Dying Sow 300/Dying Cow 200/Dying Sparrow 160

LastGasp

In case anyone fancies a 300/200/160 Audax spin on 18th September, see below from Paul, the organiser.
Cheers, LG.

Hi Folks,
Have ridden practically the whole 300 route to check routesheet and
update it where appropriate.Have yet to check 200/160 sheets but will
do them shortly.If anyone is intending to ride can they send me an
application form in advance. Lights are compulsory on the 300 and warm
clothing is recommended.Start point is Bray Wheelers Clubhouse.
Start times; 06.00 hrs 300/ 08.00hrs 200 /09.00hrs 160
Entry fee. 5 euro in advance/ 8 euro on the day
Insurance is mandatory but day licences will be available on the
day(10 euro). Form is available here. http://sorrentocyclingclub.com/site/audax/

CramCycle

I am in, looks like fun

rughdh

I'll be doing the 300. I'm hoping to knock a couple of hours off last year's time. It won't be hard. Just have to get a few more pounds off. Down from 14st to 12st 4 so far.

neris

is there a link to a route for the 200? Cant find one on the site. Have entered the Leinster Loop but might skip it and do the 200. Easier to get to the southside then kildare.

CramCycle

neris wrote: »

is there a link to a route for the 200? Cant find one on the site. Have entered the Leinster Loop but might skip it and do the 200. Easier to get to the southside then kildare.

Thanks to Rottenhat, you'll find it here as a word document:

http://audaxireland.wordpress.com/route-index/

rottenhat

It feels wrong that there's an audax going on somewhere in this country and I'm not going to be there but I'll be in Italy. Conveniently close to the route of the Eroica, mind you....

penexpers

Should be there, doing the 200, making my Audax debut.

rughdh

rottenhat wrote: »

It feels wrong that there's an audax going on somewhere in this country and I'm not going to be there but I'll be in Italy. Conveniently close to the route of the Eroica, mind you....

Well, you've got the bike and the kit...

rottenhat

rughdh wrote: »

Well, you've got the bike and the kit...

Now I just need to grow the facial hair.

rughdh

rottenhat wrote: »

Now I just need to grow the facial hair.

LastGasp

Bump...

Anyone else up for this on Sunday ?

rughdh

LastGasp wrote: »

Bump...

Anyone else up for this on Saturday ?

Fixed that for you.

penexpers

Should still be on for this - I just need to source a new tire, I found a nick on the sidewall of the one I have at the moment and the tire is bulging out.

rughdh

penexpers wrote: »

Should still be on for this - I just need to source a new tire, I found a nick on the sidewall of the one I have at the moment and the tire is bulging out.

If a folding Zaffiro Pro 700C X 23 is any use to you I can bring one along.

penexpers

rughdh wrote: »

If a folding Zaffiro Pro 700C X 23 is any use to you I can bring one along.

23 is way too narrow for Audax

Thanks for the offer, I ordered off CRC this morning and it just shipped so I should have it in plenty of time.

LastGasp

rughdh wrote: »

Fixed that for you.

Ah ****e ! That wasn't a typo - I really thought it was Sunday. Thanks for pointing that out. Hopefully I can still make it.

rughdh

LastGasp wrote: »

Ah ****e ! That wasn't a typo - I really thought it was Sunday. Thanks for pointing that out.

No worries.

LastGasp wrote: »

Hopefully I can still make it.

Fingers crossed.

penexpers

Er. Anyone any idea how hilly the 200 is?

rughdh

penexpers wrote: »

Er. Anyone any idea how hilly the 200 is?

It's lumpy enough. The climb that passes the "Dying Cow" pub is pretty steep. Sorry I don't have any more info than that.

EDIT: Found this from 2008. You'd want to check whether the route has changed, though.

MWalljobs

penexpers wrote: »

23 is way too narrow for Audax

Thanks for the offer, I ordered off CRC this morning and it just shipped so I should have it in plenty of time.

good luck with that, I ordered a rear mech hanger of them last wednesday, got an e-mail that order had left the building same day, but it did not make it to my house in Kildare yet !!!!!

