[Closed] Ridgeway double attempt

*sucks through teeth* I hope they're snakeskins. I'll be on a Salsa Selma 🙂

They are yes. Sodding quick too. I set some PRs on them yesterday on the well ridden road section that usually comes knackered at the end of a road ride.

yeah I've had snakeskin RRs on the front for years, good stuff.

I'll be sat at the side of the trail covered in Stan's with the tattered ribbons of a Racing Ralph in my hands.

I used a set of light skin? Rocket Rons in April, by the time i got back to Avebury they were covered in sealant. I counted something like 20 cuts to the tread where sealant came through. BUT, i hadn't lost mich pressure and so no real issue.

Molly, do you actually want some company for part of it or rather solo it? If you want, I can meet near Wantage road and ride to Wallingford?

That would be great! You can take me to the co-op in Goring 🙂 Don't bring biccies or anything though, it's against the rules.

Assuming you mean Wantage Rd in Streatley then up along the river for a bit?

By the way, just found an tiny little pocket FM radio that I bought to do my 24 hour solo years ago, and it still works. I never listen to anything when riding normally, but the world service really kept me going that night. I'm rather tempted to put it in the bag in case things get tough.

What do you lot do on these ITTs? Radio, tunes or au naturel?

Au naturel for me. You'll just catch a bird call or something like that and you try and see it. Some people do take along an iPod or similar and use it from time to time especially if there's a long boring bit like the Great Glen between Fort Augustus and Fort William when doing the HT550.

Good luck!

Wantage road where it crosses the b4494. To Streatley/goring is about 45-60min.

Yeah generally I don't bother, but I did listen to some Startalk podcasts on the Highland Trail for a while. Bit surreal in places actually, being in some remote feeling areas listening to podcasts I usually listen to in the car.

So how much rain have you had down there? We only had a little here but I've seen a big band on the radar that we missed.

Not as much as forecast. I think it is all going to be fine for you.

Yeah the promised deluge was little more than a dribble round Goring way. Looks like you're in luck as the forecast for the rest of the week is pretty dry 🙂

Hope so 🙂 Although to the eastern end it looked like there was more.

Not far from the Ridgeway in Reading and only light rain for a couple of hours, so not much to worry about. I'm keeping an eye on this as i'm cycling off road Newbury - Streatley - Avebury - Newbury on Monday. Good luck and enjoy molgrips

Great info, thanks.

Heading to my local Evans tomorrow to get a load of gels and protein bars...

i'm cycling off road Newbury - Streatley - Avebury - Newbury on Monday.

Sunday's forecast is poor last time I looked.. good luck!

Hoping it will be like today and just light, fingers crossed. Get yourself some Clif bars for some full stodge-power!

I haven't quite decided what I'm going to buy at shops. I was thinking something from the Ginsters range of energy products, because I'll need savoury food, but without eating to much. Also Redbull.

I think I may be over-preparing. Just detailed my bike..

Also just spent £20 on gels and protein bars 😯

Also just spent £20 on gels and protein bars 😯

Also just spent £20 on gels and protein bars

You might need some picolax after you've finished that lot!!! 😯

Good luck with the ride 🙂

Small bit of light rain at the Western end of the Ridgeway today, but lots of sunshine and a gentle breeze.

Make sure you have some variety (not gel flavours!) as your tastes change during long events

Thanks for the report 🙂 Apparently rained a lot further north in Brum.

Food - my theoretical max carb intake is about 30 scoops' worth of energy drink, assuming 15 hours - that's going by 60g absorption per hour. So far I have three caffeinated gels, four normal gels, two protein Mars bars, one protein Bounty and a SIS protein bar.

That's probably 10 scoops' worth of carbs. So I could put 20 scoops' worth of carb powder in. Now I have a 3l camelbak bladder, so I could do two 3l fills with 10 scoops in each - that's a fairly diluted mix so it should be ok for me to drink long term. However 3l of water is heavy so I might be better off refilling on the way. But is the extra time spent looking for taps offset by taking more water on board? I haven't reccied it, I don't know exactly where the taps are.

I drank about 2L in 6 hours on Monday, and it was hotter than forecast today but I was comfortable. So 6L plus occasional drinks bought on the way when necessary would seem reasonable. So I just need to decide if I want to fill up once or twice. And also at which shops to stop.

I will probably want wine gums too and the odd snack, which would further reduce my gel requirements, so I may not end up taking all those.

Thunderstorm this morning with a lot of rain around Didcot but it seems OK up there now, just one short soggy spot.

This is exciting, I'm looking forward to the report..

Maybe a pic or two too ?

Yep 🙂 I'm sure I'll post on here along the way...

you had better do molegrips 😀

have now had my operation (for the dreaded roids it was with a free colonoscopy thrown in for good measure,man the stuff they knocked us out with was bloody great lol).

so i want a full report on your journey good sir 😀

for what it's worth the weather here in devizes has been great today no rain whatsoever.

Get well soon 🙂

thanks molegrips 😀

i do have a *new bike reserved that i will be buying/picking up a fortnight thursday in readiness for when i can ride again.

