shit hippy, you reckon you're gonna get thru a friday AND a saturday night without. brave man.

I told yaz I'm fkn serious! Bring the pain! :)

chapeau!

*places bottle of brandy back in desk drawer*

err.. uh.. cheers jonny! ;-)

That looks like a good ride. And I like the idea of an LGFSS team, but not the idea of going up or down those hills fixed.

I was joking. I'm sick of all this fixed gear bullshit. :)
It's so close to home it'd be wrong not to do it, i think, maybe, depending on how training is going for L2P, etc, usual excuses, blah, moo, combustion engine.

I think I need to leave the office.

Yeah, it does fall bang in the middle of Wessex and Dragon ride.

Some dudes here have entered the dragon (ha, well ok, I laughed). I'll save that for next year and P-R for 2010.
God that sounds like ages away but it's not really is it! Beyond 2000..

You gonna do it illy?

Hmm, not sure. I entered the dragon too - regretting it already!

When you gonna do the PBP..?

Any of you doing the Catford Hell of the Ashdown, I shall be helping at the start and a control somewhere so |'ll see you there.

There are also a few other reliability rides in the area most weekends worth a look

January 13 2008
West Kent Road Club
Horton Kirby Cricket Club, Franks Lane, Horton Kirby, Kent.
85km starting from 09:00 and 45km starting from 10:00
Note: the HQ will close at 14:30 as there is another event at the venue that afternoon.
£5.00 entry on day

January 20 2008
CC Bexley
Horton Kirby Cricket Club, Franks Lane, Horton Kirby, Kent.
100km and 50km starting from 08:30

January 27 2008
Catford CC
Knockholt Village Hall, Knockholt, Kent
10km ("Hell of the Ashdown") and 50km ("Devil's deTour") starting from 09:00hrs
Route: http://tinyurl.com/ysyotq
£8 in advance; £10 on the day

February 3 2007
VTTA (Veterans Time Trials Association)
Bethersden Village Hall, Bethersden, Kent. (near Ashford)
50mls and 33mls starting from 09.00hrs

February 10 2008
Old Portlians CC
Halstead Village Hall, Halstead, Kent
100k starting from 09:00hrs and 68k starting from 09.30hrs

February 17 2008
Sydenham Wheelers
Knockholt Village Hall, Knockholt, Kent
110k and 70k starting from 09:00hrs


I couldn't find the prices for most of the events, but based on previous years they are likely to be around £5.
Tea/coffee/cakes etc available at the HQs.

Wessex peeps: Any of you lot sorted accomm yet? I don't wanna sleep in a fscking tent after doing 100mi, fighting 500 other tired, angry cnuts for showers, only to find no hot water left..
I was thinking B&B but £60pppn? Are you joking? Maybe if I could sneak in the missus and a few others to spread the costs (not the love) then it'd be ok, but I bet they wouldn't let ya..
Fuck, need to enter before they sell out like P-R but the costs for this are getting stupid!

sht...was meant to look for accom over the weekend. forgot bout it. ill make a few phone calls later tonight.

ill sign up for the first two stages later this morning. would like to try for all 3 stages but mrs might not be happy me using up the whole long weekend

I wanna enter all three and then see how I feel. It would be good training/testing for L2P. Problem is staying down there for 3 nights (friday night as well, for registration), not to mention taking Mal along. She's gonna be fkn bored not to mention cost me more to house hehe ;)

hippy, phoned about three self cater cottages (for 3-6 people) around the ToW start, they're all booked out.

a few b&bs here http://www.bedandbreakfasts.co.uk/propertysearch.asp?query=Castle+Cary
looks like 'the george' still have some rooms available. cheapish place and fairly close to the start. there are few others in there that are still avail

The George? They were the £60pppn place.. you must earn more than me. I could do that for a night but three? TOW will end up costing more than a trip to frickin' Egypt!
Tent is looking more and more likely.

from their website http://www.greenekinginns.co.uk/somerset/inn_02/index.htm doubles are £80 per nite for the date we need. not far from your £30pppn requirements.

