Message for Spin and BB:
I must be going up in the world, being mentioned in the same post as The Spin Doctor.
I could quite fancy having go myself - day section only for starters, though
Very sensible. Now why didn't I do that? Oh yes, I wanted my money's worth.
Any tips you old stagers could impart?
Not so much of the old, you young whippersnapper.
Wimps can do the day run only, marathon men (ie, BMW tourers) can do the full monty (24 hours)
Or anyone who takes a sensible approach to long hours in the saddle and has a reliable and comfortable machine. OK, I admit I did it on a boxer twin, so the similarity with Beemers is evident.
Entry fee is £20 per bike plus £9 special insurance premium to cover the competitive road sections. No competition licence required. You need a torch and a pen that will keep on writing in a monsoon.
I don't know anything about an insurance premium for competitive road sections. The competition is in answering the questions at the manned checkpoints. Speed, time and distance are not an issue, except to get to the right places before they close.
Certificates for the winners, everlasting shame for the losers.
A rather nice plaque for every finisher last year. And total humiliation for anyone who finished after me.
Who's up for it, then?
My entry is already in.
Last year, I clocked about 600+ miles -
Me, too. Although the theory is about 500 miles I found the least I could do, assuming no wrong turns, was 546 miles. Unfortunately I got totally lost at Gurnos, having to resort to asking a very nice traffic policeman the way, and I must have ridden down every street in Aberystwyth before I found the TA Centre.
Tips? Don't rush... good maps are useful -
Plan your route as accurately as possible and stick to it. I know of two chaps on the English who never finished because they kept deviating from their route and ran out of time. Get as much information as you can about junctions and especially town streets, because this is where you will lose time if you have to stop and search, or go back to one you've missed. I make cards for each section between checkpoints, with arrows showing which way to go at each turn or roundabout, the distance travelled and the time I need to be there to finish before the deadline. With a top speed of about 45mph and an average in Wales of about 28, this is vital for me.
Assume that your average speed is going to be quite low because you need to allow time to get to the checkpoints on Welsh country lanes, find the answers to the clues, and for fuel and welfare stops. If you get ahead of schedule you can have a break somewhere. If you try to go too fast and fall behind time you risk getting stressed and could make mistakes, either by getting lost, thus making the time deficit worse, or having an accident. Did anyone mention, don't rush?
(
but I have sat nav this year )... don't rush... take a puncture repair kit (or a self tapper and a tube of rubber cement)... don't rush... spare bulbs and enough tools to change them...
The nearest I get to satellite navigation is steering by the stars, which is somewhat difficult during the day. I carry a workshop's amount of tools and spares, but I am more likely to need them than someone on a modern bike, and there is always a vital part of my equipment - a gallon can of petrol on the back rack, and a 1.5 litre bottle as reserve, but my tank only holds 7.1 litres, with no reserve.
Good waterproofs and the old heated vest are a good investment - it's a long, long ride and you will get cold if the weather is poor.
No-one makes a 6v heated waistcoat, but I have found that suitable thermal clothing can be adequate, especially if you keep the wind off with your, by now, soaking waterproofs. If you're tired you will feel cold.
It's a bloody good laugh...
It is when you see the expressions as I ride up.
at least till it p!sses down with rain at 3 in the morning...
Betws-Y-Coed?
I hit a wall at about 4:30 last time, and really was struggling to stay awake. Not good...
And.... no, not that kind of wall...
No, that was me, on the Scottish.
Everyone is entitled to my opinion.
