Invicta 400

me said:

Before I go a-bothering the organiser... am I the only one who hasn't
received a routesheet yet?

uncanny timing - just this moment had an email from the organiser to
say it's in the post.

d.

In article <[email hidden]>, davek

() said:

Before I go a-bothering the organiser... am I the only one who hasn't
received a routesheet yet?

Got mine yesterday. Now, if you look at the box about the Maidstone
Services control, it says that it is at 356 km. This seems to tally
with the distances given (in miles) earlier in the sheet.

It then says that section 6 is 63 km long. 356 + 63 = 419. So why does
it then say that the finish is at 403 km?

This may not be the most confusing route sheet I've ever seen, but it's
not far off.

Bah!

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Give the anarchist a cigarette.

I shall come and take photos / snigger in Highbrook (the softie Cob
Lane avoider) if you give me an ETA. Were you also doing one of the Tea
Bag/Quick Brew rides?

In article <[email hidden]>,

MartinM () said:

I shall come and take photos / snigger in Highbrook (the softie Cob
Lane avoider) if you give me an ETA. Were you also doing one of the Tea
Bag/Quick Brew rides?

Looks like that's at about 175 km, so it'll probably be some time after
dark. Depends on the amount of Scenery traversed in the interim, but I
would guess about 9 pm.

I had contemplated doing El's 600 but figured that there is no way a 600
based in Heathfield can have only 3000 m of Scenery. Plus during the
course of the Poor Sudent I was advised that "Heathfield is not the sort
of place you want to visit three time on a ride". Bloke in an AUK
jacket. I think his name's Martin. 600's entered are 3 Coasts and
South Then North; I'll probably be up for some of El's winter 200s
thobut.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Life - loathe it or ignore it, you can't like it.

Dave Larrington wrote:

"Heathfield is not the sort

Quoted message said:

of place you want to visit three time on a ride". Bloke in an AUK
jacket. I think his name's Martin.

I wouldn't listen to him ;-) the three times AFAICT are the 48k
Pevensey, very flat, the 130k coastal road to Shoreham and the 150k to
Dungeness/World of Water, plus an as yet undisclosed 100k to Pease
Pottage (hang on that's 4) and then some more. Plu the Heathfield chavs
will have torched/had the wheels off your VW......... (Skoda) by then.

600's entered are 3 Coasts and

Quoted message said:

South Then North; I'll probably be up for some of El's winter 200s
thobut.

South then North for me (see above only substitute Derby)

Scenery before Highbrooke fairly undistinguished; will set up a hot dog
stand instead.

In article <[email hidden]>,

MartinM () said:

Dave Larrington wrote:

"Heathfield is not the sort

Quoted message said:

of place you want to visit three time on a ride". Bloke in an AUK
jacket. I think his name's Martin.

I wouldn't listen to him ;-) the three times AFAICT are the 48k
Pevensey, very flat, the 130k coastal road to Shoreham and the 150k to
Dungeness/World of Water, plus an as yet undisclosed 100k to Pease
Pottage (hang on that's 4) and then some more. Plu the Heathfield chavs
will have torched/had the wheels off your VW......... (Skoda) by then.

Checks calendar: can't do the 300 or 400 on the 13th coz it's the last-
ever BHPC event to be held at Eastway (sniff) on the 14th. Not to
mention a 400 on both the preceding and subsequent weekends. I could in
theory do one of the 600s, but fancy a weekend off in May, so shan't.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Better hide the pork scratchings...

Dave Larrington wrote:

Not to

Quoted message said:

mention a 400 on both the preceding and subsequent weekends. I could in
theory do one of the 600s, but fancy a weekend off in May, so shan't.

One of my Tea Bagger cow orkers is doing the whole series; there must
be an AUK award for that; "most visits to the same location in one
season" or somesuch.

Dave Larrington said:

Got mine yesterday.

Mine arrived some time over the last couple of days while I've been away.

The routesheet made me laugh - there is an info control after just 4km,
to make sure you go up Ide Hill rather than take the shortcut.

"What's so funny about that?" I hear you ask. Well, the "shortcut" is to
go up the much nastier Yorks Hill instead...

I'm going for a ride tomorrow so I may try a test run of the second 200
(since it passes about half a mile from my house) - or at least part of
it. Will report back if I find any anomalies on the routesheet. It
doesn't look all that confusing to me - so long as you ignore the
distances. Parts of the route seem somewhat familiar from other rides.

d.

MartinM said:

I shall come and take photos / snigger in Highbrook (the softie Cob
Lane avoider) if you give me an ETA.

I'll text you my ETA from somewhere en route. (Yeah, sure I will!)

Actually, I don't mind you taking photos, nor do I mind sniggering, just
as long as you also bring a flask of hot tea, please!

d.

In article <[email hidden]>, davek ([email hidden])

Quoted message said:

I'm going for a ride tomorrow so I may try a test run of the second 200
(since it passes about half a mile from my house) - or at least part of
it. Will report back if I find any anomalies on the routesheet. It
doesn't look all that confusing to me - so long as you ignore the
distances. Parts of the route seem somewhat familiar from other rides.

