1st of October. Last month of the @audaxuk.bsky.social year. Currently 176.5 points…. 23.5 to go. It’s going to be be big October with 10x200km’s planned plus a couple of 50’s to top it up. Lots local but also some up north and one in Wales. Let’s Fucking Go

2 of 2) Saturday @geospizafortis.bsky.social, me and 28 others rode the 416km Asparagus and Strawberries @audaxuk.bsky.social Had lots of fun. As party pace as an Audax can be, including eating Chinese on a bus stop floor🤣 Great company, great weather for late sept, loved it… shockingly type 1 fun

1 of 2) Great weekend. On Friday I spent the day on the Paddle Steamer Waverley. I’ve been coming on since before I was born. Only one trip this year, but I’ll make up for that next year. It was a birthday treat and very nice to just spend the day relaxing. But I made up for that on Saturday

So today is my Fairlight Strael’s 4th birthday. In that 4 years I’ve ridden 48,500km (30,100miles). It’s is the best thing I have ever bought. Ever. So many Audax’s, my first Paris-Brest-Paris. I’ve laughed on this bike, and cried. I just feel at home on it. Here’s to many more adventures

#parkrun done. 👍 Good time and I finished 100th on my 50th. Nice course. Now to try and play catch up with ACME Tourdax Peleton 😳

It’s #parkrun day. It’s my 50th parkrun, it’s my first time at Ben’s Yard and I got here by bike. It’s gonna be a good day.

Great day 1 of the ACME Tourdax. 100km for Witham to Ely. Great company, loads of stops and great weather. I have a later start tomorrow as running Bens Yard #parkrun but then I have to play catch up and chase the group down and make up the 2hrs I’ll be starting late

Morning. Surprisingly mild out…. But the wind 💨💨💨

Mixed it up. Back on the Secan for (embarrassingly) the first time since the start of July. Changed a few things, 700c wheels (previously 650b) and new tyres, new mudguards, new bar tape. All ready for 3 days of Tourdax this weekend

Great Saturday riding the Essex R&R. 214km, 4 stops, 1 drenching, 11hrs elapsed. 05:00… now I go again on a 200km AAA diy @audaxuk.bsky.social

Breakfast time

First run in over a month. Don’t tell anyone but I actually enjoyed it. I’ve missed running. Not fast or far. But felt good to be running.

Today’s 200 (Fairies Autumn 200) felt hard. Surprisingly lumpy and a seeming head wind which direction we faced. Still got it done.

Back to the ‘uts at Ugley for today’s 200, Essex Lanes. I always find this one mentally hard as it’s 3 loops, giving plenty of chance to bail. Bad picture of a picture, but it’s the hut being built in 1958, originally there were 5 cycling club huts here

2x 200’s this weekend. 1st up Essex Lanes, slightly extended to grab a couple of veloviewer tiles on the way round. Sunday is a trip to Kent for Fairies Autumn 200. 😅😅

Another tweak reversed the Garmin mount so I could get the gps flatter and have a bit more room for the phone. Another test ride tomorrow

Pleasant couple of hours changing up my tri bar setup, moving the exposure light so I can use my restrap bag underneath. Moving the light meant moving the Garmin, which also meant moving the quad lock 🤦‍♂️ Still, happy with the new set up, should make the Garmin easier to see. Test ride in the morning

Last ride of a disappointing August yesterday. After the disappointment of LEL, a particular crappy month at work, yesterday’s 300 started with a Macca’s that was closed and a puncture and ended up with a 100km block head wind and plenty of rain. Let’s hope September is better

Hmm hopefully solved. Traced back to the seat post, which when removed was showing signs of corrosion. Cleaned up and replaced and I can’t get it to click. Test ride round Birmingham tomorrow to test

I will solve this stupid clicking noise. Drastic measures

A DIY of the long standing Audax Meridian Hills today. Tough one, but Andrew and I managed to keep it up over 20km/hr 214km, 12hrs elapsed, 3500mtrs of elevation (3.5AAA points) Poxy ticking noise is still there though 🤬

Stuck another new BB on the Strael. I’ve got a really annoying click that I just can’t seem to cure. I’m not sure I needed a new bb, the one I took out has only done 12,000km and felt fine, but I’m clutching at straws. Hilly 200km Saturday should bed it in

Airbourne 200 yesterday. Felt quite ill for the 50+km so not a quick one. But I did enjoy seeing some of the Airshow at Eastbourne. Timing it just right to see the BBMF below me as I topped Beachy Head.

