Author Archives: Simon Jones

About Simon Jones

Organiser of Mines & Mineral Railways events, and several ultra long distance AUK permanents.

Cornish take on Devil in Devon

25% Hill on Dartmoor DevilIt’s always a hell of a ride, the Dartmoor Devil. It’s the sting in the tail of the audax season. 104km sounds like a nice Sunday’s distance. What makes the difference is the 2,500 metres of climbing. Well, that’s just one of the differences. The wind and weather too nearly always play their parts, especially on the exposed bleakness of the high moor, as the ride takes its toll, the gloom gathers and the Devil unleashes all his secret machinations. Continue reading

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Mines and Mineral Railways ON-road and OFF-road

6 July, 2014 from Carharrack Organiser Simon Jones

We had a total of 55 starters for the two events, more for the off-road, including 16 women. The youngest rider was a girl of 13 and in the offroad a lad of 14. The weather was fine and a bit cooler than last year. We had to do a bit a hedgetrimming to clear undergrowth along the offroad route but there were still signs of bloody arms and legs on the offroaders from
“bramble rash” but this was all taken in good spirit by the time they tucked into their jam and scones at the finish.

One rider emailed “Can I just say what an amazing day I had yesterday,
what a great event! I will definitely be there again next year! Thanks”.

Thanks to the riders who participated and raised a modest sum for Cornwall Hospice Care.

Mines and Minerals AudaxChris Rayne has some excellent photos of the event here:

https://plus.google.com/photos/114964167691302212885/albums/6035247248297863729

If you have any objection to any photograph in which you appear and would like it removed, please contact Chris Rayne (email <sunshine_chris>, a hotmail address) clearly identifying the photograph(s) and it will be deleted.

Finishers lists are available from the links below.

Audax 50km Badge67km
Starts 10:00
no AAA Mines and Mineral Railways (ON-road)
AUK id AUK id 14-836
22 riders validated
Audax 50km Badge66km
Starts 10:00
no AAA Mines and Mineral Railways (OFF-road)
AUK id AUK id 14-837
23 riders validated
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The “no gels” Dorset Coast 200km

Old Harry's RocksIsn’t that the sound of gunfire in the distance?  But it is 6 am on a Sunday in the sleepy Isle of Purbeck and it is the day of the Dorset Coast.  After a hearty breakfast (including black pudding) the four of us ride off to the start in Wareham.  Mark and Jane are in their Willesden CC strips and Robin and I in our Audax Kernow colours.  Mark is in his usual early season good shape (which is quite visible). Continue reading

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Ed’s Mince Pie and Mulled Wine 50km 2013

This may only be a very short audax randonnée, but this is the one event that riders really look forward to in early December every year.  It is a pleasant prelude to the season when the bike otherwise gets neglected and we put on some unwanted extra pounds.
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London – Edinburgh – London 2013

887 miles in under 5 days

it's in the bag - only 425 miles to goOne dark winter’s night the idea was hatched.  I think a pint or two may have been involved. I said I wanted to ride the National Audax UK 400 at Tiverton and before we knew it five of us had signed up for the longest audax event there is, the London-Edinburgh-London, the LEL.  Were we mad?? 1420km (or 887 miles, and just a bit further than Lands End – John O’Groats) in less than five days.  We were mad! But it turned out that 1100 others were heading for the asylum too.

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