LCRC / Irish Air Corps Around the Mountains Sportive 2012

LCRC_BAX

Hi All,

The annual 'Around the Mountains', sportive run by Lucan Cycling Club and the Irish Air Corps is back!

Event Details Below; This is a brilliant event as I'm sure any Boards.ie members who attended last year will attest.

We have just launch a FB page and online payment system. If registering online please print off your receipt and bring with you on the morning of the event.

Hope to see you all there!

http://www.facebook.com/AroundTheMountainsSportive

Direct Paypal link for online entry: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=G7YZS4JNWN8E2

Entries can also be made by following means;

Drop into Stagg Cycles, Main St. Lucan
By Post: 'Around the Mountains' 175 Park Drive Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin 15
Or if on morning of the event from 7am - 8.30am.

The Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/432263

Event Information

When: Sunday 27th May 2012
Where: Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin
What: Fully supported charity sportive
Distance: 180kms
Ability Level: Intermediate to Advanced - Nobody left behind
Time: Open from 7am, Riders off at 9am Sharp
Entry: €40.00
How to Pay: Online, In person @ Stagg Cycles or by Post (Address Below)
Charity: Barnardos Ireland
Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Energy Drinks
Facilities: Car Parking, Full ride support from Irish Air Corps, Showers & Bar for Well deserved pint afterwards!


The ever popular charity sportive, Around the Mountains returns this year on Sunday 27th May. The as ever will be a challenging 180kms through some of the most picturesque scenery counties Dublin and Wicklow have to offer.

The entry fee is €40.00 which includes full breakfast, lunch en route and dinner afterwards at Baldonnel Aerodrome. This year our chosen charity is Barnardos Ireland.

Entries will be taken by post to Ronan Baxter, 175 Park Drive Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin 15. In person to Stagg Cycles, Main St. Lucan or can be made online - Paypal link is on LCRC Website.

As always our friends in the Irish Air Corps will be on hand providing expert motorcycle marshals, first aid, broom wagon and logistical support. breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This event is renowned as one of the most professional sportives in the calendar, due to the level of support provided by the Air Corps. Get your entries in early to avoid disappointment, entries will be limited!

100Suns

Thanks for the Heads Up.

BTW-is this an Audix event?

oflahero

100Suns wrote: »

Thanks for the Heads Up.

BTW-is this an Audix event?

Ahh jaysis, not this again...

Did this last year, had a great time. You find yourself constantly wishing for some d1ck in an SUV to act the maggot just so the army escort can tear him a new one.

There were rumours that an Army chopper was to appear over the lip of the Wicklow Gap Airwolf-style - didn't happen last year, but you never know.

Eamonnator

Will someone,please clear this up for me. Is this event an "Audix" an "Audax" or an "Audux"?.
I participated in it last year, and I spent the whole day worrying, what type of event, I was cycling in.

Seriously, this is a great event, from full Irish breakfast before the start to dinner in the evening and everything in between. The marshalls were the best, I have ever seen, lunch was lovely and generally organisation was faultless.
I had a great day, and it was great preparation for the W200.

velo.2010

Enjoyed the event last year. Was looking forward to the helicopter following us down the Wicklow Gap but I suppose the weather put paid to that!;)

Seems like the notice for this going ahead is a little later this year? Although a worthy charity like Barnardos will benefit from it and the event is well run with plenty of grub, E40 is probably a little pricey IMO. Maybe more participants in future might see a reduction in the cost of entry. Wouldn't put anyone off doing it though!:)

Actually I might be tempted to come out of race retirement to pay for the entry seeing as so many boardies are scoring envelopes!:D

moggs1972

Cant wait for this, missed it last year due to work. You never know we might even get the helicopter to pay a visit this year

LCRC_BAX

velo.2010 wrote: »

Enjoyed the event last year. Was looking forward to the helicopter following us down the Wicklow Gap but I suppose the weather put paid to that!;)

Seems like the notice for this going ahead is a little later this year? Although a worthy charity like Barnardos will benefit from it and the event is well run with plenty of grub, E40 is probably a little pricey IMO. Maybe more participants in future might see a reduction in the cost of entry. Wouldn't put anyone off doing it though!:)

Actually I might be tempted to come out of race retirement to pay for the entry seeing as so many boardies are scoring envelopes!:D

Thanks for all the positive words guys!

