Pauline Porter Populaire 2-2-2
2024

• Please flick through the following tabs fully and make any preparations before the event.
• Route files & links will be found under the 'Route' tab.
• The event/route specific information will be finalised usually the Monday before the event and you will get an email reminder 3 days prior from bookings-noreply@pedalution.co.uk - add it to your address book to save any disappointment.
• Should you be unable to attend the event I have enabled cancellation from 'My Bookings'. This will aid me in keeping controls informed as to how many to expect and also reduce wastage when printing the brevet cards. Remember there is no option to refund or transfer if you are unable to attend.
• You will receive your brevet card at the start. Should you start the ride and be unable to finish my phone number is within; please drop me a text with your full name to let me know you won't be finishing so volunteers and myself aren't waiting around longer than necessary at controls and the finish.
• Please use 'Enquires' link above for any queries.

New to audax? Have a look at Audax UK's About for an overview & FAQs for commonly asked questions.

• Until the route is finalised the interactive map above will give you an idea of where you are going.
• It is advisable to study the route notes prior to the event for further details; especially if you are just using a GPX breadcrumb trail to navigate. These are also the 'cuesheet' within the RWGPS route; zoom the map to your desired level, click on a cue and it will focus the map at that cue.
• Every effort is made to identify road closures before the event and provide alternatives where necessary; however I can not account for any emergency closures that are required.
• A variety of surfaces may be encountered, some may be as smooth as a baby's bum, others potholed nightmares, or somewhere in between; if any unmetalled sections are used this will be noted in the Event Info above and now visible as 'unpaved' within RWGPS.
• I do my utmost to select low traffic routes but there may be times busier sections are required.
• Mudguards aren't mandatory but if you can fit them why wouldn't you?
• I would always recommend a set of lights as you never know what could happen.
• Similarly consider carrying 2 space blankets; they cost nothing, are tiny, and can keep you and an other warm should the unfortunate happen.

EXTRA DETAILS:

The route is similar to the Bryan Chapman but does diverge in places. For example a quieter more challenging route may for added views and to avoid some main road drags. Should you decide to follow a different route in places this is fine but all controls must be visited.

The main advisory points to note are:

• @16km - D1.16km | !!Poor surface on descent!!
• @147km - D1.147km | !!Cattle grid on descent before corner!!
• @361km - D2.135km | (Penrhyndeudreath) !!Oblique Level Xing!!
• @390km - D2.164km | (Barmouth Bridge) !!Pedestrians - possible sand & slippery wooden bridge ahead!!
• @422km - D3.22km | (Talerddig) TL lane control !!SINGLE FILE - Lights may change against you as climbing!!
• @506km - D3.106km | (Whitton) !!GW lane control on descent!!
• @550km - D3.150km | !!Poor surface after Capel y Ffin and again after newly surfaced 'Landslip Corner'!!
• @589km - D3.189km | (Monmouth) !!Pedestrainas - Bollards!! on Monnow Bridge.
• @591km - D3.191km | (Monmouth) !!Dismount 25m!!
• There are additional gates at various points noted in the route notes. Also other cattle grids than one noted above.

The full route is split into days, and also between controls. These are all included in the RWGPS Event. The full RWGPS route has each day linked in the description; then each day has its individual control sections linked within.

I have also included an alternative route for D3 to C1 following NCN8 up and over to the Dyfi Forest. This is spectacular but challenging so I suggest if you do want to give it a go set off at 07:00 and expect to be towards the end of C1's control window.

Route Files:

PDF key for the route notes.

CSV route notes - these can be edited in any spreadsheet software.

PDF route notes - a version with maps is available in linked RWGPS route (no account necessary to use the official PDF - use 'More v') or the event.

GPX with control waypoints - if re-uploading to an online planner please make private so as not to confuse others in the future - use this tool to split at waypoints and/or simplify.

RWGPS Links:

RWGPS Event - at least a free account needed but you will get full premium features, including offline maps & voice nav for the app, regardless of your subscription level. To sync to your device (Wahoo, Garmin Edge) you need to join this first.

RWGPS Route - no account needed but you will lack a few advanced features such as early turn warnings.

See the RWGPS App for my tips to use your phone for navigation and maximising battery life.

Troubleshooting:

• Can't copy the RWGPS route to your account? I have disabled this so should any changes be necessary there is the one correct version.
• I do not provide technical services for your device having never used anything other than the RWGPS app.
• Can't add it to Garmin Connect? It isn't an activity. Transfer it to your Garmin via USB.
• Can't send to your device? Join the RWGPS event.

