Hilly forum ride from Hebden Bridge, Sun 14th November

[Bokonon]

Sorry, can't make this weekend. The rest of you have fun though.

 

[Calum]

Oh dear, just realised that it's Leeds utd vs Bristol City on saturday so I can't make it. If the ride ends up being rescheduled to the 14th or 20th because of bad weather, i'll be able to come.

 

[colly]

Oh dear, just realised that it's Leeds utd vs Bristol City on saturday so I can't make it. If the ride ends up being rescheduled to the 14th or 20th because of bad weather, i'll be able to come.

Leeds vs Bristol City ? ..................why be disappointed Calum. Go for a ride instead. You know it makes sense.

 

[Alun]

I'm afraid I can't make this one Colin, I'm going out for my birthday and that usually involves beer.

All in moderation of course, but it will take it's toll!

Have a good one and I hope the weather behaves itself.

 

[Calum]

**** we're dropping like flies!

 

[Amanda P]

Well, I'm still watching this thread to see whether it goes ahead. Can't commit myself just yet, though. I'll see if I can talk Mrs Uncle Phil into coming.

 

[ColinJ]

The forecast isn't looking good for Saturday or Sunday, but let's keep an eye on it to see if it improves.

 

[Calum]

Leeds vs Bristol City ? ..................why be disappointed Calum. Go for a ride instead. You know it makes sense.

I raise two fingers to you sir!

 

[colly]

I raise two fingers to you sir!

I meet your two and raise two more.

 

[PaulB]

Thanks for that Kevin. It's usually possible to get past roadworks on bikes, but let's go for 'Plan B' instead just in case - it saves us going into the valley and then having to turn round and go back the other way if the road is completely blocked. Anyway, the views from Dean Edge Road are good.

After the cafe stop, continue along to Oakworth, then turn right at Lane End, drop down into the valley and have a steep little climb back up to Haworth. I'd toyed with going that way when I was plotting the original route. I've updated the route on Bikely.

The amended route is 85.8 km (53.3 miles) with that tougher climb to Haworth.

I don't know if that'll be doable. Our Liam was over that way today and although I wasn't paying attention on exactly where he meant, he said the road between Howarth and Stansbury was under really deep floodwater and therefore closed to all traffic.

On the weather front, it'll be MUCH better than today. So they lead us to believe. And yesterday, I went to climb a Munro above Loch Fyne in Scotland which required a 7KM MTB ride in either direction to get you to the foot of the actual mountain itself. I have NEVER in all my life been so uncomfortable. Not on the hill, but on the ride in either direction. It was colder than a peguin's chuff and the return ride, wet with perspiration, footsore and leg-weary, I know 7KM seems like nowt but I was on my chinstrap in croaking agony.

Seems great in the tick in the book but oh boy! The physically most uncomfortable thing I've ever done. And it was windless, 100% clarity and stunningly beatiful. Just a shame about the EVIL cold temp. Anything on Sunday will be infinitely preferable to that.

 

[Amanda P]

If the weather's looking reasonable, Mrs Uncle Phil and I will aim to be there. Keep us up to date with your thinking, Colin!

 

[ColinJ]

I don't know if that'll be doable.  Our Liam was over that way today and although I wasn't paying attention on exactly where he meant, he said the road between Howarth and Stansbury was under really deep floodwater and therefore closed to all traffic.  

I've already rerouted the ride to avoid that section because Kevin (tubbycyclist) warned me about possible roadworks down there. We will be riding along the top edge of the valley to Oakworth and crossing the valley from there (where we will probably discover another flood!).

On the weather front, it'll be MUCH better than today.  So they lead us to believe.  And yesterday, I went to climb a Munro above Loch Fyne in Scotland which required a 7KM MTB ride in either direction to get you to the foot of the actual mountain itself.  I have NEVER in all my life been so uncomfortable.  Not on the hill, but on the ride in either direction.  It was colder than a peguin's chuff and the return ride, wet with perspiration, footsore and leg-weary, I know 7KM seems like nowt but I was on my chinstrap in croaking agony.  

Seems great in the tick in the book but oh boy!  The physically most uncomfortable thing I've ever done.  And it was windless, 100% clarity and stunningly beatiful.  Just a shame about the EVIL cold temp.  Anything on Sunday will be infinitely preferable to that.

Sounds great! Well, the scenery -  I wouldn't fancy the EVIL cold temp much...

If the weather's looking reasonable, Mrs Uncle Phil and I will aim to be there.  Keep us up to date with your thinking, Colin!

The wind here last night was incredible. I could hear dustbins tumbling about outside in the middle of the night. 

I fear for the state of my roof. I spotted a damp patch on my ceiling a couple of days ago so I think I might already have lost a slate and last night I could hear the wind getting inside the roof. There were ominous noises that might have been broken slates sliding down the roof. I must go outside and check for debris...

Anyway, back to the present... Things are starting to calm down here but the BBC and Met Office don't currently agree on tomorrow's forecast. The BBC forecast is for sunny intervals and a risk of a light shower here or there but the Met Office is saying we'll have heavy rain. Both say that it will be windy (10-14 mph with gusts to 20-ish). Hopefully the forecasts will converge as we go through today so we can make a decision later. I wouldn't fancy heavy rain plus wind on those hills!

If we go ahead, we will have to be careful on fast descents because gusting crosswinds could make them very tricky!

 

[longers]

Sorry, can't make this weekend. The rest of you have fun though.

What he said, and be careful too eh?

 

[ColinJ]

400bhp, oakroyd and anybody else who expressed an interest...

The latest forecast suggests that the morning should start off wet and improve from about 11:00-11:30 onwards to give some sunny spells.

I've sent a txt to PaulB about the ride and am waiting for him to get back to me. Uncle Phil is offline but waiting to hear what the decision is about the ride.

I'll do it if anybody else wants to do it tomorrow. If not, I'll postpone it until next weekend, wait for the sunny spells and do a shorter solo ride in the afternoon. 

 

[ColinJ]

Paul - I sent you a txt but I don't know if you received it...

Uncle and Mrs Uncle Phil have decided that they don't fancy the ride given the forecast so that just leaves us.

I'm tempted to postpone it until next weekend, but if you still want to do it today (13th) let me know. In fact could you let me know one way or the other so I don't turn out if you aren't going to be at the car park. It's likely to be wet and I don't want to wait in vain... (I'm sure there's a song in there somewhere!)

If you'd like to do a shorter version of the ride starting at 11:30 from the Market Place car park, we'd have 4.5 hours or so of daylight and we could miss most of the rain.

I'll get up in plenty of time to turn out for 09:00 but if you say you aren't coming, I'll go back to bed for a couple of hours!