@ velo2010, we have thought long and hard about the entry fee and have decided to keep it at €40, as per last year. This event differs from others in that participants get a full sit down breakfast and dinner for the entry fee and lunch en route. The Air Corps of course give their time for free but we have to cover their costs for food, fuel etc. - the rest all goes to our nominated charity. The level & quality of marshalling and support make this one not to miss and certainly IMO worth the €40, I know of many similar events which cost around the same and would not come near in terms of offering an unforgettable day in the saddle!

In 2010 we did have the chopper hovering above us in Dunlavin, for some reason they couldn't get it out last year - I'll bring it up with the AC and see if we can get it out to meet us @ top of Wicklow Gap this year!!

LCRC_BAX

Hi All,

Due to the tragic death of Air Corps Commandant Morgan Sparrow last Saturday, we have unfortunately had to postpone ATM 2012. We will be meeting next week to agree on a new, later date and the event will be held in memory of Morgan Sparrow.

Apologies for this change, I will keep everyone posted on the new date.

Please do not send any further entries - all entries received to date will be fully refunded.

Regards,

RB

Sierra Bravo

Cheers RB for this post, apologies to all for the inconvenience, but we are hoping the new date for ATM will give us a chance to organise a bigger better event! On an ironic note, that was Morgan that posted above, claiming he was looking forward to this years event...life is strange!!

LCRC_BAX

Hi All,

Just want to give a quick update on Around the Mountains - The event has now been renamed 'The Morgan Sparrow Memorial Spin'. We have made some changes to the route which has been shortened to 120kms to encourage a broader range of riders and we are also holding the event on a Saturday; afterwards everyone is welcome to join a reception in Baldonnel for a few beers where a presentation will be made to the family of the late Morgan Sparrow and our charity will receive their cheque from the AC. Also, along with the **reduced €30** entry fee everyone gets entry to a fantastic draw being supported by Stagg Cycles, Lucan. The top prize is a new road bike and there will be a host of other great prizes.

This will be a great way to close out a long season with a social element that is often not possible with other sportives. Please do your best to support the event!

Details below;

Event Information

When: Saturday 15th September 2012
Where: Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin
Distance: 120kms
Ability Level: Intermediate to Advanced - Nobody left behind
Time: Open from 8am, Riders off at 9am Sharp
Entry: Reduced to €30.00
Entry forms available from;
Stagg Cycles
Hollingsworth Cycles
Harry's Bikes
Online: http://www.lucancrc.com/
Completed entry forms along with entry fee should be returned marked 'Morgan Sparrow Cycle' to:
Lt. Stephen Byrne, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Dublin 22.
Limited entries taken on the day
Charity: Barnardos Ireland
Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Energy Drinks
Facilities: Car Parking, Full ride support from Irish Air Corps, Showers & Bar
Free Raffle with great prizes to be held afterwards.

Hope to see you there,

If you have any questions please ask

Bax

bren_mc

i'd like to do this one but i won't have the car that day:o. anyone from around drogheda doing this with a spare seat in the car / space on the bike rack??

t'bear

Not sure I would be 'able' for this one, anyone post a route map to frighten me out of it?

Idleater

t'bear wrote: »

Not sure I would be 'able' for this one, anyone post a route map to frighten me out of it?

Haven't got a map, and subject to correction by Mr Bax, the basic route is Baldonnel - Sally Gap - Laragh - Wicklow Gap - lakes - Baldonnel.
There will be 2 supported and marshalled groups ~23kmph ~28kmph.

ashleey

Sounds great. The cork tour has been moved and is too long a journey from Kilkenny. Can you ask the maniacs on the Leinster Loop to go easy on us this time. I'm still having flashbacks that wake me up.

RacoonQueen

Would like to do this but don't think I can do that day and it's too long since I hit the Wicklow hills to think I might be capable of finishing in less than 20 hours :pac:
Will it be on in May again next year?

youtheman

I think 15th September is the same day as The Rebel Tour (in West Cork). Was going to do The Rebel but I have a family committment. If I was available then I would do change my plan ad do this Air Corps trip. Pity really.

Idleater

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Will it be on in May again next year?

That's the plan :-)

ccull123

Hi all,

Just wondering would I be able for this. I completed the. SKT 100 in three and a half hours and would love to do this but unsure of the Wicklow terrain??

Any ideas or am I biting more off than I can chew?

Idleater

ccull123 wrote: »

Hi all,

Just wondering would I be able for this. I completed the. SKT 100 in three and a half hours and would love to do this but unsure of the Wicklow terrain??

Any ideas or am I biting more off than I can chew?

