Dublin-Galway-Dublin Superspin

TinyExplosions

15th - 16th November... hoping to do the 400k in 20 hours or so.

Who's in?

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

15th - 16th November... hoping to do the 400k in 20 hors or so.

Who's in?

I'm in, albeit tentatively, as I am a bit under the weather at the moment.

blorg

+1

DirkVoodoo

400k, fook me that's long! What would the story be with rest stops and the like? Is it a pretty flat route?

I might be pub-golfing that weekend, but if not I would love to give this a go.

TinyExplosions

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

400k, fook me that's long! What would the story be with rest stops and the like? Is it a pretty flat route?

I might be pub-golfing that weekend, but if not I would love to give this a go.

The route is pretty much pan flat. Will probably be like any Saturday spin, albeit a bit longer... I would imagine a rest stop about Athlone (1/4 and 3/4 distance), and one in Galway.

Will be tough, but I reckon you'd manage it grand

Caroline_ie

Too bad I don't have my super light yet, I would have joined you ... not.

blorg

Rest stop? What rest stop?

Lumen

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Too bad I don't have my super light yet, I would have joined you ...

You can borrow mine. I'm even local (D15)

Next excuse please...

LDB

Damn - I think I'm washing my hair that day.

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Too bad I don't have my super light yet, I would have joined you ... not.

You should drive behind them in your car, pointing and laughing.

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

You should drive behind us in your car, pointing and laughing.

Fixed that for you tonto, no getting out of it, behind you is our "rest stop."

kenmc

MODERATORS!!
Please have these lunatics committed. First cycling the wicklow mountains in the pitch dark instead of being tucked up with hot ports by the fire. Now cycling to Galway and back just to get a bloody Supermacs! Don't you know there's one in O'Connell street too????
Ye're all bloody barking mad. Nuts. Loola. Cookoo. One sandwich short of a picnic.

Rusty Cogs 08

Fair dues for anyone giving this a go. I'd just make sure you have a 'broom wagon' for anyone who doesn't make it back. I've cycled over to Galway, took me about 8 hours. Did the Wicklow 200 in slightly more time and have been on other long day trips. However, the point I'm making is while the first 200 is achievable for punters of average ability (ie. me) I wouldn't underestimate the second 200km. I've been out on shorter rides where the legs just said no more, and when they go they go. As the last 100km will be in the dark you really don't want people in a bad state being left behind. IMHO if you have not completed a +300k cycle relatively recently I'd be wary of doing this without motorised support. My tuppence worth

TinyExplosions

kenmc wrote: »

MODERATORS!!
Please have these lunatics committed. First cycling the wicklow mountains in the pitch dark instead of being tucked up with hot ports by the fire. Now cycling to Galway and back just to get a bloody Supermacs! Don't you know there's one in O'Connell street too????
Ye're all bloody barking mad. Nuts. Loola. Cookoo. One sandwich short of a picnic.

And a very nice spin it was too tonight, apart from my hip and Blorg's puncture... you just don't have a sense of adventure. I think based on your negativity you're not going to be allowed be part of our RAAM crew

kenmc

My sense of self preservation overrides my sense of adventure...

ollietrex

Do you have a route for this planned? It looks an interesting ride...

I have a wedding over there in a few weeks and am thinking of cycling to it...

TinyExplosions

Something along these lines would be the route I suspect

petethedrummer

Is 20 hours not a bit much???? whats the goal??? see who can endure misery the most?? Isn't there a high chance you could get very run down and ill?

There you are, 4 questions. I want answers people.

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

Is 20 hours not a bit much???? whats the goal??? see who can endure misery the most?? Isn't there a high chance you could get very run down and ill?

There you are, 4 questions. I want answers people.

An event we want to do is 1600km and requires long times in the saddle

TinyExplosions

petethedrummer wrote: »

1. Is 20 hours not a bit much???? 2. whats the goal??? 3. see who can endure misery the most?? 4. Isn't there a high chance you could get very run down and ill?

There you are, 4 questions. I want answers people.

1: Nope, not at all. L-E-L is 1400k which has to be completed in under 117 hours, so a long 400k spin is good for the legs, and will help endurance.
2: As RAAM said, L-E-L is the intermediate goal, and RAAM (just to be confusing!) is a long term goal for 4 of us.
3: I think it's well known that I can't endure misery at all, so it's definitely not me... I think Blorg is the best suited for that (bloody, cheery at all times Blorg)
4: High? I don't think so. Chance? Yes, but then there alway is that chance with any endeavour

E@gle.

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Something along these lines would be the route I suspect

Looks like your passing through my training spin area i can meet you along route say in clara till ballinsloe

TinyExplosions

E@gle. wrote: »

Looks like your passing through my training spin area i can meet you along route say in clara till ballinsloe

Sounds good -the more the merrier!

petethedrummer

Fair enough, it wouldn't be my cup of tea. These extreme endurance events seem to me to be more a measure of how mental you are rather than a measure of your athletic ability.

Have you read Ultramarathon Man or heard about that fella who keeps wining the RAAM? Mental IMO.

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

Have you read Ultramarathon Man or heard about that fella who keeps wining the RAAM? Mental IMO.