CramCycle

penexpers wrote: »

23 is way too narrow for Audax

Thanks for the offer, I ordered off CRC this morning and it just shipped so I should have it in plenty of time.

I might have a spare 25 somewhere, PM me Friday if CRC don't come through and I'll have a dig around for it.

penexpers

MWalljobs wrote: »

good luck with that, I ordered a rear mech hanger of them last wednesday, got an e-mail that order had left the building same day, but it did not make it to my house in Kildare yet !!!!!

Arrived yesterday. I paid extra for 24 hour shipping.

penexpers

rughdh wrote: »

It's lumpy enough. The climb that passes the "Dying Cow" pub is pretty steep. Sorry I don't have any more info than that.

EDIT: Found this from 2008. You'd want to check whether the route has changed, though.

Looks about right based on last years routesheet. Doesn't look too bad, though I know not to completely trust MMR's elevation profile.

LastGasp

Headed off yesterday to Bray Wheelers Clubhouse for the 6am start of the Dying Sow 300 Audax. Bad sign to have a puncture when I took the bike out of the boot, but thankfully that was it for the day. There was only a very small entry which was a pity because the organisers had put a lot of work into the event. I headed out with Jim from Cork, and Rughdh. One other rider started the 300 later, and a select few did the Dying Cow 200 route which started a couple of hours later (including CramCycle). Jim was stronger than the rest of us, and went on ahead and wasn't seen again. Likewise Rughdh dropped back a bit after a while, and we all had solo rides for the rest of the day. We headed off down the coast road, and then across to the first checkpoint at Bookey Bridge, near Laragh. There was a car full of cake, drinks, fruit etc to tuck into, and we got our cards signed off. Then on again through Ballinclash and Aughrim to the next check at Hacketstown. Again the guys had outdone themselves with an assortment of Sandwiches, Fruit Cake, Fruit, Cake, Nuts, Tea etc etc, all laid on in the Community Hall. Took a quick break there about 20 mins and then onwards through Shillelagh, Clonegal, Fennagh and Newtown (some of which I had never heard of before), to the next control point at Leighlinbridge. This was an info control so I noted down the name of the bridge in my head and hoped I wouldn't forget it, and went on as far as Borris before stopping into the QQ Cafe for an All-Day Breakfast - just the job. That was the furthest point of the route, and we then headed back over Mount Leinster (tough climb after 200kms) into Bunclody, Carnew, Coolgreaney, Arklow and Woodenbridge. I felt pretty bonked around Arklow, and had run out of drinks for a while so I was delighted to get to the garage in Woodenbridge and fill the bottles with water, fill myself up on Lucozade and chocolate, and went off again for the last 50kms. This went through Avoca, Glenealy and Rathnew, and then back up the Coast Road through Kilcoole, Greystones and back to Bray at 10:48pm, a total of 14hrs 26mins. Paul and John were still there to welcome me back with another quick cup of tea and a chat before I headed off home. This was a good route that took me through lots of new territory, and huge thanks to Paul and John from Sorrento for putting it all together. It's just a pity that there weren't a few more participants to make it worth all the effort. A well spent fiver ! (Well tenner, if you count the optional extra fiver for the excellent Audax medal). This completes my first Audax Super Randonneur Series (200, 300, 400 and 600 in one year) and almost wraps up the Audax Season. Just Rottenhats Dying Light 200 to go, at the end of October, hopefully a few more people will give that one a go. It's in NCD so might be flat !

CramCycle

I was meant to start the 300 with LastGasp and the rest of the gang, alas as with nearly all CramCycles attempts to complete an audax this year, it looked like he would not make it this time, yet again. A long week and night before of work insured I was only leaving my house just before 8.