The slower of the two groups will be tending towards 23kmph which is similar to your skt average? The hills are all doable and you'd have the group support.
Unlike many sportifs, the around the mountains is more like a large group spin. The Air Corps will have motorcycle out riders for both groups and Lcrc/irc will have a large presence at the head and end of the groups ensuring no one is dropped. Each group will have a support van for mechanical / puncture etc and iirc there's a Broom wagon if anyone really gets into difficulties.

murphyebass

This looks interesting but can't do it for two reasons. 1 I won't be about that day and 2 I'm a complete newb and think it might kill me.
Sorry to go slightly off topic but is there a site with all the cycles events happening?? Runireland.com was what I used when running it has all the events. I presume there's a cycling one like it. Cheers

Idleater

murphyebass wrote: »

Runireland.com was what I used when running it has all the events. I presume there's a cycling one like it. Cheers

CyclingIreland.ie perhaps? Search for the events calendar.

buffalo

Idleater wrote: »

CyclingIreland.ie perhaps? Search for the events calendar.

http://www.irishcycling.com/events/calendar/index.php as well - sportives are in yellow I think.

LCRC_BAX

Article on Sticky Bottle.com about the MSS

LCRC_BAX

So have we got some interest? Who's going to be there on the 15th?

seamus

I was looking for something this Saturday which will probably be my last sportive of this year. This wasn't on the CI calendar, glad I found this now.

What are the numbers looking like for this?

Idleater

seamus wrote: »

What are the numbers looking like for this?

Think 100 - 150 is the group size. That's what the form indicated but I'm not sure on numbers split for the two groups. I know there is a lot of support from the Air Corps for it anyway. It'll be a good day out with plenty of support, and the incentive of the bar to get you back to base quicker ;-)

Mr. Bax can probably give a better indication of numbers and activities back at base.

fat bloke

I'm in anyway. Should be a good gang of IRC riders taking part.

velo.2010

Great route. Hope to get to this. Can I drop the money and form down to Jimmy Stagg if its too late to post? Cheers.

uberwolf

I haven't confirmed to the lads by email, but I hope to be in for this. I was intending to do the Mark Pollack cycle but plans have changed.

Anyone know how close to the max numbers they are?

Idleater

velo.2010 wrote: »

Great route. Hope to get to this. Can I drop the money and form down to Jimmy Stagg if its too late to post? Cheers.

Drop them in is fine.

Eamonnator

Myself and a friend are doing this.

LCRC_BAX

Hi Guys,

We are expecting between 150 - 200 riders. The weather is due to be good and all the plans are in place to make this a brilliant day.

No problem with dropping a form into Stagg Cycles or else completing one on the morning. Just to update everyone here are all the important details;

Timetable of Events

Parking Open - 7.30am

Breakfast Served - 8.00 - 9.00am

Sign on - 8.00 - 9.00am

Pre-Event Briefing - 9.15am

Group A & B Roll Out - 9.30am (1 min gap)

Refreshments & Snacks en-route at 2 stops.

1st Stop (Water & Energy Drinks) - Top of Sally Gap

2nd Stop (Tea, Coffee, Sandwiches) - Top of Wicklow Gap

Dinner served at Baldonnel - 3.30 - 5.00pm

Cheque Presentation to Barnardos - 5.30pm (NCO Mess)

Bike & Spot Prize Raffle - 6.00pm (NCO Mess)

***************************************************

Important Information

1. Route is 120kms taking in Sally Gap & Wicklow Gap
2. Entry is €30.00 - All to Charity - Barnardos
3. Along with entry - Free entry into Bike Draw sponsored by Stagg Cycles
4. Entry forms available to download here or at Stagg Cycles
5. Completed entries and fee to be dropped into Stagg Cycles
6. Entries will be taken on the day (Limited up to 8.45am in Canteen)
7. Sign on in canteen from 8.00am - 9.00am
8. 2 Groups - Group A - 28kph, Group B - 24kph
9. There will be 4 rider marshals per group
10. Food and water stops en route
11. All welcome & encouraged to stay for presentation & raffle afterwards

Any further queries please contact ronanbaxter@gmail.com

In Sport,

terminator74

Is there a route/map available online?

LCRC_BAX

terminator74 wrote: »

Is there a route/map available online?

Here you go:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/222176631

Hope everyone is looking forward to the day, weather is set to be spot on!

Any last minute questions please just ask.

Bax

fat bloke

Lucan Around the Mountains spin ?????

