"There was a hint of rain washing away the remaining snow before the allotted meet time but by 7.30pm a very thin crescent of the moon was in a clearing sky on her back two days after new moon.
Malcolm Daly and Simon Newell were beginning to talk ESCA 2 up TT tactics, Stuart Hodd was looking forward to his TT debut in Sunday's ESCA Hard Riders, Andy Bennett was on his second ever gang, Tom Norris and Rover John Cordner had made their way over from Eastbourne and ever present Barny Willard was there In Gear.
Tom Norris is a keen Audax rider and signed up to shortly ride his first 200km event. Audax are generally a lot cheaper than sportives, lack the goody bag sometimes on offer but can be very good for food. Have a chat to Tom and e.g. Chris Watson who has ridden some in recent years. The Holy Grail of Audax riding is to qualify for and ride the Paris - Brest - Paris which is held every fourth year, something former club secretary Peter Baker has done, he still holds some of the club place to place records.
Steve Butcher is doing a serious Audax (?) this summer: London - Edinburgh - London and Mark Corliss is planning his second John o'Groats to Lands End riding some 100 miles a day to do it quicker than his last ride some 20 years ago doing 70 or so miles a day. Several are thinking of doing the Winchester to Eastbourne ride in a day on the South Downs Way, Paul Baxter even thinking of doing the return trip to make it a double!
May be there will be challengers to the three time holder of the Percy Bliss 12 Hour Bowl this year and may be some will start thinking of the East Sussex 24 hour in 2014 ……..
Chris Parker
" It was a good ride, on the return leg the whole group stayed together back to Bexhill, which was the first time for me that I have managed to hang on to the fast boys’ wheels all the way back. Got dropped early on the way out though!
RE: Audax, not my first 200, I have done a few before but first of the year certainly. Happy to discuss Audax with anyone interested and I can prepare a list of rides in our area for the coming year if you think that would be of interest.
Tom Norris
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Tom that'd be great if you could keep us posted on Audax events, I massively enjoyed the Mad Jacks and South Downs 100 ones the other year, great fun. Generous servings of hot food at several stops with a small field of 30 to 60 riders on the ones I did with friendly faces from the Lewes and Eastbourne road clubs. the entry fee was a fraction of a sportive as there's no way marker arrows, so good to have a back - up map or gpx, and fun to join a group that knows the way around the lanes.
ReplyDeleteLondon Edinburgh London is an Audax event - 875 miles in 5 days (or less if you're keen) http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/.
DeleteI will be putting in long and longer training rides up until the event on 28 July. If anyone is interested in some long distance riding then give me a shout, I'd be glad of some company.
- Steve Butcher