Having moved house recently, I was heading a different than normal route down to Bray, I went through Lambs cross and Enniskerry for a bit of a warm up before hand where I met a lovely lady at a petrol station just outside Enniskerry who stopped me to talk about men in lycra (she laughed when I said MAMILs) and how fitting and proper we all looked, very epic, adventurous and manly.

Getting into the clubhouse at I got signed up, very little debating got me to switch to the 200 as I was already 2.5 hours late. I am disappointed with myself but I was equally happy to get out for the day.

Off I set, and to my shock and surprise, I may finally have figured out how to follow a route sheet having made no mistakes up to the first control. At the first control I was met with a gratuitous smile from one of the nicest people I have ever met (from Sorrento I assume) plus two guys who had pulled in but lived just up the road, one a lovely Swedish girl who had tea in her flask if I wanted any and two a guy on a mountain bike who was recovering from a recent broken leg and was on his first trip out since it happened. Here I was plied with water, orange juice, apple juice, jellies, bananas, cake, ambrosia creamed rice and the list goes on. Eventually I had to say no more or I'll never move again. We chatted for far longer than I should have but a great stop. 40 minutes behind the last person, I felt happy I was not going too slow at this stage.

Heading on for Hacketstown, I was again alone for the trip, heading up through Aughrim and Rathdangan. Around 2 or 3 km from the control at Hacketstown, there was a warning of a steep descent before a mandatory stop. As I whizzed down the road, hands firmly on brakes the whole way down, I realised what I thought was the steep descent, was just an average descent before the short but sharp actual descent they warned you about. In hindsight, this 300yard stretch should be re-named a cliff as I suspect the similarities are enormous. I got into Hacketstown with my arms about to sieze from the strain going down that cliff put on them. Into Hacketstown, I put my socks and shoes on a radiator and let Paul and John pamper me with goats cheese, ham+cheddar sandwiches, a few elevenses bars, pineapple and possibly one of the nicest cups of tea I have ever had in my life. Just as I walked in two of the 200 lads walked out, so I felt a bit better for having gotten closer and inside I met a first attempter, who was debating whether to switch to the 160 or the 200. I recommended the 200 as she'd regret it if she completed the 160, she went for the 200 and set off, Paul informing her I'd be after her shortly so she'd have company. Topped up the old Bidons and set off again.

A km out the road Paul and John passed me, checked I was Ok before heading on to Bray. I turned for the 200km about 5km out the road and immediately realised why the 160 cut off at this point than somewhere else. About 5km, maybe less, after the turn off, I came across the steepest hill I have ever climbed. It was incredible, I had dropped into middle ring and the largest cog at the back and I made it to the first drive way before having to turn around to drop into, yes, for the only time I can ever recall, the Granny Gear. I mean, I was out of my saddle and this hill was so steep that with me standing vertical (not intentionally leaning over the handlebars) my shoulders were square with my brake hoods. I finally realised why everyone like cycling so much, the noises I was making going up that hill, well, pardon my french but the only other time I have heard someone groan like that, well actually, I better not finish this sentence :eek:.

I apparently passed the Dying Cow pub here but alas i was so focused (can be replaced with destroyed), that I completely missed it. Got as far as the Gap pub where I stopped for a Toastie and a cup of coffee as I was feeling a bit run down. Chatting to a few lads but on the way out one of them said, your a brave man coming into the pub like that and I quote "I couldn't walk into the pub when I'm out on my bike, in my gear....


... I'd have to have a pint, fair play to ya"

I headed onto Woodenbridge, where I bumped into the girl from the control at Hacketstown. Just after a puncture she was very pleased at her successful first attempt at a tyre change. More importantly she had discovered powerbars at the last control and immediately realised there benefits (although, I could be wrong, she maybe the only cyclist I have ever met who actually likes them). Kinda scared by the look of an addiction starting to form

I got a great rush of energy from the coffee, so I bid adue and powered on to the control at Woodenbridge. I sat here for quite awhile, having a honey mustard and chicken wrap, with a bag of Tayto C+O and a lovely cup of coffee. I decided to wait for the girl as it was done for me on my first attempt and I thought it a good call to pay it forward. She arrived not to long after me and I apologised for taking off, just got that rush which could not be ignored.

