Last week before Ring of Kerry 2011 cycle & whos taking part thread

CheGuedara

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Nuts. Wish I was there now.

You can still make the 7pm train...

Chips Lovell

Voodoo also owns a car

ROK ON

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Nuts. Wish I was there now.

Dirk

Get on down. You know you want to.

Weather is good. Which is itself a rarity.

Think about it Dirk - if you make it down the Kerry Rose will simply not be able to resist you. Otherwise she'll have to fend off some fierce animals altogether.:D

DirkVoodoo

ROK ON wrote: »

Think about it Dirk - if you make it down the Kerry Rose will simply not be able to resist you. Otherwise she'll have to fend off some fierce animals altogether.:D

Damn, forgot about her:



Although, I'm more of a Leitrim rose fan now:

Chips Lovell

Getting the post-spin relaxation in now. It's hard work.

Icyseanfitz

damn it i have to get a road bike seems like some craic

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

Getting the post-spin relaxation in now. It's hard work.

Bollix

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Bollix

You out on the tiles at all this weekend?

Got your email by the way, just haven't had a chance to reply yet.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

You out on the tiles at all this weekend?

Got your email by the way, just haven't had a chance to reply yet.

Cooking dinner for the kids, then packing the car to head to Dingle. So no out on the town for me tonite - will see about tomorrow though (I'm heading to Dingle tomorrow night, while kids and missus heading tomorrow morning).

I will start the Ring tomorrow and see how I'm feeling. Tore some ligaments, and had a cyle on Tuesday but was in a lot of pain.
Aim to start here and be in Killarney for 8.

Chips Lovell

Not sure when we'll be starting yet. Probably a little before 8. But we'll be taking it handy enough so you'll probably run into us. Will be in the club colours.

CheGuedara

Hope to be rolling out around 8 with the 'Gang' - lookin forward to hopefully meeting a few of ye over the course of the day.

experimenter

I gather Enda Kenny is doing the spin tomorrow..

Dr. No

I'm on ambulance duty for the ROK so please keep your bikes between the ditches:p If anyone wants to say hello I'll be the skinny fella in one of the Order of Malta ambulances.

lescol

CheGuedara wrote: »

Hope to be rolling out around 8 with the 'Gang' - lookin forward to hopefully meeting a few of ye over the course of the day.

Hope I can latch onto your "gang" for a while:D

I have just attached an abomination of a number plate to my beautiful bike!

Dr.Millah

lescol wrote: »

Hope I can latch onto your "gang" for a while:D

I have just attached an abomination of a number plate to my beautiful bike!

Are they bigger than usual?

CheGuedara

lescol wrote: »

Hope I can latch onto your "gang" for a while:D

I have just attached an abomination of a number plate to my beautiful bike!

No prob - there's loads of space on the Chain Gang train

Dr.Millah wrote: »

Are they bigger than usual?

Oh yeah - they're pretty substantial, about 4inches by 6inches - not uncommon for MTB numbers but waaaay big for road bikes. It's actually too big for the zip ties they give you to use!!

That said if it was just a little larger it might actually do as a wind cheating faring...

Dr.Millah

Jesus, will it fit in with two bottle cages on?

Signal_ rabbit

Hopefully peeling out about 6.30am, which means up at four!!!!

CheGuedara

Dr.Millah wrote: »

Jesus, will it fit in with two bottle cages on?

Well it's supposed to be going on the bars, no hope it'll go on the seatpost or elsewhere given the size.

TBH I think mine's going to be getting a bit of a hair cut down to the minimum size necessary (~2.5in x ~1.5in)

Dr.Millah

CheGuedara wrote: »

Well it's supposed to be going on the bars, no hope it'll go on the seatpost or elsewhere given the size.

TBH I think mine's going to be getting a bit of a hair cut down to the minimum size necessary (~2.5in x ~1.5in)

I might just pack a scissors

Timmyboy

Picked up the Number tonight.
Early start for me at 6am.
Riding with a couple of lads from work.

The number is indeed huge and really too big for the bike so it will be pocketed and displayed as needed to any officials. Right now I just cannot justify putting it onto the bike.

Best of luck to everyone!

