A scenic, hilly 102 km forum ride, Todmorden, Sat, 20th Oct, 2018

[ColinJ]

Hmm - these rides are clearly too short and not hilly enough, given the obvious lack of interest in them ... Never fear, I'll start organising longer and hillier rides in 2019!

 

[ColinJ]

Looks like just the 3 of us then ... See you in Todmorden at 09:00 @Littgull and between Burnley and Fence 10:15 - 10:25 (-ish!) @Oldfentiger!

 

[Oldfentiger]

Looks like just the 3 of us then ... See you in Todmorden at 09:00 @Littgull and between Burnley and Fence 10:15 - 10:25 (-ish!) @Oldfentiger!

Duly noted.
I’ll wait for you in Noggarth Road just before the left turn at the corner.
Cya tomorrow

 

[Littgull]

Up with the lark and rocket fuel fully partaken in the form of a big bowl of porridge followed by toast and marmalade.

@ColinJ - see you at Tod for 9 am

@Oldfentiger - between Burnley and Fence

 

[Littgull]

A fantastic day out on the bikes today. Great company and perfect conditions with it not being too cold or too warm and a very light wind. Great to see and ride with Phil again (@Oldfentiger) who joined us for a large slice of the route. Some terrific climbing including some iconic hills such as ‘Nick of Pendle’ and ‘Waddington Fell’. A total of over 8000ft of ascent for the complete route.

Many thanks to Colin (@ColinJ) for planning the route variations that involved starting and finishing at Todmorden. We began with the long steep climb up Cross Stones Road and beyond to the Long Causeway. My total mileage was 76 including the additional 12 miles to and from Todmorden. It’s about 5 years since I did the official Seasons of Mist Audax but the relentless amount of climbing and descending is rewarded by simply stunning scenery and views as we crossed through high moorland and scores of attractive villages in the valleys.

The lunch stop at the café in Slaidburn proved a very welcome oasis and it was warm enough in the Autumn sunshine for us to eat and chat outside.

I took a few pictures at the summit of Waddington Fell but a combination of my decrepit mobile phone camera and my inept photography skills meant that only a couple came out. Sorry Phil, the one I took of yourself riding to the summit of Waddington Fell was one that didn’t materialise.


Feeling nicely fatigued tonight but very satisfied.

 

[Oldfentiger]

Met up with @ColinJ and @Littgull as planned. Weather had warmed up a bit so riding conditions were ideal for us. We had a great relaxed ride with the climbs dropping behind us without too much bother.
Sat and lunched in the sunshine at the cafe in Slaidburn, and put the world to rights as three old farts are wont to do. I was back home by about 3.30pm having greatly enjoyed my shortened version of the the route.
35.6 miles with 4712’ climbed.
Thanks to the other two for the great company as always.

 

[I like Skol]

It has been a lovely day so glad you had a good ride rather than the misery of the official ride.

I did manage an easy ride with Lady Skol so not an entirely missed opportunity on my part. Just 14 miles along the canal from Marple to Bugsworth Basin and back in short sleeves. Even managed a pint sat outside The Navigation at Bugsworth.
Managed to bump into @nickyboy just as we were setting off from Marple. Had a quick chat and found out he eas just on the final leg of a mahoosive ride out via Buxton ad Macc!

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, it was a very good day out on the bikes. Brian and I set off in cool conditions and ascended into chilly mist on the Long Causeway. We had dressed accordingly. Conditions over at Pendle were a lot better so Phil had turned out wearing shorts.

Brian (left) and Phil at the Nick o'Pendle:

The forecast had been for a maximum of 12-13 degrees with a degree or two off that for windchill. Well, I'm sure that temperatures hit mid to high teens in the sun and there wasn't much wind really so I started to overheat on the climbs later on. I told Brian that I intended to stop at the top of the climb out of Nelson to remove one layer of clothing, and I did so. There was a first for me at the summit ... I have never seen a large brown dildo hanging from a roadside bush before!

It was a very hilly route - my ride was 104 kms (65 miles) with 2,470 m (8,100 ft) of climbing.

 

[nickyboy]

It has been a lovely day so glad you had a good ride rather than the misery of the official ride.

I did manage an easy ride with Lady Skol so not an entirely missed opportunity on my part. Just 14 miles along the canal from Marple to Bugsworth Basin and back in short sleeves. Even managed a pint sat outside The Navigation at Bugsworth.
Managed to bump into @nickyboy just as we were setting off from Marple. Had a quick chat and found out he eas just on the final leg of a mahoosive ride out via Buxton ad Macc!

Nice to bump into you @I like Skol
My ride was 52 miles and 4,700ft of climbing so a short, flat one compared to this. Lovely weather for all it seems

 

[colly]

Damn. How did l not see this?

 

[Blue Hills]

I took a few pictures at the summit of Waddington Fell but a combination of my decrepit mobile phone camera and my inept photography skills meant that only a couple came out..

Just found this thread and downloaded the gpx for possible future use.

That amount of climbing sounds worse than even my hell of Chiddingley ride, but it is the north of course.

"came out" Not a phrase I've heard since I was a kid getting my black and white Instamatic prints back from boots. Hell of an achievement to manage that in the digital age

 

[ColinJ]

"came out" Not a phrase I've heard since I was a kid getting my black and white Instamatic prints back from boots. Hell of an achievement to manage that in the digital age

@Littgull carries his phone in his jersey pocket so the camera lens get steamed up with sweat!

Damn. How did l not see this?

I'll try to remember to 'tag' you next time we do something like that.