Orwell Randonnee 2015

Ghosty669

Hi folks,
Just wanted to let people know that we are finalizing the details for this years Orwell Randonnee and I'll be able to share them out next week.

The date to keep free is the 2nd of May and the start/finish will be the same location.

Once again, we've changed the route to keep things fresh and I can honestly say that this years route is the hardest we've ever had!

We're keeping numbers again at 300 people so early entry is advised as we normally are well overbooked.

Thanks

Lusk_Doyle

Looking forward to getting back to this as I missed it last year on the morning of the event!

bazermc

Love this event

But worried with the line "hardest we've ever had". How is that possible?

Lusk_Doyle

bazermc wrote: »

Love this event

But worried with the line "hardest we've ever had". How is that possible?

More ups and less downs and or flats!

No carrot cake.

bazermc

What distance is the spin/randonne generally?

quozl

140km

check_six

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

More ups and less downs and or flats!

No carrot cake.

No carrot cake???? You monster!

What kind of fiend could even conceive such a thing?

Don't be putting ideas in their head!

Ghosty669

Good to see that the carrot cake is still valued!

Fresh off the presses, here's this years details : http://www.orwellwheelers.org/events/748-randonnee-2015

daragh_

Now that's a decent leg stretcher.

quozl

Signed up

godtabh

I'll be doing exams. Pity

monkeyslayer

Nice, I'm in. I don't have a cycling Ireland liscence, will I need to pay more on the day?

irishrover99

Just signed up. Looking forward to it.

lissard

Now that's one tough route, first 50k has a serious amount of climbing. If only the descent from Glencree to the base of the Wall were smooth - maybe one day Wicklow County Council will tidy it up but I'd say it's low on their list. Will definitely be there again - easily the best day out I had last year.

andy69

I'm in

Nice warm-up for the Marmotte :cool:

Ghosty669

monkeyslayer wrote: »

Nice, I'm in. I don't have a cycling Ireland liscence, will I need to pay more on the day?

No extra charge. You'll just need to sign an additional form on the day.

Wishbone Ash

Just signed up .

(Hopefully I'll have survived/recovered from LBL the Saturday before!)

Luxman

Really tempted by this one, I am being selective this year with events otherwise I will be divcorced. Having done the WW200 past 2 years and this being being described in the past as similar but 'without the flats bits' I will sign up if its possible to sell my entry if I cannot go?

The tax man

Signed up.

Jim Stynes

would love to sign up but i have the 200km Big Italian Bike Ride in Belfast the next day. Surely I wouldnt be fit for both

imskilguy

Jim Stynes wrote: »

would love to sign up but i have the 200km Big Italian Bike Ride in Belfast the next day. Surely I wouldnt be fit for both

go for it Jim, you only live once
Last year I did the Slieve Bloom Challenge the next day and thats my plan this year too (hopefully).
I skipped the second feedstop on the Slieve Bloom (well only because the crew I was with wanted to skip it). I suffered in the final 14km (of 160km) because I had ran out of food. Dont know what it'd be like to do 200km the next day but if you got food into you quick and drove up and got a good rest, it'd be fine

whacker00

Was only on the Orwell site earlier this week looking for the dates

Signed up

Really suffered on it last year and it does not look like it gets any easier can't wait

Doc07

Signed up, let's do it.

Jim Stynes

imskilguy wrote: »

go for it Jim, you only live once
Last year I did the Slieve Bloom Challenge the next day and thats my plan this year too (hopefully).
I skipped the second feedstop on the Slieve Bloom (well only because the crew I was with wanted to skip it). I suffered in the final 14km (of 160km) because I had ran out of food. Dont know what it'd be like to do 200km the next day but if you got food into you quick and drove up and got a good rest, it'd be fine

I don't know if I would be fit for 2400m of climbing on sat and then 2000m on the sunday, this early in the season. Although I am going to climb Mt Teide in April. That should help me!

Why is this event so good? I like the look of the challenge!

billyhead

Tempted to do this as prep for the WW200. Did it in 2013 and found it brilliantly marshalled and the burger at the end was savage. Thought it was better then the WW200 personally as their are less crowds and not as much waiting at the food stop and oh yeh the carrot cake

Wishbone Ash

billyhead wrote: »

Tempted to do this as prep for the WW200. Did it in 2013 and found it brilliantly marshalled and the burger at the end was savage. Thought it was better then the WW200 personally as their are less crowds and not as much waiting at the food stop and oh yeh the carrot cake

We could have a nice warm up spin from Rush to the start and a recovery spin on the way home to make it a 250k! :cool:

Ah no will miss it this year. Great and tough event.