Hoping to do it in about 9 hours!

fat bloke

I'm only catching this start time kerfuffle now! So they're foregoing the mass start then ? That's pi$$y . I can cycle the ring on my own any feckin weekend. The whole reason for going down is the razzamatazz

Any medium to fast boardsie groups hoorin' out around the 8am mark??

Dubba

Dubba wrote: »

I was going to do this but I've a very stiff neck so have pulled out

Scratch the above, I'm going to start this anyway.
I took some Nurofen HTFU pills today and the ol neck is much better.

CheGuedara

Just heard word from a counterpart in Killarney - apparently there may be a checkpoint of sorts in Killorglin for riders not displaying numbers on their bikes. Not sure how it's going to work but something to be aware of. Sure sucks if you happen to be an unaware cyclotourist out to see the Ring tomorrow.

Also be aware that the text on the number cards rubs off under the slightest pressure.

Seriously.

A fly landed on mine and obliterated the emergency phone number...

Also tidiest way I found of fitting it was to fold it over and use two ties to fix it number facing out to the front of the bars, no scissors required.

Chips Lovell

I'm going for the seatpost option. If that doesn't work its going in my pocket.

TheTubes

Hiting the road now. Am an hour from killarney. Knee was sore yesterday but lots of ice seems to have done the trick. Fingers crossed!

macnab

Just made poridge in a hotel kettle.......living the dream lol. I cant wait to be on the bike. The weather in Killarney is looking good too.

Timmyboy

Time to Cycle down to the Racecourse on the Ross Road.
The fun begins soon!


:eek:

Morrisseeee

Yep, porridge down, weather good, ROK on

Chips Lovell

God. You lot are keen. Did ye go to bed at all?

I'm going to smack Inda on the arse if I pass him.

penexpers

CheGuedara wrote: »

Just heard word from a counterpart in Killarney - apparently there may be a checkpoint of sorts in Killorglin for riders not displaying numbers on their bikes. Not sure how it's going to work but something to be aware of. Sure sucks if you happen to be an unaware cyclotourist out to see the Ring tomorrow.

They had a checkpoint in Killorglin 2 years ago as well - it didn't work particularly well.

ROK ON

Finished just after 1pm.
The largest amount of cyclists that I have ever witnessed.
15 mins slower than last year I think due to some very sOre ligaments.
Couldn't stop for long (25 mins in total which included registration.

Felt much safer than prior yeArs despite the huge numbers.

Got into a train from Killarney to Cahercveen with a big gang from Middleton CC and Galtee Wheelers.
Nice and brisk.

Rest of the way was in many small groups and on my own.
Lots of marshals and motor cycle outriders.
Great day out. Good weather for a change.

Met Lescol, Tonto and Karlmyson on the route.

Timmyboy

Finished up somwhat more than an hour ago.

Feeling good about it. 8 hours 48minutes in total , took about 2 hours total of breaks at Cahirciveen, Waterville, The mountain after Waterville (Cumeena??) and Kenmare and a couple of necessary bodily de fluiding stops....

Really wonderful to have so many cyclists on the road, made the 112 miles very pleasureable. Met lots of folks and saying hello to Ronan from Ballincollig who I was with for the first 30 miles or so before I bonked shortly before Cahiciveen...and to Tom from the Chaingang who I met, along with many others that were met (just about all of them on their 1st Ring of Kerry - Including me).

127 miles for the day makes this the longest day of cycling I have ever done (the other 15 miles being the cycle to/from the start/finish to home.

Keep on rolling.

redmaxi

I had a great day out, got round in 6hr20. There was a massive turnout. Thanks a mil to Matty and the 'Bohermeen CC' gang from Navan who I fell in with as far as Caherciveen - sound bunch. The sun really came out after lunch, I'm bunt alive I'd say.

ajk24

7 hours rolling for me for a total of 8 hours which included 3 punctures. :mad:

Side wall of tire was sliced leaving beading exposed. After 2 replaced tube I stopped at one of the service vans to use their track pump which resulted in another kaboom. The lads gave me a new Schwalbe Blizzard Sport and another tube and I was on my way.

Didn't really get into a group all day as I was out for a leisurely spin with the missus who's longest spin prior to today was about 105km.

