back around half an hour now - another very pleasant day on the bike. After bidding the time triallists farewell and godspeed, the rest of us (me, emty, Cadex, Andreas.Voigt, Eddie and Noel) took things fairly handy, tipping along nicely between the controls, eating well in the sunshine at the controls. Bar a couple of mechanicals and an (in my opinion) uncalled for amount of time spent on N roads, it was pretty much all good times. Great views of the sun setting through the pall of smoke from gorse fires between Laragh and Roundwood, and untold wisdom dispensed by the ancients - apparently there's a place in Kilmore Quay called Belders that does great crab sandwiches.

Sorry to hear about the bike, Cramcycle...you know, I spent all day trying to figure out who was lurking behind that username and it was only after I got home that I figured out your cunning anagram. See you at the next one, I hope.

CramCycle

rottenhat wrote: »

Back around half an hour now - another very pleasant day on the bike. After bidding the time triallists farewell and godspeed, the rest of us (me, emty, Cadex, Andreas.Voigt, Eddie and Noel) took things fairly handy, tipping along nicely between the controls, eating well in the sunshine at the controls. Bar a couple of mechanicals and an (in my opinion) uncalled for amount of time spent on N roads, it was pretty much all good times. Great views of the sun setting through the pall of smoke from gorse fires between Laragh and Roundwood, and untold wisdom dispensed by the ancients - apparently there's a place in Kilmore Quay called Belders that does great crab sandwiches.

Sorry to hear about the bike, Cramcycle...you know, I spent all day trying to figure out who was lurking behind that username and it was only after I got home that I figured out your cunning anagram. See you at the next one, I hope.

Thanks for the update. I was really looking forward to today. Despite all my preparation (after your advice on my first disastrous attempt at an event), I apparently am still not ready. I'll be out trying again though (all going to plan).

As for the bike it will hopefully be up and running momentarily with a new chain and rear derailleur.

PS Quiet about the anagram.

mvt

Yeah,was a real nice spin and good fun too.Weather was perfect,although the first couple of hours were chilly enough.Route wasn't so bad,the trade-off from being on N-roads meant that it was hard to get lost.For the day that was in it the traffic was pretty light.
Have racked up a fair amount of k's over the last few weeks and that takes a lot of effort,not just on the bike.Just want to say thanks to the other member of Team mvt for all their help,encouragement,support.....and potato cakes

