BB300

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sean_iow
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BB300

Post by sean_iow »

When the BB300 was first announced I was quite excited about the prospect of a 300km ride. With the exceptional weather we've been having this year it sounded like it would be a fun ride round the dusty and fast flowing trails. As the date got closer the enormity of that would actually be required started to sink in.... when the forecast for the weekend became storm Calum the excitement became more trepidation but having already booked somewhere to stay the night before and the ferry to get there it was too late to back out, plus we're boners and made of tougher stuff :smile:

I'll try not to produce a complete blow by blow account, I'm not sure I can remember all the details anyway, but apologies if I ramble on :roll:

An early start to make the most of the daylight saw me set off at 07:13, a minute or so behind Karl. The first road section was ok, even the climb. I'd upped the gearing on the singlespeed since last year and that and the bigger wheels of the new bike meant the gearing was 10% higher than last year, but still manageable. At the top of the first road climb and then off road up the grassy slope and the weather wasn't too bad, a bit of rain and not too much wind, perhaps the forecast was exaggerating it... as I crested the hill I had the sudden realisation that if the wind is blowing from the south and you start the ride on the northern side of a massive hill you're being sheltered :o The rain and wind hit me full force and it became apparent that this was going to be a long 300km! I'd caught Karl and we descended together and I arrived at the first 'ford' just behind him. We'd already been advised by Stu that diverting round this was acceptable as the bridge was missing. We stopped to look in disbelief at the white water rushing past and then looked at the mapping to find our way round.

Having diverted round this and re-joined the route the next major obstacle was the water crossing at Hyddgen. Having made it across the bog to the bridge myself and Karl then looked at the ford, then at each other, then at the ford again. We both had goes at edging out into the water but turned back. I was less than halfway across when I could feel the force of the water pulling my feet from under me. With no obvious other solution we headed upstream to find a spot where it would hopefully be safer to cross. This required half a mile of dragging/pushing/carrying the bike up a grassy tussocky hill until eventually the torrent was narrow enough to get over. A handy track took us back down the other side and we rejoined the route just as some other riders came along who had obviously made it across the water. The diversion round had added an extra mile and 360ft of climbing but for me it was the right decision. Maybe they are braver than me, or perhaps heavier?

With more company our group had now swelled to 7 riders I think and we rode and chatted as best we could in the conditions. Talk mainly of how bad the weather was. Mike started talking about coffee at the garage at Ponterwyd. I had originally intended not to stop at any supply points and carry all I needed but as I was getting wetter I gave in and joined them for a hot chocolate and warm pastry slice. By now the effort of battling into the wind and rain was starting to take it out of me and I was beginning to feel nauseous. A brief discussion of the waterproof qualities of each others kit - or not as was the case for most, and it was back into the weather.

It was now just a matter of grin and bear it as we rode on. I tried not to think about how far was left to go as this would have been overwhelming. The roads were no better than the tracks with the water coming up over my bottom bracket at times. Still not eating enough I was struggling to keep peddling and also starting to get cold.

I remembered one long road climb from last year. Then I was spinning along chatting to Ian Fitz, this year every metre climbed was a struggle. Along the valley further up the headwind was so strong that on the singlepeed I could only just turn the peddles and thought I was going to have to get off and push on the flat :sad:

By now I was on my own but as I got to the toilets I spotted some other bikes and Mike and Steve and 2 others? (sorry i'm terrible with names) had stopped to shelter. I did the same, added an extra later and changed my sodden waterproof shorts for full length trousers. Karl arrived just after me and also added some more clothes. Off again and I did think that the tracks would be lovely in better weather and made a mental note to return. It was soon dark and I was on my own again.

