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Dying Light 200, 30/10/2010
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03-10-2010 7:17pm#1
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That's for yourself and Mrs Rughdh, I take it? I think that brings us up to 15 entries already, should be quite the merry little band.
It's for me and theclimber. It's my final opportunity this year to get me own back for being dropped on every climb in the SKT
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The numbers are looking good. I see a 17 downthread. Looking forward to it and the piss-up afterwards.0 -
It's for me and theclimber. It's my final opportunity this year to get me own back for being dropped on every climb in the SKT.
The numbers are looking good. I see a 17 downthread. Looking forward to it and the piss-up afterwards.
Could you PM me theclimber's real name and email address so I know who to send the routesheet to?
Got one more this morning at the Orwell sunday spin so I'd say we're good for 20-30, assuming half-decent weather on the day.0 -
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It's for me and theclimber. It's my final opportunity this year to get me own back for being dropped on every climb in the SKT.
This will be my first 200k and first Audax and its flat so Rughdh may get his own back on this one.
@ Rottenhat. Thanks a mill, email received, really looking forward to it.0 -
theclimber wrote:
This will be my first 200k and first Audax and its flat so Rughdh may get his own back on this one.rughdh wrote:It's for me and theclimber. It's my final opportunity this year to get me own back for being dropped on every climb in the SKT.
Just don't be the lanterne rouge. I have a reputation to uphold.0 -
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No. Your fiver wouldn't cover it. However a prize is offered in some actual races, though. HTHtheclimber wrote: »Is there a prize for Lanterne rouge?:D 0 -
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theclimber wrote: »Is there a prize for Lanterne rouge?:D
I'll buy them a pint.Several if I finish a good bit behind everyone
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Parked locally and was first to arrive at Spar on Baggot Street. 7:25 to be sure to be sure. No one there. Getting nervous, 'Make sure it's the right day, right rendevous etc." My first 200+k in three years. I'm a 4hr. max spin cyclist if I can help it.
They started to arrive. Alot of Boardsies and two from Sorrento. Good crowd. Just getting light as we "HEADED OFF AT 8:10." Rottenhat was having none of this 8:10 bull when we arrived back preferring to add 10 minutes to our time. Slack!
Alot of cyclists and most looked like and were kitted out for long distance stuff. Dynamos etc. One guy had a fab Santos Audax/Tourer with a Rolhoff hub and a belt drive. Great source of amazement.
Off and soon into country lanes. Autumn colours, leaves etc etc. Slightly slick surfaces. I was running 25mm. heavy touring tyres. Worked out OK. Felt confident.
Very lumpy from Duleek to Kingscourt. Tiring stuff. Brill food in Ardee even though the hot water went in a flash. I went off for a wee, came back and it was gone. Not to worry, it's a diuretic anyway. (Gaggin for a cup!)
Happy to see Athboy with about 80k to go. In a bunch of 8 riders who got back to Baggot Street.
I've had enough of autumnal leafy lanes to do me for life thank you.
I was thrilled to see concrete buildings, never happier.
Got back to Rottenhats and swiftly downed a large Ruby Port. Jasus that was good!
Honkjelly told me we got back in 7:50 saddle time.
Many thanks to rottenhat for a superbly organised spin and Taxman for his unselfish assistance. Very good lads.0 -
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So once more into the fray, once more running late and once more overtired due to a late night in work the day before. Out of bed at about 7:18 after accidentally knocking off my alarm I jumped out of bed, slapped on some chamois cream and everything else and ran out the door. Pulling up to Baggot street, I seen a large collection of blinding lights and 30 grown men in high vis jackets. An interesting sight, arriving as everyone is preparing to leave I made myself known to RottenHat who was not entirely shocked that I was late, more shocked that I had actually made it all, my reputation well-earned at this stage. Finally making a start about 8:15.
Everyone took off as I gathered my Brevet card, so I hopped on and took after them a few minutes later, catching up with them at the top of Gardiner street, a tight pack formed and headed through Finglas and on upto St. Margarets.