Cadex

The Hollywood 300 Audax. This was organised by Audax Ireland (John) and was publicised through the email group, so I probably heard of it but it was only during the week (Thursday) when I was doing the project management course that Andreas emailed to say he coud offer a lift over that I thought I might go for it. As it happened on Friday, I was late home from the course as I went to a jobs fair on the way, then I had to do a quick prep on the bike before heading to my son's girlfriend's 21st. Unfortunately, the event the next day was starting at 06:00, so I had to head early if I was going to be able to get up. We left about 11:30 and I sorted the gear, sambos etc. and headed to bed at 00:55 with the alarm set for 04:20....! I woke at 04:15 and rolled out of bed for quick breakfast and get ready. Andreas called at 05:05 and we headed off for Bray. After a bit of getting ready and my last-minute sign-on, the group left at 06:00 in early light and cold. We headed off down the N11 to Ashford with the sun rising on the sea to our left, then Glenealy, Rathdrum, Aughrim, Carnew before reaching the first control in Bunclody (89k) at 09:39. This was a welcome stop as we'd just come along a stretch of road that looked like no-man's land - 'there is more tar in a cigarette' kind of road. After quick cuppa and sandwich, it was off through Enniscorthy and Oilgate to Wexford on much better roads. Just after Enniscorthy, myself and John found ourselves just ahead of our group and attached to a group of cyclists from Wexford Wheelers so we tagged along for the lift about which they were very generous, I must say. We landed into Wexford (133k) at 11:26 and stopped for refuelling at Boggans garage. John went on ahead and the rest of us got ready, crossed the bridge and headed up the R741 to Gorey (175k) at 12:28. We had some hot food there and sat in the sun for a bit before heading on then up the N81 to Tullow (216k) at 15:46. We headed on then up to Hollywood (254k) taking a break before facing the hills and Wicklow Gap. This was a moment to relax in the sun a little and we'd earned it. We struck out then up the hill for Laragh, the climb splitting up the group. The two lightest (myself and Rottenhat) went ahead (the one benefit of being small!). I have to say I'd never gone this way (Hollywood- Laragh) before and was dreading the climb on what were now pretty tired legs but it appears there is an 'easy' side to the Wicklow Gap and it was grand with a fantastic descent. Apart from taking a couple of pictures while I cycled, I just got a nice rhythm going on the way up, taking in the absolutely stunning scenery (sun begining to set etc.). On the way down, I had a lovely descent which I really enjoyed and didn't have any problems. I rolled into Laragh, bought some water and the others were just behind. Some of them had a couple of scary moments where motorbike or cars were overtaking each other and over the wrong side of the road in front of them during the descent. We had the last stop at the cafe there before putting on the warm tops etc. to head home. Just as we left we had our first mechanical with a chain-break for MVT. Luckily, he had a chain joiner and we were soon on our way (must get one of those myself), The sun was stunning as we crossed from Roundwood toward the Sugarloaf and somebody was burning gorse or something. The sky looked very dramatic with the red sun shining through the smoke. I always find that stretch feels longer than it really is but with the craic in the group, we seemed to fly. We were passed by a van from Biking.ie, who pulled over and handed out welcome jellies as we passed (big thanks). Then we had the fantastic descent of Long Hill to Kilmacanogue which I really enjoyed before re-grouping at the bottom and rolling back to Bray (309k) at 20:16. Somehow we didn't notice Noel was missing - apparently he'd punctured coming into Bray so rolled in just behind us. Most of the trip was pretty flat and we made very good time without killing ourselves. To be honest, I'd been pretty worried at the start about going that far (my previous furthest was 209k) and was more than a bit delighted to not only be able to do it but to feel as well as I did at the end. Of course the company (excellent), weather (stunning), route (pretty flat) etc. all helped. Big thanks to Andreas for the lift (and carrying some spare food) and Eddie for taking the extra gear - I promise I will have the bag sorted next time! It was pointed out that it was easy for me to feel good when other people were carrying stuff for me....Don't suppose I will live that down for a while.....! Great day, excellent work on the 'pelothon' from MVT, Andreas, Rottenhat, Eddie and Noel - cheers lads.
Stats: Distance: 309k, Max: 69.9km/h, Ave: 26.9km/h, Climb: 2734m, Cycling: 11:28, Elapsed: 14:16.

Cadex

More Pics:

Cadex

More pics:

Lumen

rottenhat

Cadex wrote: »

Just as we left we had our first mechanical with a chain-break for MVT. Luckily, he had a chain joiner and we were soon on our way (must get one of those myself)

If I'd been in the mood for it, this would have been the funniest thing I'd seen in months...one half of the masterlink from the broken chain was lying on the ground and these two clowns respected members of the Irish cycling community kept picking it up, saying "I've found it. Now what happened to the other half, it was here a second ago". Then the one who had it would look around for a bit, and drop the piece that he had. A few seconds later the other one would pick up the same piece and say "I've found the other half..."

I swear this happened five or six times before mvt decided to actually open his bag and get out his spare masterlink.

Cadex

Ah, eh well yes. I can confirm that this happened, not sure about being respected members though. On one occasion, I picked up a pebble that was blackened by contact with his chain.....In fairness, we were looking for small blackish things on pebbles, as for putting it down - that bit wasn't me (I just kept picking it up)!
Of course you were just standing around doing nothing...

Oh an update on the other times which I'm sorry won't cheer but may give something for which to strive. J caught B at Shilelagh, then they caught the other J at Hollywwod then went on to finish at 18:55 (!), the other J landed at 18:20, R at 19:00 (so she was indeed ahead of us, after all). Rolling in at 20:16 I'm putting down to leisurely breaks rather than cycling slowly - I hope.