NEWS
25 May 2009
The Midlander 2009 (part three!)
Yesterday was probably the warmest, driest day of the year so far. So it was good to be able to get out and ride the length of The Midlander 240 route. At the same time a fellow Peak Audax member, Pete Coates, was out checking the more northern parts of The Midlander 310 route. Cheers Pete! At some point we covered the same sections of the ride, but never bumped into each other.
The routesheets are now written up and checked. Click here to download them.
The Midlander starts at 7am on June 27th, from Mere Green, on the very northern edge of Birmingham. There's also a shorter, 230km ride on the same day. Click here for more details. Entry includes Audax UK validation, ride insurance, breakfast at the start, and homemade soup and sandwiches at the end, all for a bargain price of £7!
12 May 2009
The Midlander 2009 (part two)
I managed to get out this weekend, to ride the northbound legs of The Midlander. I had a good day of it, even if I did struggle to keep up with my cycling buddy,
I think the northbound section of this route is great. The best part is the long climb up past Peak Forest, followed shortly afterwards by the dramatic swoop down into Edale. The cafe in Edale, which we use as a control, had a significant makeover last year, so is a great place to stop to refuel, before tackling the hills of Strines Moor, that stand in the way between you and Holmfirth.
You can now find a draft of the route sheet here. I'll be checking this over the next couple of weeks, and I'll post the final version here as soon as I can.
24 April 2009
Could you volunteer for London Edinburgh London 2009?
At the end of July, 600 riders from around the world will gather in north London, to ride Audax UK's longest and largest event, London-Edinburgh-London. This is not a race, but is by far the longest and toughest ride taking place in Britain this year.
Running a 1400km, six-day event is a huge undertaking. Twelve controls, several hundred volunteers and a very large amount of food go in to making LEL a success.
London Edinburgh London would not be possible without the volunteers who give up their time to help. That's where you I hope you come in.
I will be in charge of the control at Thorne, just outside Doncaster, and I'm looking for people to come and help out, for the duration of the event. I need help from Saturday 25 July, for as long as possible. It's hard work, and it will be frantic at times, but it should be a lot of fun too. Even if you can spare just a day or two, get in touch.
To volunteer to help out on this year's London-Edinburgh-London email me at lel@danialwebb.com. To find out more about the event itself, visit the London Edinburgh London website at www.londonedinburghlondon.co.uk
19 April 2009
The Midlander 2009
Now that The Cambrian is out of the way, my mind turns to The Midlander, my 300km audax event.
I've decided to run the route in the opposite direction this year, so I was out on my bike yesterday to test ride the north-south route. I took a train to Leeds, cycled over to Holmfirth, and rode the new route all the way to north Birmingham. It was a glorious day, with plenty of sunshine and the wind behind me all the way home.
I think it's a much better ride in this direction. The sight of Holme Moss ahead as you leave Homfirth is incredible, as is the descent once you get to the top. I've also changed the route so it passes through the Goyt Valley. Best of all though are the amazing views as you climb up and over Axe Edge Moor, before you speed down to Longnor.
The ride takes place on June 27th, starting from Mere Green, on the northern edge of Birmingham. There's also a shorter, 230km ride on the same day. Click here for more details. Entry includes Audax UK validation, ride insurance, breakfast at the start, and homemade soup and sndwiches at the end, all for a bargain price of £7!
I'll be publishing the route sheet in mid-May, after I've ridden the outbound leg to Holmfirth. Hopefully I'll get as good day as I did yesterday!
12 April 2009
What a day! eve
I'm just catching up on my admin from The Cambrian rides that took place yesterday. It was an exhausting day, but a success all round. The weather was glorious, the routesheets seemed to work, and everyone, eventually, got home safely.
In all about 80 riders took part, and 76 managed to get round. There was one (minor) injury, as a result of over enthusiasm rather than an accident. A couple of riders on the Cambrian Minor got as far as Llanidloes, knew what was coming next, and decided to ride back. One poor chap suffered endless punctures, and was out of time with about 40km to go.
Many thanks to those of you who took part, and made the day such a success. Many thanks as well to the committee of Monkland Village Hall, who put so much work in to feed all the riders their breakfast. Thanks also to my other helpers, who worked tirelessly throughtout the day, cleaning, cooking, and ferrying stranded riders back home.
I'll definitely be running these events next year. In the meantime, why not have a go at The Midlander Super Grimpeur? Full details here.
21 March 2009
The Cambrian routesheets are now online
events
I've been busy recently, test riding the routes for The Cambrian, The Cambrian Minor, and The Welsh Marches audax events. I've updated the routesheets for all three routes, which you can find here.
These rides take place on Easter Saturday, on April 11th 2009. They are proving to be popular, so be sure to enter quickly if you want to take part.
Entry for these rides is just £7, and you can enter online here.
7 February 2009
Buy your Audax DIY and Midlands Mesh cards online!events
If you're one of the hundreds of Audax riders who likes the freedom to ride their own audax routes, then you can now buy your Audax DIY and Midlands Mesh cards online.
Cards are £3 each, £7 for 3 or £11 for 6. You can pay online using Paypal, and submit your entry forms by email. Click here for more details.
22 December 2008
Online entry now open for all my 2009 events
I'm running six audax events over three weekends in 2009. You can now enter The Midlander, The Cambrian and Autumn in the Peak events online. Click below for more information on:
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