Events Get your “Ticket to Ride” The Steam Ride - 9th March 2014 ‘Hurricane Class’ AUK hauled
Steam Ride: London-Oxford (Didcot 1-Way): Choice of routes: follow LOL 200 into Oxford or take a direct route: The Railway, Barley Mow (3 Men in a Boat), Pendom Museum - both follow either side of the Thames to Didcot. Fast ‘n’ easy navigation. http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-604/#more Steam Ride: Single Track: Beach to Beeches (Burnham Cafe) via Southall Rail Centre. Controls at Burnham Beeches and Southall. Start by Fat Controller whistle in tophat at Woody Bay (beach) Station. http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-601/#more For a limited time only, rides qualify for the AC Hackney medal http://audaxclubhackney.co.uk/events/steam-ride/ Tim Sollesse info@steamride.co.uk
Mille Cymru 2: 29-30th June 2014
After an exciting 1st year at AC Hackney, coming a close 4th in the Club points table for the 2013 season. To commemorate this fantastic achievement, it’s only fitting to repay the hospitality we’ve received, with an equally exciting offering. The 1st edition of the London-Oxford-London (LOL) Special, a 200km Audax from London to Oxford and back, visiting along the way the well known Steam venues, including Didcot, Buckinghamshire, Southall, Chinnor & Princes Risborough, Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Centres. The route is sure to be favourite of Audax UK members and (we reckon) is just about the best new 200km round route between London and Oxford there is. About the Route The ride starts in Ruislip, on the beach by the Lido outside the Ruislip Lido Railway Woody Bay station www.ruisliplidorailway.org and threads its way northwest out of London through rolling woody countryside, over a rail-crossing, through Eythrope park, past Buckinghamshire Railway Centre http://www.bucksrailcentre.org to the first refreshment control at Quainton (55km) for elevenses. Then continues west to Oxford (90km) for lunchtime control and turns southwards through Abingdon and alongside the Thames to Didcot (112km) http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk for second lunchtime control. The route then turns east for the return via Wallingford past http:// www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com to the third refreshment control at Chinnor (150km) and past www.chinnorrailway.co.uk for afternoon tea before the big climb of the day into the Chilterns. Here a choice of awaits: either a fast wide well-lit run along the A40 or second climb into the Chilterns via Burnham Beeches before the only info control at Southall http://www.gwrpg.co.uk/ and the final run to the finishing control at the Water’s Edge, Ruislip Lido (205km). We use quiet B-roads and country lanes where possible but expect to find some gravel on paths and some motor traffic on roads. The route is reasonably challenging but by no means a grimpeur. The major landfall is, of course, Oxford but we also cross the Thames again at Wallingford, Abingdon and Clifton Hampden. After the Chilterns, fast quiet B-roads provide an opportunity for you to stretch your legs (and your lungs). Give it a blast, ride to all the South east’s Steam Train venues and to Oxford and back in 1 ride - if you weren’t a Steam enthusiast at the beginning of the ride, your sure to return one. http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-599/#more Or try 1 if our 50 km or 100 km events... Steam Ride: Quainton Express: Quainton Express, fast (no controls) undulating course to Quainton Memorial Hall for a WI tea. Alternate Quainton Control, receipt proof of visit required: http://www.bucksrailcentre.org http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-598/#more www.aukweb.net
4 years on, the dragon is stirring once more in Cymru and the time has come for the fellowship to reunite. The Mille Cymru returns… 1000km, 75hours, 15,000m of climbing - an epic quest across Wales’ ancient land of myths and legends. We retain the same start, from Upton Magna just outside Shrewsbury but there’s a more civilised start time of 11:30am for a 260km first day through the Welsh Marches to Hay-on-Wye, over the Gospel Pass and on to Monmouth and the Wye Valley. Through Abergavenny, Brecon, and over the Eppynt to your first sleep stop at Llanwrtyd Wells. Day 2 will take you out to seek spiritual salvation at St David’s on the furthest tip of wild West Wales before returning to Llanwrtyd. Having warmed you up, Day 3 takes in the highlights of the Cambrian Mountains including the Devil’s Staircase, Elan Valley and the Dylife mountain road before heading up the coast to Snowdonia. Over Pen y Pass and down to Bangor for a final sleep stop. But you’re not finished yet. There’s the final leg across Snowdonia to Bala, then the last major climb of the Bwlch y Groes to Lake Vyrnwy. And finally the return to The Shire. This will be a full value event, with food at start, finish and overnight controls included, plus 3 sleep stops (with showers) and bag drops to Llanwrtyd Wells at 260km and 570km. There’ll also be an event jersey and free finishers medal. Entries open on 1st March. “One ride to rule them all, one ride to find them. One ride to bring them all, and in the green hills bind them. In the land of Cymru, where the dragons lie.” Croeso y Mille Cymru U.N.Dulates
Round Britain’s Coast 5000 km Challenge Information can be provided to help you do this in one go or in several slices using AUK’s DIY services. Building on the work of Bernard Mawson and Peter Coulson, details available from Don Black, 18 Cotton Mills Drive, Hyde, SK14 4TS, black898@btinternet.com. Summary at:
http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/donmblack/RoundBritainsCoast.
Denmead SR Series 200 km Saturday 22nd March 2014 This late winter 200k is no longer a shoestring, we have on line entry and a nice warm hall at the start and finish with soup & a roll (included in the entry fee) to warm you up. The route goes through the Hampshire & Wilshire country lanes to Wilton, the home of Wilton carpets. The factory is now a shopping complex with numerous cafes. We then go via Amesbury to the Vale of Pewsey before returning to Denmead via Whitchurch and the chocolate box thatched cottages of Hampshire. The countryside is rolling and riders who have ridden in the past have enjoyed the route, so why not come to the sunny(!) south and give it a try. Pam & Dave Pilbeam Arrivée February 2014 No. 123
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