*when i say new new to me but it's a retro 1994 marin pine mountain that i saw in a swindon salvation army bike shop it's in very good nick for it's age though.

i do plan on riding it on the ridgeway e.t.c but nothing like as far as you are going just local. i do have a modern bike also (well a 2011 charge duster).

you will ace the trip man 😀

apologies for droning on btw but am very excited about getting this marin as i love retro bikes.

Molly.... RE the water/carb setup...

When I do longer rides I take 700ml (Ish) camelback bottles, rather than a 3l reserivior...
Nothing worse than being hafway through a 3l bag of syrupy goo, and gagging for water/nuun drink...
Also, as you point out; carrying 3l of water (well, initially 3l) is 3kg of extra weight..
Plus, you can make the bottle stronger/weaker as you see fit...
I.e 2 scoops at the tap..glue a bit, and dilute it down for the riding..

However, you need to know the location of taps for the bottle idea to work.

Personally, for longer distance/enduro type events, personally I'd make the bottles work, even if you carry one in a backpack...

THe variety keeps things enjoyable!

DrP

Nothing worse than being hafway through a 3l bag of syrupy goo, and gagging for water/nuun drink

That's true, but I am pretty confident - I mix it about half strength, which is the key. I couldn't stomach it all day at 'full' strength. I've been using it for many years so I have a feel for it.

However, you need to know the location of taps for the bottle idea to work.

Yes, and I'm concerned about spending 10 minutes hunting around for a tap.. that would annoy me.

Indeed....
Once you know a trail like this, you can take full advantage. Riding 'blind' can have issues.

I STILL need GPS for the SDW as when you're several hours in, you can still get lost despite signeage and knowing the route well!

DrP

The tap locations on the gpx should be accurate (I'm pretty sure I didn't mess them up). Presuming it's not a hot day, if you learn the taps you could probably do the route with one bottle. I'd still take two though 🙂

I'm thinking I will plan to stop at Goring and Wendover on the way out and the way back. That gives me four stops. I can memorise where the shops are (Co-Op and Budgens) by using Street View so I can ride straight to them.

I can buy enough water there to fill up. I feel more confident doing that since they are known quantities. Well, Budgens not so much, we don't have them round by me 🙂

If I can manage to average 20kph (which is fairly optimistic but not unreasonable) that gives me legs of between 2.5 and 3.5 hours. For each leg I can get by with 1.5l of water, realistically, if I neck something at each shop too. So I needn't carry a full camelbak.

This also means I could use two bottles, but I think that given I don't own on-bike luggage, and I will need to take clothes (it'll be 10 degrees in the early AM) I'm better off with the Camelbak.

The cafe on the roundabout in Wendover sells very good brownies!

And the village cafe at Goring does great cakes and baguettes!

@molgrips - I find it helps writing pace notes along the lines of:

distance - total distance - estimated time - facilities

It gives you an idea of if you are going to make it to the next facility without having to remember it. Add as much detail as you require. I do it in a table in whatever word processor I have to hand. As an example (excuse the formatting)

distance - total distance - estimated time - facilities
20km - 55Km - 1hr15 - shop (0800-2000), cafe (0900-1700)
15km - 70Km - 1hr - water tap to rear of shed.

Working out what you can get away with takes a bit of practice, I don't think you ever get it 100% right.

Youth Hostel at Wantage is only a couple of hundred yards off route if you need water. When you hit the A338, head North and it's on the first junction on the left.

If heading East rather than retrace your steps take the track heading East directly opposite which takes you back to The Ridgeway - unless, of course, going off-route will break the rules! You can pick up that track on teh way West as well but it's less obvious

The church at Nuffield has a tap that I've always used (not been in a year or two though) and is right on the route, at the top of the excellent Grims Ditch bit.

There's on a smidgen lower on Grims too, that deffo works as we used it a couple of months ago, but not sure if coming upwards you pass it.

Going off track doesn't break the rules so long as you rejoin in the place you left it, and all under your own steam 🙂

All good info thanks. I like the route notes idea, I'll do those.

Looks like there aren't any shops between the start and Goring? I thought maybe there was a petrol station outside Ogbourne St George, but I cannot find it on Google Maps.

There's a tap at Og but the petrol stations are a way off route. Tbh, Goring is only 40 miles in...shouldn't need to stop apart from maybe at the tap.

@drofluf - the ITT "rules" may be found [url= http://selfsupporteduk.net/ ]here[/url] You can make things more restrictive if you wish but there's no prizes for doing so. Arguing about these is a bit like arguing about climbing ethics 🙄

The pub in OsG is decent enough. But unlikely to fill any of your requiirements and is a MASSIVE hill to get out if you go down to the pub.

There's a little toilet hut thing just before there, about 1 mile away, but i've never needed it so not sure if it has water etc.

Route notes - are also a must, IMHO!

Have it as a table, narrow format, so you can laminate it (Or cover in sellotape) and stick to your top tube..

Tap name: distance (from start/between)

It just breaks the ride down!