We discussed the route for a bit and where both happy that the last 50km were pretty relaxed compared to the first 150km. I rang Paul to say we\d be about 3 hours give or take and we set off.

A nice straight stretch we turned for the Coast Road after about 25km. It was starting to get dark now so the lights came on and we slowed down a good bit. My company had never done night riding before and wasn't too comfortable with it so we knocked it down to about 15km/hr and I tried to give a few tips I'd picked up from personal experience and other cyclists and all went well for quite some time.

I'll leave out the next bit about certain drivers on the coast road at this time as my blood will boil :mad:, anyway, the bad parts aside, we were on the home stretch and on time. One last, incredibly long hill and we were there.

Paul and John were there waiting for us, coffee in hand 1 minute later, rehydration drinks galore, scones, sandwiches, it was epic.

Pleased as punch to have completed my first audax, after many, many attempts. Big round of applause for the support on the day, yet again the service was unparalleled. Have to prepare to get my SR series on next year, after a year of nearly and almost, it was incredibly satisfying to get a completion on the record sheet.

Hopefully see a few more out for the Dying Light next month as it was a shame not to see more out for the day as it was a well run event and a few more faces would have made quite a difference.

LastGasp

CramCycle wrote: »

I came across the steepest hill I have ever climbed.

Me too... as John said, you need to brake to stop from rolling backwards...

CramCycle wrote: »

I apparently passed the Dying Cow pub here but alas i was so focused (can be replaced with destroyed), that I completely missed it.

Me too again... thought I had taken the wrong road for a while.

Great report, as usual ! Congrats on your first finish !

neris

14 hours is a long time on a bike and cant imagine its any easier doing it alone. Would like to give the 300 a go next year but might just go for the 200 after reading that

rughdh

Had to pack due to digestive system failure on route to Woodenbridge.

It was good to exchange more than a "hello" with LastGasp as I managed to keep up for longer in this event than the others we started together.

Congrats to LastGasp on achieving the Super Randonneur award. I stand corrected, but I think they'll only be handing out 4 or 5 nationally this year and at least two will go to boardsies.

Congrats also to CramCycle for finally making it and fair play for staying with the first timer and encouraging her to stick with the 200. She'll have a greater sense of achievement and might think about doing more. It can be a bit daunting cycling alone in the dark for the first time.

The Dying Cow climb is my favourite after the Marie Blanc in the Pyrenees. The Cherokee bit of me told me that the guy who climbed it before me had run out of gears, but made it up in one piece . I was running a 34/28 so could just about keep a straight line. My arms are feeling it now, though. Miles in the arms are needed more than miles in the legs for this event with over 4000m of climbing, most of it in the first half. I was fortunate enough to be able to look left as I passed the Dying Cow (Tallons), because I knew where it was, having done it last year. It looked quiet enough.

Can't say enough about the feeding, friendliness and moral support by Paul and John at the two controls. Sorrento/Audax Ireland are legendary for this. It was like as if the community centre at Hacketstown was made of food. The radiator was put to good use too. It was hard tearing myself away.

Just also want to point out that the sow, cow and sparrow have each made a full recovery. 3 coincidental misdiagnoses.

See you on rottenhat's Dying Light.

rughdh

neris wrote: »

14 hours is a long time on a bike and cant imagine its any easier doing it alone. Would like to give the 300 a go next year but might just go for the 200 after reading that

It might be an idea to get together with a few others of similar ability and do it as a group. If you can go the distance, it'd be a pity not to give it a go.

LastGasp

rughdh wrote: »

Had to pack due to digestive system failure on route to Woodenbridge.

Sorry to hear that, I hope you've made a full recovery !

rughdh wrote: »

It was good to exchange more than a "hello" with LastGasp

Likewise !