ROK ON

In.

Need an incentive to shift the great bulging gut.

WHEELSX2

Now you're talkin. Smokin hot randonnee.

marty_crane

I'm in. 2nd time to do it-5 years after the first go.

Was a great day then so I presume nothing's changed.

iwillhtfu

marty_crane wrote: »

Was a great day then so I presume nothing's changed.

Nothing except the level of suffering apparently

"we've changed the route to keep things fresh and I can honestly say that this years route is the hardest we've ever had!"

I considered this till I googled The wall :eek: I don't think my sparrow leg would carry me up that on a triple

bazermc

Doesn't The Wall max at 35%?

iwillhtfu

bazermc wrote: »

Doesn't The Wall max at 35%?

Is that all. I'm in so

Seriously though I don't think it's that steep I'm guessing maybe 12-14% perhaps more at points

bazermc

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Is that all. I'm in so

Seriously though I don't think it's that steep I'm guessing maybe 12-14% perhaps more at points

I am pretty sure parts are in the 30's%.

A success is completing it and only getting sick once.

iwillhtfu

30%+ jaysus I'd definitely be doing the walk og shame. I might give it a go next weekend. In the car of course.

Doc07

iwillhtfu wrote: »

30%+ jaysus I'd definitely be doing the walk og shame. I might give it a go next weekend. In the car of course.

It doesn't go on for too long, it's not that bad. I did it today, albeit at a snails pace.

Grassey

That's me all signed up then!

iwillhtfu

Doc07 wrote: »

It doesn't go on for too long, it's not that bad. I did it today, albeit at a snails pace.

Is it the section from 31.5km - 34km on the randonnée route?

bazermc

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Is it the section from 31.5km - 34km on the randonnée route?

Ah it's not that long. Less than a 1k

Lumen

bazermc wrote: »

I am pretty sure parts are in the 30's%.

ISTR my Garmin topping out at about 22%. That's still very steep.

marty_crane

The Wall is certainly doable, particularly on a triple. Hills are not my friend but some days I can do it (at a snail's pace as mentioned above) and sometimes I've to stop, depending on the day.

With this Randonee the "secret" is to stop (if you have to) before the bend near the top and remount in time to pose for the camera

coastwatch

Great route, might need a 2nd cake stop, or a few buns at Manor Kilbride:)

irishrover99

bazermc wrote: »

Ah it's not that long. Less than a 1k

I've never done it but can't imagine it been much worse than Kilmashouge

wanderer 22

irishrover99 wrote: »

I've never done it but can't imagine it been much worse than Kilmashouge

It's definitely easier than Kilmashogue..much shorter (although the max gradient is a probably a bit higher)

g0g

Doing the "full wall" is tough enough, but it's only painfully steep in parts. The worst bit IMO is at the very bottom where I think the gradient hits low 20's and the surface is (or was last month anyway!) loose enough so there's risk of losing traction. This means you need to stay in the saddle! From the look of this route it's the "top half" of the wall that is done, and the surface on that is grand all the way. I'd be more worried about the volume of other Long Hills (see what I did there?), especially Lugalla which can go on forever!

bazermc

Lumen wrote: »

ISTR my Garmin topping out at about 22%. That's still very steep.

Actually I think you are right.

I am mixing it up with a section of road heading from Enniskerry towards Glencree past the entrace to the waterfall there is a bridge and then then a steep drag up and to the left, that part of the road is a gut wrenching 30%+

marty_crane

Just tried to print off my entry there but the page just show up an error

sy

I'm in ... Have to meet up ROK On, Lumen Tax Man and a few others

Ghosty669

marty_crane wrote: »

Just tried to print off my entry there but the page just show up an error

If you want to PM your name, I can check the entrants to ensure that you've entered correctly.

Ghosty669

Just checking the numbers and we're ahead on the number of entrants compared to last year so thank you for that! Remember that we are limiting numbers to 300 so if you are interested, please go ahead and enter as soon as possible.

Eamonnator

A friend and I have signed up.

I did it two years ago, When I turned right onto the wall, I looked up the road, and cried.