Doing the Double !!

Some of my regular readers will know that I am a bit of a cyclist well I love my bike!!!! So excuse non technology post

For the last few years I have done the infamous Dunwich Dynamo see info here a mere 193 kilometres from London to Dunwich through the night in 2006 a similar event was formed the Exmouth Exodus link here it's a little shorter than the Dynamo but its much hillier. Guess what next year I plan to do both !!

So the key facts
Dates
Exmouth Exodus 2008 14^th 15^{th June}

Dunwich Dynamo 2008 19^th 20^th July

Distance
E&E 100 miles
D&D 120 miles

The FAQs of E&E make interesting reading

Yes and no. It's inspired by the DD, and there are plenty of obvious similarities, like the riding through the night to the seaside part. But it's different too. For a start, it's smaller - a lot smaller. We had 60 riders for 2007, as opposed to the Dynamo's 700. It's hillier - a lot hillier - too, so it's a bit harder, even though it's a little shorter.

The route profile shows the hills

So guess what I intend to do both!! With a six week gap between them no worries!!
The quote best describes the feelings

Words from the 24 hours of Moab dirt bike race in the USA describe whats its like ....

"Somewhere during the night you will hear a voice say, "Why am I doing this? I am never doing this again!" Look forward to this voice. Welcome it. Laugh at it. Embrace it. Look forward to hearing it again next year. Just know that it will come and that you will ride past it and be stronger when it fades into the shadows."

-- Chris Tirpak, 4x Sufferer of Canaan and Moab

I've heard those voices and learnt to laugh oh so loud at them for the joy of being alive!!

By the way Exmouth Exodus is looking for some small scale cash help any sponsdors out there maybe a mobile company some great stuff and publicty to be done with geotagged images from thosde mobile phones etc

Technology robust and fit for purpose

Hi

As you know I did the Dunwich Dynamo at the weekend and thought long and hard which technology to take to record it.

My Canon EOS 500 digital camera got rejected (too heavy)

so I took the following:

1. Apple nano (my wifes) with a belkin voice recorder attached for a podcast recorder.
2. Sony cybershot 3.2MP digtal camera
3. Nokia 6234 phone

so I used the

nano once at the start.
Camera at the start outside a pub (15 miles in) at the mid point (64 odd miles) got three shots in before condensation of the village hall fogged it up.
The phone to ring my wife fifteen miles and an hour from the end . plus 4 or 5 texts along the way .

so why didn't I use it more "The weather it poured down" The camera didn't work well because I didn't take a case and it got cold and was a focus point for condensation when I got it out at the mid point. The nano wasn't robust enough in the wet and I could be bothered .

The phone work but wasn't ideal to use in the dark.

so one device to all those jobs would I have used it more would a ruggedised version of devices made it more useful. I don't know but it does suggest technology wont get used if its not easy and reliable

Dunwich Dynamo something for the weekend ! Plus update

Well when your all asleep in your beds Saturday I am doing the Dunwich Dynamo again !
Its 200km bike ride through the night from London to Dunwich . It isnt for the faint hearted it is for the slightly mad !

http://www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk/dunwich.html

a quote that describes it thought not from me

"Somewhere during the night you will hear a voice say, "Why am I doing this? I am never doing this again!" Look forward to this voice. Welcome it. Laugh at it. Embrace it. Look forward to hearing it again next year. Just know that it will come and that you will ride past it and be stronger when it fades into the shadows."

-- Chris Tirpak,


I have heard the voice I have laughed at it and I am back for the 5th time and weather forecast is for rain in the early hours.

"No sleep till the coast"

Dunwich Dynamo 2007 survivor

116 miles in the rain for all but the last hour and what rain ! 9hrs 12 minutes on the bike 12.86 miles an hour . Good pace 12.8 for first 64 then a bit faster but under 13.00 for last 52. The food non stop well I did 5 cups of tea coffee with sugar to aviod the hypothermia setting ( no I am not kidding).

See the photostream

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Great to arrive at the Suffolk coast in proper sunshine. Trainee dynamo rider Linden aged 8 did last two miles . followed by a breakfast ( full English of course ) and a swim .

The most challenging yet ? Will I be back ?




I heard those voices mentioned at the earlier quote I laughed at them as the true imposters they are !!

BTW did the ride on my only bike a Dawes discovery 301 steel framed workhorse which I love. Should I go for a new bike next year or should I keep with tradition !

Answer to both questions YES ! See you at the dynamo 18th July 2008