EXTRA DETAILS:

Nellie's Coffee Shop:

• Please arrive from 06:00 onwards on Friday.
• Hot drinks and some savories will be available.
• There is NO PARKING, use Innage Farm.
• Bag drop to Kings YHA:
• 1 per person + camping equipment.
• Make sure your bag is labelled with your name etc.
• Bags will be returned to Chepstow early afternoon on Sunday; any left bags can be returned at your cost.
• The bag drop is for clothes, toothbrush, powerbank (if you have one bring it rather than a wall charger) etc.

Bulwark Community Centre:

• Welsh cakes and others, plus hot drinks will be available at the finish.
• I have extended the cut off as will be there anyway for the finish of Anglesey & Back 300+300.

Start:

Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the depart time to collect your brevet card.

Nellie’s Coffee Shop - opens new tab for map.
Wye Valley Country Stores, Unit 6, 9 Beaufort Pk Wy, Bulwark, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5UH

Access:

• Bike - Easily accessible from NCN4. It is a short ride from the car park. In both cases I ask you to avoid using the main entrance to avoid conflict with departing riders.
• Car - Located just off M48 J2. Parking will be off the A48 at Innage Farm, Mathern.
• Train - The closest train stations are:
  • Chepstow
  • Severn Tunnel Junction
  • Bristol Parkway
  • Newport

Parking:
No Parking -

No parking - drop off allowed. Parking will be available at Innage Farm for £5 and will be open from 06:00; turn up and pay on arrival.

Food & Drink:
Food & Drinks available.
To purchase from Nellie's.
Unless specified otherwise above.

Accommodation:


Camping will be available at Innage Farm for Thursday night and is where the car park is located. Turn up and pay on the day.

• Tent £7
• Van/Camper £10
For hotels etc in the local area see here.

Finish:

As above. - opens new tab for map & a few details.

Route Controls:

• @0km - D1.0km | DEPART: CHEPSTOW - Nellie's Coffee Shop | 07:00
• @74km - D1.74km | CONTROL: BRONLLYS - Honey Cafe | 09:57-12:55
• @139km - D1.145km | CONTROL: LLYN CLYWEDOG - Caffi Clywedog | 12:48-18:36
• @188km - D1.188km | INFO: ABERDYFI - Village Hall - see brevet
• @226km - D1.226km | CONTROL: nr DOLGELLAU - Kings YHA | 16:02-01:05
• @226km - D2.0km | CONTROL: nr DOLGELLAU - Kings YHA | 07:00-08:00
• @240km - D2.14km | INFO: imm after bridge - Post Box - see brevet
• @266km - D2.40km | CONTROL: TAN-Y-BWLCH - Station Cafe | 09:00-11:12
• @311km - D2.85km | CONTROL: MENAI BRIDGE - Menai Heritage Thomas Telford Centre | 11:00-14:48
• @337km - D2.111km | CHECKPOINT: PEN Y GWRYD HOTEL [junc before Pen y Pass] - 2nd car park | 12:10-16:53
• @372km - D2.145km | INFO: HARLECH - see brevet.
• @400km - D2.174km | CONTROL: nr DOLGELLAU - Kings YHA | 15:00-22:00
• @400km - D3.0km | CONTROL: nr DOLGELLAU - Kings YHA | 07:00-08:00
• @448km - D3.48km | CONTROL: CARNO - Aleppo Merchant Inn (food until 12:15) | 09:00-11:50
• @499km - D3.99km | CONTROL: KNIGHTON - Offa's Dyke Centre | 11:00-15:55
• @555km - D3.155km | CONTROL: LLANTHONY - Treat's Camping & Cafe - continue through gate | 13:30-20:24
• @595km - D3.195km | INFO: REDBROOK - Village Stores & PO - see brevet.
• @618km - D3.218km | ARRIVEE: CHEPSTOW - Bulwark Community Centre | 16:00-02:00

Control food:

• DEPART (£): as menu.
• Honey Cafe (£): as per menu.
• Kings YHA (provided):
• Dinner - tarka daal & rice; cakes; fruit.
• Breakfast - beans, sausages (meat & veggie/vegan), toast, mushrooms; cereal; cakes; fruit.
• Tan-y-bwlch Station (£): as per menu.
• Menai Bridge (provided): veggie soup & bread; cakes; fruit.
• Kings YHA (provided):
• Dinner - pasta & veg; cakes; fruit.
• Breakfast - beans, sausages (meat & veggie/vegan), toast, mushrooms; cereal; cakes; fruit.
• Aleppo Merchant Inn (£): as menu - open for food until 12:15. There is a Spar shortly before & cafes in Aberdyfi & Newtown.
• Offa's Dyke Centre (£): some hot savories & cakes.
• Treat's Cafe (£ CASH ONLY): toast; cereal; cakes; crisps; fruit. £5 will do you for a cake & hot drink.
• ARRIVEE (provided): Welsh cakes; cakes.
• Free tea, coffee & squash at all of the (provided) above.