I'm going way off topic, but...

Have read at these two links for some view points on Ultra-marathon man...
http://imra.ie/forum/topic/id/1462/
http://dailyviews.runnersworld.com/2008/09/how-did-dean-do.html

Vélo

I was planning on joinng as far as Clara as I've relations down there. I can't though as my wife's away for the weekend and I have the kids.

L'Enfer du Nord

I did Dublin-Galway-...erm Salthill about a month ago, fair play for trying twice that. It was 237 km from my folks house in south Dublin to my house in Salthill. Weather was terrible especially for the second half, it was also dark after Balinasloe. The route is very flat, in fact the steepest hill was in Chapelizard, I don’t remember being particularly tired at any point, but then it took me 12 hours so I wasn’t going too fast. The worst of it was from Balinasloe to Oranmore which was on the main road in the dark and lashing rain. Traffic was fairly heavy but there’s a hard shoulder all the way bar one 3 km stretch between Balinsloe and Loughrea. Speed limit for that stretch is 40 km/h or something, most cars were doing at least twice that! Submerged potholes in the hard shoulder where a real pain. I also fell off crossing the railway line at Craughwell. I’ve heard of this happening before in races where the tracks aren’t at right angles to the road, but it was dark and I could hardly see the tracks. Luckily I fell to the left and wasn’t hurt.
Good luck guys!

Raam

I'm out.
I'm neither well enough nor fit enough to do Dublin-Meath-Dublin, never mind Galway. Enjoy the ride and good luck with it.

TinyExplosions

Right folks... it looks like as Raam's a chicken, and doesn't want to push himself ( ), it's only myself and Blorg doing the inaugural boards superspin. It looks like we're going to have some support offered of a car waiting in Athlone for us on the way back, which means there's the option to bail out at around the 300k mark (does that interest anyone at all?)

This is a pan flat route, so anyone that did the W200 shouldn't find it much more of a challenge.

We're planning to leave at 2am on Saturday morning, and are aiming for around 16hrs on the bike, with brief stops in Athlone, Galway and Athlone.

It'll be a challenge, but certainly do-able... anyone else in? C'mon, stretch yourselves folks (I'm looking at you El_Tonto)

Caroline_ie

TinyExplosions wrote: »

We're planning to leave at 2am on Saturday morning.

I thought you said you were leaving at 12 Noon on saturday.

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I thought you said you were leaving at 12 Noon on saturday.

Changed our mind -want to be back in time for the pub on Saturday!

kenmc

bear in mind that by starting at 2am you're already going to be sleepdeprived, basically you're going to be up all (most) of friday, maybe a couple of hours of kip from 9-1 or something friday nite and then you're looking to push your body to it's extremes; just be very careful - you're looking at the best part of 2 days awake, PLUS 400km of cycling.... I dunno if I'd be able to do either in isolation, never mind together!

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Right folks... it looks like as Raam's a chicken, and doesn't want to push himself ( ),

That almost made me change my mind

TinyExplosions

kenmc wrote: »

bear in mind that by starting at 2am you're already going to be sleepdeprived, basically you're going to be up all (most) of friday, maybe a couple of hours of kip from 9-1 or something friday nite and then you're looking to push your body to it's extremes; just be very careful - you're looking at the best part of 2 days awake, PLUS 400km of cycling.... I dunno if I'd be able to do either in isolation, never mind together!

I aim to be in bed by 7 or so on Friday.

In terms of effort etc, I think it'll be a little harder than the W200, but not a lot, simply because of the flatness, and I know I'm a whole heap stronger than I was for that, so I think it'll be ok... though I reserve the right to change my mind at the weekend. (also, managed the W200 ok after having a not exactly early night and a couple of pints beforehand, so should be ok)

Our biggest concern at the moment is the wind -supposed to be in our faces for most of the way out

Lumen

Personally, I don't think it's doable in one day (between two successive midnights), but I'd be happy to sponsor you €100 (charity of your choice) to be proven wrong, as long as you promise not to die in the attempt.

TinyExplosions

Raam wrote: »

That almost made me change my mind

Braaaaak!

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Braaaaak!

I stress the "almost", not "actually"

zzzzzzzz

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Our biggest concern at the moment is the wind -supposed to be in our faces for most of the way out

Better to ride into the wind going out than coming back, IMO.

Best of luck to you doing this. Would love to give it a go but I've too much on this weekend unfortunately.

Chips Lovell

TinyExplosions wrote: »

anyone else in? C'mon, stretch yourselves folks (I'm looking at you El_Tonto)

Sorry Tiny, I did think about it but to be honest the ultra long distance stuff isn't my bag. I'd have no interest in doing London-Edinburgh or stuff like that so for me it would be just a long training spin. If I was off work I might consider it, but given that I work late on Friday nights, I'd be jumping into it with no sleep, then spend the guts of 24 hours on the road and the rest of the weekend recovering.

'68 Fastback

Best of luck fellas. I'm as surprised as I am jealous. I'm sure it'll be tough as fook but if it was easy we'd all be doing it. Just one other thing to say...chamoix cream:D

blorg

Note people are more than welcome to come just part of the way- Athlone-Dublin or indeed the whole second half Galway-Dublin for example

mloc123

How did this go?

