It's my 5,000th post and I'd just like to say that...

[ColinJ]

Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday that I started collecting cyclists from an obscure little cycling forum and look where the collection is now - it has more than 50 members and the number is still rising. There should be another one in just over an hour's time if Hicky successfully navigates from Rochdale to Hebden Bridge! I don't know how long he has lived in Rochdale, but for some reason he has never been here before.

Anyway, thanks for the forum Shaun, and thanks for joining me on some lovely rides, lads and lassies!

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Congratulations on 5000,
I think Hicky is in for a shock when he sees the hills that surround Hebden .

How can someone who lives in Rochdale have never been to Hebden !

 

[TVC]

Congrats Colin,

I do note that in your collection you have an Arch, but that only counts half points because we've all got one of those

 

[numbnuts]

that's a lot of posts

 

[Ravenbait]

That last picture is a cracker. Where is that tree?

Sam

 

[Garz]

Haha nice collection.

Slightly o/t but sometimes these photo's clarify to me that you are a giant Colin!

Anyway look forward to meeting up again soon.

 

[postman]

i wondered who the giant was .How tall are you .?

 

[potsy]

Congratulations on 5000,
I think Hicky is in for a shock when he sees the hills that surround Hebden .

How can someone who lives in Rochdale have never been to Hebden !

Hicky flew up those hills today, put the rest of us to shame

Great pics Colin

 

[Arch]

Congrats Colin,

I do note that in your collection you have an Arch, but that only counts half points because we've all got one of those

<slap>

Really, I don't whether to be affronted or flattered!

I'd like to point out that in the second of the two photos I feature in, I am NOT giving the camera the finger, it just looks like it. I think it was still finishing my icecream cone...

Well done on the 5000 posts.

Lightweight....

 

[ColinJ]

Congratulations on 5000,
I think Hicky is in for a shock when he sees the hills that surround Hebden .

How can someone who lives in Rochdale have never been to Hebden !

He's apparently been there 5 years. I mean, I've been to Rochdale 4 or 5 times in that period and I'm not even that keen on the place (I'm not a fan of heavily built-up areas). Hopefully, he'll venture further afield more often now.

that's a lot of posts

It is, but you are halfway there!

That last picture is a cracker. Where is that tree?

Sam

It's in Wharfedale on a liitle lane just above the Wharfe between Barden and Storiths. Hang on, I'll see if the Google Streetview car has been down that lane... Blimey, it took me ages to work my way along there - it would have been quicker to ride it! Here you go.

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm - there is a limit on the number of quotes you can have in one post so I had to split it over two posts.

Slightly o/t but sometimes these photo's clarify to me that you are a giant Colin!

Anyway look forward to meeting up again soon.

i wondered who the giant was .How tall are you .?

I'm a giant compared to short people - I just happen to be standing next to short people in a lot of those pictures! Also, the camera angles were distorting the perspective.

I'm only 6' 1" - hardly huge by modern standards. In fact, the way things are going, in about 30 years time it will probably be the average male height!

Well done on the 5000 posts.

Lightweight....

Not such a lightweight at the moment, unfortunately - I peaked at nearly 16 stone early in the New Year!

 

[postman]

Right that does it i am not coming out with you lot .One reason you are too good up 'ills and at 6' 4" you would all take the mick by riding between my legs .

 

[postman]

Third picture from the end .Four cyclists and a bridge is that Burnsall?

 

[User10119]

One day (possibly if I ever manage to lose enough weight to not outweigh you by quite some margin - bearing in mind that we now have conclusive evidence in another place that I am in fact SHORTER than Arch) I might have to go and look at some of those hills....

 

[ColinJ]

Third picture from the end .Four cyclists and a bridge is that Burnsall?

Well spotted sir! That's me with Alun, Rammylad and Zacklaws on the Spring Into The Dales audax.

[QUOTE 1298669"]
One day (possibly if I ever manage to lose enough weight to not outweigh you by quite some margin - bearing in mind that we now have conclusive evidence in another place that I am in fact SHORTER than Arch) I might have to go and look at some of those hills....
[/quote]
There's certainly some good cycling over the hills round here. If you are heavy and struggling, then gearing very low is the way to go!

I (just!) managed to get up a 20% climb on the Old Roman Road between Spring Wood, Whalley and Read yesterday using my trusty 30/28 grovelling gear. Mind you, I wasn't overtaking the lads who walked it so if it doesn't bother you to walk, then you won't lose much time and it could be the answer to the short steep stuff.