LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

The deed is done. I am now registered for this

www.a2a.net for more info

I have also booked the bus to the start leaving Altanta at 5am (gulp!) Actually, If I fly out a day or so before and don't adjust my body clock this is 10 or 11am UK time so it should be pretty easy. It'll then probably spend a week over there visiting friends in St Louis and maybe going to other places. I can skip the friends if anyone wants to make a tour out of it. Not planning on booking flight until spring time. Not sure where to fly to yet but might be Newark or somewhere and do a fly drive.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Itinerary idea should anyone wish to join me for this epic. Not cast in stone just an example of what is possible.

Friday 3rd
Fly to Orlando pick up a rental car - convertible perhaps. Drive part of the way to Atlanta (6½ hour drive) hit a Motel in northern Florida for the night. Early night as it's UK-5 hours and we need to not adjust body clocks before the A2A
Saturday 4th
Get up early and finish the drive to Atlanta. Check into Hotel do any registration stuff that needs doing. Eat well and prep stuff for Sunday and go to bed early
Sunday 5th - get up early and eat catch 5am bus to Athens. Skate back to Atlanta eat rest, spa chill.
Monday 6th
Get up at reasonable hour can look round Atlanta or not bother and drive back to Orlando.
Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th
Theme Parks not weekend so hopefully less kids and queues.
Saturday 11th
Drive 3hours to Miami South Beach. Check in do some afternoon skating. Party round SoBe bars and clubs.
Sunday 12th
Chill on beach
Monday 13th
Drive to Florida Keys. Destination Key West but spend most of the day getting there.
Tuesday 14th to Wednesday 15th
Spend a couple of nights chilling in Key West. If it's dull leave earlier
Thursday 16th to Friday 17th
Go to Everglades National Park
Saturday 18th
Return to Orlando. Drop off car and fly on redeye back to London.
Sunday 19th
Recover before work on Monday

Does that sound tempting? Probably going to do something like that as I have some holiday to burn. It's only about 1,700 - 2,000 miles of driving over 2 weeks which is not stressful. I need to know if anyone fancies a jolly like that before I cost it up. If nobody wants to come then it impacts the type of car I choose and the accommodation I stay in (Hostels) so I have fellow travellers to talk to. If people want to do it on the cheap then I'm up for that too as I would anyway if nobody else comes. I figure 3 people or we get a big car for 4. Judging by the responses I've had on my previous excursions I am not expecting a run on this but the offer is there.

Simon · Joined: 13 Mar 2006 Posts: 620 Location: Out side edge

I dont know if you know, Olivier Heuz? He was on the Santa skate and was on our Sardinia traning (2006). But he did a2a last year and I has said he will do it again this.

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

Rick I have just got back from a skate with some new friends Dan (AKA TheGeneral - new forum member) and Luke, in Orlando, USA. I mentioned that you were doing the A2A and that I was very interested just not sure if I could make that week (I am due in Jamaica).

Anyway, they did all they could to try and persuade me so I am now going to study my calendar and see if I can work this. Might not be able to do the Orlando thing but will check out flights from Atlanta to Kingston/Mo Bay, and you never know.

Watch this space Twisted Evil

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Cool. I my not be doing the Orlando thing either as theme parks are no fun on your own. Looking for some Georgia options but not particularly intertested in the place. I have found a reasonably prixed hostel a few blocks from the pickup/finish point.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Booked my flights and accommodation this week. Since I'm on my toddy I am flying out Friday 3rd, as planned and should get there in time for their Friday night pootle about, then it's straight to bed to not bugger about with my London body clock. Wasn't planning on doing the skate but my flight looks like it gets there in time and they are going to do the last couple of miles of the route to finish so it'll be a good heads up.

Early to rise on Saturday then it's off to pick up my race pack. Not much on other than that so will probably hit the cinema if there are things on that haven't got to the UK yet. Early to bed again. Might put some food into the boxes for the food points. Haven't worked out how much but it will save me carrying anything on Sunday.

Then it's the 5am bus to Athens on Sunday. 07:30 it's race time. Hope to be finished by 15:00, expect to be finished by 15:30. Then it's off to the after party or something.

Coming home Monday, got an overnight flight which lands about 07:30.

Flying BA both ways for a very reasonable £345ish all in trouble is it's Gatwick. Not a problem for times but it's a bit of a trek considering my proximity to Heathrow but I won't be carrying much just Tuesday morning rush hour to contend with on the way home.

Accommodationwise I am staying in a hostel. There are hotels that are just as cheap but they are further out. The hostel is in the thick of it and I'll get to meet up with people. Hostels are the best way for sociable solo travellers. Got a single room too rather than a dorm.

I recognise one person from the latest starter list. For those of you on Skatefresh tour 2006m it is Yukio from Japan. He was in mine and Eric's group so he might be someone to skate with but I seem to remember him having a nasty cadence or something. The list is really small right now. Only 75 entrants or less than 1 per mile Wink

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Forecast is now looking very good. Should be up to 26 Celsius by the time I am hoping to have finished. 0-5mph wind and from the East so a tail wind if anything. 0% chance of precipitation. Dehydration will be the main enemy as it was on the 111. Need to eat a bit more but it's only an extra 25km and this time the finish (last 2 miles) is downhill Very Happy

Overall, the course profile doesn't look that bad. The biggest elevation change is about 150ft over a mile which is about 3%. There may be some steeper bits but they are short. Fingers crossed for an excellent race.

Martyzz1 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 358

Good luck Fella... I'm liable to disapear into a blackhole of work starting tonight, so not likely to remember to wish you the best after today... so doing it early like Wink

JamesM · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:38 pm Subject:

best of luck Rick

peterc · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: M3 somewhere

Have fun and tell us how you get on, can't beleave LSST has made it to the A2A.

and if any Yanks give you stick remember, you are the head of a national Speed Skating body, pull rank.

MatthewB · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 120 Location: London W9

good luck Rick...did you see this http://www.inlineplanet.com/2007-10/a2a_guide.html?

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Cheers for the link. Peter's comments are for people who can do it in 5 hours. I am expecting something well over 6 and pushing towards 7 so I doubt there will be a pack as such. I'm looking to get cooperative with a chap I've skated 300km with before. If there are more that skate with us then all the merrier. I just want to finish alive.

Those are good tips though. Some of them are in my mid pack marathon lecture notes that you will find in the library forum.

Alan · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 641 Location: Hackney, London

I'm going to be busy this weekend too; so like Marty I'll wish you good luck- and a great skate- now. Shocked

We'll miss you in Cologne.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Good luck Rick, that's awesome dude!

andyman · Joined: 05 Apr 2006 Posts: 1945 Location: Suffolk

Good luck Rick.

FYI I have sent mail to my friends from Orlando, Don and Joe, who I belive are going to be doing A2A confirming you are going and asking that they look out for you. Their details are on the WOSABE site here

Cheers