All set for tomorrow’s 200 Airbourne. Weather looks good, hopefully see some of the air display

Not had the best few days. Work has been shockingly bad, taking all my mental energy and I’m not sure I’m as over LEL as I thought I was. 200booked for tomorrow so hopefully I can move on. Writing borrowed from Jess Golding

The ACME lantern rouge peloton courtesy of the very talented Fergus Coyle it really captures the fun we had

Well this is ridiculously cool and funky www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

#parkrun done. Unsurprisingly I was not as rested as I thought I was and riding 1100km in 5 days does knock it out of you a bit. Went to Great Dunmow (49th parkrun) nice flatish 2 lap trail course. Then went to the Angle & Harp (used at the end of some local Audax’s) for breakfast. Knackered now

I had the best time riding back to Writtle with a small peloton of friends serendipitously acquired along the way ❤️ It wasn’t the LEL that any of us envisioned but it was enormous fun, a gift salvaged from a disappointing situation

Very disappointed not to make it to Edinburgh. I was going well. But it turned into a good week spent with friends riding my bike a long way. LEL volunteers were amazing the route nice (apart from the fens) and I got to meet Emily Chappell. Back in 2029 I guess. Little strava write up in the pics

Tomorrow I start my biggest ride todate (through storm Floris 🤬🤬) 1540km in less than 128hrs. z14 for control updates, or Owen through the map so you can dot watch me. I’ll probably only up date insta, and if I do please remind me I should be riding londonedinburghlondon.com/ridertracking

Harlow #parkrun done. Pleased with my time (29:17 official time). Now to go and register for LEL. Starting to get nervous now, slept badly, guts churning 😬😬

Bike ready for London Edinburgh London, not sure I am. As if riding 1540km in 5 days wasn’t hard enough there is a named storm due 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Getting close now 😬😬

Great ride out to the compasses last night. For a last ACME get together before LEL on Sunday. Good turn out, good beer.

Feeling very grateful. The ACME wheelwright put a new rim on for me yesterday evening and it’s already back with. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Damn Hope rims mad of chocolate. Luckily I actually have a spare rim at home. Both are now with the ACME wheelwright. So should be good to go again before Sunday

A testing last 200km before LEL in 6 days. Both Rob and I got stung at different times, and me on my lip, which promptly swelled up and still hurts now. And I found my dynamo wheel rim has a couple of cracks.. 😳😳 LEL 6 days and counting

Nice local #parkrun adventure to Jersey Farm for a J. Only half an hour away from home. Nice course but a bit lumpy.

Wrapped the bars and got over excited and wrapped the tri bars as well… that’ll help right 😳😳 London Edinburgh London 9days

Spending far too much time looking at camping equipment and touring tyres when I have a 200km on Sunday and only 9 days to London Edinburgh London. 🤦‍♂️

The Strael has been to the LBS for new cables today ready for LEL (10 days 😬😬). Just as well 10 months and 16,000km later and they were well frayed at the shifter end. Mechanic reckons I was lucky and couldn’t believe how well it was shifting considering

Cracking night out. A cheeky Macca’s with @geospizafortis.bsky.social and check out of her new bike, then a great couple of hours in the pub chatting all things bike before a quite ride home. 102km covered.

Another 300 yesterday @audaxuk.bsky.social The windmill 200, which I ECE’d to 300 with a club mate. Great company and a good time (sub 16hrs) but tough. It was wet but too warm for jackets, windy, some off road sections.

Disturbing how news sites are now posting videos of people dying like it's standard content. Filmed on phones. Shared for engagement. We're watching humanity erode in real time.

Been so long since I have done a #parkrun I forgot to start my watch or get a photo with the sign (Castle Park) Luckily it was a revisit for me, shaved almost 2 mins off my last visit time and it stayed dry. After had a nice breakfast in ‘spoons with friends.

Haven’t parkrun in ages. Looking forward to going back to Stortford tomorrow for another visit to. Castle Park. Should hopefully start a streak of 4 in a row….. So close to 50 😬

Day off yesterday to complete my July AAA RRtY ride. It was also my 38th Audax of 200km or over in 30 weeks. Ride was quite pleasant as it wasn’t so hot yesterday. 17 days to London Edinburgh London

So with the weekends 300km ride I have achieved my 2nd Randonneur 10,000 award for getting over 100 BR/BRM/LRM points in one @audaxuk.bsky.social year. Which simplied means I have ridden 10,000km on Audax’s since the 1st of November. Pretty pleased with that. Pic of my award form 2023