I realise that in the average Audax event, there is a large variance in speeds, so I expected the group to start to break up once outside the city but unusually the group remained quite tight for a large distance. A few broke off at St. Margarets to follow an alternative route. The routesheet for the Dying Light having been freshly prepared by RottenHat based on the Phibsborough 200, a few who had ridden it before decided to follow their own routes which were learned off by heart. As RottenHat informed me later on, the routesheet was a list of Villages you had to go through and the phrase “You all know the route so there is no need for directions”, or words to that effect, written on top.
The group remained almost entirely together till just before Garristown and then one by one people slowly drifted away, some stopping for various reasons, others pushing hard. Chatted to Cadex for a few minutes, and had Planet X pulling me along for a bit. Emty (who I didn’t get a chance to talk to) was just up at the front. Got chatting to Andreas who filled me in on life in general since we first met at the cancelled first attempt at a 200km, 10months previously. War stories exchanged we continued with the fast group for awhile. For a change I decided to push with them, feeling slightly guilty, I pushed to the front and tried to atone for my wheel sucking for the previous 2 hours. Stayed up at the front for a while, our illustrious leader with GPS (one of the Orwell lads, sorry I am so bad with names, I met him before at a spin in Wicklow early in the year). After a bit of climbing though, I decided the pace was a little faster than I wanted or more realistically my pace varied so much on hills up or down, i felt it safer to hold back and let them scoot ahead, not before one or two had called me a show off for staying in a high gear, to which I had to point out that I was not in a high gear, or a low gear, in fact I was in the only gear that I had brought out with me.
At 65.5km I met my on and off cycling buddy for the day, he too had decided to leave the fast group fire on ahead as well and had been relying on the GPS for so long that he wasn’t completely sure of his position on the routesheet. Luckily after a few minutes, we both happily agreed where we were and set off for Ardee.
As we approached the control, I was surprised to see a Garda Armed Response Unit drive past, not really what you expect to see on a typical day in Ardee and as only a few of us had heard the news on the day, the interesting rumours were abound, I decided in line with a post earlier in the year that it was an American with a Magnum strapped to his downtube but this turned out to be incorrect.
Arriving in Ardee we were happy to find The Tax Man waiting for us, with quite the fantastic set up. A tea/coffee station set up out the side of his van and a food station out the back door, it was quite the professional set up and was the talk of the riders that I came across for the day.
While waiting here one of the riders from the group in front came up to me and pointed out that my saddle was obviously too high as I was bouncing around all over the place. I was bouncing about a bit but I disagreed about the height of the saddle, not sure (at the time) what the problem was but I just ignored it. Leaving Ardee, nicely stocked up on Elevenses bars, I headed for Kingscourt. I was, though, a little uncomfortable in my saddle, in fact, with every passing km I became slightly more and more uncomfortable, but I continued to ignore it.
1km from Kingscourt, there was a minor warning on the route sheet:RottenHat
L@T (and climb!)
It is common practice for route sheets to contain warnings, worryingly though when RottenHat puts a warning about climbing, there is a good chance that the average man may not survive.
Turning the corner, I decide to take a minute, to take a few supplies. My cycling buddy caught up with me and we prepared to take off. I let him set off ahead as I feared with my “gentle gearing” I would be slightly slower. As it turns out, the climb while not desperately steep but it does go on for the entire kilometre and I had no choice but to put the boot down and get there as I knew if I stopped, there would be no restart. Ergo I overtook my pal but with repercussions’ of my stupid legs having a stern conversation with my head just outside of Kingscourt.
Getting into Kingscourt we found Murtaghs and the year (at the very top of the building), my friend left me here as I wanted to stock up my jersey and so I let him fire away.
Got into Kells and luckily enough seen the right sign for the turn off, apparently I overtook my friend here as he missed the sign and ended up on the N52 heading for Mullingar. On the way to Athboy I stopped off at a pub for a much needed toilet break fearing that tiredness and necessity may be the cause of my un-comfortableness in the saddle. Alas it was not but as I quickly found out, when the annoyance got the better of me I hopped off to find out that quite stupidly, my saddle was slightly loose and the previouy mentioned jumping and my own comfortableness was clearly a result of this. 2 seconds retightening the bolt and low and behold, I was a new force and found the rhythm I had been sorely lacking. If only I had had the common sense to actually question why I had a problem, a lot of time and hassle could have been saved.
