aJohnson
Senior Member
- Location
- Bury, Manchester
Scratch that I wont be doing the extra 20miles, I'm able to get a lift 
And time estimate of when we'll be finishing?
And time estimate of when we'll be finishing?
'Beat the Clocks' - Hebden Bridge, Sun Oct 18th
- Thread starter ColinJ
- Start date
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OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well, given that there will be at least one older, larger, slower rider (i.e. me!aJohnson said:Scratch that I wont be doing the extra 20miles, I'm able to get a liftAnd time estimate of when we'll be finishing?
) I'd take a guess and say about 16:15 (that's assuming we get away at 10:00, there are no mechanical problems and we have a 30 minute cafe stop halfway).I'll PM you my mobile number aJ and just in case, could you text me yours back (I've got the numbers of everybody else). I only switch the phone on the morning of group rides, so if you need to contact me any other time, just PM me here.
Text me before 10:00 tomorrow if you are going to be late or you can't make it for any reason. Ta.
See you in the morning folks - I'll arrive at the car park at about 09:50.
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
So, Paul - are you and Liam going to join us? (I'm just trying to get a clear idea of who is supposed to be turning up so we don't leave anybody behind if they are coming but get delayed.)PaulB said:
aJohnson
Senior Member
- Location
- Bury, Manchester
Sounds good, I will probably be aching after 8000ft of climbing. Will I need a lock or anything else in particular?
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
No lock needed; just bring a few quid for the cafe.aJohnson said:
Coldwell cafe has a walled patio where we can leave our bikes. To get to them, a thief would have to go into the car park, round the back of the buildings, past the side of the cafe where we will be sitting, and we will be looking straight at them from a few feet away. I'm a worrier, but I don't worry about my bike there. It's also in a really quiet country location so you don't have hordes of chavs hanging about looking out for something to steal.
If by any chance you want a coffee when we get back to Hebden Bridge, there's an Italian cafe with tables outside right next to the car park where we are meeting up so we could sit with the bikes.
PS Andy - the best way to get to the car park if you are coming in from the Todmorden direction is to turn left off the A646 down Old Gate (one-way street) by the side of the river (see the map on page 1). Hebden has a new pedestrianised centre so it can be a bit fiddly to find your way to Market Place car park from another direction.
aJohnson
Senior Member
- Location
- Bury, Manchester
Okie.
My only trouble now is this damn turbo trainer tyre, isn't coming off.
And thanks for the directions
My only trouble now is this damn turbo trainer tyre, isn't coming off.
And thanks for the directions
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
The weather is looking good here at the moment - cool, no wind, dry and blue skies. The forecast is that there might be some drizzle later on, but it's pretty good for this time of year!
aJohnson
Senior Member
- Location
- Bury, Manchester
Good good, I'll be setting off shortly, just getting some directions.
Sorry about today, Colin. I have THE most embarrassing reason ever for missing out today.
Want to hear it?
On Thursday, I bought a Wii and spent Friday morning battering someone into the sea with a stave off a "Gladiators"-style platform. Virtually, of course. Well the rounds got tougher and the swings of the stave had to get more strenuous. I wanted to get to the next level and the one after that but each successive opponent was tougher than the last. No problems, I foolishly thought. Then I did 40 miles on the bike. Saturday morning, I could barely move. Every muscle in my right leg, back and side hurt like I'd been operated on! I thought it was a simple thing that would just go but it never and I'm still in the type of pain more usually associated with a day or two after a marathon even today! I'd SERIOUSLY underestimated the effort required. It's a young man's game, it really is!
Want to hear it?
On Thursday, I bought a Wii and spent Friday morning battering someone into the sea with a stave off a "Gladiators"-style platform. Virtually, of course. Well the rounds got tougher and the swings of the stave had to get more strenuous. I wanted to get to the next level and the one after that but each successive opponent was tougher than the last. No problems, I foolishly thought. Then I did 40 miles on the bike. Saturday morning, I could barely move. Every muscle in my right leg, back and side hurt like I'd been operated on! I thought it was a simple thing that would just go but it never and I'm still in the type of pain more usually associated with a day or two after a marathon even today! I'd SERIOUSLY underestimated the effort required. It's a young man's game, it really is!
aJohnson
Senior Member
- Location
- Bury, Manchester
Sorry about cutting my journey short Colin, my legs were too cold, I guess I need winter gear asap. Hope you all had a enjoyable rest of the ride. "_"
OP
OP
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well, the skies were blue when I got up, but the clouds were already building up by the time I rode round to the meeting place. Alun, Ed (Svendo) and Will (Bokonon) were already there and Andy (aJohnson) was due any minute. Sure enough, he turned up a couple of minutes later.
Alun had a lovely new carbon fibre Ribble. Ed's bike had survived his recent attempt to get it (and himself) crushed underneath a bus. Will's hair was growing back from some alarming pruning in aid of charity. Andy's arms and legs were even skinnier than he'd said they were. As for me - I'm obviously getting old! Not only do many policemen/women look young enough to be my children, I'm now getting people coming on my rides who appear young enough to be my grandchildren!
And then we were off...
We met Martin (Goodspeed) at the top of the first hill, as previously arranged.
It was getting colder and I felt quite chilled on the descent to Oxenhope. Unfortunately, the weather slowly deteriorated during the day. Still, we had a good ride round to Laneshaw Bridge, where Martin left us. He had promised his wife that he wouldn't be out for too long, and was taking a shortcut home.