DirkVoodoo

I think it partly migrated to the "Saturday spin" thread. More details there.

Blorg should be back soon, no?

TinyExplosions

mloc123 wrote: »

How did this go?

I aborted due to injury and only completed 140km -Blorg continued and at last update was in Galway, tired, but ok

TinyExplosions

Latest from Blorg at 19.39

Aborted in Athlone, bike wrecked, knees wrecked, me wrecked. 305km in the end. Am not sure this sort of thing is fun. On train home now

Still think it was bloody impressive to do so much on his own... in good weather, I think a bunch of us could certainly manage at least the Dublin-Galway part though...

penexpers

Aye I think we should bow down in respect to you two for even thinking of doing this. Really amazing from Blorg to get that much done on his own.

blorg

Back now.

Jesus, just jesus. That was a uniquely painful experience. At the end, in Athlone, 18:30, dark, on my own, all my stuff soaked, knees very painful, bike in bits and faced with at least five, maybe six more hours in the saddle I jacked it in so that I may live to see another day. I just wasn't enjoying it at that stage at all and was a bit worried as to what might happen if the weather turned or I had another mechanical in the remaining 130km or so. Or FELL ASLEEP while cycling

At the same time it was in so many ways really worthwhile and despite the weather and sleep deprivation I enjoyed much of the trip out to Galway- cycling in the dark is very peaceful, much as the rain and gale blowing in your face tries to prove otherwise. Tiny was good company and I was sad to lose him after Edenderry (I tried my best to encourage him to continue.)

After Tiny left I cycled through Daingean, Co Offaly which had posters of Biffo everywhere congratulating him "Our New Taoiseach: only one Brian & only one Fianna Fail." Passing through Tullamore at 6:30am the _only_ thing open was bizarrely a barber, apparently busy at work. Dawn broke a bit after Tullamore as I was cycling through the Lough Boora boglands. Watching the clock I had been worried it was not going to at all and was half seriously trying to work out as to whether I had enough batteries to get me to Galway if the sun decided not to come up at all this morning.

Crossing the Shannon at Banagher there was some beautiful scenery and serious flooding everywhere. Unseen before but immediately once into County Galway are the dry stone walls, everywhere, which were continued on the way back in Roscommon.

I'll stick up some photos tomorrow, around the Shannon was particularly beautiful.

Raam

Fair play dude, that sounds like one hell of a cycle. Did something happen to the bike?

Lumen

Still, .

ROK ON

Well done guys. Dont be the least bit downbeat about not making 400k.
Some achievement, especially by yourself for a lot of the way.

Given that ye aim to do LEL and RAAM, you now have a very good idea as to what is req'd. This is something to build on.
@Blorg when you dragged my ass up Sally Gap you said it gets easier, and it does. This will be no different.
I have no doubt that it is achievable, especially with a bigger crew.
Enjoy a pint and take it easy.

kenmc

+1.
no shame in what you acheived. you picked one of the winter months to attempt this, with the weather, wind, dark, cold et al conspiring against you. I still think you're nuts, but fair play! What happened to the bike though? just too much crud etc picked up en route?
If anyone deserves a lie in on a sunday it's you. I'll be down at joeyDs tomorrow to make sure you don't turn up for an orwell spin!

E@gle.

blorg wrote: »

Back now.

Jesus, just jesus. That was a uniquely painful experience. At the end, in Athlone, 18:30, dark, on my own, all my stuff soaked, knees very painful, bike in bits and faced with at least five, maybe six more hours in the saddle I jacked it in so that I may live to see another day. I just wasn't enjoying it at that stage at all and was a bit worried as to what might happen if the weather turned or I had another mechanical in the remaining 130km or so. Or FELL ASLEEP while cycling

At the same time it was in so many ways really worthwhile and despite the weather and sleep deprivation I enjoyed much of the trip out to Galway- cycling in the dark is very peaceful, much as the rain and gale blowing in your face tries to prove otherwise. Tiny was good company and I was sad to lose him after Edenderry (I tried my best to encourage him to continue.)

After Tiny left I cycled through Daingean, Co Offaly which had posters of Biffo everywhere congratulating him "Our New Taoiseach: only one Brian & only one Fianna Fail." Passing through Tullamore at 6:30am the _only_ thing open was bizarrely a barber, apparently busy at work. Dawn broke a bit after Tullamore as I was cycling through the Lough Boora boglands. Watching the clock I had been worried it was not going to at all and was half seriously trying to work out as to whether I had enough batteries to get me to Galway if the sun decided not to come up at all this morning.

Crossing the Shannon at Banagher there was some beautiful scenery and serious flooding everywhere. Unseen before but immediately once into County Galway are the dry stone walls, everywhere, which were continued on the way back in Roscommon.

I'll stick up some photos tomorrow, around the Shannon was particularly beautiful.

Blorg you want to be careful around offaly the Biffo's dont take kindly to cyclists.

Bah if had known you were in Athlone i would have given you a lift back to Dublin myself