The Chain Gang Sportives 2011

CheGuedara

The Chain Gang CC, Tralee is happy to announce the 2011 Chain Gang Sportives!


This year we will once again be hosting, with the support of our event partners, a set of classic challenge cycles taking riders over the most scenic terrain offered by the Dingle Peninsula.

• The Conor Pass Challenge – A classic 110km route takes this sportive cycle over the Conor Pass – Ireland’s Highest Mountain Pass on a scenic route then taking in Dingle, Annascaul, Inch and Castlemaine.

• The Blasket Blast 150km – the second edition of this spectacular and challenging route. The route takes in the entirety of the peninsula over 150km, taking in the climbs of the Conor Pass and the spectacular coastal run around Slea Head.

To ease entrants’ registration and to allow for better event planning, on-line entry for the cycles has been set up for this year’s events via the dedicated event website – www.thechaingangsportives.com – where you can also find complete route and entry details, FAQs, event news and more.


While every effort has been made to include as much information as possible, if you have any queries about your route don’t hesitate to drop a line at info@thechaingang.cc and we’ll do our utmost to see you right.


We aim to put on a great set of cycles this year, to build on previous years and pull out all the stops to put on what we endeavour to make a brilliant day on the bike.


We hope you will accept our challenge to join us in Tralee this September and take on what we feel are some of the best challenge cycles, in some of the most spectacular countryside both Kerry and Ireland has to offer.

crashoveroid

CheGuedara wrote: »

The Chain Gang CC, Tralee is happy to announce the 2011 Chain Gang Sportives!


This year we will once again be hosting, with the support of our event partners, a set of classic challenge cycles taking riders over the most scenic terrain offered by the Dingle Peninsula.

• The Conor Pass Challenge – A classic 110km route takes this sportive cycle over the Conor Pass – Ireland’s Highest Mountain Pass on a scenic route then taking in Dingle, Annascaul, Inch and Castlemaine.

• The Blasket Blast 150km – the second edition of this spectacular and challenging route. The route takes in the entirety of the peninsula over 150km, taking in the climbs of the Conor Pass and the spectacular coastal run around Slea Head.

To ease entrants’ registration and to allow for better event planning, on-line entry for the cycles has been set up for this year’s events via the dedicated event website – www.thechaingangsportives.com – where you can also find complete route and entry details, FAQs, event news and more.


While every effort has been made to include as much information as possible, if you have any queries about your route don’t hesitate to drop a line at info@thechaingang.cc and we’ll do our utmost to see you right.


We aim to put on a great set of cycles this year, to build on previous years and pull out all the stops to put on what we endeavour to make a brilliant day on the bike.


We hope you will accept our challenge to join us in Tralee this September and take on what we feel are some of the best challenge cycles, in some of the most spectacular countryside both Kerry and Ireland has to offer.

See you in September.

kumate_champ07

Isnt there an Irish male stripper group called The Chain Gang?

Nwm2

Really enjoyed this last year, will be there again. Looking forward to the food already.

CheGuedara

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Isnt there an Irish male stripper group called The Chain Gang?

Apparently so, but they're plagued with people asking them how they found the Tour de Burren and Ring of Kerry and when's the Conor Pass Challenge on....

Jawgap

CheGuedara wrote: »

The Chain Gang CC, Tralee is happy to announce the 2011 Chain Gang Sportives!


This year we will once again be hosting, with the support of our event partners, a set of classic challenge cycles taking riders over the most scenic terrain offered by the Dingle Peninsula.

• The Conor Pass Challenge – A classic 110km route takes this sportive cycle over the Conor Pass – One of Ireland’s Highest Mountain Passes on a scenic route then taking in Dingle, Annascaul, Inch and Castlemaine.

FYP!!! (based on this - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055815978)

And after that, if I'm still allowed attend, I should be there. Given it's my birthday that weekend I can trade that for 48 hour pass!!

manwithaplan

Unfortunately I will be busy watching the Dubs lift Sam that weekend. Kerry people might as well go for a spin.

ROK ON

I hope to do this. Did the 110km last year - one of the most enjoyable days I had last year. With lashings of cream cakes at the end.

Hope to do the 150km this year - just to let people know that half way around Slea Head (before Coumenoole Beach) there is a cottage that does home baking. I stopped there on a cycle last week. Delicious Apple Tart and cream and a nice coffee also:D

@Che - please make sure the showers are hot this year. Not a big believer in cryotherapy;)

CheGuedara

Jawgap wrote: »

FYP!!! (based on this - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055815978)

And after that, if I'm still allowed attend, I should be there. Given it's my birthday that weekend I can trade that for 48 hour pass!!

