Happy New Year, and plans for 2024

[PaulB2]

My plans are all contingent on the first one which I've got almost no control of:

Get the health issues that derailed most of last years plans sorted.
WRT - I need to plan my route and kit better this time.
TBA - i've got 3 days pencilled in for June for a trip somewhere - Traws Eryri is tempting but I'll really have to work on my climbing.
Walking - working on a plan for a 4 day walking holiday around the Pembrokeshire coast in September.
Running - start trail running again and if time allows get back to marathon training.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Yes, HNY or at least dry(ish) to all.

I have a simple aspiration this year, yet maybe it's the grandest of all ... I hope to rediscover the simple pleasure of messing about on bikes with your friends. That's it, I'll be happy.

[yourguitarhero]

Have just arranged a long weekend of trail centre riding/staying in a cottage in Dumfries and Galloway with a few pals in March.
A good motivation to work on my fitness!

[Boab]

BAM, WRT, Jenn Ride, Lakeland 200, NYM300, BB300, maybe something like the Big Bear if I can swing the time off. I'd also like to do some riding in Scotland for a change, maybe in Dumfries and Galloway.

[RIP]

I hope to rediscover the simple pleasure of messing about on bikes with your friends. That's it, I'll be happy.

Amen (or whatever the secular equivalent is) to that . Any thoughts how to ease back into it? Or maybe a big bang (ooer) approach?. Got a little WE scheme going with Frog, Ragged and Pete(s) if you can dump tea/toast making duties onto a helpful deputy . It'll probably all go mammaries vertical but maybe that's the point .

[Valerio]

Happy New Year!

2023 was pretty good cycling-wise so it'll be hard for 2024 to match it, but the potential is there.

The only firm plans are:
- Tor Divide (Peak District, see more info below) - aiming for everyone to have a good time
- 20K Ultratrail (italian/French alps) - aiming to finish/survive

There's a long list of event I'd like to sign up to but probably won't as the 20K Ultra fee and travelling expenses have put me in debt already haha. I do have a wishlist that revolves around holidays, cash and making sure my wife doesn't divorce me:
- Jennride and/or overnighter in the Lakes
- Lakeland200
- Trawsfynydd Eryri
- More involvement with the local bikepacking/cycling scene
- BB200

If I hit at least one of the goals on the wishlist I'd be pretty happy.

[Bearbonesnorm]

20K Ultra fee

As in 'twenty thousand pounds?'

[redefined_cycles]

20K Ultra fee

As in 'twenty thousand pounds?'

That's a lot of money. But then again maybe Valerio means 200k cos if you look at the paragraph before he describes a 20k as an ultra in Italy Alps. Maybe he meant 2000k there.

Dunno. 20k though, alot of money... even 2k (most likely the accurate speeling) is still alot

[PaulB2]

I assumed it was 20km

[RIP]

Never understood this 5k, 10k, whateverk. "5k" to me just means "5000". Without a measurement unit being appended, eg. "m" for metres or "g" for grammes, it's just a meaningless number. So 5 kilometres is "5km". As indeed is "5k metres".

And 3.107 miles or 6.214 miles is far easier to picture in your head anyway . And less confusing if the above posts are anything to go by .

Pedantically, I suppose one could say "the 20K Ultra's fee and travelling expenses" which one would hope are far less than £20,000 .

Reg "Old Fart" Perrin

[psling]

Well, I just saw the word ultra and my head exploded....


Fair dos to Valerio, one way or another we've given them some stick since they 'came aboard ' but they've handled themselves with aplomb

[jameso]

The 20K ultratrail was born.

The track is constantly evolving but some highlights tend to be there

Strada dell’Assietta
Colle delle Finestre
Gardetta Plateau
Via del Sale

A familiar route. You could've done the TNR and saved yourself £250 ; )

[RIP]

Well, I just saw the word ultra and my head exploded....

Fair dos to Valerio, one way or another we've given them some stick since they 'came aboard ' but they've handled themselves with aplomb

I just knew yours would be the next post Peter . It's been around a while though. "The earliest known use of the word ultra is in the 1810s. OED's earliest evidence for ultra is from 1817, in the writing of Sydney Morgan, novelist and socialite". Surely the earliest use was/is Latin? Also "Ultra was the code name used by British codebreakers during World War 2 for decrypted information gained from the enemy". So there we go .

Yep good old Valerio has passed the initiation ceremony with flying colours .

Er, exactly what sort of handling is being done with the plum by the way?

[Kuman]

So far plans are

Traws Eryri in April
Tor Divide in May
Scotland (probably Badger Divide) in June
South Downs + Easbourne to London in July

[frogatthefarriers]

It's almost to late to post WE coz that’ll be done in a few days.

WRT.

And an OT tick-off of the bucket list….. the Great Glen Canoe Trail. This with my daughter, two sons and at least one grandson.

[Richpips]

I booked flights last year for 10 days in the Alps in June with Tom. The plan is to ride the TMB + something else whilst we are out there.