Great organisation - great food - great day

funnights74

Just back in Cork and must say what a fantastic day.My first ROK .Great weather,everything brilliantly organised so well done to all involved. plenty of food stops, mechanical support (thankly i didn't need any) and top notch marshalling.
We headed off about 7 and were rolling for 6 and a half hrs so thrilled with that. Unfortunately saw 2 tumbles and hopefully nothing too serious, walking wounded so a speedy recovery to anyone hurt.
A great day all and all, it more than lived up to the hype i had heard, oh and we beat Enda by a street.

Dr.Millah

First ROK, great great day. 6:30 rolling

Diego Murphy

Dr.Millah wrote: »

First ROK, great great day. 6:30 rolling

Great day out. Rolling time of 6 hours 22 mins. Ended up in a group of about 40 at one stage which really motored but it dissipated at the hills. Got into some small groups and some time on my own too. Tagged along with west clare cc at one stage so thanks for the lift lads.

ROK ON

When I finished today I settled down with a pizza to watch Phil Gil triumph in TDF.

I left Kenmare at 515 in order to drive to Dingle. I live on the Molls Gap road.

I was shocked at the amount of people still on the bike - literally hundreds. I reckon it took me the same length of time to drive the 6.5k to top of Molls Gap as it did for me to cycle it this morning, such was the amount of cyclists on the road. Truly amazing. There seemed to be a carnival atmosphere on Molls Gap.

Fair play to those folks - for them it is some achievement and a very very very long day.

Speechless.

My time today a bit slower than last year but it came in at an ominous 6h6m6s
I sh1t you not. Beasty watch out.
I don't like long cycles to be honest and I have been struggling a lot recently, but today restored my faith in sportives.
Glad I did it.

WakeyTyke

Set out at 6.20 and there was already a huge crowd of cyclists on the road but it was easy to negotiate a way through.

Just did the one feed stop at Cahirsiveen and a water stop at Sneem and ended up cycling on empty roads.

Was delighted to be the fifth cyclist home with a time of 5hr 36min. Good preparation for the high alps in 3 weeks time.

CheGuedara

Well if that wasn't karma paying back for all those windy and wet training kms we've had for the last few months I don't know what is!:D

Rode out of Killarney with a good group of the Gang shortly after 8am and we pretty much rode as a group until there was a split between Glenbeigh and Caherciveen after which the differing groups rode at their own pace. Still can't figure how many we had out there today but our earliest estimate is somewhere around 50 and everyone finished comfortably be it their first or twenty-first ROK - there's a great buzz about everyone that's great to see.

Apparently the participant count is something over the 7000 mark this year and boy did it show - the throngs at the food and water stops were huge!! Fair play to those that ran them, I don't envy anyone that has to try to feed and water that many hungry and thirsty cyclists! If any of them read boards (unlikely be hey ye never know) - the tea, biscuits and bananas at Caherciveen and Kenmare were *the business* and the water stop at Sneem just the ticket for us thirsty cyclists!

In all the years I've ridden the event I don't think the views have been as clear - riding out towards Glenbeigh the view of the mountains was spectacular and that was just a taster for what was to be seen from Coomachiste, climbing Molls Gap or looking out over Ladies View. Genuinely the best way to appreciate the Ring today could only have been on a bike.

Passed a few boardsies en route, tried to give a wave and a hey boardsie and attempted to give one a bit of a lead out on the Coomachiste descent and met el tonto on Molls as we whupped Enda Kenny to the summit.

Still don't know what the elsewhere discussed organisers issue with club riders is - I saw a wide variety of clubs out today moving up and around slower traffic, overtaking with loads of notice and space. If there's any complaints from this edition of the event I'll be genuinely gobsmacked.

In anycase - rode across the finish line with my da for my 12th ROK with 5.56 on the clock and 171km under the wheels. Delighted.

