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So I've managed to bag an entry...
I THINK it starts about 8am, right?
Trouble is, I'm a guest a wedding the Saturday before (eek!) near Newbury..
Trains don't seem to be running into London on time from Newbury..
I COULD drive into London?
Just wondering what pearls of wisdom STW could suggest?
Anyone doing it an live near Newbury?!!
DrP
Drive to Richmond up the A316, park at Old Deer Park and take the overground service into Waterloo and then ride out to Stratford on the cycleway? You can also take bikes on the DLR so ride out east from Waterloo and take one from there?
Ah, so waterloo is the biggest and closest station....
Will have a look at trains from nearby going into there, thanks.
It might not be best to drive ALL the way into london.. will see what trains run direct to waterloo.
DrP
Drive to Richmond up the A316, park at Old Deer Park and take the overground service into Waterloo and then cross Waterloo bridge to the new start point at Victoria Embankment.
( unless South West Trains choose that date to do works and give us a bus replacement service )
...and then ride out to Stratford on the cycleway?
Don't ride out to Stratford, the event starts on Victoria Embankment!
It's a whole different event this year, starts on Victoria Embankment rather than the previous start of Olympic Park and finishes on Tower Bridge (not The Mall).
Drive to the outskirts of London and park up somewhere. Check if your car is ULEZ-compliant via the TfL website. If it isn't, once you're inside the North / South Circulars, it's £12.50.
Quickest way in is just to ride, you don't want to be faffing around with trains at that time on a Sunday morning. Earliest train from Richmond on a Sunday is about 06.45 getting in at 07.30.
I THINK it starts about 8am, right?
The ones I've done when it was out to Box Hill, I've had start times of 6am - and that's the START, you need to be there an hour before that! From memory, the last riders were on the road by about 9am as they needed to get everyone off the route for the pro-race. Might be different this time as there isn't a UCI race so they may just relax the times a bit.
eek... I fear I'm trying to pack TOO MUCH into the weekend!
OH won't be happy with me creeping out the hotel in time to get to central london for 8am or earlier!!!
FFS...how easy is it to get someone to move a wedding do you think?
DRP
Having done it once, the 2nd time I got in via the ballot, I thought about it & actually couldn't be bothered to do it 🤣 Just too much hassle logistically & the early start & all the hanging around waiting, plus the expense. There are other 100-miler closed-road events now which are just as fun but way less hassle! Or just go for a normal ride or do an Audax or something, don't feed the corporate machine 😃
presumably going to have to severely limit drinking at the wedding and then get up in the middle of the night to sneak out of the hotel room you've no doubt paid good money for?! Sod that!!Trouble is, I’m a guest a wedding the Saturday before
Annoyingly i kinda wanna get the London Classics medal at some point...
for doing the ride 100, serpentine swim, and marathon.
Oh well... I think that possibly passing on teh ride this year (despite paying for it already) might be the only option!!
DrP
I've done it a few times in previous years and due to the number of people taking part they don't allow bikes on trains so you need to come up with a plan to drive, cycle or a combination.
Oh well… I think that possibly passing on teh ride this year (despite paying for it already) might be the only option!!
At least wait until you get your start time.
Also check if they're making you register the day before - that was a big part of the previous events where you had to go to Excel (East London out by City Airport) on the Saturday to register, collect your numbers and event pack and be guided round a room full of stalls trying to flog you stuff. Although the stall there with waterproof jackets did roaring trade the day before the weather was forecast to be biblical!
guided round a room full of stalls trying to flog you stuff.
Said room was quite handy the year I forgot to pack our helmets. Oops.
Drive all the way and use JustPark or similar.
Less hassle. You will always get a station staff member or conductor that will decide not to let you take your bike on the train for any reason they can make up. Or engineering works or strikes.
I'd be sacking off the official start time/pen thing and just joining the route as close as possible to the start, save yourself 1-2 hours of your life.