Haha - don't worry, the Conor Pass will still be the highest when you get here for your birthday

manwithaplan wrote: »

Unfortunately I will be busy watching the Dubs lift Sam that weekend. Kerry people might as well go for a spin.

And we'll not discriminate against any entrant no matter the GAA persuasion and associated misplaced optimism should anyone's weekend end up being a somewhat freer than expected that weekend!

ROK ON wrote: »

@Che - please make sure the showers are hot this year. Not a big believer in cryotherapy;)

Don't worry - we've taken all the feedback from last year and showers were one of the key determinants of the event HQ for this year. We've been assured that we'll have more than enough hot water to wash a whole peloton!

CheGuedara

Thinking of travelling to Tralee this September for the Chain Gang Sportives and looking for a nice, convenient place to stay during your time there? Look no further!


We are delighted to have on board with us this year an event accommodation partner synonymous with Tralee, The Brandon Hotel, who has kindly offered special rates for those intending to travel to take part in the sportives.


Participants will be able to avail of:

• 2 nights B&B including one evening meal for just €99 pps

OR

• €45 B&B pps/night
  

In addition to being a hotel with a heritage of high quality and top class service, the Brandon Hotel, also has state of the art leisure facilities and Sanctuary spa and the cool and contemporary b bar.

It has plentiful guest parking and just a short distance from the event HQ at Kerins O’Rahillys GAA grounds on Strand Road and is a short distance from Tralee town centre.

The Brandon Hotel phone number for bookings is+353 (0)66 7123333 and to avail of this offer participants should quote the Chain Gang Cycling Club when booking.

michael196

manwithaplan wrote: »

Unfortunately I will be busy watching the Dubs lift Sam that weekend. Kerry people might as well go for a spin.

thats a pity Manwithaplan, methinks u need to see more of Kerry at a slower pace !!!

michael196

While one is scheduled to make medicine for big blue that weekend, however the chain gang blasket blast has been on my to do list all year, so will go ahead and register .

this will be my third visit to Kerry this year: after a good 20 year absense from Kerry.....


Ring of Kerry
Iveragh 200

and now the Blasket blast.

Right before the another number clocks up on the chronometer........

barrmur

CheGuedara wrote: »

Thinking of travelling to Tralee this September for the Chain Gang Sportives and looking for a nice, convenient place to stay during your time there? Look no further!


We are delighted to have on board with us this year an event accommodation partner synonymous with Tralee, The Brandon Hotel, who has kindly offered special rates for those intending to travel to take part in the sportives.


Participants will be able to avail of:

• 2 nights B&B including one evening meal for just €99 pps

OR

• €45 B&B pps/night

• 
  

In addition to being a hotel with a heritage of high quality and top class service, the Brandon Hotel, also has state of the art leisure facilities and Sanctuary spa and the cool and contemporary b bar.

It has plentiful guest parking and just a short distance from the event HQ at Kerins O’Rahillys GAA grounds on Strand Road and is a short distance from Tralee town centre.

The Brandon Hotel phone number for bookings is+353 (0)66 7123333 and to avail of this offer participants should quote the Chain Gang Cycling Club when booking.

With those rates I might just be able to convince the missus to "go to Kerry for the weekend". I wonder if she will notice that I am missing for a few hours on the saturday??

seve65

think i will give this one a bash, cant refuse the chain gang !

CheGuedara

Well we're trying a new thing this year if anyone is interested in giving it a bash - real time GPS tracking!

We've set up a MapMyTracks event so anyone with a compatible smart phone can join the specific route you're entering and log your ride as friends & family will be able to see how you're progressing with your ride - pretty nifty all in all!

If taking part and interested in giving it a go just follow this link and the details for downloading the app and joining the event are at your finger-tips! http://www.mapmytracks.com

We've also prepared the routes on bike route toaster for participants riding with Garmin units and looking for a gpx file to upload as a course to follow. The Conor Pass Challenge file is at this LINK and the Blasket Blast route at this LINK.

With just over a month to go we're deep in advanced preparations for the event and looking forward to meeting all those that travel to Tralee to see what countryside we have to offer!

Dubba

Looking forward to this one

manwithaplan

That real time tracking thing is a cool idea. Best of luck with it.

I spent a week near Ballyferriter a couple of weeks ago and rode most of the route - it really is fantastic. Still planning on being in Croker though

michael196

manwithaplan wrote: »

That real time tracking thing is a cool idea. Best of luck with it.

I spent a week near Ballyferriter a couple of weeks ago and rode most of the route - it really is fantastic. Still planning on being in Croker though

plans can change .....weekend after next for the semi final for dublin....

manwithaplan

michael196 wrote: »

plans can change .....weekend after next for the semi final for dublin....

Don't I know it. I'll be wearing my lucky dubs pajamas the night before. My wife gets slightly disturbed when I mumble "Bernard" in her ear in the middle of the night though.