Did you get an SR series yourself this year ? If so, well done !

rughdh

LastGasp wrote: »

Sorry to hear that, I hope you've made a full recovery !

Yes. I'm grand now thanks.

LastGasp wrote: »

Did you get an SR series yourself this year ? If so, well done !

Unfortunately not. Had other things on for the other 300s. There's always next year, though. Same medal as this year. I think they issue it along with the PBP medal in Jan or Feb 2012.

mayogirl26

Re: Dying Cow 200k cycle at the weekend
I’ve wanted to do an audax for a while and had geared myself up for the Dying Light 200k at the end of October with the 160k Dying Sow to ease myself into it. But the week before the event I found out that a friend's engagement party on the same night as the Dying Light would rule that out so I scrapped the 160k ease-into-it plan and fired ahead with the baptism-of-fire 200k.

If anybody had told me on Saturday afternoon between the kilometres of 42 (first checkpoint, thank you to the lovely lady who stamped my card and fed me!!) and 93 (thank you to Paul and John for feeding me/encouraging me/giving me tea!) that I would be writing up a rave review of my first audax, I would not have laughed because I'm pretty sure I could not have laughed. But I might have cried in disbelief. There was nothing but pain in my body and darkness in my head... and if that sounds melodramatic, I should say describing it that way is an understatement. I've run a marathon, I've hit the wall, I've trained through sickness/injury. But those 50 clicks were a new experience for me in breaking through. But break through I did and boy, am I happy I did! I think I'll be on a natural high after my first "big" ride for the next week!!

I decided to stay out in Bray the night before but I should have checked that bikes are allowed on the dart as the quick spin on the dart with the bike I had envisioned was actually a long slow trying-to-save-my-legs-for-the-next-day cycle in the dark. I had dinner around seven before heading off thanks to my flatmate who was advising me on carb loading as she was gearing up for the half marathon the next day (which she killed, coming in sixth no less). After getting cruelly refused entry to the dart with my rothar I cycled slowly to Bray (via the motorway, oops) and then forgot to eat again when I got there. So much for the carb loading. This is a mistake for which I paid most dearly! I did have some porridge next morning after fighting a battle with the microwave in the B&B but not nearly enough. On the road I managed to keep with two lovely guys Paul and Dave till just before the first checkpoint at 42km where I got some Ambrosia creamed rice and the rice and a few jellies got me to the all important food stop at 93km. Is it any wonder that I had a torturous 50k in the middle there?? I had no food, no energy, no water thanks to the fact that my bottle had staged a breakaway and jumped off my bike on a particularly jolty downhill in the rain and I hadn't had the heart to go back up the hill for it (there'll undoubtedly be someone out there outraged at the litter-buggery (!) so sorry for that)

I’m not quite sure if I’ve ever experienced such misery as I did in the unending trudge between 42k and the food stop at 92k but it was hard to feel anything but cheerful when greeted with hot tea and sandwiches as well as other audaxers (Paul and Dave, who I managed to keep with till just before the first checkpoint) who were also wet and cold but upbeat. I was sorely tempted to switch over to the 160k as I had promised myself the whole way through my bad 50k but even through the worst of that I knew that I'd be far too thick-headed to switch. I did flirt with the idea of it, mostly in order to comfort myself I think, and I even asked organiser du jour Paul about it but the encouraging sounds of people telling me I was doing well etc etc kept me hanging on and I hit off from the community centre at Hacketstown drier, fuller, warmer in a polar opposite state of mind than how I'd entered it.