I would like to do something in Spain late in the year also.

[Verena]

More regular 2 night trips from my door into Wales would be good, around the Brecons and Black Mountains.
Riding to Eurobike again if I can swing it as a work product test trip (it would be, honest). The new venue is in Frankfurt which isn't as nice as Friedrichshafen as a destination but the ride along the France-Belgium border area and through the Vosges appeals.
Ride to the Alps in the summer, or maybe a ferry and Spain / Pyrenees.
I wanted to do the Bryan Chapman route as a from-the-door permanent/solo in 2023 but a discomfort issue was still nagging at me last year and taking my riding ambitions down a notch. Maybe this year as Eurobike ride prep.
Any recommendations for 300 and 400 audax routes in Wales, ideally that start near the Severn bridge or in the S Wales area, are welcome. I rode the 4 Across (LWL) route when I lived in the SE and enjoyed that (well, apart from returning to the SE )
Happy new year and happy planning

Hi, have you checked out all the Cambrian Series permanent audax routes?

Re Frankfurt, I know of a couple of 300km gravel routes round there if you're interested, one sounds like a really fun one all on lesser know gravelly bits in the urban area, the other more in the nearby hills.

[Verena]

Sorry to read that Loki. Could you get out on foot with bivi kit? I've been thinking of doing a hiker bivi recently, should have added it to the list here. Since we all have the gear I wonder how often many of us get out on foot rather than the bike.

Thanks Dyffers and Psling. Mark Rigby is someone I know of, my first and only 600 so far was the TINAT (stands for Trial by Fire I think!) and I met him briefly there. Hadn't realised he was fairly local though.

Yes me too, there's a gorgeous spot above Cwm Gwdi that I keep seeing when I pass and think, would love to spend another night, or a few, up there. I did try in the autumn didn't I, but got lost and crag fast and "slept" clinging onto a steep hillside in some deep bracken

[Verena]

Sorry to read that Loki. Could you get out on foot with bivi kit? I've been thinking of doing a hiker bivi recently, should have added it to the list here.

I wish that was the case, walking is the problem I have, being on a bike is actually easier for me, I have learned that you don't recover from a brain tumour, you learn to live with a new version of yourself, I doubt I will be able to bang out a century in a day again with ease but I will be able to enjoy what I do, just a case of getting bast the hard stages at the beginning of the journey.

Wishing you all the best with finding new ways to do things that make you feel good, less can be more!

Actually that reminds me of a little alpkit winter webinar I listened to the other day, with Alistair Humphreys and his book sounds really interesting https://alastairhumphreys.com/local/

[Verena]

Yes, HNY or at least dry(ish) to all.

I have a simple aspiration this year, yet maybe it's the grandest of all ... I hope to rediscover the simple pleasure of messing about on bikes with your friends. That's it, I'll be happy.

Sounds grand that

[Verena]

Gosh I only thought to log on quickly and check what's occurring, before this weekend's delights...and now the dogs are crossing their legs, looking at me trying to tell me they are about to starve, and I'll be late for work!!!

Some great thoughts and plans there for the year, and such a good variety of goals big and small, I love this place!

Me, another year of BAM
Going to try for Randonneur around the Year
Super Randonneur (including Brevet Cymru which unfortunately falls on WRT weekend)
Ride one of my bikes to my parents (near Frankfurt!) and dump it on them.
West Kernow Way.
Some bikepacking in the Pyrenees

[RIP]

Super Randonneur (including Brevet Cymru which unfortunately falls on WRT weekend)

Nooo-o-o! "You know what you need to do" .

[jameso]

I wish that was the case, walking is the problem I have, being on a bike is actually easier for me, I have learned that you don't recover from a brain tumour, you learn to live with a new version of yourself, I doubt I will be able to bang out a century in a day again with ease but I will be able to enjoy what I do

Good to know it's not taken cycling from you, still think it's the finest way to get out and about.

Hi, have you checked out all the Cambrian Series permanent audax routes?

Re Frankfurt, I know of a couple of 300km gravel routes round there if you're interested, one sounds like a really fun one all on lesser know gravelly bits in the urban area, the other more in the nearby hills.

I haven't, but I will, thanks - I'm not a member of Audax UK so not too familiar with the scene. Maybe this year I should join and participate more.
About Frankfurt area, it'll be a case of getting there in relatively short time so I'll be on road but breaking up the route with some off-road sections is always good. Thanks!

Ride one of my bikes to my parents (near Frankfurt!)

Brilliant! Compare route ideas and notes?

[Verena]

About Frankfurt area, it'll be a case of getting there in relatively short time so I'll be on road but breaking up the route with some off-road sections is always good. Thanks!

Ride one of my bikes to my parents (near Frankfurt!)

Brilliant! Compare route ideas and notes?

DM me anytime

[pete68]

Badger Divide in April
Santander to roscoff roadie trip in may
Gravel rally in May
Smoke ring July
Mountains of merfynion in September
Maybe a BB200....