Arrangements @Kings:

• Bed Booking:
• For those that have booked a bed this will be your for both nights.
• Bedding provided provided.
• Bring some ear plugs!
• Camping:
• You are responsible for setting up and taking down your tent etc.
• If any more beds are available due to no shows these will be on a 1st come 1st served basis.
• Showers:
• The Female room in the annexe will have en-suite bathroom & showers.
• Male rooms in the annexe will also be en suite, those in the main building are individual but shared.
• Campers will use the shared in main building.
• Bring your own towel.

This is what 'audax' is all about. Travelling between controls to collect proof of passage (PoP) to prove you have cycled the distance. The above controls are found in your brevet card, the route notes, as POIs with the route, and waypoints with the GPX. Your brevet card it to be filled out as you progress around the route. PoP is obtained in several ways. It is highly recommended you carry a pen or pencil to fill your brevet card as you go; if it is a long event numbering any receipts to correspond with the control number will save you time later, then keeping them in order is next level!

Types of control:

• CONTROL - a place or venue where you obtain PoP which can be done in several ways. You will be able to get food and/or drink, also WC will be available.
• Manned - a volunteer or venue member of staff will stamp your card providing PoP. All controls are thus unless specified as...
• Free - you must obtain PoP from that place that has a time and date, usually a receipt from a cafe, shop or ATM.
• INFO - a question found in your brevet card that is relevent to the location needs to be answered and recorded.
• CHECKPOINT - similar to a control but there may not be any facilities present.
• SECRET - now that would be telling wouldn't it!

USING YOUR PHONE & RWGPS APP:

I use the RWGPS app on my phone to navigate audax events by using spoken cues, I also use it to route check and proof my route notes. This IMHO is the best of all worlds. I don't need to look at a screen (but I can check if I want), I get clear directions when needed (you may need to get used to my shorthand which gets spoken as such), I get a warning if I'm off route, the battery lasts a lot longer than constantly using the screen; especially nowadays as phone batteries are getting bigger plus many are able to rapid charge in a short amount of time. All you need is a good case and mount for inclement weather.

• Install the app.
• Join the event.
• Go to the route.
• Send to device.
• Open app and confirm download.
• In settings (exact location varies depending on iOS or Android) to optomise for best battery use:
• Logging - adjust interval: every 10s is best for the battery, logs your ride but won't get you any KOMs; every 1s uses 10x more battery power to write data but may get you a KOM if you pedal quick.
• Navigation - Spoken alerts ON | Off-course alerts ON | others at your discretion.
• Handlebar mode ENABLED - this will keep RWGPS above any screen lock so you can recall it if needed by pressing power button or similar.
• Handlebar mode - Screen OFF for cues | Proximity Wake OFF (otherwise changes in light will turn the screen on) | Keep screen on NEVER.
• Offline mode ENABLED - when you start riding.
• Better still use flight/aeroplane mode whilst riding.
• You can adjust the text-speech settings via your phone settings; the type of voice, playback speed etc.

Most of the battery drain on a phone is from the screen. By using voice commands you eliminate this but can still view the map if needs be. The second biggest drain whilst cycling is the phone itself searching for a signal as you move between cell towers; putting the phone into flight/aeroplane mode whilst moving solves this problem; you can easily turn data back on to #tag that #CAKE at the next stop!

ANDROID:

Make sure battery optimisation is turned off otherwise Android will recognise RWGPS as an excessive battery drain and can limit its functionality. This will be particularily evident if you stop for a bit without GPS signal then continue; the app will appear to be functioning correctly but Android will limit it and data can be lost from the stop point until the app is restarted. There may be a similar feature in iOS.

• Settings >Apps.
• Find RWGPS and expand Advanced >Battery.
• If it says optomised then select and wait for all apps to load.
• Make sure the apps displayed are 'All apps', find RWGPS and select.
• Select 'Don't optimise'. Exit settings.