A Half Century Challenge hilly forum ride (Todmorden/Hebden Bridge), Sat 28th Apr 2018

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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
If you fancy tackling a scenic/hilly half century forum ride, why not join us for this one on Saturday, 28th April?

I have designed the route to try and tempt people who don't fancy my metric century (or longer) rides. This one would be ideal for the 'Half Century A Month Challenge' riders - 50 miles from Todmorden incorporating a 50 kms ride from Hebden Bridge.

We will have one cafe official stop and it is in a very scenic location (Craggies) towards the end of the 50 km loop (about halfway through the 50 miler).

If you want to have breakfast in Tod before the ride (or something after the 50 miler), there is a Wetherspoons (bottom of Ridge Road on the map below) not far from the start, and also plenty of cafes dotted about.

Hebden Bridge has numerous cafes less than 50 metres from the start so you will not have any problem buying a pre/post-ride coffee/snack there.

If you start from Todmorden but have had enough by the time we return to Hebden Bridge you can avoid a longish hilly return leg and take the short flat route back along the A646 down in the valley, though you would then only have done about 65 km (40-41 miles) in total.

We will maintain a steady, chatty pace, probably only averaging about 15 kph (9 mph) including stops. No riders abandoned, and no complaining about slow speeds will tolerated - if you want to ride fast, sorry, this ride is not for you***!

There are lots of hills, some quite steep, so bring climbing legs and/or very low gears.

The riders doing 50 miles will start from 'Tod Chippy' in Todmorden, opposite the free car park in Dalton Street. (If you are coming in by train, follow the green arrow.)

Meet at 09:25, set off at 09:30. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)

tod-map-png.png


We will then ride down the A646 to Hebden Bridge where we meet the 50 km riders by the sundial sculpture in the pedestrianised area of the town centre. Some suggested parking spots are shown on this Google map. The meeting place is near the White Lion shown on that map, across the road and 50 metres to the south in the pedestrianised town square.

Meet at 09:55, set off at 10:00. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)

I have attached GPX files for the Tod-HB leg (the A646, Halifax Road), the main 50 km loop, and the hilly return leg from Hebden Bridge that the 50-milers will undertake.

A simple map of the 50 km loop:

HB PW CV 50 km loop map.png

We climb the Keighley Road to Pecket Well and then turn left to head through Old Town and down Height Road to Midgley. We will ride round to the top of Jerusalem Lane and then descend to Booth. From there to Solomon Hill and then descend to Luddenden Foot. We will cross the A646 and head up a steep climb. Right at the top and then head down Scout Road to Mytholmroyd. That gives us the chance to do the famous Cragg Vale climb, "England's longest continuous uphill gradient"! It is not steep, apart from a short, steepish section halfway up. We will turn left at the junction with the A58 and do a rapid descent as far as a left turn onto quiet lanes starting with Blue Ball Road. Those lanes take us round to Steep Lane, which is, er, steep! We head up that and on to our cafe stop. After that we head back over to the road that we had climbed earlier, but now descend to Mytholmroyd. I would prefer us to return to Hebden Bridge on the Calder Valley Cycleway to avoid traffic, but the A646 is an option. We will say goodbye to the 50 km riders there.

After that, any 41-milers can go back to Tod on the main road. I will ride the scenic route back with @Littgull and any other 50 milers. We will turn at the turning circle, and head back towards HB, turning left up the Heptonstall Road. We will take the easier option of Lee Wood Road rather than continuing up to the village. From Slack we continue through Colden, Jack Bridge and Blackshaw Head on our way up to the summit on the Long Causeway. It is quite a climb to get up there, but from there we get a really easy ride back to Tod. Of the 18 km, 15.5 are downhill or flat and the other 2.5 km are only a slight uphill drag at 2.0-2.5%.

A simple map of the last leg:

HB LC A646 Tod map.png



Sign up below! :hello:



*** speed limits do not apply on descents - muhaha! :okay:
 

Attachments

  • HB PW CV 50 km loop.gpx
    10.6 KB · Views: 113
  • HB sundial to Tod Chippy via Long Causeway.gpx
    6 KB · Views: 68
  • Tod Chippy to HB sundial.gpx
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Last edited:
I'm in for the imperial 50.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
My friend Carrie is in for the 50 km loop from Hebden Bridge. (She will be riding over from near Bingley and back afterwards so I don't think she will want to the extended, 50 mile version.)

I am just checking my routes and will update the first post with details later today.
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
Im interested in doing this one day when I've retuned my cycling legs.
But only if you promise never to lead us up Doghouse Lane. Did it once with the bike fully loaded. It was the single most sadistic painful thing I've ever done in my entire life. Never again.

20150615_125337.jpg
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Im interested in doing this one day when I've retuned my cycling legs.
But only if you promise never to lead us up Doghouse Lane. Did it once with the bike fully loaded. It was the single most sadistic painful thing I've ever done in my entire life. Never again.

View attachment 403025
Ha ha - I rode up Doghouse Lane fairly recently ... yes, it's a brute!

We will not be doing anything quite as bad as that on the 28th - perhaps a couple of short climbs will be about 2/3 of that difficulty.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
There was a climb towards the end of the second stage of the Tour of the Basque Country a couple of days ago that was similar to Dog House Lane. It was pretty humbling to see how fast the pros raced up it!
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Hmm - very little interest so far ... If I don't get more interest in this ride which was intended to appeal to people who don't want to/can't do longer rides, I will probably just stick to organising rides of 100+ kms in future! :whistle:

Anyway, the list of riders signed up so far:

From Todmorden:
From Hebden Bridge:
 

Vantage

Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
I think many folk will struggle with the idea of getting a train somewhere away from their home town to ride knowing full well that it may very well end up being a drench fest then having to get home all wet and soggy. Maybe when the weather turns a little nicer and more reliable you might get more willing peddlers.
My excuse is that I'm just about coping with 20 mile flat routes so far......I've a long way to go before I'm back to my 60 mile ride capabilities.
Hope it turns out nice for you though :smile:
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
With British weather you can never tell what you are going to get until a few minutes before, and sometimes not even then! :okay:

I was out on the local hills on a baking hot summer day once with only sunshine forecast. I looked into the sky about 5 or 6 miles ahead and saw a huge black cloud rolling in and a few seconds later a vicious cloudburst dumped freezing rain on me. I got so cold that I had to dismount because the violent shivering that ensued meant that I could not control the bike properly. 5 minutes later, the sun was shining again! :wacko:
 
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