Steve Airey recce'd the second half a while ago and reported it to be
about 215 km, so I would guess that the whole thing is going to be
nearer 420 than 400, chiz. There are a couple of chunks in common with
the 300 and 200 in reverse. I think we could get rather tired of that
bit between Sittingbourne and Seasalter by the end of the season.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
You can't have ham!

Dave Larrington said:

I think we could get rather tired of that
bit between Sittingbourne and Seasalter by the end of the season.

If you fancy a change, there's a back route that runs more or less
parallel to the A2 (my preferred route when I ride out that way).
However, it is unlit, so not for the faint-hearted unless you are very
fast and get there before sunset.

Also, you will be pleased to learn, just after the Whitstable info
control there is a nasty little hill. It is on my route home from the
station so I have to go up it often - except on the days when I don't
fancy it and take the alternative gentler way round... but I don't
suppose you'd be interested in knowing about that, would you? ;-)

d.

Let me know what distance to Highbrook and I'll lay on a mini El
Supremo, a nice spot overlooking the South Downs, lots of scenery :-)
It'll probably be shortly after Horsted Keynes Lindfield (not
Lingfield) or Plummerden Lane depending on which way you are coming.

In article <[email hidden]>,

davek () said:

Dave Larrington said:

I think we could get rather tired of that
bit between Sittingbourne and Seasalter by the end of the season.

If you fancy a change, there's a back route that runs more or less
parallel to the A2 (my preferred route when I ride out that way).
However, it is unlit, so not for the faint-hearted unless you are very
fast and get there before sunset.

I don't actually mind that bit too much as it's not overly Scenic and,
by that stage, will almost certainly be in the middle of the night (260
km).

Quoted message said:

Also, you will be pleased to learn, just after the Whitstable info
control there is a nasty little hill. It is on my route home from the
station so I have to go up it often - except on the days when I don't
fancy it and take the alternative gentler way round... but I don't
suppose you'd be interested in knowing about that, would you? ;-)

(Squints at map)

DO tell, O great one!

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Here, take these cheese-shaped stilts. You'll know when to use them.

MartinM said:

Let me know what distance to Highbrook

Got your text earlier but don't have the route handy to check - will
let you know later.

Quoted message said:

and I'll lay on a mini El Supremo

Well, that sounds rather splendid. Good man!

d.

In article <[email hidden]>,

MartinM () said:

Let me know what distance to Highbrook and I'll lay on a mini El
Supremo, a nice spot overlooking the South Downs, lots of scenery :-)
It'll probably be shortly after Horsted Keynes Lindfield (not
Lingfield) or Plummerden Lane depending on which way you are coming.

Approaching from the south B2028 towards Ardingly, then R onto
Burstowhill Lane. It's at about the 175 km mark; 12:00 start. Calendar
says "Staggered start over one hour", but we all know how much THAT
means, don't we, boys and girls? Except for the Surrey Hills.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Jack Hackett for Pope, next time!

Dave Larrington said:

DO tell, O great one!

Heh! Thought that might get your attention.

However, since the official route doesn't pass by the station, my
alternative route to the top would be so much longer as to be not worth
the trouble - Borstal Hill is not nice but it doesn't last long.

But! you can avoid the altitude gain altogether if, after the control,
you double back along Joy Lane, turn off just after the Jolly Sailor PH
down Seasalter Lane. You then pass under the dual carriageway and
rejoin the route at the bottom of Fox's Cross Hill, having crossed nary
a contour line on the way. If anything, this way round might be
marginally shorter than the official route.

d.

Dave Larrington said:

Approaching from the south B2028 towards Ardingly,

scenic

then R onto

Quoted message said:

Burstowhill Lane.

^^^^
scenicer

so you get the "easy" Ide Hill option; that was what convinced me that
triples are a Good Thing

In article <[email hidden]>,

davek () said:

But! you can avoid the altitude gain altogether if, after the control,
you double back along Joy Lane, turn off just after the Jolly Sailor PH
down Seasalter Lane. You then pass under the dual carriageway and
rejoin the route at the bottom of Fox's Cross Hill, having crossed nary
a contour line on the way. If anything, this way round might be
marginally shorter than the official route.

Cunning! (Heads for gmap.pedometer.com)

Depends how far along Joy Lane the info control is, but looks like about
a mile less...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
May you have an accident shaped like an umbrella.

Dave Larrington said:

Depends how far along Joy Lane the info control is, but looks like about
a mile less...

I was assuming the control is the pub that is about 2/3 along Joy Lane,
but IIRC it just says "pub" on the routesheet and doesn't specify which
one, so I suppose it could be the Jolly Sailor, which is right at the
start of Joy Lane.

I nearly gave the name of the pub there, but it occurs to me that this
may be the answer required by the info question...

d.