Then the drizzle started, and a cold wind picked up. It wasn't very pleasant at all. Andy was seriously underdressed and didn't have the advantage that I have of a layer of blubber to keep him warm. By the time we got to our cafe stop, he realised that he couldn't complete the ride so he sent for backup (rang his mum for a lift home!). We had a good stop at Coldwell, then led Andy to the junction of the A671 and the A646 where he was getting picked up.
I had a feeling that we wouldn't be doing the planned serious climb up to Blackshaw Head later, so I decided to squeeze a bit extra in before we got to Todmorden. Instead of going straight up the A671 to Deerplay Moor, I took us up the A646 towards Burnley and then turned up the steepish climb past Burnley Golf Club. We turned left at the top of that climb, and headed for Deerplay via Crown Point.
I was cold and wet and beginning to feel the effort of climbing all the hills we'd done so far. In fact. I got confused for a moment and thought we were at Sharneyford rather than Deerplay. My dismay on realising that we were several miles and a significant climb further from home than I'd thought made me realise that a change of route was called for. We needed to talk when we got to Sharneyford...
First though, a chilly descent into Bacup and a bit of a slog back out of it. Ed was only riding as far as Todmorden whatever the rest of us decided to do. Alun agreed with me - he didn't fancy the original plan for a brutally hilly climax to the ride either. Will was happy to go with the majority.
So, we descended all the way to the A6033 and took the valley roads back to Hebden Bridge, saying goobye to Ed in Tod on the way.
We headed straight for Hebden Bridge station so Will could catch the next train to Leeds which was due shortly. While we were waiting for that, a steam train came thundering through in the opposite direction. I didn't manage to get my camera out in time to snap it.
I've just checked my GPS tracklog. Despite the change of route, we still did 88 km with 2,100 m of climbs (55 miles, 6,600 ft).
Despite the disappointing weather, I think it was a good ride. It was nice to meet some of The Usual Suspects again, and to meet Andy for the first time. He is the only rider I've ever met who is quicker going up steep hills than he is coming down them!
I'll try and arrange another local ride for mid-November. It will be shorter - maybe 45 miles. Hopefully the weather will be better, and if not, I'll be wearing full winter cycling kit!
Paul - that has to be the very definition of a 'lame' excuse!
Garz - watch out for the November ride, and tell Andy to wear some warm kit next time!
Alun had a lovely new carbon fibre Ribble. Ed's bike had survived his recent attempt to get it (and himself) crushed underneath a bus. Will's hair was growing back from some alarming pruning in aid of charity. Andy's arms and legs were even skinnier than he'd said they were. As for me - I'm obviously getting old! Not only do many policemen/women look young enough to be my children, I'm now getting people coming on my rides who appear young enough to be my grandchildren!
And then we were off...
We met Martin (Goodspeed) at the top of the first hill, as previously arranged.
It was getting colder and I felt quite chilled on the descent to Oxenhope. Unfortunately, the weather slowly deteriorated during the day. Still, we had a good ride round to Laneshaw Bridge, where Martin left us. He had promised his wife that he wouldn't be out for too long, and was taking a shortcut home.
Then the drizzle started, and a cold wind picked up. It wasn't very pleasant at all. Andy was seriously underdressed and didn't have the advantage that I have of a layer of blubber to keep him warm. By the time we got to our cafe stop, he realised that he couldn't complete the ride so he sent for backup (rang his mum for a lift home!). We had a good stop at Coldwell, then led Andy to the junction of the A671 and the A646 where he was getting picked up.
I had a feeling that we wouldn't be doing the planned serious climb up to Blackshaw Head later, so I decided to squeeze a bit extra in before we got to Todmorden. Instead of going straight up the A671 to Deerplay Moor, I took us up the A646 towards Burnley and then turned up the steepish climb past Burnley Golf Club. We turned left at the top of that climb, and headed for Deerplay via Crown Point.
I was cold and wet and beginning to feel the effort of climbing all the hills we'd done so far. In fact. I got confused for a moment and thought we were at Sharneyford rather than Deerplay. My dismay on realising that we were several miles and a significant climb further from home than I'd thought made me realise that a change of route was called for. We needed to talk when we got to Sharneyford...
First though, a chilly descent into Bacup and a bit of a slog back out of it. Ed was only riding as far as Todmorden whatever the rest of us decided to do. Alun agreed with me - he didn't fancy the original plan for a brutally hilly climax to the ride either. Will was happy to go with the majority.
So, we descended all the way to the A6033 and took the valley roads back to Hebden Bridge, saying goobye to Ed in Tod on the way.
We headed straight for Hebden Bridge station so Will could catch the next train to Leeds which was due shortly. While we were waiting for that, a steam train came thundering through in the opposite direction. I didn't manage to get my camera out in time to snap it.
I've just checked my GPS tracklog. Despite the change of route, we still did 88 km with 2,100 m of climbs (55 miles, 6,600 ft).
Despite the disappointing weather, I think it was a good ride. It was nice to meet some of The Usual Suspects again, and to meet Andy for the first time. He is the only rider I've ever met who is quicker going up steep hills than he is coming down them!
I'll try and arrange another local ride for mid-November. It will be shorter - maybe 45 miles. Hopefully the weather will be better, and if not, I'll be wearing full winter cycling kit!
Paul - that has to be the very definition of a 'lame' excuse!
Garz - watch out for the November ride, and tell Andy to wear some warm kit next time!
I'm not interested either, but here is someone's picture of the same train earlier at Barnsley.
Great ride as always ColinJ.
Great ride as always ColinJ.
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