Orwell Randonnee 2014

Orwell Randonnee · 12-02-2014 11:49pm #1

Folks

This is just to let you know that the details for the Orwell Randonnee 2014 will be published soon.

Full details will be available on the website http://www.orwellwheelers.org/

Any questions just let me know.

glennbhoy · 12-02-2014 11:51pm

Carrot cake !!!!!

First :cool:

Orwell Randonnee · 13-02-2014 12:06am

It would not be the Orwell Randonnee if we did not have the famous Carrot Cake.

kuro_man · 13-02-2014 4:38pm

Same route as last year? Can you turn down the wind slightly?

Orwell Randonnee · 13-02-2014 5:14pm

To keep things interesting some changes have been made to the route. The details of the route etc will be announced later this week or early next week on the club website, we will also put the details up here.

daragh_ · 13-02-2014 5:43pm

Orwell Randonnee wrote: »

To keep things interesting some changes have been made to the route.

Did you feel last year was too flat?

WithCheesePlease · 13-02-2014 5:47pm

When I asked someone about the Orwell Randonnée last year before doing it (and loving it and splurging on carrot cake and loving that too) they described it to me as "like the Wicklow 200 but without the flat bits"

Orwell Randonnee · 13-02-2014 8:24pm

daragh_ wrote: »

Did you feel last year was too flat?

Daragh. We did add a few interesting bits 😄

Orwell Randonnee · 13-02-2014 8:25pm

WithCheesePlease wrote: »

When I asked someone about the Orwell Randonnée last year before doing it (and loving it and splurging on carrot cake and loving that too) they described it to me as "like the Wicklow 200 but without the flat bits"

I'm glad you enjoyed it. You will be able to say the same about this year as well

greenmat · 13-02-2014 8:43pm

Great event, first time last year, a tough test but very enjoyable. Defiantly up there with the best of them.

Orwell Randonnee · 13-02-2014 11:36pm

greenmat wrote: »

Great event, first time last year, a tough test but very enjoyable. Defiantly up there with the best of them.

Glad to see that you enjoyed it. Hope to see you this year as well.

bazermc · 14-02-2014 10:41am

Question for OP, are you planning on holding the event same weekend as last year, the Saturday of the May bank holiday weekend?

Orwell Randonnee · 14-02-2014 12:16pm

Folks

Just to let you know the details of the Randonnee are now available on the club website http://www.orwellwheelers.org/news-and-events/584-orwell-randonnee-2014

Orwell Randonnee · 14-02-2014 12:21pm

bazermc wrote: »

Question for OP, are you planning on holding the event same weekend as last year, the Saturday of the May bank holiday weekend?

Bazermc: Yes, we are holding it on the same weekend.

andy69 · 14-02-2014 12:26pm

Orwell Randonnee wrote: »

Folks

Just to let you know the details of the Randonnee are now available on the club website http://www.orwellwheelers.org/news-and-events/584-orwell-randonnee-2014

I'm entered! great event, did it the last couple of years.

Briando · 14-02-2014 12:42pm

I like that new course

Where is the new feed stop going to be?

Orwell Randonnee · 14-02-2014 1:37pm

Briando wrote: »

I like that new course
Where is the new feed stop going to be?

I'm glad you like the new route, hopefully you will think the same afterwards. The food stop will be in Laragh this year.

bellinter · 14-02-2014 2:31pm

signed up. Looking forward to this.

The tax man · 14-02-2014 3:03pm

Signed up. Liking the new route.

smacl · 14-02-2014 4:12pm

Also signed up and liking the route. I'd like to pretend I'll miss struggling up the wall, but in all honesty....

Eamonnator · 14-02-2014 4:16pm

smacl wrote: »

Also signed up and liking the route. I'd like to pretend I'll miss struggling up the wall, but in all honesty....

I cried like a little girl, when I saw that wall. Delighted, it's not in, this year.

wanderer 22 · 14-02-2014 4:24pm

Eamonnator wrote: »

I cried like a little girl, when I saw that wall. Delighted, it's not in, this year.

