Ride Report: Rivers, Lochs and Glens Audax from Gourock (Sunday 13th April)

I’ve never done a ride report before… Anyway, I’ve got quite into these ‘Audax’ events – road riding events between 100 and 1400km.  Like a sportive, but much cheaper, no feed stations, from a village hall, and with less MAMILs.  Gerry, Simon and I rode one the previous week in the borders.  Gerry wasn’t up for this one, and Simon (a veteran of such events) was planning to…

Waking up on Sunday morning, the wind was howling. Great.  But at least it was dry as I got into the car.  As I drove off, I replaced Radio 4 and Radio Scotland’s religious output with some music.  But what is the music for Audax?  I tried DFA 1979 – but it just wasn’t right – more enduro I reckon… Mogwai – now that’s Audax music.  After a while, I switched back to the radio.  Just in time for the Audax Forecast.  Here is the transcript, word for word….

The audax forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of Audax Ecosse, on Sunday 3th of April 2014 at 0730 UTC

The General synopsis at 0800

Rain, headwind, rain, headwind and rain all the time whilst the ‘Rivers, Lochs and Glens 200km Audax is underway.

The area forecasts for the next 12 hours. 

Kirkintilloch

Bed warm, audax cold, spewed last week, backing out.  Mr Simpson loosing identity as hard-man auxdaxer by DNSing. 😉

Gourock

Westerly 5 or 6, tailwind. Good. Riders spreading out.  Pace moderate.

Dumbarton

Headwind 9 or 10. Lack of mudguards, face wet. Feet wet, becoming blocks of ice later.

Glen Fruin

Headwind 9 or 10.  Fingers out, pace increasing. Good. Clothes soggy. Poor.

Dogger(ing)

n/a: Not Mugdock.

Rest and Be Thankful

Headwind 9 or 10 increasing 11 or 12. Traffic lights. Group separated, but taking turns. Good. Legs becoming tired for a time before cafe stop.

Loch Restil

Tailwind 1 or 2 before side wind at bridge 11 or 12.  Almost blown off, nearly died. Poor. Feet baltic. Poor.

Strachur

Cafe stop.  Hospitality moderate becoming poor when asking to close door. Soup and roll. Good. Rain becoming heavy. Uplifting.

Otter Ferry to Ardlamont

Headwind, becoming sidewind, becoming headwind (etc. etc.) gale force becoming gale force +1.  Poor becoming grim. Heavy rain. Cold. Wet.  Feet warm. Good. Hills becoming steep.  Puncture. Friendly group becoming rat-bastards by carrying on. Bastards. ( 😉 )

Ardlamont to Tighnabruaich

Lonely becoming therapeutic. Sartre.  Mogwai. Good.

River Reul, Loch Tarsan and Dunoon

Rain heavy becoming torrential. Refreshing.  Tailwind 5 or 6, becoming sidewind, becoming omni wind 7 or 8.  Everything wet. Caring 0 or 1.

Gourock

Sandwiches becoming cake. 5 or 6 of each. Needed. Tired becoming knackered later.

 

This is what it was like (in my head)

 

Despite the rain, Audax is immense – everyone should have a go.

Strava: http://www.strava.com/activities/129962256