Reaching Athboy I found Pat C and The Tax Man waiting with another fully stocked control. Alas being near the rear the hot water was nearly gone but there was enough for a cuppa for myself which is all I needed. More importantly, ham and cheese sandwiches, the midlands finest. Alot of thanks to Pat for the sandwiches as they done me wonders for the rest of the day. Along came MayoGirl as I was having my tea to point out I was indeed the “crazy guy on a fixed gear”. Always nice when your reputation precedes you.
I took off from Athboy and caught up with my cycling buddy and one of the boards lads (I presume it was Neris but I get the usernames mixed so feel free to correct me) but I flew past. I had a bit of energy and fearing it would run out, I pushed past.
The I came across a horse show in Culmullin, easily 40 or 50 horse trailers + all the local stables and studs with their stock out for treks. Alot of people were unsure what such a large show was on for but the sign on the church indicated that it was indeed to raise money for the local N.S., if anyone is still wondering. A more interesting traffic jam then I am used to in Dublin but fun, lots of nods from the horsie folk and nice and respectful driving by everyone going through. Alas here was my first mistake as far as the route goes, I took a left at a crossroad a bit before I should have, luckily enough, a km up the road I came across some locals and checked could I get to Kilcloon church from there. I could, I even had two options but they advised the longer as it was a better road, saying thanks, I set off and hoped for the best. I added about 10km on to my trip but I made it to the church on time. Alas I did not know which direction I would have originally come across the church on. I knocked off the road I came in on, it was down to two. I eventually figured it was one of the two when a local girl came by and I had to ask, she pointed me in the other direction, so I went back to the cross and contemplated her suggestion. It didn’t make sense but she said where I was going was wrong. I sat there for a bit when low and behold, those who I had quite rudely pulled away from earlier came out from a side road. As it turns out, the road I thought was right was but after this I was happy to have company so I felt more certain. From here on we were on quite narrow roads but a lovely pleasant cycle, the road panned out nice and flat and we kept a nice strong pace going and enjoyed some lovely scenery.
A quick spin through Phoenix park we found ourselves back right in the middle of rush hour traffic, a bit of deliberation and we choose heading up the Quays, interesting bit of traffic dodging going on, we went for Talbot bridge so as to avoid the crazy traffic on O’Connell bridge.
Getting to RottenHats place, we were treated to a very refreshing Hot Port (as my legs started to seize ever so slightly). To be honest as pleased as I was to be sitting and relaxed, all I could think was if there was no one else there I’d be having Rottenhats beautiful custom bike plus his lovely collection of books.
As I left, to the best of my knowledge everyone made it but RottenHat can confirm this.
Later that evening, I joined a couple of Audax Irelands finest in McCloskeys in Donnybrook for a few pints, awards were handed out and applauses were given and received, a fantastic night (although I fear one or two or all, may have had a bit too much). War stories exchanged, tips given. RottenHat filled me in on how ridiculous in general my attempts at Audax events over the year have been.
On the plus, along with two events completed, many I’ll have to retry next year to get right, I was informed (and I hope no one corrects me on this) that in 2010 my big claim to fame is that I am the only person to complete an Irish Audax on a fixed gear (never let anyone tell you that ignorance and/or lack of intelligence is a curse).
Congratulations to all the lads who received their SR awards, medals etc. on the night, quite the list of achievements from the Irish Audax contingent.
Thanks again to RottenHat for a great day, an all-round fantastic day, a few errors in choice and practicality on my behalf for the day but it wouldn’t be an event for me if I didn’t make a few mistakes.0 -
Just getting light as we "HEADED OFF AT 8:10." Rottenhat was having none of this 8:10 bull when we arrived back preferring to add 10 minutes to our time. Slack!
Hey, the ride starts at 8...if you want to spend the first ten minutes hanging out with the taxi drivers in front of the Spar, who am I to judge?RottenHat filled me in on how ridiculous in general my attempts at Audax events over the year have been.
Sounds like I was at my most charming - I usually am after a few pints.
Many thanks to everyone who came out, your willingness to ride 200km in October was definitely rewarded by the weather gods. A big shout out to the Taxman and Pat for running the controls at Ardee and Athboy, every rider who came through my door mentioned how well you had taken care of them. Hope to see you all back next year.0 -
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