Stupid Bike Ride

[Julian Brown]

As you can probably work out from the title, not really fellrunning as such, but Phil Hodgson of Todmorden Harriers (who some of you may know from long distance jaunts), has done a write up (for the stupid bike rides magazine, though it's not actually called that) of this summer's pedal. http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com

http://mh.k313.com/mh/fell/stupid%20bike%20ride%201.pdf

For the true insomniacs here's an even more blow by blow account and some statistics which are too complicated for me ..
http://mh.k313.com/mh/fell/stupid%20bike%20ride%202.pdf
http://mh.k313.com/mh/fell/stupid%20bike%20ride%203.pdf

Phil mentions the Paris Brest Paris ride which is held every 4 years and next takes place in 2015. I pootled round with 5000 otters in 2011, and despite being a rubbish cyclist (no, really) managed it without too many problems, and would recommend it, if only for the atmosphere and support on the way round which was second to none. If anyone out there might be interested (twenty odd months to train!) let me know, it'd be a fun way for a gang of us to spend a week I'm sure.

[Colin Ardron]

Clearly the otters in France are a veritable clever bunch of mustelids - they can add cycling to their swimming prowess.

[Brian J]

A mere weasel word, or perhaps (á la 'Allo 'Allo) how the locals pronounce "other" on the Paris-Brest jaunt.

[Julian Brown]

Didn't actually see any otters but - I kid you not - both of these got round the ride, a fair bit faster than me too. It has something of a reputation for 'eccentricity'.

http://mh.k313.com/mh/fell/dog6.bmp

[Digby]

Jules - I'm potentially interested in Paris-Brest-Paris. I'm sure Messrs Nelson, Hughes and Watts might be too.

[Julian Brown]

For those who might be interested, more info here... something to mull over for the next 18 months.

Last time they set a 'nominal' limit of 6000 riders but in the event got only 5300 or so (no it's not a mass start, groups of a few hundred.
Next time, though, it could be full.
You can pretty much guarantee yourself a place by riding an Audax ride this year, as this allows you to enter earlier, how early depends on how long the ride is !

Shout if any queries, or if you fancy a long slow pootle on 2 wheels round some cafes once the ice has gone.

http://www.saint-quentin-en-yvelines.fr/fileadmin/portail/MEDIA/Actualites/Sport/2014_01/PLAQUETTE-PBP-2015.pdf

[Peter Redhead]

I am more than interested and might even sign up were we to have wifi in a pub late one evening ....

[Julian Brown]

I did in fact manage to start, and much to my surprise complete (again) the stupid bike ride.

No-one else from Macc H took part, but there were a few Macc Wheelers, and folk with a fellrunning background amongst the 5000 or so participants.

Many folk with much greater talent than me took pictures and wrote a few words about the event, one of the better writeups is here should you be at all interested.

http://stories.strava.com/parisbrestparis

[Mandy]

Another amazing achievement Jules. Well done!

This makes ultra running look quite normal! Falling asleep on a bike seems a very risky business.

Could never contemplate this madness myself, but maybe I should try and get my bike fettld and have a pootle out in the Peak District this Autumn!

[Hazel]

Amazing achievement. It's made me quite tired reading about it. I think I'll leave my bike in the shed!