Had a good few hours on the bike around Portland being a dick around the quarries and cliffs and the headed back to town. I popped into ‘Spoons just before the showers hit and sat back for my Friday fish deal to arrive.
And at that point I heard the late 60s Irish lady across the pub warning everyone to avoid Weymouth at the weekend. Even the buses aren’t coming into town because of Iron Man. In her head the kiddies will be coming to see him and she is worried theyll be upset because he can’t really fly. But it’s ok because of the money they make for charity.

In a parallel universe (ours) the Ironman Triathlon is coming to town his weekend. Small world eh?

I’m confused – surely if Iron Man is powerfull enough to scare away buses he would be able to fly?

If you’ve never been to a ‘Spoons before you’ll be unaware how “special” the clientele are.
Spoon-lickers might even be a different species.

I marvel at how someone could mix the two up. The difference is stark.

As a local the event last year caused a fair amount of traffic chaos.

Notices in advance were given to residents, but the advice on the flyers didn’t seem to match the actual ground truth as to where / when residents could / couldn’t get out of their houses on the roads that were closed for the event.

Add to that the fact that a company supplying supposed local marshalls dropped out at the last minute meant most of the marshalls giving advice about detours etc didn’t have a diddly amount of knowledge.

Traffic was gridlocked around Dorchester and Weymouth last year as a result.

Both my parents in law and mother live in Weymouth and are on the direct road to / from the transition and it is a PITA. They won’t be driving in or out during the cycle event.

Last year had a full iron distance event. This year it is a half only so the closures won’t last as long.

Having grown up in Weymouth I would say there is a fair bit of antipathy towards cycling. Leading up to the Olympics there was a huge amount of road disruption as – Weymouth’s Olympic Legacy – a number of cycle paths were constructed.

These shared paths are certainly great for families but anyone who wants to get their heads down and crack on at a speed > 10mph sticks to the road which does most non-cycling road users heads in… All these cycle paths yet these lycra clad louts stay on the road!!!

This year the cycle route is different and because it’s just the half distance the disruption will be a lot shorter this year.

In my opinion I have seen large numbers of cyclists on the cycle route for months now – obviously recce’ing the course. This and the outside trade that comes in for the event proper have to be good for the local economy. Just the majority of local residents don’t see it that way.

It’s a great event that’s put Weymouth back on the map again. But if the locals and council continue to criticise the organisers they’ll take it elsewhere.

Yeah but they’re roadies so who cares.

Yeah but they’re roadies so who cares.

Glad I wasn’t drinking coffee.

I’m sure the rules differentiate between roadies and triathletes? 😉

I hear he was turned to steel in the great magnetic field , when he travelled time for the future of mankind.

But this might just be a rumor as it was told to me by a strange man in weather spoon’s.

Thanks for the heads up, I’m heading West and I go past Dorchester on that stupid windy road all the way from B’mth to Honiton…

Quite why it’s not a motorway by now I’ll never know.

Early bird now I know….

Road closures start at 7AM on the cycle route but I wouldn’t expect the knock on traffic to build up until later.

I’d forgotten about the hell that is ironman what with all the bestival crap we’ve had.
My preferred Sunday route uses some of the roads that are restricted, I better be able to get to the tea rooms for a brew and some cake.

It’s a funny old world in ‘Spoons’.

Still I’m still boycotting them because the owner is a dick.

For peak mental though there’s a pub in my home town that is makes your average Weatherpoons seem tame in comparison.

On a side note, I love Portland… Basically a land where no **** are given. How i imagine deep south USA to be. Massive wide roads, no real rules, people milling about. Great.