At the bottom of a descent on a good track I reached a gate with a 'Private No Right of Way' sign. A look at the garmin showed the route tuned off to the right back up the track but I'd not seen anything. These locations always seem to arrive after it's got dark when it's hardest to work out where to go :lol: I pushed back up the track and scanned the area for clues as to the route. As I stood there stumped I saw a light approaching. When the rider arrived I saw it was RG, he's caught me up on a hard to navigate section last year as well. With the correct route found we rode on and soon decided that the short diversion off route to the Gregs would be worth it. Upon arrival the Gregs was shut but the attached petrol station shop was open. I bought some chocolate hoping I'd be able so stomach this and also a banana milkshake which I stashed in my frame bag for the next morning as a treat for breakfast :smile:

When I'd last seen Mike and Steve and the 2 others at the toilets they were talking of getting to the pub at Newbridge-on-Wye for food. As we got there we spotted the bikes outside and the 4 of them were just on desert. They enquired if we were stopping but I said I didn't have time to hang around :wink: I still wasn't hungry anyway so I could keep forcing the food I had in and no need to buy more. Apparently the pub wasn't serving food but somehow they had charmed the Landlady into cooking for them? The locals were interested in what we were up to and somewhat agog at the concept of riding that far in any weather let alone a storm. I said I was riding through the night, the others I think had decided they would stop and bivi. I had always intended to ride straight through from when the event was first announced and was going to stick to my plan. I had enough kit for an uncomfortable night out if I had to stop for any reason, but not enough to want to stop.

On into the dark with RG, much of it a blur now. As I don't know the area at all once it gets dark it's just either road of off road to me, I could be anywhere but as long as I'm on the purple line on the screen that's ok :lol: RG got a puncture, riding down a grass field? So I waited with him whilst he plugged it and we rode on. We stopped at a bench by a church. I still couldn't really eat and thought I might do better if I wasn't riding at the same time as eating. RG checked the church as a potential bivi spot but the door was locked. It said 'Welcome' over the door but that obviously doesn't include cold and wet bikepackers :grin:

Stopping outside the closed co-op at Knighton the tyre was still loosing air and needed topping up. We also filled our bottles up from a tap conveniently located on the outside of the locked toilets just up the road. I managed to get all my water for the ride from taps and didn't have to use my filter which was handy, although there was no shortage of water if I'd needed to :lol:

We didn't get much further when RG had to stop again for his tyre. It seemed the plug wasn't airtight :sad: He said I should ride on. I was grateful for this as I was getting cold. It's always difficult in these situations. On the one hand you don't want to abandon someone with an issue but on the other hand there wasn't anything I could do to help other than just watch him fix it and get cold. As I rode off I shouted back that he could always do what he did last year and just keep pumping it up, sorry Richard what probably cursed it as that's what he had to do for hours as the tube he fitted failed :oops:

Eventually I saw the first glimpses of light on the horizon and knew morning was on it's way. Once it gets light I find I pick up considerably which would be good as by now I felt I was crawling along. I would get to a climb and have to get off to push only for to end up shuffling along at a snails pace. Previously I could still walk at a reasonable pace on the hills but now I was reduced to a pathetic pace but I was still moving. My stomach was still in a mess and I was barley eating. I was only still moving by will-power and stubbornness alone. I would occasionally notice my "Try not to be a wimp son" stem cap and this seemed to help. (It''s a phrase my late father used to say to me - part in jest I hope, if I complained about hardship, like cutting fire wood in the rain) As it got lighter my pace seemed to pick up and I started to feel a bit better and started to eat more. I had my milkshake which seem to settle my stomach a bit, perhaps I should have tried that 12 hours previously #-O

On the Kerry Ridgeway I spotted a feather someone had picked up and stuck in the wire at a gate, something else my late father used to do. I'm not ashamed to say that having been going for so long and with the level of fatigue I was at that this brought a tear to the eye :cry: The miles were counting down and I could now allow myself to think of the finish, but perhaps this was a bit too soon :smile: Up over the windfarm were I met some of the BB200 riders. They had climbed up the way I was descending, rather them than me :lol:

Javi caught me on the road to Hafren with tales of tyre woe and urban bivi. I had thought at one point I was first on the road but had then dismissed this as there was a single set of tyre tracks ahead of me. I had assumed this was Javi as he's a much stronger and faster rider than me. He asked if it was ok to ride with me to the finish? Although I felt the honour was mine to get to ride with him. I was glad of the company. When I asked how far he thought it was to the finish he said 'about 3 hours' which was about 2 hours more than I'd been hoping for :lol: We chatted about all sorts, including using bin bags as layers under waterproofs to increase the warmth :grin:

As I now had company, as that company was the legendary singlespeeder I had to dig deep and ride the climbs, on my own I would have been tempted to get off and push. Once we made it to the tarmac there was only road back to the community centre. I think of this road as being downhill all the way but it clearly isn't. Perhaps on the way out you don't notice the descents as you're so fresh and excited about the ride ahead, on the way back these are climbs, but they eventually finish and the chain link fence comes into view and the finish. I had one last burst of speed to the gate and it was over. Jane was waiting for me and had seen this, she didn't realise Javi had scratched and thought I was being most unsporting to drop him in the last 50 metres. as if I would or even could :lol:

Then all of a sudden there were people congratulating me :smile: This was a bit overwhelming and not something I'm used to. When I finished the HT550 there was no-one there and by the time I did see someone I'd had a chance to catch my thoughts and decompress a bit. Now I had just stopped and there were people all around. I saved my ride on the garmin, asked if Stu had my time and then enquired about other finishers? I sort of knew I was first back but I needed to hear it form someone else just to be sure.So that was it, I make it a total time of 31 hours 19 minutes, my garmin said 195 miles and 28,145 ft of climbing. It's also a new PB for me for my longest ride, previous best of 29 hours.

All that remained was breakfast and chatting to those who were already back. Karl had scratched :sad: but had come down to the finish to congratulate me, and he had his van which saved me a 3 mile ride uphill to where we were staying :smile: I would have waited for the others to get back but that would be some time :wink: and the lure of a hot bath and all the food we had back at the holiday let was too much :grin:

What makes this so hard is that due to the time of year it's dark for a long time, 13 hours+? So riding through the night is a big commitment. In Scotland in May, and with the full moon, it never rally got dark and what dark there is only lasts for 4 or so hours, once the sun comes up it's the next day and all thoughts of sleep disappear. I didn't go to bed until gone 10pm that night and that was only because it was bedtime rather than feeling tired, so in the end I was up for over 41 hours, I wonder if I could ride through 2 nights straight? BB400 next year anyone? :lol:

Thanks obviously to Stu and Dee for all their hard work and giving me the opportunity to push myself that far. The combination of the weather and my unsettled stomach made that the hardest ride I've ever done, but then whatever distance you enter and how you get on, isn't the opportunity to push yourself outside your comfort zone one of the attractions of this event :smile:

Well done to anyone who set out on Saturday morning, just starting in that weather was an achievement, and thanks to Stu for having faith that we'd all make the right decisions and make it back safe. Same time next year... but perhaps a bit dryer if that could be arranged.

For the geeks, my kit :geek:

Bike, Salsa Selma ti 29er, rigid carbon fork, singlespeed with 34/20 ratio. Jones loops and Brooks C15 saddle. I had Michelin Force AM Competition tyres 2.35 front and 2.25 rear set up tubeless and had no issues. Stans Arch Mk3 rims with a SON front dyno hub and Hope Pro 2 Evo Rear.

I carried an Adventure Medical Kits Emergency Bivi, Cumulus 150 quilt, lightweight Berghaus synthetic jacket and Klymit Inertia X Lite 3/4 mat in the bar harness.

I had Alpkit waterproof? jacket and trousers. BB long sleeve jersey, short sleeved base layer, Crikey, how much brevet bibs, castelli knee warmers, Discent 133 (waterproof for 3 hours) gloves with silk liners. I also took some 100% Brisker gloves which I put on once the Descent's were saturated and the rain had eased.

I had an Exposure Revo on the bars and a joystick on my helmet. A half frame bag with food and I did take a gas stove and some supernoodles but the weather and my stomach meant I didn't cook them.

I used a rucksack for the first time (which reduced the weight of the bike for the HAB - HT550 kit test :wink: ) and in this I had first aid kit, spare batteries for the garmin etex, spare gloves, some food and my windproof. The etrex lasted over 30 hours on the first set of rechargeables.

