The Dunwich Dynamo 2015 thread
Discussion
Gruffy said:
I'd vote for a simple there-and-back. Easy logistics and not relying on any external services. In for a penny and all that. But I can't make it, so my vote doesn't count.
Using Cambs gives us a later start, I'd be leaving Sussex at 8AM rather than 10AM, it shortens the route and builds in some downtime for glycogen recovery, gives Al a destination easily accessible from up north with a pre-determined rendezvous time but still keeps us the right side of 300k for bad-assness 
Camb - Kings X is Great Northern which looks much more cycle friendly. Just cram them in like last time. (There were 6+ just in our carriage I think). Still a bit of a risk though on a no-doubt busy Sat into London, but I read that Cambridge cycle clubs themselves have ridden down in the past. If we get to the Station though and it's rammed with cyclists we'd have to wait for a later train, they're every 20-odd mins.
Abellio is 4 bikes per train so I'd discount their (nearer & cheaper, boo!) Liverpool St service from Camb.
If we do just ride to London and have dinner somewhere just outside, country pub etc, perhaps nr M25, Burriana could meet us there of course and it will be easier to drop him back there on Sunday after the night ride.
Abellio is 4 bikes per train so I'd discount their (nearer & cheaper, boo!) Liverpool St service from Camb.
If we do just ride to London and have dinner somewhere just outside, country pub etc, perhaps nr M25, Burriana could meet us there of course and it will be easier to drop him back there on Sunday after the night ride.
Not possible to book bike reservations on Cam-London, but no limit on bikes either.
Stowmarket would only have been sensible if we'd assumed we were riding to Cambridge, and allowed time accordingly, but looked in at the station on the way to see if we could get on. We'd have time for a longer meal in Camb if so, or a longer ride if not.
I can be talked into either. Or there and back. Whichever way the metaphorical wind blows.
Stowmarket would only have been sensible if we'd assumed we were riding to Cambridge, and allowed time accordingly, but looked in at the station on the way to see if we could get on. We'd have time for a longer meal in Camb if so, or a longer ride if not.
I can be talked into either. Or there and back. Whichever way the metaphorical wind blows.
Yeah that did annoy me last time Strava couldn't cope with a train journey in the middle.
Right, we've one more option. I could call Abellio tomorrow am (they are closed now) and attempt to book 3 bike spaces on one of the early afternoon services Ipswich to London. They've increased it to 8 per train on this intercity line on the Saturday only and reservations are mandatory. Tickets are also showing as £9
How about if we can get on one of these trains then we'll do that, otherwise we ride both ways?
Right, we've one more option. I could call Abellio tomorrow am (they are closed now) and attempt to book 3 bike spaces on one of the early afternoon services Ipswich to London. They've increased it to 8 per train on this intercity line on the Saturday only and reservations are mandatory. Tickets are also showing as £9
How about if we can get on one of these trains then we'll do that, otherwise we ride both ways?
You're going to hate me 
There's no harm in talking out loud here is there ?!
Just to further complicate this (if that's possible!) there's online booking for bike reservations on SUNDAY trains IPSWICH to LONDON, with plenty of space showing. They're allowing 50 bikes per train on this service only and you would have to ride to Ipswich which is 25-30 miles (after a good rest on the beach).
http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dyna...
That is kinda back to plan A though but does solve a lot of problems. Me and Justin could ride up
There's no harm in talking out loud here is there ?!Just to further complicate this (if that's possible!) there's online booking for bike reservations on SUNDAY trains IPSWICH to LONDON, with plenty of space showing. They're allowing 50 bikes per train on this service only and you would have to ride to Ipswich which is 25-30 miles (after a good rest on the beach).
http://www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk/dunwich-dyna...
That is kinda back to plan A though but does solve a lot of problems. Me and Justin could ride up
Not a bad suggestion however the reservations are for particular trains only, so we'd either need to build in sizeable contingency for punctures, mechanicals and bonks, and end up kicking our tired, cold, possibly wet and miserable heels at for hours if none occur, or hope everything goes reasonably well and risk missing our only way of getting transported in a homewards direction if it doesn't.
Have to say though I do favour having my car at the finish, with a bootful of warm, comfortable clothes, and an easy drive home, rather than the prospect of a another ride, a potentially long wait for a train, and then another ride or another train to get home from London. Even if that does mean having to ride all the way to London from Dunwich first on the Saturday.
What's your preference, Justin?
Have to say though I do favour having my car at the finish, with a bootful of warm, comfortable clothes, and an easy drive home, rather than the prospect of a another ride, a potentially long wait for a train, and then another ride or another train to get home from London. Even if that does mean having to ride all the way to London from Dunwich first on the Saturday.
What's your preference, Justin?
Agreed that Saturday train bike reservations from Ipswich would be best.
If they're not possible, Justin, if you wanted you could always park up near the A12/M25 Brentwood junction along with Burriana (if he wants) and join Richard and myself there to ride into London. To get back to there from the finish, I'll have a seat but no bike space but Richard also has a seat and lots of bike space, so between him and I we could transport two people and their bikes back to Brentwood.
If they're not possible, Justin, if you wanted you could always park up near the A12/M25 Brentwood junction along with Burriana (if he wants) and join Richard and myself there to ride into London. To get back to there from the finish, I'll have a seat but no bike space but Richard also has a seat and lots of bike space, so between him and I we could transport two people and their bikes back to Brentwood.
Edited by SixPotBelly on Wednesday 3rd June 23:54
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