I was literally on a buzz after the food and the tea and the human contact and after the lads did a bit of trouble shooting I kinda figured that not eating really anything much (one cup of creamed rice and some jellies) was what had been making things hell for me on 42-92. As soon as I got back on the bike I started with the PowerBars which as my fellow audaxer below will testify, did me a world of good. I am now going to be recommending these things to people with coughs, colds, tiredness, lack of energy, broken legs, broken heads - they're amazing. Amazing. Its a good job that someone mentioned to me at some point that they can be troublesome to digest in large doses or I might be still eating them - exclusively. From there on things went much better for me and I bombed along enjoying myself thoroughly despite the rain till about 107 when the unthinkable happened. I got a puncture. My second puncture ever and two in the space of a week and the first time I had no puncture repair kit and had to be rescued at the side of the road by my poor mother 40k from home. I learned my lesson though and had borrowed some puncture repair stuff and bought a tube. I’d only changed one tube before – the one I’d punctured the previous weekend – and my boyfriend had supervised that endeavour and given me instructions and in fairness done most of the heavy lifting so I pretty much thought at that point that my audax was over. I walked in the rain till I found a safe spot in the road (gateway) and I resisted the urge to call my boyfriend/mother/best friend/organiser of the audax in floods of tears and just hunkered down and decided to try. Just try. If it worked, great, I would keep going. If not, I would start the tearful calls. I was fully expecting to be using the supergroovy iPhone the boyf had loaned to me (in case I got lost and needed the SatNav, bless him) but despite the odds I managed it!! To the proper cyclist this is no great feat, an everyday thing that must often be done. But to me? An incredible personal victory! About 40mins later after struggling enormously I got back on my newly fixed wheel with a great sense of achievement while trying not to remember that I was only about half way through the day’s cycling.

The next 40k or so to the last control at Woodenbridge were not too bad, weather wasn’t great but I just got the head down and moseyed along. I was high on a mixture of tube-changing victory and PowerBar. A chap passed me who I’d met at the Hacketstown stop and said hi and told me how he’d stopped at a pub for a coffee and a toastie and I cursed my bad luck of the puncture as I’d so wanted to do the same somewhere between 93 and 150. He carried on but I met up with him at the last control at Woodenbridge delighted with myself and my wonderful cycling skills at catching up to him, never even thinking for a second that he might have deliberately been watching out for me and waiting on me. How nice is that?? I think this is just the essence of this event. I have participated in a few different sports with teams/groups etc and I’ve never had such a low-key but yet entirely welcoming initiation to a sport. The organisers and support and participants were, every single one of them to a fault, exceptional. I felt encouraged without being pushed, completely welcomed without being fussed over and looked out for and minded without being patronised.

With my newly found company at the 50k-to-go stage I was relieved not to be heading into the final stretch on my tobler since any thoughts of finishing in the daylight were now clearly unrealistic. I’d like to think that if I’d had to finish it out on my own I would have managed it but honestly… if I’d had to do that last 50k solo while trying to see the route sheet and the road in the dark, I’m pretty sure that the tears I’d saved earlier after managing to fix my wheel would have been used up in self-pity on that last long hilly stretch home. One thing is for sure - I’ll be on the watch for my chance to pay it forward and I only hope I can be as nice and helpful to someone as my audax buddy was to me on that last 50k – a pure gent! And as for the entry fee? By now I’ve done quite a random selection of organised sporting activities.. marathon, half marathon, 5ks, 10ks, triathlon, city chase etc and while they’re great fun, there’s always a slight sting in the tail when you check your credit card a week later and see the ridiculous amount of money you paid for the same old regulation T-shirt and a race that lasted an hour. The audax? Best fiver I’ve ever spent in my life bar none! I find myself wondering if these guys are the only ones in Dublin adjusting to the recession or if they’re just secretly a charitable organisation for crazy cyclists. Not only was everyone super nice but the organisation was top notch, tea and sandwiches when needed, powerbars, a route sheet that even I could read without bother, and that alone must have been no easy task to put together!