LCRC_BAX wrote: »

[*]Route is 120kms taking in Sally Gap & Wicklow Gap

Can I get a refund under the trades description act?

velo.2010

I'll be there in the morning. Might have to press on a bit through the foodstops to get back early for a message. Still plan on getting back up to Baldonnell for the dinner/presentation after if those times are correct.

LCRC_BAX

velo.2010 wrote: »

I'll be there in the morning. Might have to press on a bit through the foodstops to get back early for a message. Still plan on getting back up to Baldonnell for the dinner/presentation after if those times are correct.

Those are military times!

No problem pressing on but you will be without support, just so you are aware. All welcome back in NCO mess afterwards for presentation & a pint.

seamus

Military times is right. We left a little late (9:40 by my watch), but still managed to come in five minutes ahead of schedule. That would be a due to the bloody epic pace being set in the fast group. Nice fast setting out, I needed to pee just before the climb to Sally Gap. When I was done I caught a glimpse of the group about half a km ahead, hammering on. Bugger.
Never mind, I'll catch up when they stop between SG and Glemacnass. Except that never happened Whoops, military planning had failed. About 30 of us who'd fallen off the back of the main group, including Jimmy Stagg, managed to get the water van to stop at Glenmacnass for a short break. Result. Feckin cold though. I had dressed totally wrong for today. I had the base layer out, but it never made it into the car. So I was in full summer gear. D'oh. Generally worked out OK, but I had to put on my rainjacket for the descents, which isn't good riding into a headwind.

We chased the rest of the group up the Wicklow Gap to the food stop. Not the niceset trip up the gap for me, I suddenly felt starving as we started to climb and just couldn't muster the energy from my legs. Thankfully after about ten minutes, the energy drinks kicked in and I managed to up the pace.
Great setup at the top of the gap, nice military marquee set up with tea, food and fruit, everyone huddling in at the door of the tent to shelter from the wind.

Setting off from the Gap was something else altogether. Cold again, so jacket on again in all its flappy, wind resisting glory. Pedalling hard just to keep the bike at 50km/h downhill, so I started to lose the group. Bugger, again. Thankfully I wasn't the only one lagging behind, so a few unseen nods later and we're pedalling like madmen in a nice up-and-over formation. 15 leg-busting minutes later and we've latched back onto the group. Thank fnck for that.

Not that we had a chance to rest up when we caught the group. I don't know who was setting the pace, but clearly they were out to test us. Completed the trip from the top of the Gap to Baldonnel, about 45km, in 1:15 :eek:
Average overall for me came to 29.3km/h. I'm sure those who were up with the pace vehicle for the first half must have averaged well over 30km/h.

Great day out, marshalling was top notch - I think those outriders were having as much fun as we were, blasting around the wicklow roads. Couldn't hang around for the meal, family duties...

Plastik

Aye, up near the front averaged, depending on how fast you climbed the hills, 31ish - 30.9 for me. Never felt hectic tbh and there was quite a bit of time where we were just cruising. If you're off the back though you'll always have a hell of a time catching a big group doing high 30's.

Good day out though Met Eireann let us down with the weather predictions. I could listen to those screaming Moto outriders all day and never tire of them!!

J Madone

Most enjoyable day out, great marshalling and pacing, food stop was heaven ( cup of soup) mmmmmm i was freezing and sandwich.Great bunch of lads and it stayed dry thankfully,
Morgan's father nearly had me in tears at the start, will defo do it again.suprised nobody has made a segment out of it on strava yet,
J m

velo.2010

Lads, I think the Air Corps, Defence Forces were testing our mettle up on the Wicklow Gap! Surviving that cold and onset of mild hypothermia, expect an email from the Chief of Staff asking us to join up.:D

A grand spin all told. Though I really dislike the run across from Sally Gap to Glenmacnass and just seemed to go backwards through the lead riders. HIghlight was the brief but classy escort from an Aircorps Helicopter out of Baldonnel. Cue manic waving from the peloton and an audible humming of the Airwolf theme!

I managed to nip home for something and get back for the dinner and raffle, good timing! Didn't win.:rolleyes: Met J Madone, who is well named, and one or two other boardies. Spoke to a nice chap called Sean from Marble Wheelers in the Mess hall/bar.

Many thanks to all those involved for an enjoyable day out. Thanks too, to the Sparrow family. I hope they got some solice from seeing so many people out in support of the spin.:)

fat bloke

A great day out. Fantastic organisation and welcome and all around shepherding from the Baldonnel gang. It's ages and ages since I did the two gaps back to back too.
Really heartbreaking listening to Morgan's father, I suppose a day like this just brings the tragedy back afresh but fair play to him for saying his piece. Hopefully the spin will become an annual fixture, if they opened registration again now for next year, I'd sign up tomorrow.

