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That's right.
Nelson has the best idea of how far per day but it is but it is pretty hilly, virtually all off-road and altitude will be a factor on the climbs. He's doing a finishers' party on day 15, so he must reckon it will take more than a week for most people to get round. Total distance / 15 days = 113km/day. Maybe I could do 140 or 150 but I doubt 200.
Greg Melia, the guy who you met last year in Macedonia who was touring / stalking the TCR, did a tour there this year and he reckoned he was only managing 80km per day when riding long days - but obvs not ultra-race days.
He's opening it up for debate to see what people think. You can tell from the responses that some people haven't quite grasped it, though, one guy talking about option of going light and fast instead of carrying stocks of food.
If I was Nelson I'd be looking to tweak the route to go through a couple more towns, if there are any.

Sure, important to be at the front of the ride. In the Nullarbor it means you get the chocolate milk!

He's not sure they are, but even if they are, you still have a 300km and a 260km stretch. I'd want a lot of food for c.3 days. x80 and they would need to be big shops to cope.

Nelson on FB
"I just finished putting together an updated version of the resupply information that is included in the Race Manual with some commentary. Essentially it outlines the distances between the resupply points that everyone can count on regardless of whether you come through first or last. If you could have a look and let us know what you think that would be great. Basically the question is whether the longest stretches between reliable resupply points are too long or not. There are two stretches in particular of 374 and 563 kilometers where there are only small shops in villages that will likely not be able to handle 80 hungry cyclists. We could potentially do something about the second stretch but would need to get very creative for the first..."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1804389736239919/permalink/1919221044756787/?comment_id=1919296208082604&notif_id=1513693153590010&notif_t=group_comment_follow

Most people saying 374km at the start is cool (3 days on this terrain, so c.5kg of food?), but 563km (or 1/3 of the race, so target of 4.5 days) midway is a bit of a challenge.

For the second stretch there are a couple of shops 2-4km off route, but they could do a delivery to the control which is in the middle of it. There'd still be maybe 300km iwth nothing though. I reckon they will either need to be able to do some sort of food drop or it won't be viable for more than say a dozen riders to do it. If you are carrying 4 days food, then it becomes a different kind of event, and the risk of someone fucking up and getting into trouble is bigger.

It's good that this is coming out for debate now as there is time to get solutions in place, but I'm not certain it will be viable.

As well as the rider re-supply challenge, there's potentially an ethical issue in sending 80 locust-like cyclists into an area with 1 small shop in a few hundred km. Taking the food that locals are relying on would make it unsustainable as an event.

Shame, but probably makes sense. Only real crazies try to do two big rides in the same year. In the same month was mental!

Yes, I meant both. Nelson said he had 2 days of solid rain. Would need to carry poles, which actually don't seem too heavy.

More posts just on Facebook with a bigger challenge: there's a 560km stetch with no supplies!

Yeah, I'll go for a bivvy (if I get a place) rather than tent. If there were a few wolves sniffing around outside, I'd like to at least be able to see them.

I'd want to do more research on the nighttime temperatures to decide on exactly what kit. I toured in Tibet in August and it was quite mild at 4,000+ metres, over 10 degrees at least. There I over-specc'd my sleeping bag, had a 4-season one that was basically too warm to use properly. It rained every night in August there, which would be a bit of a bore if bivvying, but this is a long way further west so no reason why climate would be the same - just need to research it.

There's a poll on facebook which says most people are thinking bivvy wiht a few opting for tents. Tarps is another question which might be worth thinking about if a lot of rain.

Kennet Valley Run from nr Reading in March is a good ride, but pretty flat and quick.

If you're not chasing audax points, then lots of reliability rides on all sides of London and they're usually both hilly and easy to get to. Mine is on 14 Jan, the Willesden one is usually mid-Feb. Harp is sold out, but there are others. Hemel one is good (prob late-Jan/early Feb).

Ha!
Yes, a cross between a long distance cycling event and a package holiday

There were only 5o places. It's limited in numbers because it's organised in (unofficial) stages with accommodation for each night included.

I went through Verona on the TCR last year. I deliberately navigated through the city centre to make a change from 100s of kms of largely dull road. It was pretty, but lots of cobbles and easy to get lost, so it wasn't the best decision.

Apparently entries are already full - within a few hours.

I thought about doing that. It sounds pretty good but I reckoned it was a long way to go for 3 days riding.
On the other hand, there's not a lot else on in February so its a good time in the calendar.

2018 Winter Warmer is on Sunday 14 Jan, from Chalfont St Peter, heading out into the Chilterns.

As last year there are three versions. The long version is 108km (1200m of climbing), medium route is 60km and short version of 44km. The long route is a challenging winter ride which goes up several of the main Chiltern climbs, while the medium route has Hatches Lane as its main climb. The short version is a pretty ride that misses out all the big hills and almost all the busier road sections so works well for parents with younger riders, etc.