Sometimes a little information can be dangerous. If someone had told me before I had started this cycle how hilly it was (or if I’d been organised enough to check it out beforehand!) I either would not have done it full stop or I would have plumped for the 160k and been forever left wondering. Ignorance is bliss though and in spite of many many kilometres where I wondered how on earth I was going to explain to people that I’d had to be rescued at the side of the road, I managed to make it back to Bray Wheelers in time, shivery, weak, cold, hungry like I’ve rarely been in my life and already looking forward to the next one before I’d even sat my stiff sore arse down on the chair for my last wonderful cup of tea of the day. Why do we do this to ourselves? As a wise man said to me on Saturday, if it was any easier it wouldn’t be enough of a challenge for us and we wouldn’t bother at all. Bring on my first 300!

LastGasp

MayoGirl, well done on finishing a tough event, and on writing up a fantastic report of the action ! The Dying Light would be a doddle in comparison. As you've probably learned by now eating and drinking enough (before you get thirsty/hungry) is really important in these long events. Also by the sound of it you only have one bottle - most of us would carry 2 of the 750ml bottles, and fill them several times over a 200 or 300, in addition to any fluids taken in at stops. Congratulations ! LG

The tax man

Congratulations on completing the series Lastgasp and all done with burning feet.:eek:
Did you ever get that issue sorted?

Sorry to hear about your problem rughdh. Shame to get so far and have to dismount. Good to hear you're OK though.

Well done to mayogirl26 on completing the 200. Tough one to start off with.
Not sure if you opted to get a medal for your effort but for an extra fiver you'll have a nice reminder of completing an audax event. Not your average plastic/tin thing other events dish out to people but something you'd be proud show off. I did the 300 last year and earned my first audax medal and it still brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

LastGasp

The tax man wrote: »

I did the 300 last year and earned my first audax medal and it still brings a smile to my face every time I look at it.

I know... it's a bit sad for a supposedly grown man to be emotional about such things, but I have to confess I'm considering putting the 5 of them on a wooden plaque on the wall !

The tax man wrote: »

Congratulations on completing the series Lastgasp and all done with burning feet.:eek:
Did you ever get that issue sorted?

Thanks. Fingers crossed... I went a bit radical and drilled holes under my arches to mount the cleats right back at the mid-point of the shoe (Google "arch cleat position"). About 2" further back than normally possible. Up to the weekend I had only gone 100km with the new set-up so I wasn't sure if it had helped, and using different muscles meant I needed to build up the distances again. Anyway I got through Sunday with no problem whatsoever which was fantastic. I'm still not 100% sure if it was the cleat position or the cooler weather that helped - won't know now 'til next summer I suppose !

Hermy

LastGasp wrote: »

Me too... as John said, you need to brake to stop from rolling backwards...

What hill is this?

LastGasp

Hermy wrote: »

What hill is this?

known as Dying Sow. Bridgeland, south of Hacketstown on R747. It's not much more than 1km, but it's STEEP !

mayogirl26

Thanks LastGasp and tax man for the encouraging words and hats off to anyone who did the 300k on Sat, with those hills and the weather its impressive. Yeah, I did go for the medal as the boys in the clubhouse at the end recommended I get one and you never know... it might be motivation to start a collection

Can't remember who said they were going to mount their medals but whoever is doing that I say fair play! Make sure they're displayed somewhere prominent!! As for the food and water... I totally learned my lesson, doinked myself over rightly with that. Next time around (hopefully) I'll be forcing food into myself the whole way round and I'll make sure the carb loading takes priority the night before. I wonder what time the Dying Light starts at? If its 6am I'd be sorely tempted to squeeze it in before my night out, I happen to know that its relatively flat and I'd love to do another one of these with less hills (read: suffering) involved!!

rughdh

mayogirl26 wrote: »

I wonder what time the Dying Light starts at?

It starts at 8am.

Congrats on you first 200, mayogirl26. It certainly wasn't an easy one. Glad you had company, too. It can make all the difference, especially on your first outing. There may be others over the winter. The new season starts in November.

rughdh

The tax man wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your problem rughdh. Shame to get so far and have to dismount. Good to hear you're OK though.