Consey

Yes, fantastic day out. Had to be back by 3 so was a wee bit skeptical of the chances of making 2.30 when we rolled out late. However excellent Marshalling and pacing in the quicker group made it doable 5 mind early! Stopped to support fellow Wheelie just before start of Sally Gap climb so ended up just two of us up over the gap before catching the smaller groups at the van/drinks stop. Another minor mechanical mishap saw us detached again but caught quite a few on way up the Wicklow Gap. Spin from Gap back was great fun at great pace with the escort through Blessington a highlight ! Very nice tribute to Morgan Sparrow. Moving to see his family there. We'll done to everyone involved, a must do for next year already!

greenmat

Many thanks to LCRC and the Irish Air Corps for a fantastic days cycling. A brillant turnout, superbly marshalled, good food stop and paced perfectly. A fitting tribute to Morgan Sparrow, will definatly do this again.

Super Freak

Thanks for the reports guys. Anyone from the slower group?

Actual Paramedic

Was a great day, enjoyed the spin, good route and the marshalls on the bikes did a great job. Pace, average 28km, well I had 31km at the end. Some good groups along the way and most worked well together. The water stop wasn't there early on but then again was it needed, the main stop was enough, though in date milk would have been nice.

As for Morgan, I have a lot of friends whom knew him and held him in great esteem and spoke highly of him. I was honoured to talk to his father after, had to be so tough for the man to talk before and for it bringing back some memories. Anyhow to the Aer Corps, Lucan and Usher clubs it is a great honour that they have this spin in his name.

greenmat

Will a link for the photos be posted here? Really want one taken from the Helicopter:D

Actual Paramedic

greenmat wrote: »

Will a link for the photos be posted here? Really want one taken from the Helicopter:D

Think you were going too fast for them!!!

uberwolf

I'd have to echo a lot of what Seamus had to say. A bit tentative signing up for the faster paced group having been on the bike a handful of times over the summer.
Set up in Baldonnel was excellent, breakfast, showers, dinner, mess hall for a few pints - a great end of season spin.
The briefing at the start emphasised the intended nature of the spin - stick with the group leaders and ride safe.
I'm not sure what the final sign on was, but it must have been north of 100 in both groups.
Everything stayed nicely organised to the base of Sally Gap where the inevitable split happened, I think everyone was happy enough with that in expectation of the stop somewhere over the top where we would regroup. The stop didn't happen, and whilst I lost touch with the gang who were first over the climb there were little groups all over the road. with half a dozen or so I dropped down into Laragh and started for the Wicklow Gap. An important lesson in gearing there as I struggled with my 39*23 the whole way up - nothing in my legs. Particularly pertinent as I was already at my longest spin in 6 months at the base of the climb and I'd taken less fuel on than ideal.

Struggled up, devoured a banana and some water and wanted to get back on the road. 30 minutes later people were still coming up the climb from the fast group. Especially in the weather 30 minutes was more than long enough to get cold.

Dropped off the gap and on through Valleymount and slid ever closer to the back of the bunch. Presumed I was going to be shelled and when Seamus appeared and commented on the pace I didn't realise the work he'd obviously been doing to regain contact. Gritted the teeth and figured if I could make it as far as Blessington, and up the drag into Blessington, that I'd be able to make it the rest of the way home. In the event turning on to the N81 I felt fine and cruised home.

North of ten years since I'd covered that distance and feel ok for it this morning. Back and neck aren't great and I'll be buying a new cassette for the winter bike on foot of yesterday - adding a 25 at a minimum. The time for bravado is over...

Good event, would happily do it next year. Enjoyed the facilities that the aircorp were able to offer - military police escort, helicopter overhead as we departed. The outriders were great all day and the whine of their engines as they blasted past us suggested that they were enjoying their day too.

Hopefully Morgan's family got some comfort from the turnout. Very raw for them still to judge by the emotion when his father spoke.

bren_mc

had a hugely enjoyable day (apart from puncturing on the sally gap descent). well done to everyone involved in organising it. your heart really went out to the Sparrow family. Morgan's dads speech i think nearly has us all in tears.

bren_mc

in typical me fashion, i left my cycling shoes behind (in the gym i'm pretty sure) on saturday evening. If anyone has any contact details for who i might get in touch with to get them back, could they let me know. thanks

edit: igore all that. shoes found!:)