I think the Wall was the only place I passed out people last year...cue 100k of being overtaken while I cried into that headwind :P

daragh_ · 14-02-2014 4:52pm

I'll miss the Wall but that stretch down the back of the Valley to the entrance of the Waterfall is terrible. Surface gets worse every year. Happy it's not in this year.

sled driver · 14-02-2014 5:01pm

daragh_ wrote: »

I'll miss the Wall but that stretch down the back of the Valley to the entrance of the Waterfall is terrible. Surface gets worse every year. Happy it's not in this year.

Unless I'm mistaken, I think that stretch is on the route !

smacl · 14-02-2014 5:14pm

sled driver wrote: »

Unless I'm mistaken, I think that stretch is on the route !

Yep, think it is ok, just no nasty turn off.

goose06 · 14-02-2014 5:48pm

smacl wrote: »

Yep, think it is ok, just no nasty turn off.

Plenty of time left to amend the route!

daragh_ · 14-02-2014 5:58pm

sled driver wrote: »

Unless I'm mistaken, I think that stretch is on the route !

whoops. My bad. Thought we were going down the other side.

Well watch out for gravel, holes and me grumbling :rolleyes:

We may as well go up the Wall while we are there. Shame not to.

sled driver · 14-02-2014 6:06pm

daragh_ wrote: »

Well watch out for gravel, holes and me grumbling :rolleyes:

And rogue bidons. I rattled so much going down there a few years ago, I lost both !!

smacl · 14-02-2014 7:14pm

daragh_ wrote: »

whoops. My bad. Thought we were going down the other side.

Well watch out for gravel, holes and me grumbling :rolleyes:

We may as well go up the Wall while we are there. Shame not to.

15-02-2014 11:12am

Signed up, was a killer last year because of the wind but really looking forward to this route.

Orwell Randonnee · 15-02-2014 2:40pm

goose06 wrote: »

Plenty of time left to amend the route!

We will be monitoring the road surface over the coming weeks and if required an alternative route will be looked at

Orwell Randonnee · 17-02-2014 11:43pm

The following are a sample of the pictures from last year

https://plus.google.com/photos/10752...08464622054593

https://plus.google.com/photos/10752...08464622054593

https://plus.google.com/photos/110048349428792183091/albums/5874272418771412001

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niallo/sets/72157633410328655/

goose06 · 18-02-2014 10:01am

Orwell Randonnee wrote: »

We will be monitoring the road surface over the coming weeks and if required an alternative route will be looked at

I meant to add in the Wall rather than avoid that section of road

WHEELSX2 · 19-02-2014 1:09pm

Disappointed the Orwell route has changed so drastically... the wall, luggala and shay Elliott in one cycle - not on any other sportive/randonee... not to mention the stunning scenery... the little exclusive Greenane food stop... shur it was just class.

billyhead · 19-02-2014 1:11pm

Is the new route easier compared to last year? I did last years and it was tough in spots but not too bad

Ghosty669 · 19-02-2014 2:52pm

WHEELSX2 wrote: »

Disappointed the Orwell route has changed so drastically... the wall, luggala and shay Elliott in one cycle - not on any other sportive/randonee... not to mention the stunning scenery... the little exclusive Greenane food stop... shur it was just class.

Thanks for the feedback. We felt it was time to make a change to the route this year to freshen things up. It's one of the things that we think can kill an event when you do the same course every year but don't worry: we think this is actually harder than last years course.
Riders will still be able to experience the stunning scenery assuming the weather is with us and we've got a nice spot picked out in Laragh for all your carrot cake needs!

eoghan84 · 19-02-2014 3:14pm

I know last year I got a bit of a hammering by that wind that took a good bit out of me, but I really loved doing this event, especially as it was a little bit into the long evenings and it kicked off the buzzing for the summer. thanks for organising it!

whacker00 · 19-02-2014 4:15pm

Really disappointed i missed this event last year and i'm really looking forward to it this year. Great to see that its in aid of the Ross Nugent foundation again such a great cause, we will be doing a four day event for the same charity a couple of weeks later and the Randonnee will be a great warm up

Orwell Randonnee · 19-02-2014 10:26pm

billyhead wrote: »

Is the new route easier compared to last year? I did last years and it was tough in spots but not too bad

billyhead: The route this year is different but it is not easier - some people may find it tougher.

Ghosty669 · 19-02-2014 11:02pm

Orwell Randonnee wrote: »

billyhead: The route this year is different but it is not easier - some people may find it tougher.

Just had a quick look there and there's an extra 400m of climbing compared to last years event.