Morrisseeee

Finished..............yay ! 73km longer than I've ever done at one sitting
Short version: fcekin mighty day out.
Long version:
What a crowd, you could stop for hours and still see hundreds of cyclists flow by. We had most types of weather, rain appeared at the start but disappeared fairly lively, then into a headwind for parts of the outward journey, but then after Coomakista the weather improved, the sun came out, wind at our backs, nice .
On my outward journey to Cahersiveen I tagged on to a fast moving group of 4 or 5, these were 'experienced' fellas from Kenmare, setting a fair pace (avg 32km/h !!), one of them (I was reliably informed) was Timmy from Kenmare, "....sure he's done every ROK since the beginning" :cool:. Once in Caherciveen (& after a few slices of barn brack) I met up with a few friends and we headed on for the dreaded 'climb'. Then onto Sneem where ice cream was the order of the day .
Then onto Kenmare and again a great buzz about the place. (Unfortunately a cyclist had an accident with a car, hopefully he's ok). I didn't realize but from Kenmare to Molls Gap its all uphill, and the heat from the sun now felt like 40 degrees. A great descent from there to the finish and it was great to finish with some power still left in the legs and body, not much tho :pac:

youtheman

Started the ROK cycle this morning at 8.00 am from Kenmare. Had the road to ourselves for most of the day. Only had to pass a few stragglers on the second half of the cycle. Must admit it was a far easier ride than the Tour of the Burren, mainly due to the absence of a strong wind. Total cycle time was 6 hrs 11 minutes. Really enjoyed it.

poolboy

Great day 6hrs 15 rolling slower than last year but with a lot less training this year was happy enough. Probably held myself back to much early on but it left me to enjoy a fast finish cruised up molls for the first time in my 3 attempts and after descent got on the end of really fast group of 5 or 6 {possibly middleton, black jersey} doing 35/40 kmh to the finish thanks whoever ye were and thanks to all the volunteers who make the day what it is.

Lashed

5:48 Rolling and back by 1pm = Best Yet

TheTubes

Did my first rok today. Left home at 5.30 because i was worried about crowds later in the morning. Glad i did as a buddy said he was stuck in traffik for 40 min.
Was 7h 40m total, 6h 40m on the bike.
60km longer than i had ever cycled before.
Wouldnt have finished except for all the people i drafted behind, felt pretty bad about it at times but once i hit 100km my tank was empty.
Some of the riders were so strong its scary.
Everyone was good natured and had some good chats.
Buddy saw some guy clip a merc and another guy on the ground. Hope everyone is ok.
Lying on couch w a beer, wrapped up in a blanket, watchn tdf highlights, this is what i was dreaming about 12 hours ago.

Signal_ rabbit

We were lucky with the weather yet again. Couldn't get over the amount of cyclists!

Well organised and great food stops. We left just before seven and I improved on last year 6:21 so delighted.

Only saw one Boards.ie; Irish motorist, just before the climb to Molls Gap and had a brief chat.

Never saw Enda, which was a shame as I had a few things I wanted to say to him..................!:D

daymobrew

7h05m rolling for me, 7h45m total inclusive of stops.
I started at 8am from Beaufort, right at the 10km sign.
It was soooo busy out there. I should have started at 6am or so.

I am timid and extra safe so I was frequently passed by the more "adventurous" but I easily pass them when it was safe.

Fantastic weather, cool to start, minimal wind and only warmed up toward the end. Sneem Hotel stop was lovely and quiet, quite the contrast to the other two stops.

Chips Lovell

Great day out. My first Ring of Kerry where I wasn't touched by a drop of rain. Last couple of hours was in glorious sunshine.

Did it with my sister this year. We got around in 6:55. It was her first event and her previous longest spin was around 110km, but she handled it great.

Passed Enda Kenny on Moll's Gap. I was going to give him a hard time about not shaving his legs but he looked like a man who'd met his limit by Sneem and was now in the pain cave.

Met ROK_ON motoring by with the Middleton lads and Che Guedara on Moll's Gap.

Epic night out afterwards. Jaegerbombs aplenty. Just looked at my Gmail this morning. It seems I tried to repy to a thread on the Broomagaon via email at 3:38am. My reply read "What ajvakmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmggg"

What an amazing day yesterday. I set off wearing leg warmers and a rain jacket and came back sunburnt! Did it in 6 hours 27 rolling, would have been much quicker but I just freewheeled down from Molls Gap as I lost my buddy around there and thought he was behind me (was in front waiting at the pub!).

The brack was unbelievable. Atmosphere and everything else was just class. Will definitely be back.

Met one or two boardsies, Ronan from Carrigline I think it was, lescol and also spotted another one near Kenmare (see image with car below).

Saw Enda Kenny at Killorglin, he looked knackered then.

Few pics.