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'Mere Two Hundred' 25.02.18 - 205km Audax starting from Lower Whitley near Warrington

GemWeb's picture
on Sun, 28/01/2018 - 14:31

Confirmed riders so far: Danny, Terry, Inder, Vikki, Andy, Colin, Alan Lomax, Matt Newman and Darren Prouty!  Oh and me!

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-33/

 

 

 

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Inder's picture

It looks like our first Audax of the year is proving popular, we’ve probably ridden ones in the past with less entrants in total than there are likely to be HMCC members on the Mere 200 on the 25th Feb. Lots of people have been asking what’s involved in an Audax so I’ll share some advice. Hope it doesn’t sound too patronising, apologies in advance if it does:

The ride starts at 8am sharp so be there on time and ready to go. It’s going to be a long day out, most likely finishing between 4 and 5pm from experience but could be later depending on mechanicals and how long it takes such a big group to get through checkpoints. Unlike a sportive Audax are completely unsupported rides, no free gels no food stops at the side of the road, no route signs marshals, broom-wagons etc. Please don’t underestimate the route, it WILL be challenging, there are no sustained climbs but there are lots of undulations including short sharp kicks to test your legs, especially when they’ve already got 90-100 miles in them, add in some rough roads cold/wind/rain, the need to navigate (and possibly darkness) you should expect to be challenged both physically and mentally. Some things YOU WILL NEED on the day:

Route card / paper map / GPX file on GPS device: When you register online you need to print off the route card and if you have a GPS device with mapping download the GPX file, a paper map is also helpful. There are no marshals, no yellow arrows telling you where to turn. During the ride you might find yourself separated from the group or decide it’s too slow or to fast and you want to do your own thing: in this case the route card as a minimum is essential, an actual map is even better! The route goes into rural areas where you might not have phone or internet signal. Don’t rely on someone else to navigate you round, they might not be with you for the whole ride.

Minimum 2 spare inner-tubes the means to change them and tools for road-side repairs: The routes generally go through some agricultural lanes featuring mud, farm slurry, gravel, rocks and pot-holes. There are sometimes flooded sections at this time of year. There is a high possibility of punctures and mechanicals so be prepared for this. Make sure your bike is in good working order before the day of the ride. As well as tubes, levers and pump I’d recommend a chain tool, a spare link or two some Allen/Torx keys as required by your bike and some cable ties for emergency bodges…

Mudguards – Proper ones NOT an “It keeps the crap off me screw everyone else” Ass-saver type!: You will not be popular with your fellow riders if you turn up without proper mudguards and spray all manner of “farm waste” in their faces during the ride. Please be considerate and don’t rock-up on the day without mudguards!

Lights: The ride could end in darkness, there are plenty of unlit country roads on the route. Need I say more….

Gloves/overshoes/rain jacket/layers: The weather is unpredictable this time of year, so be prepared for possibility of being unseasonably warm, cold, wet and/or wind-beaten it’s going to be a long day. A second dry pair of socks and gloves can feel like a God-send after 6 hours in the rain.  Don’t trust the forecast!!

Food and drink: Bring 2 bottles and a good supply of food to eat on the bike. Sometimes checkpoints coincide with cafes or shops and we will refuel along the way but will likely need to keep stops to a minimum due to the size of the group. We usually aim (on a 200km Audax to have a proper food stop at a café around half way, then possibly one with around 30-40km to go depending on how people are feeling, time and what’s around).

Cash: Some of the more “rural” cafes don’t have card machines. Some checkpoints require you to get a receipt from a petrol station or shop to prove you were there. You might need to get a bus to the nearest train station if you have a terminal mechanical or are short of fitness (touch wood this isn’t the case)…..

Some kind of saddle pack/panier bag/enough pockets to carry everything: It’s a 200km ride not LEJOG, you don’t need that much kit (see above!!) but it’s more than you’d take on the average club ride so make sure you can carry it all. For DIY strategies for attaching various essentials to your bike speak to John Lynch…..

OK, that’s enough lecturing, some of the other Audax regulars will add to the list if I’ve forgotten anything (Terry, Gemma, Vicky!?). Hope everyone enjoys the day out on some lanes off the beaten track, such a big turnout from HMCC is sure to be noticed, let’s do our club proud!

Inder

GemWeb's picture

Updated list of people who have entered:

  1. Inder
  2. Danny
  3. Gemma
  4. Vikki
  5. Andy G
  6. Matt Newman
  7. Alan Lomax
  8. Terry
  9. Craig Sneddon
  10. Colin Clark
  11. Darren Prout
  12. Stephen Kernighan
  13. Dave Atkinson
  14. John Farrington
  15. John Jenkins
  16. John Lynch
  17. Christine Williams
  18. Matt Williams
  19. Stephen Graham
  20. John Jones
  21. Claire Gibbs
  22. Kevin Bellion
  23. Darren Rigby
  24. Ste Francis
  25. Laura Williams
  26. Sue Greene
  27. David Roe
GemWeb's picture

Updated list of people who have entered:

  1. Inder
  2. Danny
  3. Gemma
  4. Vikki
  5. Andy G
  6. Matt Newman
  7. Alan Lomax
  8. Terry
  9. Craig Sneddon
  10. Colin Clark
  11. Darren Prout
  12. Stephen Kernighan
  13. Dave Atkinson
  14. John Farrington
  15. John Jenkins
  16. John Lynch
  17. Christine Williams
  18. Matt Williams
  19. Stephen Graham
  20. John Jones
  21. Claire Gibbs
  22. Kevin Bellion
  23. Darren Rigby
  24. Ste Francis
  25. Laura Williams
  26. Neil Pollington
  27. Sue Greene
  28. David Roe

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