Thanks. I'm being unusually philosophical about it. There's a 300 in Taiwan, if I needed one badly. Mrs Rughdh would kill me though. Don't think it justifies remortgaging. How are the knees these days?

neris

is there a start time and location for the dying light? Would like to give it a goand get 200km in before winter.

penexpers

Think it's Phibsboro at 6am, October 30th. Might be wrong about the time.

rughdh

penexpers wrote: »

Think it's Phibsboro at 6am, October 30th. Might be wrong about the time.

It's at 8am. They usually start at the shopping centre.

The tax man

rughdh wrote: »

Thanks. I'm being unusually philosophical about it. There's a 300 in Taiwan, if I needed one badly. Mrs Rughdh would kill me though. Don't think it justifies remortgaging. How are the knees these days?

Hmm... Taiwan is a tad on the far side.
The old knees are still acting up but I'm hoping to start rottenhats audax. I hope when he said flat he means it. Hopefully I'll get a scan soon to see if there's any serious damage.

rughdh

The tax man wrote: »

Hmm... Taiwan is a tad on the far side.

You're right.

The tax man wrote: »

The old knees are still acting up but I'm hoping to start rottenhats audax. I hope when he said flat he means it. Hopefully I'll get a scan soon to see if there's any serious damage.

It'd be good to see you there and good luck with the scan!

LastGasp

rottenhat wrote: »

It feels wrong that there's an audax going on somewhere in this country and I'm not going to be there but I'll be in Italy. Conveniently close to the route of the Eroica, mind you....

Boardsie Rottenhat is the organiser of the Dying Light. He's currently (or was until recently) in Italy, but he will be posting up details on Boards in good time - probably 2-3 weeks beforehand.

If you're not already on the Audax Googlegroups e-mail system then you should send a PM to Rottenhat with your e-mail address and ask to be included. It's a handy way of keeping in touch with what's happening.

rottenhat

Back now, and glad to hear that the Dying S(c)ow went well for most of you (shame about having to pack, Rughdh, but sure, with the 600 under your belt you've nothing to prove anyway.)

Full details on the Dying Light to follow, but it will start from Baggot Street Bridge, I'm thinking about moving to a 7am start to maximize what light there will be but I'm open to persuasion from the late sleepers amongst you, the route is very flat indeed apart from a couple of minor hills around Kingscourt, and there'll be hot ports back at the flat afterwards.

neris

Is there a route map for the dyling light on map my ride or google?

CramCycle

rottenhat wrote: »

and there'll be hot ports back at the flat afterwards.

motivational talk like that and I may actually make it on time for a change

rughdh

rottenhat wrote: »

Back now, and glad to hear that the Dying S(c)ow went well for most of you (shame about having to pack, Rughdh, but sure, with the 600 under your belt you've nothing to prove anyway.)

Thanks, but I enjoyed the bit I did anyway. Lovely route and scenic in more ways than one.

rottenhat wrote: »

Full details on the Dying Light to follow, but it will start from Baggot Street Bridge, I'm thinking about moving to a 7am start to maximize what light there will be but I'm open to persuasion from the late sleepers amongst you, the route is very flat indeed apart from a couple of minor hills around Kingscourt, and there'll be hot ports back at the flat afterwards.

You mean that there are audax riders who actually sleep? I haven't slept since nineteen hundred and seventy two, so I'm easy. Looking forward to it.

penexpers

rottenhat wrote: »

Back now, and glad to hear that the Dying S(c)ow went well for most of you (shame about having to pack, Rughdh, but sure, with the 600 under your belt you've nothing to prove anyway.)

Full details on the Dying Light to follow, but it will start from Baggot Street Bridge, I'm thinking about moving to a 7am start to maximize what light there will be but I'm open to persuasion from the late sleepers amongst you, the route is very flat indeed apart from a couple of minor hills around Kingscourt, and there'll be hot ports back at the flat afterwards.

7am start means that it's unlikely I'll be able to do it. 8am means I can get up from Newbridge and out to Baggot St in time.