DrP

Going off track doesn't break the rules so long as you rejoin in the place you left it, and all under your own steam

Thought that would be the case

I've memorised five legs, breaking at Goring and Wendover.

I've also just committed a faux pas in these circles and had a shave.

Molgrips - what times do you expect to be crossing the M40

I'm only 2 miles from there and might be out in the bike. Happy to give some encouragement especially on your return leg

15 hours of consuming sugar?

At the sort of intensity you're doing I'd take a load of snack pork pies, chorizo and beef jerky.

Save the gels etc for if you get desperate.

No, not just sugar. Will be eating savouries bought on the way.

Not too many of those though, they tend to give me indigestion on the bike if I eat too many.

There's a little toilet hut thing just before there, about 1 mile away, but i've never needed it so not sure if it has water etc.

That the block at Barbury Castle? Memory says there is a sign saying not drinking water.

Massive fry-up in the morning though, surely?

@mrmo - if it's not drinking water then where does it come from? I suspect that the sign is a CYA exercise.

No fry-up. Roll out of bed and onto bike immediately, snack until Goring, buy coffee and protein rich snacks, continue.

Hoping to set off at 5am and do 20kph. So that would give approximate timings of:

Goring 8.30
M40 9.45
Wendover 11.15
Ivinghoe Beacon (or just short) 12.30
Wendover 13.45
M40 15.30
Goring 16.45

Public spot tracker page is here:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0bx26U7cnLKqq6caZ77hO8RGt0nIScday

I'll be on a red Salsa El Mariachi with black forks, wearing a red lycra top and black lycra shorts, with a green rucksack and a black and white Catlike helmet.

Excellent, hope to see you out there. If you're after the fastest possible time, stoppages make a huge difference (obviously). If you can start with your pockets/pack full of food, you could ride straight through Goring rather than stopping so soon into the ride. FWIW, I only stopped for water, carrying all food from the start in pockets/saddle bag. Of course, whatever tactic works for you is the best one 🙂

Somehow, it seems a faster plan when written as above

If I did Goring to M40 in 75 minutes* I'd be in no shape to go any further

(* I can't)

He's a bit behind schedule, but not much, keep going mol grips 8)

Still @ Goring, quite a bit behind schedule now.

He's actually set off then, not just made it out of bed?!?

Proper day for it, looks kinda lovely to be on a bike rolling out the miles.

Best of luck !!

He's off again 🙂

Went to try and give some encouragement as he passed by but looks like I just missed him

I caught up with molgrips on the Ridgeway near the A34 and rode with him for a few miles to Goring, where he stopped for some supplies. By 09:30 he had left Goring and was on his way to Grims Ditch near Wallingford.

He seemed to appreciate the lift of a bit of company as he didn't get a lot of sleep last night and was feeling a bit sluggish in the cold air of the early morning. Bloody gorgeous morning though! Seemed to be riding just fine. I'll try & catch up with him again on his way back.

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I've just been out on the Ridgeway on the section either side of the M40 which is one of the flatter areas. Did 20 miles and averaged just over 11 mph so hats off to molgrips. 180 miles is a **** of a long way

Lovely day for it mind (maybe just a bit warm) and the Ridgeway was in very fine condition

Hi folks from the ivinghoe car park where fortunately there is an ice cream van.

Average of 17kph inc stops, hope that will go back up on the flat bits again. Not had cramp on the inside thigh yet but it threatens.. this is what often gets me on long rides.

Many many thanks to pedalhead for the route and for meeting me on the way 🙂 made my day!

Daughter kept me up half the night which made me not only tired but pissed off this morning which coupled with not enough leg cover made a hard start.

Anyway.. thanks for listening, time to head home 🙂

Confused by that last picture above. That is going away from grim's ditch and towards the river?!

Hope it is going well. Better weather today than tomorrow!

are you there yet 😉

good luck man 😀

Hmm bit worried about the Spot track. Point #45 is off track and it hasn't updated since Wendover over an hour ago. Spot trackers are frankly pretty crap at the best of times, but I hope all is still ok.

Oh, and the final picture is just because he went slightly off track to resupply (Goring), so rejoining by retracing steps.

There is a #46 entry, still not updated for an hour though.

This spot track thing, is it a poor man's spot tracker ? Does Mol have to push a button to log a point or something ? Seems very random in its position updates.

It's an actual Spot tracker. Tbh, mine is always shit as well, but that off track point is unusual (unless he actually went off route 🙁 )

It does say that the battery is low, hopefully he is charging towards Barbary castle but his tracker is dead 🙂

SPOT trackers can be a bit temperamental. On the typical package they will "chirp" or transmit their position every ten minutes but only if they have contact with the system. On events like the Tour Divide and Highland Trail it's not unusual for any given device to not update for up to a few hours.

If the battery is low then if someone's got his mobile number a quick text ought to sort it out.

It's updated, phew. Excellent, off to say hello again.

Just passed through South Stoke. Looking strong, more perky than this morning even.

Hope he's got battery left on his lights 🙂

He is back at goring, will he need lights?

Go molgrips!

Yes he'll need lights.

Just fading now between goring and east ilsley. 30 min of light