Don't worry billyhead: we'll make sure that the chipper is open early enough for you should you get back quickly!

Diamond_25 · 20-02-2014 10:52am

looking forward to it already!

WHEELSX2 · 20-02-2014 4:00pm

Ghosty669 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. We felt it was time to make a change to the route this year to freshen things up. It's one of the things that we think can kill an event when you do the same course every year but don't worry: we think this is actually harder than last years course.
Riders will still be able to experience the stunning scenery assuming the weather is with us and we've got a nice spot picked out in Laragh for all your carrot cake needs!

Thanks Ghosty669, I can see that a Club should always seek to keep a route interesting especially if it is boring in the first place. The great attraction of the Orwell Randonee IMO was the unique challenge of the route including the Wall (forever in my memory) followed by Djouce followed by Lugalla, then Shay Elliott and then the best food stop of any Sportive. The last word to be used for such a route is boring. So why change something that works very well and is unique to Orwell and replace it with an average route that we all cycle on a regular basis? Change for change sake perhaps. A retrograde step IMO but wish you well nevertheless as it is a fine Club and always puts on a great event.

Arthurdaly · 20-02-2014 4:32pm

WHEELSX2 wrote: »

Thanks Ghosty669, I can see that a Club should always seek to keep a route interesting especially if it is boring in the first place. The great attraction of the Orwell Randonee IMO was the unique challenge of the route including the Wall (forever in my memory) followed by Djouce followed by Lugalla, then Shay Elliott and then the best food stop of any Sportive. The last word to be used for such a route is boring. So why change something that works very well and is unique to Orwell and replace it with an average route that we all cycle on a regular basis? Change for change sake perhaps. A retrograde step IMO but wish you well nevertheless as it is a fine Club and always puts on a great event.

Average route we all cycle on a regular basis? Who exactly is "we all"? Or do you mean yourself?

I certainly don't cycle it regularly and welcome the change, spreads the pain more evenly throughout the route.

Orwell Randonnee · 05-03-2014 11:25pm

Folks

If you are trying to download the route to your GPS device the following is a link to the route on a different mapping site. This new site appears to have an easier interface for downloading the routes.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI

Regards

Orwell Randonnee

Lusk_Doyle · 05-03-2014 11:39pm

greenmat wrote: »

Great event, first time last year, a tough test but very enjoyable. Defiantly up there with the best of them.

Join up again this year?

Edit: Defo leave the deep sections at home this year. Nearly took flight a number of times last year!

greenmat · 06-03-2014 8:12pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Join up again this year?

Edit: Defo leave the deep sections at home this year. Nearly took flight a number of times last year!

Plan to, was a great test last year. Yea that crosswind up the gap was something else.

Lusk_Doyle · 06-03-2014 10:08pm

My wife and baby son get back from almost three weeks away the day before this. Hmmm... tough decision as to what I should do. Not really. Great event. Great company. Super marshals and food. Entered!

Consey · 06-03-2014 10:45pm

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Join up again this year?

Edit: Defo leave the deep sections at home this year. Nearly took flight a number of times last year!

Ah yes, remember those from last year. We were leaning at almost 45 degrees into the crosswinds and those deep sections gave our little group some entertainment.

billyhead · 18-03-2014 7:45am

Was going to do this again this year but got a lift with another participant last year who cannot do it this year. I will be coming from North County Dublin and will have to get the dart. Whats the nearest stop to the start at St Benildus college and how far is it and if possibly could someone give directions from the dart station? Just preparing in advance:D

Highway_To_Hell · 18-03-2014 9:14am

billyhead wrote: »

Was going to do this again this year but got a lift with another participant last year who cannot do it this year. I will be coming from North County Dublin and will have to get the dart. Whats the nearest stop to the start at St Benildus college and how far is it and if possibly could someone give directions from the dart station? Just preparing in advance:D

LUAS green line (Stillorgan stop) will drop you on the doorstep, Benildus is 2 mins away.

buffalo · 18-03-2014 9:45am

Highway_To_Hell wrote: »

LUAS green line (Stillorgan stop) will drop you on the doorstep, Benildus is 2 mins away.

But you can't bring bikes on the Luas.

Blackrock looks closest on the map: http://goo.gl/maps/qWUKR

Orwell Randonnee 2014

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