I also carried a lezyne tubeless plug kit, some stans fluid, lezye pump, 2 spare tubes, lezyne multitool and my spares kit with chain links, spare brake pads, patches, tyre levers, needle and dental floss etc. but din't need any of it. I had some wet-lube for the chain but didn't bother and relied on the standing water for lubrication :lol: The chain was spotlessly clean at the end.

I was quite wet at times but it's hard to say it that was sweat, rain being driven down the neck of the waterproof or if it was leaking. I don't think there is anything I would change about my kit. I would take more gels next time as strangely I could eat these despite my upset stomach? I only had 3 with me and 2 were banana and one citrus so they aren't too sweet and there's quite a calorie boost without needing to chew.

Having just read this back it's quite a ramble -apologies, you've done well to get this far.
Adventure without risk is Disneyland - Bikemonger
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Mike
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Re: BB300

Post by Mike »

:-bd nice one sean. Made for a good read. Have you also watched the flybys back on strava it makes for good viewing :wink:
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: BB300

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

... and here's the man himself with a very unusual hat on.

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psling
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Re: BB300

Post by psling »

Huh! Blue skies and not a puddle to be seen... :roll:
Plus, what is that attached to the seat tube just above the rear tyre..? :grin:

Joking aside, great write-up there; not rambling at all. For us armchair riders it's great to immerse ourselves into the reality of these achievements, getting a sense of what is involved by reading about them like this :-bd
We go out into the hills to lose ourselves, not to get lost. You are only lost if you need to be somewhere else and if you really need to be somewhere else then you're probably in the wrong place to begin with.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: BB300

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

what is that attached to the seat tube just above the rear tyre..?
Spare tyre. 300km is a long way and you never know. :-bd
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RIP
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Re: BB300

Post by RIP »

"Spare tyre" - :lol:

Definitely not rambling Sean - damn good read. Really brought it all to life, felt like I was there with you. But sort of glad I wasn't really :wink:.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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sean_iow
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Re: BB300

Post by sean_iow »

Cheers guys, makes it worth the effort writing it up.

It's funny how when I was trying to recollect the ride I had to look at the map to keep it in the right chronological order. I'm lucky I guess that even when I'm struggling I can just put my head down and keep slogging away. The not needing to sleep also helps :grin:

As for the hat... without it the glare from the sun reflecting off my head world be dazzling :lol: typical that the sun came out as I finished the ride :roll:
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whitestone
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Re: BB300

Post by whitestone »

Well done Sean. You looked remarkably fresh at the finish :-bd Having got soaked in the first 60km I suppose it made sense to keep moving to avoid getting cold, it was definitely the limiting factor on my stops.

Any hallucinations, making random shapes in the landscape into bunnies with rocket launcher or men packing suitcases? (Trust me, I've been there, it's weird. Not the bunnies)
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sean_iow
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Re: BB300

Post by sean_iow »

whitestone wrote:Any hallucinations, making random shapes in the landscape into bunnies with rocket launcher or men packing suitcases? (Trust me, I've been there, it's weird. Not the bunnies)
I genuinely don't got to that state of tiredness, well not yet. My physical body is tired but my mind seems to still keep functioning, well as good as it does normally :smile:

I do see things that are not there but that happens all the time anyway. On my usual running loop there was a small tree that looked like someone walking a dog, it took me 6 weeks of passing it getting ready to say hi before I would remember it was just a tree :lol:
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In Reverse
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Re: BB300

Post by In Reverse »

Enjoyed reading that Sean, cheers for posting. :-bd
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Richard G
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Re: BB300

Post by Richard G »

Was good riding with you again buddy... we seem to be making a habit of it.

I'm putting in some serious time / research / testing into tyre plugs because I can't deal with another ride involving multiple hours of pumping. This one nearly broke me.
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Re: BB300

Post by slarge »

Good write up Sean, and a cracking ride!

The other 2 riders were Alan Sheldon, a rather well known MTB orienteer and Polaris competitor, and his mate Tom.
postierich
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Re: BB300

Post by postierich »

Nice one Sean one year I will get there
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Re: BB300

Post by redefined_cycles »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:18 pm ... and here's the man himself with a very unusual hat on.

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Wow... the coveted orange badge...
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