Enjoy the day, Michael. And remember that if you are enjoying the scenery, you aren't going fast enough .

CheGuedara

manwithaplan wrote: »

Still planning on being in Croker though

In Croker?

On Sept 17th?

Are you sure?

The only thing on there that day is 'Fever Pitch', MC'd by Hector O'hEochagain who will invariably and inevitably be over-excited at the prospect of the following days action.

It's an easy spin to Tralee now given the motorway as far as almost Adare - hop the bike & kit in the car on Friday evening, you'll be down in good time to check into to your accommodation, have a bite to eat and a drink or two before grabbing a nights sleep and starting into Saturday fresh for the challenges ahead. And if there's still a rush back to Dublin for the GAA after the semi's it's still an easy drive back be it on Saturday evening or Sunday morning! Simples!

...and given the Fever Pitch ticket price of €40 I think many might well agree the Conor Pass Challenge/Blasket Blast would be not only be more entertaining but far better value also!

michael196

manwithaplan wrote: »

Don't I know it. I'll be wearing my lucky dubs pajamas the night before. My wife gets slightly disturbed when I mumble "Bernard" in her ear in the middle of the night though.

Enjoy the day, Michael. And remember that if you are enjoying the scenery, you aren't going fast enough .

oh man.... ''coumanaspig'' ..... '' are u doing the 200''... ''i worked on Tom as I saw he was weakening '' .....''where there is a mast, there is a road'' .... 'sprint finish on valentia'' .....


what a wild day !! but we still caught some scenery.....


alll i want is to stay in the saddle for next years coumanaspig !!

CheGuedara

There's something nice brewing in the works for Chain Gang Sportives participants at the moment - don't want to give anything away just yet before it's certain but it's a nice thing!

Murph100

Free Lightweight Obermayers to all entrants, wooooohoooooooo you guys are the best !!!!

CheGuedara wrote: »

There's something nice brewing in the works for Chain Gang Sportives participants at the moment - don't want to give anything away just yet before it's certain but it's a nice thing!

ROK ON

CheGuedara wrote: »

There's something nice brewing in the works for Chain Gang Sportives participants at the moment - don't want to give anything away just yet before it's certain but it's a nice thing!

Prick tease. I fuc*in hate prick teasers

CheGuedara

Murph100 wrote: »

Free Lightweight Obermayers to all entrants, wooooohoooooooo you guys are the best !!!!

Jaysus - is that what we got?! I thought it was a bit more modest than that! Think I'm gonna have to jump over to the participants side of the fence - must be the best value sportif EVER!

ROK ON wrote: »

Prick tease. I fuc*in hate prick teasers

You say that now, but aren't you interested in finding out what it is!?

ROK ON

CheGuedara wrote: »

Jaysus - is that what we got?! I thought it was a bit more modest than that! Think I'm gonna have to jump over to the participants side of the fence - must be the best value sportif EVER!



You say that now, but aren't you interested in finding out what it is!?

Yes please.

CheGuedara

Just ten short days of online registration left before the Chain Gang Sportives on the 17th - save yourself a few euro over the on the day fee and help plan the event by using the facility before it closes next Saturday.

And anyone thinking of participating that has a bit of a journey to reach Tralee, don't forget to check out the accommodation offer for participants by the Brandon hotel - it'll put you in classy surroundings a stones throw from the event start point and the town centre for your stay.

Oh - and finally, the 'nice thing' - we know that sometimes you just want to wear some nice kit that isn’t lycra. Or made out of some oddly named wicking, water repellent or wind proof super-material. Sometimes you just want to wear something cool but that reflects ones interest in the sport of cycling - and so we've managed to strike a discount from Big Cog and the very nice people at Après Vélo to mark this years Chain Gang Sportives.

We're just waiting on the necessary links to come through and once in we'll have the details of the discount over on the Club and event websites and facebook page ASAP.

ROK ON

Just entered. Cant wait. Get the traffic light cream cakes in. They were the highlight last year.

Think there are a few from Kenmare heading to this.

experimenter

Yep I am on for the Conor Pass trip...

Time to get some hill work in over the coming weeks.

mahoo

thought i was going to be away for this but just realised its on a saturday so i can do it. happy days.. i do love the descent off the conor pass

ROK ON

Just a suggestion to Che and the Gang

Between the tip of Slea Head and Comenoole Beach there is a stone cottage. If you know the road, it is just as the Slea Hd Road turns sharp left.
The cottage is on your right.

Anyway, it would be a great place for a food stop. If only becuase they do the best apple tart known to humanity. Even better than my late mothers apple tart.
On holidays in Dingle a few weeks back I cycled out there almost every day in driving rain just to have a slice of apple tart.

Get onto it Che.:D