Audax Rides
After a year of making effort to get to various events around country just said I do a brief review of various rides and perhaps other riders might comment of the ones they have done over the year(s).
The Audax Calendar has some really fantastic routes up there, which are available to everyone to ride. Having seen the planning/thought at first hand on one route, these rides aren't pretty or magical by chance.
My own preference is for quite roads/lanes where cars are scarce, rough(read no surface), climbing is fine with me. Others of course will differ.
Midleton 200. Perfect early season 200, primarily decent roads, plenty climbing but no steep stuffs and loads of places to refuel. Lemybrien back to Midleton is on some lovely quite back roads, especially Youghal-Midleton.
Jimmy 400km County Challenge. Starting in Ballina this is a spectacular route, through Mayo, Galway and Sligo. Crossmolina to Mulranny(throgh Ballycroy National Park), Westport all the way round to Cong and the sections through Ox Mountains are made for the bike. Really superb route and not that difficult
Three Rivers 300. Route primarily in Cork with a short bit in Kerry. Again primarily quite roads, with some stunning section in the uplands, Borlin, Coum and Mullaghanish along with some lovely quite roads following Blackwater from Millstreet to Killavullen. Kinsale along coast to Clonakilty via Ring is lovely on bike to. Highly reccommend, toughish but rewarding
Antrim 300. One of toughest routes on calendar but really well routed through the Gelns and coastline of Antrim. Stuart managed to make Toor Head even tougher. Top drawer.
Inner Ring 200. Just rode this yesterday and only Mick Byrne 200 is tougher for a 200.
I was lucky with weather, a little wind but sun all day and cloudless sky, but probably the most spectacular day I've ever had on a bike. It uses best section of Ring(circa 75km) and some of the best roads in interior of Iveragh. Unmissable
Pink Elephant 200. A favourite of mine and a lovely way to spend day on bike. Coachford to Clondroihid, Coum to Gougane and section around by Rathbarry are pretty special. Tough 200 but still very enjoyable. Rode this 5 times in last 10 months and on most sections cars a are a rarity.
National 600. Used as a qualifier for PBP and quite roads/lanes isn't the criteria. Was in good shape on day and flew around it, but not one i'd be too bothered with again
Celtic Knot 1000. Knee trouble caused me to only ride one loop of Knot but it was a really lovely day on bike. Again lot of quite roads which took a lot of route planning. Day 2 especially looked nice to.
Three Provinces 300. Wheel trouble again caused me to abandon this, which was a pity as was really enjoying route, even if the Polish monster was pushing the pace. I'll be back for this one. Really quite roads, lumpy as fcuk which makes it more difficult than one might think from the numbers
Not this year but last year I rode
Mick Byrne 200. Really tough route but great day on bike thanks to the route planning of POD. Highly recommend but be prepared to suffer, Wicklow 200 it's not
Priest's Leap and Devils Elbow 300. With 4000m climbing and some really brutal sections, you need to be in the full of your health for this one. You'd need to be in MB200 shape for this one, and if so another fantastic route.
Plenty more events on calendar and depending on what other posters say will target one or two of them before WAW. Had intended to do Beara 400 and The Brown Stuff 400 but life got in the way! 19 rides of 200km or more since December 30, with 5 being 6am starts 2-3hrs from base had me out of time/brownie points! There is something amiss when your alarm clock goes off when dark on the 21st June!
Anyway I'd be interested in thoughts of other lunatics sorry audaxers!
