Forum ride - Season of Mists route (Hebden Bridge)

[Aperitif]

<awaits photos of a good looking ride>

 

[dan_bo]

Was some day for a ride as well- crystal clear. I would have had a bit of it myself but my legs were well farqued after yesterday's CX efforts.

 

[tubbycyclist]

Cheers Colin for suggesting the route - it is a wonderful ride when the weather is good. Good to meet the rest of you but my apologies to all of you for having to wait for me, especially at the top of Waddington Fell.

The sunset over Widdop Reservoir was especially impressive on the return leg, and just made into Hebden as the streetlights were coming on. By then it was a combination of walking and riding.

A special mention must go to Longers who slowed to my snail's pace on the way back, and then still had ride another 20 miles once we hit Hebden Bridge.

 

[Alun]

ColinJ and I got back to HB at about 6.15pm after 66 miles, wise decision to cut it long, or to cut out the extra hillage.

A good hard ride and great weather for the time of year, I definately need to get fitter for the next one, respect due to Kevin and of course Longers for completing all the extra climbing.

A couple of pints of Guinness for me I think, I'm knackered!

 

[ColinJ]

It was a lovely day for a ride. Even the strong wind didn't spoil it because overall it helped us as much as it hindered us.

Will (Bokonon) got a puncture in Sabden so we got to lie about in the sunshine for a while on the Nick o'Pendle.

Russ (Sysagent) somehow inserted his rear mech in his back wheel as we climbed out of Waddington but managed to manhandle the mech and dropout into a workable alignment. (Russ- you definitely bent the back of your bike slightly doing that - I could see it when riding behind you on the A59).

Alun, Kevin (tubbycyclist) and I were really not quite fit enough to tackle the route today in the available hours of daylight, well certainly not once two mechanicals and a long cafe stop at Slaidburn were taken into account.

Kevin decided to set off ahead of the rest of us from the cafe stop at Slaidburn. Once we finally set off after him, it had become obvious that it was going to be a real struggle to complete the route at all, let alone in daylight (Alun and I were flagging).

Russ was going to take a shortcut home along the A59 and the rest of us decided that it would a good idea for us to go that way too, heading back through Padiham and taking the A646 back to Hebden Bridge. It's slightly further than the planned route, but it misses out some very tough climbs.

We expected to catch up with Kevin and take him with us, but by the time we got to Chatburn, there was no sign of him and we needed to be leaving the SoM route there. Fortunately Mark (longers) had lights and a Season of Mists route sheet and volunteered to set off after Kevin and make sure he got back safely. The rest of us went the other way.

Russ left us on the way round to Padiham, and the other 4 of us (a mate of Russ named Lee had come along for the ride) rode through Padiham and onto the long drag up towards the Manchester Road traffic lights.

Will and Lee had gone ahead on the steeper part of the climb and then I got a txt from Mark. He'd found Kevin and they were going back on the original route. I sent a reply, then Alun and I carried on up the hill. We didn't see Will and Lee again. I assume that they decided it was getting late and they had done enough hanging about for one day and had gone on ahead.

As Alun mentioned, we managed to get back to Hebden Bridge in daylight. I clocked our ride at 107 km (66.5 miles). A great day out despite the problems.

Special thanks to Mark for going after Kevin.

Cheers Colin for suggesting the route - it is a wonderful ride when the weather is good. Good to meet the rest of you but my apologies to all of you for having to wait for me, especially at the top of Waddington Fell.

The sunset over Widdop Reservoir was especially impressive on the return leg, and just made into Hebden as the streetlights were coming on. By then it was a combination of walking and riding.

A special mention must go to Longers who slowed to my snail's pace on the way back, and then still had ride another 20 miles once we hit Hebden Bridge.

Oh, I'm so relieved that you (just about) got back in daylight! I had visions of you being out there until about 8 PM.

I reckon you must have recovered quite a bit at Slaidburn because I was really surprised that we did not catch up with you by Chatburn.

<awaits photos of a good looking ride>

I'll sort through mine tomorrow - I'm a bit tired this evening!

 

[longers]

Great day out with decent folk, thanks! Got home just after eight having been mostly blown home.

Chapeau to them that did it or attempted it last week in the wet.