I've signed up for the Gran Fondo Campagnolo on June 15th and the Marmotte on July 5th. Anyone else on here doing either of these?

I did the Dragon ride last year and really enjoyed it. The route was good and it was pretty well organised, although the feed stations ran out of food and drink too early.

Note to anyone think of catching a train down to Kent to ride the Hell of Ashdown on the 27th.

There's engineering works taking place, rail replacement bus services etc.

Engineering work between Chislehurst, Otford, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge from Sunday 27 January until 04:00 Monday 28 January 2008




(Taken from http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_bulletins/currentAndFuture.html , also see https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/engineering_works.php?e=316)

thought bout doin couple of continental sportives this year but i thought id go through some uk ones under my belt first off...gran fondo campag right up on my to do list next year. good luck on marmotte...i have to grow some balls first (lightweight climbing kind) before doing them

im in on the dragon ride...last year's version had some poor reviews, but ride itself looks good. would've preferred granfondo cymru tho as it's apparently more scenic....sux that it on the same weekend as ToW

fk. there goes that idea. looks like ill be in on the oz day ride then

Why not just ride the extra distance? How far is it?
Or, do the Harp Hilly 100 Reliability ride in the Chilterns.

The George is £80 for two people in one room. The site makes it sound like you can't have two people in a single room..

I found another one 2mi from Castle Cary: clanvillemanor.co.uk, shit just called, bookde out.

I've just entered the 3-day, 300mi option.. it's flat right?

The start is 21 miles from Seven Dials (as a standard starting point). Makes the day's mileage 106 (or 167 clicks for those people who are that way inclined).

Yes.

I'm starting to think Ashdown might be a good idea rather than Harp Hilly but it'll be a long day..

I've found accomm for Wessex. It's 5mi from the start which should be a nice warmup. It's also half the price of The George at £42 per night for a double.
Sam, Ralph, anyone, whisper and I'll send your their details.

actually the mrs has taken over with the b&b search. she reckons 'the george' looks haunted...haha. so, where did u book hippy?

cant be bothered doin the extra distance for the ashdown. besides, dont think ill be fit enough that soon...im way out of shape. oz trip really stuffed me up (literally)

and no, dont think it's flat. they're all over 2km gain, and the 3rd day is the hardest. good luck! sam, you doin ToW as well? illy, signed up yet? anyone else?

OT - hippy, got your full carbon bike yet? did 3 laps around rich park over the weekend on mine. rides great although still needs a little bit more adjustments...might not get full benefits yet until i take it on longer rides, but it feels stiff and very light.

Nice one Ralph, mine's organising an Egypt trip so I didn't want to disturb her :)
Ashdown, gee come on slacker! How do you think you get fit? You ride!! :P
I was joking about the "flat" comment. It's hilly as fsck and I'm going to die. I booked a pub 5mi away in Sparkford. £42 for a double x 3 nights.
I've not picked the S-works up yet.. I'm hanging onto my cash as long as possible hehe.. It'll be great to take it out though. Fuck, I'm actually gonna have to clean this one. :(

Ralph - not signed up for the Ashdown as it's the same weekend as the Berlin six-day :(

hippy - good luck doing all three days of Wessex, are you doing all three as well Ralph?

I think I'm gonna do Ashdown. Somehow.
That'll require 50 milers this/next weekends for training I suppose...

Brett - might be hitting Brighton again using your route this weekend if you're interested?

ooohhh...tempting. what day you plannin on doin this brighton ride?

do tell illy, you might find yourself in a peloton

or are you keeping it a secret so 50x14 doesn't find out ;)

I'm registered for the Ashdown. I'm registered for the 100km route but I fear I'll have to wimp out and do the 50 if I don't get some riding done soon.

Re rail replacement: it appears that you CAN get a train to Otford which is reasonably close to Knockholt.