Entry is £8/£4/£4 with Juniors free (must be accompanied by an adult). Entries via RiderHQ
https://www.riderhq.com/events/75645/westerley-winter-warmer-2018/enter

There is manned HQ (Chalfont St Peter Scout Hut), signed route and GPX tracks, computerised timing system and plenty of food before and after (including cake).

There's more info on the website, or PM me / post here if you have questions.
http://www.westerley.cc/winter-warmer-2018/

Watch out for the bits that tighten the extensions in the brackets, small and easy to lose when you open the packaging. And they have a left handed screw thread.

I'll need to go and update that thread. I bought the 3T ones and they didn't permit me to move the pads backwards as far as I wanted, and they were wierd in other ways (eg extensions not long enough to reach hands) so, today, a set of Vukas arrived in the post.

I've put in an application. It sounds epic, and also a bit scary. And as there is no sign of TCR so far, I don't want to leave it too late: this closes on the 31st. It now looks like it is going to be oversubscribed so I can't be certain of getting a place in any case.

Spent yesterday evening drooling over pics and videos of SRMR. It really looks spectacular. Seriously thinking about it now instead of trying for TCR.

I wonder how little time I can be at work while still being paid something.

Top tip: if you set up your own business it is surprisingly little. But can you not just do stuff on your phone while you are riding? For example, you could save up all your emails from this year and take 2 weeks to clear them all when you are racing, instead of doing Twitter. Most would have sorted themselves out by then in any case.

Your bike is a CX frame isn't it?

It is. Canti brakes so plenty of tyre clearance room. But discs would be best for this so probably would be better to get a new frame anyway, thinking about it.

I'd use a dynamo if it made sense to do so. Of course there's no need in Europe, or places where finding enough charging points is not a concern, such as the Nullarbor. But on this, I'm not sure if there are hotels. OTOH, with no mobile signal, my power requirements would be lower, I could probably get by with just one recharge. So probably wouldn't need a dynamo after all :)

Well yeah, reindeers. It can be the most dull part of the trip for some, but there are lots of pretty forests and lakes, and the open landscape and fells in the north. And the experience of riding through Lapland can be quite different than any other road race like this, it can be remote like the mtb races. I think there was only two places to stop at during 320km on the last day of Ruska ride across Finland. Would have been even less with wrong timing. Here's Mikkos photos from that. Southern Finland is more dense.

Mikko takes good pictures. It looks pleasant enough but, as you say, not so exciting. In decent weather that might be pretty good. What might the weather be like - what is the risk of a week of headwinds or a week of solid rain...?

I'll just have to make sure I finish TABR under 20 days so I can get back in time to start this ;)

It would be a good way to fill that annoying gap between TABR and TCR

Org says it should be manageable on a 35 mm cx bike but recommend bigger for some extra comfort

What bike are you taking?

I've not really looked too much at it but is it 'proper' MTBing? Or is it a lot of double track? ie. the shit quality roads I'd end up riding on TCR anyway. What would the right bike be - rigid mtb, hardtail, dualie, CX bike or road?

Are you definitely going to race TCR next year?

My first choice is to do TCR but (not being a top 20 finisher) I'm at the mercy of the ballot/s.

I don't think there is any, or very much, actual technical single track on SRMR that would challenge anyone who does any actual mountain biking. I think a lot of it is double track, probably mostly better than the rough track in Macedonia on 2016 TCR. I could ride it on my TCR bike, which I expect could take 35mm ok. I'd need new wheels with more spokes and - shock, horror - a dynamo. But Nelson doesn't recommend it, he suggests a rigid MTB or a gravel bike (whatever they actually are) with 40mm on.

I've done lots of stuff like that in Albania and also Wales on my Super Galaxy, which takes 35mm (maybe I should just take that - it rides well over boulders), and it is fun. But it might not be fun for more than a few hours, and the long, rough descents on drops would probably get a bit much, and my lack of MTB skillz would most likely lead to skin loss or worse.

It does sound like fun though...

If I don't get in to TCR (and don't get finally seduced by SRMR) I'm thinking of doing Northcape-Tarifa as far as Nice (it's an official finish after 5000km) which is as much time as I'll be able to get off. It would be fun to ride in the north with long days, and the big alp climbs would be good. The bit I'm least excited about is riding the length of Finland which looks relatively flat and unpopulated. @Samuli, what is Finland like for riding - are there other attractions I'm not aware of (other than your house)?

Last year, the entries re-opened after lots of people who had signed up initially dropped out.

But don't be surprised if you don't get an immediate response from IPWR as Jesse and Sarah are touring round Thailand.