 

[longers]

Edit: Sorry you couldn't make it Paul + Calum. Colly was missed today too.

 

[Bokonon]

ColinJ and I got back to HB at about 6.15pm after 66 miles, wise decision to cut it long, or to cut out the extra hillage.

You weren't that far behind Lee and I in the end then - we arrived back in Hebden at 5:50.

Sorry for the slight delay as I fixed my puncture. It would have been quicker had I remembered to pack my tyre levers and had had a more suitable spare tube with me.

 

[ColinJ]

Chapeau to them that did it or attempted it last week in the wet.

Alun and I were saying how hard it must have been for the likes of Svendo last week to actually complete the route in about 5 h 20 m including stops in the unbelievably bad conditions!

And also, how we must have been barking mad to attempt it... Seeing how we were struggling yesterday in the sunshine, what were we thinking!   

Edit: Sorry you couldn't make it Paul + Calum. Colly was missed today too.

Agreed.

Paul - have you sorted out your phone and computer?

Calum - have you caught up on your dissertation?

Colly - You've been keeping very quiet recently! I just checked and you do still pop in to CC. Are you still riding your bike? If so, see if you can catch my final forum ride of the year. Subject to acceptable weather, it would probably be Sun, November 14th and would be 45-50 miles so I'd have a chance of actually completing it in daylight!

 

[Jacqui]

Glad you had a good ride . I did the one Claire Balding did from Hebden to Haworth, Wycoller etc and back down to Hebden was 30 miles and some of the hills after Trawden were more than cheeky ,very windy as well so think it will be a long long time before I am up to a longer one with so much climbing .

We did stop with a couple she had come round the corner from Hardcastle Crags and skidded into a wall there was a lot of blood and two chippped front teeth . I hope she is alright .



Look forward to the photos as it was a gorgeous day.

 

[ColinJ]

Glad you had a good ride .  I did the one Claire Balding did from Hebden to Haworth, Wycoller etc and back down to Hebden was 30 miles  and some of  the hills after Trawden were  more than cheeky ,very windy as well so  think it will be a long long time before I am up to a longer one with so much climbing .

We did  stop with a  couple she had come round the corner from Hardcastle Crags and skidded into a wall there was a lot of blood and two chippped front teeth . I hope she is alright .

Look forward to the photos as it was a gorgeous day.

That sounds like my 'Trauma of Trawden' route, named after I bonked really badly on my first ride round it and limped home exhausted after more than 5 hours! Congratulations on completing that.

I'm trying to think where the corner you were talking about was. Maybe the very steep descent with several tight bends past the scout hostel into Blake Dean? 

The road is steeper that behind the camera, with two very tight bends.

 

[Sysagent]

Bikes in the hospital as we speak getting repairs...

As I previously mentioned anyone up for a ride around the Trough sooner than later?

Oh and Longers admirable of you to do what you did yesterday mate, there's not a lot of folk in this World who would have taken the step you did yesterday for Tubby.



Edit: Oh and yes not forgetting Alun for dropping off my kit at home which was in his car, many thanks Alun

 

[ColinJ]

As I previously mentioned anyone up for a ride around the Trough sooner than later?

I'd like to do another Trough ride, but I think it is too late in the year for me. I'd have to ride out from Hebden Bridge and ride back afterwards and that is about 95-100 miles depending on the exact route. It makes a great summer ride when I am fit, but probably too much for an autumn ride when I'm not!

 

[Sysagent]

I'd like to do another Trough ride, but I think it is too late in the year for me. I'd have to ride out from Hebden Bridge and ride back afterwards and that is about 95-100 miles depending on the exact route. It makes a great summer ride when I am fit, but probably too much for an autumn ride when I'm not!

Perhaps you could get another cyclist from the Hebden area to tag along Colin and share the lift to a suitable meeting place (Spring Wood car park is the usual place), then it enables you to reduce the milage on't two wheels matey?

 

[ColinJ]

Perhaps you could get another cyclist from the Hebden area to tag along Colin and share the lift to a suitable meeting place (Spring Wood car park is the usual place), then it enables you to reduce the milage on't two wheels matey?

I can think of a couple of people who might be up for that. I suggest that you organise the ride and when there is a set date/time I can ask if they are interested.

I can't do the 6th/7th November but am currently free all other weekends to mid-November.