Sunrise & Snowdrop Express Audaxes - Saturday 7th February 2009

Thank for supporting the Express Audax this year - it was very disappointing to have to cancel the event but I'm sure you appreciate we had no choice under the circumstances.

A few people have asked if the event will be re-staged this year. Unfortunately, this will not be possible due to the amount of volunteer time required, not to mention the difficulty of finding a slot in the Audax UK calendar. The event will, of course, run next year at around the same time.

I've also been asked what happens to the surplus entry fees when an event is cancelled. Strictly speaking, these are not refundable and in our case it would be impossible to handle accurately. It's also worth pointing out that even though the event did not take place, there are still considerable expenses to cover. We have therefore decided to use part of the 'surplus' to reduce next year’s entry fee. The remainder will be donated to local charities. Andy Terry - event organiser.

The Beacon RCC February Audaxes are now well established on the Audax calendar, attracting over 150 participants each year. The 123km routes, starting from Hartlebury near Stourport on Severn, were defined by Alan Mason, the Beacon member who was the original organiser and we think they are so good that they have remained largely unchanged. Alan aimed to find easy routes on quiet country roads that all cyclists could be confident of completing, even on a chilly winter's day when nobody is at their fittest!

For some riders our event provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy rural Worcestershire on a crisp winter's day. For others it provides the perfect motivation to get out with friends when they might otherwise be tempted to stay indoors. In recent years we have also been delighted to welcome several local racing men and women who used it for steady winter training.

We hope you find everything you need to know about the Beacon's February Audaxes in these pages. If you have any further questions please contact the organiser below. For details of what an Audax ride entails see our description of audaxes.